bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Problem of Developing the Christian Ethic in the Japanese Culture
Authors: Hays George H.
Published: October 2021

The hev. George H. Hays is a missionary of the Foreign Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, who is teaching Christian Sociology at Seinan Gakuin, a college on the Island of Kyushu. This paper was recommended for publication in the OCCASIONAL BULLLTIN by professor H. C. Goerner of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary at Louisville. One of the major purposes of this BULLETINS is the provision of a vehicle for the publication of brief research projects and valuable articles produced in courses in Missions in the various seminaries and missionary training schools in the United States and Canada.–Editor.
Status of Minorities in a Moslem State
Authors: Hoballah M. F.
Published: October 2021

(This article is reprinted by permission from Pakistan Horizon, Vol. IV, No. 3 (September 1951), pp. 110-119. This magazine is published by the Pakistan Institute of International Affairs, Karachi. Arabic quotations are omitted and only the English translation is given.—Editor.)
Relief and Rehabilitation as a Part of the Missionary Task
Authors: Stevenson A. Russell
Published: October 2021

The Reverend A. Russell Stevenson is Director of the Program in Asia and Non-European Areas of Church World Service. Before assuming his present position he was the Secretary of the Joint Committee for South Asia and the Near East of the Division of Foreign Missions of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Previously, he had been a missionary under the United Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions in Egypt.
Books on Indonesia
Authors: Price Frank W.
Published: October 2021

This Select Bibliography comprises books published within the past ten years and, for the most part, books in the English language. All books listed are available in the Missionary Research Library.
The Changing and Unchanged Mission
Authors: Mapanao Eliezar D.
Published: October 2021

The following address was delivered at the Annual Assembly of the Division of Foreign Missions, National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America, meeting in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, December 7–10, 1958. The Reverend Eliezer D. Mapanao has been co-pastor of the Ellinwood-Malate Church, Manila, of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines. He has been active also in interdenominational youth and student work in the Philippines end a delegate to several international conferences. At present he is doing graduate study in theology at Harvard Divinity School. We are happy to publish his thoughtful, evangelical and challenging paper. The “younger churches” which have been recipients of mission are now becoming participants in mission and are giving us fresh insights and interpretations en the meaning of the Christian world mission. Here is a new and authentic voice of Asian Christianity. Ed.
The Role of the Laity in the Christian World Mission
Authors: Smith Eugene L.
Published: October 2021

This article is the text of an address given by the Rev. Eugene Lewis Smith, D.D. at the Division of Foreign Missions Assembly in Atlantio City on December 9, 1959. Dr. Smith is General Executive Secretary of the Division of World Missions, Board of Missions of the Methodist Churoh, Before assuming his present responsibility in 1949, he was pastor of St. Mark's Methodist Church in Brooklyn. Ed.
Missions and the New Nationalism
Authors: Beaver R. Pierce
Published: October 2021

Dr. R. Pierce Beaver is Professor of Missions at the Divinity School, University of Chicago. A former missionary to China, he was from 1948 to 1955 Director of the Missionary Research Library. In recent years he has made extended trips to Asia. This paper was read at the Symposium on “The Christian Faith Faces Contemporary Nationalism” at the School of International Service of American University, and Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington, D. C., November 11 and 12, 1960.
Missionaries from the Younger Churches
Authors: Orr Clara E.
Published: October 2021

The assumption of responsibility for sending missionaries beyond the borders of their own countries has been in most cases a comparatively recent development in the life of the “younger churches”, Themselves the product of missions from churches longer established, they have obeyed the missionary imperative first at home and then have begun to share in the wider task. In some cases the young church arrived at this stage early, as in the South Seas; but conditions in other areas of the world are very different: some churches cannot yet send missionaries, others can help toward the support of missionaries sent by other agencies, and some now can support a growing program of foreign work.

In previous reports prepared by the Missionary Research Library, some instances of the sending of missionaries by the younger churches were cited, but no documentation was specifically given. In the present report, considerably more material has been available, and sources are listed in the footnotes. There is no doubt that more missionaries have been sent by younger churches than are here reported. Some are sent by agencies of which the Missionary Research Library has no record; some are completely independent; some belong to groups which for one reason or another have not made information available. Insofar as replies have come in from national councils of churches and other field representatives, they have teen included. The many periodicals available in the Missionary Research Library have been found a fruitful source of currant information about the missionaries of the various churches, and some helpful data is also found in yearbooks and annuals. Special appreciation should be expressed to these who replied to the questionnaire sent to national Christian councils. Especially useful were the report and list of missionaries prepared in 1961 by the East Asia Christian cauncil, and the two current study books on Latin America.

Further information and corrections from the field would be gladly received, in order that the record may more fairly reflection the actual situation, as the Church moves forward in her task.
The Preparation of Missionaries in an Ecumenical Era
Authors: Scherer James A.
Published: October 2021

This address was delivered before the Lutheran Foreign Missions Conference in St. Louis, Missouri, on November 25, 1963. The Reverend James A. Scherer is Dean of the School of Missions of the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, Maywood, Illinois.
Motivation for Mission
Authors: Skuse Jean
Published: October 2021

Let us recognize at the outset that we are talking about a complex picture. Any generalization about “all missionaries” or “missionaries as a whole” is likely to be erroneous. We would also recognize that the role of mission is changing, and is constantly being re-examined in the light of new understandings and challenges. We would also admit that it is unlikely that there is a single motivation - that what drives people in different directions depends on so many of life's circumstances. And yet we need to examine our motives very carefully, to identify some as clearly being the wrong motives and to ask the question which was submitted to me for this paper: “How can we get ‘turned-on’ to do God's work today? Why is a Christian compelled to share what he/she knows of what God has done in Jesus Christ?”

A motive, of course, is any consideration which moves the will, that which drives us to certain actions, and directs us towards particular goals. Motivation depends so much on the goal and vice versa. The two are almost inseparable. “Mission” or “missions” refer to the special task to which an individual or groups is destined. The usual connotation in the Christian Church involves being sent out by God or the church charged with responsibility for such functions as preaching the gospel, teaching the Word, healing the sick, proselytizing the heathen, and introducing the appropriate rites and ceremonies to accompany these functions. These are the traditional tasks of mission. We talk too of partnership in mission, sharing Christian communities, of involving ourselves in the secular processes. Our missionary motivation is intimately bound up with our understanding of what mission is all about. If we see mission as extending the Christian Church this will call forth one kind of motivation. If it is to be involved in the raising of the level of humanness of all God's creatures the motivation will be different.
Aid micropolitics: Everyday southern resistance to racialized and geographical assumptions of expertise
Authors: Sou Gemma
Published: October 2021

Aid partnerships between global north and global south institutions are critiqued for maintaining colonial knowledge politics and restricting the participation of southern development experts. This paper draws on lifework interviews with senior civil servants within the Antigua and Barbuda government to explore how southern development experts subvert the development hierarchies that permeate partnership micropolitics. The paper first reveals how southern development experts draw on their experiences and normative discourses of ‘local knowledge’ to dismantle assumptions that whiteness and ‘westerness’ symbolise expertise in partnerships. Second, southern development experts engage in small-scale acts of everyday resistance to assert their expertise and decentre the authority and knowledge of foreign consultants. Everyday resistance allows this paper to reveal southern experts’ personal agency and subtle forms of resistance, which Foucauldian analyses of power and ‘spectacular’ theories of resistance are unequipped to recognise. I suggest that the racialised and geographic hierarchies, which structure power and privilege in the micro-level encounters between donors and beneficiaries are not as entrenched as we may think.
Racial Disparities Affect Timing of Alveolar Bone Grafting for Patients With Cleft Lip and Palate: An Analysis of the 2012 Kids’ Inpatient Database
Authors: Cepeda Alfredo , Austin Mary T. , Nguyen Phuong D. , Teichgraeber John F. , Greives Matthew R.
Published: October 2021

Objective: The timing of alveolar bone graft (ABG) for patients with cleft lip and palate is critical to the success of the operation. Sociodemographic factors have been implicated in delaying surgery for other diagnoses but their impact on patients undergoing ABG is unknown. The purpose of this study is to examine the association of sociodemographic factors on the age of patients undergoing ABG. Methods: The Kids’ Inpatient Database (KID) from 2012 was used to define a cohort of patients with cleft lip and/or palate between the ages of 5 and 14. Patients were selected using ICD-9 procedure codes for repair of oronasal fistula and bone graft. Gender, race, income quartile, hospital region, and type of insurance were used as independent variables. Time to ABG was then calculated as hazard ratios (HR) of having surgery using Cox regression models with 95% confidence intervals. Results: A cohort of 395 patients was identified. Median age at ABG was 9 ± 0.15 years. On univariate analysis, Non-Hispanic Black (NHB) patients underwent surgery later than Non-Hispanic White (NHW) patients (11.13 ± 0.44 years vs 9.67 ± 0.19 years, P = .0026). Patients in the higher 2 income quartiles were more likely to have an early surgery as compared to those in the lowest quartile (9.16 ± 0.43 and 9.32 ± 0.43 years vs 10.20 ± 0.33, P = .016 and 0.043 respectively). No factor was significant on multivariate analysis. Conclusions: Patients who are NHB are associated with delayed time to ABG as compared to NHW. Conversely, those in the upper income quartile by zip code underwent surgery at an earlier age. While this study identifies demographic factors associated with delay of ABG, more research is needed to understand the direct causal effects for this delay in surgery and its implication for future growth and need for orthognathic surgery.
Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy in adults with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Grover Punita , Veilleux Olivier , Tian Lu , Sun Ryan , Previtera Melissa , Curran Emily , Muffly Lori
Published: October 2021

Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy has transformed treatment paradigms for relapsed/refractory (r/r) B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) in children and younger adults. We performed a systematic review to investigate the published literature on efficacy and toxicity of CAR-T therapy in adults with r/r B-ALL. We searched MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Library for prospective interventional studies and included published studies of ≥5 patients with median age at enrollment of ≥18 years. Risk of bias was assessed with a modified Institute of Health Economics tool. A total of 2566 records were assessed; 16 studies involving 489 patients were included in the final analysis. The mean complete remission (CR) rate was 81% and the measurable residual disease (MRD)–negative remission rate was 81% at 4 weeks after CAR-T infusion. With median follow-up across studies of 24 months, the cumulative 12-month probabilities of progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 37% (95% CI, 26-48) and 57% (95% CI, 49-65), respectively. Relapse occurred in 40.3% of cases; target antigen was retained in 73.2% of relapses. Across studies, any grade of cytokine release syndrome (CRS) occurred in 82% of patients (95% CI, 61-95) and grade 3 or higher CRS in 27% (95% CI, 18-36). Neurotoxicity of any grade occurred in 34% of patients (95% CI, 24-47) and grade 3 or higher in 14% (95% CI, 1-25). In summary, CAR-T therapy achieves high early remission rates in adults with r/r B-ALL and represents a significant improvement over traditional salvage chemotherapy. Relapses are common and durable response remains a challenge.
The impact of pulmonary function in patients undergoing autologous stem cell transplantation
Authors: Duque-Afonso Jesús , Ewald Sophie , Ihorst Gabriele , Waterhouse Miguel , Struessmann Tim , Zeiser Robert , Wäsch Ralph , Bertz Hartmut , Müller-Quernheim Joachim , Duyster Justus , Finke Jürgen , Marks Reinhard , Engelhardt Monika
Published: October 2021

High-dose chemotherapy, followed by autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto-HSCT), is an established therapy for patients with hematological malignancies. The age of patients undergoing auto-HSCT and, therefore, the comorbidities, has increased over the last decades. However, the assessment of organ dysfunction prior to auto-HSCT has not been well studied. Therefore, we retrospectively analyzed the association of clinical factors and lung and cardiac function with outcome and complications after conditioning with BEAM (BCNU/carmustine, etoposide, cytarabine, melphalan) or high-dose melphalan in patients undergoing auto-HSCT. This study included 629 patients treated at our institution between 2007 and 2017; 334 and 295 were conditioned with BEAM or high-dose melphalan, respectively. The median follow-up was 52 months (range, 0.2-152) and 50 months (range, 0.5-149), respectively. In the multivariate analysis, we identified that progressive disease, CO-diffusion capacity corrected for hemoglobin (DLCOcSB) ≤ 60% of predicted, Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) ≤ 80%, Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Comorbidity Index (HCT-CI) score ≥ 4, and age > 70 years were associated with decreased overall survival (OS) in patients treated with BEAM. Similarly, DLCOcSB ≤ 60% of predicted, HCT-CI score ≥ 4, and age > 60 years were identified in patients treated with high-dose melphalan. Abnormalities in DLCOcSB ≤ 60% of predicted were associated with chemotherapy with lung-toxic substances, mediastinal radiotherapy, KPS ≤ 80%, current/previous smoking, and treatment in the intensive care unit. More often, patients with DLCOcSB ≤ 60% of predicted experienced nonrelapse mortality, including pulmonary causes of death. In summary, we identified DLCOcSB ≤ 60% of predicted as an independent risk factor for decreased OS in patients conditioned with BEAM or high-dose melphalan prior to auto-HSCT.
Follicular lymphoma subgroups with and without t(14;18) differ in their N-glycosylation pattern and IGHV usage
Authors: Leich Ellen , Maier Claudia , Bomben Riccardo , Vit Filippo , Bosi Alessandro , Horn Heike , Gattei Valter , Ott German , Rosenwald Andreas , Zamò Alberto
Published: October 2021

We previously reported that t(14;18)-negative follicular lymphomas (FL) show a clear reduction of newly acquired N-glycosylation sites (NANGS) in immunoglobulin genes. We therefore aimed to investigate in-depth the occurrence of NANGS in a larger cohort of t(14;18)-positive and t(14;18)-negative FL, including early (I/II) and advanced (III/IV) stage treatment-naive and relapsed tumors. The clonotype was determined by using a next-generation sequencing approach in a series of 68 FL with fresh frozen material [36 t(14;18) positive and 32 t(14;18) negative]. The frequency of NANGS differed considerably between t(14;18)-positive and t(14;18)-negative FL stage III/IV, but no difference was observed among t(14;18)-positive and t(14;18)-negative FL stage I/II. The introduction of NANGS in all t(14;18)-negative clinical subgroups occurred significantly more often in the FR3 region. Moreover, t(14;18)-negative treatment-naive FL, specifically those with NANGS, showed a strong bias for IGHV4-34 usage compared with t(14;18)-positive treatment-naive cases with NANGS; IGHV4-34 usage was never recorded in relapsed FL. In conclusion, subgroups of t(14;18)-negative FL might use different mechanisms of B-cell receptor stimulation compared with the lectin-mediated binding described in t(14;18)-positive FL, including responsiveness to autoantigens as indicated by biased IGHV4-34 usage and strong NANGS enrichment in FR3.
Gut microbiome in pediatric acute leukemia: from predisposition to cure
Authors: Masetti Riccardo , Muratore Edoardo , Leardini Davide , Zama Daniele , Turroni Silvia , Brigidi Patrizia , Esposito Susanna , Pession Andrea
Published: October 2021

The gut microbiome (GM) has emerged as a key factor in the genesis and progression of many diseases. The intestinal bacterial composition also influences treatment-related side effects and even the efficacy of oncological therapies. Acute leukemia (AL) is the most common cancer among children and the most frequent cause of cancer-related death during childhood. Outcomes have improved considerably over the past 4 decades, with the current long-term survival for acute lymphoblastic leukemia being ∼90%. However, several acute toxicities and long-term sequelae are associated with the multimodal therapy protocols applied in these patients. Specific GM configurations could contribute to the multistep developmental hypothesis for leukemogenesis. Moreover, GM alterations occur during the AL therapeutic course and are associated with treatment-related complications, especially during hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The GM perturbation could last even after the removal of microbiome-modifying factors, like antibiotics, chemotherapeutic drugs, or alloimmune reactions, contributing to several health-related issues in AL survivors. The purpose of this article is to provide a comprehensive review of the chronological changes of GM in children with AL, from predisposition to cure. The underpinning biological processes and the potential interventions to modulate the GM toward a potentially health-promoting configuration are also highlighted.
The efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in thoracic malignancies
Authors: Remon Jordi , Facchinetti Francesco , Besse Benjamin
Published: October 2021

The advent of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has rapidly transformed the treatment paradigm for multiple cancer types, including thoracic malignancies. In advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), ICIs have shifted treatment paradigm and improved overall survival reaching almost one-third of patients alive at 5 years. ICIs therapies have also modified the therapeutic strategy in first-line setting in metastatic small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients as well as in malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) improving the overall survival compared with standard treatment. This phenomenon is of huge relevance as both SCLC and MPM were considered orphan diseases without any significant improvement in the therapeutic strategy in the first-line setting during the last 15 years. In this review, we aim to review the efficacy of ICI in thoracic malignancies either in monotherapy or in combination, according to predictive biomarkers, and to the US Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency approvals of treatment strategies. We address the efficacy of these agents, especially in NSCLC according to PD-L1 expression and histologic subtype.
Impact of metabolic syndrome on the viability of human spermatozoa: a cross-sectional descriptive study in men from infertile couples
Authors: Le Minh Tam , Nguyen Hiep Tuyet Thi , Dang Hong Nhan Thi , Nguyen Thai Thanh Thi , Van Nguyen Trung , Nguyen Quoc Huy Vu
Published: October 2021

Background

A direct association between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and sperm production/function has been proposed. In this cross-sectional study, we aimed to determine the impact of MetS on sperm survival. Men from infertile couples treated at Hue University Hospital, Vietnam, were enrolled in this study, which spanned the October 2018 to October 2020 period. The general characteristics of the patients, including body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), the levels of different biochemicals, and semen parameters were determined, and sperm survival tests (SSTs) were performed. The modified National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Adult Treatment Panel (ATP) III for the Asian population was used for MetS diagnosis.

Results

Men with an abnormal waist circumference (≥ 90 cm) showed a higher rate of abnormal SST results (30.1% vs. 16.7%,p = 0.012). The frequency of abnormal SST results in patients with MetS (72.3%) was significantly higher than that in individuals without MetS (53.4%) (p = 0.02). Furthermore, the percentage of abnormal SST results in patients with MetS and with BMI ≥ 23 was significantly higher than those in individuals without MetS (77.1% vs. 55.2%,p = 0.03). Weak negative correlations were also observed between the patients’ age and the SST results.

Conclusion

Sperm viability was lower in men with MetS. We also observed that age and BMI were independent factors associated with abnormal SST.
Assessing health system factors affecting access and delivery of IPTp-SP and ITN to pregnant women attending ANC clinics in Ghana
Authors: De-Gaulle Virtue Fiawokome , Magnussen Pascal , Kamgno Joseph , Mbacham Wilfred , Orish Verner N. , Tagbor Harry
Published: October 2021

Introduction

Malaria interventions including use of Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine as Intermittent Preventive Treatment (IPTp-SP) and distribution of Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) have been implemented through ante-natal clinic (ANC) services in Ghana. Yet, the high ANC attendance is not commensurate with the uptake of these interventions, with missed opportunities to deliver the interventions. This study sought to assess the health system factors affecting access and delivery of IPTp-SP and ITN as defined by the Ghana Malaria Policy Guideline to eligible pregnant women attending ANC clinic sessions.

Methods

A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted in the Volta Region of Ghana, with data collected across three levels of health care delivery facilities, including hospitals, health centres and Community-Based Health Planning Service (CHPS) compounds. Data collection included structured observation checklists to document the communication and interaction between the ANC health staff and pregnant women. Additionally, structured questionnaires were used to elicit information on cadre, trainings attended, knowledge and delivery practices of health workers on IPTp-SP and ITN. Stata 16 was used for data analysis, and a defined delivery algorithm was used to compute appropriate and inappropriate delivery practices, using the Ghana policy directive as a guide. Predictors of appropriate delivery were determined using logistic regression analysis.

Results

Approximately 97% of the 680 ANC observations had complete information for analysis. Of these, 78% (511/657) were eligible for IPTp-SP after excluding women who have less than 16 weeks of gestation, G6PD deficient, malaria positive and have taken 5 doses of IPTp-SP prior to day of observation. Appropriate delivery of IPTp-SP was 76% (390/511). Despite the availability of SP, 15% (75/511) of all eligible women were not offered the medication and 37% (44/119) of inappropriate delivery was recorded during periods of stock out. ITNs were appropriately delivered to 59% (139) out of 237 eligible women. Thirty-two percent (77/237) of eligible women, mostly continuing ANC clients, were not given ITN despite stock availability.

Conclusions

IPTp-SP was appropriately delivered to most of the eligible pregnant women compared to ITN. While stock out of both intervention could account for inappropriate delivery, despite stock availability, IPTp-SP and ITN were not delivered to some eligible women.
Simultaneous surgical resection of cardiac myxoma and atypical thymic carcinoid: a case report
Authors: Matsushima Ryohei , Fujino Kosuke , Matsubara Eri , Masuda Yoshiko , Ikeda Koei , Suzuki Makoto , Fukui Toshihiro
Published: October 2021

Background

Cardiac myxoma is the most common type of primary cardiac tumor, and thymic carcinoid is a rare neuroendocrine tumor. No previous reports have described surgical management of concomitant occurrence of these neoplasms. We report a case of simultaneous surgical resection in a patient with coexisting cardiac myxoma and atypical thymic carcinoid.

Case presentation

A 44-year-old Japanese woman underwent chest roentgenography revealing an abnormality in the mediastinum. Computed tomography revealed a 100 mm mass in the anterior mediastinum and also a 30 mm mass in the left atrium. The mediastinal tumor was diagnosed as atypical carcinoid by biopsy. Having completed resection of atypical thymic carcinoid, cardiac mass was successfully resected with careful consideration of minimizing operation time and optimizing patient safety and oncological treatment. The histopathological diagnosis of the cardiac mass was myxoma. No adjuvant chemotherapy was administered, and no recurrence was seen as of the 45 month follow-up.

Conclusions

The simultaneous surgery of cardiac myxoma and atypical thymic carcinoid was feasible and effective. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report to describe one-stage treatment of these neoplasms.
Thermal Resistance of Insulated Precast Concrete Sandwich Panels
Authors: Bida Sani Mohammed , Abdul Aziz Farah Nora Aznieta , Jaafar Mohd Saleh , Hejazi Farzad , Abu Bakar Nabilah
Published: October 2021

Many nations are already working toward full implementation of energy efficiency in buildings known as Green Building. In line with this perspective, this paper aims to develop a thermally efficient precast concrete sandwich panels (PCSP) for structural applications. Therefore, an experimental investigation was carried out to determine the thermal resistance of the proposed PCSP using Hotbox method and the results were validated using finite element method (FEM) in COMSOL Multiphysics Software. The PCSP were designed with staggered shear connectors to avoid thermal bridges between the successive layers. The staggered connectors are spaced at 200 mm, 300 mm and 400 mm on each concrete layer, while the control panel is designed with 200 mm direct shear connection. In the experimental test, four (4) panels of 500 mm × 500 mm and 150 mm thick were subjected to Hotbox Test to determine the thermal resistance. The result shows that thermal resistance of the PCSP with staggered shear connection increases with increase in spacing. The PCSP with 400 mm staggered shear connectors indicates the best thermal efficiency with a thermal resistance (Rvalue) of 2.48 m2K/W. The thermal performance was verified by FEA which shows less than 5% error coupled with a precise prediction of surface temperature gradient. This indicates that, with conventional materials, thermal path approach can be used to develop a precast concrete building with better thermal resistant properties. Hopefully, stakeholders in the green building industry would find this proposed PCSP as an alternative energy efficient load bearing panel towards sustainable and greener buildings.
South-to-south mentoring as a vehicle for implementing sustainable health security in Africa
Authors: Norlock Stephanie Marie , Okanya Patrick W. , Trataris Anastasia , Hildebrand Michael E. , Baziki Jean de Dieu , Belkourati Imane , Ellis Maureen
Published: October 2021

Background

While sustainability has become a universal precept in the development of global health security systems, supporting policies often lack mechanisms to drive policies into regular practice. ‘On-paper’ norms and regulations are to a great extent upheld by frontline workers who often lack the opportunity to communicate their first-hand experiences to decisionmakers; their role is an often overlooked, yet crucial, aspect of a sustainable global health security landscape. Initiatives and programs developing transdisciplinary professional skills support the increased bidirectional dialogue between these frontline workers and key policy- and decisionmakers which may sustainably narrow the gap between global health security policy design and implementation.

Methods

The International Federation of Biosafety Associations’ (IFBA) Global Mentorship Program recruits biosafety and biosecurity champions across Africa to provide local peer mentorship to developing professionals in their geographic region. Mentors and mentees complete structured one year program cycles, where they are provided with written overviews of monthly discussion topics, and attend optional virtual interactive activities. Feedback from African participants of the 2019–2020 program cycle was collected using a virtual Exit Survey, where aspects of program impact and structure were assessed.

Results

Following its initial call for applications, the IFBA Global Mentorship Program received considerable interest from professionals across the African continent, particularly in East and North Africa. The pilot program cycle matched a total of 62 individuals from an array of professional disciplines across several regions, 40 of which were located on the African continent. The resulting mentorship pairs shared knowledge, skills, and experiences towards translating policy objectives to action on the front lines. Mentorship pairs embraced multidisciplinary approaches to harmonize health security strategies across the human and animal health sectors. South-to-South mentorship therefore provided mentees with locally relevant support critical to translation of best technical practices to local capacity and work.

Conclusion

The IFBA’s South-to-South Global Mentorship Program has demonstrated its ability to form crucial links between frontline biosafety professionals, laboratory workers, and policy- and decision-makers across several implicated sectors. By supporting regionally relevant peer mentorship programs, the gap between health security policy development and implementation may be narrowed.
Joubert syndrome: a case report
Authors: Alam Sarfaraz , Khatoon Fatema , Khan Nazim
Published: October 2021

Background

Joubert syndrome (JS) is a rare autosomal recessive genetic heterogeneously inherited disorder characterized by neurological features that include hypotonia, ataxia, developmental delay, intellectual disability, abnormal eye movements, and neonatal breathing dysregulation.

Case presentation

The main purposes of the case report are to highlight the benefit of multidisciplinary rehabilitation team approach and describe the clinical features associated with Joubert syndrome. In this case report, we have discussed a 9-month-old girl who presented with developmental delay, impaired vision, and a history of recurrent respiratory infection with respiratory distress. On examination, she had facial dysmorphism, myopia, and hypotonia. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed a thick, elongated, and abnormally oriented superior cerebellar peduncle showing molar tooth appearance with elongated bat-wing shaped 4th ventricle and hypoplasia of the vermis suggestive of JS. The patient has been treated at Garden Reach Institute for the Rehabilitation and Research (GRIRR), Kolkata, India, by a multidisciplinary team of physiotherapist, speech therapist, special educator, orthotist, medical officer, and social worker that shown excellent improvement in her condition, and she has achieved good sitting balance, able to sit without support, stand with wall support, and able to walk using bilateral AFO and reverse walker.

Conclusion

Knowledge of characteristic clinical and radiological findings in JS will help in early diagnosis and successful rehabilitation.
Theoretical investigation of two-dimensional sub-wavelength structures fabricated by multi-beam surface plasmon interference lithography
Authors: Wang Xiangxian , Jia Tianxu , Ren Yaqian , Su Yingwen , Chen Zhenyu , Qi Yunping , Wen Xiaolei
Published: October 2021

In this study, multi-beam surface plasmon (SP) interference lithography was theoretically proposed and demonstrated to fabricate periodic two-dimensional sub-wavelength structures. The lithography structures were based on an attenuated total reflection prism used to excite the SPs using a 442 nm laser. Circular lattices with periods of 166 and 288 nm were successfully obtained via three- and six-beam SP interference lithography, respectively; these lattices exhibited an identical feature size of 96 nm. Square dot arrays with a 177 nm period and 88.5 nm spot size were obtained by four-beam SP interference lithography. The proposed lithography technology has a simple structure and is economical; further, it may provide an effective method for the fabrication of two-dimensional sub-wavelength structures.
Simvastatin Inhibits Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway in Uterine Leiomyoma
Authors: El Sabeh Malak , Saha Subbroto Kumar , Afrin Sadia , Borahay Mostafa A
Published: October 2021

The Wnt/β-catenin pathway is upregulated in uterine leiomyomas, the most common benign tumors in the female reproductive tract. Simvastatin is an antihyperlipidemic drug, and previous in vitro and in vivo reports showed that it may have therapeutic effects in treating leiomyomas. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of simvastatin on the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in leiomyoma. We treated primary and immortalized human leiomyoma cells with simvastatin and examined its effects using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting, and immunocytochemistry. We also examined the effects using human leiomyoma tissues from an ongoing randomized controlled trial in which women with symptomatic leiomyoma received simvastatin (40 mg) or placebo for 3 months prior to their surgery. The results of this study revealed that simvastatin significantly reduced the expression of Wnt4 and its co-receptor LRP5. After simvastatin treatment, levels of total β-catenin and its active form, nonphosphorylated β-catenin, were reduced in both cell types. Additionally, simvastatin reduced the expression of Wnt4 and total β-catenin, as well as nonphosphorylated β-catenin protein expression in response to estrogen and progesterone. Simvastatin also inhibited the expression of c-Myc, a downstream target of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. The effect of simvastatin on nonphosphorylated-β-catenin, the key regulator of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, was recapitulated in human leiomyoma tissue. These results suggest that simvastatin may have a beneficial effect on uterine leiomyoma through suppressing the overactive Wnt/β-catenin pathway.
TXNIP Links Anticipatory Unfolded Protein Response to Estrogen Reprogramming Glucose Metabolism in Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Wang Yuanzhong , Chen Shiuan
Published: October 2021

Estrogen and estrogen receptor (ER) play a fundamental role in breast cancer. To support the rapid proliferation of ER+ breast cancer cells, estrogen increases glucose uptake and reprograms glucose metabolism. Meanwhile, estrogen/ER activates the anticipatory unfolded protein response (UPR) preparing cancer cells for the increased protein production required for subsequent cell proliferation. Here, we report that thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) is an important regulator of glucose metabolism in ER+ breast cancer cells, and estrogen/ER increases glucose uptake and reprograms glucose metabolism via activating anticipatory UPR and subsequently repressing TXNIP expression. In 2 widely used ER+ breast cancer cell lines, MCF7 and T47D, we showed that MCF7 cells express high TXNIP levels and exhibit mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) phenotype, while T47D cells express low TXNIP levels and display aerobic glycolysis (Warburg effect) phenotype. Knockdown of TXNIP promoted glucose uptake and Warburg effect, while forced overexpression of TXNIP inhibited glucose uptake and Warburg effect. We further showed that estrogen represses TXNIP expression and activates UPR sensor inositol-requiring enzyme 1 (IRE1) via ER in the breast cancer cells, and IRE1 activity is required for estrogen suppression of TXNIP expression and estrogen-induced cell proliferation. Our study suggests that TXNIP is involved in estrogen-induced glucose uptake and metabolic reprogramming in ER+ breast cancer cells and links anticipatory UPR to estrogen reprogramming glucose metabolism.
Underrecognition of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Poorly Controlled Diabetes: A Call to Action in Diabetes Care
Authors: Alexopoulos Anastasia-Stefania , Duffy Ryan , Kobe Elizabeth A , German Jashalynn , Moylan Cynthia A , Soliman Diana , Jeffreys Amy S , Coffman Cynthia J , Crowley Matthew J
Published: October 2021

Individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) are at high risk for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and evidence suggests that poor glycemic control is linked to heightened risk of progressive NAFLD. We conducted an observational study based on data from a telehealth trial conducted in 2018-2020. Our objectives were to (1) characterize patterns of NAFLD testing/care in a cohort of individuals with poorly controlled T2DM; and (2) explore how laboratory based measures of NAFLD (eg, liver enzymes, fibrosis-4 [FIB-4]) vary by glycemic control. We included individuals with poorly controlled T2DM (n = 228), defined as hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) ≥ 8.5% despite clinic-based care. Two groups of interest were (1) T2DM without known NAFLD; and (2) T2DM with known NAFLD. Demographics, medical history, medication use, glycemic control (HbA1c), and NAFLD testing/care patterns were obtained by chart review. Among those without known NAFLD (n = 213), most were male (78.4%) and self-identified as Black race (68.5%). Mean HbA1c was 9.8%. Most had liver enzymes (85.4%) and platelets (84.5%) ordered in the outpatient department over a 2-year period that would allow for FIB-4 calculation, yet only 2 individuals had FIB-4 documented in clinical notes. Approximately one-third had abnormal liver enzymes at least once over a 2-year period, yet only 7% had undergone liver ultrasound and 4.7% had referral to hepatology. Among those with known NAFLD (n = 15), mean HbA1c was 9.5%. Only 4 individuals had undergone transient elastography, half of whom had advanced fibrosis. NAFLD is underrecognized in poorly controlled T2DM, even though this is a high-risk group for NAFLD and its complications.
Minimally Invasive Anesthesia in Pediatric Circumcision: A Case Series
Authors: Teen Mark S. , Oh Seung Mi , Flatow Galila , Ramirez Parga Daniel E. , Patel Roshan S.
Published: October 2021

Anesthetic management of pediatric circumcisions typically involves intravenous access and advanced airway management. We explored the use of a minimally invasive anesthetic protocol for pediatric circumcisions akin to the anesthetic management for bilateral myringotomy and tympanostomy. Five pediatric circumcisions were performed under mask ventilation without intravenous access and evaluated for intraoperative anesthesia times, patient outcomes, and complications. The mean (standard deviation) intraoperative anesthesia time was 41.4 (5.7) minutes, and 1 patient experienced a mild intraoperative complication with emesis at induction. Pediatric circumcisions can be efficiently and safely performed with minimally invasive anesthesia.
Artificial intelligence and infrared thermography as auxiliary tools in the diagnosis of temporomandibular disorder
Authors: Diniz de Lima Elisa , Souza Paulino José Alberto , Lira de Farias Freitas Ana Priscila , Viana Ferreira José Eraldo , Barbosa Jussara da Silva , Bezerra Silva Diego Filipe , Bento Patrícia Meira , Araújo Maia Amorim Ana Marly , Melo Daniela Pita
Published: October 2021

Objective:

To assess three machine learning (ML) attribute extraction methods: radiomic, semantic and radiomic-semantic association on temporomandibular disorder (TMD) detection using infrared thermography (IT); and to determine which ML classifier, KNN, SVM and MLP, is the most efficient for this purpose.

Methods and materials:

78 patients were selected by applying the Fonseca questionnaire and RDC/TMD to categorize control patients (37) and TMD patients (41). IT lateral projections of each patient were acquired. The masseter and temporal muscles were selected as regions of interest (ROI) for attribute extraction. Three methods of extracting attributes were assessed: radiomic, semantic and radiomic-semantic association. For radiomic attribute extraction, 20 texture attributes were assessed using co-occurrence matrix in a standardized angulation of 0°. The semantic features were the ROI mean temperature and pain intensity data. For radiomic-semantic association, a single dataset composed of 28 features was assessed. The classification algorithms assessed were KNN, SVM and MLP. Hopkins’s statistic, Shapiro–Wilk, ANOVA and Tukey tests were used to assess data. The significance level was set at 5% (p < 0.05).

Results:

Training and testing accuracy values differed statistically for the radiomic-semantic association (p = 0.003). MLP differed from the other classifiers for the radiomic-semantic association (p = 0.004). Accuracy, precision and sensitivity values of semantic and radiomic-semantic association differed statistically from radiomic features (p = 0.008, p = 0.016 and p = 0.013).

Conclusion:

Semantic and radiomic-semantic-associated ML feature extraction methods and MLP classifier should be chosen for TMD detection using IT images and pain scale data. IT associated with ML presents promising results for TMD detection.
The Aquatic Symbiosis Genomics Project: probing the evolution of symbiosis across the tree of life
Authors: McKenna Victoria , Archibald John M. , Beinart Roxanne , Dawson Michael N. , Hentschel Ute , Keeling Patrick J. , Lopez Jose V. , Martín-Durán José M. , Petersen Jillian M. , Sigwart Julia D. , Simakov Oleg , Sutherland Kelly R. , Sweet Michael , Talbot Nick , Thompson Anne W. , Bender Sara , Harrison Peter W. , Rajan Jeena , Cochrane Guy , Berriman Matthew , Lawniczak Mara K.N. , Blaxter Mark
Published: October 2021

We present the Aquatic Symbiosis Genomics Project, a global collaboration to generate high quality genome sequences for a wide range of eukaryotes and their microbial symbionts. Launched under the Symbiosis in Aquatic Systems Initiative of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the ASG Project brings together researchers from across the globe who hope to use these reference genomes to augment and extend their analyses of the dynamics, mechanisms and environmental importance of symbiosis. Applying large-scale, high-throughput sequencing and assembly technologies, the ASG collaboration will assemble and annotate the genomes of 500 symbiotic organisms – both the “hosts” and the microbial symbionts with which they associate. These data will be released openly to benefit all who work on symbiosis, from conservation geneticists to those interested in the origin of the eukaryotic cell.
Medical personnel: state, training and movement
Authors:   Irkutsk State Medical University MOH Russia, Makarov Sergej
Published: October 2021

The monograph presents a scientific analysis of the medical personnel of a constituent entity of the Russian Federation on the example of the Irkutsk region. The analysis covers various aspects characterizing the current state and development of human resources in the public sector of the regional health care system. A comparative analysis of the training of doctors and paramedical workers is presented in relation to educational organizations that train doctors and paramedical workers on the scale of the Siberian Federal District. On the territory of the Irkutsk region the movement of medical personnel, their turnover, as well as educational and professional trajectories of medical personnel in the region are analyzed in depth. The data on the movement of medical personnel are supplemented by the results of a sociological study of its causes.
REPARTIMIENTO Y CONFLICTOS EN SAN PEDRO MOLINOS, JURISDICCIÓN DE TEPOSCOLULA, OAXACA, FINES DEL SIGLO XVIII
Authors: Mendoza García Edgar , Escalona Lüttig Huemac
Published: October 2021

El distrito de Teposcolula fue uno de los territorios más extensos y poblados de la intendencia de Oaxaca. Su economía y dinámicas sociopolíticas estaban articuladas al repartimiento de mercancías. En 1787 el pueblo de indios San Pedro Molinos inició un litigio contra su alcalde mayor y tenientes por abusos en los repartos. A partir del análisis del pleito, en el que intervinieron también el cacique local y el párroco, se muestra el impacto de la aplicación del artículo 12 de la Ordenanza de intendentes en esta región.
JESUITAS Y FRANCISCANOS EN TIEMPOS DEL OBISPO ESPIÑEIRA EN LA GOBERNACIÓN DE CHILE: CRÍTICAS AL SÍNODO Y A LA ESTRATEGIA MISIONAL, 1765-1771
Authors: Moreno Jeria Rodrigo , Leal Pino Cristián
Published: October 2021

El artículo analiza la acción misionera desarrollada por los jesuitas y franciscanos de la Gobernación de Chile durante el período 1765 y 1771, en la frontera sur del Imperio español, con la finalidad de establecer las posibles críticas que se presentaron a raíz de la labor misionera de la Compañía de Jesús, tanto antes como después del extrañamiento, siendo el sínodo y la estrategia misionera los principales focos de contrariedades
LA VIOLENCIA COTIDIANA COMO MECANISMO DE INTEGRACIÓN Y ASCENSO SOCIAL. EL CASO DE AREQUIPA A FINES DEL VIRREINATO. 1784-1824
Authors: Belan Belan César
Published: October 2021

El presente artículo analiza el delito de injurias enmarcado en la sociedad arequipeña de fines del s. XVIII. Utilizando algunos conceptos de la teoría social de Erving Goffman pretende buscar la racionalidad política detrás de las injurias y los procesos judiciales derivados de ellos, apuntando como estos mecanismos eran utilizados como medios de integración y ascenso social en la ciudad. Asimismo, se pretende describir el ideal de ciudadano como oposición a las conductas sociales reprochadas en las causas de injurias.