bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impacts of β‐Mannanase on Fecal Viscosity, Digestible Energy Content, Amino Acid Digestibility, and Nutrient Loss in Juvenile Nile Tilapia Fed Soybean Meal‐Rich Diets
Authors: Pereira da Cruz Thais , Wernick Bruno , Gonçalves Giovani Sampaio , Rossetto Barriviera Furuya Valéria , Furuya Wilson Massamitu
Published: September 2024

This study evaluated the impact of increasing dietary β‐mannanase (BM) supplementation (Natupulse TS, BASF, Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Germany) on fecal viscosity and pH, apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs) of energy and nutrients, including amino acids, fecal nutrient loss in contents of soybean meal (SBM)‐based diets fed to juvenile Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus. A total of 504 fingerlings (initial body weight of 31.5 ± 4.2 g) were randomly distributed into 24 aquaria (70 L each) in a completely randomized design using six dietary treatments and four replicates of 21 fish per aquarium. Fish were fed diets containing BM at 0, 1600, 3200, 4800, 6400, and 8000 TMU (thermostable endo‐1,4‐BM units) kg−1 and hand‐fed six times a day until apparent satiety for 30 days. Chromium oxide was employed as an indigestible marker. The ADC of gross energy, crude protein, crude lipids, and essential amino acids exhibited a quadratic effect with the maximum point in fish fed 4818, 4722, 4615, and 4816 TMU kg−1 BM, respectively. The digestible energy (DE) content of diets presented a quadratic effect, and the maximum point was obtained in fish fed 4803 TMU BM kg−1 diet, which improved the DE content by +1.2 MJ kg−1 relative to the BM‐unsupplemented diet. The fecal pH, fecal viscosity, organic matter loss, and nitrogen loss presented a quadratic effect with the minimum point in fish fed 4810, 4839, 4750, and 4801 TMU BM kg−1 diet, respectively. Principal component analysis indicated that dietary BM at 4800 and 6400 TMU BM kg−1 diet was associated with improvements in the ADC of gross energy, crude protein, and crude lipids. In conclusion, including 4803 TMU BM kg−1 diet effectively improves DE content and optimizes nutrient digestibility and feces pH and viscosity in Nile tilapia fed an SBM‐based diet.
Identifying Accessibility and Equity Defects of Elderly Care Services in Developing Countries: Insights From Xiamen City
Authors: Wei Linjiang , Fang Ya , Zhang Liangwen
Published: September 2024

Background: The global aging population has raised concerns about the fair distribution of elderly care resources. China, as the largest developing country, has made efforts to address population aging challenges. However, equitable distribution of elderly care resources remains a concern. This study analyzed the spatial layout and accessibility of elderly care service facilities (ECSFs) in Xiamen City to improve resource allocation and enhance the elderly care system in China. The findings provide valuable insights for other developing countries and regions seeking to improve their own elderly care resource allocation.

Methods: Xiamen City was chosen as the research area due to its unique geographical location and advanced information technology infrastructure. The study examined the spatial distribution, accessibility, and equity of ECSFs. Using Python, point of interest (POI) data were collected and evaluated using the kernel density method and two‐step floating catchment area method. Spatial autocorrelation analysis identified areas of aggregation and dispersion in ECSF accessibility.

Results: Xiamen currently has 660 ECSFs, including nursing homes, adult day care centers, home care agencies, and rural elderly care homes. The analysis revealed spatial disparities, with ECSFs clustering primarily in the central area of Xiamen Island. Significant differences in accessibility were found among the four types of ECSFs. Spatial autocorrelation analysis identified cold and hot spot areas, indicating variations in accessibility across regions.

Conclusion: Xiamen City has made progress in allocating elderly care resources and constructing service facilities. However, equity in resource allocation remains a concern. Areas with limited accessibility were identified, leading to unequal access to elderly care resources and timely physical care. To address these challenges, decision‐making departments should consider increasing facilities, improving transportation, enhancing macro planning, and improving facility service quality and accessibility. These measures will optimize ECSF accessibility and promote equitable distribution of elderly care resources.
Single-Cell Transcriptomic Analysis Identifies Senescent Osteocytes That Trigger Bone Destruction in Breast Cancer Metastasis
Authors: Kaur Japneet , Adhikari Manish , Sabol Hayley M. , Anloague Aric , Khan Sharmin , Kurihara Noriyoshi , Diaz-delCastillo Marta , Andreasen Christina Møller , Barnes Charles Lowry , Stambough Jeffrey B. , Palmieri Michela , Reyes-Castro Olivia , Zarrer Jennifer , Taipaleenmäki Hanna , Ambrogini Elena , Almeida Maria , O’Brien Charles A. , Nookaew Intawat , Delgado-Calle Jesus
Published: September 2024

Breast cancer bone metastases increase fracture risk and are a major cause of morbidity and mortality among women. Upon colonization by tumor cells, the bone microenvironment undergoes profound reprogramming to support cancer progression, which disrupts the balance between osteoclasts and osteoblasts and leads to bone lesions. A deeper understanding of the processes mediating this reprogramming could help develop interventions for treating patients with bone metastases. Here, we demonstrated that osteocytes (Ot) in established breast cancer bone metastasis develop premature senescence and a distinctive senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) that favors bone destruction. Single-cell RNA sequencing identified Ots from mice with breast cancer bone metastasis enriched in senescence, SASP markers, and pro-osteoclastogenic genes. Multiplex in situ hybridization and artificial intelligence–assisted analysis depicted Ots with senescence-associated satellite distension, telomere dysfunction, and p16Ink4a expression in mice and patients with breast cancer bone metastasis. Breast cancer cells promoted Ot senescence and enhanced their osteoclastogenic potential in in vitro and ex vivo organ cultures. Clearance of senescent cells with senolytics suppressed bone resorption and preserved bone mass in mice with breast cancer bone metastasis. These results demonstrate that Ots undergo pathological reprogramming by breast cancer cells and identify Ot senescence as an initiating event triggering lytic bone disease in breast cancer metastases.

Significance: Breast cancer cells remodel the bone microenvironment by promoting premature cellular senescence and SASP in osteocytes, which can be targeted with senolytics to alleviate bone loss induced by metastatic breast cancer.

See related commentary by Frieling and Lynch, p. 3917
Supplementary Table 3 from Systematic Evaluation of Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors as OATP1B1 Substrates Using a Competitive Counterflow Screen
Authors: Drabison Thomas , Boeckman Mike , Yang Yan , Huang Kevin M. , de Bruijn Peter , Nepal Mahesh R. , Silvaroli Josie A. , Chowdhury Anika T. , Eisenmann Eric D. , Cheng Xiaolin , Pabla Navjotsingh , Mathijssen Ron H.J. , Baker Sharyn D. , Hu Shuiying , Sparreboom Alex , Talebi Zahra
Published: September 2024

Table S3. Molecular Docking Positive
Table S2 from Clinical Efficacy of the HIV Protease Inhibitor Indinavir in Combination with Chemotherapy for Advanced Classic Kaposi Sarcoma Treatment: A Single-Arm, Phase II Trial in the Elderly
Authors: Sgadari Cecilia , Scoppio Biancamaria , Picconi Orietta , Tripiciano Antonella , Gaiani Francesca Maria , Francavilla Vittorio , Arancio Angela , Campagna Massimo , Palladino Clelia , Moretti Sonia , Monini Paolo , Brambilla Lucia , Ensoli Barbara
Published: September 2024

Supplementary Table 2 shows the treatment-related AE numbers by study phases.
Supplementary Figure 2 from Systematic Evaluation of Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors as OATP1B1 Substrates Using a Competitive Counterflow Screen
Authors: Drabison Thomas , Boeckman Mike , Yang Yan , Huang Kevin M. , de Bruijn Peter , Nepal Mahesh R. , Silvaroli Josie A. , Chowdhury Anika T. , Eisenmann Eric D. , Cheng Xiaolin , Pabla Navjotsingh , Mathijssen Ron H.J. , Baker Sharyn D. , Hu Shuiying , Sparreboom Alex , Talebi Zahra
Published: September 2024

Figure S2. CCF at 1 & 100 uM
Supplementary Table S1 from BRCA Status Dictates Wnt Responsiveness in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Chehade Hussein , Gogoi Radhika , Adzibolosu Nicholas K. , Galoforo Sandra , Fehmi Rouba-Ali , Kheil Mira , Fox Alexandra , Kim Seongho , Rattan Ramandeep , Hou Zhanjun , Morris Robert T. , Matherly Larry H. , Mor Gil , Alvero Ayesha B.
Published: September 2024

Primers used for qPCR analysis
Table S2 from Development and Application of Genetic Ancestry Reconstruction Methods to Study Diversity of Patient-Derived Models in the NCI PDXNet Consortium
Authors: Lott Paul C. , Chiu Katherine , Quino Juanita Elizabeth , Vang April Pangia , Lloyd Michael W. , Srivastava Anuj , Chuang Jeffrey H. , Carvajal-Carmona Luis G.
Published: September 2024

PDXnet metadata for samples for which genetic ancestry was estimated and samples were assigned into African (AFR), European (EUR), East Asian (EAS), American (AMR), and South Asian (SAS) continental ancestry.
Figure S4 from Development and Application of Genetic Ancestry Reconstruction Methods to Study Diversity of Patient-Derived Models in the NCI PDXNet Consortium
Authors: Lott Paul C. , Chiu Katherine , Quino Juanita Elizabeth , Vang April Pangia , Lloyd Michael W. , Srivastava Anuj , Chuang Jeffrey H. , Carvajal-Carmona Luis G.
Published: September 2024

Figure S4 Shows the Power to identify at least 5 patients with a known driver mutation that is present in populations at varying low frequencies.
Teclistamab as an Effective Treatment for Pericardial Effusion in Relapsed Multiple Myeloma: Case Report and a Brief Literature Review
Authors: Bandaru Sai Samyuktha , Multani Naveen Singh , Nauam William Thomas , Benitez-Ferina Cibar
Published: September 2024

Introduction: Multiple myeloma represents a malignant disorder of plasma cells. Extramedullary relapse in multiple myeloma is a rare occurrence, and pericardial involvement stands as an exceedingly uncommon manifestation. Only a few documented cases of pericardial effusion as an extramedullary relapse presentation of myeloma exist. Bispecific antibodies are emerging as a novel class of immunotherapy drugs for the treatment of relapsed refractory multiple myeloma patients who have experienced failure with four prior lines of therapy. According to a literature review, none of the reported cases with pericardial effusion relapsed myeloma have been treated with bispecific antibodies, given that these drugs have only recently gained approval. Case Presentation: We present a rare case of a patient with pericardial effusion resulting from myeloma relapse, treated with teclistamab, a bispecific antibody, and achieving an excellent response. Conclusion: Bispecific antibodies, such as teclistamab, show great effectiveness as a treatment for patients with relapsed refractory multiple myeloma, including those with extramedullary disease.
The Role of Chorionicity in Placenta-Related Disorders
Authors: Brudner Yana , Issa Arwa , Sharabi Hila , Shafat Livna , Weisz Boaz , Shrim Alon
Published: September 2024

Introduction: Twin pregnancy is associated with higher rates of maternal morbidities including gestational diabetes and hypertension. Dichorionic twins are believed to have greater placental mass. Our objective was to study the incidence of two placenta-related disorders: gestational diabetes and hypertension, in dichorionic versus monochorionic twin pregnancies. Methods: Patients’ data of all consecutive twin pregnancies over a period of 12 years were collected from medical records. Data on chorionicity were retrieved from 1st trimester ultrasound reports. Maternal complications including gestational hypertension and diabetes were collected, and incidence was compared between dichorionic and monochorionic twin pregnancies. Records lacking chorionicity data and cases with pregestational diabetes were excluded. Results: A total of 960 twin pregnancies, 121 monochorionic and 839 dichorionic, were included. Average maternal age did not differ significantly between the groups. The median gestational age at delivery was 36.0 weeks in monochorionic and 36.7 in dichorionic twins. Primiparity (40.4% vs. 23.1%, p < 0.001) and the rate of infertility treatments (51.5% vs. 7.4%, p < 0.001) were both more common in the dichorionic group. The incidence of gestational hypertension disorders was 14% in monochorionic versus 11% in dichorionic twins (p = 0.36). Gestational diabetes was more common in dichorionic compared to monochorionic twins (9.4% and 2.5%, respectively); however, logistic multivariate analysis showed that gestational diabetes was highly correlated with maternal age (p < 0.001) and infertility treatments (p < 0.001) but not with chorionicity (p = 0.136). Conclusion: Our results may imply that greater placental mass does not increase the risk for gestational hypertension and diabetes. This might support the role of additional multiple maternal factors associated with these complications.
Exploring the Ability of Novel Choroidal Biomarkers in Predicting Treatment Outcomes of Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy
Authors: Zhang Yue , Wang Jianing , Liu Jing , Song Shuang , Gu Xiaoya , Yu Xiaobing
Published: September 2024

Introduction: The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between choroidal biomarkers and the response to anti-VEGF in PCV eyes. Methods: We conducted a hospital-based retrospective study. We included 54 patients diagnosed with PCV who had received standard 3 monthly anti-VEGF monotherapy and had finished regular follow-ups. Choroidal thickness (CT), three-dimensional choroidal vascularity index (CVI), and the vascular density of choriocapillaris (CCVD) were measured utilizing swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA). Effective and poor responders were classified based on the changes in morphologic features. Multivariate linear regression models were performed for the outcomes to determine independent prognostic factors. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to compare the predictive ability of CT and CVI as biomarkers between effective and poor responders. Results: A higher CVI at baseline was the only factor that correlated with the poor response after 3 monthly injections of anti-VEGF (p = 0.038). The greater change of central macular thickness (CMT) was significantly correlated with increased CMT (p = 0.030), decreased CT (p = 0.042), and decreased CVI (p = 0.038) at baseline. Using ROC curves, we found that the CVI value demonstrated superior predictive ability compared to the CT value, with AUC of 0.842 and the best cut-off value of 0.445. Conclusion: A higher three-dimensional CVI using SS-OCTA is a promising biomarker to predict the poor anatomical response to anti-VEGF treatment in PCV patients.
Mimetic Possibilities: Collaboration through Movement in Multimedia Opera
Authors: Mikolajczyk Kurt , Har Austin Oting , Wachsmann Laura , Bown Oliver , Ferguson Samuel
Published: September 2024

In the opera The Ghost, artists with backgrounds in music composition, Greek tragedy, creative coding, and opera performance collaborated to create an artwork that engages with philosophy and technology. A light sculpture with a novel Internet of Things (IoT) architecture was adapted for the opera’s stage, where both the sculpture and its controlling interface were programmed to visually represent musical processes within the composer’s approach. During filming, the light sculpture contributed to the dramatic context through movement and gestural interaction between the sculpture and the soprano. Drawing upon human-computer interaction (HCI) research and its inquiry into movement for engaging with new technology expressively, movement and gesture transpiring from mimetic techniques in the opera were central in this interdisciplinary collaboration.
Towards Equitable Artscience Collaborations: Synthesizing Performance Art and Social Psychology for Social Change
Authors: Amir Einat , Hasson Yossi
Published: September 2024

The article proposes a novel model for ArtScience collaborations that is based on more equal collaborations. With better power balance, artists and scientists can together create projects that truly synthesize their fields. Additionally, it is suggested that these collaborations can significantly contribute to social change through socially engaged research. The article focuses on the transformative potential of the collaboration process itself. The presented case study is the authors' collaboration in creating hybrids of participatory performance art and social psychology experiments. It contributes new methodological approaches to the expanding field of ArtScience collaborations.
“Carlos Trilnick: an electronic image-processing pioneer from Argentina”
Authors: Cantú Mariela
Published: September 2024

The author analyzes three 1980s video works by Argentinian pioneer artist Carlos Trilnick (1957-2020), whose insubordinate interventions with image-processing tools served the purpose of a reflection upon time, challenging traditional narratives of sequentiality, segmentation, and cause-effect linearity. These video works display a virtuous interconnection of art and technology, built upon a solid political perspective on audiovisual representation, art history, and territorial disputes. Acknowledging the work of this artist contributes to the expansion of global dialogues about the use of image-processing tools, incorporating Latin America into traditional narratives dominated by Europe-US exchanges.
Philip Mallory Jones’s Electronic Consciousness in Afrodiasporic Video
Authors: Kim Liz
Published: September 2024

Philip Mallory Jones’s videomation was an early video image processing technique from the 1970s that superimposed multiple forms of image-making to convey the aesthetics of Afrodiasporic rhythms. While videomation’s application in Jones’s collaboration with Gunilla Mallory Jones in Beyond the Mountains, More Mountains (1975) was a disillusionment that tested the limits of Afrodiasporic connections between the US and Haiti, he later refined this technique through splicing and weaving of visual polyrhythms in his collaboration with the Burkinabe media pioneer Moustapha Thiombiano, Wassa (1989), as an expression of double consciousness.
Hot Software: Towards a Thermopolitics of Art and Technology
Authors: Kirsch Corinna
Published: September 2024

Software (1970) was one of the first exhibitions to bring together art and computers. In subsequent decades, this ambitious exhibition has been regarded largely through a lens of failure: it was beset with nonworking machines and conflict between exhibition organizers and artists, with blame placed on humans and their unsuccessful technological mastery. This essay presents a more expansive review by tracing the agency of the environment--and environmental issues such as air pollution--on the technical and social breakdowns of the exhibition. Recent scholarship into other-than-human materialities helps lay the foundation for the exhibition as a site of conflict between the immateriality of information and the active conditions of thermal media.
Early Image Processing and Computer Animation in Colorado: Pat Lehman’s Video Vitae in Context
Authors: Pytlinski Deanne
Published: September 2024

In 1975, Pat Lehman screened her experimental video, Video Vitae at the New York Women’s Video Festival. Lehman worked in Colorado, where she also started the first video program in the state’s college system. This paper examines Video Vitae as an example of image-processed video and early computer animation in the context of second-wave feminism. The author charts Lehman’s influences and access to the Scanimate computer used to produce Video Vitae, arguing that the significance of Lehman’s feminist narrative and the technology were deeply intertwined. Such explicit feminist narratives were extremely rare among artists engaged in early image-processing and animation.
Responsivity and Responsibility in Responsive Environments: Art and Interactivity on a Rupturing Planet
Authors: Wodak Joshua
Published: September 2024

The late-twentieth-century art form Responsive Environments comprised interrelations between artist, artwork, and audience, wherein responsivity and responsibility to an other, be it the social and/or physical environment of the artwork, could be tangibly evoked. Currently, such self-other understanding has become existentially critical, as the ecological and climate crisis collide with a new dearth of understanding concerning human-ecology and human-human responsivities and responsibilities. This article considers how Responsive Environments offered a unique means for exploring responsivity and responsibility between artist, artwork, and audience, and considers what the debates it once evoked might contribute to self-other relations in an age of human-induced planetary rupture, as expressed in climate crisis and mass extinction.
Latent Space Bayesian Optimization With Latent Data Augmentation for Enhanced Exploration
Authors: Boyar Onur , Takeuchi Ichiro
Published: September 2024

Latent space Bayesian optimization (LSBO) combines generative models, typically variational autoencoders (VAE), with Bayesian optimization (BO), to generate de novo objects of interest. However, LSBO faces challenges due to the mismatch between the objectives of BO and VAE, resulting in poor exploration capabilities. In this article, we propose novel contributions to enhance LSBO efficiency and overcome this challenge. We first introduce the concept of latent consistency/inconsistency as a crucial problem in LSBO, arising from the VAE-BO mismatch. To address this, we propose the latent consistent aware-acquisition function (LCA-AF) that leverages consistent points in LSBO. Additionally, we present LCA-VAE, a novel VAE method that creates a latent space with increased consistent points through data augmentation in latent space and penalization of latent inconsistencies. Combining LCA-VAE and LCA-AF, we develop LCA-LSBO. Our approach achieves high sample efficiency and effective exploration, emphasizing the significance of addressing latent consistency through the novel incorporation of data augmentation in latent space within LCA-VAE in LSBO. We showcase the performance of our proposal via de novo image generation and de novo chemical design tasks.
Garra zubzaensis, a new fish species (Cyprinidae: Labeoninae) from the Brahmaputra River basin, Nagaland, North-Eastern India
Authors: TENALI DIAMOND RAJAKUMAR , SHANGNINGAM BUNGDON , BHATTACHARJEE PAMPA , PATEL ARUN BHAI , KOSYGIN LAISHRAM
Published: September 2024

A new species of Garra (Labeoninae) is described from the Zubza River, a headwater of the Brahmaputra River basin, in Kohima district of Nagaland, North-eastern India. The new species is distinguished by the following combination of characters: a black spot located on the principal ray and first three branched rays of the dorsal (upper) lobe distal part, as well as a black submarginal V-shaped band on the principal ray and whole branched rays of the ventral (lower) lobe of caudal fin; snout with weakly-developed proboscis represented by slightly upwards elevated hump, with no transverse groove and no transverse lobe, and with 10–12 small tubercles on anterodorsal marginal aspect; 34 lateral-line scales including two pored scales on caudal fin; absence of scales on chest and presence of poorly developed scales on belly; relatively shorter caudal peduncle (10.7–12.5 % SL), and snout (34–35 % HL); and relatively larger eye (31–32 % HL).
Reconstruct the Teacher-Student Relationship Based on Intersubjectivity Theory
Authors: Meng Fanqin , Wu Ruiyi
Published: September 2024

Human beings are a relational existence, and the order of relations between teachers and students is the reflection of subject-object philosophical concepts in educational life, and is the logical premise of "student-centered" education and teaching reform. The first nature of teacher-student relationship is interpersonal relationship, which not only has the commonality of general relationships, but also has its own particularity because of its unique position in the field of education and teaching. The regulations on the order of teacher-student relations directly restrict the effectiveness of educational and teaching activities. The traditional paradigm of teacher-student relationship order highlights "teacher-centeredness" or "child-centeredness", which places teachers and students in a one-way model of duality and opposition, which often breeds disadvantages such as confrontation, conflict, and hegemony. At present, under the background of "student-centered" education and teaching reform, due to the lack of effective balance between students' subjective status and teachers' rational authority, the teacher-student relationship order still has drawbacks such as one-way interaction, behavioral utilitarianism, emotional indifference, and inter-interpersonal antagonism. This study attempts to take the theory of intersubjectivity as the logical starting point and attempts to reconstruct a new paradigm of teacher-student relationship order with equality as the primary premise, understanding as the core connotation, dialogue as the path, respect as the fundamental guarantee, and empathy as the value implication, in order to provide guidance for the "student-centered" education and teaching reform in the new era of China.
A Systematic Review of Surgical Characteristics and Adverse Events of an Active, Transcutaneous Bone Conduction Device
Authors: Jukic Alma , Munhall Christopher C. , Stevens Shawn M.
Published: September 2024

Objective:

A new, active transcutaneous bone conduction device (BCD) was FDA-approved in 2019 in the USA. This systematic review sought to evaluate early outcomes associated with Osia implantation.

Methods:

A systematic review was conducted according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Four databases were reviewed: PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane CENTRAL, and CINAHL. Studies were included if they described audiometric, surgical characteristics/complications, or adverse events associated with the Osia BCD. Exclusion criteria: non-English language studies, animal investigations, reviews/meta-analyses, case reports, database studies.

Results:

Eighteen studies with 336 patients were included. Mean age at implantation was 37.9 years. About 79.5% of patients had MHL/CHL and 19.5% had SSD/SHL. Mean operative time was 71.6 minutes. Mean PTA gain from unaided conditions was 35.4 dB. Mean functional gain at high frequency (6 kHz and above) from aided conditions was 16.1 dB. Mean improvement in speech recognition thresholds was 19.1 dB from unaided conditions. Adverse events (all types) were reported in 20.1% of cases. Across all studies, the postoperative infection rate was 5%. About 2% of patients reported magnet retention issues. About 1.65% of cases were complicated by hematomas.

Conclusions:

Under systematic literature review, the Osia BCD has been associated with low complication rates, relatively short operative times, and good audiometric and speech outcomes, notably high frequency gain >6 kHz. More advanced audiometric outcome reporting remains limited and audiometric data and patient reported outcome measures were reported heterogeneously.
Book review: Ronojoy Sen, House of the People: Parliament and the Making of Indian Democracy
Authors: Jha Shefali
Published: September 2024

Ronojoy Sen, House of the People: Parliament and the Making of Indian Democracy (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2022), 311 pp.
Pathways to suicide for children and youth in Guyana: A life charts analysis
Authors: Shaw Charlotte , Stuart Jaimee , Thomas Troy , Kõlves Kairi
Published: September 2024

Background:

Suicide is the third leading cause of death among youth aged 15 to 29 years old globally. Guyana has the highest rate of youth suicide in the world, yet only limited research exists.

Aim:

The aim of this study is to identify key features of the suicide pathway for Guyanese children and youth and to distinguish meaningful subgroups.

Method:

The psychological autopsy (PA) method was used to generate life charts for 15 Guyanese children and youth (10–29 years) who died by suicide. Nineteen close contacts of these individuals were interviewed about the life events of the decedent between 6 months and 5 years after their death. Semi-structured interviews lasting 30 to 150 min took place between November 2021 and January 2022. The interview data were converted into life charts and these were reviewed to uncover meaningful subgroups of suicide pathways.

Results:

Three groups with distinct suicide pathways were identified: hard life (46%), mental illness (20%) and interpersonal stress (20%). There were also two male youths for whom the suicidal antecedents and pathways were unclear. Interpersonal stress, alcohol, exposure to suicide and family history of suicide were common factors identified across groups.

Conclusions:

The findings emphasise the role of both acute and protracted interpersonal stress for child and youth suicide in Guyana. The structure and dynamics of Indo-Guyanese families are discussed. Interventions recommended include enhancing child and youth community engagement, improving mental health and suicide literacy, alcohol restriction, increasing access to support services, and reducing stigma.
Manifestations and drivers of secondary trauma among service providers working with Syrian refugees: A mixed-methods study from Istanbul, Turkey
Authors: Yükseker Deniz , Meinhart Melissa , Tekin Uğur , Şahin Taşğın Neşe , Demirbaş Elif , Dasgupta Anindita , Kaushal Neeraj , El-Bassel Nabila
Published: September 2024

This mixed-methods study explores the incidence, manifestations, and drivers of secondary traumatic stress among service providers who work with Syrian refugees in Istanbul, Turkey. A survey of 104 social workers and other providers working in 17 public and civil society agencies in Istanbul in 2018 demonstrates that 54.81% had Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale scores indicating mild to severe secondary traumatic stress. In total, 28 qualitative interviews showed manifestations and possible drivers of secondary traumatic stress including weak supervision, heavy caseloads, and insecure working conditions. The findings suggest supervision and peer-support should be strengthened to address secondary traumatic stress among providers serving refugees.
Current status and usefulness of therapeutic drug monitoring implementation of theophylline in elderly patients based on a nationwide database study and modeling approach
Authors: Okada Akira , Sera Shoji , Taguchi Maho , Yamada Hiroaki , Nagai Naomi
Published: September 2024

Objectives:

Theophylline is used in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease but readily causes symptoms of intoxication and exhibits high risks in elderly patients. However, there have only been a few recent reports on the significance of therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) implementation, especially in elderly patients. To examine the usefulness of theophylline TDM, we evaluated the current status of prescriptions containing theophylline and its side effects and assessed the influence of aging, sex, drug formulation, and concurrent drugs use on theophylline exposure using data from various nationwide databases and a pharmacokinetic modeling approach.

Methods:

We utilized sampling data from the National Database of Health Insurance Claims and Specific Health Checkups of Japan. Using the data of patients aged ≥80 years, we conducted an association analysis of theophylline and concurrent drugs. The transition in plasma theophylline concentration levels of elderly patients was estimated based on a previously reported physiological-based pharmacokinetic model.

Results:

Altogether, 3973 patients using theophylline were registered in our dataset, and about 50% were over 70 years old and used theophylline. Therapeutic drug monitoring implementation was confirmed in only 1.13% of patients. The association analysis confirmed a frequent co-occurrence with allopurinol and famotidine, which increase theophylline exposure, in elderly patients aged ≥80 years. The physiologically based pharmacokinetic model indicated that theophylline trough concentrations were 1.65-fold higher in elderly patients aged 80 years compared to those aged 30 years and 1.35-fold higher in females compared to males.

Conclusion:

This study effectively combined information on the nationwide health care database and modeling approach, indicating the importance of proactive TDM and dose justification for female and elderly patients.
Book review: Kumudu Kumarasingha, Colomba Mathaka [Memories of Colombo]
Authors: Perera Sasanka
Published: September 2024

Kumudu Kumarasingha, Colomba Mathaka [Memories of Colombo] (Sinhala), Vidarshana Publishers, 2023, 265 pp., LKR 1,200, ISBN: 978-624-5546-54-1 (Paperback).
Prevalence of vitamin C deficiency and its association with stroke risk among U.S. adult population: A cross-sectional analysis spanning 15 years with over 13,000 participants
Authors: Duc Tran Quang , Nu Nguyen Thi , Khanh Nguyen Di , Cu Dao Huy , Thi Quynh Chi Vu , Khuyen Tran Thi , Huyen Nguyen Thi Hoa
Published: September 2024

Background: Stroke presents a significant global health challenge. Despite its potential for cardiovascular protection, the role of vitamin C (VTMC) in stroke risk remains contentious. Aim: This study aimed to assess VTMC deficiency in stroke patients and its association with stroke risk. Methods: We analyzed data from 13,339 adults aged 20 and above in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2003 and 2018, excluding those with missing serum VTMC and stroke status. We assessed the VTMC deficiency (<11.4 µmol/L) and stroke incidence association using multivariate weighted logistic regression, adjusting for demographics, BMI, medical history, smoking, and dietary VTMC intake. Results: Stroke rates in the NHANES cycles 2003–2006 and 2017–2018 were 2.8% (95% CI [2.3–3.4]) and 3.3% (95% CI [2.7–4.2]), respectively. VTMC deficiency was more common in individuals with a history of stroke, with rates of 3.6% (95% CI [2.2–5.8]) and 5.3% (95% CI [3–9.1]) compared to 2.7% (95% CI [2.3–3.3]) and 3.2% (95% CI [2.5–4.1]) in the nonstroke population. Nevertheless, VTMC deficiency was distinctly prevalent across diverse demographic and health-related subgroups. Multivariate analyses invalidated any statistically significant association between VTMC deficiency and stroke risk across all employed analytical models within both time intervals. Conclusions: Our study does not support a link between VTMC deficiency and increased stroke risk in U.S. adults. Substantial uncertainties persist regarding the use of VTMC for stroke-related oxidative stress, dosage, and delivery methods, requiring further clinical trials. Healthcare providers should carefully consider its prevalence in specific subgroups.
Urban-rural differences in food consumption and central obesity among middle-aged adults: A cross-sectional population study in Indonesia
Authors: Syauqy Ahmad , Permatasari Zulaikhah Atyas , Mattarahmawati Siti Andhini , Ernawati Fitrah , Pramono Adriyan , Tsani A. Fahmy Arif , Fitranti Deny Yudi , Candra Aryu , Ardiaria Martha
Published: September 2024

Background: The prevalence of central obesity is increasing in many regions, including low- and middle-income countries. It has been identified that a poor diet has become a significant risk factor for central obesity. However, the relationship between diet and the prevalence of central obesity among rural and urban communities remains unclear in low- and middle-income countries. Aim: This study aimed to analyze the association of food consumption with central obesity among middle-aged adults (45–59 years) in urban and rural areas in Indonesia. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study using secondary data from a national survey (Indonesia Basic Health Survey) in Indonesia in 2018. A total of 154,449 subjects were analyzed for the study. We used the International Diabetes Federation to define central obesity. Food consumption was measured using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression was used to explore the association between food consumption and central obesity. Results: Frequent consumption of refined desserts, fried food, processed food, and inadequate consumption of fruit was significantly associated with central obesity in urban and rural areas ( p < 0.05). In contrast, frequent consumption of seasoning and inadequate consumption of vegetables was significantly associated with central obesity only in rural areas ( p < 0.05). Conclusion: Food consumption has a different association with central obesity risk in rural and urban areas in Indonesia.
A comprehensive audit of difficult airway trolleys in selected Victorian hospitals
Authors: Tang Yaodong , Pham Teresa , Bradley William PL , Brewster Fiona M , Brewster David J
Published: September 2024

This study aimed to assess the availability, design, and contents of difficult airway trolleys in hospitals in Victoria, Australia. A survey audit was conducted with a 92.3% reply rate, and the responses from 22 major Victorian hospitals were analysed. The results showed that difficult airway trolleys were available in 100% of operating theatres, emergency departments and intensive care units, and the rate of standardisation was high. Compliance with recommended design features and resources was on average 68.3%. There was no significant difference in the compliance rate of major tertiary centres compared with other hospitals. The carriage of non-essential items was reduced compared with earlier audits. However, there was heterogeneity in the brands of supraglottic airway devices, videolaryngoscopes and cognitive aids used. The study highlights the need for ongoing improvement to the organization and content of difficult airway trolleys, and for further discussion regarding the safety of equipment variation across institutions.
Circulating exosomal miRNA-451 as an effective diagnostic biomarker and prognostic indicator for multiple myeloma
Authors: Zhang Jun , Luo Cheng , Long Haiying , Zhang Bin , Shan Hongtao , Hou Benli
Published: September 2024

Objective

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a plasma cell malignancy characterized by abnormal plasma cell proliferation in the bone marrow. Circulating exosomal miRNA-451 is associated with the progression of many tumors, but the relationship between its expression and MM has not been reported. In this study, we aimed to investigate the clinical value of miRNA-451 as a biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis of multiple myeloma.

Methods

A total of 120 patients with multiple myeloma and 120 healthy control people were recruited in this study. The miRNA-451 expression in serum exosomes of participants was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and the diagnostic value of miRNA-451 for multiple myeloma was assessed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The correlation between miRNA-451 expression and plasma cells ratio and M protein content was analyzed by Pearson correlation coefficient. The prognosis of different miRNA-451 expression was evaluated by survival curves.

Results

Results suggested that serum exosomal miRNA-451 expression was significantly decreased in patients with multiple myeloma rather than in the healthy controls. The ROC curve showed that area under the curve value of miRNA-451 was 0.888, suggesting that miRNA-451 had diagnostic value to multiple myeloma. Moreover, there was a negative correlation between miRNA-451 expression and plasma cells ratio or M protein content. Survival curves showed that patients with high miRNA-451 expression had a longer survival time, suggesting the value of miRNA-451 as a prognostic indicator of multiple myeloma.

Conclusion

We demonstrated the relationship between miRNA-451 expression and multiple myeloma, indicating that miRNA-451 in circulating exosomes may be an effective diagnostic biomarker and prognostic indicator for multiple myeloma.
Emotion Regulation Self-Efficacy as a Mechanism of Alliance and Outcomes in a Brief, Transdiagnostic Digital Mental Health Intervention: L'auto-efficacité de la régulation des émotions en tant que mécanisme d'alliance et de résultats dans une brève intervention transdiagnostique numérique en santé mentale
Authors: Macrynikola Natalia , Chang Sarah , Torous John
Published: September 2024

Objectives

Digital mental health interventions have shown promise for alleviating various forms of psychopathology, including depression and anxiety. However, the mechanisms of such interventions remain largely unexplored. The purpose of this study was to investigate a potential mechanistic process through which one hybrid digital mental health intervention (i.e., the Digital Clinic) might operate. We hypothesized that emotion regulation (ER) self-efficacy at the treatment midpoint may mediate the relationship between alliance (i.e., therapeutic alliance and digital alliance) and outcome (i.e., co-morbid symptoms of depression and anxiety) at the treatment endpoint.

Methods

Data used in this study came from the Digital Clinic, a brief transdiagnostic telehealth treatment program augmented by a dual-purpose digital phenotyping and intervention smartphone app. Recruited primarily from primary care, participants were 82 adults (73% White, 64% cisgender women, mean age 41) receiving outpatient treatment in the northeastern United States. All constructs were measured with validated scales, including The Working Alliance Inventory—Short Revised (WAI-SR) for therapeutic alliance, the Digital Working Alliance Inventory (DWAI) for digital alliance, the PROMIS Self-Efficacy for Managing Emotions Short Form scale for ER self-efficacy, and the Patient Health Questionnaire Anxiety-Depression Scale (PHQ-ADS) for co-morbid symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Results

Significant reductions in co-morbid symptoms of depression and anxiety and significant increases in ER self-efficacy were found from baseline to treatment endpoint. Therapeutic and digital alliance at the midpoint each predicted reductions in co-morbid symptoms of depression and anxiety at the endpoint through ER self-efficacy, controlling for baseline scores.

Conclusions

Findings suggest that ER self-efficacy may be a proximal predictor of clinical improvement that may be enhanced by therapeutic and digital alliance. Future controlled research is essential to improve knowledge of the mechanisms of digital mental health interventions and to enhance their effectiveness.
Enhanced corrosion resistance and mechanical behavior in AA2024-T3 alloy composite via friction stir processing with Zn incorporation
Authors: Das Rahul , Choudhury Smrity , Sethi Durjyodhan , Medhi Tanmoy , Roy Barnik Saha
Published: September 2024

This study focused on enhancing the corrosion resistance of Zn-reinforced, multi-pass friction stir-processed 6 mm AA2024-T3 plates. Influence of FSP passes and Zn microparticle incorporation on composite corrosion behavior in 3.5% NaCl solution. Microstructural analysis was performed using optical microscopy (OM) and field-emission scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (FESEM–EDS). The corrosion behavior was assessed through potentiodynamic polarization and cyclic voltammetry. The results indicated an increased corrosion resistance in the second pass, followed by a reduction in the third pass. This trend aligns with the dissolution of Al2CuMg intermetallics and the formation of corrosion-resistant AlZn and CuZn compounds, as confirmed by the XRD analysis. Grain size analysis reveals substantial reduction in the first and second passes (39.2 μm to 7.6 μm and 4.2 μm, respectively), with no significant change in the third pass. The application of FSP on AA2024-Zn composite enhanced the tensile strength by 31% in comparison to base material due to the uniform distribution of Zn micro particles and grain refinement of aluminum matrix.
Effect of drill gash rake angle on drillability in plain carbon and low alloy steels
Authors: Çavuş Yafes , Gökçe Harun , Şeker Ulvi
Published: September 2024

In this study, the effects of the gash rake angle (γa), which is an important component of the drill geometry, on the thrust force and drilling torque occurring in the drilling of ordinary carbon steels (AISI 4140 and Ck 45) were examined through experimental and FEM-supported numerical simulation studies on surface roughness, tool surface roughness, wear and diameter deviation values were investigated experimentally. In the experiments, 6.8 mm diameter solid cementite carbide, coated and internal cooling channel drills with +10°, 0°, −10° gash rake angle were used. Three different feed rates and cutting speed levels were selected as cutting parameters. Determination of material-specific gash rake angle and cutting parameters for different materials was carried out by Taguchi-assisted variance analysis of experimental data. In experimental studies, the gash rake angle was 65.9% effective on the thrust force for AISI 4140 tempered steel, while it was the second effective parameter with 29.22% for Ck 45 manufacturing steel. While the feed rate is the more effective parameter in the drilling moments that occur when drilling different materials, it has been observed that γa also has a significant effect. It has been determined that chisel edge wear, main cutting edge wear and crater wear occur in the drill when drilling AISI 4140 tempered steel and Ck 45 manufacturing steel. The data obtained from the finite element-assisted chip removal analyses support the experimental results and provide guiding results in the selection of material-specific gash rake angle.
Optimization and analysis of the inflow distribution influence on the middle discharge blow tank pneumatic conveying characteristics
Authors: Zhou Jiawei , Wang Qinghui , Zheng Zebing , Yan Xiangyu , Hou Yanjun , Wang Yingjia
Published: September 2024

The influence of different inflow gas distribution modes on the pneumatic conveying characteristics of the middle discharge blow tank was studied using an in-house pneumatic conveying experimental setup. The flow rates of pressurized gas, supplementary gas, and fluidized gas were varied in this study. The gas distribution mode was then optimized to improve the energy efficiency of the blow tank of a pneumatic conveying system. The results show that the particle mass flow rate, the solid-to-gas ratio, and the pressure drop increase first and then decrease with the pressurized gas and fluidized gas valves opening. In the case of supplementary gas, the particle mass flow rate and solid-to-gas ratio increase first and then decrease. However, an opposite trend is observed for the pressure drop, which decreases first and then increases. The results highlighted that the optimized gas distribution mode increases the mass flow rate of particles and the solid-to-gas ratio by 28.48% and 15.15%, respectively. The pressure drop of the blow tank has also increased slightly, by 0.88%. Therefore, the delivery capacity and efficiency of the middle discharge blow tank are greatly improved at the cost of a slight increase in energy consumption.