bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The burden of physical disability among patients with newly detected leprosy in Yunnan, China, 1990–2020: A population-based, cross-sectional survey
Authors: Chen Xiaohua , Shui Tie-Jun
Published: October 2022

Background

Physical disability is the main complication of leprosy. Although understanding the leprosy rate, prevalence, spatiotemporal distribution, and physical nerve characteristic trends is crucial for the implementation of leprosy control programs and identification of remaining challenges, these data are still unclear. We assessed physical disability trends among newly detected leprosy cases over the past 31 years in 129 counties and territories in Yunnan, China.

Methodology/Principal findings

We analyzed the data of newly detected leprosy cases from the Leprosy Management Information System in Yunnan, China, from 1990–2020. All available data related to physical disability were analyzed, including demographic characteristics (sex, age, ethnicity, education level); clinical characteristics (diagnosis duration, detection mode, contact history, leprosy reaction, skin lesions, nerve lesions, disability classification); World Health Organization (WHO) leprosy physical disability indicators; and nerve and eyes, hands and feet (EHF) involvement. A total of 10758 newly diagnosed leprosy cases were identified, and 7328 (65.60%), 1179 (10.55%) and 2251 (20.15%) were associated with grade 0, 1, and 2 disability (G0D, G1D, and G2D), respectively. Male sex, older age, Han ethnicity, urban employment, a longer diagnosis duration, a contact history, greater nerve involvement, and tuberculoid-related forms of leprosy were associated with increased prevalence rates of physical disability. The rates of physical disability in newly detected leprosy cases per 1 million population decreased from 5.41, 2.83, and 8.24 in 1990 to 0.29, 0.25, and 0.54 per 1 million population in 2020, with decreases of 94.64%, 91.17%, and 93.44% in G2D, G1D and total physical disability (G1D + G2D) rates, respectively. In the same period, the proportions of G2D, G1D and total physical disability decreased from 28.02%, 14.65%, and 42.67% in 1990 to 10.08%, 11.76%, and 21.85% in 2020, with decreases of 64.03%, 19.73%, and 48.79%, respectively. Nerve thickening was more common than nerve tenderness, and claw hand, plantar insensitivity, and lagophthalmos were the most frequently reported EHF-related disabilities.

Conclusions

Despite general progress in reducing the prevalence of leprosy-related physical disability, the proportion of physical disability among leprosy disease remains high, especially in specific counties. This implies that leprosy cases are being detected at a later stage and that transmission in the community still exists. Further efforts focusing on early detection are crucial for leprosy control and the elimination of the disease burden.
Impact of vaccine pause due to Thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) following vaccination with the Ad26.COV2.S vaccine manufactured by Janssen/Johnson & Johnson on vaccine hesitancy and acceptance among the unvaccinated population
Authors: Salmon Daniel A. , Schuh Holly B. , Sargent Rikki H. , Konja Alexis , Harvey Steven A. , Laurie Shaelyn , Mai Brandy S. , Weakland Leo F. , Lavery James V. , Orenstein Walter A. , Breiman Robert F.
Published: October 2022

Background

In response to reports of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) post-vaccination, the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine was paused and then restarted in April 2021. Our objective was to assess whether this pause adversely impacted vaccine confidence.

Methods

Two large internet-based surveys were conducted in the US among adults to measure knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of the J&J vaccine pause and rates of vaccine hesitancy among unvaccinated persons before, during and after the pause.

Results

Among 66% of respondents aware of the pause, 44% identified blood clots as the reason for the pause without prompting. The impact of the pause on vaccine behavior among unvaccinated persons and perception of the vaccine safety system was mixed and modified by trust in the public health authorities. Those who were less willing to get vaccinated because of the pause were less inclined for all vaccines, not only the J&J product. Moreover, a notable proportion (22.1%) of the small number of persons (n = 30) vaccinated with the J&J vaccine after the pause reported not receiving information about the risk of TTS. The proportion of unvaccinated persons who were hesitant was increasing before and during the pause and then leveled off after the pause.

Conclusions

The J&J vaccine pause is unlikely to be a major barrier to vaccine uptake. Public attitudes about vaccines may be more resilient than appreciated, especially when safety issues are investigated with transparent communication. This paper has important implications for messaging and program administration with future vaccine-specific adverse events. Efforts may be warranted to ensure all persons being offered the J&J vaccine are made aware of the risk of TTS.
Circulating tumor necrosis factor receptors are associated with mortality and disease severity in COVID-19 patients
Authors: Gohda Tomohito , Murakoshi Maki , Suzuki Yusuke , Hiki Makoto , Naito Toshio , Takahashi Kazuhisa , Tabe Yoko
Published: October 2022

Background

Although hyperinflammatory response influences the severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), little has been reported about the utility of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related biomarkers in reflecting the prognosis. We examined whether TNF receptors (TNFRs: TNFR1, TNFR2) and progranulin (PGRN) levels, in addition to interleukin 6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP), are associated with mortality or disease severity in COVID-19 patients.

Methods

This retrospective study was conducted at Juntendo University Hospital. Eighty hospitalized patients with various severities of COVID-19 were enrolled. Furthermore, serum levels of TNF-related biomarkers were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results

Twenty-five patients died during hospitalization, and 55 were discharged. The median (25th and 75th percentiles) age of the study patients was 70 (61–76) years, 44 (55.0%) patients were males, and 26 (32.5%) patients had chronic kidney disease (CKD). When comparing with patients who received and did not receive treatment at the intensive care unit (ICU), the former had a higher tendency of being male and have diabetes, hypertension, and CKD; had higher levels of white blood cells, D-dimer, and lactate dehydrogenase; and had lower body mass index, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and lymphocyte counts. Significant differences were observed in TNFR, PGRN, IL-6, and CRP levels between each severity (mild–severe) group. Furthermore, the serum levels of TNFR, IL-6, and CRP, but not PGRN, in ICU patients were significantly higher than in the patients who were not admitted to the ICU. Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that high levels of TNFR2 were only associated with mortality in patients with COVID-19 even after adjustment for relevant clinical parameters.

Conclusions

High TNFR2 level might be helpful for predicting mortality or disease severity in patients with COVID-19.
Impacts of building information modelling (BIM) on communication network of the construction project: A social capital perspective
Authors: Huang Yao , Wu Lufeng , Chen Jindao , Lu Hao , Xiang Jiajun
Published: October 2022

Building information modelling (BIM) is considered to be significant for organisational communication in construction projects. However, the role of BIM has not been fully shown in practice. To this end, this study examined the impact of BIM on communication network from inter- and intra- organisational relationships in the construction project. First, the structures of the communication networks before and after the use of BIM in a project in China were determined based on the social capital perspective. Then, the social network analysis was adopted to measure the changes in network metrics (i.e., number of ties, density, centrality, centralisation, and clique). Results shows that the connections among nodes are denser, and all the values of the network centralisation decrease after BIM application compared with the situation before BIM use. Nevertheless, results also shows that some construction project participants, who originally have interaction and communication needs, remain unable to establish effective connections among one another even after BIM use. Accordingly, some suggestions were proposed to solve the issues and deficiencies. This research contributes to (a) the state of knowledge by proposing social capital perspective that can identify inter- and intra-organizational relationships of the construction project from social interaction and common cognition to build communication network, and (b) the state of practice by identifying conditions and proposing strategies for strengthening organisational communication and collaboration in BIM-enabled network relationships.
Incidence of Pediatric Celiac Disease Varies by Region
Authors: Stahl Marisa , Li Qian , Lynch Kristian , Koletzko Sibylle , Mehta Pooja , Gragert Loren , Norris Jill M. , Andrén Aronsson Carin , Lindfors Katri , Kurppa Kalle , Ilonen Jorma , Krischer Jeffrey , Alkolkar Beena , Ziegler Anette-G , Toppari Jorma , Rewers Marian J. , Agardh Daniel , Hagopian William , Liu Edwin ,   the TEDDY Study Group
Published: October 2022

INTRODUCTION:

The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young study follows an HLA risk selected birth cohort for celiac disease (CD) development using a uniform protocol. Children under investigation come from 6 different regions within Europe and the United States. Our aim was to identify regional differences in CD autoimmunity and CD cumulative incidence for children born between 2004 and 2010.

METHODS:

Children (n = 6,628) with DQ2.5 and/or DQ8.1 were enrolled prospectively from birth in Georgia, Washington, Colorado, Finland, Germany, and Sweden. Children underwent periodic study screening for tissue transglutaminase antibodies and then CD evaluation per clinical care. Population-specific estimates were calculated by weighting the study-specific cumulative incidence with the population-specific haplogenotype frequencies obtained from large stem cell registries from each site.

RESULTS:

Individual haplogenotype risks for CD autoimmunity and CD varied by region and affected the cumulative incidence within that region. The CD incidence by age 10 years was highest in Swedish children at 3%. Within the United States, the incidence by age 10 years in Colorado was 2.4%. In the model adjusted for HLA, sex, and family history, Colorado children had a 2.5-fold higher risk of CD compared to Washington. Likewise, Swedish children had a 1.4-fold and 1.8-fold higher risk of CD compared with those in Finland and Germany, respectively.

DISCUSSION:

There is high regional variability in cumulative incidence of CD, which suggests differential environmental, genetic, and epigenetic influences even within the United States. The overall high incidence warrants a low threshold for screening and further research on region-specific CD triggers.
Capsule Endoscopy in the Diagnosis, Disease Mapping, and Monitoring of Treatment Response in Gastrointestinal Whipple's Disease
Authors: Davenport Emily , Mitsopoulos Grigorios , Stafford Nina , Sangwaiya Arvind , Shariq Sohail
Published: October 2022

Whipple's disease is a rare systemic infection causing malabsorption. Affected patients often undergo extensive investigation until final diagnosis with periodic acid-Schiff-positive histology. We present the case of a 73-year-old man diagnosed with Whipple's disease after a prolonged history, with a focus on capsule endoscopy (CE) in both mapping the extent of the pathology and follow-up. We demonstrate pre-treatment and post-treatment CE images, allowing visualization of resolved small bowel pathology, and demonstrate histological resolution. The early use of CE in the investigation of Whipple's disease may expedite diagnosis in patients with more distal bowel pathology and help assess disease severity.
Use of a Second-Generation Irrigation Device May Shorten Time to Successful Inpatient Colonoscopy: A Case Series
Authors: Canakis Andrew , Guo Ling , Parsons David , Shah Hely , Jacobson Brian C.
Published: October 2022

Inpatient bowel preparations are often inadequate, lengthening hospital stay and increasing costs. In this case series, we assessed whether a new irrigation device could shorten times to successful colonoscopy and hospital discharge. The device includes a disposable sleeve fitted over the colonoscope, delivering 4 streams of a pulsed air–water mixture to liquify stool, and contains 2 large-bore suction channels to evacuate fecal material. We present 6 inpatient colonoscopies where the device was used, demonstrating its utility in facilitating timely procedures and efficient patient care. Further study is required to determine whether the consistent use of the device can shorten time to successful inpatient colonoscopy.
Los fundamentos de la enunciación: de la semiótica del Círculo de Viena a los procesos de la significación en Baena
Authors: Cardona J. Mario
Published: October 2022

En este texto se indaga por los fundamentos de la enunciación, entendida como actos de lenguaje significativos. Para ello, se establecen las relaciones entorno de la aseveración entre dos perspectivas teóricas: la semiótica del Circulo de Viena y la perspectiva semántica esbozada por Baena. Al situar el valor socialmente privilegiado del concepto de verdad del acto significativo de la aseveración, como acción orientada al entendimiento, puntualiza el enfonque de un modelo integral en el estudio del lenguaje, con perspectiva psicolingüística.
La cepa de las palabras. Intercambio lingüístico Wayúu y continente biográfico garciamarquiano]
Authors: Moreno Blanco Juan
Published: October 2022

Los comentarios y las críticas a la obra literaria de Gabriel García Márquez han formado una estela en donde es notable la tendencia a vincular el continente de la ficción al continente biográfico. Es frecuente que como médula del proceder interpretativo se ponga en relación la imagen o el fragmento extraídos de la ficción narrativa con la vida del escritor. Para ilustrar esta tendencia evocaremos el caso de Dasso Saldivar, el biógrafo de García Márquez, al describir la casa donde se crió el escritor: «... la casa de los abuelos es literalmente la de 'La hojarasca' y} con apenas modificaciones, la de 'Cien años de soledad'. No podía ser de otra manera. Ál despertar en ella el autor a la vida consciente y subconsciente, a la memoria hedónica, emocional y afectiva, empezaba también en ella el espacio de su futura obra. Sus habitaciones, sus objetos, las historias, los sabores, olores, colores y sonidos serían filtrados por la memoria y luego transpuestos por una poderosa imaginación que los convertiría en cuentos y novelas memorables » (Saldivar, 1997 : 91); «Al seguir, en 'Cien años de soledad', el curso del hilo de sangre que mana del cuerpo muerto de José Arcadio, se visualiza mejor en conjunto, la casa de los Buendía, viéndose que ésta es casi idéntica a la de los Márquez Iguarán ...» (Saldivar: 93). Esta inclinación a unir la ficción a la biografía, alimentada locuazmente desde siempre por el mismo escritor, es ineludible y tal vez será inagotable. Sumándonos a ella, podemos emplearnos a ilustrarla con un vínculo nuestro. Se trata de un fragmento de una entrevista al escritor, tal vez la primera, realizada en 1954 para la Emisora H J.C.K., respecto a lo que él llama «la pesadilla perfecta» y que posteriormente dará lugar a una imagen de la ficción.
Sobre los actos de significación
Authors: Bustamante Zamudio Guillermo
Published: October 2022

La anterior es una historieta de Bill Watterson, de su serie Calvin y Hobbes, Es una serie que ha contado con una aprobación entusiasta y masiva del público, al punto de ser una de las más vendidas en el mundo.
The effects of task complexity on L2 English rapport-building language use and its relationship with paired speaking test task performance
Authors: Chen Tzu-Hua
Published: October 2022

Although task complexity effects on L2 oral production have been widely studied in teaching contexts, their application to task-based language assessment and pragmatic language use remains underexplored. Since pragmatic competence is part of effective communication and interactional abilities and is context-dependent, an investigation of the relationships among task complexity, pragmatic language use, and paired speaking test performance is needed. This study examined the effect of the resource-directing and resource-dispersing dimensions (the number of elements, causal reasoning demand, and planning time) of Robinson’s task complexity construct on fifty-two intermediate-level English as a Second Language (ESL) learners’ rapport-building language use during two decision-making tasks as the achievement test in an EAP program, and the relationships between rapport language use and three dimensions of paired speaking test performance: collaboration, task completion, and style. The results showed that frequency and variety of rapport-building language use did not significantly differ between the two tasks. However, the study found that only in the simple task did different types of rapport-building language have statistically significant positive or negative relationships with different dimensions of paired speaking test scores. Specifically, greeting language use had a strong or close to strong positive relationship with collaboration and style scores, whereas agreeing language had a strong negative relationship with collaboration scores. Additionally, thanking language had a strong negative association with task completion scores. The findings further suggest that task complexity effects learners’ production of rapport-building language in terms of alignment with their peer interlocutors and formality of style, and also impacts raters’ perceptions of paired speaking task performance. The findings highlight the importance of task effects, paired oral assessment rubrics development, and rapport-building language instruction.
Turnaround time prediction for clinical chemistry samples using machine learning
Authors: Tsai Eline R. , Demirtas Derya , Hoogendijk Nick , Tintu Andrei N. , Boucherie Richard J.
Published: October 2022

Objectives

Turnaround time (TAT) is an essential performance indicator of a medical diagnostic laboratory. Accurate TAT prediction is crucial for taking timely action in case of prolonged TAT and is important for efficient organization of healthcare. The objective was to develop a model to accurately predict TAT, focusing on the automated pre-analytical and analytical phase.

Methods

A total of 90,543 clinical chemistry samples from Erasmus MC were included and 39 features were analyzed, including priority level and workload in the different stages upon sample arrival. PyCaret was used to evaluate and compare multiple regression models, including the Extra Trees (ET) Regressor, Ridge Regression and K Neighbors Regressor, to determine the best model for TAT prediction. The relative residual and SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations) values were plotted for model evaluation.

Results

The regression-tree-based method ET Regressor performed best with an R2 of 0.63, a mean absolute error of 2.42 min and a mean absolute percentage error of 7.35%, where the average TAT was 30.09 min. Of the test set samples, 77% had a relative residual error of at most 10%. SHAP value analysis indicated that TAT was mainly influenced by the workload in pre-analysis upon sample arrival and the number of modules visited.

Conclusions

Accurate TAT predictions were attained with the ET Regressor and features with the biggest impact on TAT were identified, enabling the laboratory to take timely action in case of prolonged TAT and helping healthcare providers to improve planning of scarce resources to increase healthcare efficiency.
Estimates of lengths of shortest nonzero vectors in some lattices, II
Authors: Rybakov Alexander S.
Published: October 2022

In 1988, Friese et al. put forward lower estimates for the lengths of shortest nonzero vectors for “almost all” lattices of some families in the dimension 3. In 2004, the author of the present paper obtained a similar result for the dimension 4. Here by means of results obtained in part of the paper we show that these estimates also hold in the dimension 5.
Properties of proper families of Boolean functions
Authors: Tsaregorodtsev Kirill D.
Published: October 2022

We show that triangular families of Boolean functions comprise an exponentially small fraction of proper families of a given order. We prove that if F is a proper family of Boolean functions, then the number of solutions of an equation F(x) = A is even. Finally, we describe a new class of proper families of Boolean functions.
Wooden Wax-Covered Writing Boards asVorlageforkudurruInscriptions in the Middle Babylonian Period
Authors: Zimmermann Lynn-Salammbô
Published: October 2022

The inscriptions on Middle Babyloniankudurrumonuments contain references to a certain type ofVorlage, wooden wax-covered writing boards. Thekudurrumonuments were erected in temples as (legal) proof of a royal land grant. In this article I explore three ways in which wooden wax-covered writing boards may have functioned as aVorlageforkudurruinscriptions. Wooden wax-covered writing boards may have served as aVorlagefor literary passages, as a draft for thekudurruinscription or as a writing material for land survey documents (possibly the Middle Babylonianammatudocuments). Firstly, parallels between the colophons ofkudurruinscriptions and first millennium literary and scholarly texts imply a shared scholarly practice in a temple context, in which wooden wax-covered writing boards were used as aVorlage. Secondly, the use of wooden wax-covered writing boards to draft monumental inscriptions is well attested in the 1st millennium BC. Thirdly, I propose that writing boards may have been used to record the land survey necessary for the royal land grant, since land surveys and ground plans were traditionally recorded on writing boards in Mesopotamia. Wooden wax-covered writing boards and wooden writing materials became more widespread in the Middle Babylonian period. The Middle Babylonian land survey document was calledammatudocument. Further, in this article I demonstrate that the equation of the Middle Babylonianammatudocument with the Old Babylonianṭuppi ummātim, a term for title deeds written on clay tablets, is problematic.
What exactly does an editor do?
Authors: Piller Ingrid
Published: October 2022

This final editorial by outgoing Multilingua editor Ingrid Piller provides a glimpse behind the scenes of academic publishing. The work of a journal editor falls into five broad areas: desk-rejecting; managing peer review; evaluating and assessing research; taking affirmative action; and solving problems and setting directions. This article provides a brief overview of what is involved in each area, and includes recommendations for improvement, both for the field and individual researchers.
Serum vitamin D receptor and fibroblast growth factor-23 levels in postmenopausal primary knee osteoarthritis patients
Authors: Yağmur Tekeli Feyza , Özgür Tekeli Seçkin , Köse Özkan
Published: October 2022

Objectives

The role of vitamin D in primary osteoarthritis (OA) has not been clarified yet. vitamin D receptor (VDR) and fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23) are proteins that play an important role in the metabolism of vitamin D. In this preliminary study, we aimed to examine serum 25-(OH) vitamin D3, VDR, and FGF-23 levels in primary knee OA patients.

Methods

This study includes 60 post-menopausal women who were enrolled into two groups with primary knee OA (n=30, age range between 59.6 ± 5.7 years) and control (n=30, age range between 61.7 ± 6.3 years). Serum levels of 25-(OH) vitamin D3 were measured by chemiluminescence and serum VDR, and FGF-23 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay methods.

Results

In knee OA group, serum levels of 25-(OH) vitamin D3 were significantly lower (p=0.033), and serum VDR and FGF-23 levels were significantly higher than those of the control group respectively (p=0.000 and p=0.006). Also, FGF-23 levels showed correlations with 25-(OH) vitamin D3, VDR, and calcium levels (p<0.05).

Conclusions

This is the first study showing a relationship between serum VDR and FGF-23 in knee OA patients. Extensive clinical studies are required to assess the applicability of these parameters in clinical practice.
Roma Youth and Roma Student Societies in the Hungarian Higher Education in the Light of Process-based Model of Inclusion
Authors: Varga Aranka , Trendl Fanni
Published: October 2022

Organisations and their programmes that specifically address target groups play an important role in creating inclusive educational environments. In this study, through the life stories of Roma students and by examining, describing, and analysing their formalcommunity (the Roma Student Society Network), the authors present principles and dynamics in a model, which may be used as a basis for creating an inclusive environment in the specific context of a university. Our aim in writing this paper is to detail and embed in a process-based model of inclusion the capital accumulation provided by the Roma Student Society, an organisational structure that offers successful social mobility pathways for Roma students. Furthermore, by presenting the results of an empirical study about the Wlislocki Henrik Roma Student Society (WHSz) at the University of Pécs in Hungary and comparing this data to the research results of Roma student societies in other educational institutions across the country, the authors will try to demonstrate and model the necessity, success, and adaptability of WHSz as a support programme.
Lights and Shadows: The Inclusion of Invisible Students in Spanish Universities
Authors: Padilla-Carmona Teresa , González-Monteagudo José , A. Tenorio Rodríguez María
Published: October 2022

Spanish universities in the 21st century are a far cry from institutions prior to the 1970s, which were characterized by strong social homogeneity where only students who had to study did. In this elitist context, there was a direct correlation between social class and the education system (García de León & García de Cortázar, 1992). In recent decades, universities have grown to become more inclusive instead of only serving privileged members of society. This has led to a situation in which university students do not respond to univocal models. However, this plurality of student profiles does not imply that institutions have adapted their requirements and programs to meet the diverse characteristics and needs of students.
Oxidative stress‐induced phosphorylation of JIP4 regulates lysosomal positioning in coordination with TRPML1 and ALG2
Authors: Sasazawa Yukiko , Souma Sanae , Furuya Norihiko , Miura Yoshiki , Kazuno Saiko , Kakuta Soichiro , Suzuki Ayami , Hashimoto Ryota , Hirawake‐Mogi Hiroko , Date Yuki , Imoto Masaya , Ueno Takashi , Kataura Tetsushi , Korolchuk Viktor I , Tsunemi Taiji , Hattori Nobutaka , Saiki Shinji
Published: October 2022

Retrograde transport of lysosomes is recognised as a critical autophagy regulator. Here, we found that acrolein, an aldehyde that is significantly elevated in Parkinson's disease patient serum, enhances autophagy by promoting lysosomal clustering around the microtubule organising centre via a newly identified JIP4‐TRPML1‐ALG2 pathway. Phosphorylation of JIP4 at T217 by CaMK2G in response to Ca2+ fluxes tightly regulated this system. Increased vulnerability of JIP4 KO cells to acrolein indicated that lysosomal clustering and subsequent autophagy activation served as defence mechanisms against cytotoxicity of acrolein itself. Furthermore, the JIP4‐TRPML1‐ALG2 pathway was also activated by H2O2, indicating that this system acts as a broad mechanism of the oxidative stress response. Conversely, starvation‐induced lysosomal retrograde transport involved both the TMEM55B‐JIP4 and TRPML1‐ALG2 pathways in the absence of the JIP4 phosphorylation. Therefore, the phosphorylation status of JIP4 acts as a switch that controls the signalling pathways of lysosoma l distribution depending on the type of autophagy‐inducing signal.
Towards the Design and Implementation of a Programming Language (Beex)
Authors:   Department of Computer Science, University of Benin, Benin City, Chete Fidelis , Ikeh Obinna ,   Department of Computer Science, University of Benin, Benin City
Published: October 2022

Software Engineers, Computer Scientists, and Software Experts alike are faced to decide which programming language is best suited for a certain purpose as the use of programming languages grows. When we consider the various types of programming languages available today, such as Domain Specific Languages (DSL), General Purpose Languages (GPL), Functional Programming Languages (FPL), Imperative Programming Languages (IPL), amongst others, this becomes complicated. In this study, we introduce BeeX, an interpreted language, with the aim of showing the process and principles involved in language design and consider various choices faced by language designers of various programming languages. BeeX was created with simplicity in mind, thus the study focused on architectural design options. We look at the implementation standpoint and try to figure out what the basic building parts of most programming languages are, such as lexical analysis, syntax analysis, and evaluation phase. To achieve this, we created an interactive command interface that evaluated various BeeX language constructs(conditional logic statements, arithmetic expressions, loop constructs etc.) which allowed students to easily experiment with the proposed language. The results of the tests showed that students and programmers alike can use the BeeX programming language to create a variety of code structures that are simple to use.
Normal-high IGF-1 level improves pregnancy rate after ovarian stimulation in women treated with growth hormone replacement therapy
Authors: Ly Nathalie , Dubreuil Sophie , Touraine Philippe
Published: October 2022

Objective

Growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are not mandatory for reproductive life, but data suggest their synergistic action with follicle-stimulating hormone throughout ovarian folliculogenesis. We aimed to evaluate the association of IGF-1 level on clinical pregnancy rate after ovarian stimulation, with or without intrauterine insemination, in women with GH deficiency (GHD) treated with GH replacement therapy (GHRT) at conception.

Design and methods

Data from 19 women with both GHD and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism referred to our reproductive medicine department were retrospectively collected. IGF-1 levels were assessed in a single laboratory, and values were expressed in s.d. from the mean.

Results

Amongst the seven patients receiving GHRT during ovarian stimulation, higher IGF-1 levels were significantly associated with clinical pregnancy (+0.4 s.d. vs–1.6 s.d., P = 0.03). Amongst the 24 pregnancies obtained by the 19 infertile patients, pregnancy loss was less frequent with the addition of GHRT than without (1 miscarriage out of 8 total pregnancies vs 4 miscarriages out of 16 total pregnancies).

Conclusions

This is the first study evaluating the association of IGF-1 level on clinical pregnancy rate in GH-treated women at conception. When taking care of female infertility due to hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, practitioners should enquire about the associated GHD and IGF-1 levels. To ensure higher clinical pregnancy chances, practitioners should aim for IGF-1 values at conception, ranging from 0 s.d. to +2 s.d., and, if necessary, could discuss initiation or increase GH treatment. Prospective studies should help strengthen our results.
Nonmalignant AR-positive prostate epithelial cells and cancer cells respond differently to androgen
Authors: Kukkonen Konsta , Autio-Kimura Bryn , Rauhala Hanna , Kesseli Juha , Nykter Matti , Latonen Leena , Visakorpi Tapio
Published: October 2022

Prostate cancer research suffers from the lack of suitable models to study the role of normal cells in prostate carcinogenesis. To address this challenge, we developed a cell line model mimicking luminal prostate epithelial cells by modifying the immortalized prostate epithelial cell line RWPE-1 to constitutively express the androgen receptor (AR). RWPE-1-AR cells express known AR target genes, and exhibit coexpression of luminal and basal markers characteristic of transient amplifying cells, and an RNA signature resembling prostate luminal progenitor cells. Under unstimulated conditions, constitutive AR expression does not have a biologically significant effect on the proliferation of RWPE-1 cells, but when stimulated by androgens, growth is retarded. The transcriptional response of RWPE-1-AR cells to androgen stimulation involves suppression of the growth-related KRAS pathway and is thus markedly different from that of the prostate cancer cell line LNCaP and its derivative AR-overexpressing LNCaP-ARhi cells, in which growth- and cancer-related pathways are upregulated. Hence, the nonmalignant AR-positive RWPE-1-AR cell line model could be used to study the transformation of the prostate epithelium.
Nuclear and mitochondrial DNA alterations in pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas, and their potential treatment
Authors: Tabebi Mouna , Söderkvist Peter , Gimm Oliver
Published: October 2022

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) alterations have been reported in different types of cancers and are suggested to play important roles in cancer development and metastasis. However, there is little information about its involvement in pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PCCs/PGLs) formation. PCCs and PGLs are rare endocrine tumors of the chromaffin cells in the adrenal medulla and extra-adrenal paraganglia that can synthesize and secrete catecholamines. Over the last 3 decades, the genetic background of about 60% of PCCs/PGLs involving nuclear DNA alterations has been determined. Recently, a study showed that mitochondrial alterations can be found in around 17% of the remaining PCCs/PGLs. In this review, we summarize recent knowledge regarding both nuclear and mitochondrial alterations and their involvement in PCCs/PGLs. We also provide brief insights into the genetics and the molecular pathways associated with PCCs/PGLs and potential therapeutical targets.
Caregiver Engagement During Pediatric Post-Acute Care Hospitalization
Authors: Hughes M. Laurette , Constance Jordan , Millner Alexander J. , Young Gregory I.
Published: October 2022

OBJECTIVES

Caregiver engagement during acute inpatient hospitalizations has been demonstrated to provide developmental and behavioral benefits for children, decrease readmissions and length of stay, and improve caregiver confidence. Caregiver engagement has been examined in acute care settings; however, there is a gap in information regarding caregiver engagement in a pediatric post-acute care hospital (pPACH). The objective of this study was to explore caregiver engagement in a pPACH.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

All patients, birth to 23 years of age, in the medical service of an independent pPACH in the Northeastern United States, January 1, 2013, through December 31, 2017, were identified. Retrospective review of electronic health records for patient demographics and caregiver engagement, identified as visit(s) and telephone call(s), was conducted. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used to distinguish differences and measure associations of caregiver visits and calls between demographic groups.

RESULTS

The primary mode of caregiver engagement for pPACH patients (n = 614) was by visits, whereas caregiver calls were less frequent. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified significantly greater odds of caregiver visits among patients ages 1 to 17 years, with private payer, and having a single admission, whereas lower odds of visits were identified among those <1 year or ≥18 years, with ≥2 pPACH admissions, public insurance, Child Protective Services (CPS) involvement, and African American/Black, other, and unknown race/ethnicities.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients who were infants, had ≥2 admissions, had CPS involvement, and were covered under public payer experienced lower caregiver visit rates. Strategies are needed to further identify and address barriers to caregiver engagement.
Інституціоналізація місцевого референдуму в умовах демократизації публічного управління
Authors: Shumliaieva Iryna , Kyrychenko Vitalii
Published: October 2022

У статті розглянуто особливості інституту місцевого референдуму як пріоритетної форми безпосередньої демократії на локальному рівні, а також питання його формалізації. Аналіз нормативно-правових джерел Ради Європи  1993-2021 рр., в яких уміщено основні положення стосовно місцевого референдуму у якості інструменту прямої участі громадян, засвідчив  те, що використання цього інституту покладає відповідальність на всіх мешканців громад і сприяє демократичному вирішенню конфліктних ситуацій, а також зміцненню місцевої автономії шляхом формування почуття належності індивіда до локальної спільноти.

Узагальнено дефініції нормативно-правових актів і думки науковців  стосовно визначення сутності місцевого референдуму, а також його головні характеристики. Виокремлено три основні підходи, які в сукупності найбільш повно розкривають зміст інституту місцевого референдуму, а також виділено його специфічні ознаки. Приділено увагу особливостям місцевого референдуму як інструменту (засобу), способу та форми безпосередньої участі громадян у місцевій референдній процедурі, а також визначено його специфіку порівняно з іншими формами прямої демократії, що використовуються під час реалізації права громадян на місцеве самоврядування.

Досліджено аспекти, що стосуються інституціоналізації місцевого референдуму у законодавстві або легалізації місцевою владою в Україні як процесу, внаслідок якого формалізуються місцеві референдні відносини шляхом регламентації його організації та проведення. Зроблено висновок про те, що подальший розвиток місцевого референдуму в Україні пов’язаний з його формуванням як стабільного і сталого інституту, адаптацією до європейських принципів референдної демократії, а також юридичною легалізацією, що має відобразити його автономність й пріоритет стосовно інших форм та інструментів безпосередньої демократії.
Fundamentos para una iconología audiovisual
Authors: García-Noblejas Juan José
Published: October 2022

FOUNDATIONS FOR AN AUDIOVISUAL ICONOLOGY: Films and television programs are today privileged media which publicly institutionalize the concepts and appraisals of human individuals and their lives within society. In this work, the approach is that of probing the feasibility of their study from a symbolic perspective which updates the allegorical criteria of classical Iconology which tends to matters of this nature. In order to carry out this task it is convenient to maintain two open perspectives: a theoretical approach which is oriented towards the aesthetics of reception, and another approach which bears upon creativity within the production of statements in movies and television. From this dual perspective Iconology presents itself as an Epistemology of the audiovisual culture.
El segundo nivel de composición de la agenda: la opinión pública y la cobertura del crimen
Authors: Ghanem Salma I.
Published: October 2022

La contradicción observada entre las estadísticas del crimen y las encuestas públicas realizadas en Estados Unidos, proporcionan un magnífico caso de estudio para examinar el impacto de los medios sobre la opinión pública. Las estadísticas de los últimos años indican que el crimen se encuentra en una espiral descendente, a pesar de lo cual, el porcentaje de público que considera el crimen como el mayor problema del país, es ahora más alto. Esta reacción del público tiene que deberse a algo distinto a las tendencias actuales del crimen: quizá a algún tipo de pseudo-ambiente creado por los medios de comunicación de masas. Porque según Lippmann, la gente reacciona ante un pseudo-ambiente como si se tratara de un ambiente real.

En Texas, donde la proporción de hechos delictivos se encuentra en descenso desde 1991, las encuestas realizadas entre el público reflejan la tendencia opuesta. Los informes del Texas Department of Public Safety (1992-1995) indican que el promedio de crímenes descendió un 9,7 por ciento de 1991 a 1992 y un 8,8 por ciento de 1992 a 1993 y de 1993 a 1994. Durante el primer semestre de 1995 el promedio bajó un 5,5 por ciento con respecto a los primeros seis meses de 1994.

A pesar de estas cifras, el Texas Poll registró niveles extremos de preocupación del público por el crimen, que se elevó desde el Z por ciento en el verano de 1992 a un máximo del 37 por ciento en la prima * Traducción: Esteban Morán. vera de 1994. Los últimos datos de los sondeos utilizados en el presente estudio indican que aproximadamente un 15 por ciento de los habitantes de Texas encuestados siguen pensando que el crimen constituye el problema social más importante del país.

Aun cuando es un hecho conocido que los medios tienen algo que ver con la gran preocupación del público por el crimen, se justifica una investigación que relacione empíricamente la inquietud del público ante el crimen y su actual cobertura por los medios.
Criterios deontológicos en el tratamiento informativo del dolor
Authors: López-Mañero Cristina
Published: October 2022

El dolor constituye un asunto del que siempre habrá que informar. Tal afirmación queda justificada si se tiene en cuenta, de un lado, que el dolor es una experiencia central en la vida de todo hombre, y, de otro, que la información -cuyo fin es prestar un servicio a la persona humana a través de la satisfacción de su derecho a la información- está hecha por personas, dirigida a personas y trata sobre temas que les incumben.

Ahora bien, el tratamiento informativo del dolor, aunque posible y necesario, no está exento de múltiples dificultades. Esto lleva a que merezca la pena prestar atención a los criterios deontológicos que deben regir cada uno de los elementos básicos del proceso informativo sobre el dolor. Con esta finalidad, una vez expuestas brevemente cuáles son las principales dificultades que plantea este tipo de información, se analizará por separado las implicaciones éticas del emisor, del mensaje informativo, y del receptor.
Tourism and online communication: interactivity and social web in official destination websites
Authors: Fernández-Cavia José , Míguez-González María Isabel
Published: October 2022

Websites are an important communication tool in destination branding. This study analyses the relational nature of 87 official destination websites (ODWs) according to two parameters: interactivity, whose link to ODWs has been highlighted in several studies; and, the presence of the social web elements, increasingly necessary to achieve comprehensive, effective online communication, for instance blogs, microblogging platforms or social networks. The authors apply a methodology based on indicators from the Web Quality Index (WQI): a specific website analysis model for the tourism industry. The methodology provides a useful tool for examining and assessing how destination marketing organisations endow their websites with interactivity and connect them to the social media arena. The results show significant shortcomings in the websites for the aspects analysed, especially with regard to indicators linked to interactivity. Furthermore, the study suggests a series of measures that destination marketing organisations could adopt in order to remedy these shortcomings and optimise the relational aspects of their websites
El documental de objetivación: realismo, estética y temporalidad
Authors: Capdevila Pol
Published: October 2022

Este artículo entra en el debate sobre la representación de la realidad para describir una nueva categoría de documental: el documental de objetivación. Estos documentales aparecen a partir de los años 2000 con, por ejemplo, Bosnia. Lost Images (2003) y cuestionan cierta propaganda de guerra. Persiguen dos objetivos: por una parte, desconstruyen las convenciones del estilo realista y desvelan el truco de su presunta inmediatez y de su valor como “prueba” de lo acontecido; por otra, tratan de comunicar una historia desde una visión racional, “objetivada” de los hechos. Se presentan, por tanto, como una herramienta epistemológica deudora de una racionalidad científica. En este artículo, se caracterizará primero el documental de estilo realista, que ha sido el hegemónico entre los años 60 y 90. Seguidamente, se desarrollará el concepto de objetivación en el cine documental y se describirán las estrategias utilizadas por este tipo de películas. Metodológicamente, se recurrirá a la estética según la propuesta de Corner (2003). Se acompañará esta presentación con el estudio de caso de las noticia de estilo realista sobre el asesinato de Al-Durah en el 2000, que ha sido objetivada posteriormente por el documental El niño, la muerte y la verdad (2011). En el último apartado, se analizará una de las estrategias visuales más poderosas para construir la objetividad en un documental, a saber, la manipulación de la temporalidad. En las conclusiones reflexionaré sobre la presunta racionalidad y el cientificismo de tales documentales, así como de su ideología epistémica
Efficiency and benchmarks of regional public service broadcasters in Spain
Authors: Artero Juan Pablo , Orive Víctor , Latorre Pilar
Published: October 2022

The current high public deficit situation of the Spanish economy lead us to analyse the management of public service companies, their allocation of resources and how well they are used. Within this article, we shall compare the efficiency of regional public service broadcasters (PSBs) in Spain using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method and benchmarking. That will be done with two goals in mind. One, to evaluate and compare the performance of regional public television networks. And two, to propose policy measures to improve management efficiency. The results from the study indicate that more than a half of public television services in Spain are inefficient. It is recommended that the television services change some of their inputs/outputs to enhance efficiency and ensure future sustainability
De lo global a lo local: el encuadre de la crisis de la carne de caballo en la prensa vasca
Authors: Marín-Murillo Flora , Armentia-Vizuete José Ignacio , Caminos-Marcet José María
Published: October 2022

Durante los meses de enero y abril de 2013 la prensa vasca informó sobre la llamada “crisis del caballo”. Esta crisis, que tuvo como origen la detección de carne de caballo en productos etiquetados como vacuno, se extendió por toda Europa, adquiriendo un carácter global. Los diarios del País Vasco no sólo informaron sobre su desarrollo, sino que utilizaron diferentes encuadres para mitigar los posibles perjuicios que la misma pudiera acarrear a la economía y política de la Comunidad Autónoma. Para ello, se valieron de recursos como el uso intensivo de géneros interpretativos y de opinión, la elaboración propia de los textos y el apoyo en fuentes cercanas de información. Este texto está basado en un proyecto de investigación sobre la Seguridad Alimentaria en los medios de comunicación.