bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Study about Perceptions of Kimono among College Students and Kimono Enthusiasts: Is It Difficult to Move in a Kimono?
Authors: Miyashiro Kozue , Sasaki Kazuya , Ishikawa Tomoharu , Mori Hiroshi
Published: April 2024

Background Kimono is being reevaluated for its sustainability aspects, such as having fewer offcuts in the production process due to its structural differences from Western-style clothes and its high reusability due to the adaptability to individuals’ body shapes. On the other hand, once a common attire for daily wear in Japan, kimono has transitioned to being worn only on special events and the kimono-related industry has also shrunk. To stimulate demand for kimono, it is essential to familiarize younger generations with its potential as daily wear. Methods A questionnaire survey on perceptions of kimono was conducted among two groups in Japan: 211 college students and 50 kimono enthusiasts. The questionnaire included demographic questions and psychometric scales, primarily focusing on their kimono experiences, challenges associated with wearing kimono, their perceptions of kimono and Western-style clothes, and their attitudes towards kimono. Results The results revealed that a majority of students had worn kimono before, though they found it difficult to move while wearing it. In contrast, kimono enthusiasts evaluated it as easier to move, hard to become disheveled, and casual. They also rated the ease of wearing Western-style clothes lower compared to students, and this tendency intensified with the length of enthusiast experience. Furthermore, the findings indicated that enthusiasts regarded the kimono more as daily wear compared to students, while still deriving enjoyment from it as formal attire in special events. Conclusions These results suggest that the cognition that Western-style clothes are easy to move and kimono is not may change with experiences. Therefore, providing opportunities for people in Japan to acquire how to wear kimono in comfortable ways possibly impacts their perceptions of kimono.
The impact of positive childhood experiences on adult psychiatric disorder and symptoms: Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal cohort studies
Authors: Telford Lisa H. , Healy Colm , O’Reilly Éilis J , Clarke Mary C
Published: April 2024

Background Mental and substance use disorders are the leading cause of disability among young people worldwide. Early life environments and experiences have a significant influence on development with long-lasting implications for both physical and mental health. While the harmful effects of childhood adversity are well-documented, positive childhood experiences are less well-established and the degree of association with later mental health outcomes is currently undefined. The proposed systematic review will therefore examine the literature exploring associations between exposure to positive childhood experiences and the development of psychiatric disorder or symptoms in adulthood. Methods and analysis Studies examining associations between exposure to positive childhood experiences and risk of adult psychiatric disorder or symptoms will be systematically identified by searching Embase, APA PsycInfo, MEDLINE, and Scopus. Customised search strategies will be built for each database by combining key search terms relating to inclusion criteria. No restrictions on publication date will be applied, however searches will be restricted to the English language. Provided data are sufficient, a random-effects model at the 0.05 level of significance will be used to pool quantitative effect estimates. If meta-analysis is not possible, results will be summarised in tables and reported narratively. The Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Cohort Studies will be used for quality assessment of included studies and the overall strength of the body of evidence will be assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation framework. Heterogeneity between included studies will be explored through visual inspection of forest plots and by assessing the I2 statistic. Reporting of this protocol has been guided by the standards of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols Statement. Ethics and dissemination Only published data will be used for this review therefore ethical approval is not required. Findings will be disseminated in a scientific peer-reviewed journal and results presented at conferences.
Restricciones institucionales a la redistribución de tierras: la negociación política de la Ley 135 de 1961
Authors: Carranza Franco Francy , Gómez Peñuela Alexandra , Ospina Garrido William Esteban , Parada Hernández María Mónica
Published: April 2024

En este capítulo, mostramos que el proceso de reforma agraria en Colombia estuvo marcado por restricciones institucionales que impidieron que su ejecución fuera de carácter redistributivo. Estas restricciones tuvieron su origen en el proceso de negociación de la Ley 135 de 1961 por medio de la cual se establecieron vetos políticos, así como obstáculos jurídicos y administrativos que dificultaron la implementación de mecanismos de dotación de tierras con fines redistributivos, a saber: la expropiación y extinción de dominio.
Understanding Labor Market Discrimination Against Transgender People: Evidence from a Double List Experiment and a Survey
Authors: Aksoy Billur , Carpenter Christopher S. , Sansone Dario
Published: April 2024

Using a double list experiment designed to elicit views free from social desirability bias, we find that support in the United States for transgender people in the labor market is significantly overreported by 8%–10%. After correcting for this overreporting, we still find that over two-thirds of respondents would be comfortable with a transgender manager and support employment nondiscrimination protection for transgender people. However, respondents severely underestimate this level of support. We also show that stated labor market support for transgender people is lower than support for gay, lesbian, and bisexual people. Our results advance our understanding of employment discrimination against transgender people.

This paper was accepted by Marie Claire Villeval, behavioral economics and decision analysis.

Funding: Financial support from The Vanderbilt LGBTQ+ Policy Lab. is gratefully acknowledged.

Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.02567 .
But is it Elite? Organizational
Status, Boundaries, and Crafting
Elite and Flagship Universities
Authors: Byrd W. , Cantwell Brendan , Baizhanov Sanzhar
Published: April 2024

“Elite” and “flagship” are two influential groupings used to conceptualize
differences among higher education institutions, but rarely defined. We
derive common features attributed to these groupings from a content analysis
of 40 years of higher education literature. Next, we explore the relationship of
these features to other institutional characteristics with multiple regression
analyses of organizational-level data. We uncover “organizational tautology,”
a self-reinforcing manifestation of status beliefs and boundary work. Elite and
flagship categories represent stylized facts used to legitimate groupings based
on organizational status, reinforcing exclusionary beliefs by higher education
insiders and their positions within an unequal higher education system.
VLC channel model in underground mining scenarios with the extinction effect and shadowing effect
Authors: Li Chao , Wang Xing , Dong ZhenLiang , Shi Fengyuan , Yang Ting , Wang Ping
Published: April 2024

In this work, a novel, to our knowledge, visible light communication (VLC) channel model is proposed for underground mining scenarios taking into account the impact of coal dust particles and obstacles. Specifically, the extinction effect of the coal dust particles is analyzed on the basis of the Mie theory, and the quantitative formula of the influence on channel direct current (DC) gain is derived. Meanwhile, the effect of a random shadowing phenomenon is investigated and quantified with the geometric and statistical model considering the position, size, and shape of the obstacles. The channel impulse response, path loss, root mean square delay spread, and bit error rate (BER) are further investigated in two different underground mining scenarios, namely, a mining roadway and coal mine working face. Simulation results show that the shadowing effect plays a major role in the influence of DC gain attenuation. Furthermore, the BER performance is noticeably degraded due to the presence of coal dust particles and obstacles, especially when the receiver is located far from the transmitter. This work will benefit the design of the VLC systems in underground mines.
Ultralow-threshold dual-wavelength optical bistability from a perovskite hyperbolic metasurface and its application in a photonic neural network
Authors: Li Zhitong , Shan Sichao , Hu Shengrun , Gu Yazhou , Ji Xueqiang , Hou Junpeng
Published: April 2024

In a hyperbolic metamaterial or metasurface (HMM or HMS), strong light-matter interaction occurs at the phase transition wavelength where the material behavior changes from metal to dielectric. As a result, the enhanced electric field can generate non-linear phenomena, such as optical bistability. In this work, we numerically investigate polarization-dependent dual-wavelength optical bistability from perovskite HMS consisting of alternating layers of MAPbBr3 perovskite and Au. Benefiting from the anisotropic property, the bistable operation wavelength for TE and TM polarizations are different. In particular, for TE polarization, strong light matter interaction resulting from the increment of incident light power not only shifts the phase transition wavelength but also enhances the transmission. Consequently, the bistable on-off contrast ratio is unprecedentedly enlarged. For TM polarization, strong light-matter interaction gives rise to an ultra-low bistable threshold. The proposed optical bistable states can serve as an activation function for optical neurons in a photonic neural network, with similar prediction accuracy across a variety of learning tasks as the classic activation functions ReLU and Sigmoid. Our work suggests a novel avenue towards the insertion of perovskite HMS into optical computing networks.
Pathophysiology of non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis in children and adolescents with asthma: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: da Silva Natali Caroline , Malagutti Beatriz Cocato , Ladeira Joelia Maria Costa Dias , Grotta Milena Baptistella , Toro Adyleia Aparecida Dalbo Contrera
Published: April 2024

Background

The pathophysiological mechanisms by which asthma and bronchiectasis are associated are still unclear. The association of these two diseases can result in more severe symptoms and a greater number of exacerbations.

Objective

The aim of this systematic review is to collect evidence of the pathophysiology of non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis with associated asthma in children and adolescents, aged 6–18 years old.

Methods

A systematic and comprehensive search will be performed using eight main databases, PubMed, PubMed PMC, BVS/BIREME, Scopus, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Scielo and Web of Science. Articles will be searched from the earliest available time to July 2023. The studied population will be composed of children and adolescents with asthma and non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis. From the data obtained, all articles found will be transferred to the Rayyan platform. Study selection will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Protocols Checklist (PRISMA P-2015). In addition, if sufficient data are available, a meta-analysis will be conducted. Two independent reviewers will conduct the studies selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment. The outcome measures will be to analyze if non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis is related to a specific inflammatory profile.

Discussion

A systematic review will provide better knowledge about the etiopathogenesis and causes of the association between asthma and bronchiectasis and its role in the severity and control of asthma. Identifying, selecting and critically evaluating studies on asthma and bronchiectasis, would be possible to illuminate the characteristics of children and adolescents with associated diagnoses and provide information to help individualized treatments in order to control and prevent complications. The findings of this study will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Systematic review registration

The systematic review protocol was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) in July 2023 (registration number CRD42023440355).
GSB: GNGS and SAG-BiGRU network for malware dynamic detection
Authors: Hu Zhanhui , Liu Guangzhong , Xiang Xinyu , Li Yanping , Zhuang Siqing
Published: April 2024

With the rapid development of the Internet, the continuous increase of malware and its variants have brought greatly challenges for cyber security. Due to the imbalance of the data distribution, the research on malware detection focuses on the accuracy of the whole data sample, while ignoring the detection rate of the minority categories’ malware. In the dataset sample, the normal data samples account for the majority, while the attacks’ malware accounts for the minority. However, the minority categories’ attacks will bring great losses to countries, enterprises, or individuals. For solving the problem, this study proposed the GNGS algorithm to construct a new balance dataset for the model algorithm to pay more attention to the feature learning of the minority attacks’ malware to improve the detection rate of attacks’ malware. The traditional malware detection method is highly dependent on professional knowledge and static analysis, so we used the Self-Attention with Gate mechanism (SAG) based on the Transformer to carry out feature extraction between the local and global features and filter irrelevant noise information, then extracted the long-distance dependency temporal sequence features by the BiGRU network, and obtained the classification results through the SoftMax classifier. In the study, we used the Alibaba Cloud dataset for malware multi-classification. Compared the GSB deep learning network model with other current studies, the experimental results showed that the Gaussian noise generation strategy (GNGS) could solve the unbalanced distribution of minority categories’ malware and the SAG-BiGRU algorithm obtained the accuracy rate of 88.7% on the eight-classification, which has better performance than other existing algorithms, and the GSB model also has a good effect on the NSL-KDD dataset, which showed the GSB model is effective for other network intrusion detection.
Semiparametric modeling for the cardiometabolic risk index and individual risk factors in the older adult population: A novel proposal
Authors: Tagder Philippe , Alfonso-Mora Margareth Lorena , Díaz-Vidal Diana , Quino-Ávila Aura Cristina , Méndez Juliana Lever , Sandoval-Cuellar Carolina , Monsalve-Jaramillo Eliana , Giné-Garriga María
Published: April 2024

The accurate monitoring of metabolic syndrome in older adults is relevant in terms of its early detection, and its management. This study aimed at proposing a novel semiparametric modeling for a cardiometabolic risk index (CMRI) and individual risk factors in older adults. Methods: Multivariate semiparametric regression models were used to study the association between the CMRI with the individual risk factors, which was achieved using secondary analysis the data from the SABE study (Survey on Health, Well-Being, and Aging in Colombia, 2015). Results: The risk factors were selected through a stepwise procedure. The covariates included showed evidence of non-linear relationships with the CMRI, revealing non-linear interactions between: BMI and age (p< 0.00); arm and calf circumferences (p<0.00); age and females (p<0.00); walking speed and joint pain (p<0.02); and arm circumference and joint pain (p<0.00). Conclusions: Semiparametric modeling explained 24.5% of the observed deviance, which was higher than the 18.2% explained by the linear model.
Pneumococcal vaccination and primary care presentations for acute respiratory tract infection and antibiotic prescribing in older adults
Authors: Hossain Fariha Binte , Jayasinghe Sanjay , Blazek Katrina , He Wen-Qiang , Liu Bette
Published: April 2024

Background

While the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23) has demonstrated its role in preventing severe pneumococcal disease, its impact on more non-specific conditions like acute respiratory tract infection (ARI) and lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the role of PPV23 in prevention of presentations for ARI and LRTI and related antibiotic prescriptions among older adults in primary care.

Methods

Using a nationwide general practice dataset, we followed a cohort of regularly attending patients aged ≥65 years from 1 January 2014 until 31 December 2018 for presentations for ARI, LRTI, and related antibiotic prescriptions. Associations between PPV23 receipt and each outcome were assessed using a multiple failures survival model to estimate hazard ratios (HR) adjusted for age, sex, socioeconomic status, and various health measures.

Results

A cohort of 75,264 patients aged ≥65 years (mean 75.4, 56% female) in 2014 was followed. The incidence of presentations for ARI, ARI-related antibiotic prescription, LRTI, and LRTI-related antibiotic prescription was 157.6, 76.0, 49.6, and 24.3 per 1000 person-years, respectively. Recent PPV23 vaccine receipt was associated with a small reduction in ARI presentations (adjusted HR vaccinated vs. unvaccinated 0.96; 95%CI 0.94–0.98; p = 0.002); however, there was no reduction in ARI-related antibiotic prescription, LRTI presentation, nor LRTI-related antibiotic prescription (adjusted HR were 0.99[95%CI 0.96–1.03], 1.04[95%CI 0.99–1.09], 1.07[95%CI 1.00–1.14]).

Conclusion

PPV23 vaccination in older adults may result in a small reduction in the incidence of total ARI presentations in primary care. However, the effect is small and residual confounding cannot be excluded.
Floral visitors of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.): Elucidating their nectar-robbing behaviour and impacts on the plant reproduction
Authors: Layek Ujjwal , Bhandari Trisha , Das Alokesh , Karmakar Prakash
Published: April 2024

Nectar robbing is common in angiosperms, especially in long tubular flowers or flowers with spurs that keep nectar out of reach of visitors. However, the robbing behaviour of bees is less understood. Here, we studied the sesame visitors, their robbing behaviour, and the impacts of robbing on plant reproductive fitness. Diverse insect species (primarily members of Hymenoptera) visited sesame flowers. The most effective pollinators were Amegilla zonata, Apis cerana, Apis dorsata, Apis florea, Ceratina binghami, Halictus acrocephalus and Xylocopa amethystina. Almost all visitors with variable percentages revealed the nectar-robbing phenomenon. Robbing activity depended on a complex of multiple attributes, including the visitor’s body size, the corolla tube length, the availability and accessibility of nectar, and the resource-collecting task allocation of bees. Robbing activity varied according to flower-visiting species, flowering period and daytime. Robbing was comparatively higher in the late flowering period at 10.00–14.00 h. In the case of robbing visits, flower handling time was lower, and the visitation rate remained higher than non-robbing visits. Robbing visits did not significantly affect fruit and seed sets of sesame. Therefore, we can interpret the nectar-robbing interactions on sesame as commensal, with pollinators benefitting without altering the plant’s reproductive fitness.
Sex as a risk factor regarding presbyopia in the rhesus monkey
Authors: Croft Mary Ann , Mcdonald Jared P. , Kiland Julie , Mattison Julie A. , Roth George S. , Ingram Don , Kaufman Paul L.
Published: April 2024

Purpose

To determine the effect of sex as a risk factor regarding presbyopia.

Methods

Maximum accommodation was pharmacologically induced (40% cabachol corneal iontophoresis) in 97 rhesus monkeys (49 males and 48 females) ranging in age from 8 to 36 years old. Accommodation was measured by Hartinger coincidence refractometry.

Results

Accommodative amplitude measured refractometrically decreased with age, and the rate of change was not different between males and females (p = 0.827).

Conclusions

Presbyopia is essentially sex neutral, and no one is spared. There may be modest variations between different populations for various reasons, but essentially it is monotonously predictable. At present there is no biological therapeutic.
Induction of neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 variants by a multivalent mRNA-lipid nanoparticle vaccine encoding SARS-CoV-2/SARS-CoV Spike protein receptor-binding domains in mice
Authors: Zhang Qiong , Tiwari Shashi , Wen Jing , Wang Shaobo , Wang Lingling , Li Wanyu , Zhang Lingzhi , Rawling Stephen , Cheng Yong , Jokerst Jesse , Rana Tariq M.
Published: April 2024

To address the need for multivalent vaccines against Coronaviridae that can be rapidly developed and manufactured, we compared antibody responses against SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2, and several variants of concern in mice immunized with mRNA-lipid nanoparticle vaccines encoding homodimers or heterodimers of SARS-CoV/SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domains. All vaccine constructs induced robust anti-RBD antibody responses, and the heterodimeric vaccine elicited an IgG response capable of cross-neutralizing SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2 Wuhan-Hu-1, B.1.351 (beta), and B.1.617.2 (delta) variants.
Gender distribution of Top Doctors in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery
Authors: DiNardo Lauren A. , Reese Alyssa D. , Raghavan Maya , Sullivan Meagan , Carr Michele M.
Published: April 2024

Introduction

Our study seeks to understand the profiles of otolaryngologists selected by Castle Connolly’s Top Doctor list and how this compares to the entire field of otolaryngology.

Methods

Top Doctor lists published in Castle Connolly affiliated magazines were analyzed for Otolaryngology, Otolaryngology/Facial Plastic Surgery, or Pediatric Otolaryngology physicians. Only lists published in 2021 or representing the 2021 Top Doctor lists were analyzed. Of the total 39 partnered magazines, 27 met our criteria. Information on the physician was analyzed from the Castle Connolly website and included: gender, education, faculty position, years as a Top Doctor, and certifications of each physician.

Results

879 doctors, 742 (84%) men and 137 women (16%), were included in our analysis. 509 physicians completed a fellowship, 85 (62%) women and 424 (57%) men. The fellowship type varied significantly between gender (p = .002). 122 (14%) Top Doctors completed facial and plastic reconstructive surgery and 111 (91%) were men. Of the women Top Doctors completing a fellowship, 29 (34%) completed a fellowship in pediatric otolaryngology. A logistic regression found that men have an increased odds of being on the Top Doctors list for more years than females (OR: 1.36, p < .001).

Conclusion

The percentage of women named as Top Doctors was less than the proportion of women in otolaryngology. This may be attributed to gender differences we found in fellowship type and certification. Further research into the role of otolaryngology subspecialties in selection of Top Doctors is needed to better understand gender differences.
Antecedents of social media addiction in high and low relational mobility societies: Motivation to expand social network and fear of reputational damage
Authors: Iwatani Shuma , Watamura Eiichiro
Published: April 2024

Contrary to previous studies on the antecedent factors of social media addiction, we focused on the social environmental factor of relational mobility (i.e., the ease of constructing new interpersonal relationships) and investigated its relationship with social media addiction. People in low relational mobility societies have fewer opportunities to select new relationship partners and consequently feel a stronger need to maintain their reputation. We hypothesized that (1) people in low relational mobility societies are more strongly addicted to social media because they estimate that greater reputational damage will be caused by ignoring messages and (2) people in low relational mobility societies estimate greater reputational damage than actual damage. We conducted two online experiments with 715 and 1,826 participants. Our results demonstrated that (1) there is no relationship between relational mobility and social media addiction and (2) people in both high and low relational mobility societies overestimate reputational damage. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the social media addiction mechanism differs between societies: (3) people in low relational mobility societies estimate greater reputational damage, whereas (4) people in high relational mobility societies are more motivated to expand their social networks; both mechanisms strengthen their social media addiction. Based on these results, we propose interventions for moderating social media addiction in both high and low relational mobility societies.
Understanding and including ‘pink-collar’ workers in employment-based travel demand models
Authors: Yan Yiping , Leung Abraham , Burke Matthew , McBroom James
Published: April 2024

The segmentation of commuters into either blue or white-collar workers remains is still common in urban transport models. Internationally, models have started to use more elaborate segmentations, more reflective of changes in labour markets, such as increased female participation. Finding appropriate labour market segmentations for commute trip modelling remains a challenge. This paper harnesses a data-driven approach using unsupervised clustering–applied to 2017–20 South East Queensland Travel Survey (SEQTS) data. Commuter types are grouped by occupational, industry, and socio-demographic variables (i.e., gender, age, household size, household vehicle ownership and worker skill score). The results show that at a large number of clusters (i.e., k = 8) a highly distinct set of commuter types can be observed. But model run times tend to require a much smaller number of market segments. When only three clusters are formed (k = 3) a market segmentation emerges with one female-dominated type (‘pink collar’), one male-dominated type (‘blue collar’) and one with both genders almost equally involved (‘white collar’). There are nuances as to which workers are included in each segment, and differences in travel behaviours across the three types. ‘Pink collar’ workers are mostly comprised of female clerical and administrative workers, community and personal service workers and sales workers. They have the shortest median commutes for both private motorised and active transport modes. The approach and methods should assist transport planners to derive more accurate and robust market segmentations for use in large urban transport models, and, better predict the value of alternative transport projects and policies for all types of commuters.
Progressive relaxation training in patients with breast cancer receiving aromatase inhibitor therapy-randomized controlled trial
Authors: Bahçacı Umut , Atasavun Uysal Songül , Erdogan İyigün Zeynep , Ordu Çetin , Soybir Gürsel Remzi , Ozmen Vahit
Published: April 2024

Background

Aromatase inhibitors have positive impacts on the disease-free life of patients with breast cancer. However, their side effects, especially arthralgia, may be experienced by many patients. This study sought to assess the efficacy of Progressive Relaxation Exercises on the prevalent side effects of Aromatase Inhibitors in patients with breast cancer.

Materials and methods

This clinical trial was conducted with single-blind randomization at a physiotherapy department in a local hospital. Patients who received Aromatase Inhibitor were assigned at random to either the study or control group. The study group (n = 22) performed a Progressive Relaxation Exercises program four days a week for six weeks, while the control group (n = 22) received advice on relaxation for daily life. Data was collected before the intervention and after six weeks. The study’s primary endpoint was the Brief Pain Inventory, which was used to measure pain severity. Secondary endpoints included assessments of quality of life and emotional status, which were measured using the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy and Hospital Anxiety and Depression scales, respectively.

Results

The study group exhibited a significant reduction in Pain Severity (p = 0.001) and Pain Interference (p = 0.012) sub-scores. Reduction in Pain Severity (p<0.001) and Patient Pain Experience (p = 0.003) sub-scores was also noted between the groups. Quality of Life and Emotional Status showed no significant variation both within and between the groups (p>0.05).

Conclusion

The study demonstrated that Progressive Relaxation Exercises caused a significant reduction in pain scores among Breast Cancer patients receiving Aromatase Inhibitors. While a decrease in pain during the 6-week period is valuable data, it is necessary to monitor the long-term effects of relaxation techniques.
COVID anomaly in the correlation analysis of S&P 500 market states
Authors: Martínez-Ramos M. Mijaíl , Vyas Manan , Majari Parisa , Seligman Thomas H.
Published: April 2024

Analyzing market states of the S&P 500 components on a time horizon January 3, 2006 to August 10, 2023, we found the appearance of a new market state not previously seen and we shall discuss its possible implications as an isolated state or as a beginning of a new general market condition. We study this in terms of the Pearson correlation matrix and relative correlation with respect to the S&P 500 index. In both cases the anomaly shows strongly.
Dopamine D2 receptor antagonist counteracts hyperglycemia and insulin resistance in diet-induced obese male mice
Authors: Vázquez-Carrillo Dina I. , Ocampo-Ruiz Ana Luisa , Báez-Meza Arelí , Ramírez- Hernández Gabriela , Adán-Castro Elva , García-Rodrigo José Fernando , Dena-Beltrán José Luis , de los Ríos Ericka A. , Sánchez-Martínez Magdalena Karina , Ortiz María Georgina , Martínez de la Escalera Gonzalo , Clapp Carmen , Macotela Yazmín
Published: April 2024

Obesity leads to insulin resistance (IR) and type 2 diabetes. In humans, low levels of the hormone prolactin (PRL) correlate with IR, adipose tissue (AT) dysfunction, and increased prevalence of T2D. In obese rats, PRL treatment promotes insulin sensitivity and reduces visceral AT adipocyte hypertrophy. Here, we tested whether elevating PRL levels with the prokinetic and antipsychotic drug sulpiride, an antagonist of dopamine D2 receptors, improves metabolism in high fat diet (HFD)-induced obese male mice. Sulpiride treatment (30 days) reduced hyperglycemia, IR, and the serum and pancreatic levels of triglycerides in obese mice, reduced visceral and subcutaneous AT adipocyte hypertrophy, normalized markers of visceral AT function (PRL receptor, Glut4, insulin receptor and Hif-1α), and increased glycogen stores in skeletal muscle. However, the effects of sulpiride reducing hyperglycemia were also observed in obese prolactin receptor null mice. We conclude that sulpiride reduces obesity-induced hyperglycemia by mechanisms that are independent of prolactin/prolactin receptor activity. These findings support the therapeutic potential of sulpiride against metabolic dysfunction in obesity.
Rural household vulnerability and COVID-19: Evidence from India
Authors: Tian Junyan
Published: April 2024

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected vulnerable households’ livelihoods in developing countries. Using high-frequency phone survey data from the World Bank, we assess rural Indian households’ vulnerability and poverty status during the pandemic. Results reveal that over three-fifths of Indian rural households are vulnerable to poverty in the context of COVID-19, despite India’s evident progress in mitigating poverty in the pre-pandemic era. Poverty plays a major role in accounting for variations in household vulnerability; however, the impact of risks on household welfare is not negligible. On average, households with more members, older household heads, and more outmigrants are more vulnerable to poverty during the pandemic. The impacts of the gender of the household head, access to masks, consumption loans, and COVID-related information are nevertheless insignificant. Results stress the urgent necessity of deploying concerted interventions to strengthen household vulnerability in rural India.
Research on the generative logic and configuration effects of the policy implementation environment in China’s grassroots digital construction: Traceability based on grounded theory and the validation of the csQCA method
Authors: Li Junjie , Liu Bangfan
Published: April 2024

Using NVivo12plus software, this study constructs a generation model of the policy implementation environment in China’s grassroots digital construction by examining the data from interviews with 37 Chinese grassroots civil servants as its research object. At the same time, with the help of the csQCA method and on the basis of rooted coding, using Tosmana software, the model validation and model expansion of 37 cases were carried out. This study shows that the main components of the policy implementation environment in China’s grassroots digital construction include five main dimensions: cognitive, emotional, behavioral, normative and control. At the initial stage of China’s grassroots digital construction, the cognitive environment dimension is the most critical link in the environmental governance of policy implementation. The cognitive and normative environments dominate the effect pattern of China’s grassroots digital policy implementation. There are six types of motivation patterns for the environmental effect of the implementation of grassroots digital policy: know-doing-norm, cognitive-dominant, know-doing-control, emotion-control, behavior-lacking and regulation-dominant types. Based on the above analysis, there are three main policy suggestions to promote the generation of a productive policy implementation environment and positive policy effects in China’s digital construction: "degree", "force" and "sense". These suggestions include strengthening the top-level design, improving the integration and cooperation degree of the environment, taking the root at the grassroots level to improve the adaptability of the environment, as well as increasing publicity and promotion to improve the sense of environmental experience.
Body condition scoring facilitates healthcare monitoring in Hermann’s Tortoises (Testudo hermanni ssp.)
Authors: Frankenberger Julia , Ballouard Jean-Marie , Caron Sebastien , Zablotski Yury , Kölle Petra
Published: April 2024

Clinical assessment of body condition is crucial in captive and free-ranging reptiles, since a large percentage of diseases result from inadequate nutrition. However, preventive health care is restricted by the lack of a practical method for the assessment in tortoises. Pre-existing evaluation systems based on weight and shell measurements are laborious and ignore the clinical presentation of the animal. The present study aimed to facilitate the assessment by establishing a body condition score. A total of 373 Hermann’s Tortoises (Testudo hermanni) (n = 281 tortoises kept as pets in Germany and n = 92 tortoises originating from a free-ranging population (68) or a rearing station (24) in France) were examined and data (weight (g), carapace length (cm), width (cm), height (cm)) were recorded in a standard protocol between October 2020 and October 2021. A modified version of a body condition score for Mojave Desert Tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) (1 = cachectic, 3 = ideal, 5 = obese) was utilized and tested against pre-existing shell measurement systems (Jackson’s ratio, body condition index, volume condition index, circumferential product). German captive tortoises were significantly heavier and larger than French specimens. In the Spearman’s correlation matrix, the body condition score showed a statistically significant correlation with all measurement methods in the total population of captive tortoises (Testudo hermanni boettgeri), with a medium correlation strength, and a lack of correlation in free-ranging tortoises (Testudo hermanni hermanni). However, individual animal data suggested misleading results of mathematical equations in terms of body condition. Clinical evaluation of tortoises, including a body condition score, should be considered essential to provide good healthcare and should be an integral part of general examination.
Protocol of a pilot randomized clinical trial to evaluate nutritional support and rehabilitation on prevention of skeletal muscle mass loss during neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with esophageal cancer
Authors: Miki Yuichiro , Nishi Satoshi , Tamura Tatsuro , Imai Takumi , Nambara Mikio , Fukuoka Tatsunari , Yoshii Mami , Toyokawa Takahiro , Lee Shigeru , Fujii Hisako , Yoshida Hisako , Ikebuchi Mitsuhiko , Maeda Kiyoshi
Published: April 2024

Background

Subtotal esophagectomy with lymph node dissection followed by neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is the standard treatment for stage II–III esophageal cancer. Esophagectomy is still associated with high morbidity rates, and reducing these rates remains challenging. Among several complications, postoperative pneumonia (PP) is sometimes fatal, which has been reportedly caused by sarcopenia. Thus, nutritional support and rehabilitation may be promising for preventing skeletal muscle mass loss and reduce the incidence of PP.

Methods

This single-center, randomized, open-label, pilot trial will randomize a total of 40 patients with esophageal cancer in a 1:1 ratio either to ISOCAL Clear + rehabilitation arm or only rehabilitation arm. Although all patients will be educated about rehabilitation by a specialized physician and will be asked to undergo the prespecified rehabilitation program, patients treated with ISOCAL Clear + rehabilitation arm will be supplemented by 400 mL of ISOCAL Clear (Nestlé Japan Ltd, Tokyo, Japan) per day during two courses of NAC with docetaxel, cisplatin, and fluorouracil. Body composition will be assessed using Inbody (Inbody Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan) just before starting NAC and surgery. The primary endpoint is the change of skeletal muscle index (SMI) during NAC. Secondary endpoints include (i) body weight, total skeletal muscle mass, appendicular skeletal muscle mass, and lean body mass index changes; (ii) the percentage of ISOCAL Clear continuation; (iii) appetite evaluation; (iv) the percentage of targeted calorie achievement; (v) adverse events of NAC; (vi) postoperative complication rates; and (vii) postoperative hospital stay.

Discussion

This prospective trial assesses the efficacy of nutritional support in addition to rehabilitation during NAC for patients with esophageal cancer. The results will be utilized in assessing whether the effects of nutritional support by ISOCAL Clear are promising or not and in planning future larger clinical trials.
Enhanced cytotoxic activity of natural killer cells from increased calcium influx induced by electrical stimulation
Authors: Lee Minseon , Kwon Soonjo
Published: April 2024

Natural killer (NK) cells play a crucial role in immunosurveillance independent of antigen presentation, which is regulated by signal balance via activating and inhibitory receptors. The anti-tumor activity of NK cells is largely dependent on signaling from target recognition to cytolytic degranulation; however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear, and NK cell cytotoxicity is readily impaired by tumor cells. Understanding the activation mechanism is necessary to overcome the immune evasion mechanism, which remains an obstacle in immunotherapy. Because calcium ions are important activators of NK cells, we hypothesized that electrical stimulation could induce changes in intracellular Ca2+ levels, thereby improving the functional potential of NK cells. In this study, we designed an electrical stimulation system and observed a correlation between elevated Ca2+ flux induced by electrical stimulation and NK cell activation. Breast cancer MCF-7 cells co-cultured with electrically stimulated KHYG-1 cells showed a 1.27-fold (0.5 V/cm) and 1.55-fold (1.0 V/cm) higher cytotoxicity, respectively. Electrically stimulated KHYG-1 cells exhibited a minor increase in Ca2+ level (1.31-fold (0.5 V/cm) and 1.11-fold (1.0 V/cm) higher), which also led to increased gene expression of granzyme B (GZMB) by 1.36-fold (0.5 V/cm) and 1.58-fold (1.0 V/cm) by activating Ca2+-dependent nuclear factor of activated T cell 1 (NFAT1). In addition, chelating Ca2+ influx with 5 μM BAPTA-AM suppressed the gene expression of Ca2+ signaling and lytic granule (granzyme B) proteins by neutralizing the effects of electrical stimulation. This study suggests a promising immunotherapeutic approach without genetic modifications and elucidates the correlation between cytolytic effector function and intracellular Ca2+ levels in electrically stimulated NK cells.
Artists’ publishing: Sites of affective experimentation
Authors: Clarke Ami
Published: April 2024

The past few decades have seen conversations around code and language exponentially intensify, with the advent of social media – X/Twitter, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook – and artificial intelligence, ChatGPT and so on. In this article, Ami Clarke makes the case for artists’ publishing as a site of affective experimentation that emerges from very specific human and technological assemblages throughout history. A posthuman reading reveals the unreliable narrator, the unstable text, fluidity and multiplicity and other emergent properties, indicative of a subjectivity that emerges in synthesis with its environment, revealing artists’ publishing as a radical site of change. This article focuses specifically on publishing as process – the idea of processual works that critique through their production and distribution, and that come out of the frameworks inherent to publishing and early networked culture, and hence the dissemination of ideas central to this.
Significance of thalamic hyperperfusion patterns in computed tomography perfusion in patients with nonconvulsive status epilepticus: possible utility in predicting antiseizure medication resistance
Authors: Sohn GyeongMo
Published: April 2024

Background: This study aimed to determine the characteristics of computed tomography perfusion (CTP) patterns and their utility in predicting antiseizure medication (ASM) resistance in patients with nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE).Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients diagnosed with NCSE at Inje University Haeundae Paik Hospital Epilepsy Center between March 2015 and March 2022. CTP patterns were analyzed for those patients. A hyperperfusion pattern (HPP) in CTP was defined as a region of both increased cerebral blood flow and cerebral blood volume that did not necessarily follow the vascular territories. The primary endpoint was the responses to ASMs according to CTP patterns.Results: Fourteen (74%) of the 19 included patients met the criteria for definite NCSE, with the remaining 26% showing nonepileptiform activities with fluctuating quasirhythmic delta activities at >0.5 Hz on electroencephalogram. Three of the four patients who had HPPs with thalamic involvement were refractory to ASMs, whereas all eight patients who had HPPs without thalamic involvement were responsive to ASMs (p = 0.018). Although HPPs themselves were not associated with ASM responses, HPPs with thalamic involvement were associated with resistance to ASMs.Conclusions: HPP with thalamic involvement in CTP might be associated with ASM resistance. Therefore, CTP may be useful for predicting ASM resistance in NCSE patients.
DESIGN AND TESTING OF A DEVICE FOR HUMAN LIMB MULTIFREQUENCY COMPARATIVE BIOIMPEDANCE MEASUREMENT– PRELIMINARY STUDY
Authors: Schmidt Martin , Novak Martin , Raska Pavel , Penhaker Marek , Pleva Leopold
Published: April 2024

Bioimpedance is the ability of biological tissues to impede the flow of electrical current. It is often measured as a means of detecting volume and structural changes in various biological tissues. The purpose of this work was to design a two-channel portable device for measuring multifrequency bioimpedance of human limbs. The device was constructed specifically for evaluation of the bioimpedance measurement as a possible tool for aiding in diagnosis of soft-tissue structural changes in the muscles of human limbs by continuously comparing bioimpedance of one limb to the other. The proposed device is based on impedance converter AD5933. It is designed for noninvasive measurements on the human body with low amplitude alternating current at frequencies between 1 kHz and 100 kHz. The device was tested for electromagnetic compatibility, accuracy and used in laboratory measurements for detection of muscle edema on a bioimpedance model. It is capable of measuring impedance up to 100 kΩ with a relative measurement error below 1.84%.
Os melhores artigos de investigação do quadrimestre
Authors: Machado Lucas Silveira , Anchieta Rodolfo Bruniera
Published: April 2024

Com o intuito de abordar e discutir resultados sobre temas relevantes na Odontologia Estética, na presente seção Highlights será apresentado um assunto ainda bastante popular entre os profissionais de Odontologia: uso de fontes luminosas no clareamento dental. Para tanto, foram selecionadas pesquisas importantes e recentes, publicadas nos principais periódicos internacionais, que abordam diferentes fontes de luz utilizadas no clareamento dental de consultório. Por ser um procedimento comum em consultórios odontológicos, o clareamento dental é um tema bastante popular, tanto no meio acadêmico quanto nas mídias sociais. Em virtude da importância do tema, questionamentos sobre as técnicas e géis clareadores sempre são oportunos, principalmente quando somados ao “clareamento a laser”. A publicação das informações e condutas clínicas é de grande responsabilidade; portanto, alimentar evidências científicas sólidas e coesas torna-se fundamental para os leitores e formadores de opiniões.