bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mind The Gap: What Ethnographic Silences Can Teach Us
Authors: Gould Rebecca Kneale
Published: January 2023

This chapter is an inquiry into the many roles that silence can play in the ethnographic encounter. With a topical focus on religious environmentalism in the United States, the chapter uses the interpretive lens of silence to shed further light on both the potential and the limits of working with and across religious difference when engaging in environmental activist work. Through an examination of four cases, silences are probed for the range of meanings that they may reveal: the silencing of what Robert Orsi calls the “real presence” of religion in a secular context, the silencing of more traditional, orthodox Christians and Jews by their more liberal peers (or vice versa), the self-silencing of those wrestling with the tension between religious identity and lived religious experience, and the silences that indicate both discomfort and shared understanding across religious difference. Investigating silence adds additional nuance to the field of religion and ecology
Artificial Islands and the Production of New Urban Spaces
Authors: Connolly Creighton
Published: January 2023

Chapter 7 considers the spate of large-scale land reclamation projects that are are now proliferating along Penang's coastlines as a means of financing infrastructure projects for the State. The chapter relates these projects to wider reclamation that has been taking place across much of peninsular Malaysia in recent decades at increasingly greater scales, and questioning the socio-environmental costs of such development. In contextualising these transformations and their proliferating scale of development, the chapter will also make reference to large-scale Chinese funded land reclamation schemes taking place in other parts of Malaysia and East Asia more broadly, while questioning the sustainability and feasibility of these projects. As such, though the chapter is focused on Penang, the analysis will have relevance for other rapidly urbanising and developing cities in the Asian region and beyond.
Introduction
Authors: Hupp Williamson Sarah
Published: January 2023

Chapter 1 introduces the reader to the topic of the book and the main questions it explores. It provides a brief review of the emergence of human trafficking as a social issue and historical and current framing of the issue, ranging from early framing as a problem of white women in prostitution to current framings as a global crime. Current knowledge on human trafficking and the gaps in the field are discussed, including a review of the factors proven to be important to human trafficking. This includes an overview of the role that factors like globalisation, economic inequality, gender inequality, racial/ethnic inequality, corruption, conflict, and migration play in regard to human trafficking. Finally, it concludes with a discussion of the goals of the book. These include creating a cross-disciplinary theoretical framework to explain the origin of human trafficking flows and applying the framework to understand how these flows differ across geographic region by examining three case studies in depth.
Linking the Local and the Global: Understanding Human Trafficking Flows
Authors: Hupp Williamson Sarah
Published: January 2023

Chapter 2 outlines the theoretical framework of the book, which draws together institutional anomie theory, migration systems theory, and critical global feminism. A brief overview of each theory is provided alongside discussion of how these theories work together to create a unified framework. The applicability of the theoretical framework to the study of human trafficking is discussed, including how the theory can explain human trafficking origin flows and link the global with the local. More specifically, the chapter details how the theoretical framework will be used in this book to understand how international financial institutions and the policies of economic globalization they imposed onto nations contributed to the creation of conditions that increased migration, and concurrently, human trafficking. Institutional anomie and migration systems theory highlight the ways that global economic policies have contributed to increasing economic dominance and globalisation, impacting state expenditures and stability as conditions like inequality and corruption grow at the local level. Critical global feminism draws attention to the ways that these conditions are experienced at the local level are not equal, but often raced and gendered. Altogether, there is an impact on movement, with migration and human trafficking flows sharing overlap.
Neoliberal Accommodation and the Case of Bolivia
Authors: Hupp Williamson Sarah
Published: January 2023

Chapter 5 focuses on a different pathway and the case of Bolivia. Bolivia makes a unique case given its history of social protest against economic measures associated with the IMF and World Bank. This history contributed to the lack of economic dominance and relatively high social expenditures. Closer historical examination however, shows that the quality of social expenditures on services such as health, education, and employment have not worked to alleviate inequality. Instead, as globalisation and an economy centred on neoliberal accommodation has persisted, economic and gender inequalities have persisted as well. Transnational corporations play a large role in extractivist industry, and Bolivia remains reliant on their foreign capital. Such actions often come at the expense of indigenous communities. Furthermore, various Bolivian governments over time have not been successful in addressing corruption. Altogether, this situation has spurred migration and relatedly, human trafficking. Anti-trafficking initiatives in the country have focused on law enforcement and stricter border controls. However, regulating and restricting migrant’s movements often has had the indirect effect of making them vulnerable to human trafficking and undermining the protections available to them in their destination country.
A Return to Monuments: Overcoming the “Forensic Turn” in Contemporary Spain
Authors: Palacios González Daniel
Published: January 2023

In the year 2000 thirteen people were exhumed from a mass grave in Priaranza del Bierzo. This event has been established as the founding act of the movement called “Historical Memory” in the Kingdom of Spain. A movement which, despite claiming the recovery of the past within the framework of Human Rights rhetoric, has been marked by the exhumations of mass graves as its primary and most visible activity. These exhumations have always been portrayed positively by the media. This is framed within the so-called “forensic turn,” as a process in which scientists have been incorporated into the investigation of mass violence.However, this account has not addressed a number of issues, one of which is fundamental and relates to the fate of the bodies after exhumation. Another omission is the question of what to do when the graves are not found where they were believed to be. In this sense, the subject has been approached from an interdisciplinary perspective, starting from the history of art, making use of ethnographic techniques and taking samples from a qualitative-quantitative study which has been carried out over the last 4 years throughout the country. Therefore, the materials used to address the problem are organized into the following three parts. Firstly, the limitations of the forensic model and exhumations are discussed in detail. Secondly, monuments built after the exhumation of mass graves are examined. Thirdly, monuments constructed when the grave remained undiscovered, and the bodies could not be exhumed are also considered.In this regard, the experiences analysed have firstly clarified the limitations and dissatisfactions that have arisen around the “forensic turn.” The low rate of identifications, the lack of symbolic mediators and the lack of social recognition, lead to the fact that exhumations in themselves do not offer answers and that, on the contrary, they do not necessarily modify the meaning of the graves as tools of terror. Therefore, in the second section, some initiatives have been employed to illustrate the need to bury the bodies after exhumations, both for pragmatic and symbolic reasons. These monuments could also be the solution for those unable to locate the mass graves, as explained in the third section. The conclusion focuses on the origins of these “memorial monument solutions,” which have transcended the “forensic” model. Therefore, it is suggested that it would be relevant to continue researching these practices in the future, and not to see them as mere solutions to a technical problem, but as a new stage of memorial practices.
Laboratory demonstration of the prediction of wind-blown turbulence by adaptive optics at 8  kHz with use of LQG control
Authors: Poyneer Lisa A. , Ammons S. Mark , Kim Mike K. , Bauman Brian , Terrel-Perez Jesse , Lemmer Aaron J. , Nguyen Jayke
Published: January 2023

The low-latency adaptive optical mirror system (LLAMAS) is designed to
push the limits on achievable latencies and frame rates. It has 21
subapertures across its pupil. A reformulated version of the linear
quadratic Gaussian (LQG) method predictive Fourier control is
implemented in LLAMAS; for all modes, it takes just
30 µs to compute. In the testbed, a turbulator mixes hot
and ambient air to produce wind-blown turbulence. Wind prediction
clearly improves correction when compared to an integral controller.
Closed-loop telemetry shows that wind-predictive LQG removes the
characteristic “butterfly” and reduces temporal error
power by up to a factor of three for mid-spatial frequency modes.
Strehl changes seen in focal plane images are consistent with
telemetry and the system error budget.
Performance-enhanced fiber optic humidity sensors based on SiO2/porous PMMA coatings
Authors: Li Jinze , Lai Min , Zhang Hengheng , Song Huatang , He Jixiang , Chen Yuxin , Qi Yutong , Zhu Bao , Ma Yan , Liu Bo
Published: January 2023

Employing functional and structured thin films on fiber optic sensors has tremendously improved capabilities in humidity sensing applications. In this paper, we demonstrate fabrication of a fiber optic evanescent wave humidity sensor based on

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/porous polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) thin films. With the exposure to moisture,

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/porous PMMA thin films absorb water molecules. The refractive index and absorption coefficient of thin films change with ambient humidity, resulting in modulation of the light intensity transmitted in fiber. A good linearity is determined between the logarithm of output light intensity and relative humidity (RH). An optimal average sensitivity of 188.3 lux/%RH is achieved with an increase of 11.7 fold in the RH range of 5% to 95%. The response and recovery times are 8 s and 23 s, respectively. Furthermore, the sensor exhibits low hysteresis, and excellent stability and repeatability.
Investigation of the laser-sustained plasma of a Xenon lamp driven by an annular beam
Authors: Shi Zhaojiang , Yang Shichao , Yu Fei , Yu Xia
Published: January 2023

Higher brightness UV light sources based on laser-sustained plasma (LSP) finds critical applications in high-resolution optical inspection and measurement. An annular beam focused with a low F-number is proposed for the first time to investigate its effect in realizing high-brightness LSP compared with Gaussian beams. We experimentally verified that the annular laser beam sustained a nearly laterally symmetric plasma with a longitudinal length less than 600 µm plasma length, where the length-width ratio was four times smaller than that driven by a TEM00 Gaussian beam. Theoretical analysis further explored that the annular beam's transmission path could limit the plasma's longitudinal growth, like a “reservoir”. Furthermore, the “reservoir” effect is favorable for effectively increasing the plasma temperature and the effective power ratio of UV from 8% to 15%. This work paves a novel way of generating high-brightness UV sources by spatial manipulation of infrared pumping beam.
Development and characterization of PILOT: a transportable instrument for laser-induced grating spectroscopy
Authors: Shah Priyav , Le Page Laurent M. , Williams Benjamin A. O.
Published: January 2023

Laser-induced grating spectroscopy (LIGS) is an optical diagnostic technique for gas-phase thermometry in challenging environments where physical probes are undesirable. The Portable In-line LIGS for Optical Thermometry (PILOT) instrument is a novel self-contained, compact device capable of tracer-free LIGS measurements at 400 Hz. It can be mounted in any orientation and includes internal alignment capability, adjustable path length matching for the pump beams, and an energy/power attenuation mechanism for the pump/probe beams. Characterization of the instrument demonstrated that it can produce accurate (<0.37% in ambient air) and precise (±0.7% in ambient air) spatially- and temporally-resolved temperature measurements, and is now ready to be deployed in research facilities.
Community consensus on core open science practices to monitor in biomedicine
Authors: Cobey Kelly D. , Haustein Stefanie , Brehaut Jamie , Dirnagl Ulrich , Franzen Delwen L. , Hemkens Lars G. , Presseau Justin , Riedel Nico , Strech Daniel , Alperin Juan Pablo , Costas Rodrigo , Sena Emily S. , van Leeuwen Thed , Ardern Clare L. , Bacellar Isabel O. L. , Camack Nancy , Britto Correa Marcos , Buccione Roberto , Cenci Maximiliano Sergio , Fergusson Dean A. , Gould van Praag Cassandra , Hoffman Michael M. , Moraes Bielemann Renata , Moschini Ugo , Paschetta Mauro , Pasquale Valentina , Rac Valeria E. , Roskams-Edris Dylan , Schatzl Hermann M. , Stratton Jo Anne , Moher David
Published: January 2023

The state of open science needs to be monitored to track changes over time and identify areas to create interventions to drive improvements. In order to monitor open science practices, they first need to be well defined and operationalized. To reach consensus on what open science practices to monitor at biomedical research institutions, we conducted a modified 3-round Delphi study. Participants were research administrators, researchers, specialists in dedicated open science roles, and librarians. In rounds 1 and 2, participants completed an online survey evaluating a set of potential open science practices, and for round 3, we hosted two half-day virtual meetings to discuss and vote on items that had not reached consensus. Ultimately, participants reached consensus on 19 open science practices. This core set of open science practices will form the foundation for institutional dashboards and may also be of value for the development of policy, education, and interventions.
The cost and cost-effectiveness of novel tuberculosis vaccines in low- and middle-income countries: A modeling study
Authors: Portnoy Allison , Clark Rebecca A. , Quaife Matthew , Weerasuriya Chathika K. , Mukandavire Christinah , Bakker Roel , Deol Arminder K. , Malhotra Shelly , Gebreselassie Nebiat , Zignol Matteo , Sim So Yoon , Hutubessy Raymond C. W. , Baena Inés Garcia , Nishikiori Nobuyuki , Jit Mark , White Richard G. , Menzies Nicolas A.
Published: January 2023

Background

Tuberculosis (TB) is preventable and curable but eliminating it has proven challenging. Safe and effective TB vaccines that can rapidly reduce disease burden are essential for achieving TB elimination. We assessed future costs, cost-savings, and cost-effectiveness of introducing novel TB vaccines in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) for a range of product characteristics and delivery strategies.

Methods and findings

We developed a system of epidemiological and economic models, calibrated to demographic, epidemiological, and health service data in 105 LMICs. For each country, we assessed the likely future course of TB-related outcomes under several vaccine introduction scenarios, compared to a “no-new-vaccine” counterfactual. Vaccine scenarios considered 2 vaccine product profiles (1 targeted at infants, 1 at adolescents/adults), both assumed to prevent progression to active TB. Key economic inputs were derived from the Global Health Cost Consortium, World Health Organization (WHO) patient cost surveys, and the published literature. We estimated the incremental impact of vaccine introduction for a range of health and economic outcomes. In the base-case, we assumed a vaccine price of $4.60 and used a 1× per-capita gross domestic product (GDP) cost-effectiveness threshold (both varied in sensitivity analyses). Vaccine introduction was estimated to require substantial near-term resources, offset by future cost-savings from averted TB burden. From a health system perspective, adolescent/adult vaccination was cost-effective in 64 of 105 LMICs. From a societal perspective (including productivity gains and averted patient costs), adolescent/adult vaccination was projected to be cost-effective in 73 of 105 LMICs and cost-saving in 58 of 105 LMICs, including 96% of countries with higher TB burden. When considering the monetized value of health gains, we estimated that introduction of an adolescent/adult vaccine could produce $283 to 474 billion in economic benefits by 2050. Limited data availability required assumptions and extrapolations that may omit important country-level heterogeneity in epidemiology and costs.

Conclusions

TB vaccination would be highly impactful and cost-effective in most LMICs. Further efforts are needed for future development, adoption, and implementation of novel TB vaccines.
Etiology and clinical characteristics of pediatric acute fever among hospitalized children in an endemic malaria transmission area of Cameroon in Central Africa
Authors: Penda Calixte Ida , Épée Eboumbou Patricia , Ngondi Grace , Hzounda Fokou Jean Baptiste , Pfoum Christelle Véronique , Mbono Betoko Ritha , Eposse Charlotte , Endale Laurent-Mireille , Same Bebey Francine , Eboumbou Moukoko Carole Else
Published: January 2023

Acute fever in the majority of children in resource-limited countries is attributable to malaria and often treated without laboratory evidence. The aim of the study was to characterize acute pediatric infectious fevers (APIF) in the pediatric department of the Douala Laquintinie Hospital. A cross-sectional study was conducted among children aged 2 months to 15 years who were admitted with an acute fever (anal temperature ≥ 37.5°C less than 5 days in infants and 7 days in adolescents). 200 children were included and followed up during their hospitalization. The mean age was 3.7 (IQ25-75: 1–4.6) years. More than 3 out of 5 patients (62.5%) came from another health facility and anemia accounted for 29% of the reasons for consultation associated with fever. The main symptoms were vomiting (28%), cough (26%), convulsions (21%) and diarrhea (20%). Skin-mucosal pallor (43.0%) and hepatosplenomegaly (26.0%) were the most common physical signs encountered. Among febrile children, 116/200 (58%) were infected with at least 1 pathogen, and 1/200 (0.5%) had a fever of unknown etiology. Malaria (53% vs 80.5% presumptive) associated with anemia (95.3% of cases) was the most common pathology associated with APIF, followed by pneumonia (19.5%), meningitis (11.5%) and urinary tract infections (10% vs 54.5% presumptive). Malaria was over-diagnosed on admission and over-treated as well as urinary tract infection. A better understanding of common pathogens carriage, a better capacity for improved diagnosis and a better applied clinical algorithm for febrile illnesses in children are needed.
Shenqi Fuzheng injection reverses M2 macrophage-mediated cisplatin resistance through the PI3K pathway in breast cancer
Authors: Yan Bin , Shi Rong , Lu Yi-yu , Fang Dong-dong , Ye Mei-na , Zhou Qian-mei
Published: January 2023

Background

Shenqi Fuzheng injection (SQFZ) combined with chemotherapy can sensitize tumour cells. However, the mechanisms underlying SQFZ’s effects remain unknown. In human breast cancer cell lines and M2 macrophages, we showed that SQFZ was a significantly potent agent of sensitization.

Methods

The human breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB-231/DDP, and the human acute leukaemia mononuclear cell line, THP-1, were used. MDA-MB-231/DDP breast cancer xenografts were established to monitor tumour growth. Resistance-associated proteins were examined by western blotting. Levels of cytokines and chemokines were detected by ELISA. Cell viability was measured using the MTT assay. Apoptosis was detected by flow cytometric analysis.

Results

SQFZ significantly enhanced the capability of cisplatin to reduce tumour mass. SQFZ and cisplatin decreased the expression of CD206 by 1.89-fold and increased that of CD86 by 1.76-fold as compared to cisplatin alone. The levels of PGE2, IL-6, and CCL1 decreased significantly, and the activation of p-PI3K and the expressions of P-gp and ABCG2 were also inhibited by SQFZ in combination with cisplatin treatment in vivo. The survival following cisplatin administration of 60 μM and 120 μM reduced significantly in the presence of SQFZ in MDA-MB-231/DDP and M2 co-cultured cells. IGF-1, a PI3K activator, combined with SQFZ weakened the effects of SQFZ-induced apoptosis from 28.7% to 10.5%. The effects of IGF-1 on increasing the expressions of P-gp, ABCG2, and Bcl-2, and decreasing that of Bax were reversed by SQFZ.

Conclusion

Our findings provide evidence that SQFZ is a potential therapeutic drug for cancer therapy.
Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and macrophages as a significant prognostic factor in biliary tract cancer
Authors: Tanaka Ryota , Eguchi Shimpei , Kimura Kenjiro , Ohira Go , Tanaka Shogo , Amano Ryosuke , Tanaka Hiroaki , Yashiro Masakazu , Ohira Masaichi , Kubo Shoji
Published: January 2023

Background

The impact of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) on the prognosis of biliary tract cancer (BTC) is not completely understood. Therefore, in our study, we investigated the effects of the various immune cells infiltration in tumor microenvironment (TME).

Methods

A total of 130 patients with BTC who underwent surgical treatment at our institution were enrolled in this study. We retrospectively evaluated TILs and TAMs with immunohistochemical staining.

Results

With CD8-high, CD4-high, FOXP3-high, and CD68-low in TME as one factor, we calculated Immunoscore according to the number of factors. The high Immunoscore group showed significantly superior overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) than the low Immunoscore group (median OS, 60.8 vs. 26.4 months, p = 0.001; median RFS not reached vs. 17.2 months, p < 0.001). Also, high Immunoscore was an independent good prognostic factor for OS and RFS (hazards ratio 2.05 and 2.41 and p = 0.01 and p = 0.001, respectively).

Conclusions

High Immunoscore group had significantly superior OS and RFS and was an independent good prognostic factor for OS and RFS.
Robustness of VMAT to setup errors in postmastectomy radiotherapy of left-sided breast cancer: Impact of bolus thickness
Authors: He Yipeng , Chen Sijia , Gao Xiang , Fu Lirong , Kang Zheng , Liu Jun , Shi Liwan , Li Yimin
Published: January 2023

Background

Volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) with varied bolus thicknesses has been employed in postmastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) of breast cancer to improve superficial target coverage. However, impact of bolus thickness on plan robustness remains unclear.

Methods

The study enrolled ten patients with left-sided breast cancer who received radiotherapy using VMAT with 5 mm and 10 mm bolus (VMAT-5B and VMAT-10B). Inter-fractional setup errors were simulated by introducing a 3 mm shift to isocenter of the original plans in the anterior-posterior, left-right, and inferior-superior directions. The plans (perturbed plans) were recalculated without changing other parameters. Dose volume histograms (DVH) were collected for plan evaluation. Absolute dose differences in DVH endpoints for the clinical target volume (CTV), heart, and left lung between the perturbed plans and the original ones were used for robustness analysis.

Results

VMAT-10B showed better target coverage, while VMAT-5B was superior in organs-at-risk (OARs) sparing. As expected, small setup errors of 3 mm could induce dose fluctuations in CTV and OARs. The differences in CTV were small in VMAT-5B, with a maximum difference of -1.05 Gy for the posterior shifts. For VMAT-10B, isocenter shifts in the posterior and right directions significantly decreased CTV coverage. The differences were -1.69 Gy, -1.48 Gy and -1.99 Gy, -1.69 Gy for ΔD95% and ΔD98%, respectively. Regarding the OARs, only isocenter shifts in the posterior, right, and inferior directions increased dose to the left lung and the heart. Differences in VMAT-10B were milder than those in VMAT-5B. Specifically, mean heart dose were increased by 0.42 Gy (range 0.10 ~ 0.95 Gy) and 0.20 Gy (range -0.11 ~ 0.72 Gy), and mean dose for the left lung were increased by 1.02 Gy (range 0.79 ~ 1.18 Gy) and 0.68 Gy (range 0.47 ~ 0.84 Gy) in VMAT-5B and VMAT-10B, respectively. High-dose volumes in the organs were increased by approximate 0 ~ 2 and 1 ~ 3 percentage points, respectively. Nevertheless, most of the dosimetric parameters in the perturbed plans were still clinically acceptable.

Conclusions

VMAT-5B appears to be more robust to 3 mm setup errors than VMAT-10B. VMAT-5B also resulted in better OARs sparing with acceptable target coverage and dose homogeneity. Therefore 5 mm bolus is recommended for PMRT of left-sided breast cancer using VMAT.
Increasing liver stiffness is associated with higher incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in hepatitis C infection and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease–A population-based study
Authors: Davitkov Perica , Hoffman Kyle , Falck-Ytter Yngve , Wilson Brigid , Stojadinovikj Gjorgje , Anthony Donald D. , Cohen Stanley Martin , Cooper Gregory
Published: January 2023

Background & aims

Both non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection commonly result in hepatic fibrosis and may lead to cirrhosis. This study aims to determine the incidence of HCC in patients with HCV or NAFLD complicated by advanced fibrosis, inferred from measurements of liver stiffness.

Methods

Using Veterans Affairs (VA) Informatics and Computing Infrastructure (VINCI), we identified a nationwide cohort of patients with an existing diagnosis of HCV or NAFLD with liver transient elastography (TE) testing from 2015 to 2019. HCC cases, along with a random sample of non-HCC patients, were identified and validated, leading to calculation of incidence rates for HCC after adjustment for confounders.

Results

26,161 patients carried a diagnosis of HCV and 13,629 were diagnosed with NAFLD at the time of testing. In those with HCV, rates of HCC increased with liver stiffness with incidences of 0.28 (95% CI 0.24, 0.34), 0.93 (95% CI 0.72, 1.17), 1.28 (95% CI 0.89, 1.79), and 2.79 (95% CI 2.47, 3.14)/100,000 person years for TE score ranges <9.5 kPa, 9.5–12.5 kPa, 12.5–14.5 kPa and >14.5 kPa, respectively, after a median follow-up of 2.3 years. HCC incidence also increased with higher TE liver stiffness measures in NAFLD after a median follow-up of 1.1 years.

Conclusion

In this retrospective cohort, the incidence of HCC in HCV and NAFLD increases with higher TE liver stiffness measures, confirming that advanced fibrosis portends risk in viral and non-viral fibrotic liver diseases. Additional comparative studies are needed to determine the optimal cut point of TE liver stiffness to inform HCC screening guidelines and approaches.
Short-term response to iron resupply in an iron-limited open ocean diatom reveals rapid decay of iron-responsive transcripts
Authors: Behnke Joerg , Cai Yun , Gu Hong , LaRoche Julie
Published: January 2023

In large areas of the ocean, iron concentrations are insufficient to promote phytoplankton growth. Numerous studies have been conducted to characterize the effect of iron on algae and how algae cope with fluctuating iron concentrations. Fertilization experiments in low-iron areas resulted primarily in diatom-dominated algal blooms, leading to laboratory studies on diatoms comparing low- and high-iron conditions. Here, we focus on the short-term temporal response following iron addition to an iron-starved open ocean diatom,Thalassiosira oceanica. We employed the NanoString platform and analyzed a high-resolution time series on 54 transcripts encoding proteins involved in photosynthesis, N-linked glycosylation, iron transport, as well as transcription factors. Nine transcripts were iron-responsive, with an immediate response to the addition of iron. The fastest response observed was the decrease in transcript levels of proteins involved in iron uptake, followed by an increase in transcript levels of iron-containing enzymes and a simultaneous decrease in the transcript levels of their iron-free replacement enzymes. The transcription inhibitor actinomycin D was used to understand the underlying mechanisms of the decrease of the iron-responsive transcripts and to determine their half-lives. Here, Mn-superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD), plastocyanin (PETE), ferredoxin (PETF) and cellular repressor of EA1-stimulated genes (CREGx2) revealed longer than average half-lives. Four iron-responsive transcripts showed statistically significant differences in their decay rates between the iron-recovery samples and the actD treatment. These differences suggest regulatory mechanisms influencing gene transcription and mRNA stability. Overall, our study contributes towards a detailed understanding of diatom cell biology in the context of iron fertilization response and provides important observations to assess oceanic diatom responses following sudden changes in iron concentrations.
Predictors for hospital admission in emergency department patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: A retrospective review
Authors: Rizk Jennifer , Al Hariri Moustafa , Khalifeh Malak , Mghames Abdo , Hitti Eveline
Published: January 2023

Objective

This study aims to assess the incidence of Emergency Department (ED) visits for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), describe patient characteristics, management practices and predictors of inpatient admission of BPPV patients.

Methods

This was a retrospective chart review of patients presenting with BPPV to a single ED between November 2018 and August 2020. Patients’ characteristics, ED management, discharge medications, disposition and unscheduled return visits were determined.

Results

In total, 557 patients were included. Average age was 49 years, 54.2% were females and 12.4% required hospital admission. In the ED, 51.1% received intravenous hydration, 33.8% received anti-emetics, 10.1% received benzodiazepines, 31.8% underwent canalith repositioning maneuvers (CRMs) and 56.7% were discharged on acetyl-leucine. Of discharged patients, 2.5% had unscheduled return visits. A higher likelihood of admission was associated with age above 54 years (aOR = 4.86, p<0.001, 95% CI [2.67, 8.86]), home use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) (aOR = 2.44, p = 0.03, 95% CI [1.08, 5.53]), use of anti-emetics and benzodiazepines in the ED (aOR = 2.34, p = 0.003, 95% CI [1.34, 4.07]) and (aOR = 2.18, p = 0.04, 95% CI [1.03, 4.64]), respectively.

Conclusion

While BPPV is a benign diagnosis, a significant number of patients presenting to the ED require admission. Predictors of admission include older age, PPIs use and ED treatment with anti-emetics and benzodiazepines. Although CRMs are the gold standard for management, CRMs usage did not emerge as protective from admission, and our overall usage was low.
Nodal lymphangiogenesis and immunophenotypic variations of sinus endothelium in sentinel and non-sentinel lymph nodes of invasive breast carcinoma
Authors: Westhoff Christina C. , Müller Sabrina K. , Jank Paul , Kalder Matthias , Moll Roland
Published: January 2023

Several studies have demonstrated the de novo formation of lymphatic vessels or the reorganization of lymphatic sinus in tumor-draining lymph nodes, partly preceding the detection of lymphatic metastases. This “lymphovascular niche”is supposed to facilitate the survival of metastatic tumor cells. Few studies on nodal lymphangiogenesis in invasive breast cancer (BC) have been published, not considering tumor-free sentinel lymph nodes (SLN) and tumor types. Specimens of SLN and/ or non-SLN (NSLN) of 95 patients with BC were examined immunohistochemically for expression of the lymphatic endothelial marker D2-40 (podoplanin) on lymphatic vessels and the subcapsular sinus. The number of D2-40-positive lymph vessels in metastases was evaluated with two morphometric methods (Chalkley count and number per HPF). Data was explored with respect to TNM parameters, grading, tumor type, size of metastasis, lymph vessel number and hormone receptor/HER2 status with appropriate statistical tests. Lymphangiogenesis was detected exclusively in and around BC metastases with both methods for lymph vessel quantification being equivalent. Lymph vessel number correlated with the size of metastases, being significantly higher in larger metastases (p < 0.001). There was no significant statistical difference with respect to tumor types. Intranodal lymphangiogenesis could not be verified by D2-40 staining in any of the tumor-free lymph nodes examined. However, D2-40 was frequently detected in sinus endothelial/virgultar cells of the subcapsular sinus, partly with strong uniform positivity. Staining intensity and stained proportion of the subcapsular sinus were markedly heterogeneous, significantly correlating with each other both in SLN and NSLN (p < 0.001). A higher proportion of D2-40 stained subcapsular sinus in SLN was significantly associated with worse overall survival (p = 0.0036) and an independent prognostic parameter in multivariate analysis (p = 0.033, HR 2.87). Further studies are necessary to elucidate the biological and clinical significance of the observed immunophenotypic variations of nodal sinus endothelium.
Digital transition in rural emergency medicine: Impact of job satisfaction and workload on communication and technology acceptance
Authors: Hasebrook Joachim P. , Michalak Leonie , Kohnen Dorothea , Metelmann Bibiana , Metelmann Camilla , Brinkrolf Peter , Flessa Steffen , Hahnenkamp Klaus
Published: January 2023

Background

Tele-emergency physicians (TEPs) take an increasingly important role in the need-oriented provision of emergency patient care. To improve emergency medicine in rural areas, we set up the project ‘Rural|Rescue’, which uses TEPs to restructure professional rescue services using information and communication technologies (ICTs) in order to reduce the therapy-free interval. Successful implementation of ICTs relies on user acceptance and knowledge sharing behavior.

Method

We conducted a factorial design with active knowledge transfer and technology acceptance as a function of work satisfaction (high vs. low), workload (high vs. low) and point in time (prior to vs. after digitalization). Data were collected via machine readable questionnaires issued to 755 persons (411 pre, 344 post), of which 304 or 40.3% of these persons responded (194 pre, 115 post).

Results

Technology acceptance was higher after the implementation of TEP for nurses but not for other professions, and it was higher when the workload was high. Regarding active communication and knowledge sharing, employees with low work satisfaction are more likely to share their digital knowledge as compared to employees with high work satisfaction. This is an effect of previous knowledge concerning digitalization: After implementing the new technology, work satisfaction increased for the more experienced employees, but not for the less experienced ones.

Conclusion

Our research illustrates that employees’ workload has an impact on the intention of using digital applications. The higher the workload, the more people are willing to use TEPs. Regarding active knowledge sharing, we see that employees with low work satisfaction are more likely to share their digital knowledge compared to employees with high work satisfaction. This might be attributed to the Dunning-Kruger effect. Highly knowledgeable employees initially feel uncertain about the change, which translates into temporarily lower work satisfaction. They feel the urge to fill even small knowledge gaps, which in return leads to higher work satisfaction. Those responsible need to acknowledge that digital change affects their employees’ workflow and work satisfaction. During such times, employees need time and support to gather information and knowledge in order to cope with digitally changed tasks.
Direct impact of COVID-19 by estimating disability-adjusted life years at national level in France in 2020
Authors: Haneef Romana , Fayad Myriam , Fouillet Anne , Sommen Cécile , Bonaldi Christophe , Wyper Grant M. A. , Pires Sara Monteiro , Devleesschauwer Brecht , Rachas Antoine , Constantinou Panayotis , Levy-Bruhl Daniel , Beltzer Nathalie , Gallay Anne
Published: January 2023

Background

The World Health Organization declared a pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), on March 11, 2020. The standardized approach of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) allows for quantifying the combined impact of morbidity and mortality of diseases and injuries. The main objective of this study was to estimate the direct impact of COVID-19 in France in 2020, using DALYs to combine the population health impact of infection fatalities, acute symptomatic infections and their post-acute consequences, in 28 days (baseline) up to 140 days, following the initial infection.

Methods

National mortality, COVID-19 screening, and hospital admission data were used to calculate DALYs based on the European Burden of Disease Network consensus disease model. Scenario analyses were performed by varying the number of symptomatic cases and duration of symptoms up to a maximum of 140 days, defining COVID-19 deaths using the underlying, and associated, cause of death.

Results

In 2020, the estimated DALYs due to COVID-19 in France were 990 710 (1472 per 100 000), with 99% of burden due to mortality (982 531 years of life lost, YLL) and 1% due to morbidity (8179 years lived with disability, YLD), following the initial infection. The contribution of YLD reached 375%, assuming the duration of 140 days of post-acute consequences of COVID-19. Post-acute consequences contributed to 49% of the total morbidity burden. The contribution of YLD due to acute symptomatic infections among people younger than 70 years was higher (67%) than among people aged 70 years and above (33%). YLL among people aged 70 years and above, contributed to 74% of the total YLL.

Conclusions

COVID-19 had a substantial impact on population health in France in 2020. The majority of population health loss was due to mortality. Men had higher population health loss due to COVID-19 than women. Post-acute consequences of COVID-19 had a large contribution to the YLD component of the disease burden, even when we assume the shortest duration of 28 days, long COVID burden is large. Further research is recommended to assess the impact of health inequalities associated with these estimates.
Spatial variations in tap water isotopes across Canada: Tracing water from precipitation to distribution and assess regional water resources
Authors: Bhuiyan Shelina A. , Jameel Yusuf , Chartrand Michelle M. G. , St-Jean Gilles , Gibson John , Bataille Clément P.
Published: January 2023

With global warming and increasing water use, tap water resources need sustainable management. We used hydrogen and oxygen isotope analyses in tap water (i.e.,δ2H andδ18O values) to identify issues associated with tap water resources in Canada. We analyzed 576 summer tap samples collected from across Canada and 76 tap samples from three cities during different seasons and years. We classified the samples based on their sources: groundwater (TapGroundwater), river (TapRiver) and lake (TapLake).δ2H values in tap water correlate strongly with values predicted for local precipitation across Canada with a stronger correlation for TapGroundwaterand TapRiverthan for TapLake.We then constructed water balance models to predict theδ2H of surface water across Canada, and validated them against Canadian streamδ2H data.δ2H values in tap water correlate strongly with values predicted for local surface water, however, the water balance models improved the predictability only for TapRiverand TapLakeand not for TapGroundwater. TapGroundwaterδ2H values reflect theδ2H values of annually averaged precipitation, whereas TapRiverand TapLakeδ2H values reflect post-precipitation processes. We used theδ2H residuals between the observed and predictedδ2H values to assess regional processes influencing tap waterδ2H values across Canada. Regionally, snow/glacier melt contributes to all tap sources around the Rockies. Tap waters are highly evaporated across Western Canada, irrespective of their sources. In the Great Lakes and East Coast regions, tap waters are evaporated in many localities, particularly those using surface reservoirs and lakes. We propose the use of these isotopic baselines as a way forward for the monitoring of tap water resources at different scales. These isotopic baselines also have valuable applications in human forensic studies in Canada.
Pechblende
Authors: Kriemann Susanne
Published: January 2023

Bringing together an assemblage of archival materials, photo documents, literature and found objects, Pechblende investigates concepts of scale, proximity and distance in relation to radioactivity and the body. Centred on the highly radioactive and uranium-rich mineral pitchblende (German: Pechblende), the work traces a history of scientific and photographic processes narrated through the interconnected sites of laboratory, archive, museum and mine. Pitchblende was mined in the Ore Mountains of the former German Democratic Republic between 1946 and 1989. Today, the former mining sites are under way to being transformed into a tranquil mountain vista, with few recognizable traces of the still-radiating industrial worksites. Concerned with both the literal and the political invisibility of radioactivity, Kriemann produced ‘autoradiographs’ – a unique type of photograph that is the result of directly exposing light-sensitive paper to the pitchblende specimens. Aiming to visualize what is invisible and yet acutely present: radioactivity.
Sergio PITOL. Cuentos. Edición, selección, introducción y notas de José Luis Nogales Baena. Madrid: Cátedra, 2021.
Authors: Bañuelos Carrillo Luis Fernando
Published: January 2023

Reseña de Luis Fernando Bañuelos Carrillo sobre Cuentos. Edición, selección, introducción y notas de José Luis Nogales Baena (Cátedra, 2021) de Sergio Pitol. 537 p. ISBN: 9788437642369.
La re(d)volución poética como práctica identitaria: una lectura sociológica
Authors: Favaro Federica
Published: January 2023

Los nuevos media han cimentado recursos, fundado sujetos y múltiples universos; han, además, reformado el discurso facultando la experimentación y las nuevas construcciones del ser. Estamos asistiendo a una redefinición de términos: hoy ha cambiado el terreno en el que se abren camino los autores y los lectores: estamos hablando de los blogs y de las redes sociales, es decir comunidades en las que individuos particulares y organizaciones se interrelacionan, establecen vínculos y comparten intereses. En este sentido, la poesía en la red, en su trayectoria, se configura como lugar antropológico en el que se forjan prácticas identitarias y grupales, sobre todo entre las franjas más jóvenes de la sociedad. La demostración patente es la presencia masiva de seguidores adolescentes en plataformas como Instagram, Facebook y YouTube. Si la construcción de la identidad procede del contexto y de la experiencia lectora, está claro que la exposición a diferentes formas de escritura y de poesía pueden contribuir o influenciar el proceso. Partiendo de la convicción de que la web es importante como intermediario social, en este trabajo se analizarán casos españoles en diferentes niveles (fonológico, morfosintáctico y semántico retórico) y se relacionará la repercusión de esta nueva forma de escribir poesía con los cambios socioculturales que afectan a nuestros tiempos, como la dimensión comunitaria de las obras en la red. Tras un intento de esbozar brevemente la historia de la poesía en red desde las bitácoras hasta los social networks, se planteará el interrogante «¿Es la poesía en las redes sociales, poesía?», examinando estructuras, temas y el impacto de este tipo de composiciones en los jóvenes. Puesto que los productos culturales estudiados reflejan en su  construcción elsistema económico dominante y son el resultado de profundas transformaciones sociales, este artículo intentará proporcionar una lectura del fenómeno a través del concepto de sociedad espectacularizada descrita por Debord, de la idea de industria cultural de Adorno y Horkheimer y de estudios recientes sobre el tema. Se considera, pues, este artículo, como un aporte importante sobre las nuevas formas textuales presentes en las redes, ya que recoge unos ejemplos ejemplificativos de los insta-poetas. Trata, además de reflejar los nuevos modos de producción en los que el autor/productor escribe más en función del consumo que de la experiencia artística.
Poemas digitalizados – ¿mariposas en la red? El ejemplo de "Tempus/Pacha (2019)" de Fredy Vallejos, Lucila Lema Otavalo y Agustín Guambo
Authors: Le Corre Hervé
Published: January 2023

¿Qué sucede cuando el poema acontece en la red? ¿Qué tipo de producciones poéticas aparecen en internet? ¿Qué modos de recepción se solicitan? Estos son algunos de los interrogantes que constituyen la base de este trabajo, que abarca esencialmente un corpus latinoamericano. Para tratar de contestar a estas preguntas, propondremos en un primer lugar una tipología muy sumaria de la presencia de la poesía en internet, avanzando dos categorías principales y no totalmente herméticas: los poemas consignados en la red, a la manera de un enorme archivo; y los que están pensados y producidos en función de este nuevo soporte. Son especialmente estos últimos los que nos interesarán: su producción es próspera y las realizaciones diversas, a menudo difíciles de apreciar. Para evaluar esta producción, nueva, pero que debe igualmente responder a las exigencias de una verdadera poética del texto digital, hemos optado por tres criterios –la voz, la imagen y la memoria– que corresponden, además, con las posibilidades tecnológicas ofrecidas por el nuevo soporte. Las demasiado rápidas incursiones efectuadas en la red nos han decepcionado a veces (a pesar de su innegable virtuosismo tecnológico) con respecto a las posibilidades experimentales (intelectuales y sensibles) que contiene, en su economía de medios, el poema impreso, en particular por la riqueza memorial y asociativa que convoca su lectura. No obstante, una producción nos llamó la atención. Se trata de un trabajo colectivo: Tempus/Pacha (2019) de Fredy Vallejos, Lucila Lema Otavalo y Agustín Guambo. Nos pareció entonces estar frente a un verdadero «poema digital» y no un «poema digitalizado», en el que se encuentra tanto un gran dominio de la tecnología (que no deja de recordar la precisión requerida por la elaboración del artefacto verbal que es un poema «tradicional») y un tratamiento diferenciado y respetuoso de la imagen, de la voz, del sonido y de los textos. Cada uno de los medios conserva su complejidad y su poder de sugestión, al tiempo que participa en un conjunto significante que solicita, con su fuerza emocional, memorial y política, una verdadera colaboración tanto por parte de los artistas que contribuyen al proyecto como de los receptores. En un primer momento, nos centramos en la descripción del poema digital, que corresponde también a una performance de Fredy Vallejos, para luego analizarlo retomando los criterios seleccionados en la primera parte del trabajo.
Milena RODRÍGUEZ GUTIÉRREZ (ed.). Poetas hispanoamericanas contemporáneas. Poéticas y metapoéticas (siglos XX–XXI). Berlín- Boston: De Gruyter, 2021
Authors: Burneo Cristina
Published: January 2023

Reseña de Cristina Burneo sobre Poetas hispanoamericanas contemporáneas. Poéticas y metapoéticas (siglos XX–XXI) (De Gruyter, 2021) Milena Rodríguez Gutiérrez (ed.). Serie Mímesis, vol. 91 322 p. ISBN: 9783110739626.