bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cytotoxicity and Genotoxicity Evaluation of Some Stored Grain Insects and Their Infested Flour Using the BHK-21 Cell Line in an In Vitro Experimental Model
Authors: Abdelfattah Nilly A. H. , Hasan Enas A. , Qari Sameer H.
Published: December 2022

Globally, stored grain is vulnerable to pest infestation, resulting in significant economic losses for some crops. Wheat is one of the most important crops in the world. Many sucking, piercing insects infect wheat in the form of grains or flour and may produce toxic residues that are harmful to human health. The current study aimed to estimate the safe use of four stored grain insects by evaluating the potential genotoxic effects and cytotoxicity of crushed insects (T. granarium, S. oryzae, R. dominica, and T. castaneum) and their flour residues. MTT and comet assays were conducted to assess the effects of six concentrations of insect flour residues (0, 6.5, 12.5, 25, 50, and 100%) on the baby hamster kidney cell line (BHK-21). The lowest BHK-21 cell viability was noted against T. granarium (LC50% 36.42 μg/ml) followed by T. castaneum flour (LC50% 46.73 μg/ml) compared to the control (LC50% 808.2 μg/ml). Significantly high DNA comet (%) was observed in the treatments of T. castaneum flour (18.8%), S. oryzae wheat (15.6%), T. granarium (15.4%), T. castaneum (13.6%), and T. granarium wheat (13.1%). FTIR spectra of stored grain insects and their flour residues identified various functional metabolite groups, including alkynes and phenols, which could enhance cell apoptosis and genotoxicity. T. granarium, T. castaneum, and their flour residues had the highest cytotoxic and genotoxic effects on the BHK-21 cell line. The current study concludes that insect residues in flour may have cytotoxic and genotoxic effects on living cells, potentially affecting public health, particularly after consuming T. granarium and T. castaneum-infested flour. Therefore, good storage of stored grains and their products is recommended.
Prospective Study of Avocado Consumption and Cancer Risk in U.S. Men and Women
Authors: Ericsson Caroline I. , Pacheco Lorena S. , Romanos-Nanclares Andrea , Ecsedy Ethan , Giovannucci Edward L. , Eliassen A. Heather , Mucci Lorelei A. , Fu Benjamin C.
Published: December 2022

Avocados contain nutrients and phytochemicals that make it promising for cancer prevention, and chemopreventive properties have been demonstrated in prior studies. Prospective studies on avocado consumption and cancer risk have yet to be conducted. This study included data from 45,289 men in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (HPFS, 1986–2016) and 67,039 women in the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS, 1986–2014). Avocado consumption was assessed using validated food frequency questionnaires every 4 years. Cox proportional hazards models calculated multivariable HRs and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for associations between avocado consumption and risk of total and site-specific cancers in each cohort. In HPFS, consumption of ≥1 weekly serving of avocados was associated with decreased risk of total (HR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.80–0.91), colorectal (HR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.59–0.85), lung (HR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.57–0.90), and bladder cancer (HR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.57–0.90). In NHS, avocado consumption was associated with increased risk of breast cancer (HR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.07–1.37). No associations were observed between avocado consumption and risk of total cancer (HR, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.98–1.14) or other site-specific cancers in NHS. Considering the surprising breast cancer finding, analyses were repeated using data from 93,230 younger women in the parallel NHSII (1991–2017). In NHSII, avocado consumption was not associated with breast cancer risk (HR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.76–1.13). Overall, avocado consumption may be associated with reduced risk of total and some site-specific cancers in men. The positive association with breast cancer risk in NHS was not seen in the younger NHSII.

Prevention Relevance:

The results of this prospective study suggest that avocado consumption may be associated with decreased risk of total and some site-specific cancers in men.

See related Spotlight, p. 187
HRS Regulates Small Extracellular Vesicle PD-L1 Secretion and Is Associated with Anti–PD-1 Treatment Efficacy
Authors: Xiao Bo-Lin , Wang Xiao-Le , Xia Hou-Fu , Zhang Lin-Zhou , Wang Kui-Ming , Chen Zhuo-Kun , Zhong Ya-Hua , Jiang Huan-Gang , Zhou Fu-Xiang , Wang Wei , Chen Gai-Li , Chen Gang
Published: December 2022

PD-L1 localized to immunosuppressive small extracellular vesicles (sEV PD-L1) contributes to tumor progression and is associated with resistance to immune-checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy. Here, by establishing a screening strategy with a combination of tissue microarray (TMA), IHC staining, and measurement of circulating sEV PD-L1, we found that the endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) member protein hepatocyte growth factor–regulated tyrosine kinase substrate (HRS) was the key regulator of circulating sEV PD-L1 in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients. Increased HRS expression was found in tumor tissues and positively correlated with elevated circulating sEV PD-L1 in patients with HNSCC. The expression of HRS was also negatively correlated to the infiltration of CD8+ T cells. Knockdown of HRS markedly reduced PD-L1 expression in HNSCC cell–derived sEVs, and these sEVs from HRS knockdown cells showed decreased immunosuppressive effects on CD8+ T cells. Knockout of HRS inhibited tumor growth in immunocompetent mice together with PD-1 blockade. Moreover, a higher HRS expression was associated with a lower response rate to anti–PD-1 therapy in patients with HNSCC. In summary, our study reveals HRS, the core component of ESCRT-0, regulates sEV PD-L1 secretion, and is associated with the response to ICB therapy in patients with HNSCC, suggesting HRS is a promising target to improve cancer immunotherapy.
Structure of Child Externalizing Behavior and Associated Parental Stress in Family Situations
Authors: Lauth Morena , Panagl Mariella , Lauth Gerhard
Published: December 2022

All three cardinal symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) describe impaired stimulus control over behavior. Children with ADHD require more frequent and explicit behavioral cues from others and thereby increase parental stress. Both self-control deficits and parental stress manifest depending on the situation and possess intra-individual variability. Common measures of externalizing behavior and parental stress rarely address this and target generalized impressions instead. Intraindividual differences in externalizing and stressful child behavior can be assessed with a family situations inventory including two rating scales. It rests on the HSQ and supplements the original with a parental stress scale. Method: Parents of children with (male = 204, female = 33; mean = 8.6 years) and without confirmed ADHD (male = 206, female = 155; mean = 7.6 years) took part. They were asked to rate 16 family situations concerning the extent of child externalizing behavior and their own associated stress. Three established scales (CBCL, PSI, BAP) were employed in the clinical sample to determine the external validity of the German HSQ adaption. Results: Both HSQ scales share the same two-factorial structure with satisfying explained variance (56.02–60.38%) and acceptable external and discriminant validity. “Accomplishments” (factor 2) discriminates better than “agreeableness” (factor 1) between children with and without ADHD. Discussion: “Accomplishments” refers to behavior in regularly recurring situations and demands rule following. Parental stress associated with child externalizing behaviors in family situations appears to represent regulation load rather than mental load.
Anti-Inflammatory Action of Antidepressants: Investigating the Longitudinal Effect of Antidepressants on White Blood Cell Count
Authors: Sealock Julia M. , Chen Guanhua , Davis Lea K.
Published: December 2022

Introduction: Antidepressants have documented anti-inflammatory effects on pro-inflammatory biomarkers. However, the long-term effects of antidepressants on inflammatory markers and the effects of different antidepressant classes on pro-inflammatory biomarkers are largely unexplored. Here, we evaluate the short- and long-term effects of all antidepressant classes on a clinical immune marker, white blood cell count (WBC). Methods: Using a retrospective study design, we extracted WBC count and prescription medications from electronic health records at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. We created a longitudinal model to evaluate the short- and long-term effects of these medications on WBC count. We validated our longitudinal model using two known anti-inflammatory medications, biologic immunosuppressants, and chemotherapy, and one medication class without known immunomodulatory properties, contraceptives. We used the longitudinal model to determine the effects of antidepressant use on WBC count stratified by drug class. Results: Biologic immunosuppressant and chemotherapy use was associated with decreased WBC count, but contraceptive use did not associate with changes in WBC count, validating our longitudinal modeling approach. All antidepressant classes were associated with decreased WBC count in the long-term cohorts. SSRI and atypical use also associated with decreased WBC count in the short-term cohort. Conclusions: Using electronic health record data, we show all antidepressant classes exhibit anti-inflammatory effects on a clinical immune marker, WBC count. Additionally, our results indicate that in some cases the anti-inflammatory effects of antidepressants persist over at least a 1-year time frame. Our work contributes to the immunomodulatory knowledge of antidepressants and motivates future studies investigating alternative therapeutic routes for antidepressants.
Novel Cardiokine GDF3 Predicts Adverse Fibrotic Remodeling After Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Masurkar Nihar , Bouvet Marion , Logeart Damien , Jouve Charlène , Dramé Fatou , Claude Olivier , Roux Maguelonne , Delacroix Clément , Bergerot Damien , Mercadier Jean-Jacques , Sirol Marc , Gellen Barnabas , Livrozet Marine , Fayol Antoine , Robidel Estelle , Trégouët David-Alexandre , Marazzi Giovanna , Sassoon David , Valente Mariana , Hulot Jean-Sébastien
Published: December 2022

Background:

Myocardial infarction (MI) induces a repair response that ultimately generates a stable fibrotic scar. Although the scar prevents cardiac rupture, an excessive profibrotic response impairs optimal recovery by promoting the development of noncontractile fibrotic areas. The mechanisms that lead to cardiac fibrosis are diverse and incompletely characterized. We explored whether the expansion of cardiac fibroblasts after MI can be regulated through a paracrine action of cardiac stromal cells.

Methods:

We performed a bioinformatic secretome analysis of cardiac stromal PW1
+
cells isolated from normal and post-MI mouse hearts to identify novel secreted proteins. Functional assays were used to screen secreted proteins that promote fibroblast proliferation. The expressions of candidates were subsequently analyzed in mouse and human hearts and plasmas. The relationship between levels of circulating protein candidates and adverse post-MI cardiac remodeling was examined in a cohort of 80 patients with a first ST-segment–elevation MI and serial cardiac magnetic resonance imaging evaluations.

Results:

Cardiac stromal PW1
+
cells undergo a change in paracrine behavior after MI, and the conditioned media from these cells induced a significant increase in the proliferation of fibroblasts. We identified a total of 12 candidates as secreted proteins overexpressed by cardiac PW1
+
cells after MI. Among these factors, GDF3 (growth differentiation factor 3), a member of the TGF-β (transforming growth factor-β) family, was markedly upregulated in the ischemic hearts. Conditioned media specifically enriched with GDF3 induced fibroblast proliferation at a high level by stimulation of activin-receptor–like kinases. In line with the secretory nature of this protein, we next found that GDF3 can be detected in mice and human plasma samples, with a significant increase in the days after MI. In humans, higher GDF3 circulating levels (measured in the plasma at day 4 after MI) were significantly associated with an increased risk of adverse remodeling 6 months after MI (adjusted odds ratio, 1.76 [1.03–3.00];
P
=0.037), including lower left ventricular ejection fraction and a higher proportion of akinetic segments.

Conclusions:

Our findings define a mechanism for the profibrotic action of cardiac stromal cells through secreted cardiokines, such as GDF3, a candidate marker of adverse fibrotic remodeling after MI.

Registration:

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique identifier: NCT01113268.
Kekeliruan dalam Penentuan Nama Perawi: Kajian terhadap Sanad dalam al-Kutub al-Sitta
Authors: Nadzif Wan Kamal , Shamsudin Roshimah
Published: December 2022

The individuals who narrated the hadith in the Six Books attracted the specific attention of hadith scholars. Their backgrounds and positions from the perspective of al-jarh and al-taʿdil were scrutinised. However, there were some errors in determining the narrator, especially when the name found on the chains of transmission is not the original name. This created difficulties for hadith researchers when directly referring to the book of rijal as the narrator’s biography traditionally used the narrator’s real name. Even the entry of a particular narrator’s name sometimes could not be found. Hence, this article aims to examine the error in the names of eight individuals who narrated the hadith in the Six Books. In this regard, the qualitative research was carried out using the content analysis tool on the texts of hadiths and works of rijal. The results showed that this error stemmed from excerpts from other books, identical names of narrators, differences between manuscripts, attributions to ancestral names, inverted paternal and grandfather names, and errors in the narrators’ names. In short, the ability of al-jarh and al-taʿdil scholars to identify errors in the name of the narrators reveals their thoroughness in criticising the chains of transmission of hadith.
Isu Penyelewengan Tafsiran Ayat Al-Quran oleh Samina Ali dalam Saluran TEDx Talk
Authors: Razzak Monika @ Munirah Abd , Elias Nurul Afifah , Rahim Nik Mohd Zaim Ab.
Published: December 2022

The modernity that occurs in Information Technology has resulted in the dumping of information in the digital world. This is inevitable as the use of technology in the millennium period has become essential for all parties. At the same time, the development of new media has also increased, and It has left an impact on society globally. Information greatly influences cultures, beliefs -especially religious beliefs-, ideologies, thoughts, value systems, behaviours and social interactions. This study discussed the issues raised by Samina Ali in the TEDx Talks channel. The methodology used was a qualitative design using content analysis as the data analysis method. The results of this study showed that the interpretation presented by Samina Ali is in direct contradiction to the interpretation agreed upon by authoritative scholars. Therefore, Muslims need to be more cautious in seeking information about Islam in the TED Talks YouTube channel as not everyone is qualified to speak about religion without expertise and authority in that field.
1. Entering Landscapes of Investigation
Authors: Godoy Penteado Miriam , Skovsmose Ole
Published: December 2022

Landscapes of investigation provide different learning environments from the paradigm of exercises. The move from exercises into landscapes of investigation is a move into new risk structures, but is also a move into new possibilities. When entering into landscapes of investigation, one cannot expect the communication to follow predictable patterns. Here, one enters an environment which calls for dialogue. I see dialogue as playing a fundamental role in establishing a critical activity, and as a consequence I consider working with landscapes of investigation to be an important feature of critical mathematics education. The exploration of landscapes is not restricted to particular groups of students. Any group of students can be invited into such landscapes: students at social risk, students in comfortable positions, students with disabilities, senior students, and university students in mathematics. Landscapes of investigation are constructions; they are contested, and they can come to include any kind of controversial issue.
6. Aspects of Democracy in Different Contexts of Mathematics Classes
Authors: Milani Raquel , Carolina Faustino Ana Carolina , da Silva Lessandra Marcelly Sousa , de Souza Carneiro Débora Vieira , Cortés Suaréz Jeimy Marcela , de Britto Reginaldo Ramos
Published: December 2022

This article aims to discuss relations between aspects of democracy and different mathematics classrooms with the potential to become landscapes of investigation. The theoretical framework is based on the concepts of mathemacy, dialogue, representativeness, equity, inclusion, collaboration and criticism, which are essential for the maintenance and promotion of democracy. Three episodes of different mathematics classrooms are reflected upon: a class on functions in Brazilian higher education, high-school students visiting a quilombola community, and a mathematics class with Colombian adolescents. The likelihood for the three episodes to move into landscapes of investigation is discussed. Aspects that could have led these classes away from the path of landscapes of investigation are highlighted: these include the demand of the school institutions for teachers to follow a specific teaching material and/or regulate class time, students’ movements to reinforce the culture of exercises, and the failure of education managers to legitimise work aimed at the development of democracy. The analysis of the episodes showed the presence of aspects that could contribute to the promotion and maintenance of democracy: the dialogical posture of the teacher, and both teachers and students’ opportunities to discuss social, cultural, political and ethnic issues in mathematics classes.
9. Symbiosis and Interdependency
Authors: Hens Kristien
Published: December 2022

In this chapter, I introduce ideas from Lynn Margulis to argue that we should reimagine ourselves as beings amongst other beings beyond anthropocentric humanism. We depend on the things and creatures we encounter.
11. Diseases, Disorders, Disabilities, and Norms
Authors: Hens Kristien
Published: December 2022

I return to one of the central tenets of bioethics, that of biomedical ethics. I describe how there is rich literature on concepts of disease in the philosophy of medicine—understanding what we mean by health and disease influences how we think about the ethics of medicine. I give an introduction to thinking about disability. I describe a thoroughly biological and normative way of looking at pathology and health, that of Georges Canguilhem. I give the example of the bioethical debate about human enhancement.
Identification and analysis of chemical constituents of total glycosides ofCistanche deserticolaYC Ma in rat hepatic metabolism by ultra performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS)
Authors: Hu Yang , Ding Jingxin , Sun Zhiwei , Zong Zheng , Song Hui , Sun Xiangming , Xu Beilei , Qi Zheng , Liu Bing , Li Wenlan
Published: December 2022

Cistanche deserticolaY. C. Ma is a traditional Chinese medicine with estrogen-like effects, which has a good development prospects, glycosides are the main active ingredients of its estrogen-like compounds. However, up to now, the hepatic metabolic process of the total glycosides (TGs) ofC. deserticolahas not been reported. In this study, Wistar rats were intragastric administrated with TGs (18.75 g · kg−1· d−1in crude drugs) to collect the hepatic portal vein (HPV) serum and bile; moreover, TGs solution (93.75 mg·mL−1) was added in liver homogenate. Ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) was used to analyze the chemical components of the samples. The results showed that, 69 components were detected in HPV serum, including 3 prototypes and 66 metabolites. In liver homogenate, 71 components were detected, comprising 7 prototypes and 64 metabolites. Moreover, 43 components were detected in bile, including 2 prototypes and 41 metabolites. Overall, 34 chemical components of TGs were identified to be involved in hepatic metabolism, its main metabolic pathways were revealed, including methoxylation, hydroxylation, glucuronidation, methylation and demethylation. This indicated that hepatic metabolism is a major metabolic pathway of TGs in rats. The identification of TGs prototype compounds and their metabolites is of great significance for further in-depth research and development ofC. deserticolaas medicinal food for treating menopausal symptoms.
Slibinin governs high glucose induced autophagy in cardiac myocyte cells via sphingosine kinase 1 pathway
Authors: Ai Wen , Xie Peiyi , Liao Liting , Chen Haijin , Ling Li , Gao Yulan , Wang Lei , Shaoyuan Chen , Yeqing Fang , Fang Hongcheng , Chen Yanwei
Published: December 2022

As a disorder of the myocardium caused by diabetes mellitus, DCM has become a key health concern in the world. Autophagy plays an important role in the pathogenesis of DCM. Sphingosine kinase 1 benefits to cell survival and growth, and regulates the pathogenesis of many diseases, including
diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Silibinin is widely used as a hepatoprotective and antioxidant agent in Asia and Europe. However, how silibinin governs DCM remains poorly understood. To this aim, the present study is to mine the role of Sphk1 in autophagy induction and cell survival in
myocardial cells under high glucose treatment, and how silibinin regulates DCM. Herein, the study used the embryonic rat heart-derived myogenic H9C2 cells and adenovirus based gene manipulation was utilized. It was found that silibinin could induce autophagy in a dose-dependent manner. Overexpression
of Sphk1 significantly increased mRNA expression of autophagy gene markers in H9C2 cells. Gain of function of Sphk1 significantly increased protein level of Beclin1 in H9C2 cells under treatments of low (5.5 mM) and high (25 mM) glucose. High glucose inhibited autophagy induction in H9C2 cells.
Gain of function of Sphk1 compromised inhibition of on autophagy induction by high glucose. The results of the present study may assist in attaining an improved understanding of the pathogenesis of DCM, and developing novel therapies for treatment of DCM.
Examining binding capacity of aptamers based on fluorescence image segmentation
Authors: Ji Minjie , Wang Chao , Jin Baijiang , Guo Zhukang , Chen Zhu , Chen Hui , Li Song , Deng Yan , Zhang Yuanying , He Nongyue
Published: December 2022

In order to meet the needs of verifying binding capacities in aptamer selection experiments, a binding capacity examination device for aptamers and targets based on the fluorescence image segmentation was developed in this paper. The fluorescence imaging module is used to collect images
of aptamers binding to target cells, and then the average fluorescence intensity of a single cell is calculated using methods of the cell image segmentation and the fluorescence image registration. By comparing the fluorescence intensity, the binding capacity of aptamers can be investigated
and the progress of selection experiments can be monitored. The application value of this paper is to provide a new method for the dynamic monitoring of the aptamer binding performance during the automatic selection.
Application value of a selenium-hydroxyapatite nanodelivery system as osteosarcoma treatment
Authors: Fan Li , Qu Yanzhen , Tong Wei , Lin Hui , Xiao Baojun
Published: December 2022

To investigate the anticancer and osteogenic properties and mechanism of action of a selenium (Se4+) hydroxyapatite (HA) nanodelivery system for osteosarcoma (OS) therapy. We loaded different concentrations of Na2SeO3 (3% and 6%) into HA nanoparticles
(HANP) for OS therapy. Simultaneously, we tested the stability and pH responsiveness of Se-HANP in vitro experiments, and OS MG-63 cells and mice BMSCs were cultured to further evaluate its permeability, anticancer ability and mineralization ability [alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osteocalcin
(OCN)]. In addition, We conducted in vivo experiments by constructing OS mouse models to further investigate the anticancer mechanism of Se-HANP. Se-HANP showed good stability in blood; an acidic environment (pH 5) was more conducive to Se4+ ion release, and could effectively
penetrate into OS MG-63 cells. In cell experiments, compared with HANP, Se-HANP could more effectively improve BMSCs viability and enhanced their mineralization performance, such as improving ALP and OCN levels. In addition, Se-HANP could effectively inhibit the activity and invasiveness of
MG-63 cells; 6% Se-HANP showed stronger anticancer effects. In OS in vivo mouse experiments, Se-HANP could effectively inhibit tumor tissue growth (volume and weight) in a concentration dependent manner. In addition, Se4+ activated endogenous and exogenous apoptotic pathways
by increasing the level of reactive oxygen species (8-OHdG) in tumor cells, leading to tumor cell apoptosis. Se-HANP could effectively penetrate OS cells, and its good stability and pH responsiveness could improve the anticancer efficiency of Se4+. Moreover, its excellent mineralization
ability could effectively repair the bone defects caused by OS. Accordingly, Se-HANP can have great potential in OS treatment.
Prospects for Enhancing Climate Services in Agriculture
Authors: Kim Kwang-Hyung , Hewitt Chris D. , Kanamaru Hideki , Alvar-Beltrán Jorge , Heureux Ana , Park Sook-Young , Jung Min-Hye , Stefanski Robert
Published: December 2022

Agricultural stakeholders can effectively manage the risks and opportunities arising from climate change and variability by enhancing climate services in agriculture. Key to understanding and addressing the climate challenge is the provision and the use of climate information to aid decision-makers and policy-makers. Climate services are now integral to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Assessment Reports, governments’ national adaptation plans, funding bodies, and a growing number of sectors and industries worldwide. The article provides our personal perspective, experience, and views on the important and timely issue of managing better the risks and opportunities to the agriculture sector and community that are arising from changes in climate. We describe a framework to help drive action to tackle the climate challenge comprising enhanced knowledge and information products, efficient information delivery and use, and assured policy and institutional support, in an iterative loop.
Divorce among exogamous couples: The role of language convergence
Authors: Saarela Jan , Kolk Martin , Uggla Caroline
Published: December 2022

This is the first study to use longitudinal population register data to illustrate that marital stability may relate to the adoption of the spouse's language. The paper draws on theories of boundary shifting and boundary crossing to examine two main ancestral groups in Finland, Finnish speakers and Swedish speakers, between whom intermarriage is common. Administrative changes in how the question about language/ethnicity was registered between the censuses of 1975 and 1980 make it possible to distinguish between persons who are concordant or discordant on the main language used and ethnic affiliation. Using data on the entire married population, and adjusting for several individuals and couple characteristics, we estimate the couples’ divorce risk as a function of language convergence with Cox regressions. Discordance in terms of adopting the Finnish language used by the partner is associated with a higher divorce risk, as compared with couples who are exogamous in terms of both language use and ethnic affiliation. Adopting the Swedish language, on the other hand, is associated with a slightly reduced divorce risk. Thus, these data provide some evidence that marital stability may relate to language convergence.
Evaluating the Effects of Missing Data Handling Methods on Scale Linking Accuracy
Authors: Wu Tong , Kim Stella Y. , Westine Carl
Published: December 2022

For large-scale assessments, data are often collected with missing responses. Despite the wide use of item response theory (IRT) in many testing programs, however, the existing literature offers little insight into the effectiveness of various approaches to handling missing responses in the context of scale linking. Scale linking is commonly used in large-scale assessments to maintain scale comparability over multiple forms of a test. Under a common-item nonequivalent group design (CINEG), missing data that occur to common items potentially influence the linking coefficients and, consequently, may affect scale comparability, test validity, and reliability. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of six missing data handling approaches, including listwise deletion (LWD), treating missing data as incorrect responses (IN), corrected item mean imputation (CM), imputing with a response function (RF), multiple imputation (MI), and full information likelihood information (FIML), on IRT scale linking accuracy when missing data occur to common items. Under a set of simulation conditions, the relative performance of the six missing data treatment methods under two missing mechanisms was explored. Results showed that RF, MI, and FIML produced less errors for conducting scale linking whereas LWD was associated with the most errors regardless of various testing conditions.
Much ado about very little: Canada’s national interests in history and practice
Authors: Chapnick Adam
Published: December 2022

Ever since Canada failed to be elected to the United Nations Security Council as a non-permanent member in June 2020, there have been calls for Ottawa to realign Canadian foreign policy with the national interest. It is hardly the first time that such a plea has been made: critics advocated similarly in the 1870s, the 1930s, the 1960s, and the 2000s. Yet, in each case, they recommended a different policy solution. Having reviewed these episodes, this essay concludes that the real debate in Canadian foreign policy has never been about the national interest, per se. To borrow from the language of strategy, Ottawa’s critics have merely privileged different “ways” of achieving the same “ends,” while everyone yearns for the “means” to do more.
COVID-19 Outbreaks Linked to Workplaces, 23 US Jurisdictions, August–October 2021
Authors: Luckhaupt Sara E. , Horter Libby , Groenewold Matthew R. , de Perio Marie A. , Robbins Cheryl L. , Sweeney Marie Haring , Thomas Isabel , Valencia Diana , Ingram Amanda , Heinzerling Amy , Nguyen Alyssa , Townsend Emily B. , Weber Rachel C. , Reichbind Diana , Dishman Hope , Kerins Janna L. , Lendacki Frances R. , Austin Connie , Dixon Liana , Spillman Brooke , Simonson Sean , Tonzel Julius , Krueger Anna , Duwell Monique , Bachaus Brian , Rust Britney , Barrett Colleen , Morrison Brooke , Owers Bonner Katharine A. , Karlsson Nicole D. , Angelon-Gaetz Kim , McClure Elizabeth S. , Kline Kelly E. , Dangar Dhara , Reed Chasey , Karpowicz Jacqueline , Anderson Shoana M. , Cantor Sophia , Chaudhary Ifrah , Ellis Esther M. , Taylor Marissa L. , Sedon Allison , Kocharian Anna , Morris Collin , Samson Marsha E. , Mangla Anil T.
Published: December 2022

Objectives:

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, several outbreaks were linked with facilities employing essential workers, such as long-term care facilities and meat and poultry processing facilities. However, timely national data on which workplace settings were experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks were unavailable through routine surveillance systems. We estimated the number of US workplace outbreaks of COVID-19 and identified the types of workplace settings in which they occurred during August–October 2021.

Methods:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention collected data from health departments on workplace COVID-19 outbreaks from August through October 2021: the number of workplace outbreaks, by workplace setting, and the total number of cases among workers linked to these outbreaks. Health departments also reported the number of workplaces they assisted for outbreak response, COVID-19 testing, vaccine distribution, or consultation on mitigation strategies.

Results:

Twenty-three health departments reported a total of 12 660 workplace COVID-19 outbreaks. Among the 12 470 workplace types that were documented, 35.9% (n = 4474) of outbreaks occurred in health care settings, 33.4% (n = 4170) in educational settings, and 30.7% (n = 3826) in other work settings, including non–food manufacturing, correctional facilities, social services, retail trade, and food and beverage stores. Eleven health departments that reported 3859 workplace outbreaks provided information about workplace assistance: 3090 (80.1%) instances of assistance involved consultation on COVID-19 mitigation strategies, 1912 (49.5%) involved outbreak response, 436 (11.3%) involved COVID-19 testing, and 185 (4.8%) involved COVID-19 vaccine distribution.

Conclusions:

These findings underscore the continued impact of COVID-19 among workers, the potential for work-related transmission, and the need to apply layered prevention strategies recommended by public health officials.
Are Christians morally obligated to be vaccinated for COVID-19?
Authors: Eberl Jason T.
Published: December 2022

As the COVID-19 pandemic persists and new vaccine boosters targeting the latest subvariants have been approved, public debate concerning vaccines and vaccination mandates has not subsided. Such debate has been particularly acute among Roman Catholics and other Christians, with arguments having been put forth from scriptural and natural law bases in favor of vaccination against COVID-19, and counterarguments based on respecting individual conscience and concerns about moral complicity with abortion. In this article, I argue that principles of both secular public health and Christian social ethics justify vaccination mandates for COVID-19. I further show why certain objections Christians may have are ill-founded and conclude that no moral reason exists for a Christian to refuse to be vaccinated for COVID-19; rather, vaccination for COVID-19 is a moral obligation.
“Those who are well”: Lessons from COVID for non-crisis times via Matthew 9:9-13
Authors: Kelly Conor M.
Published: December 2022

As the world shifts to the next phase of the pandemic, bioethicists need to consider anew what moral responsibility looks like during non-crisis times. This article turns to the calling of Matthew (Matt 9:9-13) to provide biblical insights Christians can use to contribute to this bioethical conversation. Drawing on the narrative context, which buries this pericope within a section of the gospel focusing on Jesus’s healing ministry, this article explains how the calling of Matthew underscores the holistic vision of health and well-being animating Jesus’s work as a healer and adds to Jesus’s primary emphasis on restoration for the marginalized. Examining Jesus’s claim that “those who are well have no need of a physician,” this article argues that Christians can best embrace this broad vision of healing by prioritizing public health so that the community will be better prepared to weather the next health crisis, should it emerge.
A shared humanity: COVID capitalism and the future of the health care ethics
Authors: Spaulding Hank W.
Published: December 2022

The tension between the economy and health care in the United States was on full display during the COVID-19 pandemic and continues to raise uncomfortable questions for the medical and faith communities. Chief among the issues raised is the inequality that emerged between the healthy and vulnerable, which caused vocal proponents to encourage the vulnerable to sacrifice their lives in order for the economy to continue unfettered by the pandemic. This article explores how “COVID capitalism” constricted the ability of the health care community to execute its duties morally and promote the health and well-being of the nation’s elderly. It argues that the practices of vulnerability and dependence, viewed through the cardinal virtues, unseat the economic reason at the heart of COVID capitalism and promote health as a central good alongside economic well-being.
Modification of yarn wrapping technology for natural-based textiles with highly efficient wicking and fast-drying performances
Authors: Liao Shiyu , Tao Yifei , Li Li
Published: December 2022

Natural fibers exhibit good moisture absorption, antistatic properties and skin affinity. However, they are difficult to dry due to high water retention. Herein, two types of environmentally friendly yarn structures were developed, the single wrapping structure and double wrapping structure, using the physical methods of filament spinning to wrap the core yarn in order to improve the moisture transport of the fabric. Silk 30 D/10 f filaments were used to wrap 32S bleached long-staple cotton yarn. Improved water evaporation rates by 13.12% and 2.97% were achieved with the application of the single and the double wrapping twist of 700 T/m, respectively. The experiment data obtained was evaluated using analysis of variance, which indicates the wrapping structures and the twist level are significant parameters affecting the wicking performance of the yarns. Moreover, there is an optimal twist level to modify yarns with greater moisture management performance for each of the wrapping structures, which provides a reference for the yarn production and enhances the application of natural fibers.
De-concentrating Megacities. Political Theory and Material Normativity
Authors: Nasr Clémence
Published: December 2022

This essay is part of a special issue celebrating 50 years of Political Theory. The ambition of the editors was to mark this half century not with a retrospective but with a confabulation of futures. Contributors were asked: What will political theory look and sound like in the next century and beyond? What claims might political theorists or their descendants be making in ten, twenty-five, fifty, a hundred years’ time? How might they vindicate those claims in their future contexts? How will the consistent concerns of political theorists evolve into the questions critical for people decades or centuries from now? What new problems will engage the political theorists (or their rough equivalents) of the future? What forms might those take? What follows is one of the many confabulations published in response to these queries.
Business as Usual: Ethnic Commerce and the Making of a Mexican American Middle Class in Southeast Los Angeles, 1981-1995
Authors: Ramirez G. Aron
Published: December 2022

This article examines the entrepreneurial and consumptive habits of Mexican Americans in Downey, California, during the 1980s and 1990s. It shows how Mexican Americans avoided ethnic entrepreneurship as they moved into and became the demographic plurality of middle-class Downey. By relying on existing networks of ethnic commerce, Mexican Americans in Downey could simultaneously partake of ethnic entrepreneurship or consumption while acceding to anti-Mexican standards of acceptable business. These place-specific commercial habits allowed Mexican Americans to pursue their new class interests as homeowners without sacrificing their cultural heritage through assimilation. In narrating the complex history of demographic change in Downey, this article suggests how racist assumptions survived as ideas of good business. It also takes seriously the tension between assimilation and ethnic retention, and considers the creation of a Mexican American middle class.
Adaptive coordination control strategy for path-following of DDAEV with neural network based moving weight coefficients
Authors: Xie Ju , Xu Xing , Wang Feng , Tang Zhao , Chen Long
Published: December 2022

This paper presents an adaptive coordination control strategy for path-following of distributed drive autonomous electric vehicles (DDAEV). A model predictive control (MPC) algorithm is used to realize path-following through autonomous steering, where the prediction time is adaptive in relation to different driving conditions. Due to the dynamic characteristic of distributed drive vehicle, the differential torque control is also utilized based on the deviation of path to realize path-following. In order to make full use of the advantages of these two path-following methods, coordination control of autonomous steering and differential steering is adopted to improve the transient response speed, flexibility of steering system and path-following performance by setting moving weight coefficients based on neural network. Results of CarSim-Simulink co-simulation and real vehicle experiment both verify that the proposed coordination control can obtain steering flexibility, as well as tracking accuracy and reliability under various driving conditions.
Teaching the Skill of Chewing From a Behavior Analytic Approach: A Systematic Review
Authors: Alaimo Christina , Seiverling Laura , Jones Emily A.
Published: December 2022

Relatively few empirical studies of pediatric chewing interventions have been published in the psychology literature. The purpose of this paper was to systematically review chewing interventions within the applied behavior analysis literature. We identified a small, but growing, behavior analytic literature demonstrating the effectiveness of various multicomponent treatment packages to teach and improve chewing skills. Future researchers should consider a range of participant characteristics, including results of oral motor assessments, explore a more extensive definition of chewing to target the complex nature of chewing as well as component skills, and examine the necessary and sufficient components of chewing interventions along with the potential benefits of multidisciplinary interventions.
Survival Outcomes Associated With the Size of Opioid Prescriptions in the Management of Chronic Pain Related to Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
Authors: Li Kunhong , Zhang Shi , Sun Wei , Zhang Yaodong , Yu Minji , Zhang Guangwei , Yu Weiguang
Published: December 2022

Objective

Patients with advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (ANC) often experience chronic pain. Opioids are generally recommended to treat tumor-related pain, but increased opioid use may lead to detrimental aftereffects, particularly with respect to tumor progression, resulting in reduced quality of life and increased risk of death. Our objective was to investigate whether the high size of opioid prescriptions is associated with poor overall survival (OS) in patients with ANC.

Methods

A consecutive cohort of patients with newly diagnosed ANC who underwent high or low opioid prescription size treatment during 2012–2019 was retrospectively identified from our medical institutions. Survival was estimated with the Kaplan–Meier method with a log-rank test. Multivariate binary logistic regression was used to assess the association between opioid use and OS, adjusting for age, sex, body mass index (BMI), Eastern Collaborative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS), and ANC histology. The criterion to distinguish between the high opioid prescription size group [HD] and the low opioid prescription size group [LD] was 5 mg of oral morphine equivalents (OME) per 24 hours.

Results

The cohort consisted of 244 consecutive patients (HD: n = 120, median age = 66 years [range, 40–81 years]; LD: n = 124, median age = 65 years [40–82 years]. Patients who underwent treatment with a high opioid prescription size had a worse median OS than those who underwent treatment with a low opioid prescription size (5.1 vs 6.6 months), and the high opioid prescription size was associated with a remarkable 48% higher risk of death than the low opioid prescription size (HR 1.48, 95% CI 1.11–1.98; P = .005). The cumulative dose of opioids greater than or equal to 500 mg of OME was associated with a higher risk of death, adjusted for age, sex, BMI, ECOG PS, and ANC histology.

Conclusions

In patients with newly diagnosed ANC experiencing palliative care, a high opioid prescription size may be associated with shorter OS than a low opioid prescription size.
Migration control entangled with local histories: The case of Greek–Turkish regime of bordering
Authors: Kaşlı Zeynep
Published: December 2022

Migration and border studies have reconceptualized and examined borders as sites of contestation, stressing the productive effects of (illegalized) migration control on established notions of citizenship. These accounts have predominantly focused on illegalized migration and on contemporary contestations around these mobilities. This article expands these efforts by suggesting that migration control and contestations (and the limits thereof) can be understood only by considering the dynamic yet historically and geographically specific modes of any given border, which I aim to capture through the concept of regime of bordering. This concept refers to the fact that contemporary borders against illegalized migration are founded on pre-existing regimes of citizenship, bilateral relations, and migration. My historically informed ethnographic research on both sides of the Greek–Turkish border in Thrace demonstrates the continuing impact of unresolved bilateral disputes and centralized state power in a highly militarized region to align state and nonstate actors with migration control at an “external border” of the EU. Studying politics of migration control from a long durée perspective and as part of a composite regime of bordering takes us beyond a “presentist” view on recent contestations around illegalized migration, deepening our understanding of (the lack of) local acts of citizenship.
Safety of bloodless open-heart surgery on cardiopulmonary bypass in selected children: A single center experience with minimal invasive extracorporeal circulation
Authors: Kayoum Anas Abdul , Rivera Flores Estefania , Reyes Marcelle , Almasarweh Saleem I , Ojito Jorge , Burke Redmond P , Sasaki Jun
Published: December 2022

Introduction

Bloodless cardiac surgery refers to open-heart surgery without blood or blood products. The cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) circuits are primed with crystalloid solely, and there is no intraoperative blood transfusion.

Methods

Our program considers bloodless congenital cardiac surgery with a minimal invasive extracorporeal circulation (MiECC) system for patients above 10 kg of weight. We performed a single-center retrospective cohort study of all consecutive patients undergoing bloodless cardiac surgery for congenital heart defects between January 2016 and December 2018.

Results

A total of 164 patients were reviewed (86 male and 78 female) at a median age of 9.6 years (interquartile range (IQR), 4.5–15), a weight of 32 kg (IQR, 16–55), preoperative hemoglobin 13.7 g/dl (IQR, 12.6–14.9), and preoperative hematocrit of 40.4% (IQR, 37.2–44.3). Median CPB time was 81.5 min (IQR, 58–125), and median hematocrit coming off CPB was 26% (IQR, 23–29.7). The congenital heart surgery risk (STAT) category was distributed in STAT 1 for 70, STAT 2 for 80, STAT 3 for 9, and STAT 4 for 5 patients. Most patients (95%) were extubated in the operating room with a low complication rate during the hospital stay (14.6%). Only 6 (4%) patients needed a blood transfusion during the postoperative period, with a higher incidence of complications during the hospital course ( p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Bloodless congenital heart surgery with MiECC system is safe in low-surgical-risk patients. Our patients had a low rate of complications and short hospital stays.