bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Advertisement of unhealthy commodities in Bristol and South Gloucestershire and rationale for a new advertisement policy
Authors: Scott Lauren J. , Nobles James , Sillero-Rejon Carlos , Brockman Rowan , Toumpakari Zoi , Jago Russell , Cummins Steven , Blake Sarah , Horwood Jeremy , de Vocht Frank
Published: June 2023

Background

Bristol City Council introduced a new advertisement policy in 2021/2022 which included prohibiting the advertising of unhealthy food and drink (HFSS), alcohol, gambling and payday loans across council-owned advertising spaces. This mixed methods study is part of the BEAR study, and aimed to explore the rationale and the barriers and facilitators to implementing the policy, and describe the perceived advertising environment prior to implementation.

Methods

Semi-structured interviews were carried out with seven stakeholders involved in the design and implementation of the advertising policy. A stakeholder topic guide was developed before interviews took place to help standardise the lines of inquiry between interviewees. A resident survey was developed to collect socio-demographic data and, for the purpose of this study, information regarding observations of advertising for HFSS products, alcohol and gambling.

Results

Fifty-eight percent of respondents residing in Bristol and South Gloucestershire reported seeing advertisements for unhealthy commodities in the week prior to completing the survey. This was highest for HFSS products (40%). 16% of residents reported seeing HFSS product advertisements specifically appealing to children. For HFSS products in particular, younger people were more likely to report seeing adverts than older people, as were those who were from more deprived areas. An advertisement policy that restricts the advertisement of such unhealthy commodities, and in particular for HFSS products, has the potential to reduce health inequalities. This rationale directly influenced the development of the advertisement policy in Bristol. Implementation of the policy benefitted from an existing supportive environment following the ‘health in all policies’ initiative and a focus on reducing health inequalities across the city.

Conclusions

Unhealthy product advertisements, particularly for unhealthy food and drinks, were observed more by younger people and those living in more deprived areas. Policies that specifically restrict such advertisements, therefore, have the potential to reduce health inequalities, as was the hope when this policy was developed. Future evaluation of the policy will provide evidence of any public health impact.
The impact of pandemic mental cognition on cultural values: an empirical study based on social media
Authors: Mo Liuling , Liu Yun , Li Ang , Liu Tianli , Zhu Tingshao
Published: June 2023

Background

COVID-19 has triggered a global public health crisis, and had an impact on economies, societies, and politics around the world. Based on the pathogen prevalence hypothesis suggested that residents of areas with higher infection rates are more likely to be collectivists as compared with those of areas with lower infection rates. Many researchers had studied the direct link between infectious diseases and individualism/collectivism (infectious diseases→ cultural values), but no one has focused on the specific psychological factors between them: (infectious diseases→ cognition of the pandemic→ cultural values). To test and develop the pathogen prevalence hypothesis, we introduced pandemic mental cognition and conducted an empirical study on social media (Chinese Sina Weibo), hoping to explore the psychological reasons behind in cultural value changes in the context of a pandemic.

Methods

We downloaded all posts from active Sina Weibo users in Dalian during the pandemic period (January 2020 to May 2022) and used dictionary-based approaches to calculate frequency of words from two domains (pandemic mental cognition and collectivism/individualism), respectively. Then we used the multiple log-linear regression analysis method to establish the relationship between pandemic mental cognition and collectivism/individualism.

Results

Among three dimensions of pandemic mental cognition, only the sense of uncertainty had a significant positive relationship with collectivism, and also had a marginal significant positive relationship with individualism. There was a significant positive correlation between the first-order lag term AR(1) and individualism, which means the individualism tendency was mainly affected by its previous level.

Conclusions

The study found that more collectivist regions are associated with a higher pathogen burden, and recognized the sense of uncertainty as its underlying cause. Results of this study validated and further developed the pathogen stress hypothesis in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The presence of circulating genetically abnormal cells in blood predicts risk of lung cancer in individuals with indeterminate pulmonary nodules
Authors: Tahvilian Shahram , Kuban Joshua D. , Yankelevitz David F. , Leventon Daniel , Henschke Claudia I. , Zhu Jeffrey , Baden Lara , Yip Rowena , Hirsch Fred R. , Reed Rebecca , Brown Ashley , Muldoon Allison , Trejo Michael , Katchman Benjamin A. , Donovan Michael J. , Pagano Paul C.
Published: June 2023

Purpose

Computed tomography is the standard method by which pulmonary nodules are detected. Greater than 40% of pulmonary biopsies are not lung cancer and therefore not necessary, suggesting that improved diagnostic tools are needed. The LungLB™ blood test was developed to aid the clinical assessment of indeterminate nodules suspicious for lung cancer. LungLB™ identifies circulating genetically abnormal cells (CGACs) that are present early in lung cancer pathogenesis.

Methods

LungLB™ is a 4-color fluorescence in-situ hybridization assay for detecting CGACs from peripheral blood. A prospective correlational study was performed on 151 participants scheduled for a pulmonary nodule biopsy. Mann-Whitney, Fisher’s Exact and Chi-Square tests were used to assess participant demographics and correlation of LungLB™ with biopsy results, and sensitivity and specificity were also evaluated.

Results

Participants from Mount Sinai Hospital (n = 83) and MD Anderson (n = 68), scheduled for a pulmonary biopsy were enrolled to have a LungLB™ test. Additional clinical variables including smoking history, previous cancer, lesion size, and nodule appearance were also collected. LungLB™ achieved 77% sensitivity and 72% specificity with an AUC of 0.78 for predicting lung cancer in the associated needle biopsy. Multivariate analysis found that clinical and radiological factors commonly used in malignancy prediction models did not impact the test performance. High test performance was observed across all participant characteristics, including clinical categories where other tests perform poorly (Mayo Clinic Model, AUC = 0.52).

Conclusion

Early clinical performance of the LungLB™ test supports a role in the discrimination of benign from malignant pulmonary nodules. Extended studies are underway.
Long-term results of valgus intertrochanteric osteotomy for partial avascular necrosis of the femoral head after femoral neck fracture in adolescents
Authors: Chochola Antonín , Bartoníček Jan , Douša Pavel , Tuček Michal
Published: June 2023

Purpose

The study evaluates long-term results in patients treated by valgus intertrochanteric osteotomy (VITO) for partial avascular necrosis of the femoral head (ANFH) after fracture of the femoral neck in adolescent age. Although this method is mentioned in literature frequently, there are only few studies in the literature dealing with it in detail.

Methods

Authors evaluated five patients at the interval of 15 to 20 years following VITO. The mean age of the patients at the time of injury was 13.6 years and at the time of VITO 16.7 years. The studied parameters included resorption of necrotic segment of femoral head, development of posttraumatic osteoarthritis and leg shortening.

Results

Comparison of radiographs and MRI scans before and after VITO showed resorption of the necrotic segment of the femoral head and its remodeling in all five patients. However, two patients gradually developed slight osteoarthritic changes. In one patient, remodeling of the femoral head occurred during the first 6 years postoperatively. Subsequently, the patient developed severe osteoarthritis with marked clinical symptoms.

Conclusion

VITO can improve the long-term function of the hip joint in adolescents with ANFH after a femoral neck fracture, but cannot restore completely the original shape and structure of the femoral head.
Periodontal health status in cirrhotic patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Bie Mengyao , Wu Peiyao , Zhou Jieyu , Li Yan , Zhao Lei
Published: June 2023

Objectives

Liver cirrhosis is a disease with widespread prevalence and high mortality. Oral manifestations, particularly periodontal-related manifestations such as bleeding gums, red and swollen gums, are common in cirrhotic patients but may often be overshadowed by other systemic complications, making them easy to ignore. So this article conducts a systematic review and meta-analysis of periodontal health status in patients with cirrhosis.

Material and methods

We performed electronic searches on the following databases: PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library. Risk of bias evaluation was carried out according to the Fowkes and Fulton guidelines. Meta-analyses were performed with tests for sensitivity and statistical heterogeneity.

Results

Of the 368 potentially eligible articles, 12 studies were included for qualitative analysis, and 9 contributed to the meta-analysis. In terms of periodontal-related parameters, cirrhotic patients presented a greater mean of clinical attachment loss (CAL) (weighted mean differences [WMD] = 1.078, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 0.546–1.609, p < 0.001), probing depth (PD) (WMD = 0.796, 95% CI: 0.158 to 1.434, p = 0.015) and alveolar bone loss (ABL) (WMD = 3.465, 95% CI: 2.946–3.984, p < 0.001) than those without, while no statistical difference was found in the papillary bleeding index (PBI) (WMD = 0.166, 95% CI: -0546 to 0.878, p = 0.647) and bleeding on probing (BOP) (WMD = 4.913, 95% CI: -3.099 to 12.926, p = 0.229). The prevalence of periodontitis was higher in cirrhotic patients than in the control group (odds ratio [OR] = 2.630, 95% CI: 1.531–4.520, p < 0.001).

Conclusions

The results indicate that cirrhotic patients have poor periodontal conditions and a higher prevalence of periodontitis. We advocate that they should receive regular oral hygiene and basic periodontal treatment.
Interpretable machine learning models for hospital readmission prediction: a two-step extracted regression tree approach
Authors: Gao Xiaoquan , Alam Sabriya , Shi Pengyi , Dexter Franklin , Kong Nan
Published: June 2023

Background

Advanced machine learning models have received wide attention in assisting medical decision making due to the greater accuracy they can achieve. However, their limited interpretability imposes barriers for practitioners to adopt them. Recent advancements in interpretable machine learning tools allow us to look inside the black box of advanced prediction methods to extract interpretable models while maintaining similar prediction accuracy, but few studies have investigated the specific hospital readmission prediction problem with this spirit.

Methods

Our goal is to develop a machine-learning (ML) algorithm that can predict 30- and 90- day hospital readmissions as accurately as black box algorithms while providing medically interpretable insights into readmission risk factors. Leveraging a state-of-art interpretable ML model, we use a two-step Extracted Regression Tree approach to achieve this goal. In the first step, we train a black box prediction algorithm. In the second step, we extract a regression tree from the output of the black box algorithm that allows direct interpretation of medically relevant risk factors. We use data from a large teaching hospital in Asia to learn the ML model and verify our two-step approach.

Results

The two-step method can obtain similar prediction performance as the best black box model, such as Neural Networks, measured by three metrics: accuracy, the Area Under the Curve (AUC) and the Area Under the Precision-Recall Curve (AUPRC), while maintaining interpretability. Further, to examine whether the prediction results match the known medical insights (i.e., the model is truly interpretable and produces reasonable results), we show that key readmission risk factors extracted by the two-step approach are consistent with those found in the medical literature.

Conclusions

The proposed two-step approach yields meaningful prediction results that are both accurate and interpretable. This study suggests a viable means to improve the trust of machine learning based models in clinical practice for predicting readmissions through the two-step approach.
Five-year fidelity assessment of an evidence-based parenting program (GenerationPMTO): inter-rater reliability following international implementation
Authors: Sigmarsdóttir Margrét , Rodríguez Melanie M. Domenech , Gewirtz Abigail , Rains Laura , Tjaden Jolle , Forgatch Marion S.
Published: June 2023

Background

Implementing evidence-based programs in community service settings introduces the challenge of ensuring sustained fidelity to the original program. We employ a fidelity measure based on direct observation of practitioners’ competence and adherence to the evidence-based parenting program (EBPP) GenerationPMTO following installation in national and international sites. Fidelity monitoring is crucial, especially when the program purveyor transfers administration of the program to the community as was done in this case. In previous studies, the Fidelity of Implementation rating system (FIMP) was used to evaluate practitioners’ fidelity to the GenerationPMTO intervention in six countries following implementation showing high levels of adherence up to 17 years post certification. Other studies showed FIMP to have predictive validity. The present study provides inter-rater reliability data for this fidelity tool across teams of the purveyor, Implementation Sciences International, Inc./ISII, and national and international sites over a five-year period.

Methods

Data assess inter-rater reliability in terms of percent agreement and intraclass correlation (ICC) for the purveyor’s two fidelity teams and the fidelity teams in seven implementation sites.

Results

Results report stable good to excellent levels of inter-rater reliability and ICCs as well as good attendance at fidelity meetings for all fidelity teams.

Conclusions

This observational method of assessing fidelity post implementation is a promising approach to enable EBPPs to be transferred safely from purveyors to communities while maintaining reliable fidelity to the intervention.
Systems thinking methods: a worked example of supporting emergency medical services decision-makers to prioritize and contextually analyse potential interventions and their implementation
Authors: Rehbock Cassandra , Krafft Thomas , Sommer Anja , Beumer Carijn , Beckers Stefan K. , Thate Stefan , Kaminski Jörn , Ziemann Alexandra
Published: June 2023

Background

Systems thinking can be used as a participatory data collection and analysis tool to understand complex implementation contexts and their dynamics with interventions, and it can support the selection of tailored and effective implementation actions. A few previous studies have applied systems thinking methods, mainly causal loop diagrams, to prioritize interventions and to illustrate the respective implementation context. The present study aimed to explore how systems thinking methods can help decision-makers (1) understand locally specific causes and effects of a key issue and how they are interlinked, (2) identify the most relevant interventions and best fit in the system, and (3) prioritize potential interventions and contextually analyse the system and potential interventions.

Methods

A case study approach was adopted in a regional emergency medical services (EMS) system in Germany. We applied systems thinking methods following three steps: (1) a causal loop diagram (CLD) with causes and effects (variables) of the key issue “rising EMS demand” was developed together with local decision-makers; (2) targeted interventions addressing the key issue were determined, and impacts and delays were used to identify best intervention variables to determine the system’s best fit for implementation; (3) based on steps 1 and 2, interventions were prioritized and, based on a pathway analysis related to a sample intervention, contextually analysed.

Results

Thirty-seven variables were identified in the CLD. All of them, except for the key issue, relate to one of five interlinked subsystems. Five variables were identified as best fit for implementing three potential interventions. Based on predicted implementation difficulty and effect, as well as delays and best intervention variables, interventions were prioritized. The pathway analysis on the example of implementing a standardized structured triage tool highlighted certain contextual factors (e.g. relevant stakeholders, organizations), delays and related feedback loops (e.g. staff resource finiteness) that help decision-makers to tailor the implementation.

Conclusions

Systems thinking methods can be used by local decision-makers to understand their local implementation context and assess its influence and dynamic connections to the implementation of a particular intervention, allowing them to develop tailored implementation and monitoring strategies.
Exploring the merits of research performance measures that comply with the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment and strategies to overcome barriers of adoption: qualitative interviews with administrators and researchers
Authors: Boury Himani , Albert Mathieu , Chen Robert H. C. , Chow James C. L. , DaCosta Ralph , Hoffman Michael M. , Keshavarz Behrang , Kontos Pia , McAndrews Mary Pat , Protze Stephanie , Gagliardi Anna R.
Published: June 2023

Background

In prior research, we identified and prioritized ten measures to assess research performance that comply with the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment, a principle adopted worldwide that discourages metrics-based assessment. Given the shift away from assessment based on Journal Impact Factor, we explored potential barriers to implementing and adopting the prioritized measures.

Methods

We identified administrators and researchers across six research institutes, conducted telephone interviews with consenting participants, and used qualitative description and inductive content analysis to derive themes.

Results

We interviewed 18 participants: 6 administrators (research institute business managers and directors) and 12 researchers (7 on appointment committees) who varied by career stage (2 early, 5 mid, 5 late). Participants appreciated that the measures were similar to those currently in use, comprehensive, relevant across disciplines, and generated using a rigorous process. They also said the reporting template was easy to understand and use. In contrast, a few administrators thought the measures were not relevant across disciplines. A few participants said it would be time-consuming and difficult to prepare narratives when reporting the measures, and several thought that it would be difficult to objectively evaluate researchers from a different discipline without considerable effort to read their work. Strategies viewed as necessary to overcome barriers and support implementation of the measures included high-level endorsement of the measures, an official launch accompanied by a multi-pronged communication strategy, training for both researchers and evaluators, administrative support or automated reporting for researchers, guidance for evaluators, and sharing of approaches across research institutes.

Conclusions

While participants identified many strengths of the measures, they also identified a few limitations and offered corresponding strategies to address the barriers that we will apply at our organization. Ongoing work is needed to develop a framework to help evaluators translate the measures into an overall assessment. Given little prior research that identified research assessment measures and strategies to support adoption of those measures, this research may be of interest to other organizations that assess the quality and impact of research.
NUCB2/Nesfatin-1 drives breast cancer metastasis through the up-regulation of cholesterol synthesis via the mTORC1 pathway
Authors: Ning Siyi , Liu Caiying , Wang Kangtao , Cai Yubo , Ning Zhicheng , Li Ming , Zeng Liang
Published: June 2023

Background

Reprogramming lipid metabolism for tumor metastasis is essential in breast cancer, and NUCB2/Nesfatin-1 plays a crucial role in regulating energy metabolism. Its high expression is associated with poor prognosis in breast cancer. Here, we studied whether NUCB2/Nesfatin-1 promotes breast cancer metastasis through reprogramming cholesterol metabolism.

Methods

ELISA was employed to measure the concentration of Nesfatin-1 in the serum of breast cancer patients and the control group. Database analysis suggested that NUCB2/Nesfatin-1 might be acetylated in breast cancer, which was confirmed by treating the breast cancer cells with acetyltransferase inhibitors. Transwell migration and Matrigel invasion assays were conducted, and nude mouse lung metastasis models were established to examine the effect of NUCB2/Nesfatin-1 on breast cancer metastasis in vitro and in vivo. The Affymetrix gene expression chip results were analyzed using IPA software to identify the critical pathway induced by NUCB2/Nesfatin-1. We evaluated the effect of NUCB2/Nesfatin-1 on cholesterol biosynthesis through the mTORC1-SREBP2-HMGCR axis by utilizing mTORC1 inhibitor and rescue experiments.

Results

NUCB2/Nesfatin-1 was found to be overexpressed in the breast cancer patients, and its overexpression was positively correlated with poor prognosis. NUCB2 was potentially acetylated, leading to high expression in breast cancer. NUCB2/Nesfatin-1 promoted metastasis in vitro and in vivo, while Nesfatin-1 rescued impaired cell metastasis induced by NUCB2 depletion. Mechanistically, NUCB2/Nesfatin-1 upregulated cholesterol synthesis via the mTORC1 signal pathway, contributing to breast cancer migration and metastasis.

Conclusions

Our findings demonstrate that the NUCB2/Nesfatin-1/mTORC1/SREBP2 signal pathway is critical in regulating cholesterol synthesis, essential for breast cancer metastasis. Thus, NUCB2/Nesfatin-1 might be utilized as a diagnostic tool and also used in cancer therapy for breast cancer in the future.
Influence of shear force on ex vivo expansion of hematopoietic model cells in a stirred tank bioreactor
Authors: Mohseni Sofia , Khoshfetrat Ali Baradar , Rahbarghazi Reza , Khodabakhshaghdam Shahla , Kaleybar Leila Shafiei
Published: June 2023

To evaluate shear stress influence on ex vivo expansion of hematopoietic cell lineages for clinical application, in this study, human pro-monocytic cell (namely U937 cell line) was selected as a hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) model and cultured in suspension mode at two different agitation rates (50, 100 rpm) in the stirred bioreactor. At the agitation rate of 50 rpm, the cells achieved higher expansion folds (27.4 fold) with minimal morphological changes as well as apoptotic cell death, while at 100 rpm the expansion fold decreased after 5-day of culture in suspension culture in comparison with static culture and reached 24.5 fold at the end of the culture. The results of glucose consumption and lactate production were also in agreement with the data of fold expansion and indicated the preference of culture in the stirred bioreactor when agitated at 50 rpm. This study indicated the stirred bioreactor system with an agitation rate of 50 rpm and surface aeration may be used as a potential dynamic culture system for clinical applications of hematopoietic cell lineage. The current experiments shed data related to the effect of shear stress on human U937 cells, as a hematopoietic cell model, to set a protocol for expansion of HSCs for biomedical applications.
Panniculectomy as a surgical option for the management of a deep surgical site infection after C-section in a morbidly obese woman: a case report
Authors: Kamla Joël Igor , Bwelle Georges Motto , Tochie Joel Noutakdie , Tchuenkam Landry Wakheu , Wandji Brigitte , Kamto Trevor , Esiéné Agnès
Published: June 2023

Background

Obesity is an independent risk factor for the occurrence of surgical site infections (SSIs) following all types of surgeries, especially after Caesarean section (C-section). SSIs increase postoperative morbidity, health economic cost and their management is quiet complex with no universal therapeutic consensus. Herein, we report a challenging case of a deep SSI after C-section in a central morbidly obese woman managed successfully by panniculectomy.

Case presentation

A 30-year-old black African pregnant woman with marked abdominal panniculus extending to the pubic area, a waist circumference = 162 cm and BMI = 47.7 kg/m2 underwent an emergency CS indicated for acute fetal distress. By day five post-operation, she developed a deep parietal incisional infection unremitting to antibiotic therapy, wound dressings and beside wound debridement till the 26th postoperative day. A large abdomen panniculus and maceration of the wound enhanced by central obesity increased the risk of failure of spontaneous closure; thus, an abdominoplasty by panniculectomy was indicated. The patient underwent panniculectomy on the 26th day after the initial surgery and her post-operative course was uneventful. Wound esthetics was satisfactory three months later. Adjuvant dietary and psychological management were associated.

Conclusion

Post-Caesarean deep SSI is a frequent complication in obese patients. A panniculectomy may be a safe and promising therapeutic surgical option with good cosmetic results and little postoperative complications when used in a multidisciplinary anti-obesogenic approach.
Pollination success of Fraxinus excelsior L. in the context of ash dieback
Authors: Eisen Anna-Katharina , Semizer-Cuming Devrim , Jochner-Oette Susanne , Fussi Barbara
Published: June 2023

Key message

Paternity analyses show that effective pollination of ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.) in a seed orchard and a floodplain forest affected by ash dieback is more likely to be facilitated by healthier males. Thereby, natural selection can have a positive effect on the health of future generations.

Context

Ongoing ash dieback and increasing fragmentation of ash populations may result in reduced pollen flow, which can reduce pollination success of future generations of ash trees. Therefore, it is essential to further improve our understanding of gene flow patterns, especially with respect to ash dieback.

Aims

In this study, paternity analyses were conducted in a seed orchard and a floodplain forest in Germany in 2018 to explain the relationship between pollination success and the health status of ash trees and distances of effective pollen transport.

Methods

Cambium samples (i.e., from twigs and stumps) were collected from 251 ash trees (putative father and mother trees) for genotyping, and the health status of each tree was documented using a scoring system to evaluate vitality. Additionally, seeds were harvested from 12 mother trees per site. Genetic analyses using nuclear microsatellites were performed to determine paternal trees. Paternities were assigned based on the likelihood model implemented in the Cervus 3.0.7 software.

Results

Our results showed that the average pollination distance was 76 m in the seed orchard and 166 m in the floodplain forest. In general, pollination success decreased substantially with increasing distance to the mother tree. Despite the dense tree cover in the floodplain forest, pollen were transported over long distances (greater than 550 m), suggesting that non-local sources also play a role in pollination. This is supported by the foreign pollen input identified in the seed orchard (66.5%). Self-pollination was detected only to a very small extent, and thus had no major influence on reproduction. In addition, both healthy and slightly diseased father trees showed similar mating success. However, this was not the case for the severely diseased ash trees (more than 50% of crown damage) because only a few offspring could be assigned to them. Nevertheless, in contrast to the floodplain forest, there was no significant correlation between damage classes and pollination success in the seed orchard.

Conclusion

Long-distance pollen transport contributes to the connectivity of ash trees in the landscape. Additionally, both healthy and slightly diseased fathers have a greater contribution to pollination, thus potentially improving the health of the next generation of ash trees. Moreover, gene flow between stepping stone populations is necessary to ensure the positive impact on the genetic diversity of ash populations in the future.
PEGylated magnetic nanographene oxide for targeted delivery of arsenic trioxide and sec-o-glucosylhamaudol in tumor treatment with improved dual-drugs synergistic effect
Authors: Cheng Jinlai , Hong Kun , Sun Jianhui , Li Hongmei , Zhao Yu , Zhao Qinghe , Tan Yuqing , Yang Miyi
Published: June 2023

Arsenic trioxide (ATO) is a promising chemotherapeutic agent, but its clinical application is limited due to its poor pharmacokinetics and dose-limited toxicity. Moreover, the combination of ATO and sec-o-glucosylhamaudol (SOG) can improve the therapeutic effect of hepatoma. In this study, PEGylated magnetic nanographene oxide (PEG@MGO) was used as magnetic carriers to enhance the targeting ability of the drug delivery system. ATO and SOG are loaded on the surface of PEG@MGO nanoparticles through electrostatic interactions. This biocompatible nanocomposite shows magnetic susceptibility, pH sensitivity, and high loading capacity of the drugs. The in vitro cytotoxicity study of human hepatoma cell line (HepG2) cells showed more significant cytotoxicity and obvious synergistic effect between ATO and SOG compared with that of single drug-loaded nanoparticles via MTT assay. In vitro cellular uptake was observed by Prussian blue staining and fluorescently labeling. The results demonstrated a high cellular internalization rate of PEG@MGO. The ATO and SOG co-loaded nanodrug significantly inhibits the growth of tumors in vivo, which might be due to the oxidative stress and proapoptotic effect. This type of multidrug nanocomposite offers a promising alternative for cancer therapy.

Graphical Abstract

A pH-sensitive polyethylene glycol-modified magnetic graphene oxide loaded with ATO and SOG (PEG@MGO@ATO + SOG) was prepared for the magnetically targeted and efficient synergistic-chemo cancer therapy, which exhibited high specificity and good biocompatibility.
Effectiveness of routine provision of feedback from patient‐reported outcome measurements for cancer care improvement: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Lu Sheng-Chieh , Porter I. , Valderas J. M. , Harrison C. J. , Sidey-Gibbons Chris
Published: June 2023

Background

Research shows that feeding back patient-reported outcome information to clinicians and/or patients could be associated with improved care processes and patient outcomes. Quantitative syntheses of intervention effects on oncology patient outcomes are lacking.

Objective

To determine the effects of patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) feedback intervention on oncology patient outcomes.

Data sources

We identified relevant studies from 116 references included in our previous Cochrane review assessing the intervention for the general population. In May 2022, we conducted a systematic search in five bibliography databases using predefined keywords for additional studies published after the Cochrane review.

Study selection

We included randomized controlled trials evaluating the effects of PROM feedback intervention on processes and outcomes of care for oncology patients.

Data extraction and synthesis

We used the meta-analytic approach to synthesize across studies measuring the same outcomes. We estimated pooled effects of the intervention on outcomes using Cohen’s d for continuous data and risk ratio (RR) with a 95% confidence interval for dichotomous data. We used a descriptive approach to summarize studies which reported insufficient data for a meta-analysis.

Main outcome(s) and measures(s)

Health-related quality of life (HRQL), symptoms, patient-healthcare provider communication, number of visits and hospitalizations, number of adverse events, and overall survival.

Results

We included 29 studies involving 7071 cancer participants. A small number of studies was available for each metanalysis (median = 3 studies, ranging from 2 to 9 studies) due to heterogeneity in the evaluation of the trials. We found that the intervention improved HRQL (Cohen’s d = 0.23, 95% CI 0.11–0.34), mental functioning (Cohen’s d = 0.14, 95% CI 0.02–0.26), patient-healthcare provider communication (Cohen’s d = 0.41, 95% CI 0.20–0.62), and 1-year overall survival (OR = 0.64, 95% CI 0.48–0.86). The risk of bias across studies was considerable in the domains of allocation concealment, blinding, and intervention contamination.

Conclusions and relevance

Although we found evidence to support the intervention for highly relevant outcomes, our conclusions are tempered by the high risk of bias relating mainly to intervention design. PROM feedback for oncology patients may improve processes and outcomes for cancer patients but more high-quality evidence is required.
Comparative study between ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block and thoracic paravertebral block for postoperative analgesia after video-assisted thoracic surgery: an equivalence study
Authors: Sobhy Ahmed Anwer , Sharaf Samia Ibrahim , Kamaly Ayman Mokhtar , Hilal Amr Mohamed , Elaziz Farouk Kamal Eldin Abd
Published: June 2023

Background

It is advised to use a regional block to lower postoperative opioid usage. Therefore, we aimed to compare the analgesic effect of erector spinae plane block (ESPB) and thoracic paravertebral block (TPVB) on the need for morphine following video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS).

Results

The findings revealed that TPVB and ESPB groups were equivalent in analgesic efficacy with postoperative morphine consumption in mg 15.2 ± 2.7 and 14.9 ± 2.4 respectively. statistically significant shorter block time in ESPB was 8.1 ± 1.7 min in contrast to 11.35 ± 1.7 min in TPVB and better patient satisfaction in the ESPB than in TPVB groups (p value < 0.05). No statistically significant differences existed between the two groups in terms of postoperative pain score (VAS) at rest, cough at any time point, or incidence of complications (p value > 0.05). There were significantly lower heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) trends in 15 and 30 min intraoperatively (p value < 0.001) in the TPVB group.

Conclusions

ESPB has analgesic efficacy equivalent to TPVB from aspects of equivalent postoperative morphine consumption and VAS at rest and during cough with shorter block time and better patient satisfaction.

Trial registration

Pan African Clinical Trial Registry PACTR202109527452994. Registered on 8 September 2021.
Identification of proteins regulated by chlorogenic acid in an ischemic animal model: a proteomic approach
Authors: Shah Murad-Ali , Kang Ju-Bin , Koh Phil-Ok
Published: June 2023

Background

Cerebral ischemia is a serious neurological disorder that can lead to high morbidity and mortality. Chlorogenic acid is a polyphenol compound with antioxidant that can regulate proteins in cerebral ischemia. Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) surgery was performed to induce ischemic brain injury and was maintained for 24 h. Chlorogenic acid (30 mg/kg) or vehicle was administrated into the peritoneal cavity 2 h after MCAO surgery. The cerebral cortical tissues were collected for further study and a proteomic approach was performed to identify the proteins changed by chlorogenic acid in the MCAO animals.

Results

We found that chlorogenic acid alleviated in changes in adenosylhomocysteinase, glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4A-II, apolipoprotein A-I, and mu-crystallin. These proteins were reduced in MCAO animals with vehicle, and these reductions were attenuated by chlorogenic acid treatment. The mitigation of this reduction by chlorogenic acid was confirmed by the reverse transcription PCR technique. These proteins are associated with energy metabolism, protein synthesis, inflammation, and physiological metabolism. They are involved in the neuroprotective effect of chlorogenic acid. These results showed that chlorogenic acid alleviates the neurological disorders caused by MCAO and regulates the expression of proteins involved in neuroprotection.

Conclusions

Therefore, our findings provide evidence that chlorogenic acid plays a neuroprotective role in stroke animal models by controlling specific proteins.
Defining re-implementation
Authors: Moyal-Smith Rachel , Etheridge James C. , Karlage Ami , Sonnay Yves , Yuan Christina T. , Havens Joaquim M. , Brindle Mary E. , Berry William
Published: June 2023

Background

The first attempt to implement a new tool or practice does not always lead to the desired outcome. Re-implementation, which we define as the systematic process of reintroducing an intervention in the same environment, often with some degree of modification, offers another chance at implementation with the opportunity to address failures, modify, and ultimately achieve the desired outcomes. This article proposes a definition and taxonomy for re-implementation informed by case examples in the literature.

Main body

We conducted a scoping review of the literature for cases that describe re-implementation in concept or practice. We used an iterative process to identify our search terms, pilot testing synonyms or phrases related to re-implementation. We searched PubMed and CINAHL, including articles that described implementing an intervention in the same environment where it had already been implemented. We excluded articles that were policy-focused or described incremental changes as part of a rapid learning cycle, efforts to spread, or a stalled implementation. We assessed for commonalities among cases and conducted a thematic analysis on the circumstance in which re-implementation occurred. A total of 15 articles representing 11 distinct cases met our inclusion criteria. We identified three types of circumstances where re-implementation occurs: (1) failed implementation, where the intervention is appropriate, but the implementation process is ineffective, failing to result in the intended changes; (2) flawed intervention, where modifications to the intervention itself are required either because the tool or process is ineffective or requires tailoring to the needs and/or context of the setting where it is used; and (3) unsustained intervention, where the initially successful implementation of an intervention fails to be sustained. These three circumstances often co-exist; however, there are unique considerations and strategies for each type that can be applied to re-implementation.

Conclusions

Re-implementation occurs in implementation practice but has not been consistently labeled or described in the literature. Defining and describing re-implementation offers a framework for implementation practitioners embarking on a re-implementation effort and a starting point for further research to bridge the gap between practice and science into this unexplored part of implementation.
Epigenetic regulation and therapeutic targets in the tumor microenvironment
Authors: Xie Zhuojun , Zhou Zirui , Yang Shuxian , Zhang Shiwen , Shao Bin
Published: June 2023

The tumor microenvironment (TME) is crucial to neoplastic processes, fostering proliferation, angiogenesis and metastasis. Epigenetic regulations, primarily including DNA and RNA methylation, histone modification and non-coding RNA, have been generally recognized as an essential feature of tumor malignancy, exceedingly contributing to the dysregulation of the core gene expression in neoplastic cells, bringing about the evasion of immunosurveillance by influencing the immune cells in TME. Recently, compelling evidence have highlighted that clinical therapeutic approaches based on epigenetic machinery modulate carcinogenesis through targeting TME components, including normalizing cells’ phenotype, suppressing cells’ neovascularization and repressing the immunosuppressive components in TME. Therefore, TME components have been nominated as a promising target for epigenetic drugs in clinical cancer management. This review focuses on the mechanisms of epigenetic modifications occurring to the pivotal TME components including the stroma, immune and myeloid cells in various tumors reported in the last five years, concludes the tight correlation between TME reprogramming and tumor progression and immunosuppression, summarizes the current advances in cancer clinical treatments and potential therapeutic targets with reference to epigenetic drugs. Finally, we summarize some of the restrictions in the field of cancer research at the moment, further discuss several interesting epigenetic gene targets with potential strategies to boost antitumor immunity.
Mutation Burden Independently Predicts Survival in the Pan-Cancer Atlas
Authors: Smith Jeffrey R. , Parl Fritz F. , Dupont William D.
Published: June 2023

PURPOSE

Long-standing clinical predictors of cancer survival have included histopathologic type, stage, and grade. We hypothesized that the principal categories of tumor somatic mutations might also portend survival. We investigated this hypothesis using the Pan-Cancer Atlas, encompassing clinical, genomic, and outcome data of 10,652 patients and 32 cancer types.

METHODS

We evaluated the prognostic capability of cancer type, stage, grade and the burden of each major mutation category on overall and disease-specific survival. Mutation categories included short substitution and insertion-deletion mutations (SMs), copy number alterations (CNAs), and gene fusions.

RESULTS

SM count and CNA fraction proved to be strong independent predictors of survival (joint P = 5.3e−95) that remained highly significant when adjusted for the traditional factors. Importantly, the relationship between mutation burden and survival proved to be nonlinear ( P = 9.5e−56); survival improved at both low- and high-burden extremes. In clinically predictive modeling, SM count together with CNA fraction meaningfully distinguished survival even among patients sharing a given cancer type, stage, or grade.

CONCLUSION

Burden of somatic mutation is a key index of survival of analogous clinical utility to these traditional factors.
Trimaximal mixing and extended magic symmetry in a model of neutrino mass matrix
Authors: Singh Labh , Tapender  , Kashav Monal , Verma Surender
Published: June 2023

The trimaximal mixing scheme

results in “magic” neutrino mass matrix

which is known to accommodate neutrino oscillation data. In this paper, we propose a phenomenological ansatz for

by extending the magic symmetry that leads to further reduction in the number of free parameters, thereby increasing the predictability of the model. The neutrino mixing parameters, effective Majorana mass m

ee
and CP invariants (J

CP
, I
1, I
2) are found to exhibit strong correlations for

mixing paradigm. One of the generic feature of the model is the requirement of non-maximal

for possible CP violation measurable in neutrino oscillation experiments. The observables m

ee
and sum of neutrino masses

have imperative implications for yet unknown neutrino mass hierarchy. For inverted hierarchy, the lower bound on

, predicted by the model, is found to be within the sensitivity reach of the

decay experiments. Also, cosmological bound of 0.12 eV on

, at 95% CL, refutes inverted hierarchy implying

with normal hierarchy as the only viable possibility in the model. We have, also, illustrated a scenario wherein such a construction of the neutrino mass matrix can be realized using

symmetry in the framework of Type-I+II seesaw mechanism.
Motherwork, Daughterwork
Authors: de los Reyes Paulina , Mulinari Diana
Published: June 2023

This article explores how young women born in Sweden, or arriving in Sweden as toddlers, who belong to the Latin American diaspora give meaning to and act on their experiences of being the daughters of migrant mothers, whose political activism shapes their views and practices of mothering and migration. The analysis is inspired by feminist/antiracist methodologies and consists of eight in-depth interviews with young adult women, all of them daughters of political refugees who came to Sweden to escape persecution by the military dictatorships in Latin America in the late 1970s. The interviews are combined with two focus groups that took place in the two largest Swedish cities. The category we will bring to light is that of the daughters; adults now, aged between thirty and forty-five (six of them mothers themselves). The central question in this article is what perceptions of mothering can be articulated from the perspective of daughters of Latin American migrant mothers, in a context where memories of political persecution and exile and experiences of institutional and everyday racism shape the conditions of motherwork for both the migrant mothers and their daughters.
Strategies of Visibilization
Authors: sandoval romero* claudia
Published: June 2023

Strategies of Visibilization is a spatial installation that consists of the listings of artists who participated in exhibitions at the Museum moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig Wien-mumok between 1998 and 2018. The installation compares proportions of participation by gender and geopolitical origin. From a subjective-critical perspective and by addressing questions about representation, positioning in the artistic field, and power relationships within the museological context, the proposal seeks to contribute to the debates about loss, mourning, and restitution of women in the Global South who have been denied a position in the art field.
Transcriptome analysis reveals an Atoh1b-dependent gene set downstream of Dlx3b/4b during early inner ear development in zebrafish
Authors: Ezhkova Diana , Schwarzer Simone , Spieß Sandra , Geffarth Michaela , Machate Anja , Zöller Daniela , Stucke Johanna , Alexopoulou Dimitra , Lesche Mathias , Dahl Andreas , Hans Stefan
Published: June 2023

The vertebrate inner ear is the sensory organ mediating hearing and balance. The entire organ develops from the otic placode, which itself originates from the otic-epibranchial progenitor domain (OEPD). Multiple studies in various species have shown the importance of the forkhead-box and distal-less homeodomain transcription factor families for OEPD and subsequent otic placode formation. However, the transcriptional networks downstream of these factors are only beginning to be understood. Using transcriptome analysis, we here reveal numerous genes regulated by the distal-less homeodomain transcription factors Dlx3b and Dlx4b (Dlx3b/4b). We identify known and novel transcripts displaying widespread OEPD expression in a Dlx3b/4b-dependent manner. Some genes, with a known OEPD expression in other vertebrate species, might be members of a presumptive vertebrate core module required for proper otic development. Moreover, we identify genes controlling early-born sensory hair cell formation as well as regulating biomineral tissue development, both consistent with defective sensory hair cell and otolith formation observed in dlx3b/4b mutants. Finally, we show that ectopic Atoh1b expression can rescue early sensorigenesis even in the absence of Dlx3b/4b. Taken together, our data will help to unravel the gene regulatory network underlying early inner ear development and provide insights into the molecular control of vertebrate inner ear formation to restore hearing loss in humans ultimately.