bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Global Health Care Experiences of Female Survivors Who Experienced Trafficking: A Meta‐Ethnography
Authors: Vo Timothea , Purkayastha Bandana
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Most nurses and midwives do not feel adequately prepared to respond to the complex trauma and social and cultural needs of female clients who have experienced trafficking. There are data to support a lack of knowledge among health care providers about the types of human trafficking as well as poor structural supports within health care systems. The purpose of this review was to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the global health care experiences of females who have experienced trafficking.

Methods

Noblit and Hare's 7‐step meta‐ethnographic approach was used. We analyzed constructs, concepts, themes, and metaphors using reciprocal translations. The guidelines for preferred reporting the synthesis of qualitative research were adhered to enhancing transparency (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses).

Results

The collaborative search process in the PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Scopus databases resulted in 7 high‐quality research studies published between January 2016 and January 2021. Most studies explored individuals’ experiences of trafficking and views of health care services, challenges, and service use barriers. A total of 228 female survivors who experienced trafficking participated. They primarily experienced trafficking within different parts of North America, Eastern Europe, Africa, and South and Southeast Asia. Three main themes emerged: privacy, confidentiality, and identity problems; powerlessness; and clinician recognition and responsiveness.

Discussion

All participants reported being exposed to extremely high levels of physical and mental abuse before, during, and after exiting trafficking. Therefore, clinicians will require ongoing training and clearer guidance from clinical leadership to adequately care for the varying health needs of women and girls who have experienced trafficking or are currently in a trafficking situation. Adoption of a culturally sensitive, patient‐centered, and trauma‐informed approach is needed, as clients’ reasons for staying in a trafficking situation vary. Relationships of trust should be formed in which rapport is cocreated and in which members of the health care team and client work hand in hand together to envision, identify, and pursue future‐oriented and strength‐based goals toward healing.
Demography and linked selection interact to shape the genomic landscape of codistributed woodpeckers during the Ice Age
Authors: Moreira Lucas R. , Klicka John , Smith Brian Tilston
Published: January 2023

The influence of genetic drift on population dynamics during Pleistocene glacial cycles is well understood, but the role of selection in shaping patterns of genomic variation during these events is less explored. We resequenced whole genomes to investigate how demography and natural selection interact to generate the genomic landscapes of Downy and Hairy Woodpecker, species codistributed in previously glaciated North America. First, we explored the spatial and temporal patterns of genomic diversity produced by neutral evolution. Next, we tested (i) whether levels of nucleotide diversity along the genome are correlated with intrinsic genomic properties, such as recombination rate and gene density, and (ii) whether different demographic trajectories impacted the efficacy of selection. Our results revealed cycles of bottleneck and expansion, and genetic structure associated with glacial refugia. Nucleotide diversity varied widely along the genome, but this variation was highly correlated between the species, suggesting the presence of conserved genomic features. In both taxa, nucleotide diversity was positively correlated with recombination rate and negatively correlated with gene density, suggesting that linked selection played a role in reducing diversity. Despite strong fluctuations in effective population size, the maintenance of relatively large populations during glaciations may have facilitated selection. Under these conditions, we found evidence that the individual demographic trajectory of populations modulated linked selection, with purifying selection being more efficient in removing deleterious alleles in large populations. These results highlight that while genome‐wide variation reflects the expected signature of demographic change during climatic perturbations, the interaction of multiple processes produces a predictable and highly heterogeneous genomic landscape.
An elite γ‐gliadin allele improves end‐use quality in wheat
Authors: Liu Dan , Yang Huaimao , Zhang Zhaoheng , Chen Qian , Guo Weilong , Rossi Vincenzo , Xin Mingming , Du Jinkun , Hu Zhaorong , Liu Jie , Peng Huiru , Ni Zhongfu , Sun Qixin , Yao Yingyin
Published: January 2023

Gluten is composed of glutenins and gliadins and determines the viscoelastic properties of dough and end‐use quality in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Gliadins are important for wheat end‐use traits, but the contribution of individual gliadin genes is unclear, since gliadins are encoded by a complex, multigenic family, including many pseudogenes.

We used CRISPR/Cas9‐mediated gene editing and map‐based cloning to investigate the contribution of the γ‐gliadin genes annotated in the wheat cultivar ‘Fielder’, showing that Gli‐γ1‐1D and Gli‐γ2‐1B account for most of the γ‐gliadin accumulation.

The impaired activity of only two γ‐gliadin genes in knockout mutants improved end‐use quality and reduced gluten epitopes associated with celiac disease (CD). Furthermore, we identified an elite haplotype of Gli‐γ1‐1D linked to higher end‐use quality in a wheat germplasm collection and developed a molecular marker for this allele for marker‐assisted selection.

Our findings provide information and tools for biotechnology‐based and classical breeding programs aimed at improving wheat end‐use quality.
The impacts of imports and trade liberalization in Brazil: Insights from an aggregate cost function
Authors: Truett Lila J. , Truett Dale B.
Published: January 2023

Brazil has faced and continues to struggle with difficult economic challenges, including achieving noninflationary economic growth and a manageable external deficit. This paper presents the results of the estimation of an aggregate translog cost function with inputs of domestic capital and labor and imports and outputs of consumption and investment goods. The resulting calculated elasticities give insights into the relationships among the inputs, as well as the possible impacts of further reducing international trade barriers. The findings suggest that all of the inputs are substitutes for one another and that an increase in imports may have at least short‐run negative effects on the demand for domestic capital and labor. However, imports appear to be particularly important in the production of investment goods, so an increase in imports may result in a more than proportionate increase in the output of those products and enhance the long‐term growth of the economy. The responses to current challenges facing Brazil will affect its future economic growth as well as have a broader impact on the international scene. The results described here may help to inform policy makers as they address these issues, particularly with respect to international trade policies.
The Effect of Ministerial Instability on Government's Mandate Fulfilment: Evidence from the Portuguese Case
Authors: Belchior Ana Maria , Silveira Pedro
Published: January 2023

Research on the fulfilment of electoral promises has been particularly fruitful over the past decades. Most of it focused on examining pledge fulfilment at the cabinet level, and little emphasis was placed on the reasons underlying the level of compliance. As a consequence, core factors in explaining pledge fulfilment have not yet been explored. One such factor might be instability in a government's internal functioning. We argue that ministerial instability is relevant for explaining a government's broken promises, and that its importance increases at the junior minister level and among the most salient ministries. Relying on data on the fulfilment of electoral promises and ministerial instability in Portugal between 1995 and 2019, backed by interviews with former ministers and junior ministers, we provide evidence that the fulfilment of electoral promises is significantly influenced by portfolio volatility, particularly at the junior ministerial level and in the most important ministries.
An analysis of the outcomes of Clostridioides difficile occurring in intestinal transplant recipients requiring hospitalization
Authors: Amjad Waseem , Schiano Thomas , Segovia Maria C. , Malik Adnan , Weiner Joshua , Horslen Simon , Jafri Syed‐Mohammed
Published: January 2023

Background

Organ transplantation is a known risk factor for Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI). There is limited published data on the impact of CDI in the intestinal transplant population.

Methods

We utilized the National Readmission Database (2010–2017) to study the outcomes of CDI in patients having a history of intestinal transplantation. Association of CDI with readmission and hospital resource utilization was computed in multivariable models adjusted for demographics and comorbidities.

Results

During 2010–2017, 8442 hospitalizations with the history of intestinal transplantation had indexed hospital admissions. Of these, 320 (3.8%) had CDI. CDI hospitalization in intestine transplant patients was associated with higher median cost $54 430 (IQR: 27 231, 109 980) as compared to patients who did not have CDI $48 888 (IQR: 22 578, 112 777), (β: 71 814 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 676–142 953, p = .048). The median length of stay was also longer for patients with CDI 7 (IQR: 4, 13) days as compared to 5 (IQR: 3, 11) days in non‐CDI (β: 5.51 95% CI: 0.73–10.29, p = .02). The mortality rate, intestinal transplant complications, presence of malnutrition, acute kidney injury, ICU admissions, and sepsis were similar in both groups. CDI was the top cause of 30‐day readmission in the intestinal transplant recipients with CDI during the index admission; the number of 30‐day readmissions also increased from 2010 to 2017.

Conclusion

CDI hospitalization in post–intestine transplant patients occurs commonly and is associated with a longer length of stay and higher costs during hospitalization. The CDI was the most common cause of readmission after the index admission of CDI in these patients.

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Application of an Automatic Mesh Convergence Procedure for the Large Eddy Simulation of a Multipoint Injection System
Authors: Puggelli S. , Leparoux J. , Brunet C. , Mercier R. , Liberatori L. , Zurbach S. , Cabot G. , Grisch F.
Published: January 2023

Lean combustion is an attractive alternative to limit pollutants levels in order to meet the imposed limitations for the next generation of civil aero-engines. However, its implementation involves important technological questions related to the augmentation of the air dedicated to the combustion process. An effort on the injection system design is required and large eddy simulation (LES) can be a useful tool in order to explore the design of novel concepts. At the state of the art, the validation of LES in high-pressure reactive conditions and in presence of the liquid phase is still limited. This shrinks the understanding and optimization of lean devices. The industrial project PERCEVAL, between Safran Tech and the CORIA laboratory, aims at extending the actual knowhow on lean combustion. Novel optical experimental techniques have been developed at CORIA to gain detailed information on industrial injection systems at high-pressure conditions. Within PERCEVAL, Safran Tech is in charge of the assessment of LES by using the experimental dataset collected at CORIA. In this framework, a novel automatic mesh convergence (AMC) procedure, based on adaptive mesh refinement, has been developed in the YALES2 platform to speed-up the calculation process. In the present paper, the AMC framework is described and then applied on the lean injection system designed at Safran Tech and tested during PERCEVAL. An analysis is carried out to evaluate the interest and gains offered by the AMC framework.
Investigation of Electromechanical Reliability and Radio Frequency Performance of a Highly Stretchable Liquid Metal Conductor for Wearable Electronics
Authors: Garakani Behnam , Somarathna Udara S. , Umar Ashraf , Khinda Gurvinder Singh , Abdelatty Mohamed Youssef M. , Abbara El Mehdi , Al Zerey Sari , Hopkins Mike , Srinivas Sai , Kinzel Chuck , Halseth Christopher , Ronay Mark , Poliks Mark D.
Published: January 2023

Liquid metal-based gallium conductors exhibit unique physical and electromechanical properties, which make them excellent candidates for the next generation of wearable electronics. In this study, a novel fluid phase-based gallium conductor was stencil printed on thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) to fabricate a stretchable conductor as well as a stretchable radio frequency (RF) transmission line. The electromechanical reliability of the conductor during high elongation as well as cyclic tension and bend fatigue was evaluated and compared with commercially available stretchable silver-filled polymer paste. The microstructure of the liquid metal conductor and the silver paste was investigated via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) before and after the samples were subjected to high elongation (>100%). Unlike the silver paste, the liquid metal conductor maintained its microstructural integrity while its resistance showed a linear response to changes in length. A cyclic tension fatigue test confirmed the fatigue-free performance of the liquid metal conductor during 8000 stretching cycles at a strain amplitude of 30%. The electromagnetic structure of the RF transmission line was simulated and then compared to the measured data. The measurements for insertion loss showed that U-bending, 90 deg twisting, and 1000 stretching cycles at a strain amplitude of 100% did not have a significant impact on the RF performance. Details of the DC tests and RF measurements, including the microstructural analysis and simulation results, will be discussed in this article.
The Effects of Preparedness and Activity on Head Impacts in Lacrosse Athletes
Authors: Rogerson Catherine E. , Jackson Bradley C. , Breedlove Katherine M. , Bowman Thomas G.
Published: January 2023

Considering the frequency and magnitude of head impacts occurring during sport participation is important to guide prevention initiatives. Our purpose was to compare magnitude and frequency of lacrosse players’ head impacts based on anticipation level and impact activity. Lacrosse athletes (16 men, 15 women) wore xPatch sensors during games and practices that measured impact magnitude (linear and rotational accelerations) and frequency of video verified head impacts. The interaction between impact activity and preparedness was not significant, multivariate: F(8, 1,730) = 1.03, p = .41, η2 = .01. Having a detailed understanding of the characteristics of head impacts could allow for focused interventions to reduce injury risk.
No Effect of Acute Balenine Supplementation on Maximal and Submaximal Exercise Performance in Recreational Cyclists
Authors: de Jager Sarah , Van Damme Stefaan , De Baere Siegrid , Croubels Siska , Jäger Ralf , Purpura Martin , Lievens Eline , Bourgois Jan G. , Derave Wim
Published: January 2023

Carnosine (β-alanyl-L-histidine) and its methylated analogues anserine and balenine are highly concentrated endogenous dipeptides in mammalian skeletal muscle that are implicated in exercise performance. Balenine has a much better bioavailability and stability in human circulation upon acute ingestion, compared to carnosine and anserine. Therefore, ergogenic effects observed with acute carnosine and anserine supplementation may be even more pronounced with balenine. This study investigated whether acute balenine supplementation improves physical performance in four maximal and submaximal exercise modalities. A total of 20 healthy, active volunteers (14 males; six females) performed cycling sprints, maximal isometric contractions, a 4-km TT and 20-km TT following either preexercise placebo or 10 mg/kg of balenine ingestion. Physical, as well as mental performance, along with acid–base balance and glucose concentration were assessed. Balenine was unable to augment peak power (p = .3553), peak torque (p = .3169), time to complete the 4 km (p = .8566), nor 20 km time trial (p = .2660). None of the performances were correlated with plasma balenine or CN1 enzyme activity. In addition, no effect on pH, bicarbonate, and lactate was observed. Also, the supplement did not affect mental performance. In contrast, glucose remained higher during and after the 20 km time trial following balenine ingestion. In conclusion, these results overall indicate that the functionality of balenine does not fully resemble that of carnosine and anserine, since it was unable to elicit performance improvements with similar and even higher plasma concentrations.
Sport Pedagogy Research and Its Contribution to the Rediscovery of Joyful Participation in Physical Education
Authors: Hastie Peter A.
Published: January 2023

This paper begins with the premise that the purpose of physical education is to help young people grow personal and durable playgrounds. That is, its goal is to allow students in schools to develop the skills and understandings about various movement topics to the extent that they can engage with these in deep and meaningful ways long after their lessons in the gymnasium have concluded. The paper presents a schematic that links how a physical education curriculum should be framed with the necessary ingredients of high-quality teaching to allow for successful forays into various movement cultures. The next section includes a justification of the schema using the very best of research in sport pedagogy that has been translated into school physical education settings. Two specific grand adventures that are the vehicles for creating enduring playgrounds are presented, these being sport education and student-designed games.
Molecular Basis and Evolutionary Origin of 1-Nitronaphthalene Catabolism in
Sphingobium
sp. Strain JS3065
Authors: Li Tao , Xu Jia , Brower Amy L. , Xu Zhi-Jing , Xu Ying , Spain Jim C. , Zhou Ning-Yi
Published: January 2023

Nitrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (nitro-PAHs) have been widely detected in the environment and they are more toxic than their corresponding parent PAHs. Although biodegradation of many PAHs has been extensively described at genetic and biochemical levels, little is known about the microbial degradation of nitro-PAHs.
Repeat-Unit Elongations To Produce Bacterial Complex Long Polysaccharide Chains, an O-Antigen Perspective
Authors: Hong Yaoqin , Hu Dalong , Verderosa Anthony D. , Qin Jilong , Totsika Makrina , Reeves Peter R.
Published: January 2023

The O-antigen, a long polysaccharide that constitutes the distal part of the outer membrane-anchored lipopolysaccharide, is one of the critical components in the protective outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. Most species produce one of the structurally diverse O-antigens, with nearly all the polysaccharide components having complex structures made by the Wzx/Wzy pathway.
Strain-Specific Gifsy-1 Prophage Genes Are Determinants for Expression of the RNA Repair Operon during the SOS Response in Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium
Authors: Kurasz Jennifer E. , Crawford Madison C. , Porwollik Steffen , Gregory Oliver , Tadlock Katerina R. , Balding Eve C. , Weinert Emily E. , McClelland Michael , Karls Anna C.
Published: January 2023

The transcriptional activator RtcR and the RNA repair proteins whose expression it regulates, RtcA and RtcB, are widely conserved in
Proteobacteria
. In
Salmonella
Typhimurium 14028s, genotoxic stress activates RtcR to direct RpoN-dependent expression of the
rsr-yrlBA-rtcBA
operon.
AP-2 Adaptor Complex-Dependent Enhancement of HIV-1 Replication by Nef in the Absence of the Nef/AP-2 Targets SERINC5 and CD4
Authors: Olety Balaji , Usami Yoshiko , Wu Yuanfei , Peters Paul , Göttlinger Heinrich
Published: January 2023

The HIV-1 Nef protein hijacks a component of the cellular endocytic machinery called AP-2 to downregulate the viral receptor CD4 and the antiviral cellular membrane proteins SERINC3 and SERINC5. In the absence of Nef, SERINC3 and SERINC5 are taken up into viral particles, which reduces their infectivity.
Longitudinal, Multi-Platform Metagenomics Yields a High-Quality Genomic Catalog and Guides an
In Vitro
Model for Cheese Communities
Authors: Saak Christina C. , Pierce Emily C. , Dinh Cong B. , Portik Daniel , Hall Richard , Ashby Meredith , Dutton Rachel J.
Published: January 2023

Metagenome sequencing can provide great insights into microbiome composition and function and help researchers develop testable hypotheses. Model microbiomes, such as those composed of cheese rind bacteria and fungi, allow the testing of these hypotheses in a controlled manner.
Whole-Genome and Plasmid Comparative Analysis of Campylobacter jejuni from Human Patients in Toyama, Japan, from 2015 to 2019
Authors: Morita Daichi , Arai Hiroki , Isobe Junko , Maenishi Emi , Kumagai Takanori , Maruyama Fumito , Kuroda Teruo
Published: January 2023

Campylobacter jejuni
is among the major causes of enteritis and diarrhea in humans in many countries. Drug-resistant
Campylobacter
is increasing in both developing and developed countries, and in particular, fluoroquinolone-resistant
Campylobacter
was one of the species included on the priority list of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Campylobacter
drug resistance surveillance is important and has been conducted worldwide.
Dissemination of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Sequence Type 764 Isolates with Mupirocin Resistance in China
Authors: Guo Yinjuan , Xu Linling , Wang Bingjie , Rao Lulin , Xu Yanlei , Wang Xinyi , Zhao Huilin , Yu Jingyi , Zhou Ying , Yu Fangyou
Published: January 2023

Mupirocin, a topical antibiotic that is commonly used for the nasal decolonization of MRSA and methicillin-sensitive
Staphylococcus aureus
in hospital settings and nursing homes, was introduced as a highly effective antibiotic against MRSA. Mupirocin acts by competitively binding isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase, thereby disrupting protein synthesis.
A Rapid Screening Assay for Clarithromycin-Resistant Mycobacterium avium Complex Using Melting Curve Analysis with Nonfluorescent Labeled Probes
Authors: Aoki Akira , Jinno Hideto , Ogawa Kenji , Nakagawa Taku , Inagaki Takayuki , Wajima Takeaki , Okamoto Yoshinori , Uchiya Kei-ichi
Published: January 2023

Since macrolide antibiotics such as clarithromycin or azithromycin are key drugs in multidrug therapy for
Mycobacterium avium
complex (MAC) lung diseases, the rapid detection of macrolide-resistant MAC strains has important implications for the treatment of MAC. Previous studies have reported a correlation between drug susceptibility testing and the mutation of macrolide resistance genes.
The effect of dapagliflozin on myocardial ischemia–reperfusion injury in diabetic rats
Authors: Xiong Shilong , Mo Donghua , Wu Yingjun , Wu Peng , Hu YuanMing , Gong Fang
Published: January 2023

The incidence of ischemic heart disease is 2–3 times higher in diabetic patients. However, the effect of dapagliflozin on ischemia–reperfusion myocardial injury in diabetic rats has not been studied. We examined the effects of dapagliflozin on myocardial IR injury in streptozotocin–nicotinamide-induced diabetic rats. Rats were divided into four groups ( n = 7 in each group): control, control-dapagliflozin, diabetes, and diabetes-dapagliflozin. Dapagliflozin (1.5 mg/kg/day) was administered concomitantly in drinking water for 2 months. The hearts were perfused in a Langendorff's apparatus at 2 months and assessed before (baseline) and after myocardial IR for the following parameters: left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP), minimum and maximum rates of pressure change in the left ventricle (±d P/d t), endothelial nitric oxide (NO) synthase (eNOS) and inducible NO synthase (iNOS) mRNA expressions, creatine kinase MB (CK-MB) and troponin imyocardial enzyme extravasation, and lactate dehydrogenase. The recovery of LVDP and ±d P/d t in diabetic rats was lower than that in controls but near normal after dapagliflozin treatment. Diabetic rats had decreased eNOS expression and increased iNOS expression at baseline and after IR, whereas dapagliflozin normalized these parameters after IR. Compared with controls, cardiac NOx levels were initially lower in diabetic patients but higher after IR. Baseline MDA levels were higher in diabetic rats after IR, whereas cardiac NOx levels decreased after treatment with dapagliflozin. Dapagliflozin protects the diabetic rat heart from ischemia–reperfusion myocardial injury by regulating the expression of eNOS and iNOS and inhibiting cardiac lipid peroxidation.
Soil quality index under different land-use types: the case of Choke Mountain agroecosystems, upper Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia
Authors: Mesfin Demeku , Assefa Engdawork , Simane Belay
Published: January 2023

In an agroecosystem (AES), land-use types affect soil quality. As a result, determining soil quality in various land uses is critical. This study was carried out to evaluate the soil quality index (SQI) of the different land-use types in AESs of the Choke Mountain watershed, upper Blue Nile Basin. Forty-seven soil samples were taken from cultivated land (CL), grazing land (GL), plantation forest land (PFL), and natural forest land (NFL) of the five AESs. The minimum data set (MDS) was chosen using principal component analysis. To calculate SQI, five soil quality indicators were selected as an MDS: silt, pH, cation exchange capacity, exchangeable potassium, and soil organic matter. SQIs for the overall land uses were ordered as GL > NFL > PFL > CL. Compared with NFL, the SQIs of PFL and CL were reduced by 10% and 19.7%, respectively, whereas the SQI of GL was increased by 1.8%. Among AESs of Choke, SQI of GL was higher in the midland plain, dominated by Vertisol (AES 2), followed by the midland plain with Nitosols (AES 3). SQI of CL was intermediate, and SQIs of GL, NFL, and PFL were good. AES 2 of the watershed recorded the highest total SQI value, whereas hilly and mountainous highlands (AES 5) recorded the lowest SQIs compared to other AESs. Thus, site-specific land use and management practices across the various AESs should be recommended to policymakers and farmers for a sustainable ecosystem and environment.
Smart IoT Application in Soil Moisture and Heat Level Prediction Using Sine Cosine-Horse Herd Optimized Deep Learning
Authors: Bhamidipati Kishore , Anuradha G. , Swaminathan B. , Muppidi Satish
Published: January 2023

Agriculture assisted by Internet of Things (IoT) is termed as smart agriculture, which offers an increase in precision farming. Soil monitoring with IoT technology helps in the increase of agriculture by growing the yield through measuring accurate soil content information, like temperature, nutrition content, humidity, potential of hydrogen (PH), moisture and so on. In this research, the soil moisture and heat level is measured through an optimized deep learning technique namely, Sine Cosine Horse Herd optimization-based Deep Recurrent Neural Network (SCHHO-based Deep RNN). Here, the moisture and heat level is predicted using Deep RNN in which its weights are trained using SCHHO. In order to progress the effectiveness of prediction, the feature selection is done prior to prediction for choosing the appropriate features using weighted correlation coefficient. In addition, the gathered soil information is transmitted to the IoT nodes using SCHHO routing algorithm by considering fitness measures. Besides, the experimental outcome proves that the SCHHO-based Deep RNN algorithm provides better performance with the accuracy and precision of 0.918 and 0.908, respectively.
Northeast China Urban Network Structure and Reorganization Based on the Coordinated Development Capability of Cities
Authors: Li Xin , Zhang Peng
Published: January 2023

Urban synergy can be assessed based on the development of a given city and the organization and development channels between cities. Using the entropy method, correction gravity model, and social network analysis, our study conducted a comprehensive quantitative analysis of the characteristics of urban network space in three northeast provinces in China. The region exhibited a “core city‐peripheral city‐marginal city” concentric pattern, with the most developed cities at the core. Nevertheless, our findings indicate that a collaborative development pattern is gradually forming. The three northeastern provinces and urban collaboration networks extended further to the north. Liaoning Province, most of Jilin Province, and most of Heilongjiang Province have gradually established a similar development relationship with other cities. The overall level of urban intermediary centers in the northeastern provinces is declining, and the direct contact between cities is becoming more apparent. These findings, in addition to agglomeration calculations, highlight the need for reorganizing the current collaborative urbanization structure in northeast China.
Effect of TRIB1 Variant on Lipid Profile and Coronary Artery Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Wei Baozhu , Liu Yang , Li Hang , Peng Yuanyuan , Luo Zhi
Published: January 2023

Background. Emerging evidence indicates tribbles homolog 1 (Trib1) protein may be involved in lipid metabolism regulation and coronary artery disease (CAD) pathogenesis. However, whether TRIB1 gene variants affect lipid levels and CAD remains elusive, this study is aimed at clarifying the effect of TRIB1 variants on lipid profile and CAD. Methods. By searching PubMed and Cochrane databases for studies published before December 18, 2022, a total of 108,831 individuals were included for the analysis. Results. The outcomes of the analysis on all individuals showed that the A allele carriers of rs17321515 and rs2954029 variants had higher low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and total cholesterol (TC) levels than the noncarriers. Consistently, a higher CAD risk was observed in the A allele carriers. Subgroup analysis indicated that increased LDL-C, TC, and CAD risk were observed in Asian population. Conclusions. Variants of TRIB1 (i.e., rs17321515 and rs2954029) may serve as causal genetic markers for dyslipidemia and CAD in Asian population.
Implementation of a SDN Architecture Observer: Detection of Failure, Distributed Denial-of-Service and Unauthorized Intrusion
Authors: Desgeorges Loïc , Georges Jean-Philippe , Divoux Thierry
Published: January 2023

Software-defined networking was recently introduced and proposed to separate the control from the data plane. This architecture introduces new challenges, particularly with regard to security and safety. To address the safety challenges, it is necessary to set up a multi controller architecture to provide redundancy. In addition, the second controller can have a security benefit because it can be used to validate the decisions taken by the first controller. However, communication between the controllers is necessary in these architectures, which may be exploited by an attacker to spread across the controllers, resulting in a security issue. This study aims to develop a multi controller architecture without communication between controllers. The control is executed by the nominal controller, which performs the data plane computation, whereas the second controller is in charge of verifying the consistency of the controller’s decisions, i.e., the management traffic. We first formulated the activity of the command and then provided conditions to determine a consistent control. These conditions include a time boundary, which corresponds to the tolerance for a delay in the response time of the controller, and structural properties to verify the consistency of the path setup. Moreover, we proposed a detection algorithm that is divided into two parts: first, a learning phase that aims to learn the consistent path set up by the controller, and second, a running phase which aims to verify that the controller sets up paths that are similar to the learned path. This algorithm was evaluated in terms of its reactivity, precision, and recall. To evaluate this, we considered three use cases: a distributed denial of service (DDOS) attack, an attack to send malicious packets on the network, and a failure of the controller.
Phagocytosis of Glioma Cells Enhances the Immunosuppressive Phenotype of Bone Marrow–Derived Macrophages
Authors: Wu Min , Wu Lingxiang , Wu Wei , Zhu Mengyan , Li Jianyu , Wang Ziyu , Li Jie , Ding Rong , Liang Yuan , Li Liangyu , Zhang Tingting , Huang Bin , Cai Yun , Li Kening , Li Lu , Zhang Rui , Hu Baoli , Lin Fan , Wang Xiuxing , Zheng Siyuan , Chen Jian , You Yongping , Jiang Tao , Zhang Junxia , Chen Hongshan , Wang Qianghu
Published: January 2023

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) play a crucial role in immunosuppression. However, how TAMs are transformed into immunosuppressive phenotypes and influence the tumor microenvironment (TME) is not fully understood. Here, we utilized single-cell RNA sequencing and whole-exome sequencing data of glioblastoma (GBM) tissues and identified a subset of TAMs dually expressing macrophage and tumor signatures, which were termed double-positive TAMs. Double-positive TAMs tended to be bone marrow–derived macrophages (BMDM) and were characterized by immunosuppressive phenotypes. Phagocytosis of glioma cells by BMDMs in vitro generated double-positive TAMs with similar immunosuppressive phenotypes to double-positive TAMs in the GBM TME of patients. The double-positive TAMs were transformed into M2-like macrophages and drove immunosuppression by expressing immune-checkpoint proteins CD276, PD-L1, and PD-L2 and suppressing the proliferation of activated T cells. Together, glioma cell phagocytosis by BMDMs in the TME leads to the formation of double-positive TAMs with enhanced immunosuppressive phenotypes, shedding light on the processes driving TAM-mediated immunosuppression in GBM.

Significance:

Bone marrow–derived macrophages phagocytose glioblastoma cells to form double-positive cells, dually expressing macrophage and tumor signatures that are transformed into M2-like macrophages and drive immunosuppression.
Facts and Hopes in Immunotherapy for Early-Stage Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Authors: Nederlof Iris , Voorwerk Leonie , Kok Marleen
Published: January 2023

A substantial fraction of early-stage triple-negative breast cancer (eTNBC) is characterized by high levels of stromal tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (sTIL) and has a good prognosis even without systemic treatment, highlighting the importance of an endogenous anticancer immune response. Still, a considerable proportion of patients with eTNBC need some “therapeutical push” to kick-start this immune response. Exploiting this immune response with immune-checkpoint inhibition (ICI), in combination with chemotherapy, has made its way into standard of care in eTNBC. Major challenges in the near future include finding those patients with eTNBC who can be treated with ICI alone or with a reduced chemotherapy backbone. Exploring the optimal duration of ICI and finding biomarkers to predict response will be key to enable personalized implementation of ICI in patients with eTNBC. For patients who currently do not respond effectively to ICI plus chemotherapy, challenges lie in finding new immunomodulatory therapies and developing response-guided neoadjuvant approaches.
Bolus versus Continuous Intravenous Delivery of Doxorubicin in Soft-Tissue Sarcomas:Post HocAnalysis of a Prospective Randomized Trial (SARC021/TH CR-406)
Authors: Cranmer Lee D. , Lu Yao , Heise Rachel S. , Ballman Karla V. , Loggers Elizabeth T. , Pollack Seth M. , Wagner Michael J. , Reinke Denise K. , Schöffski Patrick , Tap William D.
Published: January 2023

Purpose:

Continuous intravenous infusion (CIV) of doxorubicin (DOX) versus bolus (BOL) may minimize dose-dependent DOX cardiomyopathy, but it is unclear whether this advantage is evident as employed in typical soft-tissue sarcoma (STS) treatment. The impact of administration mode on adverse events (AE) and efficacy were compared using data from a randomized trial of DOX-based therapy (SARC021/TH CR-406).

Experimental Design:

In this post hoc analysis, CIV versus BOL was at discretion of the treating physician. Likelihood of AEs, and objective responses were assessed by adjusted logistic regression. Progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared using Kaplan–Meier, log-rank test, and adjusted Cox regression.

Results:

DOX was administered by BOL to 556 and by CIV to 84 patients. Proportions experiencing hematologic, non-hematologic, or cardiac AEs did not differ by administration mode. Hematologic AEs were associated with age, performance status, and cumulative DOX. Non-hematologic AEs were associated with age, performance status, and cumulative evofosfamide. Cardiac AEs were only associated with cumulative DOX; there was no interaction between DOX dose and delivery mode. PFS and OS were similar (median PFS 6.14 months BOL vs. 6.11 months CIV, P = 0.47; median OS 18.4 months BOL vs. 21.4 months CIV, P = 0.62). PFS, OS, and objective responses were not associated with delivery mode.

Conclusions:

CIV was not associated with superior outcomes over BOL within DOX dosing limits of SARC021. Cardiac AEs were associated with increasing cumulative DOX dose. While not randomized with respect to DOX delivery mode, the results indicate that continued investigation of AE mitigation strategies is warranted.
Abstract A009: Survival disparities in lung squamous cell carcinoma: Clinical and genomic correlates with genetic ancestry
Authors: Jain Sejal , Yao Alexandria , Allen-Gipson Diane , Momen-Heravi Fatemeh , Taylor Alison M.
Published: January 2023

Many studies show racial and ethnic survival disparities in lung squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC), and self-identified African-Americans have significantly lower overall survival and progression-free survival than self-identified Caucasians. However, survival models based on genetic ancestry, rather than self-identified race, are needed to assess whether genetic ancestry influences this survival disparity or whether the cause of the disparity is largely socioeconomic. Using clinically annotated genomic data from 501 LSCC tumor samples in the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), we compared clinical data, gene expression profiles, mutations, and copy number changes of tumors across ancestral groups to identify significantly differential events. We then applied the Cox Proportional Hazards model to predict overall survival as a function of genetic ancestry alongside other genetic, molecular, and clinical variables. We found a significant difference in metastatic stage between tumors from patients of African (AFR) and European (EUR) ancestry, which was significant in predicting survival. We identified increased copy number of chromosome arm 8q and locus chr8q24, as well as increased expression of MYC targets in AFR samples relative to EUR samples, all of which suggest a role for the MYC pathway in differential cancer progression. In addition, we found enrichment of amplifications at chr22q11 and chr16p11 in AFR samples compared to EUR samples. We identified top differentially mutated genes between groups, of which mutant SPRR3, PDGFA, FRS3, and C21orf62 correlate with survival. Notably, when survival was modeled as a function of both genetic ancestry and SPRR3 mutation, genetic ancestry was no longer significant as a predictor of survival. The PDGFRA receptor is also significantly differentially expressed between groups, suggesting a possible role of the PDGF axis in differential tumor growth. These results suggest potential genetic and clinical factors implicated in racial survival disparities. Further studies and more diverse sampling of cancer patient populations would allow validation of these differences and future elucidation of patient-specific treatment modalities.

Citation Format: Sejal Jain, Alexandria Yao, Diane Allen-Gipson, Fatemeh Momen-Heravi, Alison M. Taylor. Survival disparities in lung squamous cell carcinoma: Clinical and genomic correlates with genetic ancestry [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 15th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2022 Sep 16-19; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2022;31(1 Suppl):Abstract nr A009.
Abstract A022: Comparing prostate specific antigen dynamics between Black patients and White patients
Authors: Johnson Alexandria
Published: January 2023

Background: Black men are the most have the highest prostate cancer (PCa) mortality across all US population groups. We have previously demonstrated how mathematical modeling can be used to understand prostate-specific antigen (PSA) dynamics and predict patient-specific responses to treatment. We hypothesize that we can use mathematical modeling to investigate differences in PSA dynamics between black and white men undergoing androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) treatment modalities for both black and white patients that will ultimately reduce disparities. Methods: We received data for 57 PCa patients from the Veterans Affairs Hospital and Medical College of Wisconsin (N = 47 white, N = 10 black). To compensate for the lack of data for black patients, propensity score matching was used to match 15 white patients to 10 black patients based on their Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score, age, and tumor burden. Our previously developed stem cell enrichment model was used to investigate the primary differences in response dynamics between the white and black patient cohorts. [1] Results: Parameter optimization was used to determine appropriate model parameter values to accurately describe the data. Parameters were sequentially chosen to be patient-specific or uniform within each individual patient cohort in a leave-one-out analysis. Parameter analysis showed that the stem cell self-renewal rates significantly differed between white and black patients (p = 0.0455). Further analysis did not show any significant differences between patient cohorts for the remaining model parameters. Conclusions: Our results suggest that stem cell self-renewal is the parameter driving differences in PSA dynamics between white and black patients. Though propensity score analysis allowed for a more equal comparison between the black and white patient cohorts, additional patient data is needed to validate these results. Future work will include acquiring additional data and completing race-specific model analysis for black and white patients.

Citation Format: Alexandria Johnson. Comparing prostate specific antigen dynamics between Black patients and White patients [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 15th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2022 Sep 16-19; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2022;31(1 Suppl):Abstract nr A022.
Abstract A035: Examining the health-related quality of life of U.S. Hispanic cancer survivors
Authors: Bhattacharya Manami , Graves Kristi D. , Jensen Roxanne
Published: January 2023

Introduction By 2030, Hispanic survivors will likely constitute 20% of the survivor population (4 million people). Compared to non-Hispanic Whites, Hispanic cancer survivors experience worse health-related quality of life (HRQOL) across multiple domains including worse physical, psychological, and social wellbeing. Few studies have examined predictors of HRQOL in a population-based sample of Hispanic cancer survivors. We examined demographic, acculturation, and cancer clinical factors associated with HRQOL in early cancer survivorship. Methodology Utilizing data from the Measuring Your Health (MY-Health) study, which recruited cancer patients from 4 SEER cancer registries between 2010 and 2013, we conducted a secondary analysis of Hispanic survivors who responded to the baseline survey (administered ~9 months after diagnosis; n=908). We examined sample characteristics of the sample, including English language comfort, country of birth, and years in the US. We measured HRQOL outcomes (physical and mental health summary measures, pain interference, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and physical function) using PROMIS® measures validated in English and Spanish. We dichotomized PROMIS scores for clinically relevant symptoms in a cancer population. We conducted linear and logistic regressions examining HRQOL associated with covariates including demographic and cancer characteristics, spirituality, and acculturation factors. Preliminary Results Survivors had a mean age of 60 years, 58% were foreign born, 61% were female, 56% married, 68% had early-stage cancer, 31% had breast cancer, and 23% had prostate cancer. Some survivors reported preferring communicating in English (57%) and those who immigrated to the US had a mean of 30 years in the US. Preliminary results show that this population may be experiencing worse physical and mental health (mean = 43.68 and 47.11; lower scores mean worse health), anxiety, fatigue, and pain (52.7, 53.4, 55.2; high scores mean worse anxiety, fatigue, pain) than national averages (score of 50). Multivariable results are forthcoming. Conclusions In a large and diverse sample of Hispanic cancer survivors, we found survivors report worse quality of life across multiple domains compared to the general population’s self-reported HRQOL. Few interventions have been developed to improve HRQOL for diverse groups of Hispanic cancer survivors. Elucidating factors that affect outcomes can help clarify how to structure interventions to reduce HRQOL disparities in this understudied group of cancer survivors.

Citation Format: Manami Bhattacharya, Kristi D. Graves, Roxanne Jensen. Examining the health-related quality of life of U.S. Hispanic cancer survivors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 15th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2022 Sep 16-19; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2022;31(1 Suppl):Abstract nr A035.