bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hit discovery of potential CDK8 inhibitors and analysis of amino acid mutations for cancer therapy through computer-aided drug discovery
Authors: Aghahasani Raziye , Shiri Fereshteh , Kamaladiny Hossein , Haddadi Fatemeh , Pirhadi Somayeh
Published: April 2024

Cyclin-dependent kinase 8 (CDK8) has emerged as a promising target for inhibiting cancer cell function, intensifying efforts towards the development of CDK8 inhibitors as potential cancer therapeutics. Mutations in CDK8, a protein kinase, are also implicated as a primary factor associated with tumor formation. In this study, we identified potential inhibitors through virtual screening for CDK8 and single amino acid mutations in CDK8, namely D173A (Aspartate 173 mutate to Alanine), D189N (Aspartate 189 mutate to Asparagine), T196A (Threonine 196 mutate to Alanine) and T196D (Threonine 196 mutate to Aspartate). Four databases (CHEMBEL, ZINC, MCULE, and MolPort) containing 65,209,131 molecules have been searched to identify new inhibitors for CDK8 and its single mutations. In the first step, structure-based pharmacophore modeling in the Pharmit server was used to select the compounds to know the inhibitors. Then molecules with better predicted drug-like molecule properties were selected. The final filter used to select more effective inhibitors among the previously selected molecules was molecular docking. Finally, 13 hits for CDK8, 11 hits for D173A, 11 hits for D189N, 15 hits for T196A, and 12 hits for T196D were considered potential inhibitors. A majority of the virtual screening hits exhibited satisfactorily predict pharmacokinetic characteristics and toxicity properties.
Pedunculated focal nodular hyperplasia of the liver in a healthy child born following in vitro fertilization: a case report and review of the literature
Authors: Moayerifar Mani , Samidoust Pirouz , Gholipour Mahboobeh , Moayerifar Maziar , Zamani Athar , Poorheravi Niloofar , Poursadrolah Selvana
Published: April 2024

Background

Focal nodular hyperplasia is a common nonmalignant liver mass. This nonvascular lesion is an uncommon mass in children, especially those with no predisposing factors, namely radiation, chemotherapy, and hematopoietic stem cell therapy. Exophytic growth of the lesion further than the liver margins is not common and can complicate the diagnosis of the lesion. This report observes a focal nodular hyperplasia as a pedunculated lesion in a healthy child.

Case presentation

We describe a 9-year-old healthy Persian child who was born following in vitro fertilization complaining of abdominal pain lasting for months and palpitation. Employing ultrasound and computed tomography, a mass was detected in the right upper quadrant compatible with focal nodular hyperplasia imaging features. The child underwent surgery and the mass was resected.

Conclusion

Diagnosing focal nodular hyperplasia, especially pedunculated form can be challenging, although magnetic resonance imaging with scintigraphy is nearly 100% sensitive and specific. Thus, a biopsy may be needed to rule out malignancies in some cases. Deterministic treatment in patients with suspicious mass, remarkable growth of lesion in serial examination, and persistent symptoms, such as pain, is resection, which can be done open or laparoscopic.
Preparation of UiO-66 loaded Letrozole nano-drug delivery system: enhanced anticancer and apoptosis activity
Authors: Ronaghi Maryam , Hajibeygi Ramtin , Ghodsi Reza , Eidi Akram , Bakhtiari Ronak
Published: April 2024

The use of drug delivery systems in targeting and achieving the targeting of drugs in treating diseases, especially cancer, has attracted the attention of researchers. Letrozole is one of the drugs for the treatment of breast cancer. In this study, the organic-metallic pharmaceutical porous nanostructure based on zirconium UiO-66 loaded letrozole was synthesized. Its cytotoxicity and effect on apoptosis and migration against breast cancer cell line were investigated. In this experimental study, the UiO-66 nanoparticle-loaded letrozole was synthesized using zirconium chloride (ZrCl4), dimethylformamide (DMF), and HCl. Its characteristics were determined by scanning electron microscopy, and its average size was determined by the DLS method. Also, the rate of letrozole drug release from the nanoparticle was investigated in 24, 48, and 72 h. In addition, its cytotoxicity effects were investigated using the MTT colorimetric method at concentrations of 3.125-100 µg/ml against the breast cancer cell line (MCF-7) in the periods of 48 and 72 h. Also, the expression level of apoptotic genes Bax and Bcl2 was investigated by the Real-Time PCR method. Also, the amount of cell migration was done by the migration assay method. The results showed that UiO-66 bound to letrozole had a spherical morphology and an average size of 9.2 ± 160.1. Also, the letrozole drug was loaded by 62.21 ± 1.80% in UiO-66 nanoparticles and had a slower release pattern than free letrozole in the drug release test, so within 72 h, 99.99% of free letrozole was released in If in UiO-66 containing letrozole, 57.55% of the drug has been released. Also, the cytotoxicity results showed that UiO-66 bound to letrozole has more significant cytotoxic effects than free letrozole (p < 0.05). Also, the results of Bax and Bcl2 gene expression showed that the treatment of MCF-7 cells with UiO-66 nanoparticles attached to letrozole increased the expression of Bax and Bcl2 genes compared to the reference gene Beta-actin in MCF-7 cell line, respectively. (p < 0.05) increased by 3.71 ± 0.42 and (p < 0.01) decreased by 0.636 ± 0.034 (p < 0.05). Cell migration results showed that the concentration of 50 µg/ml of UiO-66 bound to letrozole decreased the migration of MCF-7 cells. Generally, the results of this study showed that UiO-66 loaded letrozole can be used as a suitable drug carrier for cellular purposes, as it has increased the effects of cytotoxicity and the rate of apoptosis in breast cancer cell line (MCF-7), so it can be used with more studies used nanocarriers as a drug delivery system.
Radio resource management for OFDM-based dual-function radar-communication: sum-rate and fairness
Authors: Zhu Jia , Cui Yuanhao , Mu Junsheng , Jing Zexuan , Jing Xiaojun
Published: April 2024

This paper focuses on radio resource management (RRM) in multi-user dual-function radar communication (DFRC) systems using orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) waveforms. We propose two RRM schemes, one from the perspective of sum rate maximization and the other from the perspective of user fairness maximization. These optimization problems are non-convex due to the presence of mixed integer terms, making them difficult to solve. To address these challenges, we have employed a decomposition approach to transform these two complex problems into separate, more readily solvable ones. In addressing the sum rate maximization problem, we initially introduce a heuristic greedy algorithm to obtain a resource allocation scheme that satisfies radar performance requirements. Subsequently, we utilize a cyclic iterative method along with KKT conditions to solve the sum rate maximization problem for communication users. Concerning the fairness maximization problem for communication users, we similarly employ a heuristic greedy algorithm to obtain a resource allocation scheme that meets radar performance constraints. Then utilize the Lagrangian dual method to solve the multi-user fairness maximization problem for communication users. Our experimental results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms.
Integrated analysis of gut metabolome, microbiome, and exfoliome data in an equine model of intestinal injury
Authors: Whitfield-Cargile C. M. , Chung H. C. , Coleman M. C. , Cohen N. D. , Chamoun-Emanuelli A. M. , Ivanov I. , Goldsby J. S. , Davidson L. A. , Gaynanova I. , Ni Y. , Chapkin R. S.
Published: April 2024

Background

The equine gastrointestinal (GI) microbiome has been described in the context of various diseases. The observed changes, however, have not been linked to host function and therefore it remains unclear how specific changes in the microbiome alter cellular and molecular pathways within the GI tract. Further, non-invasive techniques to examine the host gene expression profile of the GI mucosa have been described in horses but not evaluated in response to interventions. Therefore, the objectives of our study were to (1) profile gene expression and metabolomic changes in an equine model of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)-induced intestinal inflammation and (2) apply computational data integration methods to examine host-microbiota interactions.

Methods

Twenty horses were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups (n = 10): control (placebo paste) or NSAID (phenylbutazone 4.4 mg/kg orally once daily for 9 days). Fecal samples were collected on days 0 and 10 and analyzed with respect to microbiota (16S rDNA gene sequencing), metabolomic (untargeted metabolites), and host exfoliated cell transcriptomic (exfoliome) changes. Data were analyzed and integrated using a variety of computational techniques, and underlying regulatory mechanisms were inferred from features that were commonly identified by all computational approaches.

Results

Phenylbutazone induced alterations in the microbiota, metabolome, and host transcriptome. Data integration identified correlation of specific bacterial genera with expression of several genes and metabolites that were linked to oxidative stress. Concomitant microbiota and metabolite changes resulted in the initiation of endoplasmic reticulum stress and unfolded protein response within the intestinal mucosa.

Conclusions

Results of integrative analysis identified an important role for oxidative stress, and subsequent cell signaling responses, in a large animal model of GI inflammation. The computational approaches for combining non-invasive platforms for unbiased assessment of host GI responses (e.g., exfoliomics) with metabolomic and microbiota changes have broad application for the field of gastroenterology.
Development tendencies and turning points of futures studies
Authors: Kristóf Tamás
Published: April 2024

In honor of its 50th anniversary, the World Futures Studies Federation (WFSF) held its XXV World Conference in Paris. The conference provided a venue for reviewing earlier developments and reevaluating prospective directions in the futures field. Scientific-based futures studies has a long history, drawing from a variety of fields including sociology, policy sciences, philosophy of science, economic prognostics, and environmental sustainability. Futures studies became widely acknowledged as an academic discipline in the 1960s when it became evident in the global scientific community. The 1970s saw a focus on global challenges and discussions about preferred futures. The synthesis of futures studies emerged in the 1980s and 1990s, with critical and evolutionary approaches contributing to the advancement of theoretical foundations. The twenty-first century focuses on anticipation and futures literacy, the development of post-normal, metamodern, and integral approaches, and the attainment of foresight in common practice. Future research is expected to focus on various aspects, including artificial general intelligence (AGI), socio-technical transitions, singularity, sustainability, societal collapses, entrepreneurial innovation, energy futures, decolonization, negation and post-prefix notions, systemic foresight, applied foresight, and on-site foresight. Future research activities are expected to also include research objects, policy challenges, and problems that do not yet exist.
Efficient expression of an alkaline pectin lyase from Bacillus licheniformis in Pichia pastoris
Authors: Li Junyi , Yang Manli , Zhao Fengguang , Zhang Yaping , Han Shuangyan
Published: April 2024

Pectin lyase (PMGL) is an industrially important enzyme with widespread applications in the food, paper, and textile industries, owing to its capacity for direct degradation of highly esterified pectin. In this study, PMGL-Ba derived from Bacillus licheniformis underwent mining and heterologous expression in P. pastoris. Furthermore, diverse strategies, encompassing the optimization of expression cassette components, elevation of gene dosage, and co-expression of chaperone factors, were employed to augment PMGL-Ba production in P. pastoris. The signaling peptide OST1-pre-α-MF-pro and promoter AOX1 were finally selected as expression elements. By overexpressing the transcription factor Hac1p in conjunction with a two-copy PMGL-Ba setup, a strain yielding high PMGL-Ba production was achieved. In shake flask fermentation lasting 144 h, the total protein concentration reached 1.81 g/L, and the enzyme activity reached 1821.36 U/mL. For further scale up production, high-density fermentation transpired in a 5 L fermenter for 72 h. Remarkably, the total protein concentration increased to 12.49 g/L, and the enzyme activity reached an impressive 12668.12 U/mL. The successful heterologous and efficient expression of PMGL-Ba not only furnishes a valuable biological enzyme for industrial applications but also contributes to cost reduction in the utilization of biological enzymes in industrial applications.
Evolution of anisotropic capillarity in unsaturated granular media within the pendular regime
Authors: Suh Hyoung Suk
Published: April 2024

While the shear behavior of granular soils is directly related to the microstructure of contacts which often leads to the coaxiality between Cauchy stress and Satake fabric tensors, it is generally accepted by the geomechanics and geotechnical engineering community that the capillary effects are isotropic. At low saturation levels, however, the pore fluid tends to form interparticle menisci that can also manifest an anisotropic structure, which may result in the development of anisotropic capillarity in wetted granular media. To study the interplay between the solid grain contacts and the liquid bridges at the micro-scales, this study adopts a coupled discrete element method that utilizes a linear contact model combined with a capillary model, and explores their effects by conducting a series of numerical experiments. The distributions of contact and capillary force orientations during the experiment are further investigated to better understand how their alignments affect the global response of the granular assembly subjected to a deviatoric loading. The results indicate that the global shear stress response is not only affected by the contact fabric but also by the network of liquid bridges, and we also observe that the particles may lose contact while the pendular menisci may not be destroyed during the elastic unloading.
A case of MCA arising from ICA: a case report
Authors: Goyo Kai , Ishimaru Kei , Miyaji Taichi , Takamoto Masumi , Kashu Noriaki , Watanabe Katsuya , Takagi Kenji , Habu Kyosuke , Ogi Yusuke , Matsumoto Hironori , Kikuchi Satoshi , Sugishita Hiroki , Akita Satoshi , Yoshida Motohira , Koga Shigehiro , Oshikiri Taro
Published: April 2024

Background

Complete mesocolic excision (CME) and central vascular detachment are very important procedures in surgery for colorectal cancer. Preoperative and intraoperative assessments of the anatomy of major colorectal vessels are necessary to avoid massive bleeding, especially in endoscopic surgery. A case with a rare anomaly in which the middle colic artery (MCA) and ileocolic artery (ICA) had a common trunk is reported.

Case presentation

The patient was a 73-year-old woman diagnosed with ascending colon cancer on colonoscopy. Preoperative abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography confirmed that the MCA and ICA had a common trunk. She underwent laparoscopic ileocecal resection for the ascending colon cancer with D3 lymph node dissection. Intraoperative indocyanine green fluorescence imaging was conducted. After confirming vessel bifurcation, the ICA was dissected at the distal end of the MCA bifurcation. The patient has been followed as an outpatient, with no signs of recurrence as of 2 years postoperatively.

Conclusion

A case of an ascending colon cancer with a unique vascular bifurcation pattern was presented. Preoperative and intraoperative evaluations of the major colorectal vessels are very important for preventing perioperative and postoperative complications.
Maternal employment status and child age are positive determinants of minimum dietary diversity among children aged 6–23 months in Sagnarigu municipality, Ghana: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Atosona Ambrose , Mohammed Jawahir Abukari , Issahaku Huzaifa , Saani Khadija , Addae Hammond Yaw , Azupogo Fusta
Published: April 2024

Background

Intake of a diversified diet is key to the prevention of malnutrition among children as it results in improved intake of energy and micronutrients, which are deemed critical for better nutritional status of children. This study assessed minimum dietary diversity (MDD) and its determinants among children aged 6–23 months in the Sagnarigu Municipality of Ghana.

Methods

This was an analytical cross-sectional study, carried out in the Sagnarigu Municipality, Ghana and involved 369 mother-child pairs selected through a systematic random sampling. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to obtain respondents’ socio-demographic characteristics, feeding practices, nutritional knowledge and anthropometry. MDD was assessed using a repeated 24-hour dietary recall method. Chi-square/Fisher exact test and binary logistic regression analysis were used to determine the factors associated with MDD.

Results

The study found that 24.9% of the children were between the ages of 6–8 months and 75.1% were between the ages of 9–23 months. About 64.2% of the children met the MDD. Children of mothers who were self-employed were approximately 2 times more likely to meet the MDD as compared to children of mothers who were unemployed [Adjusted Odd Ratio (AOR): 1.93, 95% CI (1.13–3.31), P = 0.017]. Also, children aged 9–23 months were approximately 14 times more likely to meet MDD as compared to younger children aged 6–8 months [AOR: 13.98, 95% CI (7.54–25.91), P < 0.001].

Conclusion

Our study suggests that maternal empowerment may have positive effects on improving the MDD of infants and young children.
Pre-service TESOL teachers’ professional-awareness building through reflecting on reflections of critical incidents
Authors: Karim Abdul , Amin Fariah , Kabilan Muhammad Kamarul , Reshmin Liza , Amin Evita Umama
Published: April 2024

Scholars have questioned the effectiveness of reflective practice for gaining professional awareness or attaining professional development. In addition, the prevalence of inadequate comprehensive framework for pre-service teachers’ reflective practice and insufficient support of teacher educators have been noted in the literature. Against these backdrops, the present study attempted to demonstrate how reflecting on reflections, a form of reflective practice, of Critical Incidents (CIs) contributes to building pre-service TESOL teachers’ professional awareness. The study involved ten pre-service teachers (PSTs) in reflecting on reflections of CIs during the teaching practicum. Following the interpretive phenomenological approach, the study unfolded the CIs associated with pedagogical factors, including passive participation of the students, students’ late arrival in the classroom, disobedience to teachers’ instructions, the chaotic environment in the classroom, students’ rude behavior, and disruption caused by technical glitches, and CIs associated with intrapersonal and interpersonal factors, comprising students’ emotional exhaustion and unprofessional behaviors by senior teachers. Subsequently, it illustrated how PSTs cultivated their professional awareness through reflecting on reflections of CIs. The study presented a reflective practice framework applicable to pre-service and in-service teacher education programs. It also provided practical suggestions for pre-service and novice teachers to address and overcome the CIs. Teacher educators and trainers can harness the findings to prepare PSTs to conduct interactive and productive English language classes.
White matter lesion load and location in relation to cognitive impairment in relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis
Authors: Ezzeldin Mohammed Y. , Khedr Eman M. , Nasreldein Ahmed , Mahmoud Doaa M.
Published: April 2024

Background

In relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) the connection between cognitive impairment (CI) and white matter lesion load (WM-LL) and location is still unclear. This study aimed to identify the relationship between CI in RRMS patients and WM-LL and locations using a fully automated platform. CI and WM-LL were evaluated in 90 patients with RRMS using the Brief International Cognitive Assessment for Multiple Sclerosis (BICAMS) and Automated MRI volumetric measures of WM-LL and lesion distribution. Regression analysis of BICAMS as a dependent variable with different clinical and radiological parameters was performed.

Results

Data were obtained from 90 patients with RRMS who had a mean age of 32.74 ± 8.43 years and a female-to-male ratio of 3:1. The mean (± SD) cognitive rating scores for the BICAMS subtests were 28.07 ± 11.78 for the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), 42.32 ± 12.46 for the California Verbal Learning Test-II (CVLT-II), and 16.13 ± 8.17 for the Brief Visuospatial Memory Test-Revised (BVMT-R). According to the BICAMS criteria, 29 cases (32.2%) had CI. BICAMS scores were significantly correlated with age, education level, relapse frequency, disease duration, and time to start disease-modifying therapies. Whole WM-LL and periventricular lesion load were significantly associated with CI. After controlling for age, sex, and education, logistic regression analysis revealed that total WM-LL was the best predictor for CI together with duration of illness and years of education. The cut-off value of 12.85 cc for total WM-LL predicted CI.

Conclusions

Whole WM-LL and periventricular lesion load are the best anatomical predictors for CI probably due to the effect on the anterior commissural fibers while years of education and duration of disease are the best demographic predictors for CI.
Entanglement preservation in tripartite quantum systems under dephasing dynamics
Authors: Radhakrishnan Chandrashekar , Roy Sovik , Chinnarasu Ravikumar , Ali Md. Manirul
Published: April 2024

Protecting entanglement from decoherence is a critical aspect of quantum information processsing. For many-body quantum systems evolving under decoherence, estimating multipartite entanglement is challenging. This challenge can be met up by considering a distance-based measure such as relative entropy of entanglement which decisively measures entanglement in both pure as well as mixed states. In this work, we investigate the tripartite entanglement dynamics of pure and mixed states in the presence of a structured dephasing environment at finite temperature. We show that the robustness of the quantum system to decoherence is dependent on the distribution of entanglement and its relation to different configurations of the bath. If the bath is structured individually such that each qubit has its own environment, the system has different dynamics compared to when the bath is common to all the three qubits. From the results we conjecture that there is a connection between the distribution of entanglement among the qubits and the distribution of bath degrees of freedom, and the interplay of these two distributions determines the decay rate of the entanglement dynamics. The sustainability of tripartite entanglement is shown to be enhanced significantly in the presence of reservoir memory.
Evolutionary dynamic of division of labor games
Authors: Zhang Chunyan , Wang Ziheng
Published: April 2024

The ubiquity of labor division within diverse social collectives is a topic well captured by evolutionary game theory. This work offers an integrative review of the evolutionary dynamics underpinning such division of labor from a tripartite standpoint —commencing with a theoretical exposition on numerous archetypes of labor division games. Subsequently, we delineate a suite of control strategies formulated to not only realize but also sustain the phenomenon of division of labor. This is followed by an elucidation of practical implementations pertaining to the allocation of tasks and labor division, grounded in the principles of game theory. We culminate with the proposition of prospective avenues and insightful trajectories for future investigations, cultivating a frontier for the continued exploration within this field.
Mechanistic regulation of planarian shape during growth and degrowth
Authors: Ko Jason M. , Reginato Waverly , Wolff Andrew , Lobo Daniel
Published: April 2024

Adult planarians can grow when fed and degrow (shrink) when starved while maintaining their whole-body shape. It is unknown how the morphogens patterning the planarian axes are coordinated during feeding and starvation or how they modulate the necessary differential tissue growth or degrowth. Here, we investigate the dynamics of planarian shape together with a theoretical study of the mechanisms regulating whole-body proportions and shape. We found that the planarian body proportions scale isometrically following similar linear rates during growth and degrowth, but that fed worms are significantly wider than starved worms. By combining a descriptive model of planarian shape and size with a mechanistic model of anterior-posterior and medio-lateral signaling calibrated with a novel parameter optimization methodology, we theoretically demonstrate that the feedback loop between these positional information signals and the shape they control can regulate the planarian whole-body shape during growth. Furthermore, the computational model produced the correct shape and size dynamics during degrowth as a result of a predicted increase in apoptosis rate and pole signal during starvation. These results offer mechanistic insights into the dynamic regulation of whole-body morphologies.
Natura: do cálculo de externalidades à governança da sustentabilidade (Notas de Ensino)
Authors: Vieira Renata , Monzoni Mário
Published: April 2024

O caso narra o momento de implementação de uma metodologia de medição integrada de externalidades pela Natura, fabricante brasileira de cosméticos. Depois de uma década de iniciativas de mensuração de impactos ambientais, sociais e humanos de seus negócios, a Natura lança seu primeiro Integrated Profit and Loss (IP&L) em 2022, e precisa tornar seus líderes e gestores capazes de compreender e de aplicar o modelo em suas rotinas . Em meio a esse processo e a um período de resultados financeiros aquém do esperado, a companhia recebe uma nova CFO. Agora, ela precisa encontrar estratégias que ajudem a incorporar o IP&L ao processo de tomada de decisão da empresa em todas as esferas.
Αξιολόγηση της οικονομικής βιωσιμότητας και προσβασιμότητας της τεχνολογίας PET/CT σε εθνικά συστήματα υγείας
Authors: Κεφαλλωνίτου Δήμητρα
Published: April 2024

Εισαγωγή: Η συστηματική και ραγδαία αύξηση των περιστατικών καρκίνου, θέτει μία σημαντική πρόκληση στα συστήματα υγείας. Η τεχνολογία PET/CT, αποδεικνύεται μια εξαιρετικά ευαίσθητη μέθοδος απεικόνισης για την ανίχνευση νεοπλασιών παρουσιάζοντας μεγάλη διαγνωστική ακρίβεια. Σκοπός: Να αξιολογηθεί η τεχνολογία PET/CT σε ότι αφορά, τις οικονομικές επιπτώσεις είτε από την λειτουργία και την εγκατάσταση μονάδας, την εικόνα βάσει της οποίας γίνεται η διάγνωση, καθώς και τις συνθήκες πρόσβασης των εξεταζόμενων σε μονάδα PET/CT. Μεθοδολογία: Για την αξιολόγηση της επένδυσης μιας μονάδας PET/CT η οποία λειτουργεί σε δημόσιο νοσοκομείο, πραγματοποιήθηκε αναλυτικός υπολογισμός δαπανών και εσόδων κατά την περίοδο μελέτης με τη χρήση διαφορετικών μεθόδων αποτίμησης και λήψης αποφάσεων. Για την αξιολόγηση της επένδυσης μονάδας PET/CT από το ΓΕΣΥ της Κύπρου ειδικότερα, έλαβε χώρα αναλυτικός υπολογισμός των εκτιμώμενων περιστατικών τα οποία αναμένεται να εξυπηρετηθούν, των δαπανών προμήθειας, των εξόδων λειτουργίας και των εσόδων για μια περίοδο 15 ετών. Αποτελέσματα: Για την οικονομική αξιολόγηση της μονάδας PET/CT η οποία λειτουργεί στη Ελλάδα, προκύπτει ότι το κόστος της επένδυσης καλύπτεται εντός 4 ετών και μετά από 11 έτη λειτουργίας, το νοσοκομείο έχει καθαρά κέρδη άνω των € 9 εκατομμυρίων. Με την εφαρμογή διαφορετικών οικονομικών μεθόδων αποτίμησης και λήψης αποφάσεων, τα στοιχεία είναι άκρως αποδοτικά για έναν δημόσιο φορέα. Παράλληλα η επένδυση προμήθειας μονάδας PET/CT από το ΓΕΣΥ της Κύπρου αποδεικνύεται ότι δεν είναι οικονομικά βιώσιμη διότι το πλήθος των παραπεμπόμενων εξεταζόμενων είναι μικρό. Για να είναι βιώσιμη οικονομικά η εν λόγω επένδυση απαιτείται είτε εξωτερική χρηματοδότηση ή συγχρηματοδότηση από τρίτα μέρη. Συμπεράσματα: Η μονάδα PET/CT του νοσοκομείου στην Ελλάδα λειτουργεί αρκετά παραγωγικά. Η επένδυση για προμήθεια μονάδας PET/CT από το ΓΕΣΥ θα μπορούσε να υλοποιηθεί μόνο με τη συνδρομή εξωτερικών κονδυλίων για να γίνει με τρόπο οικονομικά βιώσιμο.
Μαθηματικός εγγραμματισμός στην υποχρεωτική εκπαίδευση
Authors: Νόλκα Ελένη
Published: April 2024

Η παρούσα διατριβή αναφέρεται στη διερεύνηση των ικανοτήτων των μαθητών και μαθητριών στο μαθηματικό εγγραμματισμό ολοκληρώνοντας την υποχρεωτική τους εκπαίδευση, δηλαδή το γυμνάσιο. Αξιολογούνται οι ικανότητές τους στη λειτουργική χρήση των μαθηματικών τους γνώσεων κατά την επίλυση προβλημάτων τα οποία είναι διατυπωμένα μέσα σε ένα πραγματικό πλαίσιο. Τα ερευνητικά ερωτήματα εστιάζουν επίσης στη μελέτη παραγόντων, όπως κοινωνικοδημογραφικών, σχετικών με το προφίλ των μαθητών/-τριών και τις στάσεις και πεποιθήσεις τους απέναντι στα μαθηματικά, διερευνώντας τη συσχέτισή τους με την ανάπτυξη ικανοτήτων μαθηματικού εγγραμματισμού. Επιπρόσθετα έγινε μία προσπάθεια σκιαγράφησης του προφίλ των μαθητών/-τριών που κατατάσσονται στο χαμηλό αλλά και στο υψηλό επίπεδο του μαθηματικού εγγραμματισμού, όπως αυτά ορίζονται μέσα από την παρούσα έρευνα. Η έρευνα υλοποιήθηκε σε γυμνάσια και λύκεια όλης της Ελλάδας, τα οποία επιλέχθηκαν με κριτήριο το βαθμό αστικότητας της περιοχής που έδρευε το εκάστοτε σχολείο (μεγάλο αστικό κέντρο, μικρό αστικό κέντρο, αγροτική περιοχή). Το δείγμα της έρευνας αποτέλεσαν 650 μαθητές/-τριες οι οποίοι/-ες ολοκλήρωναν τη Γ΄ γυμνασίου ή βρίσκονταν στην αρχή της Α’ Λυκείου. Τα ευρήματα, στην πλειονότητά τους συνεπή με την υπάρχουσα βιβλιογραφία, δείχνουν ότι οι ικανότητες των μαθητών και μαθητριών στο μαθηματικό εγγραμματισμό ολοκληρώνοντας την υποχρεωτική εκπαίδευση είναι περιορισμένες. Μετά την ανάλυση των αποτελεσμάτων αναδεικνύεται γενικότερα μία δυσκολία των μαθητών/-τριών να ανταποκριθούν επιτυχώς στην επίλυση πραγματικών ή ρεαλιστικών προβλημάτων μαθηματικών. Παράλληλα υπάρχει και μία πληθώρα παραγόντων οι οποίοι φαίνεται να είναι σημαντικοί ως προς την ενίσχυση ή την παρεμπόδιση της ανάπτυξης των ικανοτήτων αυτών. Αυτοί οι παράγοντες είναι ο βαθμός αστικότητας της περιοχής που εδρεύει το σχολείο φοίτησης των μαθητών/-τριών, ο τύπος του σχολείου τους, το μορφωτικό επίπεδο καθώς και το επάγγελμα της μητέρας και του πατέρα, ο αριθμός των βιβλίων αλλά και των φορητών υπολογιστών που υπάρχουν στο σπίτι, η αυτό-αποτελεσματικότητα των μαθητών/-τριών στα μαθηματικά, η αυτοαντίληψη τους για τα μαθηματικά, η συνέπεια και μεθοδικότητα με την οποία αντιμετωπίζουν τα μαθηματικά, το άγχος των μαθητών/-τριών για τα μαθηματικά αλλά και ο βαθμός προσπάθειας που κατέβαλαν για να συμπληρώσουν τα δύο εργαλεία της έρευνας.
Motherhood and Childcare
Authors: Cenarro Lagunas María Ángela
Published: April 2024

The aim of this article is to explore the origins of social and health protection for mothers and children in the first half of the twentieth century in Spain, with particular attention to the continuities and ruptures that occurred in the notions, practices and entanglements between the state and the various collective agents involved in these campaigns. The Civil War (1936-1939) and the origins of Francoism provide an opportunity to analyse the transition from a liberal democratic framework to an authoritarian one. In a context of the dismantling of civil society, the Falange Women's Section played an exceptional role as a collaborating agent in the application and dissemination of Franco's welfare provisions. It imposed a model of political discipline and specialised training for visiting nurses and educators that generated dynamics of female professional promotion and left its mark on welfare practices.
Artemis Yagou, ed., Technology, Novelty, and Luxury
Authors: Markaki Krystallia
Published: April 2024

Review of Artemis Yagou, ed., Technology, Novelty, and Luxury (=Deutsches Museum Studies 12). Munich: Deutsches Museum, 2022. 118 pp.
The genome sequence of a kelp fly, Coelopa pilipes Haliday, 1838
Authors: Butlin Roger , Mérot Claire ,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Management, Samples and Laboratory team,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: Sequencing Operations,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Core Informatics team,   Tree of Life Core Informatics collective,   Darwin Tree of Life Consortium
Published: April 2024

We present a genome assembly from an individual male Coelopa pilipes (kelp fly; Arthropoda; Insecta; Diptera; Coelopidae). The genome sequence is 263.0 megabases in span. Most of the assembly is scaffolded into 7 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the X and Y sex chromosomes. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 16.86 kilobases in length.
The genome sequence of the Golden Argent moth, Argyresthia goedartella (Linnaeus, 1758)
Authors: Boyes Douglas , Boyes Clare ,   University of Oxford and Wytham Woods Genome Acquisition Lab,   Darwin Tree of Life Barcoding collective,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Management, Samples and Laboratory team,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: Sequencing Operations,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Core Informatics team,   Tree of Life Core Informatics collective,   Darwin Tree of Life Consortium
Published: April 2024

We present a genome assembly from an individual female Argyresthia goedartella (the Golden Argent; Arthropoda; Insecta; Lepidoptera; Argyresthiidae). The genome sequence is 1,108.8 megabases in span. Most of the assembly is scaffolded into 31 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the Z sex chromosome. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 17.96 kilobases in length. Gene annotation of this assembly on Ensembl identified 13,530 protein coding genes.
Ergonomics, musculoskeletal disorders, treatment and return to work: a conceptual framework for intervention programs
Authors: Hacay Chang Alywin , Bolaños Francisco , Sanchís-Almenara Mercedes , Gómez-García Antonio
Published: April 2024

Musculoskeletal disorders are one of the most recurrent diseases among manual workers worldwide. The objective of this study was to analyze primary results of a systematic review on ergonomics, musculoskeletal disorders, treatment, and return to work in blue-collar workers to form a new conceptual framework applicable to intervention programs in this area. This study was based on the available scientific evidence we identified. Descriptive data and their trending topics areas were used to form the conceptual framework. The trend shows that working conditions can be represented as a three-axis scheme with a multidimensional conceptual framework considering ergonomic risks, the treatment of affected workers and the determinants related to working conditions. These results may help future research in the field of ergonomics as well as emerging topics focused on intervention programs.
Gingival Recession. Part 2: Treatment Options and When to Intervene Surgically
Authors: Hudson Joshua , Darbar Ulpee
Published: April 2024

This is the second article in a two-part series on gingival recession. The first article covered the aetiology and prevalence of gingival recession, while this article focuses on the factors affecting decision making and the management, including treatment of gingival recession alongside the evidence base. With more than half of the population suffering from gingival recession, the clinician should be aware of the different options and treatment modalities available to manage gingival recession. This will enable them to engage with the patient, giving them the necessary and required information to make a patient-centred decision about the most suitable treatment option that will address their concerns.

CPD/Clinical Relevance: The clinician should be aware of the different options and treatment modalities available to manage gingival recession.
Odontogenic Infection of the Infratemporal Fossa: A Diagnostic Challenge
Authors: Paul Alisha , Bawor-Omatseye Adenike , Page Julian
Published: April 2024

The infratemporal fossa (IF) is an important anatomical space that carries vital neurovascular structures within it. The formation of an abscess in the IF, particularly of odontogenic aetiology, is rare. It can pose a diagnostic challenge due its uncommon presentation and can be life-threatening with delayed treatment. We present an unusual case of an IF abscess in an otherwise healthy female patient. Due to the rising difficulty accessing emergency NHS dental services, the untimely diagnosis and management of odontogenic infections may lead to similar scenarios.

CPD/Clinical Relevance: It is important that clinicians have good knowledge of the anatomy of fascial spaces and be aware of signs and symptoms of spreading infections.
Actinomyces-associated Calcification in a Nasopalatine Cyst
Authors: Smith Robert , Bryce Graeme
Published: April 2024

Actinomycosis is a chronic bacterial infection caused by Actinomyces species. Actinomyces are commensals of the human oropharynx and can invade local structures when mucosal integrity is breached. Within an actinomycosis lesion chronically inflamed and necrotic tissue may undergo dystrophic calcification. This case report documents the assessment, diagnosis, and management of Actinomyces-associated calcification within a nasopalatine cyst, a previously unreported situation.

CPD/Clinical Relevance: Actinomycosis lesions of the jaws may present with radiographically detectable calcification(s).
Financial Literacy of University Students in Ukraine – Challenges and Opportunities of the Adaptation of the U.S. Test of Financial Literacy
Authors: Happ Roland , Kabanets Maryna , Adariukova Liudmyla , Schilling-Friedemann Stanley F. , Heidel Sebastian
Published: April 2024

Reinforced by the Russian war, an even stronger economic, social, and political orientation towards the values of the European Union and thus also Western economic paradigms is taking place in Ukraine. This article investigates financial literacy (FL) as the knowledge and understanding of personal finance among university students in Ukraine. Individual financial decision-making will be central to the reconstruction of Ukraine and the long-term economic growth of the country. We use the principles developed by the U.S. Council for Economic Education in modelling FL. In doing so, we examine the feasibility of using a version of the U.S. American Test of Financial Literacy translated and adapted into Ukrainian. The translation and adaptation process of the 50-item test instrument is presented in the article. Significant differences in the content of FL between Ukraine and the U.S. test instrument are highlighted. At the beginning of the winter semester 2022, the Ukrainian version was administered to 68 students at three East-Ukrainian universities (Donetsk, Sumy, Kharkiv). In the article, we present findings from the initial validation of the test instrument and show from a content perspective which hurdles need to be overcome in the future for some concepts of FL.
Satisfaction rates, function, and return to activity following young adult total hip arthroplasty
Authors: Galloway Richard , Monnington Katie , Moss Rosalind , Donaldson James , Skinner John , McCulloch Robert
Published: April 2024

Aims

Young adults undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA) largely have different indications for surgery, preoperative function, and postoperative goals compared to a standard patient group. The aim of our study was to describe young adult THA preoperative function and quality of life, and to assess postoperative satisfaction and compare this with functional outcome measures.

Methods

A retrospective cohort analysis of young adults (aged < 50 years) undergoing THA between May 2018 and May 2023 in a single tertiary centre was undertaken. Median follow-up was 31 months (12 to 61). Oxford Hip Score (OHS) and focus group-designed questionnaires were distributed. Searches identified 244 cases in 225 patients. Those aged aged under 30 years represented 22.7% of the cohort. Developmental dysplasia of the hip (50; 45.5%) and Perthes’ disease (15; 13.6%) were the commonest indications for THA.

Results

Preoperatively, of 110 patients, 19 (17.2%) were unable to work before THA, 57 (52%) required opioid analgesia, 51 (46.4%) were reliant upon walking aids, and 70 (63.6%) had sexual activity limited by their pathology. One patient required revision due to instability. Mean OHS was 39 (9 to 48). There was a significant difference between the OHS of cases where THA met expectation, compared with the OHS when it did not (satisfied: 86 (78.2%), OHS: 41.2 (36.1%) vs non-satisfied: 24 (21%), OHS: 31.6; p ≤ 0.001). Only one of the 83 patients (75.5%) who returned to premorbid levels of activity did so after 12 months.

Conclusion

Satisfaction rates of THA in young adults is high, albeit lower than commonly quoted figures. Young adults awaiting THA have poor function with high requirements for mobility aids, analgesia, and difficulties in working and undertaking leisure activities. The OHS provided a useful insight into patient function and was predictive of satisfaction rates, although it did not address the specific demands of young adults undertaking THA. Function at one year postoperatively is a good indication of overall outcomes.

Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2024;5(4):304–311.
Global Production Networks and Dynamic Cores in the World’s Main Nodes: The Technological-Productive Transition of the Automotive Industry
Authors: Ordóñez Sergio
Published: April 2024

The global production networks (GPNs) perspective, to account for key aspects of the new global space, takes on its full dimension from a theoretical-methodological approach to capitalism in terms of historical-spatial phases of development, implying the existence of industrial cycles differentiated by their dynamic core. The global automotive industry is undergoing a profound transformation due to the transition to electric and autonomous vehicles. Under its preceding technological-productive base, it had become part of the automotive-mechanical-metal-petrochemical complex that constituted the dynamic core of the Fordist-Keynesian development phase. Underlying this transition is a process of technological-productive revolutionization in the industry by the electronic-informatics and telecommunications sector, which constitutes the dynamic core of a new industrial cycle typical of the current phase of development. This implies a changing technological-productive base and a spatial and hierarchical reconfiguration of the automotive industry, with macro-regions and new leading countries, old leading macro-regions and countries that have become second-tier players, and new competing countries; with the deployment of new GPNs involving the dynamic cores of global nodes within macro-regions. This article concludes that the actual further regionalization of GPNs between the dynamic cores is in contradiction to the necessary global sourcing of key elements of the industry.
Queer/Green collaboration as a radical response to climate crises: foregrounding the green stripe
Authors: Foster Emma , Kerr Peter
Published: April 2024

This article has two aims. Firstly, to highlight a general marginalisation of queer and trans voices within the environmental/ecological movement. Secondly, to identify and explore some contemporary efforts to overcome these tensions and forge closer alliances between queer and green politics. Drawing on queer and trans ecology literatures, we highlight the radical potential that closer synergy between the progressive goals and activities of environmentalist and LGBTQIA2+ politics can bring about. Examining the online content of a number of activist organisations and platforms, we highlight some of the ways in which the queering of green politics and the greening of queer politics are being given practical contemporary expression. In doing so, we highlight the space that this type of politics can create for a reimagining of alternative ecological futures and a more progressive political economy based around a transformation of relationships both within human populations and between humans and other-than-human species and ecologies.
The crisis in South America: neoliberalism, neodevelopmentalism and beyond. Insights from Argentina and Brazil
Authors: Clemente Dario
Published: April 2024

This article reconstructs the contemporary experience of the crisis in South America as part of the continuing crisis of the peripheral neoliberal state, focusing on the cases of Argentina and Brazil. Comprehensively exploring the implications of the demise of ‘neodevelopmentalism’ as a progressive politics and a specific relation of forces in the Southern Cone of Latin America, it tackles the recent backlash and ‘turbo-charged’ neoliberal experiments carried out in both countries, delivering a novel understanding of the situated nature of the ‘age of crisis’ and an insight into the prospects and challenges for a transformative praxis worldwide.
Gender, Class, and Slavery in Plautus’ Rudens in 1884 St. Louis
Authors: Stewart Roberta
Published: April 2024

Abstract: The performance of Rudens in 1884 by the Ladies’ Literary Society of Washington University allows consideration of discourses surrounding the problems of slavery and emancipation in 1884 St. Louis. Comparing Plautus’ text (and representation of Roman slavery), the English translation prepared to accompany the performance, and published reviews of the performance reveals crucial redactions and alterations. Even as reviews reveal enthusiasm for the theatrical production, judged authentic for costuming and Latin pronunciation, the changes are shown to reproduce traditional American discourses about slavery and freedom, contemporary narratives about free Blacks, and local, campus discourses about the end of Reconstruction.
Co-creating Inclusive Intersectional Democratic Spaces across Europe (CCINDLE): Counteracting Anti-gender through Feminist Knowledge
Authors: Lombardo Emanuela , Caravantes Paloma
Published: April 2024

Abstract: The construction of feminist democratic societal projects relies on the production of feminist knowledge and ideas within social movements, as well as academic, professional, and institutional settings. In the context of a rising opposition against democracy and gender, race, and sexuality equality at a global level, the European Union has launched the call Feminisms for a New Age of Democracy with the purpose of supporting knowledge production about opposition to gender equality in Europe and feminist democratic responses. The CCINDLE (Co-creating Inclusive Intersectional Democratic Spaces across Europe) project is one of the funded research projects under this call. CCINDLE's objectives include analyzing not only anti-gender politics and the problems that they create for democracy in Europe but especially feminist movements' and institutional responses to anti-gender and anti-democratic forces. The project aims to co-create feminist knowledge with the actors that are already working to counter the antidemocratic project that anti-gender movements and far right parties are trying to construct, and to envision feminist futures building on theories and practices of intersectional justice, inclusion, and participation in European democracies.