bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Protein phosphatase 6 activates NF-κB to confer sensitivity to MAPK pathway inhibitors in
KRAS
- and
BRAF
-mutant cancer cells
Authors: Zhang Haibo , Read Abigail , Cataisson Christophe , Yang Howard H. , Lee Wei-Chun , Turk Benjamin E. , Yuspa Stuart H. , Luo Ji
Published: May 2024

The Ras–mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway is a major target for cancer treatment. To better understand the genetic pathways that modulate cancer cell sensitivity to MAPK pathway inhibitors, we performed a CRISPR knockout screen with MAPK pathway inhibitors on a colorectal cancer (CRC) cell line carrying mutant KRAS. Genetic deletion of the catalytic subunit of protein phosphatase 6 (PP6), encoded by
PPP6C
, rendered
KRAS
- and
BRAF
-mutant CRC and
BRAF
-mutant melanoma cells more resistant to these inhibitors. In the absence of MAPK pathway inhibition,
PPP6C
deletion in CRC cells decreased cell proliferation in two-dimensional (2D) adherent cultures but accelerated the growth of tumor spheroids in 3D culture and tumor xenografts in vivo.
PPP6C
deletion enhanced the activation of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling in CRC and melanoma cells and circumvented the cell cycle arrest and decreased cyclin D1 abundance induced by MAPK pathway blockade in CRC cells. Inhibiting NF-κB activity by genetic and pharmacological means restored the sensitivity of
PPP6C
-deficient cells to MAPK pathway inhibition in CRC and melanoma cells in vitro and in CRC cells in vivo. Furthermore, a R264 point mutation in PPP6C conferred loss of function in CRC cells, phenocopying the enhanced NF-κB activation and resistance to MAPK pathway inhibition observed for
PPP6C
deletion. These findings demonstrate that PP6 constrains the growth of
KRAS
- and
BRAF
-mutant cancer cells, implicates the PP6–NF-κB axis as a modulator of MAPK pathway output, and presents a rationale for cotargeting the NF-κB pathway in
PPP6C
-mutant cancer cells.
The lactate wasteland
Authors: Wong Wei
Published: May 2024

Activation of GPR81 in white adipose tissue by lactate results in cancer-associated cachexia.
Safety, pharmacokinetics, and potential neurological interactions of ivermectin, tafenoquine, and chloroquine in Rhesus macaques
Authors: Vanachayangkul Pattaraporn , Kodchakorn Chanikarn , Ta-aksorn Winita , Im-erbsin Rawiwan , Tungtaeng Anchalee , Tipthara Phornpimon , Tarning Joel , Lugo-Roman Luis A. , Wojnarski Mariusz , Vesely Brian A. , Kobylinski Kevin C.
Published: May 2024

Ivermectin (IVM) could be used for malaria control as treated individuals are lethal to blood-feeding
Anopheles
, resulting in reduced transmission. Tafenoquine (TQ) is used to clear the liver reservoir of
Plasmodium vivax
and as a prophylactic treatment in high-risk populations. It has been suggested to use ivermectin and tafenoquine in combination, but the safety of these drugs in combination has not been evaluated. Early derivatives of 8-aminoquinolones (8-AQ) were neurotoxic, and ivermectin is an inhibitor of the P-glycoprotein (P-gp) blood brain barrier (BBB) transporter. Thus, there is concern that co-administration of these drugs could be neurotoxic. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and pharmacokinetic interaction of tafenoquine, ivermectin, and chloroquine (CQ) in Rhesus macaques. No clinical, biochemistry, or hematological outcomes of concern were observed. The Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) was employed to assess potential neurological deficits following drug administration. Some impairment was observed with tafenoquine alone and in the same monkeys with subsequent co-administrations. Co-administration of chloroquine and tafenoquine resulted in increased plasma exposure to tafenoquine. Urine concentrations of the 5,6 orthoquinone TQ metabolite were increased with co-administration of tafenoquine and ivermectin. There was an increase in ivermectin plasma exposure when co-administered with chloroquine. No interaction of tafenoquine on ivermectin was observed
in vitro
. Chloroquine and trace levels of ivermectin, but not tafenoquine, were observed in the cerebrospinal fluid. The 3′′-
O
-demethyl ivermectin metabolite was observed in macaque plasma but not in urine or cerebrospinal fluid. Overall, the combination of ivermectin, tafenoquine, and chloroquine did not have clinical, neurological, or pharmacological interactions of concern in macaques; therefore, this combination could be considered for evaluation in human trials.
“Anomalous” Photoelectric Effect in the Ultrafast Electron Diffraction Method
Authors: Aseyev S. A. , Mironov B. N. , Poydashev D. G. , Ischenko A. A. , Ryabov E. A.
Published: May 2024

Electron-pulse probing of fast laser-induced processes has allowed the direct observation of the structural dynamics in matter with a high spatiotemporal resolution. A thin gold film has appeared to be a convenient photocathode, and photoelectron emission has been induced by femtosecond ultraviolet radiation with a photon energy of about 4.65–4.75 eV (in particular, $$\hbar $$ω $$ \cong $$ 4.65 eV for the third harmonic of the Ti:sapphire laser). For the linear photoelectric effect, this energy contradicts the reference work function WAu$$ \cong $$ 5.1–5.3 eV of pure metal. Reasons for such contradiction have been analyzed and good agreement with experimental data has been reached with a model proposed for the generation of photoelectron pulses.
Early palliative care perceptions by patients with cancer and primary caregivers: metaphorical language
Authors: Bandieri Elena , Bigi Sarah , Nava Melissa , Borelli Eleonora , Porro Carlo Adolfo , Castellucci Erio , Efficace Fabio , Bruera Eduardo , Odejide Oreofe , Zimmermann Camilla , Potenza Leonardo , Luppi Mario
Published: May 2024

Objective

This article reports on the results of an analysis of metaphorical language used by patients diagnosed with advanced cancer and their caregivers receiving early palliative care (EPC).

Methods

Data were collected through a pen-and-paper questionnaire on respondents’ perceptions of the disease, its treatment and their idea of death, before and after receiving EPC. The data were analysed by identifying all metaphorical uses of language, following the ‘metaphor identification procedure’ proposed by the Praggjelaz Group.

Results

Metaphors were used from a variety of semantic fields. EPC was described using spiritual terms, to indicate that this approach was instrumental in ‘restoring life’, ‘producing hope’ and making patients feel ‘accompanied’. The most recurrent metaphors were those referring to light and salvation; spatial metaphors were used to describe the treatment and the hospital as a ‘safe haven’ and ‘an oasis of peace’. Patients and caregivers were overall consistent in the aforementioned ways of referring to illness and treatment; caregivers were more likely than patients to use war metaphors, although their use overall was rare.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that EPC is perceived positively by patients and their caregivers and provide insights regarding the manner in which EPC could be presented to patients, caregivers and the public.
Technical Perspective: From Binary Join to Free Join
Authors: Neumann Thomas
Published: May 2024

Most queries access data from more than one relation, which makes joins between relations an extremely common operation. In many cases the execution time of a query is dominated by the processing of the involved joins. This observation has led to a wide range of techniques to speed up join processing like, e.g. efficient hash joins, bitmap filters to eliminate non-joining tuples early on, blocked lookups to hide cache latencies, and many others.
Technical Perspective: Efficient and Reusable Lazy Sampling
Authors: Neumann Thomas
Published: May 2024

When interactively working with data, query latency is very important. In particular when ad-hoc queries are written in an explorative manner, it is essential to quickly get feedback in order to refine and correct the query based upon result values. This interactive use case is difficult to support if the underlying data is large, as analyzing large volumes of data is inherently expensive.
Technical Perspective: Unicorn: A Unified Multi-Tasking Matching Model
Authors: Doan AnHai
Published: May 2024

Data integration has been a long-standing challenge for data management. It has recently received significant attention due to at least three main reasons. First, many data science projects require integrating data from disparate sources before analysis can be carried out to extract insights. Second, many organizations want to build knowledge graphs, such as Customer 360s, Product 360s, and Supplier 360s, which capture all available information about the customers, products, and suppliers of an organization. Building such knowledge graphs often requires integrating data from multiple sources. Finally, there is also an increasing need to integrate a massive amount of data to create training data for AI models, such as large language models.
Unicorn: A Unified Multi-Tasking Matching Model
Authors: Fan Ju , Tu Jianhong , Li Guoliang , Wang Peng , Du Xiaoyong , Jia Xiaofeng , Gao Song , Tang Nan
Published: May 2024

Data matching, which decides whether two data elements (e.g., string, tuple, column, or knowledge graph entity) are the "same" (a.k.a. a match), is a key concept in data integration. The widely used practice is to build task-specific or even dataset-specific solutions, which are hard to generalize and disable the opportunities of knowledge sharing that can be learned from different datasets and multiple tasks. In this paper, we propose Unicorn, a unified model for generally supporting common data matching tasks. Building such a unified model is challenging due to heterogeneous formats of input data elements and various matching semantics of multiple tasks. To address the challenges, Unicorn employs one generic Encoder that converts any pair of data elements (a, b) into a learned representation, and uses a Matcher, which is a binary classifier, to decide whether a matches b. To align matching semantics of multiple tasks, Unicorn adopts a mixture-of-experts model that enhances the learned representation into a better representation. We conduct extensive experiments using 20 datasets on 7 well-studied data matching tasks, and find that our unified model can achieve better performance on most tasks and on average, compared with the state-of-the-art specific models trained for ad-hoc tasks and datasets separately. Moreover, Unicorn can also well serve new matching tasks with zero-shot learning.
Technical Perspective: Graph Theory for Data Privacy: A New Approach for Complex Data Flows
Authors: Ferrari Elena
Published: May 2024

Nearly all of the world's population now uses online services that request personal information, covering almost every aspect of our lives. The abundance of personal data in digital form has brought incredible benefits to end users, enabling them to access personalized and advanced services based on the analysis of the data collected. This capability has dramatically improved the user experience in various application domains, ranging from healthcare to e-commerce, finance, logistics, and entertainment, to name a few. Numerous technological advancements in the field of big data have enabled this massive processing of personal data, and recent advances in AI data processing capabilities will expand the ways in which service providers will use personal data in the coming years. Machine learning algorithms, powered by AI, will be used to make increasingly accurate predictions about user behavior by uncovering hidden correlations within massive data sets. There is therefore a tension between the desire to fully exploit personal data in such ecosystems and the need to provide strong privacy and transparency guarantees to the individuals whose data is being exploited. Privacy protection is further complicated because data processing is typically not performed in isolation but through pipelines of different services, with each step making inferences about the personal data consumed by the services in subsequent steps.
Graph Theory for Consent Management: A New Approach for Complex Data Flows
Authors: Filipczuk Dorota , Gerding Enrico H. , Konstantinidis George
Published: May 2024

Through legislation and technical advances users gain more control over how their data is processed, and they expect online services to respect their privacy choices and preferences. However, data may be processed for many different purposes by several layers of algorithms that create complex data workflows. To date, there is no existing approach to automatically satisfy fine-grained privacy constraints of a user in a way which optimises the service provider's gains from processing. In this article, we propose a solution to this problem by modelling a data flow as a graph. User constraints and processing purposes are pairs of vertices which need to be disconnected in this graph. We show that, in general, this problem is NP-hard and we propose several heuristics and algorithms. We discuss the optimality versus efficiency of our algorithms and evaluate them using synthetically generated data. On the practical side, our algorithms can provide nearly optimal solutions for tens of constraints and graphs of thousands of nodes, in a few seconds.
Technical Perspective: Synthetic Data Needs a Reproducibility Benchmark
Authors: He Xi
Published: May 2024

Synthetic data is a vital substitute for real sensitive personal data in supporting social science research and policy studies. Extensive prior research has delved into various models for generating synthetic data, from traditional statistical approaches to cutting-edge deep-learning methods. However, selecting the most suitable one for unforeseen applications poses a significant challenge due to the varying strengths and weaknesses, dependent on factors such as the application domain, data distribution, analytical requirements, and privacy considerations.
Cerebellar Mutism Syndrome and Dentato-Thalamo-Cortical Tract Disruption in Diffusion Tractography Following Surgery for Medulloblastoma
Authors: Ji Qing , McAfee Samuel S. , Scoggins Matthew , Holtrop Joseph , Glass John O. , Yuan Xiaomeng , Liang Jia , Li Yimei , Chiang Jason , Orr Brent A. , Edwards Angela , Storment Diana , Brinkman Tara , Robinson Giles W. , Gajjar Amar , Reddick Wilburn E. , Patay Zoltán , Khan Raja B. , Bag Asim K.
Published: May 2024

The severity of cerebellar mutism syndrome–related symptoms was associated with the degree to which the dentato-thalamo-cortical tract was disrupted at diffusion tractography in participants with medulloblastoma.
Circuit Level Implementation of Negative Capacitance Source Pocket Double Gate Tunnel FET for Low Power Applications
Authors: Babu K. Murali Chandra , Goel Ekta
Published: May 2024

This manuscript presents a pioneering study on enhancing analog and radio frequency performance through the implementation of negative capacitance source pocket double gate tunnel field-effect transistor. By integrating a ferroelectric material into the gate stack and introducing a fully depleted n-type pocket near the source/channel junction, we achieved significant enhancements in key metrics such as ON current (ION), switching ratio, subthreshold swing (SS), and various analog/RF parameters like transconductance (gm), cutoff frequency (fT) when compared to existing literature. Additionally, we extend our analysis to circuit-level applications such as inverter and 5-stage ring oscillator. Our findings reveal an impressive inverter delay of 1.09 ps with a gain of 104, as well as a ring oscillator operating at a frequency of 500 GHz. These results position the proposed device as an ideal candidate for high-speed, low-power applications.
Self-Induced Ge-Doped HfO2 Applied to Ge Stacked Nanowires Ferroelectric Gate-All-Around Field-Effect Transistor with Steep Subthreshold Slope Under O3 Treatment with GeO2 as Interfacial Layer
Authors: Lin Yi-Wen , Huang Yu-Hsien , Lin Shan-Wen , Luo Guang-Li , Lin Yu-Hsien , Wu Yung-Chun , Hou Fu-Ju
Published: May 2024

This study reports a self-induced ferroelectric Ge-doped HfO2 (Ge:HfO2) thin film through interface reactions. In the first experiment, three treatments for forming interfacial layer (IL) were discussed through TiN/2-nm-thick Al2O3/2-nm-thick Ge:HfO2/GeO2/Ge metal-ferroelectric-insulator-semiconductor capacitors. The remnant polarization (Pr), leakage current, and interface trap density (Dit) were compared to select the most appropriate IL treatment. The results show that the in-situ ozone treatment under the standard atomic layer deposition process had the second highest 2Pr value as well as lower Dit values. Next, the thicknesses of Al2O3/Ge:HfO2 would be changed to 4 nm/2 nm and 3 nm/3 nm to investigate the ferroelectricity and leakage current. Although the 3-nm-thick Al2O3/3-nm-thick Ge:HfO2 shows a lower 2Pr value, the leakage current is much lower than 2-nm-thick Al2O3/2-nm-thick Ge:HfO2. The self-induced ferroelectric 3-nm-thick Ge:HfO2 thin film was then applied to fabricate Ge stacked nanowires gate-all-around field-effect transistor. The results show a steep subthreshold slope of 58 mV/dec for pFET and on-off current ratio > 105 and have high potential in low-power IC applications.
Malaria Prevalence and Risk Factors in Outpatients at Teda Health Center, Northwest Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Woldesenbet Dagmawi , Tegegne Yalewayker , Semaw Muluken , Abebe Wagaw , Barasa Silesh , Wubetie Menberu , Tamene Elias , Anteneh Marshet , Yimer Aschalew , Wolde Deneke
Published: May 2024

Background. Despite extensive efforts and achievements made in prevention and control, malaria is still a public health problem in Ethiopia. Currently, the case number has been climbing, even changing the epidemiology to the previously low-burden reporting locations. Therefore, our study is aimed at assessing malaria prevalence and associated risk factors in outpatients, Northwest Ethiopia. Methods. A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 318 malaria-suspected outpatients from October 22 to December 15, 2022, at Teda Health Center, Northwest Ethiopia. Sociodemographic characteristics and malaria risk factors were assessed by a face-to-face interview using a pretested questionnaire. Plasmodium parasites were detected by using microscopy on a blood film stained with 10% and 3% Giemsa stain. The data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences software version 25, and statistical significance was reported at a p value < 0.05. Results. Of the 318 study participants, 124 (39.0%; 95%CI=33.6%−44.6%) tested positive for Plasmodium infection. Plasmodium vivax, P. falciparum, and mixed infections were identified in 71 (57.3%), 47 (37.9%), and 6 (4.8%), respectively, among positive study participants. Individuals above the age of 15 (AOR=2.704, 95% CI 1.370-5.336) were more likely to be infected with Plasmodium than under-five-year-old individuals. Rural residents (AOR=2.56, 95% CI 1.281-5.098), those who sleep or work outside at night (AOR=1.99, 95% CI 1.020-3.875), and individuals who did not use long-lasting insecticide-treated net (AOR=3.26, 95% CI 1.633-6.499) and had a family member with a history of malaria (AOR=2.902, 95%CI=1.671−5.041) had higher odds of acquiring Plasmodium infection than their counterparts. Conclusion. In our study area, malaria was a major health problem, with P. vivax being the dominant species. Multiple environmental and behavioural factors were associated with the infection acquisition. Therefore, urgent holistic intervention is required.
L'inhibition pédagogique : un rapport au savoir affecté par l'angoisse. Une étude de cas en natation.
Authors: Laugier Matthieu
Published: May 2024

A partir de un estudio de caso, esta investigación se pregunta por las razones de la no utilización de determinadas competencias profesionales por parte de un profesor de escuela en el contexto de la enseñanza de la natación. Inscrita en una perspectiva de investigación clínica orientada por el psicoanálisis, explora las manifestaciones del inconsciente en funcionamiento que afectan a esta relación con el conocimiento. Los datos se recogieron mediante entrevistas de investigación clínica. El análisis interpretativo del discurso del sujeto saca a la luz varias causas inconscientes de la no utilización de las competencias profesionales, vinculadas a los conceptos de inhibición y ansiedad. La identificación de una relación con el conocimiento afectada por la ansiedad abre una reflexión más amplia sobre la consideración y la gestión de los afectos en las situaciones profesionales.
Abordagem clínica na formação de professores: práticas inclusivas e o professor-sujeito
Authors: Bastos Marise Bartolozzi
Published: May 2024

La formation des enseignants est un thème récurrent dans le cadre des politiques éducatives soucieuses de la qualité de l'enseignement. Dans le présent travail, nous présentons un dispositif de formation qui ne s'aligne pas sur la perspective technico-instrumentale des compétences, ni ne fait partie des formulations des théoriciens qui prônent une formation basée sur le paradigme réflexif de l'enseignant. Notre objectif est de mettre en évidence la puissance d'un dispositif collectif de formation des enseignants basé sur l'écoute psychanalytique, la circulation des paroles, le dialogue entre pairs et le travail élaboratif, offrant ainsi une « troisième voie » dans les pratiques de formation, privilégiant une démarche clinique qui peut céder la place aux savoirs construits par les enseignants dans la singularité de leurs expériences.
Finally disposing of the ‘names’ published in Kalanchoe (Crassulaceae subfam. Kalanchooideae) by Nathaniel Wallich (1786–1854) in 1831 and 1832
Authors: SMITH GIDEON F.
Published: May 2024

It is shown that Nathaniel Wallich (1786–1854) did not validly publish any names in Kalanchoe (Crassulaceae subfam. Kalanchooideae), neither in his “Plantae asiaticæ rariores […] (1831)” nor in his “[A] Numerical List […] (1832)”, which was published in parts from 1828 and 1849. In Pl. Asiat. Rar. (Wallich) of 1831 only one name, K. teretifolia, attributable to Adrian Hardy Haworth (1768–1833), was validly published in Kalanchoe.
Erratum: delos Angeles, M.D., Buot, I.E. Jr., Moran, C.B., Robinson, A.S. & Tandang, D.N. (2022) Corybas kaiganganianus (Orchidaceae), a new, rare helmet orchid from Samar Island, Philippines. Phytotaxa 543 (2): 127–134.
Authors: DELOS ANGELES MARJORIE D. , BUOT Jr. INOCENCIO E. , MORAN CECILIA B. , ROBINSON ALASTAIR S. , TANDANG DANILO N.
Published: May 2024

N/A
Economy-wide Impacts of India–UAE CEPA: A CGE Analysis
Authors: Ismail Saba , Ahmed Shahid
Published: May 2024

The present study investigates the potential trade effects of tariff liberalisation under India–United Arab Emirates (UAE) Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) using general equilibrium analysis. The study specifically examines output, employment, exports and welfare effects of India–UAE CEPA in computable general equilibrium (CGE) framework using the Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP) model and database version 10. The study indicates output gains in manufacturing sector for both countries and an increase in demand for unskilled labour in India. The study argues that the CEPA will result in an increase in global exports of all commodity groups for both India and UAE and a substantial gain in bilateral exports of both countries. The present study suggests that deeper integration through tariff reduction on imports under India–UAE CEPA will be welfare enhancing for both India and UAE. Overall results show that there is a lot of untapped potential to bring the welfare gains for both trading partners. Given the present schedule of tariff reduction of CEPA, a win–win scenario will emerge for both partners in short as well as long run. Finally, the study cautioned about the implications of sensitive list for trade effects and protection from misuse of rules of origin in the CEPA.

JEL Codes: F1, F13, F14, F15, F17
The challenge of improving work health and safety in global supply chains: Institutions and evidence of effectiveness
Authors: Walters David , Johnstone Richard , James Phil
Published: May 2024

The challenges for work health and safety (WHS) posed by global supply chains (GSCs) are well known. In a comprehensive review of the literature on the effectiveness of private and public regulatory measures upon relations within and around these chains, this article explores ways to improve prevention practices and their outcomes for WHS. It concludes there are a range of regulatory approaches utilised to achieve improvements but to be effective they require politically supported interventions and better orchestration at global and national levels. Whether, as recent literature suggests, the 2022 amendment adding WHS to the International Labour Organization’s Declaration of Fundamental Principles and Rights is able to serve as a catalyst for this remains to be seen. Without such support and the political will to drive interventions, however, the analysis suggests that the current operational weaknesses of regulatory approaches to supporting WHS in GSCs are unlikely to be remedied.
Hispanic-Serving Artificial Intelligence: Do Hispanic-Serving Institutions Use Chatbots and Can They Speak Spanish?
Authors: Taylor Z. W. , Ortega Guillermo , Hernández Susana H.
Published: May 2024

Background or Context:

Although many scholars have evaluated how Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs) serve and can better serve Latinx students and their communities, scant research has integrated artificial intelligence (AI) technology within this evaluation of diversity and servingness. With institutions of higher education continuing to explore ways to integrate AI into their everyday operations, it is critical to understand whether HSIs are leveraging AI chatbot technology, given this specific technology’s ubiquity in modern society.

Purpose, Objective, Research Question, or Focus of Study:

This study aimed to evaluate whether HSIs employ AI chatbot technology on their websites and the usability of this technology in accessing admissions information in English and Spanish. As a result, this study analyzes all 558 Hispanic-serving institution (.edu) websites and interacts with embedded AI chatbots to evaluate whether HSIs utilize chatbots and if these chatbots are engineered or staffed to communicate with Spanish-speaking audiences.

Research Design:

This study employed a mixed methods approach, utilizing qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis methods. Given the study’s emphasis on human–computer interaction, the researchers also engaged with interactive research methods to perform artificial intelligence testing.

Conclusions or Recommendations:

Findings suggest roughly 20% of HSIs employ AI chatbots, but far fewer use bilingual English/Spanish chatbots (12%). However, HSIs are equally as likely to staff English (20%) live agents as Spanish (21%) live agents when users are elevated from AI. Our findings demonstrate the importance of having Spanish and bilingual information embedded into HSIs to truly serve Latinx students and their families (Garcia, 2019). More specifically, Spanish should be incorporated within technological spaces where Latinx students and their communities may seek HSI information to pursue higher education such as how to apply for admission and financial aid. Ultimately, HSIs must consider how technology services like AI chatbots provide resources and answer questions in Spanish to ensure equitable access to information for Latinx students, their families, and their communities. Moreover, HSI leadership must continue to explore how HSIs may be transformed through technological innovation, such as artificial intelligence integration within digital spaces, including the HSI’s website.
Volatility Forecasting and Asymmetry Effect: Evidence from Dow Jones Sustainability Indices
Authors: Roy Subrata
Published: May 2024

The present study seeks to examine the varied asymmetric effects of Dow Jones Sustainability indices (DJSI) over a period from 1998 to 2020. Here, the study period is divided into three sub-periods (pre-recession, recession, and post-recession). The study applies ARCH and GARCH approaches to observe the nature of volatilities and their effect on their daily return. The study reports presence of significant asymmetric shocks and persistence of conditional volatilities in the daily returns during all the sub-periods. Moreover, leverage effects exist in the returns during the sub-periods except DJSI US. It is also observed that EGARCH and TARCH measures are appropriate in pre-recession and recession periods, but GARCH is gainful in post-recession.
Using Crowdsourced Data to Assess the Impact of Shelter-in-Place Orders (SIPO) during COVID-19: Lessons from a Small Island Developing State
Authors: Mohan Preeya S. , Ramsawak Richard
Published: May 2024

Without the availability of a vaccine (at the time of writing) to control the spread of the COVID-19 virus, countries must rely largely on lockdown measures to limit population movement and community spread. The case of COVID-19 in small island territories is particularly important given their vulnerabilities to external shocks, limited capacity to prepare for and respond to a health crisis, and a population susceptible to non-communicable diseases. This article utilise novel crowdsourced cell phone data gathered by Facebook Data for Good and difference-in-differences estimation as well as event studies to examine the effectiveness of shelter-in-place orders (SIPOs) on population movement patterns across Trinidad and Tobago. We find that most SIPOs result in reductions in population movement patterns across the country, the most effective being the closure of all public places and non-essential businesses. Also, the relaxation of these measures does not readily result in increasing population movement patterns, indicating relative embeddedness in population movement. Our results further suggest that voluntary compliance, adaptive behaviour among citizens, government transparency and public information can also be important motivations for reduced population movement during the pandemic.
Challenges for Cancer Patients Seeking Medical Care During COVID-19 Lockdown in India: A Narrative Review
Authors: Tripathy Abhipsa , Mishra Prem Shankar
Published: May 2024

Delivering healthcare services to cancer patients during COVID-19 lockdown posed several challenges; however, lack of reporting and concerned reviews made it imperative to understand the nuance of narratives among cancer patients across country. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a severe effect on the entirety among cancer patients in the continuum of care. In this regard, this article aims to investigate the challenges and hard times faced by cancer patients due to mismanagement and lack of health system planning during COVID-19 lockdown in India. A total of 46 newspaper articles with distinct cases of patients suffering from different types of cancer were collected between 24 March 2020 and July 2020 lockdowns in India. We analyse the online news reports and articles of cancer patients facing regular services and treatment challenges during the country’s lockdown following an inductive approach. We conducted the content analysis that chose online news articles across states/union territories, leading to the creation of a conceptual diagram for our article. From all the articles, most articles reported challenges like poor governance of cancer patients (63%) and lack of timely treatment (37%) from the supply-side issues, whereas from the demand-side constraints, such as fear of transmission (10%), financial issues (10%) and accommodation problems (5%), were reported. The broad thematic categories that evolved from our content analysis are patient-centred related factors, healthcare management-related factors or supply-side factors and detrimental impacts of lockdown with the poor governance of cancer patients. Further, the findings revealed through different sets of narratives that involved a range of multiple factors such as service interruption, delays and altered modes of screening, diagnosis and treatment as well as follow-up and palliative care during the critical time of COVID-19 lockdowns in India. The interruption of service delivery mechanisms due to poor health management, deficits of health workforce, infrastructural lacunae and fear of COVID-19 infection placed unprecedented challenges to cancer patients across the country in seeking healthcare services. Therefore, the government must be regularly vigilant and give priority under these emergency circumstances. However, the newly introduced National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) by the Government of India might be a catalyser that provides the necessary support for the integration of digital health infrastructure in the country even after such a pandemic havoc in the future.
The Hepatoprotective Effect of Trigonelline in Diabetic Rat through Insulin-related IRS1-GLUT2 Pathway: A Biochemical, Molecular, Histopathological, and Immunohistochemical Study
Authors: Li Meizhi , Li Shiqing , Jiang Shanshan , Li Weihong
Published: May 2024

Background

Diabetes significantly increases morbidity and mortality rates, causing complications such as cardiovascular disease, kidney failure, and blindness.

Purpose

The aim of this study was to investigate the hepatoprotective effects of trigonelline (TRIG) in diabetic rats through the antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and insulin-related IRS1-GLUT2 pathway.

Materials and Methods

In this experimental investigation, sixty male Wistar rats ( n = 10/group) were randomly divided into six groups: a healthy group (HEL), healthy rats treated with 1500 and 3000 mg/kg of TRIG, a diabetic (D), and diabetic rats treated with 1500 and 3000 mg/kg of TRIG (D+ TRIG). The effects of TRIG on rats with induced diabetes were evaluated by serum biochemical parameters, such as insulin, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), free fatty acids (FFA), nitric oxide, and adiponectin levels. The activities of hepatic carbohydrate metabolic enzymes (hepatic glucokinase, glucose 6-phosphatase, glycogen, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase) were also measured. Furthermore, the expression levels of genes and proteins associated with carbohydrate/lipid metabolism, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARg), glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2), insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1), sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c (SREBP-1c) were analyzed using real-time PCR and western blotting techniques, respectively. Liver sections were examined using H&E staining and immunohistochemistry targeting the p53 protein.

Results

The results showed that 3000 mg/kg TRIG was able to suppress TNF-α, IL-6, and FFA by inhibiting inflammatory pathways along with increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes. TRIG treatment regulated serum levels of insulin, adiponectin, and hepatic carbohydrate metabolic enzymes as well as glycogen content by regulation of the IRS1/ GLUT2- SREBP-1c/ PPARg pathway.

Conclusion

These results provide evidence that TRIG has the potential to protect liver organs from oxidative damage in diabetic patients.
Contact acoustic nonlinearity and damping properties of completely free vibrating curved and delaminated CFRP plates
Authors: Roy Rene , Yoo Jae-Seung , Kweon Jin-Hwe , Nam Young-Woo
Published: May 2024

This study reports an experimental investigation on the effect of plate curvature and circular inter-ply delamination on the completely free vibration properties of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) plates. Impact tests on wire suspended plates were performed and variations in measured natural frequencies and modal damping are reported. Delamination clapping type contact acoustic nonlinearity (CAN) was observed in the presence of a series of higher harmonics in the vibration spectrum. These higher harmonics consisted of five to seven equally distanced peaks grouped in a frequency range of around the double of odd mode M (5,0). Modal damping was highly sensitive to delamination which caused a 33% average increase in damping loss factors. Odd mode M (3,0) was the most affected with an average increase of 51% in damping loss factor, explained by the delamination location relative to the wavelength of that mode shape. Natural frequencies were less sensitive to delamination, on average decreasing 1.0% in flat plates and increasing 3.1% in curved plates. The modal frequencies calculated from embedded fiber optic sensor (FOS) or electrical resistance strain gauge signals agreed with finite element modeling (FEM) to within a 3.1% difference for all modes considered. The damping loss factors deducted from suspended plate tests were consistent with complementary results from dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The measured delamination clapping CAN and its related influence on damping can serve to enhance structural health monitoring (SHM) methods.
Assessing the Influence of Hand-Dug Well Features and Management on Water Quality
Authors: Gnimadi Christian Julien Isac , Gawou Kokoutse , Aboah Michael , Owiredu Emmanuel Odame , Adusei-Gyamfi Junias
Published: May 2024

Underground water quality can be affected by natural or human-made influences. This study investigates how the management and characteristics of hand-dug wells impact water quality in 3 suburbs of Kumasi, Ghana, using a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods. Descriptive analysis, including frequency and percentages, depicted the demographic profiles of respondents. Box plot diagrams illustrated the distribution of physicochemical parameters (Total Dissolved Solid [TDS], Electrical Conductivity [EC], Turbidity, Dissolved Oxygen [DO], and Temperature). Factor analysis evaluated dominant factors among these parameters. Cluster analysis (hierarchical clustering) utilized sampling points as variables to establish spatial variations in water physicochemical parameters. Cramer’s V correlation test explored relationships between demographic variables and individual perceptions of water management. One-way ANOVA verified significant mean differences among the physicochemical parameters. Logistic regression models assessed the influence of selected well features (e.g., cover and apron) on TDS, pH, Temperature, Turbidity, and DO. The findings revealed that proximity to human settlements affects water quality, and increasing turbidity is associated with unmaintained covers, significantly impacting water quality ( P < .05). Over 80% of wells were located within 10 to 30 m of pollution sources, with 65.63% situated in lower ground and 87.5% being unmaintained. Other significant contamination sources included plastic bucket/rope usage (87.50%), defective linings (75%), and apron fissures (59.37%). Presence of E. coli, Total coliform, and Faecal coliform rendered the wells unpotable. Factor analysis attributed 90.85% of time-based and spatial differences to organic particle decomposition factors. However, Cramer’s V correlation analysis found establishing association between demographic factor associations with individual perceptions of hand-dug well management difficult. It is encouraged to promote hand-dug well construction and maintenance standards to ensure that wells are properly built and protected from contamination sources.
It’s Current: NAEC Provides Us With the Recipe to Build a Better Epilepsy Center
Authors: Nickels Katherine
Published: May 2024

The National Association of Epilepsy Centers (NAEC) recently published their updated guidelines for specialized epilepsy centers. The first NAEC guidelines provided basic expectations for in-patient care, with the goal of makingan accurate diagnosis and choose the best intervention- medical or surgical. With the 2001 report, the emphasis was for epilepsy centers to be able to provide comprehensive diagnostic and treatment services. The NAEC 2010 guidelines further delineated the essential elements of level 3 and 4 specialized epilepsy centers.The goal of the 2023 guidelines is not only to provide optimal standards of care, but also to “elevate evidence-based science into standard practice.”4 Therefore, these are the first NAEC guidelines that are solely funded by NAEC and also the first founded on an evidence-informed, consensus-based process. The 2023 guidelines now include 52 recommendations across the following domains: Inpatient Services/EMU, Surgery, Diagnostic Evaluation, and Outpatient Services. The guidelines provide us with the recommendations when creating new centers or ways to improve our current centers. Well- documented guidelines such as these provide us with support when seeking additional financial and personnel resources. Put simply, these guidelines have provided us with the recipe for ideal comprehensive epilepsy care for PWE.
Age-related factors associated with intention to initiate pre-exposure prophylaxis among cisgender women in Washington D.C.
Authors: Zack Jennifer L. , Hull Shawnika J. , Coleman Megan E. , Ye Peggy Peng , Lotke Pamela S. , Visconti Adam , Beverley Jason , Brant Ashley , Moriarty Patricia , Scott Rachel K.
Published: May 2024

Background:

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) utilization among cisgender women (subsequently ‘women’) is low across age groups, relative to their risk of HIV acquisition. We hypothesize that age-related differences in psychosocial factors also influence women’s intention to initiate oral PrEP in Washington, D.C.

Methods:

A secondary analysis of a cross-sectional survey data was performed to evaluate factors influencing intention to initiate oral PrEP among women seen at a family planning and a sexual health clinic. A bivariate analysis was performed to identify differences by age group in demographic characteristics, indications for PrEP, and attitudes toward PrEP; we then performed additional bivariate analysis to assess these variables in relation to PrEP intention.

Results:

Across age groups, perceived risk of HIV acquisition was not significantly different and was not associated with intention to initiate PrEP. Awareness of and attitude toward PrEP, injunctive norms, descriptive norms, and self-efficacy were not different across age, however there were significant age-associated differences in relation to PrEP intention. Specifically, among 18–24-year-olds, intention to start PrEP was associated with support from provider ( p = 0.03), main sexual partner ( p < 0.01), and peers ( p < 0.01). For women 25–34 years old, having multiple sexual partners ( p = 0.03) and support from casual sexual partners ( p = 0.03) was also important. Among women 35–44 years old, prior awareness of PrEP ( p = 0.02) and their children’s support of PrEP uptake ( p < 0.01) were associated with intention to initiate PrEP. Among 45–55 year-old women intention to initiate PrEP was positively associated with engaging in casual sex ( p = 0.03) and negatively associated with stigma ( p < 0.01).

Conclusion:

Overall, there were more similarities than differences in factors influencing intention to initiate PrEP across age groups. Observed differences offer an opportunity to tailor PrEP delivery and HIV prevention interventions to increase awareness and uptake for cisgender women.
Pain: The Silent Public Health Epidemic
Authors: Katzman Joanna G. , Gallagher Rollin Mac
Published: May 2024

More than 50 million Americans suffer from chronic pain, costing our society an estimated 565 to 635 billion dollars annually. Its complexity and training deficits in healthcare providers result in many patients receiving ineffective care. Large health inequities also exist in access to effective pain care for vulnerable populations. The traumatic history of indigenous people and people of color in regards to the experience of pain care perpetuates a lack of trust in the healthcare system, causing many to hesitate to seek medical treatment for painful events and conditions. Other vulnerable populations include those with sickle cell disease or fibromyalgia, whose experience of pain has not been well-understood. There are both barriers to care and stigma for patients with pain, including those taking prescribed doses of long-term opioids, those with known substance use disorder, and those with mental health diagnoses. The suffering of patients with pain can be “invisible” to the clinician, and to one’s community at large. Pain can affect all people; but those most vulnerable to not getting effective care may continue to suffer in silence because their voices are not heard. Since 1973, pain societies around the globe have worked tirelessly to bring clinicians together to advance pain and opioid education, research, and patient care. These improvements consist of pain education, integrative treatment, and the understanding that a therapeutic alliance is critical to effective pain management. Pain education for both pre and post-licensure health professionals has increased substantially over the last decade. In addition, integrative and interdisciplinary approaches for clinical pain management are now considered best practices in pain care for patients with moderate to severe pain in addition to the development of a strong therapeutic alliance.
Timing of oral anticoagulants initiation for atrial fibrillation after acute ischemic stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Palaiodimou Lina , Stefanou Maria-Ioanna , Katsanos Aristeidis H , De Marchis Gian Marco , Aguiar De Sousa Diana , Dawson Jesse , Katan Mira , Karapanayiotides Theodore , Toutouzas Konstantinos , Paciaroni Maurizio , Seiffge David J , Tsivgoulis Georgios
Published: May 2024

Introduction:

There is a longstanding clinical uncertainty regarding the optimal timing of initiating oral anticoagulants (OAC) for non-valvular atrial fibrillation following acute ischemic stroke. Current international recommendations are based on expert opinions, while significant diversity among clinicians is noted in everyday practice.

Methods:

We conducted an updated systematic review and meta-analysis including all available randomized-controlled clinical trials (RCTs) and observational cohort studies that investigated early versus later OAC-initiation for atrial fibrillation after acute ischemic stroke. The primary outcome was defined as the composite of ischemic and hemorrhagic events and mortality at follow-up. Secondary outcomes included the components of the composite outcome (ischemic stroke recurrence, intracranial hemorrhage, major bleeding, and all-cause mortality). Pooled estimates were calculated with random-effects model.

Results:

Nine studies (two RCTs and seven observational) were included comprising a total of 4946 patients with early OAC-initiation versus 4573 patients with later OAC-initiation following acute ischemic stroke. Early OAC-initiation was associated with reduced risk of the composite outcome (RR = 0.74; 95% CI:0.56–0.98; I2 = 46%) and ischemic stroke recurrence (RR = 0.64; 95% CI:0.43–0.95; I2 = 60%) compared to late OAC-initiation. Regarding safety outcomes, similar rates of intracranial hemorrhage (RR = 0.98; 95% CI:0.57–1.69; I2 = 21%), major bleeding (RR = 0.78; 95% CI:0.40–1.51; I2 = 0%), and mortality (RR = 0.94; 95% CI:0.61–1.45; I2 = 0%) were observed. There were no subgroup differences, when RCTs and observational studies were separately evaluated.

Conclusions:

Early OAC-initiation in acute ischemic stroke patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation appears to have better efficacy and a similar safety profile compared to later OAC-initiation.