bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Neoadjuvant Checkpoint Immunotherapy and Melanoma: The Time Is Now
Authors: Long Georgina V. , Menzies Alexander M. , Scolyer Richard A.
Published: April 2023

The role of neoadjuvant therapy is undergoing an historic shift in oncology. The emergence of potent immunostimulatory anticancer agents has transformed neoadjuvant therapy from a useful tool in minimizing surgical morbidity to a life-saving treatment with curative promise, led by research in the field of melanoma. Health practitioners have witnessed remarkable improvements in melanoma survival outcomes over the past decade, beginning with checkpoint immunotherapies and BRAF-targeted therapies in the advanced setting that were successfully adopted into the postsurgical adjuvant setting for high-risk resectable disease. Despite substantial reductions in postsurgical recurrence, high-risk resectable melanoma has remained a life-altering and potentially fatal disease. In recent years, data from preclinical models and early-phase clinical trials have pointed to the potential for greater clinical efficacy when checkpoint inhibitors are administered in the neoadjuvant rather than adjuvant setting. Early feasibility studies showed impressive pathologic response rates to neoadjuvant immunotherapy, which were associated with recurrence-free survival rates of over 90%. Recently, the randomized phase II SWOG S1801 trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03698019 ) reported a 42% reduction in 2-year event-free survival risk with neoadjuvant versus adjuvant pembrolizumab in resectable stage IIIB-D/IV melanoma (72% v 49%; hazard ratio, 0.58; P = .004), establishing neoadjuvant single-agent immunotherapy as a new standard of care. A randomized phase III trial of neoadjuvant immunotherapy in resectable stage IIIB-D melanoma, NADINA (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04949113 ), is ongoing, as are feasibility studies in high-risk stage II disease. With a swathe of clinical, quality-of-life, and economic benefits, neoadjuvant immunotherapy has the potential to redefine the contemporary management of resectable tumors.
Facial analytics based on a coordinate extrapolation system (zFACE) for morphometric phenotyping of developing zebrafish
Authors: Maili Lorena , Ruiz Oscar E. , Kahan Philip H. , Chiu Frankie , Larson Stephen T. , Hashmi S. Shahrukh , Hecht Jacqueline T. , Eisenhoffer George T.
Published: April 2023

Facial development requires a complex and coordinated series of cellular events that, when perturbed, can lead to structural birth defects. A quantitative approach to quickly assess morphological changes could address how genetic or environmental inputs lead to differences in facial shape and promote malformations. Here, we report on a method to rapidly analyze craniofacial development in zebrafish embryos using facial analytics based on a coordinate extrapolation system, termed zFACE. Confocal images capture facial structures and morphometric data are quantified based on anatomical landmarks present during development. The quantitative morphometric data can detect phenotypic variation and inform on changes in facial morphology. We applied this approach to show that loss of smarca4a in developing zebrafish leads to craniofacial anomalies, microcephaly and alterations in brain morphology. These changes are characteristic of Coffin–Siris syndrome, a rare human genetic disorder associated with mutations in SMARCA4. Multivariate analysis of zFACE data facilitated the classification of smarca4a mutants based on changes in specific phenotypic characteristics. Together, zFACE provides a way to rapidly and quantitatively assess the impact of genetic alterations on craniofacial development in zebrafish.
The Costs of Job Displacement over the Business Cycle and Its Sources: Evidence from Germany
Authors: Schmieder Johannes F. , von Wachter Till , Heining Jörg
Published: April 2023

We document the sources behind the costs of job loss over the business cycle using administrative data from Germany. Losses in annual earnings after displacement are large, persistent, and highly cyclical, nearly doubling in size during downturns. A large part of the long-term earnings losses and their cyclicality is driven by declines in wages. Key to these long-lasting wage declines and their cyclicality are changes in employer characteristics, as displaced workers switch to lower-paying firms. These losses increase with duration of nonemployment. Changes in characteristics of displaced workers or displacing firms, and other post-job loss career outcomes explain little of the cyclicality. (JEL E24, E32, J31, J63, J64, J65)
Isotoxic dose escalated radiotherapy for glioblastoma based on diffusion-weighted MRI and tumor control probability—an in-silico study
Authors: Pang Yaru , Kosmin Michael , Li Zhuangling , Deng Xiaonian , Li Zihuang , Li Xianming , Zhang Ying , Royle Gary , Manolopoulos Spyros
Published: April 2023

Objectives:

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common malignant primary brain tumor with local recurrence after radiotherapy (RT), the most common mode of failure. Standard RT practice applies the prescription dose uniformly across tumor volume disregarding radiological tumor heterogeneity. We present a novel strategy using diffusion-weighted (DW-) MRI to calculate the cellular density within the gross tumor volume (GTV) in order to facilitate dose escalation to a biological target volume (BTV) to improve tumor control probability (TCP).

Methods:

The pre-treatment apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps derived from DW-MRI of ten GBM patients treated with radical chemoradiotherapy were used to calculate the local cellular density based on published data. Then, a TCP model was used to calculate TCP maps from the derived cell density values. The dose was escalated using a simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) to the BTV, defined as the voxels for which the expected pre-boost TCP was in the lowest quartile of the TCP range for each patient. The SIB dose was chosen so that the TCP in the BTV increased to match the average TCP of the whole tumor.

Results:

By applying a SIB of between 3.60 Gy and 16.80 Gy isotoxically to the BTV, the cohort’s calculated TCP increased by a mean of 8.44% (ranging from 7.19 to 16.84%). The radiation dose to organ at risk is still under their tolerance.

Conclusions:

Our findings indicate that TCPs of GBM patients could be increased by escalating radiation doses to intratumoral locations guided by the patient’s biology (i.e., cellularity), moreover offering the possibility for personalized RT GBM treatments.

Advances in knowledge:

A personalized and voxel level SIB radiotherapy method for GBM is proposed using DW-MRI, which can increase the tumor control probability and maintain organ at risk dose constraints.
Radiomics method in the differential diagnosis of diabetic foot osteomyelitis and charcot neuroarthropathy
Authors: Cuce Ferhat , Tulum Gökalp , Yılmaz Kerim Bora , Osman Onur , Aralasmak Ayse
Published: April 2023

Objectives

Our study used a radiomics method to differentiate bone marrow signal abnormality (BMSA) between Charcot neuroarthropathy (CN) and osteomyelitis (OM).

Methods and materials

The records of 166 patients with diabetic foot suspected CN or OM between January 2020 and March 2022 were retrospectively examined. A total of 41 patients with BMSA on MRI were included in this study. The diagnosis of OM was confirmed histologically in 24 of 41 patients. We clinically followed 17 patients as CN with laboratory tests. We also included 29 nondiabetic patients with traumatic (TR) BMSA on MRI as the third group. Contours of all BMSA on T 2 - and T1 -weighted images in three patient groups were segmented semi-automatically on ManSeg (v.2.7d). The T1 and T2 features of three groups in radiomics were statistically evaluated. We applied the multi-class classification (MCC) and binary-class classification (BCC) methodologies to compare results.

Results

For MCC, the accuracy of Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) was 76.92% and 84.38% for T1 and T2, respectively. According to BCC, for CN, OM, and TR BMSA, the sensitivity of MLP is 74%, 89.23%, and 76.19% for T1, and 90.57%, 85.92%, 86.81% for T2, respectively. For CN, OM, and TR BMSA, the specificity of MLP is 89.16%, 87.57%, and 90.72% for T1 and 93.55%, 89.94%, and 90.48% for T2 images, respectively.

Conclusion

In diabetic foot, the radiomics method can differentiate the BMSA of CN and OM with high accuracy.

Advances in knowledge

The radiomics method can differentiate the BMSA of CN and OM with high accuracy.
The effect of canal curvature on cyclic fatigue resistance of rotary instruments using different irrigation materials (in vitro study)
Authors: Alsunboli Mohammed Hamoudi , Ihsan Sally Saad Ali , Sabah Duha Qais
Published: April 2023

Background: The mechanical qualities of Ni-Ti is crucial because they give the files their flexibility and enable us to prepare curved and double-curved canals with more ease. It happens frequently for instruments to separate during canal preparation, and cyclic fatigue (metal fatigue) is a frequent cause.

This study aimed to assess how irrigation affected the two rotary endodontic instruments' cyclic fatigue resistance.

Methods: The Edge File and Fanta File rotary endodontic instrument groups were chosen. Each group (n = 42) was split into 3 subgroups (n = 14 each), one receiving NaOH, one Glycine, and one EDTA treatment. The number of cycles to failure (NCF) was determined after each subgroup underwent testing for cyclic fatigue resistance.

Results: The result appeared different significant between the two group and sub-group with the different materials that used with it with the length of fractures and time that recorded in each group.

Conclusion: NaOCl, glycine, and EDTA as chemical materials appeared to have considerably varied cycle fatigue resistance for various lengths of fractures and durations, according to the comparison between the two evaluated instruments.
The effects of body habitus, age, and sex on adequate propofol dosing and infusion for general anesthesia
Authors: Pollina Cole , Fernandez-Nava Luis , Phillips Cooper
Published: April 2023

Propofol (Diprivan) is the most widely used intravenous (IV) anesthetic for the induction and maintenance of general anesthesia. Its rapid onset, fast recovery, and antiemetic properties make propofol a popular anesthetic drug over competing drugs, such as etomidate, ketamine, and halogenated gases. While there is general agreement about the physiological effects of propofol, inconsistent dosing metrics likely complicate its disputed effects on peri- and post-operative hemodynamics and cardiac function in the literature. This review provides the rationale for the recommended dosing metric of propofol and clarifies the bodily effects of dose-appropriate propofol use. This was achieved through a systematic review of propofol’s mechanism of action and observed physiological effects with respect to body habitus, age, and sex.Keywords:propofol, anesthesia, hemodynamics, induction
Health literacy and social determinants of health
Authors: Flores Debra , House Morgan , Pearson John , Stuart Daniel
Published: April 2023

Health Literacy and Social Determinants of Health are closely intertwined. Health disparities and inequities, overall health outcomes, understanding health information, and the ability to be fully informed about medical decisions can have long-term consequences. This connection is even more pronounced in rural and underserved urban areas where low health literacy is prevalent. This review seeks to identify correlations between health literacy and social determinants of health. It further proposes to indicate how key constituencies (healthcare organizations, healthcare providers, and patients) can further develop and disseminate health literacy initiatives to improve overall health and wellness. The research team used the Covidence database to screen, review, and extract peer-reviewed research articles for this study. The initial review identified 75 articles based on term harvesting and keyword searches considered relevant to the review. Selection, review, and characterization were performed by three reviewers on a team of four researchers. The articles’focuses are different regarding the observed impact on literacy concerning certain chronic health conditions, rural versus urban population centers, health education, ethnic and racial differentiation, and other variables. There are notable gaps in the current literature that relate to concrete methodologies to address these concerns.
Impact of COVID-19 on a cardiac catheterization lab in the post-COVID-19 era
Authors: Arvandi Aliakbar , Bruccoliere Anthony , Pollina Cole , Rutayomba Elwin , Iskandir Marina , Wischmeyer Jason , Jenkins Leigh , Shurmur Scott , Ansari Mohammad
Published: April 2023

Introduction: In May 2022, there was a worldwide shortage of contrast, including Iodine 270 mg/mL Visipaque/Iodixanol Injection. Due to the severe shortage, our catheterization lab had depleted its stores of Iodine 270 mg/mL Visipaque and could only acquire the Iodine 320 mg/mL Visipaque/Iodixanol Injection. Following the switch, a subset of our patients began experiencing similar severe and some life-threatening adverse reactions that could not be attributed to other causes.Methods: A retrospective review of all adverse reactions from interventional procedures performed with the new contrast in September 2022 and October 2022 was collected. Patient demographics, allergies, comorbidities, medications used (including sedation), adverse reactions, and type of contrast formulation were recorded and analyzed.Results: Seven cases were identified using the Iodine 320 mg/mL Visipaque/Iodixanol Injection contrast with dilution done as per procedure. No other change was adopted in either medication used or procedure. Three patients experienced post-procedural nausea and vomiting. One patient with no psychological history experienced brief but extreme agitation and aggression. Five patients required overnight admission due to severe postoperative shivering. Two of these patients required urgent warming measures, and one patient recorded a life-threatening temperature, requiring drastic cooling measures. In addition, one patient (patient 3) was readmitted to ICU with high-grade fever and chills. The common factor in all patients was the development of shivering a few hours after administration of the new contrast. All patients recovered after receiving medications to treat symptoms and hypertension.Conclusion: Our review identified several adverse reaction cases over the course of a couple months immediately following the change in contrast used. Once the supply of the original Iodine 270 mg/mL Iodixanol Injection was restored, adverse reactions ceased, and none occurred in the following months. Disruptions in the supply chain imposed by COVID-19 forced departure from preferred methods and adaptation to maintain continuity of care. Even as the worst of the global pandemic is over, health care providers must continue to be proactive and adaptive to the long-term disruptions of health care caused by the ripple effects of COVID-19.
Key words: COVID-19, angiography, contrast agents, adverse reactions
The impact of gender on differences in the diagnosis of peripheral arterial disease: the staggering effects of social determinants seen highest in women
Authors: Ansari Mohammad , Arvandi Aliakbar , Iskandir Marina , Thomas Geoff , Pham Anthony , Naghian Ardalan , Pollina Cole , Bruccoliere Anthony , Rutayomba Elwin , Daley Steven , Acosta Victoria , Kelly Lewis , Goel Kanishk , Santana Dixon , Griswold John , Shurmur Scott , Berk Steven
Published: April 2023

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a clinical manifestation of atherosclerosis, affecting primarily the peripheral vasculature in the lower extremities. In its terminal form, PAD can result in critical limb ischemia with subsequent amputation if inappropriately managed. As the prevalence of PAD continues to rise in the United States, disparities in its incidence and treatment have become a major focus point of cardiovascular research. However, most research efforts thus far have focused on the presentation and treatment of PAD in men. Given that women appear to be just as affected by PAD as men, more emphasis is needed on understanding the disparities and challenges affecting women with PAD. This paper aims to identify disparities in the treatment of PAD between males and females, with a closer look at gender disparities between Hispanic and non-Hispanic patients.
 
Keywords: Peripheral arterial disease, women, Hispanics, disparities
Consumer Time Budgets and Grocery Shopping Behavior
Authors: Bronnenberg Bart J. , Klein Tobias J. , Xu Yan
Published: April 2023

We study whether and how the availability of incremental time associated with retirement and unemployment affects the types of products households buy. For this, we develop a new theoretical model of the composition and size of the grocery shopping basket subject to money and time constraints. We construct a novel household panel data set that combines purchase records for grocery goods with information on labor market status and other demographics. We use the data to document that, in line with predictions from the model, consumers buy more varieties and generally shift their spending into products that take more time to turn them into consumption experiences.

This paper was accepted by Eric Anderson, marketing.

Funding: B. J. Bronnenberg and Y. Xu acknowledge financial support from the Netherlands Foundation for Scientific Research (NWO) under a Vici grant.

Supplemental Material: The online appendices are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.4763 .
Preface to the Special Issue on Behavioral Queueing Science: The Need for a Multidisciplinary Approach
Authors: Ingolfsson Armann , Mandelbaum Avishai , Schultz Kenneth , Yom-Tov Galit B.
Published: April 2023

Preface to the Special Issue on Behavioral Queueing Science: The Need for a Multidisciplinary Approach

Modern service systems are economically important but operationally complex. In “Preface to the Special Issue on Behavioral Queueing Science: The Need for a Multidisciplinary Approach,” Ingolfsson, Mandelbaum, Schultz, and Yom-Tov discuss how this special issue advances the scientific study of queues in services systems by acknowledging the central role of human behavior. Behavioral queueing science requires a multidisciplinary approach, using tools that include mathematical modelling, lab experiments and field studies. Each discipline has strengths and weaknesses, but together they have complementing goals, and jointly they give rise to a scientific paradigm for behavioral queues. Cross-disciplinary work is challenging but necessary. The eleven papers in our special issue show how this can be done successfully while setting an example for future work.
Starch Nanocrystal and its Food Packaging Applications
Authors: Adeyeye S. A. O. , Babu A. Surendra , Guruprasath N Guruprasath N , Ganesh P. Sankar
Published: April 2023

Food packaging is a crucial medium for protecting food from contamination, and spoilage by intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Nevertheless, for the past two decades, packaging materials have become environmental concern due to their disposal challenges. Starch is an eco-friendly packaging alternative, and it possesses outstanding degradability and reproducibility. The objective of this review is to examine the different methods used for the synthesis of nanostarch and expose their food packaging applications. Major sources of bibliometric information such as Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar were extensively searched with keywords such as starch, nano starch, starch nanocrystal, bio-composite film, acid hydrolysis, cassava starch, maize starch, edible film etc., to obtain a database of 272 papers. Thirty-nine publications met the criteria for review. The application of biopolymers such as starch, protein, and cellulose in the manufacturing of biodegradable films is an innovative approach. Starch is considered a promising biopolymer owing to its low cost, biodegradability, diversity, and availability. Currently, nanotechnology has received a lot of importance in the food packaging sector. Biodegradable nanocomposite packaging is an innovative technique to wrap food for enhanced shelf-life. Numerous food components are employed in the development of nanoparticles which includes proteins, starch, lipids, and polysaccharides. Nanostarch has certain unique properties such as being biocompatible, less expensive, biodegradable, sustainable, and eco-friendly nature. At present, nanostarch based packaging is prepared by mixing starch and non-starch polymers such as chitosan, cellulose, gelatin, whey protein etc. to increase mechanical property. Hence, the preparation of starch nanocrystals-based packaging material presents a substantial improvement in barrier properties, tensile strength, elastic modulus and food quality, and shelf life. The present review gives a comprehensive understanding of the synthesis and characterization of the starch nanocrystal, its food packaging application, sustainability, and regulatory aspects alongside new perspectives which is inadequate in the literature.
Extraction of Faloak Stem Bark (Sterculia quadrifida R. Br) Using Microwave-Assisted Extraction Method And LC-HRMS Profiling of the Extract
Authors: Martati Erryana , Jemadu Vianney Evika , Mubarok Ahmad Zaki
Published: April 2023

The extraction of bioactive plants is an essential step in isolating the targeted bioactive compounds. Microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) offers a green technology extraction that can minimize energy, time, and solvent and is a suitable method for extracting thermolabile plant bioactive compounds. The study aims to find out the optimal time and temperature for isolating the total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid (TF), and antioxidant activity (AO) of faloak stem bark (FSB) (Sterculia quadrifida R. Br) and to profile the phytochemicals in the FSB extract using sophisticated of LC-HRMS (Liquid Chromatography High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry). The research used the Randomized Block Design (RBD) method with two factors. The factors were the extraction time (5, 15, and 25 min) and temperature variation (50, 60, and 70°C). The data of observed parameters were calculated using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and followed by a further test with a 95% confidence interval. The results showed an interaction between temperature and time of extraction on TPC, TF, and AO activity. The best MAE condition for extracting FSB was achieved at 60°C for 25 min. The FSB extract had a TPC of 81.2 mg GAE/g, TF of 70.30 mg QE/g, and AO activity of 67.8%. LC-HRMS revealed the newly identified phenolic compounds such as methyl cinnamate, vanillin, apocynin, scopoletin, L(-)-pipecolinic acid, arecoline, δ-valerolactam, 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde, 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde; flavonoids such as epicatechin and rutin and some fatty acids and its derivatives. Future research could focus on developing new therapies for promoting human health using extract FSB.
Essential Amino Acids and Nutrients Found in Tender Bamboo Shoots and Products Available in Arunachal Pradesh, India
Authors: Chingangbam Sadananda , Singha Lalbihari , Tripathi Om Prakash
Published: April 2023

Bamboo is a versatile grass with multiple applications and yielding edible tender shoots. Juvenile shoots are a delicacy for many ethnic communities all over the globe and are rich in essential nutrients for human health. A study was conducted to identify the concentrations of essential amino acids viz. Lysine, Methionine, and Tryptophan with Crude protein, Crude fiber, and Carbohydrates in both fresh and processed tender shoots of seven commercial bamboo species available in Arunachal Pradesh, India. Concentrations of all nutritional parameters considered for this study are comparable with conventional foods and some values were higher in processed bamboo shoot products than those of fresh tender shoots. Findings of this study revealed that bamboo shoots and their processed products are highly nutritious which can provide opportunities in both nutritional as well as economic aspects to the people of the country in general and the state in particular. It may provide opportunities to combat poverty and hunger by opting for new readily available food sources and may also provide scope to overcome malnutrition, especially in the areas where it is widely prevalent.
The Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic on Food and Nutrition Security and Dietary Habits Among Syrian Refugees in Camps: A General Review
Authors: ALjaraedah Thana Y. , Takruri Hamed R. , Tayyem Reema F.
Published: April 2023

With over one billion people experiencing nutritional shortages, food insecurity is expanding as a worldwide problem. There are presently 657,628 Syrian refugees registered in Jordan nine years after the crisis in the Syrian Arab Republic began. The COVID-19 pandemic had a substantial impact on pregnant women, nursing mothers, and most families with small children regarding food and nutrition security. It affected refugees worldwide. This review focuses on Syrian refugees' nutritional intake and the factors influencing their dietary habits, eating habits, and food insecurity. Due to system interdependencies, these impacts have cascaded across different components of the humanitarian aid provision system and led to risks of deterred personal growth and longer-term risks on the future leadership of the refugee community. The methodology followed the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. A structured search of two databases-PubMed and Google Scholar—was carried out, and articles were identified that focused upon the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on food and nutrition security and dietary habits among refugees in camps. From this study, we recommend devising an interdisciplinary framework for assessing the education, protection, food security and household needs of the refugee communities together rather than intervening discreetly, and using the food security and household component of the system as the ladder to achieve effective management of pandemic-borne risks for the community.
Nutritional Strategies for Treating Iron Malnutrition: Implications on Nutrikinetic Approaches
Authors: Chekraverthy Bhadram Kalyan , Pardhe Harshita Arun , Kiran Ammu V.V.V Ravi , Nagappan Krishnaveni
Published: April 2023

Malnutrition remains a major global issue-affecting people of all ages. Iron deficiency is one of the existing malnutrition deficiencies limiting long-term human development. Food-based interventions play a vital role in the growth, development (physical and cognitive), and socioeconomic status of an individual. Several food-based approaches (viz., fortification and bio fortification of staple foods) have been employed for improving malnutrition in vulnerable populations. In underdeveloped countries, staple foods like rice, wheat, beans, and pearl millets etc. are being actively fortified and bio fortified to enhance the iron content intended to deliver the required nourishment with optimal consumption. However, translational iron levels from functional foods may not be proportional to iron absorbed into systems. Considering the effectiveness of bioavailability, additional emphasis is required in establishing the same for the functional foods which could serve as an effective alternative to existing methods in mitigating iron malnutrition. This review emphasizes the importance of iron, iron physio-pathological, and the current status of food strategies in dealing with iron malnutrition.
Ethanolic Extract of Black Rice ‘Sembada Hitam’ Bran Protects the Cytotoxic Effect of H2O2 on NIH3T3 Cells.
Authors: Oktavya Galuh , Purwestri Yekti Asih , Saragih Hendry T. S. G. , Nuriliani Ardaning
Published: April 2023

Oxidative stress which is triggered by endogenous and exogenous stressors such as oxygen metabolism in mitochondria, radiation, drugs, and pollutants, negatively affect biological systems. Various pathophysiological conditions and the life span of organisms were affected by such condition. Secondary metabolites found in natural ingredients such as black rice have high antioxidant activity that can prevent oxidative stress. This study aimed to examine potency of the ethanolic extract of black rice (Oryza sativa L. 'Sembada Hitam') bran to protects H2O2-induced NIH3T3 cells. This research was focused to evaluate the potency of black rice bran’s (BRB’s) extract on cytotoxicity, apoptosis, and cell growth due to H2O2 induction. This study used a combination of H2O2 exposure at various concentrations (50, 100, 150, 200, and 300 μM) and BRB’s extract at various concentrations (7.81; 15.63; 31.25; 62.5; 125; 250; 500; and 1000 μg/mL). Our results showed that BRB’s extract at the concentration of 7.81 to 1000 μg/mL maintained NIH3T3 cells viability above 80% against 50 and 100 μM H2O2 exposure for 24 hours. These were in line with the apoptosis test results, which showed that the BRB’s extract suppressed apoptosis, especially the combination of BRB and H2O2 exposure at 62.5 μg/mL and 100 μM; 62.5 μg/mL and 200 μM, as well as 250 μg/mL and 100 μM, respectively. Moreover, the H2O2-induced NIH3T3 cells’ growth was maintained up to the fifth day under the BRB’s extract treatment. The result proved that pretreatment of BRB’s extract at the concentration of 62.5 μg/mL is highly effective as an anti-apoptotic and increases cell proliferation up to the fifth day on H2O2-induced NIH3T3 cells. Collecting all the results together, we suggested that BRB’s extract have a protective effect by maintaining NIH3T3 cell viability against H2O2 induction.
DISCUSSÃO SOBRE PRÁTICAS CULTURAIS PERIFÉRICAS NA LITERATURA CIENTÍFICA: uma revisão sistemática (2011-2020)
Authors: Lavor Filho Tadeu Lucas de , Miranda Luciana Lobo
Published: April 2023

Os estudos culturais contemplam diferentes áreas disciplinares das Ciências Humanas e Sociais. As investigações sobre as práticas culturais indicam reflexões sobre os modos de sociabilidade humana, desenvolvimento sociocultural e a cotidianidade de territórios. Com este texto, objetivou-se discutir o campo conceitual das práticas culturais periféricas e juventudes por meio de uma Revisão Sistemática de literatura científica. Metodologicamente, foi desenvolvida uma Revisão Sistemática de Literatura na Plataforma de Periódico Científicos da CAPES com intervalo de 2011 a 2020. As bases de dados acessadas são: OneFile (GALE); Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ); Scopus (Elsevier); Scielo; Sociological Abstracts; Web Of Science. Na estratégia de busca elencada foram recuperados 1099 estudos, dos quais 12 foram incluídos para análise de síntese. Adotamos o PRISMA - Principais Itens para relatar Revisões Sistemáticas e Meta-análises como o guia de redação nesta revisão sistemática. Como resultado e discussão, os manuscritos se inserem no campo dos estudos culturais e apresentam diferentes perspectivas epistemológicas, teóricas e metodológicas sobre as práticas culturais periféricas. A periferia é uma categoria semiótica e crítica que extrapola uma visão geográfica e limítrofe do eixo centro-periferia. A partir da síntese analítica, a periferia se situa como um território de polifonias artísticas dos modos de vida. As práticas culturais periféricas, além de sua construção de significados nas relações sociais, são possibilidades de experimentações e afetividades que instituem um ethos estético-ético-político de implicação subjetiva de cada sujeito que nela habita e é interpelado.
The evolution of the journal club: using a peer-learning approach to increase research confidence
Authors: Polak Hannah , Allan Robin
Published: April 2023

Advanced clinical practice is underpinned by four pillars: clinical, leadership, education and research. The research pillar is one of the least prominent, with many practitioners finding the area inaccessible and intimidating. To address these preconceptions of research, a peer-based online advanced clinical practice (ACP) journal club was created. Traditional, speciality-based journal clubs are limited in modern day healthcare settings; therefore, an online and accessible learning resource has been developed to engage more ACPs within research. Understanding the barriers before and during the development of the journal club has led to effective innovation with greater audience engagement, the details of which are ready to be shared regionally, nationally and to other professions.
Long Covid, a contemporary sequela: considerations for advanced clinical practice
Authors: Hall Gabriella , Lavery Joanna
Published: April 2023

The prevalence of ‘long Covid’ (LC) and the requirement for the provision of LC care have been universally recognised. As a result, advance care practitioners (ACPs) need to gain a more thorough understanding of the model of care delivery of post-COVID-19 syndrome, its patho-physiological impacts and its multisystemic effects. Research has identified key areas in which ACPs can develop their knowledge base and inform their current practice; these include LC dysautonomia, mast cell activation syndrome and increased atopy. Evidence-based treatment options are accompanied by risk factors such as occupation, menopause, gender and age. Advancements in practice inform the assessment and chronic management of LC and provide opportunities for ACPs to evaluate caseload acuity to improve patient-related outcomes.
Leadership and management in healthcare: using theory to motivate staff to achieve organisational goals
Authors: Scott Ashley Jordan Stephen
Published: April 2023

Leadership and management are concepts that are regularly discussed in relation to today's NHS. Practitioners at all levels of the organisation can be leaders, but there are many challenges faced by leaders in clinical practice. This article introduces some common leadership and management theories and provides an opportunity for practitioners to reflect on how these can be used in practice.
Advanced clinical practitioners and the research pillar
Authors: Dean Sue
Published: April 2023

This paper considers the development of multidisciplinary advanced clinical practice in the UK and further afield. Consideration is given to education, governance and the four pillars of advanced practice: clinical, education, leadership and management, and research, as defined in Health Education England's Multi-Professional Framework for Advanced Clinical Practice (2017) . The research pillar is subsequently considered in more detail, with the following aspects being explored: the key drivers and support for increasing research engagement; the value of advance care practitioners (ACPs) developing research capabilities to enhance the provision of high-quality evidence-based patient care; and the barriers to achieving the research capabilities. The close relationship between advanced practice and clinical academic roles is identified, alongside both the evolving situation regarding clinical academic roles within the NHS, and the need to develop the research pillar through doctoral level study (to support the development of ACPs into future research leaders). This paper concludes by offering the Health Education England/National Institute for Health and Care Research's Integrated Clinical and Practitioner Academic programme as a potential solution to the challenges surrounding ACPs accessing additional training and development avenues—which are necessary for them to progress as professionals and active researching academics.
Community paramedic practice: an Australian perspective
Authors: Willis Sam , Menz Simon , Grant Paul
Published: April 2023

Sam Willis, Simon Menz and Paul Grant discuss the development of the community paramedic role and explore how it has evolved to meet contextual and community demands across Australia
A survey exploring the development needs of advanced clinical practitioners
Authors: Davies Ben , Aplin Neal
Published: April 2023

The multi-professional framework for advanced practice in England defines the four pillars of advanced practice as: clinical, leadership, research and education. A survey was designed to explore how aspirant, trainee and qualified advanced clinical practitioners used continuing professional development opportunities to develop and/or maintain capabilities across these pillars. This survey was marketed widely across all health providers in an integrated care system (UK). Respondents (n=38) were mainly from nursing and physiotherapy and represented NHS acute, community and charity sector providers. Respondents valued MSc-level modules and ongoing mentorship consistently across all pillars.
Pre-service Teachers' Self-Efficacy Beliefs in Teaching Refugee Background Students at Turkish Public Schools
Authors: Yilmaz Tuba , Lee Yong-Jik
Published: April 2023

The number of school-aged refugee background children on Turkish soil was estimated to be over 2 million in 2022. Acknowledging the importance of quality education for these children to achieve equity in Turkish-only public schools, this study examined pre-service teachers' self-efficacies in teaching refugee-background students (RBS). Data were collected from 437 pre-service teachers studying at eight different teacher education programs via the adopted Teachers' Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES) and analyzed with the Tukey multiple comparison test. The findings revealed that pre-service teachers rated low self-efficacies in teaching the RBSs. A comparison of mean scores based on the programs indicated that pre-service teachers in the early education programs scored the lowest self-efficacy while the pre-service teachers in Physical Education programs scored the highest. Moreover, the self-efficacies of bilingual pre-service teachers differed significantly from monolingual Turkish proficient pre-service teachers implying a positive correlation between pre-service teachers’ self-efficacies and bi/multilingualism. Lastly, senior pre-service teachers rated higher self-efficacies than freshmen, junior, or sophomore pre-service teachers. The study implied a need for culturally and linguistically responsive pedagogies and differentiated instruction in the teacher education curriculum to prepare pre-service teachers better for the RBSs in Turkish public schools.
Exploring Communication Ability in Individuals With Angelman Syndrome: Findings From Qualitative Interviews With Caregivers
Authors: Zigler Christina K. , Lucas Nicole , McFatrich Molly , Gordon Kelly L. , Jones Harrison N. , Berent Allyson , Panagoulias Jennifer , Evans Paula , Reeve Bryce B.
Published: April 2023

Communication deficits have a substantial impact on quality of life for individuals with Angelman syndrome (AS) and their families, but limited qualitative work exists to support the necessary content of measures aiming to assess communication for these individuals. Following best practices for concept elicitation studies, we conducted individual qualitative interviews with caregivers and clinicians to elicit meaningful aspects of communication for individuals with AS. Caregivers were able to discuss their child's specific communication behaviors within a large number of expressive, receptive, and pragmatic functions via numerous symbolic and non-symbolic modalities. These results aligned well with published literature on communication in AS and will be used to inform the design of a novel caregiver-reported measure. Future studies on communication in individuals with AS should focus on gathering quantitative data from large samples of diverse caregivers, which would allow for estimations of the frequency of specific behaviors across the population.
Ultra-compact on-chip meta-waveguide phase modulator based on split ring magnetic resonance
Authors: Xiong Jianfeng , Chen Ming , Liu Jinbiao , Wu Ziyong , Teng Chuanxin , Deng Shijie , Liu Houquan , Qu Shiliang , Yuan Libo , Cheng Yu
Published: April 2023

With the development of photonic integration technology, meta-waveguides have become a new research hotspot. They have broken through the theoretical diffraction limit by virtue of the strong electromagnetic manipulation ability of the metasurface and the strong electromagnetic field limitation and guidance ability of the waveguide. However, the reported meta-waveguides lack research on dynamic modulation. Therefore, we analyze the modulation effect of the metasurface on the optical field in the waveguide and design an ultra-compact on-chip meta-waveguide phase modulator using split ring magnetic resonance. It has a very short modulation length of only 3.65 µm, wide modulation bandwidth of 116.8 GHz, and low energy consumption of 263.49 fJ/bit. By optimizing the structure, the energy consumption can be further reduced to 90.69 fJ/bit. Meta-waveguides provide a promising method for the design of integrated photonic devices.
Collision and dissociation of soliton molecules triggered by gain perturbation in passively mode-locked fiber laser
Authors: He Jiangyong , Zhou Mengjie , Liu Congcong , Wang Pan , Xing Dengke , Li Jin , Liu Yange , Wang Zhi
Published: April 2023

Soliton molecule has the properties that similar to those of matter molecule, which brings great research value. The rich dynamics of soliton molecules depend on the complex interactions between pulses. As one of the important factors, gain dynamics has multi-dimensional effects on the interactions of soliton molecules. We here study the interaction process of soliton molecules under gain perturbation, and find the oscillation and collision behaviors of pulses within soliton molecules induced by gain perturbation, as well as the pulses recombination through interactions between soliton molecules. We believe that the energy change in the cavity and the energy transfer based on the continuous wave component play an important role in the evolution process of the dissociation of soliton molecules into three-pulses bunch and single pulse. These findings reveal the effects of gain on the motion of soliton molecules and provide a basis for exploring the control dynamics of soliton molecules.
1024-ary composite OAM shift keying for free-space optical communication system decoded by a two-step neural network
Authors: Zhu Jie , Fan Minyu , Pu Yonjie , Li Huinan , Wang Sha
Published: April 2023

The demand for high-dimensional encoding techniques for communication systems is increasing. Vortex beams carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM) provide new degrees of freedom for optical communication. In this study, we propose an approach for increasing the channel capacity of free-space optical communication systems by integrating superimposed orbital angular momentum (OAM) states and deep learning techniques. We generate composite vortex beams with topological charges ranging from −4 to 8 and radial coefficients ranging from 0 to 3. A phase difference among each OAM state is introduced to significantly increase the number of available superimposed states, achieving up to 1024-ary codes with distinct features. To accurately decode the high-dimensional codes, we propose a two-step convolutional neural network (CNN). The first step is to make a coarse classification of the codes, while the second step is to finely identify the code and achieve decoding. Our proposed method demonstrates 100% accuracy achieved for the coarse classification after 7 epochs, 100% accuracy achieved for the fine identification after 12 epochs, and 99.84% accuracy achieved for testing, which is much faster and more accurate than one-step decoding. To demonstrate the feasibility of our method, we successfully transmitted a 24-bit true-color Peppers image once with a resolution of 64 × 64 in the laboratory, yielding a bit error rate of 0.
Fusing an agent-based model of mosquito population dynamics with a statistical reconstruction of spatio-temporal abundance patterns
Authors: Cavany Sean M. , España Guido , Lloyd Alun L. , Vazquez-Prokopec Gonzalo M. , Astete Helvio , Waller Lance A. , Kitron Uriel , Scott Thomas W. , Morrison Amy C. , Reiner Robert C. , Perkins T. Alex
Published: April 2023

The mosquito Aedes aegypti is the vector of a number of medically-important viruses, including dengue virus, yellow fever virus, chikungunya virus, and Zika virus, and as such vector control is a key approach to managing the diseases they cause. Understanding the impact of vector control on these diseases is aided by first understanding its impact on Ae. aegypti population dynamics. A number of detail-rich models have been developed to couple the dynamics of the immature and adult stages of Ae. aegypti. The numerous assumptions of these models enable them to realistically characterize impacts of mosquito control, but they also constrain the ability of such models to reproduce empirical patterns that do not conform to the models’ behavior. In contrast, statistical models afford sufficient flexibility to extract nuanced signals from noisy data, yet they have limited ability to make predictions about impacts of mosquito control on disease caused by pathogens that the mosquitoes transmit without extensive data on mosquitoes and disease.

Here, we demonstrate how the differing strengths of mechanistic realism and statistical flexibility can be fused into a single model. Our analysis utilizes data from 176,352 household-level Ae. aegypti aspirator collections conducted during 1999–2011 in Iquitos, Peru. The key step in our approach is to calibrate a single parameter of the model to spatio-temporal abundance patterns predicted by a generalized additive model (GAM). In effect, this calibrated parameter absorbs residual variation in the abundance time-series not captured by other features of the mechanistic model. We then used this calibrated parameter and the literature-derived parameters in the agent-based model to explore Ae. aegypti population dynamics and the impact of insecticide spraying to kill adult mosquitoes.

The baseline abundance predicted by the agent-based model closely matched that predicted by the GAM. Following spraying, the agent-based model predicted that mosquito abundance rebounds within about two months, commensurate with recent experimental data from Iquitos. Our approach was able to accurately reproduce abundance patterns in Iquitos and produce a realistic response to adulticide spraying, while retaining sufficient flexibility to be applied across a range of settings.
Potential risk sites and their relationship with dengue cases, Campinas municipality, Southeast Brazil
Authors: Mendes Jessica Andretta , Vanwambeke Sophie O.
Published: April 2023

Background

Among the main activities of dengue and vector control recommended by the Ministry of Health of Brazil is the inspection and monitoring of properties identified as Strategic Points (SPs) and Special Buildings (SBs). SPs are properties associated to hazard, where there is a concentration of suitable egg-laying containers for Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, while SBs have greater importance for human exposure to the dengue virus.

Objectives

To investigate the effect of characteristics of the urban landscape on dengue incidence. Specifically, we tested if SPs and SBs affect dengue case distribution in Campinas, and if they do, if they affect the risk differently. We considered the period from 2013 to 2016.

Methods

We tested whether dengue cases were more numerous than expected in the vicinity of SPs and SBs, putative sources of risk, using the Negative Binomial models. We also tested the existence of a gradient in incidence with increasing distance to SPs and SBs by using Stone’s test.

Results

The Rate Ratios (RR) values were always higher closer to the SPs and SBs, and these values tended to decrease as distance from these sources increased. In general, RR values greater than one, which indicates a higher risk, were associated to the closest buffers from the SPs/SBs properties, until nearly 550 meters for the SPs and 650 meters for the SBs. Stone’s test results indicated that for all years considered, there was a correlation between the distance from the SPs/SBs and dengue cases occurrences, except for SBs from 2016. For SPs the relationship is stronger than for SBs.

Discussion

Results are coherent with other studies which found that these properties contribute to an increased risk of dengue transmission. We emphasize the importance of public agents’ survey work and the importance to keep and improve the inspections in SPs/SBs recorded in Campinas.