bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Penalty Default Rules in French, German and Louisianan Contract Law
Authors: Goldford Zackary
Published: November 2022

Some American law and economics scholars have used the term “penalty default rules” to describe default rules that are undesirable to at least one party to a contract. Parties have incentives to depart from these default rules and to share information in doing so. In a recent article, I brought this concept outside of the United States, the common law tradition and the law and economics literature by using it to describe a selection of rules in Québec contract law. In this article, I build on that work by identifying a selection of penalty default rules in three other civilian jurisdictions – France, Germany and Louisiana – that apply to contract formation, contract interpretation, changed circumstances and remedies for breach. Then, I argue that the penalty default rules that I have identified serve two valuable functions. First, they enhance at least some parties’ freedom of contract by better equipping them to make informed decisions. Second, they complement the duty of good faith by incentivizing the sharing of information, including information that might not always need to be shared in order to comply with the duty of good faith. Although these functions are somewhat different than those that law and economics scholars have attributed to American penalty default rules, my analysis reveals that penalty default rules both exist and have value in the civilian world.
Three new national records from Kon Chu Rang Nature Reserve, Vietnam: Euphorbia bokorensis, Glochidion geoffrayi and Lysimachia nutantiflora
Authors: NURALIEV MAXIM S. , TOYAMA HIRONORI , HU CHI-MING , LUO SHI-XIAO , LYSKOV DMITRY F. , KUZNETSOV ANDREY N. , KUZNETSOVA SVETLANA P. , QUANG BUI HONG , BINH TRAN DUC , HOAN DUONG THI
Published: November 2022

We report three species of angiosperms found in Kon Chu Rang Nature Reserve representing new records for Vietnam. Kon Chu Rang Nature Reserve is located in the Central Highlands of Vietnam, being a part of a recently established Kon Ha Nung Highland Biosphere Reserve. Euphorbia bokorensis (Euphorbiaceae) appears to be widely distributed throughout the Central Highlands of Vietnam, although it was earlier known from Cambodia and Laos only. Pistillate flowers are for the first time described for E. bokorensis. Glochidion geoffrayi (Phyllanthaceae) was considered endemic to southern Cambodia, and Lysimachia nutantiflora (Primulaceae) was only known from Guangxi, China. For each species, we provide analytical photographs, information on its habitat, phenology, distribution and studied specimens.
Leptomischus multiflorus (Argostemmateae: Rubiaceae), a new species from southern Vietnam
Authors: NURALIEV MAXIM S. , NGUYEN KHANG SINH , PHAM THOA KIM THI , NGUYEN CUONG HUU , QUANG BUI HONG , LYSKOV DMITRY F. , KUZNETSOV ANDREY N. , KUZNETSOVA SVETLANA P. , WU LEI
Published: November 2022

Leptomischus multiflorus, a new species of the tribe Argostemmateae (Rubiaceae), is described and illustrated. The species was discovered in 2022 in Quang Nam Province, southern Vietnam. The new species is characterized by rich indumentum on almost all plant parts, distylous flowers, and minutely puberulent ovary disk. Leptomischus multiflorus differs from all its congeners by the following features: leaf blades up to 23 cm long with up to 25 pairs of secondary veins, many-flowered inflorescences, and corolla tube 7–8 mm long and hairy outside. It additionally differs from the morphologically closest species, L. anisophyllus, in weakly anisophyllous to nearly isophyllous leaves, calyx lobes 2–2.5 mm long (about 1/3 length of corolla tube), corolla lobes with horn-like appendages, anthers 1–1.3 mm long, style hairy in distal half, pin flowers with filaments adnate at the middle of the corolla tube and with stigma lobes 1 mm long, and thrum flowers with style 2.5–3 mm long.
“Dickheads” and “Cool Cops”: The Impact of Officers’ Perceived Cultural and Contextual Competence on Black Men's Appraisals of Police
Authors: Henson Abigail R.
Published: November 2022

Public support for police reached a record low during the summer of 2020. To ameliorate police-community relations, research has sought to identify how community attitudes towards police are built. Studies often find that Black individuals are less likely to trust and be satisfied with police than their non-Black counterparts largely due to negative direct and vicarious experiences. This finding has led to an empirical focus on how officers engage, with limited research on why officers engage in certain ways. Without analyzing motives for conduct, the critical gaze remains blind to broader social and cultural issues that may inform and motivate some officers’ harmful and discriminatory actions. The current study highlights how Black men implicate segregation, media-induced miseducation, cultural and contextual incompetence, and hostile police culture for mutual distrust and officers’ misconduct. These findings promote harm reductionist policy to enhance officers’ cultural and contextual competence and encourage researchers and practitioners to consider an abolitionist agenda that a) focuses on the implementation and evaluation of novel and existing trauma-informed, community-based means of addressing harm in order to ultimately dissolve police power, and b) promotes cultural shifts by increasing diverse learning opportunities and critical curriculum in educational spaces.
Biocompatible phospholipid-based mixed micelles for posaconazole ocular delivery: Development, characterization, and in - vitro antifungal activity
Authors: Osouli Mahraz , Abdollahizad Erfan , Alavi Sonia , Mahboubi Arash , Abbasian Zahra , Haeri Azadeh , Dadashzadeh Simin
Published: November 2022

Current study intended to prepare and evaluate phospholipid-based, mixed micelles (MMs) to improve the ocular delivery of posaconazole (POS), a broad-spectrum antifungal drug. For this, MMs based on egg phosphatidylcholine (EPC), as the main component, in combination with various bile salts (sodium cholate (NaC), sodium deoxycholate (NaDC), sodium taurocholate (NaTC)) or non-ionic surfactants (Pluronic® F-127, Pluronic® F-68, Tween 80, Labrasol® ALF, and d-a-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (TPGS)) were prepared. Particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential and entrapment efficiency were evaluated to optimize the composition and preparation method of the MMs. Finally, morphology, stability, in vitro release pattern, and in vitro antifungal activity of the optimized formulation were investigated. Among the prepared MMs, vesicles composed of EPC: TPGS with a molar ratio of 70:30, prepared by the thin-film hydration method, showed more appropriate features. Among the prepared MMs, vesicles composed of EPC: TPGS with a molar ratio of 70:30 showed more appropriate features, including an entrapment efficiency (EE) greater than 80%, spherical shape morphology, an average particle size of about 58 nm, desirable stability over a month, slow-release without a noticeable initial burst, and a significantly higher in vitro antifungal activity in comparison with the drug suspension. Therefore, this formulation was selected as the optimal MMs and could be considered as a promising carrier for topical ocular delivery of POS.
Benefits of animal-Assisted interventions in preschool children: A systematic review
Authors: Lavín-Pérez Ana Myriam , Rivera-Martín Beatriz , Lobato-Rincón Luis Lucio , Villafaina-Domínguez Santos , Collado-Mateo Daniel
Published: November 2022

Animal-assisted interventions are frequently used to stimulate and improve different skills in children with and without disabilities. However, the heterogeneity of AAI studies in preschool children is large, including different health conditions, duration, outcomes, study design or therapy animals. Therefore, the current study aims to summarize all intervention procedures and provide an updated analysis of the effectiveness of AAI intervention in the early childhood. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines (PRISMA), a systematic search was conducted in two databases: Pubmed (MedLine) and Web of Science. The risk of bias was assessed using the Evidence Project risk of bias tool. A total of 319 articles were identified and 17 were finally included in the qualitative synthesis. Due to the large heterogeneity in terms of study design, intervention, and sample characteristics, it was not possible to conduct a meta-analysis. Animal-assisted interventions might lead to a positive impact on physical, physiological, psychosocial, and language skills in preschool children. These enhancements may be observed both in healthy children and in those with different health conditions, such as intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, autism disorder, or Down syndrome. Results must be interpreted with caution due to the large heterogeneity and risk of bias in the included articles.
Experiences of community pharmacists administering COVID-19 vaccinations: A qualitative study
Authors: Gerges Sandra , Gudzak Victoria , Bowles Susan , Logeman Charlotte , Fadaleh Sarah Abu , Bucci Lucie M. , Taddio Anna
Published: November 2022

Background:

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, community pharmacists have played an important role in the provision of patient care, including the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines. The additional workload and related demands arising from these extended services might affect worklife burnout. This qualitative study explored the experiences of Canadian community pharmacists in providing COVID-19 vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods:

Eighteen community pharmacists across 10 provinces were asked about vaccination processes and perceptions about their role in separate, virtual semistructured interviews. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using a deductive approach using the Areas of Worklife Burnout framework, with pharmacists’ self-reported descriptions of their activities summarized using the Association of Faculties of Pharmacy of Canada’s (AFPC) professional competencies framework.

Results:

Participants identified aspects of their role that were rewarding and challenging. Some challenges included lack of control, increased workload, inadequate communication, unfair treatment and conflicting values. They described being able to meet challenges and demonstrating resiliency via adaptability, developing communities and valuing their contribution to ending the COVID-19 pandemic. Self-identified AFPC competencies contributing to their ability to manage their worklife included care-provider, professional, leader-manager, collaborator and scholar.

Conclusion:

Pharmacists accepted their additional responsibility of managing COVID-19 vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, they expressed some challenges with this role. To ensure sustainability of these services, prioritizing adequate resources, work processes and efficient communication with all relevant stakeholder groups, including public health, government and corporate leaders, is recommended for the future. Can Pharm J (Ott) 2023;156(Suppl):xx-xx.
Incidence of Olfactory Dysfunction in Patients with COVID-19 in a Tertiary Hospital in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alfallaj Rayan , AlSkait Ghada , Alamari Nouf , Alfawzan Lama , Abualgasem Mohammed , Alotaibi Naif H. , Sumaily Ibrahim , Alarifi Ibrahim , Alsaleh Saad
Published: November 2022

Background

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, a novel virus that emerged in China in December 2019. In many cases of COVID-19, olfactory dysfunction (OD) is the only symptom.

Objectives

This study aimed to examine the incidence of OD in patients with COVID-19 and identify an association between OD and COVID-19-related morbidity and admission.

Design

This was a cross-sectional study.

Methods

Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction-confirmed cases of COVID-19 from the Security Forces Hospital electronic registry from June 2020 to September 2020 were included in our study. Data on medical background, severity of the disease, and other related factors were collected through phone calls and electronic healthcare systems and analyzed to investigate OD in the participants.

Results

Of the participants, 68% had OD, with a mean recovery time of 18 days and a mean follow-up time of 129 days (76-211 days). OD was negatively correlated with admission and morbidity.

Conclusion

OD is a common presentation of COVID-19 and is more prevalent in mild cases of infection.
Baseline pupil size encodes task-related information and modulates the task-evoked response in a speech-in-noise task
Authors: Relaño-Iborra Helia , Wendt Dorothea , Neagu Mihaela Beatrice , Kressner Abigail Anne , Dau Torsten , Bækgaard Per
Published: November 2022

Pupillometry data are commonly reported relative to a baseline value recorded in a controlled pre-task condition. In this study, the influence of the experimental design and the preparatory processing related to task difficulty on the baseline pupil size was investigated during a speech intelligibility in noise paradigm. Furthermore, the relationship between the baseline pupil size and the temporal dynamics of the pupil response was assessed. The analysis revealed strong effects of block presentation order, within-block sentence order and task difficulty on the baseline values. An interaction between signal-to-noise ratio and block order was found, indicating that baseline values reflect listener expectations arising from the order in which the different blocks were presented. Furthermore, the baseline pupil size was found to affect the slope, delay and curvature of the pupillary response as well as the peak pupil dilation. This suggests that baseline correction might be sufficient when reporting pupillometry results in terms of mean pupil dilation only, but not when a more complex characterization of the temporal dynamics of the response is considered. By clarifying which factors affect baseline pupil size and how baseline values interact with the task-evoked response, the results from the present study can contribute to a better interpretation of the pupillary response as a marker of cognitive processing.
How changes in urban morphology translate into urban metabolisms of building stocks: A framework for spatiotemporal material flow analysis and a case study
Authors: Kolkwitz Mario , Luotonen Elina , Huuhka Satu
Published: November 2022

Anthropogenic stocks are increasingly seen as potential reserves for secondary resources, which has led to a rapid development in research of urban metabolic systems. With regard to buildings and their associated material stocks and flows, one of the most critical shortcomings in the state-of-the-art is the knowledge gap for drivers, dynamics, patterns and linkages that affect the urban metabolism. This paper is premised on the idea that urban planning stirs up these material flows, so it should also adopt their sustainable management on its agenda. It presents an approach that highlights the intertwined nature of changing urban morphology and building material stocks and flows in space and time. An analytical framework, based on the principles of material flow analysis, is provided for an integrated, spatiotemporal study of urban morphology and urban metabolism of buildings, using building and plot data as the input and identifying internal processes of the urban metabolism as the output. The identified processes include greenfield development, infill construction, building replacement and shrinkage, each of which can be expected to have tangible yet very different material and environmental consequences in the form of embodied materials and CO2. The use of the framework is demonstrated with a case study in the Finnish city of Vantaa in 2000–2018. The case study shows patterns pertaining to a growing city unrestricted by geographic or historic factors, manifested as vast greenfield developments and replacement of a notably young building stock. As sustainability may soon call into question both these strategies, uncovering the material consequences of a city’s past urban (re)development strategies lay the foundation for using the presented approach proactively in planning support, in pursuit of more circular economy-based and low carbon cities.
Generative methods for Urban design and rapid solution space exploration
Authors: Sun Yue , Dogan Timur
Published: November 2022

Rapid population growth and climate change drive urban renewal and urbanization at massive scales. New computational methods are needed to better support urban designers in developing sustainable, resilient, and livable urban environments. Urban design space exploration and multi-objective optimization of masterplans can be used to expedite planning while achieving better design outcomes by incorporating generative parametric modeling considering different stakeholder requirements and simulation-based performance feedback. However, a lack of generalizable and integrative methods for urban form generation that can be coupled with simulation and various design performance analysis constrains the extensibility of workflows. This research introduces an implementation of a tensor-field–based generative urban modeling toolkit that facilitates rapid design space exploration and multi-objective optimization by integrating with Rhino/Grasshopper ecosystem and its urban analysis and environmental performance simulation tools. Our tensor-field modeling method provides users with a generalized way to encode contextual constraints such as waterfront edges, terrain, view-axis, existing streets, landmarks, and non-geometric design inputs such as network directionality, desired densities of streets, amenities, buildings, and people as forces that modelers can weigh. This allows users to generate many, diverse urban fabric configurations that resemble real-world cities with very few model inputs. We present a case study to demonstrate the proposed framework's flexibility and applicability and show how modelers can identify design and environmental performance synergies that would be hard to find otherwise.
Boosting vegetation, biochemical constituents, grain yield and anti-cancer performance of cultivated oat (Avena sativa L) in calcareous soil using oat extracts coated inside nanocarriers
Authors: Mahmoud Noura E. , Mahdi Asmaa A. , Barakat Ashraf M. A. , Abdelhameed Reda M.
Published: November 2022

Calcareous soil contains many problems such as the lack of sources of major and minor elements that are useful for plant growth and development. Plant extracts and nanoparticles are very popular as biostimulants in plant production. Here, the effect of aqueous, non-aqueous and alcoholic oat extracts on the growth, biochemical response of oats leaves and grains grown in experimental fields under new reclamation lands were studied. Moreover, different oat extracts were a pathway through the copper-dependent metal–organic framework (MOFs) to separate bioactive molecules from extracts such as salicylic acid, anthraquinone, and triacylglycerol. Additionally, the separated molecules incorporated in Cu-BTC MOFs and oats extracts missed active molecules were spray applied on oat plants. The results showed that the treated plants showed stimulatory responses in growth and physiology. The treatments improved plant growth and biomass, enhanced total protein, water-soluble carbohydrates, free phenolic compounds content in oat leaves, photosynthesis, and chlorophyll contents. The treatments also improved the level of vitamins E and K, phenolic compounds, and avenanthramides C in the oat grains. Moreover, the treatments showed an improvement in the yield of oats (grain and straw) using water and alcoholic oat extracts in which the active molecules were missed. Our findings demonstrate that Cu-BTC and oats extracts can act as a biostimulant to enhance the biological and chemical properties of oats and increase the yield in calcareous soils. The cytotoxicity study of oats (produced from AE, c@Cu-BTC, and AE-c treatments) was conducted using Vero Cell lines. The anticancer activities of different oat grains were carried out using MCF 7cell lines. The results show that the grains produced from the AE, c@Cu-BTC, and AE-c treatments possessed 94.3, 72.3, and 100% activity towards the cancer cell line. Removal of growth inhibitors from spray solutions increases grain yield and anticancer activity.
A simple APACHE IV risk dynamic nomogram that incorporates early admitted lactate for the initial assessment of 28-day mortality in critically ill patients with acute myocardial infarction
Authors: Song Jikai , Yu Tianhang , Yan Qiqi , Wu Liuyang , Li Sujing , Wang Lihong
Published: November 2022

Background

Early risk stratification is important for patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We aimed to develop a simple APACHE IV dynamic nomogram, combined with easily available clinical parameters within 24 h of admission, thus improving its predictive power to assess the risk of mortality at 28 days.

Methods

Clinical information on AMI patients was extracted from the eICU database v2.0. A preliminary XGBoost examination of the degree of association between all variables in the database and 28-day mortality was conducted. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to perform screening of variables. Based on the multifactorial analysis, a dynamic nomogram predicting 28-day mortality in these patients was developed. To cope with missing data in records with missing variables, we applied the multiple imputation method. Predictive models are evaluated in three main areas, namely discrimination, calibration, and clinical validity. The discrimination is mainly represented by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), net reclassification improvement (NRI) and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI). Calibration is represented by the calibration plot. Clinical validity is represented by the decision curve analysis (DCA) curve.

Results

A total of 504 people were included in the study. All 504 people were used to build the predictive model, and the internal validation model used a 500-bootstrap method. Multivariate analysis showed that four variables, APACHE IV, the first sample of admission lactate, prior atrial fibrillation (AF), and gender, were included in the nomogram as independent predictors of 28-day mortality in AMI. The prediction model had an AUC of 0.819 (95%CI 0.770–0.868) whereas the internal validation model had an AUC of 0.814 (95%CI 0.765–0.860). Calibration and DCA curves indicated that the dynamic nomogram in this study were reflective of real-world conditions and could be applied clinically. The predictive model composed of these four variables outperformed a single APACHE IV in terms of NRI and IDI. The NRI was 16.4% (95% CI: 6.1–26.8%;p = 0.0019) and the IDI was 16.4% (95% CI: 6.0–26.8%;p = 0.0020). Lactate accounted for nearly half of the total NRI, which showed that lactate was the most important of the other three variables.

Conclusion

The prediction model constructed by APACHE IV in combination with the first sample of admission lactate, prior AF, and gender outperformed the APACHE IV scoring system alone in predicting 28-day mortality in AMI. The prediction dynamic nomogram model was published via a website app, allowing clinicians to improve the predictive efficacy of the APACHE IV score by 16.4% in less than 1 min.
Microbiological and clinical characteristics of invasive Group B Streptococcal blood stream infections in children and adults from Qatar
Authors: Ali Maisa , Alamin Mohammed A. , A. Ali Gawahir , Alzubaidi Khalid , Ali Bashir , Ismail Abdellatif , Daghfal Joanne , Almaslamani Muna , Hadi Hamad Abdel
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Group B Streptococci (GBS) colonize almost one third of human gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts, particularly in females. The aim of this study is to evaluate the epidemiology, microbiological characteristics, and clinical outcomes of invasive GBS disease in Qatar from all age groups.

Methods

A retrospective study was conducted on patients with confirmed GBS blood stream infections during the period between January 2015 and March 2019. Microbiological identification was performed using automated BD PhoenixTM system, while additional antimicrobial susceptibility tests were performed using E test and disc diffusion methods.

Result

During the four years period, the incidence steadily rose from 1.48 to 2.09 cases per 100.000 population. Out of 196 confirmed cases of invasive GBS infections, the majority were females (63.7%, 125/196) of which 44.8% were pregnant and 53.6% were colonized. Three distinct affected age groups were identified: children ≤ 4 years of age (35.7%), young adults 25–34 (20.9%) and the elderly ≥ 65 year (17.4%). Presenting symptoms were mild with fever in 53% of cases while 89% of cases had Pitt bacteraemia score of ≤ 2. Isolates were universally sensitive to penicillin, ceftriaxone, and vancomycin at 100% but with significant resistance to erythromycin (49%) and clindamycin (28.6%) while 16.8% had inducible clindamycin resistance. Clinical outcomes showed cure rate of 87.25% with complications in (8.76%) and 4% mortality.

Conclusion

There is a rising trend of Group B Streptococcal blood stream infections in Qatar with significantly high clindamycin and erythromycin resistance rates. Universal susceptibility rates were demonstrated for penicillin, ceftriaxone, and vancomycin.
A comparison of the utility of the urine dipstick and urine protein-to-creatinine ratio for predicting microalbuminuria in patients with non-diabetic lifestyle-related diseases -a comparison with diabetes
Authors: Ogi Makoto , Seto Takuya , Wakabayashi Yoshinori
Published: November 2022

Background

The utility of dipstick proteinuria for predicting microalbuminuria in non-diabetic lifestyle-related diseases compared with the urine protein-to-creatinine ratio (uPCR) and the effect of dipstick proteinuria on the cut-off value (CO) and accuracy of uPCR are unclear.

Methods

The subjects included Japanese patients ≥ 18 years old with lifestyle-related diseases who had an estimated glomerular filtration rate of ≥ 15 ml/min/1.73 m2 and uPCR of < 0.5 g/gCr at initiation. Urine dipstick, uPCR and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (uACR) were measured three times per case. Microalbuminuria was defined as uACR of 30–299 mg/gCr for at least 2 of 3 measurements. Youden’s Index was used as the optimal CO. Factors associated with microalbuminuria were analyzed using a logistic regression model.

Results

In 313 non-diabetic cases (median 70.8 years old), 3 dipstick proteinuria measurements were independently useful for detecting microalbuminuria, and the CO was set when a trace finding was obtained at least 1 of 3 times (sensitivity 0.56, specificity 0.80, positive predictive value [PPV] 0.73, negative predictive value [NPV] 0.65). A single uPCR measurement was more useful than 3 dipstick measurements, and was useful for detecting microalbuminuria even in cases with three consecutive negative proteinuria findings, indicating that the CO of the second uPCR with G1-3a (n = 136) was 0.06 g/gCr (sensitivity 0.76, specificity 0.84. PPV 0.68, NPV 0.89), while that with G3-b4 (n = 59) was 0.10 g/gCr (sensitivity 0.56, specificity 0.91. PPV 0.83, NPV 0.71). The sum of 3 uPCRs was useful for detecting microalbuminuria in cases with G1-3a (sensitivity 0.67, specificity 0.94, PPV 0.82, NPV 0.86) and G3b-4 (sensitivity 0.78, specificity 0.94, PPV 0.91 NPV 0.83), with both COs being 0.23 g/gCr. These COs of microalbuminuria did not change when trace or more proteinuria was included, although the sensitivity increased. A high uPCR and low urine specific gravity or creatinine level were independent factors for uACR ≥ 30 mg/gCr in cases with negative proteinuria, although the uPCR was a major predictive factor of a uACR ≥ 30 mg/gCr.

Conclusions

The uPCR (preferably determined using early-morning urine), including in dipstick-negative proteinuria cases with non-diabetic lifestyle-related diseases, can aid in the early detection of microalbuminuria.

Trial registration

Retrospectively registered.
Influence of preventive sex education programmes in compulsory secondary education students: a descriptive observational study
Authors: Berutich Arturo Hidalgo , Cortes María Barbosa , Feria Esther Cárdenas , Rufete Margarita Carrillo , González Miguel Pedregal , Razquin Eduardo Perez , Arcos Esteban Delgado
Published: November 2022

Background

Sex education programmes conducted by health professionals and educators are essential for young people to adopt healthy habits and attitudes towards their sexuality. The Forma Joven Program, promoted by the Andalusian Regional Government’s Ministry of Health and Families and Education, is a good example of this. The aim of the study is to determine if different “degrees of intervention” in the informative consultancies of the Forma Joven Program imply differences in knowledge and attitudes towards sexuality.

Methods

This descriptive observational study analysed 27 Compulsory Secondary Education high schools in Huelva. These were included in the Program and belonged to a Primary Care Health District. Out of the 17 institutes initially selected because they met the inclusion criteria (4.256 students), finally 14 (3.596 students) participated. During the 2018/2019 school year, students from 3rd, 4th year of Secondary Compulsory Education (ESO), 1st, and 2nd Baccalaureate of the selected centres were asked to fill in a questionnaire of knowledge and attitudes towards sexuality. It collected variables such as age, sex, school year, institute, educational level and employment status of the father or mother and profile of the professional who delivers the counselling.

Results

A total of 1.237 students completed the questionnaire, which represents a participation rate of 34.4%. The average age was 15.59 years (SD 1.26) and 39.9% were girls. In some evaluated questions, we found statistically significant differences between the groups with different levels of exposure to counselling and the acquisition of knowledge and attitudes towards students’ sexuality, although in most of them no such differences were found. The results of this study suggest the importance of the quality of counselling over quantity. Some classic myths persist in relation to sexuality and in some situations, they can be decisive when adopting preventive measures to avoid risks related to pregnancy and contagion of STIs.

Conclusions

A greater number of counselling sessions does not imply acquiring a higher level of knowledge or better attitudes towards sexuality. Perhaps the quality of the education is more important than the quantity of counselling sessions.
Melatonin suppresses serum starvation-induced autophagy of ovarian granulosa cells in premature ovarian insufficiency
Authors: Wu Di , Zhao Wenjie , Xu Chengjuan , Zhou Xin , Leng Xia , Li Yanmin
Published: November 2022

Objectives

Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) refers to the decline and cessation of ovarian functions in women under 40 years of age. Melatonin (MT) acts as a protective for the ovary. This study elucidated the role of MT in autophagy of granulosa cells (GCs) in POI via modulating the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)-Akt-mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway.

Methods

The expression levels of microRNA (miR)-15a-5p, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (Stat3), and relevant hormones in the clinically collected serum samples of POI patients and healthy controls were examined. Human ovarian granulosa-like tumor cells (KGN) underwent serum starvation (SS) treatment to induce POI cell models and then received MT treatment. The expression levels of miR-15a-5p, Stat3, p-PI3K/PI3K, p-Akt/Akt, and p-mTOR/mTOR in KGN cells were tested via quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting. KGN cell viability was assessed by MTT assay and the protein levels of autophagy-related markers Beclin-1, microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 II/I, and p62 were detected by Western blotting. The binding relation between miR-15a-5p and Stat3 was verified via the dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. Functional rescue experiments were performed to probe the underlying role of miR-15a-5p/Stat3/the PI3K-Akt-mTOR pathway in KGN cell autophagy.

Results

miR-15a-5p was increased whilst Stat3 was decreased in the serum of POI patients and SS-induced KGN cells. MT inhibited miR-15a-5p and Stat3, activated the PI3K-Akt-mTOR pathway, and repressed cell autophagy in SS-induced KGN cells. miR-15a-5p targeted and repressed Stat3 expression. Upregulation of miR-15a-5p or downregulation of Stat3 or the PI3K-Akt-mTOR pathway promoted KGN cell autophagy.

Conclusion

MT suppressed miR-15a-5p and activated Stat3 and the PI3K-Akt-mTOR pathway, finally impeding SS-induced autophagy of GCs.
Do the benefits continue? Long term impacts of the Anatomy Education Research Institute (AERI) 2017
Authors: Husmann Polly R. , Brokaw James J. , O’Loughlin Valerie Dean
Published: November 2022

Background

The Anatomy Education Research Institute (AERI) was held in Bloomington, Indiana in July of 2017. Previous research has shown that AERI was successful in meeting Kirkpatrick’s first two levels of evaluation via positive initial reactions and learning gains identified at the end of AERI. This manuscript demonstrates continued success in Kirkpatrick levels two and three via six-month and thirty-month follow-up surveys and nine-month follow-up focus groups and interviews.

Methods

Quantitative analyses were completed using Microsoft Excel (2019) and SPSS version 26 while qualitative analyses were completed for both survey responses and focus groups/interviews using thematic analyses.

Results

Results demonstrate that the learning gains seen immediately post-AERI 2017 were sustained for all participants (accepted applicants and invited speakers). Qualitative results continued to demonstrate positive reactions to AERI 2017. Both quantitative and qualitative results demonstrated that the main obstacle to educational research for most participants is time, while collaboration, IRB, institutional roadblocks, and devaluing of educational research were also identified as obstacles.

Conclusions

The research presented here indicates positive outcomes to Kirkpatrick Levels 1, 2, & 3 of evaluation following AERI 2017. However, substantial obstacles still exist for researchers in medical education. The need for a sustained community of practice for educational researchers was suggested as a potential buffer against these obstacles and multiple options for providing that community are discussed.
Risk factors affecting COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness identified from 290 cross-country observational studies until February 2022: a meta-analysis and meta-regression
Authors: Petráš Marek , Máčalík Roman , Janovská Daniela , Čelko Alexander M. , Dáňová Jana , Selinger Eliška , Doleček Jonáš , Neradová Sylva , Franklová Martina , Dlouhý Pavel , Rosina Jozef , Lesná Ivana Králová
Published: November 2022

Background

Observational studies made it possible to assess the impact of risk factors on the long-term effectiveness of mRNA and adenoviral vector (AdV) vaccines against COVID-19.

Methods

A computerized literature search was undertaken using the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and MedRxiv databases to identify eligible studies, with no language restrictions, published up to 28 February 2022. Eligible were observational studies assessing vaccine effectiveness (VE) by disease severity with reference groups of unvaccinated participants or participants immunized with one, two, or three vaccine doses. Our study was carried out in compliance with the PRISMA and MOOSE guidelines. The risk of study bias was identified using the Newcastle–Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale. The GRADE guidelines were applied to assess the strength of evidence for the primary outcome. The synthesis was conducted using a meta-analysis and meta-regression.

Results

Out of a total of 14,155 publications, 290 studies were included. Early VE of full vaccination against COVID-19 of any symptomatology and severity decreased from 96% (95% CI, 95–96%) for mRNA and from 86% (95% CI, 83–89%) for AdV vaccines to 67% for both vaccine types in the last 2 months of 2021. A similar 1-year decline from 98 to 86% was found for severe COVID-19 after full immunization with mRNA, but not with AdV vaccines providing persistent 82–87% effectiveness. Variant-reduced VE was only associated with Omicron regardless of disease severity, vaccine type, or vaccination completeness. The level of protection was reduced in participants aged >65 years, with a comorbidity or those in long-term care or residential homes independently of the number of doses received. The booster effect of the third mRNA dose was unclear because incompletely restored effectiveness, regardless of disease severity, declined within a short-term interval of 4 months.

Conclusions

Full vaccination provided an early high, yet waning level of protection against COVID-19 of any severity with a strong impact on the high-risk population. Moreover, the potential risk of new antigenically distinct variants should not be underestimated, and any future immunization strategy should include variant-updated vaccines.
Lipid and metabolic alteration involvement in physiotherapy for chronic nonspecific low back pain
Authors: Zhang Zhou , Zhang Chanjuan , Li Yuelong , Wang Chuhuai , Yu Qiuhua
Published: November 2022

Background

Chronic nonspecific low back pain (cNLBP) is a common health problem worldwide, affecting 65–80% of the population and greatly affecting people’s quality of life and productivity. It also causes huge economic losses. Manual therapy (MT) and therapeutic exercise (TE) are effective treatment options for cNLBP physiotherapy-based treatment. However, the underlying mechanisms that promote cNLBP amelioration by MT or TE are incompletely understood.

Methods

Seventeen recruited subjects were randomly divided into an MT group and a TE group. Subjects in the MT group performed muscular relaxation, myofascial release, and mobilization for 20 min during each treatment session. The treatment lasted for a total of six sessions, once every two days. Subjects in the TE group completed motor control and core stability exercises for 30 min during each treatment session. The motor control exercise included stretching of the trunk and extremity muscles through trunk and hip rotation and flexion training. Stabilization exercises consisted of the (1) bridge exercise, (2) single-leg-lift bridge exercise, (3) side bridge exercise, (4) two-point bird-dog position with an elevated contralateral leg and arm, (5) bear crawl exercise, and (6) dead bug exercise. The treatment lasted for a total of six sessions, with one session every two days. Serum samples were collected from subjects before and after physiotherapy-based treatment for lipidomic and metabolomic measurements.

Results

Through lipidomic analysis, we found that the phosphatidylcholine/phosphatidylethanolamine (PC/PE) ratio decreased and the sphingomyelin/ceramide (SM/Cer) ratio increased in cNLBP patients after MT or TE treatment. In addition, eight metabolites enriched in pyrimidine and purine differed significantly in cNLBP patients who received MT treatment. A total of nine metabolites enriched in pyrimidine, tyrosine, and galactose pathways differed significantly in cNLBP patients after TE treatment during metabolomics analysis.

Conclusion

Our study was the first to elucidate the alterations in the lipidomics and metabolomics of cNLBP physiotherapy-based treatment and can expand our knowledge of cNLBP physiotherapy-based treatment.
RRP9 promotes gemcitabine resistance in pancreatic cancer via activating AKT signaling pathway
Authors: Zhang Zhiqi , Yu Haitao , Yao Wenyan , Zhu Na , Miao Ran , Liu Zhiquan , Song Xuwei , Xue Chunhua , Cai Cheng , Cheng Ming , Lin Ke , Qi Dachuan
Published: November 2022

Background

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a highly lethal malignancy regarding digestive system, which is the fourth leading factor of cancer-related mortalities in the globe. Prognosis is poor due to diagnosis at advanced disease stage, low rates of surgical resection, and resistance to traditional radiotherapy and chemotherapy. In order to develop novel therapeutic strategies, further elucidation of the molecular mechanisms underlying PC chemoresistance is required. Ribosomal RNA biogenesis has been implicated in tumorigenesis. Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) is responsible for post-transcriptional modifications of ribosomal RNAs during biogenesis, which have been identified as potential markers of various cancers. Here, we investigate the U3 snoRNA-associated protein RRP9/U3-55 K along with its role in the development of PC and gemcitabine resistance.

Methods

qRT-PCR, western blot and immunohistochemical staining assays were employed to detect RRP9 expression in human PC tissue samples and cell lines. RRP9-overexpression and siRNA-RRP9 plasmids were constructed to test the effects of RRP9 overexpression and knockdown on cell viability investigated by MTT assay, colony formation, and apoptosis measured by FACS and western blot assays. Immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence staining were utilized to demonstrate a relationship between RRP9 and IGF2BP1. A subcutaneous xenograft tumor model was elucidated in BALB/c nude mice to examine the RRP9 role in PC in vivo.

Results

Significantly elevated RRP9 expression was observed in PC tissues than normal tissues, which was negatively correlated with patient prognosis. We found that RRP9 promoted gemcitabine resistance in PC in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistically, RRP9 activated AKT signaling pathway through interacting with DNA binding region of IGF2BP1 in PC cells, thereby promoting PC progression, and inducing gemcitabine resistance through a reduction in DNA damage and inhibition of apoptosis. Treatment with a combination of the AKT inhibitor MK-2206 and gemcitabine significantly inhibited tumor proliferation induced by overexpression of RRP9 in vitro and in vivo.

Conclusions

Our data reveal that RRP9 has a critical function to induce gemcitabine chemoresistance in PC through the IGF2BP1/AKT signaling pathway activation, which might be a candidate to sensitize PC cells to gemcitabine.

Graphical Abstract
PI3K/AKT signaling allows for MAPK/ERK pathway independency mediating dedifferentiation-driven treatment resistance in melanoma
Authors: Corrales Eyleen , Levit-Zerdoun Ella , Metzger Patrick , Mertes Ralf , Lehmann Ariane , Münch Julia , Lemke Steffen , Kowar Silke , Boerries Melanie
Published: November 2022

Background

Current therapeutic management of advanced melanoma patients largely depends on their BRAF mutation status. However, the vast heterogeneity of the tumors hampers the success of therapies targeting the MAPK/ERK pathway alone. Dissecting this heterogeneity will contribute to identifying key players in the oncogenic progression to tailor more effective therapies.

Methods

We performed a comprehensive molecular and phenotypic characterization of a panel of patient-derived BRAFV600E-positive melanoma cell lines. Transcriptional profiling was used to identify groups of coregulated genes whose expression relates to an increased migratory potential and a higher resistance.

Results

A decrease in sensitivity to MAPK/ERK pathway inhibition with vemurafenib or trametinib corresponded with an increasing quiescence and migratory properties of the cells. This was accompanied by the loss of transcriptional signatures of melanocytic differentiation, and the gain of stem cell features that conferred highly-resistant/mesenchymal-like cells with increased xenobiotic efflux capacity. Nevertheless, targeting of the implicated ABC transporters did not improve the response to vemurafenib, indicating that incomplete BRAF inhibition due to reduced drug uptake is not a main driver of resistance. Rather, indifference to MAPK/ERK pathway inhibition arose from the activation of compensatory signaling cascades. The PI3K/AKT pathway in particular showed a higher activity in mesenchymal-like cells, conferring a lower dependency on MAPK/ERK signaling and supporting stem-like properties that could be reverted by dual PI3K/mTOR inhibition with dactolisib.

Conclusions

In case of MAPK/ERK independency, therapeutic focus may be shifted to the PI3K/AKT pathway to overcome late-stage resistance in melanoma tumors that have acquired a mesenchymal phenotype.
Are clinical outcomes affected by laminoplasty method and K-line in patients with cervical ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament? A multicenter study
Authors: Li Nan , Ma Sai , Duan Fangfang , Wei Yi , He Da , Nagoshi Narihito , Watanabe Kota , Nakamura Masaya , Matsumoto Morio , Jeon Hyeongseok , Lee J. J. , Kim Keung-Nyun , Ha Yoon , Kwan Kenny , Cheung A. K. P. , Clark Aaron
Published: November 2022

Background

Open-door laminoplasty (ODL) and French-door laminoplasty (FDL) are the main laminoplasty techniques used to treat cervical ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (C-OPLL). However, few studies have compared the outcomes of ODL and modified FDL (mFDL) for C-OPLL. We explored the differences in outcomes between ODL and mFDL for C-OPLL and analyzed the technical efficacy of each procedure in patients with K-line (+) or (−) C-OPLL.

Methods

From January 2010 to December 2015, 202 patients with K-line (+) or (−) C-OPLL were retrospectively recruited from 4 institutions. Clinical outcomes were evaluated using the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score, JOA score recovery rate, operative time, blood loss, and complications. Univariate analysis and binary logistic regression models were adjusted for confounding factors.

Results

Two hundred patients (mFDL, n = 69; ODL, n = 131) with a median follow-up of 42 months (range 36–54 months) were included. The postoperative JOA score significantly improved in both groups (P < 0.05). After adjusting for confounding factors, there was a statistically significant difference in blood loss (≥ 300 mL) between the two groups (P = 0.005), but there was no significant difference in the postoperative JOA score (≥ 14) (P = 0.062), JOA score recovery rate (≥ 0.82) (P = 0.187), or operative time (≥ 90 min) (P = 0.925). C5 palsy tended to occur more often in the mFDL group, although the difference was not significant (P > 0.05). The stratified analysis of the K-line status showed more blood loss in K-line (+) patients who underwent mFDL, but there was no significant difference in the postoperative JOA score, JOA score recovery rate, or operative time between the ODL and mFDL groups. Additionally, there was no significant difference in blood loss, postoperative JOA score, JOA score recovery rate, or operative time among all patients with K-line (+) or (−) C-OPLL in both groups.

Conclusions

Both ODL and mFDL are effective for patients with C-OPLL. However, more blood loss tends to occur during mFDL. This study showed no significant difference in the operative time or incidence of complications between the two techniques. The efficacy of ODL and mFDL was not affected by the K-line status (+ or −) in patients with C-OPLL.
An investigation into entrepreneurial intentions in Caribbean Small Island Developing States
Authors: Mohan Preeya S.
Published: November 2022

This paper explored entrepreneurial intentions in the Caribbean adult population using a social cognitive approach. It used the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Adult Population Survey (APS), which includes questions about entrepreneurial intentions of potential business owners and entrepreneurial perceptions, namely individual, entrepreneurial opportunities and socio-cultural, along with demographic and socio-economic variables. The effect of perceptions along with socio-economic control variables on entrepreneurial intentions was investigated using probit regression models. The results confirm that even after controlling for demographic and socio-economic and country fixed effects, social cognitive perceptions were indeed relevant in explaining entrepreneurial intentions in the region. This study therefore provides insights into understanding entrepreneurship in particular the decision to form a new business through the individual’s perceptions and intentions.