bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predicting armed conflict using protest data
Authors: Rød Espen Geelmuyden , Hegre Håvard , Leis Maxine
Published: September 2023

Protest is a low-intensity form of political conflict that can precipitate intrastate armed conflict. Data on protests should therefore be informative in systems that provide early warnings of armed conflict. However, since most protests do not escalate to armed conflict, we first need theory to inform our prediction models. We identify three theoretical explanations relating to protest-repression dynamics, political institutions and economic development as the basis for our models. Based on theory, we operationalize nine models and leverage the political Violence Early Warning System (ViEWS) to generate subnational forecasts for intrastate armed conflict in Africa. Results show that protest data substantially improves conflict incidence and onset predictions compared to baseline models that account for conflict history. Moreover, the results underline the centrality of theory for conflict forecasting: our theoretically informed protest models outperform naive models that treat all protests equally.
Music literacy in higher education in Mexico: Current conceptions and teaching practices
Authors: Carrillo Rubén , Tarango Javier , González-Moreno Patricia Adelaida
Published: September 2023

This article presents an analysis of the perceptions of Mexican university professors about Music Literacy (ML), the practices used to teach it, and how the expectancies and values of professors influence the application of these practices. The literature review shows the relationship between the conservatory model and its influence on teaching ML in higher education in Mexico. Fifty-four professors from different states in the country answered a self-report questionnaire through Google Forms. The results suggest that the perceptions of ML are strongly linked to skills such as reading and writing traditional music notation. In their weekly planning, professors privilege the use of reading to learn repertoire from scores, over other aspects such as aural development and musical creativity. In addition, it was observed that professors tend to plan more frequently activities in which they feel competent, repeating the schemes under which they were taught. The article concludes by raising the need to develop alternative approaches, focused on a more holistic musical training, and the need to establish a basic set of skills in different areas that allows university graduates to have greater opportunities in the music profession.
Decoding the ChatGPT mystery: A comprehensive exploration of factors driving AI language model adoption
Authors: Jo Hyeon
Published: September 2023

The increasing ubiquity of Artificial Intelligence (AI) chatbots across a variety of sectors has sparked a burgeoning interest in deciphering the determinants that govern their adoption and usage. This study aims to examine the pivotal factors that influence the practical usage of the AI chatbot, ChatGPT, among a sample of university students. Leveraging the theoretical framework of planned behavior, the research model scrutinizes the interplay between knowledge application, perceived intelligence, usability, attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, trust, behavioral intention, and actual usage. Data procured from a survey of university students were examined through the lens of structural equation modeling. The outcomes reveal that knowledge application, perceived intelligence, and usability have a positive impact on attitudes towards ChatGPT. Perceived intelligence also influences knowledge application, usability, and trust. Concurrently, attitude and subjective norms notably affect behavioral intention. Contrary to expectations, perceived behavioral control did not significantly influence behavioral intention. Trust emerged as a crucial factor steering behavioral intention, which in turn, positively correlates with the actual usage of ChatGPT. These insights enrich the academic discourse on AI chatbot adoption and provide practical implications for AI developers, educators, and policy makers, striving to enhance user engagement with AI systems in educational contexts.
Health care professional recruitment of patients and family carers to palliative care randomised controlled trials: A qualitative multiple case study
Authors: Dunleavy Lesley , Preston Nancy , Walshe Catherine
Published: September 2023

Background:

Trial participant recruitment is an interactional process between health care professionals, patients and carers. Little is known about how clinicians carry out this role in palliative care trials and the reasons why they do or do not recruit participants.

Aims:

To explore how clinicians recruit to palliative care trials, why they choose to implement particular recruitment strategies, and the factors that influence their choices.

Design:

A qualitative multiple case study of three UK palliative care trials. Data collection included interviews and study documentation. Analysis involved developing and refining theoretical propositions, guided by the ‘6Ps’ of the ‘Social Marketing Mix Framework’ as an a priori framework (identifying participants, product, price, place, promotion and working with partners). Framework Analysis guided within and then cross-case analysis.

Settings/participants:

Study investigators and research staff ( n = 3, 9, 7) from trial coordinating centres and recruitment sites (hospice and hospital).

Results:

Cross-case analysis suggests the ‘Social Marketing Mix Framework’ is useful for understanding recruitment processes but wider contextual issues need to be incorporated. These include the ‘emotional labour’ of diagnosing dying and communicating palliative and end-of-life care to potential participants and how the recruitment process is influenced by the power relationships and hierarchies that exist among professional groups. These factors can lead to and support paternalistic practices.

Conclusions:

Those planning trials need to ensure that trial recruiters, depending on their experience and trial characteristics, have access to training and support to address the ‘emotional labour’ of recruitment. The type of training required requires further research.
Randomized placebo-controlled trial of CL2020, an allogenic muse cell–based product, in subacute ischemic stroke
Authors: Niizuma Kuniyasu , Osawa Shin-Ichiro , Endo Hidenori , Izumi Shin-Ichi , Ataka Kota , Hirakawa Akihiro , Iwano Masao , Tominaga Teiji
Published: September 2023

Effective treatments for stroke after the acute phase remain elusive. Muse cells are endogenous, pluripotent, immune-privileged stem cells capable of selectively homing to damaged tissue after intravenous injection and replacing damaged/lost cells via differentiation. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial enrolled ischemic stroke patients with modified Rankin Scale (mRS) ≥3. Randomized patients received a single intravenous injection of an allogenic Muse cell-based product, CL2020 (n = 25), or placebo (n = 10), without immunosuppressant, 14–28 days after stroke onset. Safety (primary endpoint: week 12) and efficacy (mRS, other stroke-specific measures) were assessed up to 52 weeks. Key efficacy endpoint was response rate (percentage of patients with mRS ≤2 at week 12). To week 12, 96% of patients in the CL2020 group experienced adverse events and 28% experienced adverse reactions (including one Grade 4 status epilepticus), compared with 100% and 10%, respectively, in the placebo group. Response rate was 40.0% (95% CI, 21.1–61.3) in the CL2020 group and 10.0% (0.3–44.5) in the placebo group; the lower CI in the CL2020 group exceeded the preset efficacy threshold (8.7% from registry data). This randomized placebo-controlled trial demonstrated CL2020 is a possible effective treatment for subacute ischemic stroke.

Registry information: JAPIC Clinical Trials Information site (JapicCTI-184103, URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.jp/cti-user/trial/ShowDirect.jsp?japicId=JapicCTI-184103 ).
LI-RADS category 3, 4, and M observations: a multiple parameters diagnostic model for hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Chen Jianwei , Chen Huizhen , Zheng Dechun , Yan Chuan , Ye Rongping , Wen Liting , Li Yueming
Published: September 2023

Background

Hepatic lesions categorized as LR-3, LR-4, and LR-M are challenging to accurately assess and diagnose.

Purpose

To combine potential clinical and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features for a more comprehensive hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) versus non-HCC diagnosis for patients with LR-3, LR-4, and LR-M graded lesions.

Methods

Data were consecutively retrieved from 82 at-risk patients with LR-3 (n = 43), LR-4 (n = 20), and LR-M (n = 23) lesions. Significant findings for the differentiation of HCC and non-HCC, including MRI features and clinical factors, were identified with univariable and multivariable analyses. The variables for a prediction model were selected through stepwise use of Akaike's Information Criterion (AIC) to build multivariable logistic regression model.

Results

Serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) >16.2 ng/mL (odds ratio [OR] = 22.4; P = 0.006), septum (OR = 52.1; P = 0.011), and hepatobiliary phase (HBP) hypointensity (OR = 40.2; P = 0.001) were confirmed as independent predictors of HCC. When combining the three predictors and mild-moderate T2 hyperintensity, the model (AIC = 50.91) showed good accuracy with a C-index of 0.948.

Conclusion

In at-risk patients with LR-3, LR-4, or LR-M lesions, integrating AFP, septum, HBP hypointensity, and mild-moderate T2 hyperintensity achieved high diagnostic performance for the diagnosis of HCC.
Repeated pulmonary nodules as the primary symptom of familial hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in adults: a case report and review
Authors: Zhang Lulu , Dong Chuanchuan , Wu Qiannan , Li Yupeng , Feng Liting , Xing Yanqing , Dong Yangdou , Liu Le , Li Xiaohui , Huo Rujie , Dong Yanting , Cheng Erjing , Ge Xiaoyan , Xinrui Tian
Published: September 2023

Pulmonary nodules are usually considered to be associated with malignant tumors and benign lesions, such as granuloma, pulmonary lymph nodes, fibrosis, and inflammatory lesions. Clinical cases of pulmonary nodules associated with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis have rarely been reported. Therefore, when patients develop pulmonary nodules, the possibility of developing hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis is often not considered. We report the first case of familial hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis with recurrent pulmonary nodules as the first symptom. Our findings will hopefully provide new ideas for the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary nodules in the future.
Comparison of paclitaxel liposomes combined with carboplatin versus paclitaxel combined with carboplatin in the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer
Authors: Tan Xiangbin , Zou Shuangyou , Chen Hui , Chen Dachao
Published: September 2023

Objective

To compare the efficacy of paclitaxel liposomes combined with carboplatin and paclitaxel combined with carboplatin in the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer and assess their effects on serum human epididymis protein 4 (HE4), CA125, CA199, matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP2), MMP-7, and MMP-9 levels.

Methods

In this observational study, 102 patients with advanced ovarian cancer were assigned to receive paclitaxel liposomes combined with carboplatin (Group A) or paclitaxel combined with carboplatin (Group B). Clinical efficacy; serum HE4, CA125, CA199, MMP-2, MMP-7, and MMP-9 levels; and the occurrence of adverse reactions were compared between the groups.

Results

The overall response rate was significantly higher in Group A than in Group B. After chemotherapy, serum HE4, CA125, CA199, MMP-2, MMP-7, and MMP-9 levels were lower in Group A than in Group B. The incidence of myalgia, dyspnea, nausea and vomiting, facial flushing, peripheral neuropathy, and skin rash was lower in Group A than in Group B.

Conclusion

Paclitaxel liposomes combined with carboplatin displayed better efficacy in the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer than paclitaxel combined with carboplatin, which might be attributable to reductions in serum marker levels and the occurrence of adverse events.
Lipid peroxidation and changes in major antioxidant markers in copper quinolate fungicide-exposed rats
Authors: Baali B , Kirane-Amrani L , Tichati L , Soual R , Ouali K
Published: September 2023

The present study investigated the toxic effects of sub-chronic exposure to copper quinolate (CuQ) fungicide on liver and kidney function. Twenty-four adult male Wistar rats were equally divided into a control group, and three treated groups received, respectively, by oral gavage, three increasing doses of CuQ: 47; 67.1; and 94 mg/kg b.w corresponding, respectively, LD50/100, LD50/70, and LD50/50 daily for 8 weeks. CuQ resulted in a significant increase in the serum enzymatic activity of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and the serum levels of urea, creatinine, uric acid, and malondialdehyde, along with a marked decrease in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity, and the contents of total protein and albumin compared to those of the control group. Furthermore, glutathione content and the enzymatic activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione S-transferase (GST), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) decreased significantly in a dose-dependent manner with respect to CuQ. The adverse effects of CuO were supported by the histopathological evaluations of liver and kidney tissues. Conclusively, sub-chronic CuQ exposure was shown to induce kidney and liver oxidative damage and dysfunction.
Comparison of Computed Tomography Assisted 3D Cephalometric Measurements in Straight Egyptian Arabian and Thoroughbred Horses
Authors: Alshami Alanoud M. , Pompermayer Endrigo , Troteaga Alvarez Carla , Hoey Seamus , Ryan Jackie , Johnson Jessica P.
Published: September 2023

Dental malocclusions are commonly encountered in horses. The objective of this study was to report the normal cephalometric values from skull computed tomography (CT) scans of adult Straight Egyptian Arabian (SEAR) and thoroughbred (TB) horses and to compare differences in the measurements between the two breeds. Standing skull CTs were performed on 29 clinically normal adult horses (15 SEAR; 14 TB) and cephalometric measurements were taken. All 9 cephalometric measurements, as well as the interincisal angle, were found to be significantly greater in TB than SEAR ( P < 0.05). TB were found to have significantly greater facial line: mandibular length (FL/ML) ratios compared to SEAR ( P = 0.002) whereas for the maxillary cheek teeth length: ethmoidal line ratio (Mxa/EtL), SEAR were found to have significantly greater values than TB ( P = 0.0007). SEAR cephalometric measurements, as well as certain ratios, differ significantly from TB and could have an impact on the development of dental malocclusions in this breed. Further investigation is needed to ascertain whether these cephalometric differences between the two breeds predispose the SEAR to the development of dental malocclusions.
Moral distress thermometer: Swedish translation, cultural adaptation and validation
Authors: Grönlund Catarina Fischer , Isaksson Ulf , Brännström Margareta
Published: September 2023

Background

Moral distress is a problem and negative experience among health-care professionals. Various instruments have been developed to measure the level and underlying reasons for experienced moral distress. The moral distress thermometer (MDT) is a single-tool instrument to capture the level of moral distress experienced in real-time.

Aim

The aim of this study was to translate the MDT and adapt it to the Swedish cultural context.

Research design

The first part of this study concerns the translation of MDT to the Swedish context, and the second part the psychometric testing of the Swedish version.

Participants and research context

89 healthcare professionals working at a hospital in northern Sweden participated. Convergent validity was tested between MDT and Measure of Moral Distress-Healthcare Professionals (MMD-HP), and construct validity was tested by comparing MDT scores among healthcare professionals. MDT was compared with responses to the final questions in MMD-HP. One-way ANOVA, Welch’s ANOVA, Games–Howell post-hoc test and Pearson’s correlation analysis were done.

Ethical considerations

The study was approved by the Swedish Ethics Review Authority (dnr 2020-04120) in accordance with Helsinki Declaration.

Results

The translated Swedish version of MDT was described as relevant to capture the experience of moral distress. The mean value for MDT was 2.26, with a median of 2 and a mode value of 0. The result showed moderate correlations between the MDT and MMD-HP total scores. There was a significant difference when comparing MDT and healthcare professionals who had never considered leaving their present position with those who had left and those who had considered leaving but had not done so, with the latter assessing significantly higher moral distress.

Conclusion

The MDT is an easily available instrument useful as an extension to MMD-HP to measure the real-time experience of moral distress among healthcare professionals in a Swedish context.
The Role Nurses Can Play in Addressing and Preventing the Prevalence of Missing or Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG)
Authors: Peters-Mosquera Autaquay , Bingham-Hendricks Chyla , Woods Cedric , Aronowitz Teri
Published: September 2023

Introduction:

In 2016, 5,712 American Indian/Alaskan Native (AI/AN) women and girls were reported missing in the United States. In Canada, 4% of the population is Indigenous, yet Indigenous females represent 50% of all sex trafficking victims. This systematic mixed-studies review examined the effects of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) to define a role for nurses.

Methods:

We used five databases with keywords, inclusion criteria, and the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool.

Results:

Findings of 22 papers discuss: (a) demographic data; (b) factors that increase vulnerability of AI/AN women; and (c) how nurses can decrease the prevalence of MMIW.

Discussion:

Nurses are the first provider patients see when accessing care. Increasing knowledge about the impact of violence against AI/AN women and girls is the first step in identifying measures needed to address this public health concern.
Estimating the Fiscal Impact of Stadium Developments: Evaluating a Pro Forma Model
Authors: Baumann Robert W. , Bradbury John Charles
Published: September 2023

Although researchers have demonstrated conclusively that sports stadiums are not economic development catalysts, stadium projects that include preplanned ancillary developments have been proposed as a salutary strategy to overcome the widely observed dismal economic performance of standalone stadiums. Using an objective rubric for evaluating economic impact studies, we review a commissioned pro forma model that claims to demonstrate net positive fiscal impacts of two prominent publicly-financed stadium-anchored developments. Using assumptions informed by existing research and established discipline standards, the model estimates substantial negative returns for both projects (−$40 to −$60 million in Worcester, Massachusetts and −$100 to −$200 million in Cobb County, Georgia). We find that the reported fiscal surpluses derive from chosen assumptions and not the stadiums’ complementary developments. We conclude that pro forma estimates do not provide credible forecasts of fiscal impacts, and ancillary developments do not improve the fiscal returns of stadium projects.
Choleth-24
Authors: Cherian Priya , Bergfeld Wilma F. , Belsito Donald V. , Cohen David E. , Klaassen Curtis D. , Rettie Allan E. , Ross David , Slaga Thomas J. , Snyder Paul W. , Tilton Susan , Fiume Monice , Heldreth Bart
Published: September 2023

The Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety reviewed updated information that has become available since their original assessment from 1982, along with updated information regarding product types, and frequency and concentrations of use, and reaffirmed their original conclusion that Choleth-24 is safe for topical applications to humans in the practices of use and concentration as described in this report.
‘Definitely not in the business of wanting to be associated’: Examining public relations in a deplatformization controversy
Authors: Hill Stephanie
Published: September 2023

In August 2019, a mass shooter in the United States posted a violent manifesto to the anonymous forum 8chan prior to his attack. This was the third such incident that year and afterwards hosting and security services conceded to calls to drop 8chan as a client, pushing 8chan to the margins of the accessible internet. This article examines the deplatforming of 8chan as a public relations crisis, contributing to understanding ‘governance by shock’ (Ananny and Gillespie 2016) by examining who is shocked and their power to turn shock into online regulation. Online platforms and media attention created opportunities to study how the deplatforming was justified, drawing on the theoretical framework of economies of worth (Boltanski and Thevenot 2006) and controversy mapping methods. The examination finds: (1) that this case of deplatforming indicates the openness of infrastructure-as-a-service companies to external challenges over content, rather than hegemonic control. (2) That regulatory gaps, including the broadness of U.S. free speech laws, made these companies, rather than legal processes, the relevant authority. (3) That framing responsibility as following the law – as Cloudflare attempted to do – misunderstands the importance of normative principles, voluntary measures, and contestation in governing online content, underselling the value of policy-making at other levels. The success of the campaign to deplatform 8chan affirms the significance of PR crises in the regulation of online content, rewarding deplatforming as a political tactic for civil society groups and online networks pushing for governance in regulatory gaps. However, the significance of normative enforcement in this case underlines the difficulties of this semi-voluntary style of governance. While normative opposition to violence contributed to 8chan’s deplatforming, other normative oppositions contribute to deplatforming vulnerable users, as in the moral panics that drive the deplatforming of sexual content ( Tiidenberg 2021 ) and feed suspicion over the ideological application of deplatforming. The ambivalence of PR crises as a strategy for influencing platform governance underlines the need for clarity in policy-making at multiple levels.
Measuring disparities in virtual healthcare and outcomes in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Cherabuddi Medha R , Shadid Al Muthanna , Obeidat Liyan , Jesse Michelle , Bradley Patrick
Published: September 2023

Introduction

The use of virtual healthcare increased with the COVID-19 pandemic, even among chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. We measured disparities in virtual compared to traditional healthcare and outcomes in COPD patients during the pandemic.

Methods

This study retrospectively identified adult patients with virtual or in-person primary care encounters at a large, Midwestern hospital system between March 1, 2020, and June 30, 2020. Data regarding age, sex, race, smoking, area deprivation index (ADI), COPD diagnosis, visit type (office, telephone, video, E-visit, virtual, or hybrid of office and virtual), and time to hospital admission in the following 12 months were collected. Analysis was performed using chi-square, analysis of variance, Kruskal-Wallis rank sum, and Cox proportional modeling.

Results

This study identified 86,715 patients. Of those, 4702 had COPD and were more likely to be 65 years or older, White, have higher ADI, use telephone or hybrid visits compared to the rest of the study population and majority had smoking history. Office, telephone, and hybrid visits were used frequently, consistently seen across sex, race, ADI, and smoking categories. Increasing age was associated with increased use of office and telephone visits, and decreased use of video visits. Higher ADI was associated with telephone visits, and lower ADI was associated with video visits. There were no significant differences in overall, COPD, or COVID-19 hospital admission rates across visit types.

Discussion

Complex disparities in utilizing traditional healthcare are also reflected in virtual healthcare in COPD patients, and do not significantly affect hospital admissions.
Voice hearing as a social barometer: Benevolent persuasion, ancestral spirits, and politics in the voices of psychosis in Shanghai, China
Authors: Ng Emily , Chen Fazhan , Zhao Xudong , Marie Luhrmann Tanya
Published: September 2023

The comparative study of voice hearing is in its early stages. This approach is important due to the observation that the content of voices differs across different settings, which suggests that voice hearing may respond to cultural invitation and, ultimately, to learning. Our interview-based study found that persons diagnosed with schizophrenia in China (Shanghai), compared to those diagnosed with schizophrenia in the United States, Ghana, and India, reported voices that were strikingly concerned with politics. Compared to participants in the United States in particular, voices seemed to be experienced more relationally: Shanghai participants reported voices notable for a sense of benevolent persuasion rather than harsh command, and knew the identities of their voices more so than in the United States. The voices were striking as well for their religious content, despite the previous prohibition of religion in China. Our findings further support the hypothesis that voice hearing seems to be shaped by context, and we observe that this shaping may affect not only conceptual content but the emotional valence of the experience.
A qualitative investigation of entrepreneurial marketing dimensions and their effect on brand image on the Instagram platform
Authors: Ghobadi Saki Elaheh , Khodadad Hosseini Seyed Hamid , Mansourimoayyed Fereshteh , Rajabzadeh Ghatari Ali
Published: September 2023

Although entrepreneurial marketing (EM) and its dimensions are not an unknown concept, there is a lack of definite consensus among researchers, especially on the utility of social media platforms. The widespread use of social media platforms such as Instagram has led companies to take advantage of them in their brand management with an entrepreneurial approach; therefore, social media is considered a necessary factor in modern entrepreneurship. In this study, we identified the EM dimensions of the Instagram platform and examined their effect on brand image (BI) enhancement. To do so, a qualitative content analysis was performed using Instagram posts related to new products of dairy companies, and seven dimensions were obtained, which are proactiveness, innovativeness, opportunity focus, resource leveraging, customer intensity, emotional connections, and entrepreneurial promotion on social media. The results of sentiment analysis of comments indicate that among the mentioned dimensions, “emotional connections” have the most effect and “opportunity focus” has the least effect on BI enhancement.
Changing roles of tour guides: From “agent to serve” to “agent of change”
Authors: Ren Lianping , Wong Cora Un In , Ma Caiwei , Feng Yanping
Published: September 2023

The guided tour industry has undergone drastic changes in China along with the socio-economic, demographic, and technological developments of the past decades, leading to new demands on the tour guide profession. The COVID-19 pandemic has further accelerated the changes. Yet little is known regarding how the tour guides’ roles have evolved. This study aims to fill this gap through exploring new roles and services undertaken by tour guides, drawing on qualitative data (in-depth interviews) from both tour guides’ and tourists’ recent guided tour experience in China. The findings demonstrate a continuum of roles of the guides, ranging from “the serving roles” to being “the ones who facilitate changes.” Five main driving forces were identified, namely: the tourists’ customization needs, demographic change, rapid ICT development, increased special interests, and the pandemic and tourists’ favor in remote destinations. Instead of expecting serving roles only, the Chinese tourists now welcome roles that can foster positive changes, reflecting Chinese tourists’ motivational shift to having eudaimonic experience through traveling.
Intraprocedural Use of the Novel Protrieve Sheath Removes Embolus During Mechanical Thrombectomy of a Complex Iliocaval Deep Vein Thrombosis
Authors: Reynolds Kyle B.
Published: September 2023

Extension of proximal deep vein thrombosis (DVT) into the inferior vena cava (IVC) complicates treatment with mechanical thrombectomy, as the presence of IVC thrombus increases embolization risks. In the case of a 39-year-old man with left-sided iliocaval DVT, the novel Protrieve sheath (Inari Medical, Irvine, California) was intraprocedurally placed in the IVC to ensure such complications would not outweigh the benefits of intervention. During successful thrombectomy, the sheath’s wall-apposing funnel trapped and removed procedural embolus from the IVC, with no complications occurring. Studies to determine whether the device can broadly improve the safety of complex DVT procedures are warranted.
“I think I Get Why y’all do this Now”: Reckoning With Elden Ring's Difficulty in an Online Affinity Space
Authors: Robinson Bradley , Czauderna André , von Gillern Sam
Published: September 2023

The purpose of this study was to understand how players reckon with relentlessly challenging video games by exploring their interactions in a game-specific affinity space. The authors conducted a qualitative thematic analysis of a focal discussion thread on r/EldenRing, a Reddit community, to examine how players lend each other support in response to the game's mechanical, affective, and interpretive difficulty. The findings demonstrate how affinity spaces can play an important role in helping players navigate challenging games like Elden Ring by providing a space for them to strategize, vent, joke, and even philosophize about their experiences with the game. Through this study, the authors suggest that game designers might extend their design perspectives to consider players’ metagaming practices in affinity spaces, where they support one another to construct meaning of their suffering, perhaps leading to more players, more joy, and more joyful players.
Representatives of the Central Authority and County Administration in Transylvania (1867–1925)
Authors: Pál Judit , Popovici Vlad
Published: September 2023

The transition from the administrative system of the Habsburg monarchy to that of the successor nation-states after World War I has traditionally been analysed in terms of discontinuity, or even rupture. In our research, which focuses on the specific case of Transylvania, we demonstrate that both the development of a centralised administrative system and the relationship between the state authority and local autonomies were characterised by continuity rather than change. In both the Hungarian and the Romanian state, the key institution involved in the process of diminishing local self-government was the representative of the central power in the territory (the lord lieutenant until 1918 and later the prefect). The gradual expansion of his prerogatives over institutions and county officials began in Hungary in the early 1870s, and continued until the interwar period in Romania; this was a process that extended beyond the changes in the political and state regime in 1918. Thus, for interwar Transylvania, administrative centralisation in the French tradition did not represent a paradigm shift, but instead the continuation and acceleration of an already quite advanced process that the Hungarian state, which had been eager to modernise its administrative structures, had already introduced 50 years earlier.
Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis presenting as transient ischemic attacks: A case report
Authors: Zhu Cuiting , Mi Heyin , Hu Wenli , Lu Ming
Published: September 2023

Cerebral sinus venous thrombosis (CSVT) is a rare form of venous thromboembolism. Recurrent transient ischemic attacks were extremely rare clinical manifestation of CSVT. We reported a case of transient ischemic attack as an exceptionally rare form of CSVT. A 29-year-old woman presented with a headache and four episodes of a transient right limb weakness, numbness, and dysphasia lasting approximately 15 mins over the course of 2 weeks. Magnetic resonance venography revealed a superior sagittal sinus thrombosis with numerous prominent enlarged and dilated venous. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed venous infarction of the left frontal lobe. Transient ischemic attack-like episodes stopped with anticoagulation. We suggested that the patients with transient ischemic attack and symptoms of increased intracranial pressure should be carefully investigated in terms of CSVT.
An unusual presentation of accessory spleen mimicking a pancreatic neoplastic lesion in a splenectomized patient: A case report
Authors: Perera Pasindu , Nandasena Malith , Beneragama Dulani , Jayarajah Umesh
Published: September 2023

Accessory spleen is a relatively common occurrence. However, an intrapancreatic accessory spleen can get hypertrophied following splenectomy and rarely mimic a pancreatic neoplasm leading to misdiagnosis. Here we present a 64-year-old male who had undergone left radical nephrectomy and splenectomy for renal cell carcinoma 14 years back, presenting with upper abdominal discomfort. He was found to have a mass in the pancreatic tail on imaging, suggesting an intrapancreatic neoplastic lesion. After a multidisciplinary team decision based on contrast-enhanced computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, he underwent an uncomplicated distal pancreatectomy, and the histology revealed an intrapancreatic accessory spleen. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and positron emission tomography alone is not specific enough to confidently differentiate an accessory spleen preoperatively. Nuclear scintigraphy fused with contrast-enhanced computed tomography provides more specific and better anatomically localized evidence. Ultrasound-guided fine needle sampling showing lymphocytes with subsets of histiocytes, plasma cells, and immunohistochemistry showing CD8 positivity can be used to guide the definitive diagnosis. Differentiating an accessory spleen from a pancreatic neoplasm may be challenging preoperatively. Accessory spleen needs to be considered in the differential diagnosis of upper abdominal masses especially in patients who have undergone splenectomy.
Impact of eConsults on Clinical Care in Primary Care: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Primary Care Provider Behavior
Authors: Bifulco Lauren , Guidotti Olivia , Velez Idiana , Grzejszczak Lynsey , Angelocci Tracy , Okunade Lola , Anderson Daren
Published: September 2023

Introduction/Objectives:

Asynchronous electronic consultations (eConsults) support primary care providers (PCPs) by providing rapid specialist feedback and improve medically underserved patients’ access to care.

Methods:

This cross-sectional study assessed all eConsults requested over a one-year period at a multi-site federally qualified health center in Texas. We analyzed eConsult content and quality and conducted chart reviews for a randomly selected subsample (n = 100) to determine whether PCPs implemented specialists’ recommendations within 90 days. Semi-structured interviews with PCPs assessed their ability and willingness to follow recommendations.

Results:

There were 367 eConsults submitted by 25 PCPs across 15 adult medical and surgical specialties. Of the 100 charts reviewed n = 77 (77.0%) contained documentation indicating that the PCP had followed at least 1 of the specialist’s recommendations within 90 days. In two-thirds of the cases (n = 66, 66%) the reviewing specialist indicated that a face-to-face referral was not needed. PCPs were most likely to follow recommendations for new medications and least likely to document that they had obtained additional patient history. PCPs noted that they were sometimes unable to follow recommendations when patients could not afford or access treatment or did not return for follow up care, or when they felt that the specialist did not address their specific question.

Conclusions:

eConsults delivered to medically underserved patients in primary care help PCPs provide timely care for their patients. PCPs utilized a broad range of eConsult specialties and generally implemented eConsult specialists’ recommendations within 90 days.
A review of soil liquefaction in the Caribbean Greater and Lesser Antilles in reconsidering the ground motion effect of the M7.0 2010 Haiti earthquake in the Port-au-Prince Seaport and Léogâne Plain
Authors: Pierre Jean-Robert
Published: September 2023

On 12 January 2010, the M7.0 Haiti earthquake caused infrastructure damage induced by extensive soil liquefaction and foundation failure in the Port-au-Prince International Seaport and Léogâne Plain. This study re-examines the soil liquefaction effects of the main shock and aftershock events by exploring the existing studies on calcareous sands, reviewing the phenomenon of liquefaction in the Caribbean Islands, and associating them within the seismic history of the Greater and Lesser Antilles. Due to the geomorphology of the Islands, urban development has typically been concentrated along the coast, in locations vulnerable to soil liquefaction. This study demonstrates that the liquefaction that occurred at sites in the M7.0 Haiti event was triggered by the main shock even at low peak ground accelerations (PGAs), the first aftershock effects were significant, and soil liquefaction was not rare in the Antilles. It identifies the elements that characterize historical cases of soil liquefaction caused by earthquakes in the Caribbean Islands. In addition, it points out the characteristics and findings of paleoliquefaction and paleoseismicity investigations conducted in the Caribbean region. Investigations and studies on the calcareous sand liquefaction and paleoseismology are essential to improve the seismic hazard and risk assessment of the Caribbean Islands. The existence of a large number of studies making reference to this topic highlights its significance.
Physiological functions of calcium signaling via Orai1 in cancer
Authors: Umemura Masanari , Nakakaji Rina , Ishikawa Yoshihiro
Published: September 2023

Intracellular calcium (Ca2+) signaling regulates many cellular functions, including cell proliferation and migration, in both normal cells and cancer cells. Store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) is a major mechanism by which Ca2+ is imported from the extracellular space to the intracellular space, especially in nonexcitable cells. Store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) is also a receptor-regulated Ca2+ entry pathway that maintains Ca2+ homeostasis by sensing reduced Ca2+ levels in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). In general, the activation of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) or immunoreceptors, such as T-cell, B-cell and Fc receptors, results in the production of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3). IP3 binds to IP3 receptors located in the ER membrane. The, IP3 receptors in the ER membrane trigger a rapid and transient release of Ca2+ from the ER store. The resulting depletion of ER Ca2+ concentrations is sensed by the EF-hand motif of stromal interaction molecule (STIM), i.e., calcium sensor, which then translocates to the plasma membrane (PM). STIM interacts with Orai Ca2+ channel subunits (also known as CRACM1) on the PM, leading to Ca2+ influx from the extracellular space to increase intracellular Ca2+ concentrations. The physiological functions of Orai and STIM have been studied mainly with respect to their roles in the immune system. Based on numerous previous studies, Orai channels (Orai1, Orai2 and Orai3 channels) control Ca2+ release-activated Ca2+ (CRAC) currents and contribute to SOCE currents in other types of cells, including various cancer cells. There are many reports that Orai1 is involved in cell proliferation, migration, metastasis, apoptosis and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) in various cancers. We previously found that Orai1 plays important roles in cell apoptosis and migration in melanoma. Recently, we reported novel evidence of Orai1 in human oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells and human cardiac fibroblasts (HCFs). In this review, we present multiple physiological functions of Orai1 in various cancer cells and cardiac fibroblasts, including our findings.
Fuzzy optimization for identifying antiviral targets for treating SARS-CoV-2 infection in the heart
Authors: Chu Sz-Wei , Wang Feng-Sheng
Published: September 2023

In this paper, a fuzzy hierarchical optimization framework is proposed for identifying potential antiviral targets for treating severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in the heart. The proposed framework comprises four objectives for evaluating the elimination of viral biomass growth and the minimization of side effects during treatment. In the application of the framework, Dulbecco’s modified eagle medium (DMEM) and Ham’s medium were used as uptake nutrients on an antiviral target discovery platform. The prediction results from the framework reveal that most of the antiviral enzymes in the aforementioned media are involved in fatty acid metabolism and amino acid metabolism. However, six enzymes involved in cholesterol biosynthesis in Ham’s medium and three enzymes involved in glycolysis in DMEM are unable to eliminate the growth of the SARS-CoV-2 biomass. Three enzymes involved in glycolysis, namely BPGM, GAPDH, and ENO1, in DMEM combine with the supplemental uptake of L-cysteine to increase the cell viability grade and metabolic deviation grade. Moreover, six enzymes involved in cholesterol biosynthesis reduce and fail to reduce viral biomass growth in a culture medium if a cholesterol uptake reaction does not occur and occurs in this medium, respectively.
A heterogeneous graph convolutional attention network method for classification of autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Shao Lizhen , Fu Cong , Chen Xunying
Published: September 2023

Background

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a serious developmental disorder of the brain. Recently, various deep learning methods based on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data have been developed for the classification of ASD. Among them, graph neural networks, which generalize deep neural network models to graph structured data, have shown great advantages. However, in graph neural methods, because the graphs constructed are homogeneous, the phenotype information of the subjects cannot be fully utilized. This affects the improvement of the classification performance.

Methods

To fully utilize the phenotype information, this paper proposes a heterogeneous graph convolutional attention network (HCAN) model to classify ASD. By combining an attention mechanism and a heterogeneous graph convolutional network, important aggregated features can be extracted in the HCAN. The model consists of a multilayer HCAN feature extractor and a multilayer perceptron (MLP) classifier. First, a heterogeneous population graph was constructed based on the fMRI and phenotypic data. Then, a multilayer HCAN is used to mine graph-based features from the heterogeneous graph. Finally, the extracted features are fed into an MLP for the final classification.

Results

The proposed method is assessed on the autism brain imaging data exchange (ABIDE) repository. In total, 871 subjects in the ABIDE I dataset are used for the classification task. The best classification accuracy of 82.9% is achieved. Compared to the other methods using exactly the same subjects in the literature, the proposed method achieves superior performance to the best reported result.

Conclusions

The proposed method can effectively integrate heterogeneous graph convolutional networks with a semantic attention mechanism so that the phenotype features of the subjects can be fully utilized. Moreover, it shows great potential in the diagnosis of brain functional disorders with fMRI data.
Defining super-enhancers by highly ranked histone H4 multi-acetylation levels identifies transcription factors associated with glioblastoma stem-like properties
Authors: Das Nando D. , Chang Jen-Chien , Hon Chung-Chau , Kelly S. Thomas , Ito Shinsuke , Lizio Marina , Kaczkowski Bogumil , Watanabe Hisami , Katsushima Keisuke , Natsume Atsushi , Koseki Haruhiko , Kondo Yutaka , Minoda Aki , Umehara Takashi
Published: September 2023

Background

Super-enhancers (SEs), which activate genes involved in cell-type specificity, have mainly been defined as genomic regions with top-ranked enrichment(s) of histone H3 with acetylated K27 (H3K27ac) and/or transcription coactivator(s) including a bromodomain and extra-terminal domain (BET) family protein, BRD4. However, BRD4 preferentially binds to multi-acetylated histone H4, typically with acetylated K5 and K8 (H4K5acK8ac), leading us to hypothesize that SEs should be defined by high H4K5acK8ac enrichment at least as well as by that of H3K27ac.

Results

Here, we conducted genome-wide profiling of H4K5acK8ac and H3K27ac, BRD4 binding, and the transcriptome by using a BET inhibitor, JQ1, in three human glial cell lines. When SEs were defined as having the top ranks for H4K5acK8ac or H3K27ac signal, 43% of H4K5acK8ac-ranked SEs were distinct from H3K27ac-ranked SEs in a glioblastoma stem-like cell (GSC) line. CRISPR-Cas9–mediated deletion of the H4K5acK8ac-preferred SEs associated with MYCN and NFIC decreased the stem-like properties in GSCs.

Conclusions

Collectively, our data highlights H4K5acK8ac’s utility for identifying genes regulating cell-type specificity.
Comprehensive analysis of N6-methyladenosine-related RNA methylation in the mouse hippocampus after acquired hearing loss
Authors: Zhou Xuehua , Jin Lin , Li Yufeng , Wang Yiru , Li Wen , Shen Xia
Published: September 2023

Background

The mechanism underlying cognitive impairment after hearing loss (HL) remains unclear. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is involved in many neurodegenerative diseases; however, its role in cognitive impairment after HL has not yet been investigated. Therefore, we aimed to analyze the m6A modification profile of the mouse hippocampus after HL exposure. A mouse model of neomycin-induced HL was established. An auditory brainstem-response test was utilized for detecting hearing threshold. The passive avoidance test was served as the mean for evaluating cognitive function. The m6A-regulated enzyme expression levels were analyzed by using reverse transcription quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blot analyses. RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) and methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (MeRIP-Seq) were performed with the aim of investigating gene expression differences and m6A modification in the mouse hippocampus.

Results

Neomycin administration induced severe HL in mice. At four months of age, the mice in the HL group showed poorer cognitive performance than the mice in the control group. METTL14, WTAP, and YTHDF2 mRNA levels were downregulated in the hippocampi of HL mice, whereas ALKBH5 and FTO mRNA levels were significantly upregulated. At the protein level, METTL3 and FTO were significantly upregulated. Methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing analysis revealed 387 and 361 m6A hypermethylation and hypomethylation peaks, respectively. Moreover, combined analysis of mRNA expression levels and m6A peaks revealed eight mRNAs with significantly changed expression levels and methylation.

Conclusions

Our findings revealed the m6A transcriptome-wide profile in the hippocampus of HL mice, which may provide a basis for understanding the association between HL and cognitive impairment from the perspective of epigenetic modifications.