bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Four-year follow-up of surface contamination by antineoplastic drugs in a compounding unit
Authors: Saint-Lorant Guillaume , Vasseur Michèle , Allorge Delphine , Beauval Nicolas , Simon Nicolas , Odou Pascal
Published: January 2023

Objectives

This study aimed to monitor the contamination by antineoplastic drugs on work surfaces in a compounding unit 4 years after its implementation.

Methods

This descriptive study was done in a unit performing on average 45 000 preparations per year. Surface sampling points (N=23) were monitored monthly in the frame of routine activity from the opening of an anticancer drug compounding unit. Contamination with nine antineoplastic drugs (cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, dacarbazine, 5-fluorouracil, methotrexate, gemcitabine, cytarabine, irinotecan and doxorubicin) was assessed on wipes with a local liquid chromatography coupled with a tandem mass spectrometer analysis. The contamination rate (CR, %) was prospectively monitored every month during the entire study period. The occurrence of critical incidents was also registered. The effect of each safety measure implemented during this period was also analysed.

Results

Based on the 1104 samples collected between March 2016 and March 2020, the CR was 18.5%. If three different critical incidents among a vial breakage that occurred were individually considered, this CR was slightly lower than that in the literature. Eight months after opening and taking different corrective actions, the overall CR dropped from 42.39% to 11.52% (p<0.001). Contamination was limited to the area that includes the compounding room and, more precisely, the welder and the QC-Prep+sampling points.

Conclusions

From the beginning of the study and from month to month, surface contamination was limited to the nearest sampling points to the compounding unit. This 4-year monitoring study allowed us to determine the intravenous conventional antineoplastic drugs and sampling points to be focused on.
Spiritual well-being, dignity-related distress and demoralisation at the end of life-effects of dignity therapy: a randomised controlled trial
Authors: De Vincenzo Francesco , Lombardo Luigi , Iani Luca , Maruelli Alice , Durante Sieva , Ragghianti Matilde , Park Crystal L , Innamorati Marco , Quinto Rossella Mattea
Published: January 2023

Objectives

This single-centre prospective randomised controlled study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of dignity therapy on spiritual well-being, demoralisation and dignity-related distress compared with standard palliative care.

Methods

A total of 111 terminally ill hospice patients were randomly allocated to one of two groups: dignity therapy plus standard palliative care (intervention group) or standard palliative care alone (control group). The main outcomes were meaning, peace, faith, loss of meaning and purpose, distress and coping ability, existential distress, psychological distress and physical distress. Assessments were conducted at baseline, 7–10 and 15–20 days.

Results

Following randomisation, 11 dropped out before baseline assessment and 33 after post-treatment assessment. A total of 67 patients completed the study, 35 in the experimental group and 32 in the control group. Repeated measures general linear model showed significant differences between groups on peace and psychological distress over time, but not on existential distress, physical distress, meaning and purpose, distress and coping ability, meaning and faith. Specifically, patients in the dignity therapy intervention maintained similar levels of peace from baseline to follow-up, whereas patients in the control group significantly declined in peace during the same time period. Moreover, psychological distress significantly decreased from pretreatment to post-treatment in the intervention group and increased in the control group.

Conclusions

Dignity therapy may be an effective intervention in maintaining sense of peace for terminally ill patients. The findings of our study are of relevance in palliative care and suggest the potential clinical utility of this psychological intervention.
Association of clinically significant obstructive sleep apnoea with risks of contracting COVID-19 and serious COVID-19 complications: a retrospective population-based study of health administrative data
Authors: Kendzerska Tetyana , Povitz Marcus , Gershon Andrea S , Ryan Clodagh M , Talarico Robert , Franco Avecilla Dennys Andrea , Robillard Rebecca , Ayas Najib T , Pendharkar Sachin R
Published: January 2023

Rationale/objectives

Despite plausible pathophysiological mechanisms, more research is needed to confirm the relationship between obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and the risk of COVID-19 infection or COVID-19-related serious complications.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective population-based cohort study using provincial health administrative data (Ontario, Canada). Adults with physician-diagnosed OSA who received positive airway pressure therapy in the 5 years prepandemic (OSA group) were propensity score matched by baseline characteristics to individuals in the general population at low risk of OSA (non-OSA group) using inverse probability of treatment weighting. Weighted HRs of (1) a positive COVID-19 test and (2) COVID-19-related emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalisations, intensive care unit (ICU) admissions and mortality, within 12 months of pandemic onset, were compared between groups. We also evaluated the impact of comorbid cardiometabolic or chronic airways disease.

Results

We identified and matched 324 029 individuals in the OSA group to 4 588 200 individuals in the non-OSA group. Compared with the non-OSA group, those in the OSA group were at a greater hazard of testing positive for COVID-19 (HR=1.17, 95% CI 1.13 to 1.21), having a COVID-19-related ED visit (HR=1.62, 95% CI 1.51 to 1.73), hospitalisation (HR=1.50, 95% CI 1.37 to 1.65) or ICU admission (HR=1.53, 95% CI 1.27 to 1.84). COVID-19-related 30-day mortality was not different (HR=0.98, 95% CI 0.82 to 1.16).

We found that for the OSA group, comorbid airways disease but not cardiometabolic conditions increased the hazards of COVID-19-related outcomes, including mortality.

Conclusion

In this large population-based study, we demonstrated that a recent diagnosis of OSA requiring treatment was associated with an increased hazard of testing positive for COVID-19 and serious COVID-19-related complications, particularly in those with co-existing chronic airways disease.
Review of the British Thoracic Society Winter Meeting 23 November 2022 23–25 November 2022
Authors: Ward Tom , Jha Akhilesh , Daynes Enya , Ackland Jodie , Chalmers James D
Published: January 2023

The British Thoracic Society Winter Meeting at the QEII Centre in London provided the first opportunity for the respiratory community to meet and disseminate research findings face to face since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. World-leading researchers from the UK and abroad presented their latest findings across a range of respiratory diseases. This article aims to represent the range of the conference and as such is written from the perspective of a basic scientist, a physiotherapist and two doctors. The authors reviewed showcase sessions plus a selection of symposia based on their personal highlights. Content ranged from exciting new developments in basic science to new and unpublished results from clinical trials, delivered by leading scientists from their fields including former deputy chief medical officer Professor Sir Jonathan Van-Tam and former WHO chief scientist Dr Soumya Swaminathan.
Farm size distribution in the Canadian livestock sector
Authors: VanderZaag Andrew , Bittman Shabtai , Wellisch Maria
Published: January 2023

This study quantified the distribution of animals by farm size for portions of the dairy, beef, swine, and poultry sectors using the 2016 Census of Agriculture. Results showed that the distribution of farm sizes and animal populations were skewed or bimodal and varied by livestock type and by province. Thus, the average farm size has little meaning. Recognizing farm size diversity is important for developing effective policies and programs, conducting appropriate research, and developing practices and technologies to support farms of all sizes.
Colorectal and bladder prokinetic activity of [Lys5, MeLeu9, Nle10]-NKA(4–10) after intranasal or sublingual delivery in dogs
Authors: Rupniak Nadia M.J. , Katofiasc Mary A. , Bae Jungeun , Thor Karl B. , Marson Lesley
Published: January 2023

The feasibility of eliciting defecation and urination after intranasal (IN) or sublingual (SL) delivery of a small peptide NK2 receptor agonist, [Lys5, MeLeu9, Nle10]-NKA(4–10), was examined using prototype formulations in dogs. In anesthetized animals, administration of 100 or 300 µg/kg IN or 2.0–6.7 mg/kg SL increased colorectal peak pressure and area under the curve. Peak bladder pressure was also increased at the same doses, and this was accompanied by highly efficient voiding at normal physiological bladder pressure. The onset of these effects was rapid (≤2.5 min), and the primary contractions lasted ∼25 min, returning to baseline in <60 min. Slight hypotension lasting a few minutes and causing <10% change from baseline was detected after higher doses and was statistically significant after only 100 µg/kg IN. In conscious dogs, there was a dose-related increase in voiding responses and reduction in the latency to urinate and defecate after 300 and 1000 µg/kg IN; emesis was also observed at these doses. SL administration of 6.7 mg/kg induced urination within 10 min, but not defecation or emesis. These findings support the feasibility of developing a convenient dosage form of small peptide NK2 receptor agonists as on-demand defecation or urination therapies.
Holographic anisotropic background in 5D Einstien–Gauss–Bonnet gravity
Authors: Sajadi S. N.
Published: January 2023

In this paper, we extend the work on the AdS/QCD model to quadratic gravity to gain insight into the influence of gravity. We obtain an anisotropic black brane solution to a 5D Einstein–Gauss–Bonnet-two Maxwell-dilaton system. The background is specified by an arbitrary exponent, a dilaton field, a time component of the first Maxwell field, and a magnetic component of the second Maxwell field. The system in three cases has been investigated and in each case the effect of the parameter of theory, the anisotropic parameter has been considered. The blackening function supports the thermodynamical phase transition between small/large and AdS/large black brane for a suitable chemical potential and other parameters.
The shadow of supertranslated black hole
Authors: Zhu Qing-Hua , Han Yu-Xuan , Huang Qing-Guo
Published: January 2023

The supertranslated black hole proposed by Hawking, Perry, and Strominger might provide a resolution to the information paradox, which is usually defined by a complicated space-time metric. In this paper, we figure out the shadow for the supertranslated black hole by making use of supertranslated 4-velocities and the trajectories of the light rays. Based on this approach, although the photon sphere gets distorted and the position of the shadow on the projection plane is shifted by the supertranslation vector due to the supertranslation hairs, the size and shape of the shadow remain the same as those of bald black hole. However, the shift of the position of shadow should be understood by the choice of coordinate and then we conclude that there are no distinguishable effects for the supertranslated black hole.
New wave solutions, exact and numerical approximations to the nonlinear Klein–Gordon equation
Authors: Partohaghighi Mohammad , Sulaiman Tukur A. , Yusuf Abdullahi , Inc Mustafa , Bayram Mustafa
Published: January 2023

This study investigates the nonlinear Klein–Gordon equation (KGE). We successfully construct some new topological kink-type, non-topological, singular solitons, periodic waves and singular periodic wave solutions to this nonlinear model by using the extended ShGEEM, rational sine-cosine extended (ERSC), and sinh-cosh (ERSCh) methods. In addition, a numerical method for solving the KGE is described in this paper. We use a combination of two numerical techniques called fictitious time integration method and the group preserving scheme (GPS). Fictitious time integration method converts the main equation into a new problem then the GPS is used to gain the numerical solutions. Few experiments are provided to successfully demonstrate the correctness of the approach.
The study of Cattaneo–Christov heat and mass fluxes and stratifications concept in Carreau fluid with variable mass diffusivity
Authors: Nasir Nadeem , Irfan Muhammad , Rana Muhammad Afzal
Published: January 2023

Recently, the scientists have been giving attention to the mutual pattern of heat and mass transportation such that both phenomena endorsed the novelty in engineering and industrial equipment’s approximating polymer progressions, fridge-freezers, plastics extrusion, fissile vessels, irrigation of arithmetical kit and power generation, heat exchangers. The Fourier and Fick laws are exploited to describe exactly how the heat and mass transportation via a space with influence of temperature and concentration will change, respectively. Furthermore, the worth of thermo-solutal transport has increased extremely in numerous industrial and scientific progresses, for instance, nutrition processing, utensils power aerials, crop mutilation, thermal transmission in fleshy tissue and numerous others. The theme of this effort is to explore the theory of thermo-solutal relaxation times (Cattaneo–Christov double diffusion) and thermo-solutal stratifications in Carreau fluid with the properties of magnetic field. Additionally, the thermal phenomenon of variable conductivity and mechanism of solutal diffusivity had been studied. The bvp4c algorithm has been exploited for the solution process. It is remarkable to note that both velocity fields decay for magnetic factors. The higher estimations of variable conductivity and thermal stratification factors have contradicting performance on temperature field. Additionally, mass stratification depreciates the concentration of Carreau fluid. The coefficient of skin frictions is enhanced for magnetic factor. The comparative tables compared with past studies with worthy settlement have also been shown.
HOPF BIFURCATION OF AN SEIRS MODEL WITH AGE STRUCTURE AND TIME DELAY
Authors: CAO HUI , HAN MENGMENG , YANG JUNYUAN , LIU LILI , LI HAIYAN
Published: January 2023

Age structure and delay play a significant role in determining the dynamics of the diseases. In this paper, an SEIRS epidemic model with age structure and time delay is investigated, where the loss of the acquired immunity and delay are incorporated. Through some rigorous analyses, an explicit formula for the basic reproduction number of the model is calculated, and some results about stability and instability of equilibria for the model are established. The findings show that the age structure and delay can produce Hopf bifurcation for an SEIRS model. The numerical examples are executed to illustrate the theoretical results.
How Connected is Crude Oil to Stock Sectors Before and After the COVID-19 Outbreak? Evidence from a Novel Network Method
Authors: Zhu Pengfei , Tang Yong , Lu Tuantuan
Published: January 2023

A novel network with Wavelet denoising-GARCHSK and Mixed CoVaR method is proposed to construct full-sample and dynamic networks for investigating the risk spillover effects across international crude oil and Chinese stock sectors before and after the COVID-19 outbreak. The empirical results denote that the total bidirectional oil-sector risk spillover effects increase rapidly after the COVID-19 outbreak. Interestingly, sectors shift from net risk receivers to net risk contributors in the oil-sector risk transfer effects during the pandemic period. Second, unlike the pre-COVID-19 period, Shanghai crude (SC) replaces Brent as the largest oil risk transmitter to stocks during the COVID-19 period. Third, there are notable sectoral features in the oil-sector risk spillovers, which differ across different periods. After the burst, Energy has an incredibly weak connection with crude oil, while the sectors, which oil products are input for, become close with crude oil. Far more surprising is that the petroleum-independent sectors have increasing closer risk transfer effects with crude, even becoming the largest risk contributors to oil, after that. Finally, the oil-sector relationships during the same period are time-varying but stable. This paper provides policymakers and investors with new method and insight into the oil-sector relationships.
ECONOMIC FREEDOM, ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND ECONOMIC GROWTH: EVIDENCE FROM PANEL DATA
Authors: KHYAREH MOHSEN MOHAMMADI , ZAMANI MARJAN
Published: January 2023

The existing literature is filled with mixed findings on the effect of entrepreneurship on economic growth. In particular, previous literature treats the effect of entrepreneurship on economic growth in isolation, while we emphasize the institutional environment, and especially, economic freedom. Using data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, we re-explore the relationship between entrepreneurship and growth and attempt to clarify the mixed findings. The systemic link between economic freedom, entrepreneurship and economic growth is investigated by examining a panel of 54 countries (2008-2018). The results validate that overall economic freedom and its subcomponents, such as the rule of law, limited government size, regulatory efficiency and market openness promote the positive effects of entrepreneurial activity on economic growth. The results suggest that economic freedom not only directs individual efforts to entrepreneurial activity, but also affects the extent to which entrepreneurial activity encourages higher growth rates. The findings contradict policy recommendations that some measures of economic freedom are not significantly associated with entrepreneurship.
Impact of vaccination on the dynamics of COVID-19: A mathematical study using fractional derivatives
Authors: Bandekar Shraddha Ramdas , Ghosh Mini , Rajivganthi C.
Published: January 2023

Arrival of a new disease marks a yearlong destruction of human lives and economy in general, and if the disease turns out to be a pandemic the loss is frightening. COVID-19 is one such pandemic that has claimed millions of lives till date. There is a suffering throughout the world due to various factors associated with the pandemic, be it loss of livelihoods because of sudden shutdown of companies and lockdown, or loss of lives due to lack of medical aid and inadequate vaccination supplies. In this study, we develop a six-compartmental epidemiological model incorporating vaccination. The motivation behind the study is to analyze the significance of higher vaccination efficacy and higher rate of population getting vaccinated in controlling the rise in infectives and thereby the untimely demise of various individuals. The work begins with an ordinary differential equation model followed by stability analysis of the same, after which a fractional-order derivative model of the same is formulated and the existence of uniformly stable solution for the system is proved. In addition to this, we present the stability of the equilibria in general for the fractional model framed. The sensitivity analysis of the basic reproduction number along with its correlation with various parameters is presented. In addition to this, sensitivity of certain state variables in the fractional model with respect to different fractional orders as well with respect to different infection rate is exhibited in this work. Factors related to lockdown and usage of face shields are incorporated in the entire study, and importance of these is highlighted in the study as well. The major takeaway from the study is that mere vaccination will not suffice in eradication of the virus. The vaccine efficacy plays a major role along with other intervention included in the model. The numerical simulations are carried out in MATLAB software using ode45 and fde12.
Some observations on Nörlund ℐ2-statistical convergence of double sequences in intuitionistic fuzzy normed spaces
Authors: Kişi Ömer , Gürdal Mehmet , Choudhury Chiranjib
Published: January 2023

The aim of this paper is to investigate the intuitionistic Nörlund [Formula: see text]-statistically convergent sequence space. We present some intuitionistic fuzzy normed spaces (IFNS) in Nörlund convergent spaces. Moreover, we also put forward several topological and algebraic properties of these convergent sequence spaces.
On the characteristic polynomial and energy of Hermitian quasi-Laplacian matrix of mixed graphs
Authors: Khan Mehtab , Hamid Ganie Abdul
Published: January 2023

A mixed graph is a graph whose edge set consists of both oriented and unoriented edges. The Hermitian-adjacency matrix of an [Formula: see text]-vertex mixed graph is a square matrix [Formula: see text] of order [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] if there is an arc from [Formula: see text] to [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] if there is an edge between [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text] otherwise. Let [Formula: see text] be a diagonal matrix, where [Formula: see text] is the degree of [Formula: see text] in the underlying graph of [Formula: see text]. The matrices [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are, respectively, the Hermitian Laplacian and Hermitian quasi-Laplacian matrix of the mixed graph [Formula: see text]. In this paper, we first found coefficients of the characteristic polynomial of Hermitian Laplacian and Hermitian quasi-Laplacian matrices of the mixed graph [Formula: see text]. Second, we discussed relationship between the spectra of Hermitian Laplacian and Hermitian quasi-Laplacian matrices of the mixed graph [Formula: see text].
On the choice of a phase field model for describing fracture behavior of concrete
Authors: Nguyen Hoang Quan , Tran Bao Viet , Le Ba Anh , Nguyen Thanh Tung
Published: January 2023

Numerical modeling of concrete fractures is of prime importance in the durability assessment of civil engineering structures. The phase field model has been demonstrated as a promising framework to simulate crack propagation in brittle material while using the many existing techniques. In this paper, we discuss choosing the most appropriate phase field model for describing the fracture behavior of concrete. More specifically, we present a detailed analysis of the existing models, which have been created by combining different spectral decompositions and crack density functions. The numerical simulation predictions are confronted with the experimental observation of a benchmark problem from the literature. The obtained results showed that the extensive/ compressive decomposition and the quadratic crack density function are the most suitable models to study concrete cracking behavior. The investigation’s size effects demonstrated heterogeneities played an important role in concrete’s post-cracking behavior and softening branches, especially for the small concrete structure.
Classifying the Characteristics of Effective Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for Computer Science Teachers in the 16-18 Sector
Authors: Allison Jordan
Published: January 2023

As technology and curricula continue to evolve and develop, the prevalence and effectiveness of continuing professional development (CPD) opportunities for computer science teachers is becoming increasingly more important. However, key questions remain about what the characteristics are for effective CPD in this context. Through the presentation of existing literature and the qualitative analysis of interviews with 32 employees from 13 English colleges (n = 14 computer science lecturers, 10 course leaders, and 8 members of senior leadership) this article answers the following question: ‘What are the characteristics of effective continuing professional development for computer science teachers in the 16-18 sector?’ Existing literature indicates how CPD benefits from: (1) knowledge development and application to classroom teaching, (2) self-efficacy development and measurement, (3) observation, feedback and reflection, (4) collaboration and communities of practice, (5) sufficient time, and (6) institution support. Meanwhile, the thematic analysis of interview data led to the creation of five overarching themes: (1) computer science CPD should address various knowledge domains, (2) CPD requires institutional support, (3) CPD should be engaging, (4) computer science CPD should involve a combination of activities, and (5) CPD should be measurable. This qualitative article also presents interview excerpts and contributes to computing education research and practice by presenting a set of thirty guidelines which outlines the characteristics of effective CPD in the context of computer science teachers in the 16-18 sector. These guidelines could be beneficial for both CPD providers and educators in ensuring CPD opportunities are designed more effectively, and with an understanding of both parties’ needs.
Intercorporeal Biofeedback for Movement Learning
Authors: Turmo Vidal Laia , Márquez Segura Elena , Waern Annika
Published: January 2023

Technology-supported movement learning has received increased attention in HCI. Previous design research has mostly focused on individual experiences, even though the social and situated context is essential to movement learning practices. Based on the experiences from two design projects in the fitness domain featuring open-ended biofeedback artefacts, we propose
Intercorporeal Biofeedback
as a strong concept to support the design and use of biofeedback in such practices. We ground the concept in situated movement learning theory, phenomenology of social cognition, and HCI work on biofeedback. We articulate four key characteristics of intercorporeal biofeedback: it provides participants with a
shared frame of reference
, upon which they engage in
fluid meaning allocation
and use it to
guide attention and action
, becoming an
interactional resource
. Intercorporeal biofeedback can serve to guide future design work for situated, social movement practices.
Transitioning Cognitive Aids into Decision Support Platforms: Requirements and Design Guidelines
Authors: Mastrianni Angela , Sarcevic Aleksandra , Hu Allison , Almengor Lynn , Tempel Peyton , Gao Sarah , Burd Randall S.
Published: January 2023

Digital cognitive aids have the potential to serve as clinical decision support platforms, triggering alerts about process delays and recommending interventions. In this mixed-methods study, we examined how a digital checklist for pediatric trauma resuscitation could trigger decision support alerts and recommendations. We identified two criteria that cognitive aids must satisfy to support these alerts: (1) context information must be entered in a timely, accurate, and standardized manner, and (2) task status must be accurately documented. Using co-design sessions and near-live simulations, we created two checklist features to satisfy these criteria: a form for entering the pre-hospital information and a progress slider for documenting the progression of a multi-step task. We evaluated these two features in the wild, contributing guidelines for designing these features on cognitive aids to support alerts and recommendations in time- and safety-critical scenarios.
Frustration: Still a Common User Experience
Authors: Hertzum Morten , Hornbæk Kasper
Published: January 2023

When computers unexpectedly delay or thwart goal attainment, frustration ensues. The central studies of the extent, content, and impact of such frustration were done more than 15 years ago. We revisit this issue after computers have become more mature and computer use is more extensive. To this end, we had 234 crowdsourced participants log the frustrating episodes they experienced with their computers during one hour of computer use. The average time lost due to frustrating episodes was between 11% and 20% of the one-hour period. Though this is less time lost than in the earlier studies, frustration remains a common user experience. While shorter, the median level of frustration during the episodes was high (7 on a 9-point scale). The frustration level correlated with task importance and time lost but was unaffected by computer experience and largely unaffected by computer self-efficacy. In addition, participants indicated that 84% of the episodes had happened before, that 87% could happen again, and that they were unable to resolve 26% of the episodes. This high rate of recurrence and lack of control likely added to the frustration level. The episodes spanned various issues pertaining to performance (49%), usability (36%), and utility (16%).
The Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act: A Description and Review of the Suicide Prevention Initiative
Authors: Goldston David B. , Walrath Christine
Published: January 2023

The Garrett Lee Smith (GLS) Memorial Act, continuously funded since 2004, has supported comprehensive, community-based youth suicide prevention efforts throughout the United States. Compared to matched communities, communities implementing GLS suicide prevention activities have lower population rates of suicide attempts and lower mortality among young people. Positive outcomes have been more pronounced with continuous years of implementation and in less densely populated communities. Cost analyses indicate that implementation of GLS suicide prevention activities more than pays for itself in reduced health care costs associated with fewer emergency department visits and hospitalizations. Although findings are encouraging, the heterogeneity of community suicide prevention programs and the lack of randomized trials preclude definitive determination of causal effects associated with GLS. The GLS initiative has never been brought fully to scale (e.g., simultaneously impacting all communities in the United States), so beneficial effects on nationwide suicide rates have not been realized.
Influence of administration time and sex on natriuretic, diuretic, and kaliuretic effects of diuretics
Authors: Dutta Pritha , Sadria Mehrshad , Layton Anita T.
Published: January 2023

Sex influences cardiovascular disease, and the timing of onset of acute cardiovascular events exhibits circadian rhythms. Kidney function also exhibits sex differences and circadian rhythms. How do the natriuretic and diuretic effects of diuretics, a common treatment for hypertension that targets the kidneys, differ between the sexes? And how do these effects vary during the day? To answer these questions, we conducted computer simulations to assess the effects of loop, thiazide, and K+-sparing diuretics.
Climatology Definition of the Myanmar Southwest Monsoon (MSwM): Change Point Index (CPI)
Authors: Oo Kyaw Than
Published: January 2023

Myanmar’s climate is heavily influenced by its geographic location and relief. Located between the Indian summer monsoon (ISM) and the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM), Myanmar’s climate is distinguished by the alternation of seasons known as the monsoon. The north-south direction of peaks and valleys creates a pattern of alternate zones of heavy and scanty precipitation during both the northeast and southwest monsoons. The majority of the rainfall has come from Myanmar’s southwest monsoon (MSwM), which is Myanmar’s rainy season (summer in global terms, June–September). This study explained both threshold-based and nonthreshold-based objective definitions of the onset and withdrawal of large-scale MSwM. The seasonal transitions in MSwM circulation and precipitation are convincingly represented by the new index, which is based on change point detection of the atmospheric moisture flow converging in the MSwM region (10–28 N, 92–102 E). A transition in vertically integrated moisture transport (VIMT), the reversal of surface winds, and an increase in precipitation may also be considered when defining MSwM onset objectively. We also define a change point of the MSwM (CPI) index for MSwM onset and withdrawal dates. The climatological mean onset of MSwM is day 135 (May 14), withdrawal is day 278 (October 4), and the total season length is 144 days. We are investigating spatial patterns of rainfall progression at and after the start of the monsoon, rather than transitions within a single region of the MSwM. The local southwest monsoon duration is well correlated with the CPI duration on interannual timescales, particularly in the peak rainfall regions, with a delay (advance) in large-scale onset or withdrawal associated with a delay (advance) of onset or withdrawal by local index. Hence, the next phase of this research is to study the maintenance and break of the monsoon to understand the underlying physical processes governing the monsoon circulation. The results of this study provide a possibility to reconstruct Myanmar’s monsoon climate dynamics, and the findings of this study can help unravel many remaining questions regarding the greater Asian monsoon system’s variability.
Screening of Biomarkers in Liver Tissue after Bariatric Surgery Based on WGCNA and SVM-RFE Algorithms
Authors: Jiang Yicheng , Wang Yu , Chen Shuai , Liu Zhixin , Yang Haojun , Jiao Yuwen , Tang Liming
Published: January 2023

As the most common chronic liver disease around the world, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has a close connection with obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. Bariatric surgery (BS) is considered to be the most effective treatment for NAFLD. However, the regulatory mechanism of hepatic lipid metabolism after BS remains poorly elucidated. By analyzing two transcriptome datasets regarding liver tissues after BS, namely, GSE83452 and GSE106737, we acquired 110 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). By further analysis of DEGs in terms of the weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) and support vector machine-recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE) algorithms, we identified four crucial genes participating in the regulation of hepatic lipid metabolism: SRGN, THEMIS2, SGK1, and FPR3. In addition, the results of gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) showed that BS can activate immune-related regulatory pathways and change immune cell infiltration levels. Finally, through cellular level studies, we found that the silencing of SRGN affects the expression of SREBP-1, SIRT1, and FAS during adipogenesis in the liver and the formation of lipid droplets in the liver. In summary, the immune system in the liver is activated after BS, and SRGN participates in the regulation of hepatic lipid metabolism.
Early Detection and Diagnosis of Chronic Kidney Disease Based on Selected Predominant Features
Authors: Ullah Zahid , Jamjoom Mona
Published: January 2023

In numerous perilous cases, a quick medical decision is needed for the early detection of chronic diseases to avoid austere consequences that may be fatal. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a prevalent disease that presents a variety of challenges, including soaring costs for intervention, urgency, and, more importantly, difficulty in early detection of the disease. The current study carries out a prediction-based method that helps in detecting and diagnosing CKD patients which enables a fast and accurate decision-making process at the early stage. A combination of preprocessing and feature selection methods was developed; additionally, several prediction models, such as K-nearest neighbor (KNN), support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF), and bagging, were trained based on the processed dataset. The performance evaluation shows higher reliability of all models in terms of accuracy, precision, sensitivity, F-measure, specificity, and area under the curve (AUC) score. Specifically, KNN outperformed with an accuracy of 99.50%, sensitivity of 99.2%, precision of 100%, specificity of 98.7%, and F-measure and AUC score of 99.6%. The experimental results of KNN show the best fitted model compared to the existing state-of-the-art methods. Moreover, the reduced feature set proves that just a few clinical tests are enough to detect CKD, resulting in diagnosis cost reduction.
A Quantitative Model of the Multisubject Quality Responsibility of Construction Projects Based on an IPSO
Authors: Chen Mingfei , He Ying , Gao Jie
Published: January 2023

In order to solve the problem of the quantitative division of multisubject quality responsibility in construction project quality disputes, this article proposes a quantitative model of multisubject quality responsibility division in construction projects based on an improved particle swarm optimization (IPSO). First, this article proposes a set of classification guidelines for quality risk behaviors based on the theory of organizational behavior. Through these, the interconnections between different types of risk behaviors and quality defects were explored. Following this, this article explored potential laws among 84 practical judicial cases from China using the IPSO. The category coefficients of the three types of quality risk behaviors, namely, technical defects, management violations, and irregularities, were obtained in this analysis. This article also deduced the mathematical expression of the division of engineering quality responsibility using fuzzy mathematical theory and established a multisubject quality responsibility quantitative model. It was then simulated and applied in four practical judicial cases. The simulation results revealed that the multisubject quality responsibility quantitative model based on quality risk behavior has good applicability.
Downregulation of CAMK2N1 due to DNA Hypermethylation Mediated by DNMT1 that Promotes the Progression of Prostate Cancer
Authors: Peng Wei , Feng Huan , Pang Linhao , Zhang Junfeng , Hao Yi , Wei Xian , Xia Qidong , Wei Zhewen , Song Wen , Wang Shaogang , Liu Jihong , Chen Ke , Wang Tao
Published: January 2023

Calcium/calmodulin-dependentprotein kinase II inhibitor I (CAMK2N1) as one of the tumor suppressor genes is significantly downregulated in prostate cancer (PCa). Reduced expression of CAMK2N1 is positively correlated with PCa progression. However, the mechanisms of CAMK2N1 downregulation in PCa are still unclear. The promoter region of CAMK2N1 contains a large number of CG loci, providing the possibility for DNA methylation. Consequently, we hypothesized that DNA methylation can result in the reduced expression of CAMK2N1 in PCa. In the presented study, the DNA methylation level of CAMK2N1 in prostate cells and clinical specimens was determined by bisulfite sequencing (BS), pyrosequencing, and in silico analysis. Results showed that CAMK2N1 was highly methylated in PCa cells and tissues compared to normal prostate epithelial cells and nonmalignant prostate tissues, which was associated with the clinicopathological characteristics in PCa patients. Afterwards, we explored the expression of CAMK2N1 and its DNA methylation level by qRT-PCR, western blot, BS, and methylation-specific PCR in PCa cells after 5-Aza-CdR treatment or DNMT1 genetic modification, which demonstrated that the reduced expression of CAMK2N1 can be restored by 5-Aza-CdR treatment via demethylation. Moreover, DNMT1 formed a positive feedback loop with CAMK2N1 in PCa cells. The expression of CAMK2N1 was downregulated by DNMT1-mediated DNA methylation, which reversely induced DNMT1 expression through activating AKT or ERK signaling pathway. Finally, functional assays including wound healing, invasion, and migration assay, as well as the xenograft model in nude mice indicated that CAMK2N1 inhibited the invasion, migration, and proliferation of PCa cells and these effects were reversed by DNMT1 overexpression. In conclusion, DNMT1-mediated hypermethylation of CAMK2N1 not only downregulates the gene expression but also promotes the progression of PCa.
Construction and Validation of a Novel Cuproptosis-Related Seven-lncRNA Signature to Predict the Outcomes, Immunotherapeutic Responses, and Targeted Therapy in Patients with Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Zhang Haoxun , Ning Zikuan , Wang Bowen , Liu Yiwen , Tao Boju , Zhang Guoling , Liu Hua , Wang Chunyang
Published: January 2023

Background. Cuproptosis was recently recognized as a novel form of cell death, linked closely to the occurrence and progression of cancer. We aimed to identify prognostic cuproptosis-related long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and build a risk signature to predict the prognosis and treatment responses of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) in this work. Methods. LASSO–Cox regression was conducted to construct the signature based on prognostic cuproptosis-related lncRNAs (CR-lncRNAs). The signature’s reliability and sensitivity were assessed by the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and receiver operating characteristic analysis. External validation was performed via data from the International Cancer Genome Consortium database. On the basis of CR-lncRNAs, an lncRNA-microRNA-mRNA regulatory network was created, and functional enrichment analysis was used to investigate the underlying biological roles of these genes. In addition, the relationship between the risk signature and immunotherapy and targeted therapy responses was examined. Finally, the expression levels of seven candidate lncRNAs between tumor and normal cells were compared in vitro using quantitative real-time PCR. Results. A seven-CR-lncRNA risk signature was constructed, which showed a stronger potential for survival prediction than standard clinicopathological features in patients with kidney cancer. Functional enrichment analysis showed that the CR-lncRNA risk signature was enriched in ion transport-related molecular functions as well as various immune-related biological processes. Furthermore, we discovered that individuals in the high-risk group were more likely than those in the low-risk group to respond to immunotherapy and targeted therapies with medications like sunitinib and pazopanib. Finally, quantitative real-time PCR revealed that the expression levels of seven candidate lncRNAs differed significantly between RCC and healthy kidney cells. Conclusion. In summary, we generated a CR-lncRNA risk signature that may be utilized to predict outcomes in patients with ccRCC and responsiveness to immunotherapy and targeted treatment, potentially serving as a reference for clinical personalized medicine.
Pesticide Residues and Effect of Household Processing in Commonly Consumed Vegetables in Jimma Zone, Southwest Ethiopia
Authors: Terfe Amare , Mekonen Seblework , Jemal Temima
Published: January 2023

The long-term and indiscriminate use of pesticides has resulted in serious health effects. Aside from that, developing countries do not have any monitoring systems in place to prevent the consumption of high levels of pesticides in foods. Therefore, this study aimed to determine pesticide residues and the effect of processing in commonly consumed vegetables in the southwestern part of Ethiopia. In total, 12 samples of 1 kg of each type of vegetable were collected from selected markets. Moreover, as a solution to pesticide residue problems in vegetables, the effect of different processing methods such as washing, peeling, boiling, and their cumulative effect was studied. In the analytical procedure, the modified Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe (QuEChERS) extraction with florisil as a cleanup sorbent was used and the identification of pesticides was done by using gas chromatography with an electron capture detector (GC-ECD). The parent p,p’-DDT was detected at a concentration of 0.015 mg/kg in potato samples from the Serbo market and a concentration of 0.516, 0.232, 0.174, and 1.512 mg/kg in Merkato, Kochi, Serbo, and Shebe onion samples, respectively. P`p-DDT is detected at a high concentration compared to its metabolites (p,p’-DDE and p,p’-DDD), which is an indication of recent use. DDT and its metabolites, other organochlorines (lindane, γ-chlordane, dimethachlor, and heptachlor), and pyrethroids (cypermethrin and deltamethrin) exceeded the recommended limits by FAO and WHO in multiple samples of potato, onion, and cabbage. The processing result showed that washing, boiling, and the combination of the two revealed a 100% reduction in o,p’-DDT, and p,p’-DDT pesticides detected in cabbage. In conclusion, multiple residues were detected in the three vegetables studied, indicating that pesticides were applied intensively. Pesticide levels were reduced by home processing procedures, which is important for consumer safety.
Pertuzumab, Trastuzumab, and an Aromatase Inhibitor for HER2-Positive and Hormone Receptor–Positive Metastatic or Locally Advanced Breast Cancer: PERTAIN Final Analysis
Authors: Arpino Grazia , de la Haba Rodríguez Juan , Ferrero Jean-Marc , De Placido Sabino , Osborne C. Kent , Klingbiel Dirk , Revelant Valentine , Wohlfarth Christine , Poppe Raf , Rimawi Mothaffar F. ,   for the PERTAIN Study Group
Published: January 2023

Purpose:

In PERTAIN's primary analysis (31 months’ median follow-up), adding pertuzumab to trastuzumab and an aromatase inhibitor (AI) with/without chemotherapy significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with previously untreated HER2-positive and hormone receptor–positive metastatic or locally advanced breast cancer (M/LABC). A potentially enhanced treatment effect was observed in patients with no induction chemotherapy. We present the final analysis (>6 years’ median follow-up).

Patients and Methods:

Patients (N = 258) were randomized 1:1 to pertuzumab (loading/maintenance: 840/420 mg) plus trastuzumab (loading/maintenance: 8/6 mg/kg) every 3 weeks and an AI (1 mg anastrozole or 2.5 mg letrozole daily; Arm A), or trastuzumab and an AI (Arm B). Induction chemotherapy was at investigator discretion. Primary endpoint: PFS. Key secondary endpoints: overall survival (OS) and safety.

Results:

Median PFS was 20.6 versus 15.8 months in Arms A and B, respectively (stratified HR, 0.67; P = 0.006). Median OS was 60.2 versus 57.2 months (stratified HR, 1.05; P = 0.78). Pertuzumab treatment effect was potentially enhanced in patients with no induction chemotherapy (26.6 vs. 12.5 months). Any-grade adverse events (AE) occurred in 122 patients per arm (96.1% vs. 98.4%); grade ≥ 3 AEs in 72 (56.7%) and 51 (41.1%); serious AEs in 46 (36.2%) and 28 (22.6%).

Conclusions:

The PFS benefit of pertuzumab was maintained and OS was similar between arms at final analysis. Adding pertuzumab may enhance activity in patients who do not require first-line chemotherapy for M/LABC. No new safety concerns were reported. These data provide additional evidence of the role of first-line pertuzumab and trastuzumab in HER2-positive M/LABC.
Viewing RCC with a DNA Methylation Lens ENHANCES Understanding of ICI Resistance
Authors: Zhou Mi , Kim William Y.
Published: January 2023

Clear-cell renal cell carcinoma tumors with an enhancer demethylator phenotype (TED) harbor a worse prognosis and derive less clinical benefit from immunotherapy. The TED phenotype may help predict immunotherapy resistance.

See related article by Lu et al., p. 1279