bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vizaj—A free online interactive software for visualizing spatial networks
Authors: Rolland Thibault , De Vico Fallani Fabrizio
Published: March 2023

In many fields of science and technology we are confronted with complex networks. Making sense of these networks often require the ability to visualize and explore their intermingled structure consisting of nodes and links. To facilitate the identification of significant connectivity patterns, many methods have been developed based on the rearrangement of the nodes so as to avoid link criss-cross. However, real networks are often embedded in a geometrical space and the nodes code for an intrinsic physical feature of the system that one might want to preserve. For these spatial networks, it is therefore crucial to find alternative strategies operating on the links and not on the nodes. Here, we introduce Vizaj a javascript web application to render spatial networks based on optimized geometrical criteria that reshape the link profiles. While optimized for 3D networks, Vizaj can also be used for 2D networks and offers the possibility to interactively customize the visualization via several controlling parameters, including network filtering and the effect of internode distance on the link trajectories. Vizaj is further equipped with additional options allowing to improve the final aesthetics, such as the color/size of both nodes and links, zooming/rotating/translating, and superimposing external objects. Vizaj is an open-source software which can be freely downloaded and updated via a github repository. Here, we provide a detailed description of its main features and algorithms together with a guide on how to use it. Finally, we validate its potential on several synthetic and real spatial networks from infrastructural to biological systems. We hope that Vizaj will help scientists and practitioners to make sense of complex networks and provide aesthetic while informative visualizations.
Extended reality as a training method for medical first responders in mass casualty incidents: A protocol for a systematic review
Authors: Otero-Varela Lucía , Cintora Ana María , Espinosa Salvador , Redondo María , Uzuriaga Miriam , González Myriam , García Mario , Naldrett Jessica , Alonso Juan , Vazquez Tatiana , Blanco Alberto , Cardós Alonso María del Carmen
Published: March 2023

Introduction/Background

Mass-casualty incidents (MCIs) and disasters require an organised and effective response from medical first responders (MFRs). As such, novel training methods have emerged to prepare and adequately train MFRs for these challenging situations. Particular focus should be placed on extended reality (XR), which encompasses virtual, augmented and mixed reality (VR, AR, and MR, respectively), and allows participants to develop high-quality skills in realistic and immersive environments. Given the rapid evolution of high-fidelity simulation technology and its advantages, XR simulation has become a promising tool for emergency medicine. Accordingly, this systematic review aims to: 1) evaluate the effectiveness of XR training methods and 2) explore the experience of MFRs undergoing such training.

Methods

A comprehensive search strategy will encompass four distinct themes: MFRs, disasters/MCIs, education and simulation, and XR. Four databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and LILACs) will be searched along with an in-depth examination of the grey literature and reference lists of relevant articles. MetaQAT will be used as a study quality assessment tool and integrated into Covidence as part of the data extraction form. Given the predicted high heterogeneity between studies, it may not be possible to standardise data for quantitative comparison and meta-analysis. Thus, data will be synthesised in a narrative, semi-quantitative manner.

Discussion

This review will examine the existing literature on the effectiveness of XR simulation as a tool to train MFRs for MCIs, which could ultimately improve preparedness and response to disasters.

Trial registration

Protocol registration:PROSPEROCRD42021275692.
Metastability as a candidate neuromechanistic biomarker of schizophrenia pathology
Authors: Hancock Fran , Rosas Fernando E. , McCutcheon Robert A. , Cabral Joana , Dipasquale Ottavia , Turkheimer Federico E.
Published: March 2023

The disconnection hypothesis of schizophrenia proposes that symptoms of the disorder arise as a result of aberrant functional integration between segregated areas of the brain. The concept of metastability characterizes the coexistence of competing tendencies for functional integration and functional segregation in the brain, and is therefore well suited for the study of schizophrenia. In this study, we investigate metastability as a candidate neuromechanistic biomarker of schizophrenia pathology, including a demonstration of reliability and face validity. Group-level discrimination, individual-level classification, pathophysiological relevance, and explanatory power were assessed using two independent case-control studies of schizophrenia, the Human Connectome Project Early Psychosis (HCPEP) study (controls n = 53, non-affective psychosis n = 82) and the Cobre study (controls n = 71, cases n = 59). In this work we extend Leading Eigenvector Dynamic Analysis (LEiDA) to capture specific features of dynamic functional connectivity and then implement a novel approach to estimate metastability. We used non-parametric testing to evaluate group-level differences and a naïve Bayes classifier to discriminate cases from controls. Our results show that our new approach is capable of discriminating cases from controls with elevated effect sizes relative to published literature, reflected in an up to 76% area under the curve (AUC) in out-of-sample classification analyses. Additionally, our new metric showed explanatory power of between 81–92% for measures of integration and segregation. Furthermore, our analyses demonstrated that patients with early psychosis exhibit intermittent disconnectivity of subcortical regions with frontal cortex and cerebellar regions, introducing new insights about the mechanistic bases of these conditions. Overall, these findings demonstrate reliability and face validity of metastability as a candidate neuromechanistic biomarker of schizophrenia pathology.
Research on emergency material demand based on urgency and satisfaction under public health emergencies
Authors: Ma Zhichao , Zhang Jie , Gao Shaochan
Published: March 2023

In recent years, the frequent occurrence of public health emergencies has had a significant impact on people’s life. The study of emergency logistics has also attracted scholars’ attention. Therefore, matching emergency materials’ supply and demand quickly, which meets urgency and satisfaction, is the purpose of this paper. This paper used the Metabolism Grey Model (1,1) (GM (1,1)) and the material demand prediction model to predict the number of infections and material demand. Besides, we established a bi-objective optimization model by constructing a profit and loss matrix and a comprehensive utility perception matrix. The results show that the method is helpful in matching the optimal supply and demand decision quickly on the basis of meeting urgency and satisfaction. The method is helpful in improving the fairness of emergency material distribution, which could better protect people’s livelihoods.
Infection with SARS-CoV-2 variant Gamma (P.1) in Chile increased ICU admission risk three to five-fold
Authors: Sauré Denis , Neira Ignasi , Goic Marcel , O’Ryan Miguel , Torres Juan P. , Bruhn Alejandro , Ferres Marcela , Angulo Jenniffer , Vera Magdalena , Basso Leonardo J.
Published: March 2023

The 2021 wave of SARS-CoV-2 infection in Chile was characterized by an explosive increase in ICU admissions, which disproportionately affected individuals younger than 60 years. This second wave was also accompanied by an explosive increase in Gamma (P.1) variant detections and the massive vaccine rollout. We unveil the role the Gamma variant played in stressing the use of critical care, by developing and calibrating a queueing model that uses data on new onset cases and actual ICU occupancy, symptom’s onset to ICU admission interval, ICU length-of-stay, genomic surveillance, and vaccine effectiveness. Our model shows that infection with the Gamma (P.1) variant led to a 3.5–4.7-fold increase in ICU admission for people younger than 60 years. This situation occurred on top of the already reported higher infection rate of the Gamma variant. Importantly, our results also strongly suggest that the vaccines used in Chile (inactivated mostly, but also an mRNA), were able to curb Gamma variant ICU admission over infections.
Validation study on definition of cause of death in Japanese claims data
Authors: Ito Fumiya , Togashi Shintaro , Sato Yuri , Masukawa Kento , Sato Kazuki , Nakayama Masaharu , Fujimori Kenji , Miyashita Mitsunori
Published: March 2023

Identifying the cause of death is important for the study of end-of-life patients using claims data in Japan. However, the validity of how cause of death is identified using claims data remains unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to verify the validity of the method used to identify the cause of death based on Japanese claims data. Our study population included patients who died at two institutions between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2019. Claims data consisted of medical data and Diagnosis Procedure Combination (DPC) data, and five definitions developed from disease classification in each dataset were compared with death certificates. Nine causes of death, including cancer, were included in the study. The definition with the highest positive predictive values (PPVs) and sensitivities in this study was the combination of “main disease” in both medical and DPC data. For cancer, these definitions had PPVs and sensitivities of > 90%. For heart disease, these definitions had PPVs of > 50% and sensitivities of > 70%. For cerebrovascular disease, these definitions had PPVs of > 80% and sensitivities of> 70%. For other causes of death, PPVs and sensitivities were < 50% for most definitions. Based on these results, we recommend definitions with a combination of “main disease” in both medical and DPC data for cancer and cerebrovascular disease. However, a clear argument cannot be made for other causes of death because of the small sample size. Therefore, the results of this study can be used with confidence for cancer and cerebrovascular disease but should be used with caution for other causes of death.
Sleeping with time in mind? A literature review and a proposal for a screening questionnaire on self-awakening
Authors: Verga Laura , D’Este Giada , Cassani Sara , Leitner Caterina , Kotz Sonja A. , Ferini-Strambi Luigi , Galbiati Andrea
Published: March 2023

Some people report being able to spontaneously “time” the end of their sleep. This ability to self-awaken challenges the idea of sleep as a passive cognitive state. Yet, current evidence on this phenomenon is limited, partly because of the varied definitions of self-awakening and experimental approaches used to study it. Here, we provide a review of the literature on self-awakening. Our aim is to i) contextualise the phenomenon, ii) propose an operating definition, and iii) summarise the scientific approaches used so far. The literature review identified 17 studies on self-awakening. Most of them adopted an objective sleep evaluation (76%), targeted nocturnal sleep (76%), and used a single criterion to define the success of awakening (82%); for most studies, this corresponded to awakening occurring in a time window of 30 minutes around the expected awakening time. Out of 715 total participants, 125 (17%) reported to be self-awakeners, with an average age of 23.24 years and a slight predominance of males compared to females. These results reveal self-awakening as a relatively rare phenomenon. To facilitate the study of self-awakening, and based on the results of the literature review, we propose a quick paper-and-pencil screening questionnaire for self-awakeners and provide an initial validation for it. Taken together, the combined results of the literature review and the proposed questionnaire help in characterising a theoretical framework for self-awakenings, while providing a useful tool and empirical suggestions for future experimental studies, which should ideally employ objective measurements.
A cross-sectional study on burnout and its individual and environmental correlates among hepatological surgery nurses in Hunan Province, China
Authors: Zhang Honghui , Xiao Yuting , Dai Ting , Li Qian , Huang Ling , Huang Xiu , Liu Dan , Yu Yu , Guo Jia
Published: March 2023

Background

Burnout is a widespread occupational phenomenon among nurses with significant adverse outcomes for nurses, patients, and society. It is thus important and urgent to understand burnout and its risk factors to guide interventions. This study aimed to examine the level of burnout and explore its individual and environmental correlates.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted in Hunan, China. A total of 623 hepatological surgery nurses completed an online survey (response rate: 72.78%). Burnout was measured using the standard Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). Information on individual factors and environmental factors was collected by self-designed questionnaires.

Results

The scores of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal achievement in nurse burnout were 30 (26–34), 11 (8–14), and 23 (20–26) respectively. The prevalence of high burnout ranged from 52.81% for emotional exhaustion to 90.37% for decreased personal achievement. The three dimensions of burnout shared common correlates such as self-rated physical health and working environment, while also having additional unique correlates such as overwork, satisfaction with income, and age.

Conclusion

Hepatological surgery nurses in Hunan Province are suffering from high levels of burnout, which requires public attention and urgent interventions. Improvement of the physical health and working environment of nurses may be the most beneficial intervention measures to tackle various dimensions of burnout, while other targeted measures are also needed for each specific dimension.
Exploring the growth trait molecular markers in two sheep breeds based on Genome-wide association analysis
Authors: Tuersuntuoheti Mirenisa , Zhang Jihu , Zhou Wen , Zhang Cheng-long , Liu Chunjie , Chang Qianqian , Liu Shudong
Published: March 2023

Growth traits are quantitative traits controlled by multiple micro-effect genes. we identified molecular markers related to sheep growth traits, which formed the basis of molecular breeding. In this study, we randomly selected 100 Qira Black sheep and 84 German Merino sheep for the blood collection the jugular vein to genotype by using the Illumina Ovine SNP 50K Bead Chip. quality control criteria for statistical analysis were: rejection detection rate < 90% and minimum allele frequency (MAF) < 5%. Then, we performed Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on sheep body weight, body height, body length, and chest circumference using mixed linear models. After getting 55 SNPs with significant correlation, they were annotated by reference genome of Ovis aries genome (Oar_v4.0) and We obtained a total of 84 candidate genes associated with production traits (BMPR1B, HSD17B3, TMEM63C, etc.). We selected BMPR1B for population validation and found a correlation between the FecB locus and body weight traits. Therefore, this study not only supplements the existing knowledge of molecular markers of sheep growth traits, but also has important theoretical significance and reference value for the mining of functional genes of sheep growth traits.
Arsenic and heavy metal contents in white rice samples from rainfed paddy fields in Yangon division, Myanmar—Natural background levels?
Authors: Myat Soe Aye Myint , Mu Aye Aye , Toyoda Kazuhiro
Published: March 2023

The presence of potentially toxic metal(loid)s (As, Pb, Cd, Cr, Mn, Fe, Zn, Cu, Ni, Mo and Co) in 120 white (polished) rice grains (Oryza sativa; 2017 or earlier crop) purchased from farmers in the five most agriculturally active townships near Yangon in the eastern edge on Ayeyarwady Delta was determined by triple quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-QQQ). Their total-As and Ni concentrations (0.16 mg/kg, 0.39 mg/kg) were around the worldwide average literature values from a heavy metal non-contaminated area of intermediate to acidic (non-mafic) composition. Their Pb, Cd, and Cr mean concentrations (0.010, 0.0056, and 0.056 mg/kg, respectively) were lower than the maximum allowable levels by over one magnitude, reaching the concentration ranges comparable to the lowest level in the literature values. This study’s natural background levels were explained by a negligible influence of human, mining and industrial activities in this area, and probably genotype effect, which remains to be examined by the associated paddy soil analysis. Health risks associated with rice consumption (ca. 0.5 kg/day) by the inhabitants were estimated, assuming that inorganic arsenic was 30% of the total. Arsenic was the main contributor (30%) to the total value of the non-cancer risk (HI) of each element, which was 4.5 times the reference value (< 1), followed by Mn, Zn, Cu, Mo, Co and Ni (15–7%) and Pb, Cd, Cr and Fe (below 4%). The total cancer risk (TCR) for each element was around 17 times higher than the upper limit of cancer risk for an environmental carcinogen (< 0.0001): Nickel accounts for two-thirds of the contribution (66%), followed by Cd (16%) and As (13%). This study suggests that consumers of Yangon rice from paddy fields without groundwater irrigation may need to be concerned about the potential risk of Ni intake besides arsenic.
Potential molecular and cellular mechanisms for adverse placental outcomes in pregnancies complicated by SARS-CoV-2 infection—A scoping review
Authors: Wai Janelle Y. , Wood Eilidh M. , Hornaday Kylie K. , Slater Donna M.
Published: March 2023

Background

Emerging evidence suggests that SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy can result in placental damage and poor placental outcomes. However, the mechanisms by which SARS-CoV-2 infection leads to placental damage are not well understood. With a rapid expansion of literature on this topic, it is critical to assess the quality and synthesize the current state of literature. The objective of this scoping review is to highlight underlying mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 mediated placental pathology in pregnant individuals and identify literature gaps regarding molecular and cellular mechanisms of poor placental outcomes.

Methods

The review was conducted and reported following the recommendations of the PRISMA extension for Scoping Reviews. The study protocol was registered with Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/p563s/). Five databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, CINAHL, PubMed) were searched for studies published between September 2019 until April 2022. Studies assessing placental outcomes with respect to SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy were eligible for inclusion. Outcomes of interest included histopathology, and molecular or cellular analysis. All records were uploaded into Covidence and extracted using the Joanna Briggs Institute method. Studies were assessed for risk of bias using the Newcastle Ottawa scale and a narrative synthesis of results was generated.

Results

Twenty-seven studies reporting on molecular and/or cellular mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 mediated placental outcomes were included in this review. SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated with perturbations in the ACE2 pathway, inflammatory mediators and immune cell populations and mitochondrial function in placentas.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that changes in the ACE2 pathway, mitochondrial dysfunction, and/or inflammatory processes may lead to placental damage observed in SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy. More research is needed to understand the role of these pathways further, in addition to data collection related to trimester, severity, and strain.
Comparison of alcohol consumption and tobacco use among Korean adolescents before and during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Jeong Wonseok
Published: March 2023

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought significant changes worldwide, and due to the strict “Social Distancing Plan” including school closures, Korean adolescents have experienced unprecedented changes in their lives. Considering the peer effect on adolescents’ health behavior impacted due to the changes brought about by the pandemic, it would be interesting to explore differences in substance use in Korean adolescents. This study examines how these risk behaviors among Korean adolescents have changed before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey of 87,532 adolescents was used to collect the data for the period 2019, 2020, and 2021. The KYRBWS is conducted by a national institution which uses a stratified two-stage cluster sampling, and the data is statistically reliable and representative of the population. The Cochran-Armitage and Chi-squared test for linear and non-linear time trends, respectively, were calculated to assess the difference across the period (2019, 2020, 2021). Also, the odds ratios (ORs) with 95% CIs for current smoking status and current alcohol use status among 2020 and 2021 participants were compared with those of the 2019 participants using multiple logistic regression analysis.

Results

The degree of current smoking status was lower in 2020 and 2021 participants than in the 2019 participants (2020: OR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.61–0.71; 2021: OR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.61–0.71). On the same token, current alcohol use status was also lower in the participants during the pandemic than those before the pandemic (2020: OR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.66–0.73; 2021: OR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.66–0.73).

Conclusion

This study found that alcohol and tobacco use were reduced among Korean adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the decrease, future research on the potential effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescents is warranted.
Edmonton Frail Scale predicts mortality in older patients with cancer undergoing radiotherapy—A prospective observational study
Authors: Røyset Inga Marie , Eriksen Guro Falk , Benth Jūratė Šaltytė , Saltvedt Ingvild , Grønberg Bjørn Henning , Rostoft Siri , Kirkevold Øyvind , Rolfson Darryl , Slaaen Marit
Published: March 2023

Background

Several screening tools are developed to identify frailty in the increasing number of older patients with cancer. Edmonton Frail Scale (EFS) performs well in geriatric settings but is less studied in oncology. We aimed to investigate if EFS score (continuous and categorical) predicts survival in patients referred for radiotherapy, and to assess the concurrent validity of EFS compared with a modified geriatric assessment (mGA).

Methods

Prospective observational, single-center study including patients ≥65 years, referred for curative or palliative radiotherapy for confirmed cancer. Patients underwent mGA (assessment of cognition, mobility, falls, comorbidity, polypharmacy, depression, nutrition, and activities of daily living) and screening with EFS prior to radiotherapy. The predictive value of EFS score of two-year overall survival (OS) was assessed by Kaplan-Meier plots and compared by log-rank test. Cox proportional hazards regression model was estimated to adjust the associations for major cancer-related factors. Concurrent validity of EFS in relation to mGA was estimated by Spearman`s correlation coefficient and ordinal regression. Sensitivity and specificity for different cut-offs was assessed.

Results

Patients’ (n = 301) mean age was 73.6 (SD 6.3) years, 159 (52.8%) were men, 54% received curative-intent treatment, breast cancer (32%) was the most prevalent diagnosis. According to EFS≥6, 101 (33.7%) were classified as frail. EFS score was predictive of OS [hazard ratio (HR) 1.20 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.10–1.30)], as was increasing severity assessed by categorical EFS (p<0.001). There was a strong correlation between EFS score and number of geriatric impairments (Spearman`s correlation coefficient 0.77). EFS cut-off ≥6 had a sensitivity of 0.97 and specificity of 0.57 for identifying patients with minimum two geriatric impairments.

Conclusion

EFS predicts mortality in older patients with cancer receiving radiotherapy, and it is a quick (<5 minutes) and sensitive screening tool to identify patients who may benefit from a geriatric assessment.
Knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of nutrition among school teachers in Bangladesh: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Habib Mohammad Asadul , Alam Mohammad Rahanur , Rahman Tanjina , Chowdhury Akibul Islam , Shill Lincon Chandra
Published: March 2023

Background

Teachers play a pivotal role in imparting nutritional knowledge to their students. This research aimed to evaluate the nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of selected Bangladeshi school teachers across the country.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was performed using a multistage sampling method. A pretested and structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Statistical analyses, including descriptive statistics, multiple regression analysis, and ANOVA tests, were performed to carry out the study.

Results

Among the 280 participants, only 9.9% were happy with their understanding of childhood nutrition requirements, around 54.2% were familiar with basic nutrition-related knowledge, and overall, 97.7% of participants had a positive attitude towards learning about nutrition-related knowledge focusing on the well-being of children. Moreover, only 38.7% had training in pediatric nutrition. Age, type of school, type of residence, professional training of school teachers, and the intent of having ever taken part or paying attention to nutrition-related knowledge significantly impacted the respondents’ nutrition knowledge score (p<0.05).

Conclusion

Adequate planning and intervention measures should be developed to improve teachers’ understanding, behavior, and practice that encourage the growth of optimal nutrition-related behavior among school-aged children to establish a healthy nation.
Shifting elder-care practices in Chinese middle-class families
Authors: Wang Lu , Gilroy Rose , Law Andrew
Published: March 2023

This paper explores how ideas and practices of elder-care may be changing for the new Chinese middle class. This paper draws on in-depth interviews with the members of different generations of ten middle class families in the Chinese city of Tianjin. It explores how increased resources but also increased pressure are affecting the care of older people and the expectations around elder-care. Thematic analysis of transcripts entered into NVIVO revealed three findings. Firstly, that the generation born in the 1950s and 1960s are often negotiating their care responsibilities between their parents and their grandchildren. Secondly, the only viable elder-care solution for many families is to buy in support from an unregulated market-based home care sector. Thirdly driven by an increasingly postmodern culture, filial piety may be changing from a normative expectation to a set of new practices based on familial reciprocity. The paper concludes by reflecting on the issues that will arise from the proposed raising of the retirement age in China, and the increasing geographic dispersal of generations. Flexible working policies as well as investment in a regulated home care sector are recommended as solutions to be explored.
After an initial balance favoring collagen formation and mineralization, bone turnover markers return to pre-treatment levels during long-term TNF-α inhibition in patients with ankylosing spondylitis
Authors: Siderius Mark , Spoorenberg Anneke , Kroese Frans G. M. , van der Veer Eveline , Arends Suzanne
Published: March 2023

Background

Bone turnover balance favors bone formation, especially mineralization, during the first 3 years of treatment with TNF-α inhibitors (TNFi). Our aim was to evaluate the course of serum bone turnover markers (BTM) and to investigate if facilitation of mineralization reflected by BTM BALP continues to increase during 6 years of TNFi treatment in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in daily clinical practice.

Methods

Included were outpatients from the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) participating in the Groningen Leeuwarden Axial SpA (GLAS) cohort who were treated with TNFi for at least 6 years. Serum markers of collagen resorption, bone regulation, collagen formation and facilitator of bone mineralization (sCTX, OC, PINP and BALP, respectively) were measured at baseline, 3 and 6 months, 1, 2, 4 and 6 years. Z-scores were calculated to correct for age and gender.

Results

53 AS patients were eligible for analyses (66% male, mean age 39±11 years). Disease activity showed rapid and sustained improvement after start of TNFi. Evaluating BTM, sCTX did not significantly change during 6 years of treatment. OC was only significantly increased at 3 months compared to baseline, with median change in Z-score of +0.5. PINP significantly increased at 3 and 6 months and 2 years of treatment, with maximum median change in Z-score of +0.3. Interestingly, BALP was significantly increased at all time points up to and including 2 years of TNFi treatment, with maximum change in median Z-score of +1.2, and decreased thereafter.

Conclusion

In AS patients receiving long-term TNFi, bone turnover balance favored collagen formation and facilitation of mineralization during the first 2 years of treatment. Thereafter, at 4 and 6 years of follow-up, BTM Z-scores returned to pre-treatment levels.
Integrative identification of hub genes in development of atrial fibrillation related stroke
Authors: Huang Kai , Fan Xi , Jiang Yuwen , Jin Sheng , Huang Jiechun , Pang Liewen , Wang Yiqing , Wu Yuming , Sun Xiaotian
Published: March 2023

Background

As the most common arrhythmia, atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with a significantly increased risk of stroke, which causes high disability and mortality. To date, the underlying mechanism of stroke occurring after AF remains unclear. Herein, we studied hub genes and regulatory pathways involved in AF and secondary stroke and aimed to reveal biomarkers and therapeutic targets of AF-related stroke.

Methods

The GSE79768 and GSE58294 datasets were used to analyze AF- and stroke-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) to obtain a DEG1 dataset. Weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) was used to identify modules associated with AF-related stroke in GSE66724 (DEG2). DEG1 and DEG2 were merged, and hub genes were identified based on protein–protein interaction networks. Gene Ontology terms were used to analyze the enriched pathways. The GSE129409 and GSE70887 were applied to construct a circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network in AF-related stroke. Hub genes were verified in patients using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR).

Results

We identified 3,132 DEGs in blood samples and 253 DEGs in left atrial specimens. Co-expressed hub genes of EIF4E3, ZNF595, ZNF700, MATR3, ACKR4, ANXA3, SEPSECS-AS1, and RNF166 were significantly associated with AF-related stroke. The hsa_circ_0018657/hsa-miR-198/EIF4E3 pathway was explored as the regulating axis in AF-related stroke. The qRT-PCR results were consistent with the bioinformatic analysis.

Conclusions

Hub genes EIF4E3, ZNF595, ZNF700, MATR3, ACKR4, ANXA3, SEPSECS-AS1, and RNF166 have potential as novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets in AF-related stroke. The hsa_circ_0018657/hsa-miR-198/EIF4E3 axis could play an important role regulating the development of AF-related stroke.
In the Infinite Pool: The Cinematic Spectatorship of Sleep Has Her House (2017)
Authors: Dzhitenov Sloane
Published: March 2023

Scott Barley’s Sleep Has Her House is a recent landmark of experimental cinema, combining recent trends in the landscape and slow cinema movements to produce a painstakingly crafted meditation on nature and the viewer’s gaze upon it. Characterized by its manipulation of light and temporality, the film draws upon the various modes of viewing established by preceding experimental movements, as exemplified by the work of Warhol, Deleuze, and Brakhage, amongst others, to test the relationship between viewer and viewed. The film’s further environmental concerns, as filtered through its landscape focus, are explored through the recent writings of Plumwood, Kimmerer, and Heidegger and their concerns with animacy and human–nature relations. The result is a film that tests the relationship between man and environment through its manipulation of viewing and seeing, prompting a more animate and holistic view of the natural world.
Flâneuserie Reimagined: Ida and Purposeful Wandering
Authors: Foster Monica
Published: March 2023

The nineteenth-century poet and philosopher Charles Baudelaire has become synonymous with the concept of the flâneur. The flâneur was typically a male who had the leisurely time to “stroll” and observe metropolitan life in all its delights and displeasures. This article examines Paweł Pawlikowski’s 2013 film, Ida and reconceptualizes the concept of the flâneur and appropriates it to a female protagonist, a flâneuse, along with a new setting and time period: the countryside and 1960s Communist Poland. Engaging in flâneuserie in the city allows Ida to experience new things, but it is in the countryside where Ida will come to terms with an instructive truth.
Men to Villains: Competitive Masculinity in The Lighthouse
Authors: Coleman Madison
Published: March 2023

This paper investigates the competitive nature of masculinity as presented in Robert Egger’s film The Lighthouse. Applying gender theory, I examine three crucial scenes in the film that demonstrate the two protagonists’ pursuit of ascendance, which manifests as their lust to possess the lamp of the lighthouse. Borrowing from the works of sociologists, anthropologists, and historians, I was able to understand the naturally recurring crises of masculinity that circulate around a hegemonic model of the masculine ideal, ultimately leading to competition between men to achieve said hegemony. The Lighthouse proves this enduring phenomenon through Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe’s volatile relationship and their brutal demise. While the film might not propose a direct solution, I argue it serves as a bleak reminder of how misogyny and toxic masculinity harm men and their relationships with one another.
Feminism and the Horrors of Toxic Masculinity in Pedro Almodóvar’s The Skin I Live In (2011)
Authors: Nagy Mason
Published: March 2023

This article analyzes the Spanish horror film The Skin I Live In (TSILI) from a feminist perspective. Different feminist theories such as the male gaze, toxic masculinity, and the Final Girl are used to explore how TSILI criticizes heteronormative masculinity. By comparing Almodóvar’s film to other horror classics such as Psycho and Halloween, I discuss how TSILI offers a unique and modernist depiction of gender within horror.
Reclaiming the Abject: Witchcraft and the Sacrificial Femininity in Suspiria
Authors: Burnsed Dorian
Published: March 2023

Witchcraft has long been associated with expressions of femininity and womanhood. Suspiria, both 1977 and 2018 versions, provide vivid pictures of female bodies as sacrificial bodies bound and restrained by notions of monstrous femininity. The focus on the occult creates spaces wherein female characters find strength and healing through both displays of independence and interconnectedness to other women. These films, read through second- and third-wave feminisms, reveal the struggle to assert female empowerment in a male-dominated world.
The Politics of Public Broadcasting in Britain and Japan: The BBC and NHK Compared, Henry Laurence (2023)
Authors: Scarlata Alexa
Published: March 2023

Review of: The Politics of Public Broadcasting in Britain and Japan: The BBC and NHK Compared, Henry Laurence (2023)

London and New York: Routledge, 236 pp.,

ISBN 978-1-03231-038-1, h/bk, USD 170.00
¿Es posible salir del autismo? Los chicos son mejores que las flores (2009) y La parsimonia autista de Yoon Ji Hoo
Authors: Cañari Betsy , Moya-Salazar Jeel , Contreras-Pulache Hans
Published: March 2023

En Corea del Sur se han gestado dos hitos con la publicación de Hana Yori Dango durante los 90’s y la emisión de la serie Boys over flowers (2009) a inicios de la primera década del siglo XXI. En Boys over flowers se presenta a Yoo Ji Hoo como miembro de los F4, un grupo de elite coreano, quien sufre de un accidente en su primera infancia donde fallecen sus padres y adquiere autismo luego del trauma. En su orfandad logra “salir” del autismo con la ayuda de Min Seo Hyun, una amiga cercana y de quien se enamora, permitiendo su reincorporación social como un sujeto neurotípico. En vista del progresivo incremento de los casos de niños autistas en todo el mundo, y de las ventajas que promete la medicina moderna sobre su tratamiento y ocasional “curación”, aquí buscamos responder a las siguientes preguntas: i) ¿es posible desarrollar autismo luego de un evento traumático?, y ii) ¿Es posible “salir” del autismo? Realizamos este análisis tomando como eje las cuestiones de vida de Yoo Ji Hoo en Boys over flowers.
Memorias de mujer: Construcción e identidad del género mujer a través del cine español
Authors: Martínez-Vérez María Victoria , Albar-Mansoa Pedro Javier , López-Méndez Lorena
Published: March 2023

El cine encarna la vida real en todo aquello que imaginamos, por ello, desde el Máster en Educación Artística en Instituciones Sociales y Culturales de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid, se propone desarrollar un proyecto intergeneracional, Memorias de Mujer, que utiliza el cine español como herramienta mediadora, para analizar los procesos de construcción e identidad de género y expresar en un documento audiovisual la experiencia reflexiva, el cual es evaluado en el presente trabajo. Así, se opta por un diseño de investigación mixto y experimental1, establecido desde el paradigma de la investigación-acción, en torno a unos principios metodológicos, que organizan las acciones en torno a las variables que describen el hecho a investigar. Los resultados del estudio, analizados mediante la técnica cualitativa del panel, permiten afirmar que la propuesta cinematográfica ha funcionado. El cine fórum ha permitido abordar la evolución del rol de la mujer, así como compartir intersubjetividades e imaginarios con mujeres de otras generaciones.
Effect of short-term nutritional supplementation of green microalgae on some reproductive indicators of Anglo-Nubian crossbred goats
Authors: Silva Maria Raquel Lopes , Alves Juliana Paula Martins , Fernandes César Carneiro Linhares , Cavalcanti Camila Muniz , Conde Alfredo José Herrera , Bezerra Alessandra Façanha , Soares Anne Caroline Santos , Teixeira Dárcio Ítalo Alves , do Rego Anibal Coutinho , Rondina Davide
Published: March 2023

Background and Aim: Despite the wide spectrum of uses, one of the chief drawbacks to expanding microalgae as a food supplement in livestock is the lack of a regimen protocol with established dosage and time length of supplementation. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of short-term supplementation with increasing doses of microalgae on ovarian response in goats reared in northeast Brazil. Materials and Methods: Twenty-eight goats had their follicular waves synchronized using three injections of a prostaglandin analog at 7-day intervals. Goats were allocated to groups that received daily oral Chlorella supplementation for 7 days, respectively: 5 g, GMA5 group (n = 7), 10 g (GMA10; n = 7), and 20 g (GMA20; n = 7). The control group (GMA 0; n = 7) received a drench of water. Results: The groups showed a quadratic increase (p = 0.0156) in kidney fat thickness but there was a significant reduction in dry matter intake in the GMA20 group. The GMA20 group showed higher glucose levels and glutathione peroxidase (p < 0.05). There was a decrease in plasma cholesterol (p < 0.05) in the 10 and 20 g treatments. The number of total follicles increased quadratically. Follicles <3 mm increased linearly (p = 0.0113) for microalgal supply. The GMA10 and GMA20 groups had the highest values (p < 0.05) among the treatments. After inducing ovulation, there was a significant increase in follicles >3 mm in the GMA10 group, which also showed a greater (p < 0.05) area of intraovarian blood perfusion and pulsatility index of the ovarian artery. Conclusion: We conclude that for 7 days of supplementation, the administration of 10 g of microalgae appears to be the most efficient dosage for stimulating the ovarian response in tropical goats. Keywords: Doppler, follicles, goat, microalga, ovarian blood flow, ovarian response.
Prevalence and multidrug-resistant profile of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius in dogs, cats, and pet owners in Malaysia
Authors: Afshar Mohammad Farzad , Zakaria Zunita , Cheng Chen Hui , Ahmad Nur Indah
Published: March 2023

Background and Aim: Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus pseudintermedius are widespread skin and mucous membrane colonizers and may cause opportunistic infections in humans and animals. This study aimed to identify and characterize methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-resistant S. pseudintermedius (MRSP) isolates from domestic and stray dogs and cats and pet owners in Malaysia using molecular epidemiology and antimicrobial profiling. Materials and Methods: Three hundred and fifty oral and nasal swabs were taken from pet and stray dogs and cats and pet owners; all samples were subjected to culture and biochemical tests and polymerase chain reaction; the selected isolates were put through disk diffusion test and multilocus sequence typing. Results: One S. aureus isolate and three S. pseudintermedius isolates were identified as MRSA and MRSP, respectively, of which the MRSA isolate and one of the MRSP isolates showed multidrug resistance and the remaining two MRSP isolates were resistant to one or two antimicrobials. Multilocus sequence typing showed that the MRSA isolate belongs to clonal complex (CC) 789, while for the MRSP isolates, two were in CC45 and one was a singleton. Conclusion: This study is the first study in Malaysia to perform molecular characterization of MRSP isolated from pet dogs and cats and pet owners. The outcomes of this study reveal that even healthy pet dogs and cats and their owners can be carriers of drug-resistant staphylococci, highlighting the role of pets and pet owners as carriers of MRSA and MRSP in Malaysia. Keywords: antimicrobial resistance, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, methicillin resistance, multilocus sequence typing, public health, zoonotic infections.
Werner von Bülow német repülő tüzér hadnagy halála
Authors: Orbán Imre
Published: March 2023

German flying lieutenant Werner von Bülow was killed by a Romanian soldier at 7 a.m. on May 8, 1920. He received a gunshot wound during the crossing from the left bank of the Maros to the Hungarian side, which came under Romanian control, which caused him such severe internal bleeding that he died of the injury on the Maros bank, on the Hungarian side. He was only 23 years old when he died. Bülow was released from French captivity and wanted to return to Germany with his companion, German flight lieutenant Franz Clemens Schiffer. Schiffer luckily survived the incident. The case gained wider publicity after the mistaken belief that Werner von Bülow was the son of General Karl von Bülow and the grandson of Chancellor Bülow arose. With the deep condolences of the population, Werner von Bülow was buried in the Lutheran cemetery in Makó at the expense of the town. A memorial column was erected on his grave from a public donation. The monument is still there today in a heavily cracked state. Werner von Bülow received the II. and the German military award of the First Class Iron Cross. Werner von Bülow is also included in the Hungarian National Archives database of World War I casualties. The article describes the circumstances of the murder, burial and memorial.
A keszthelyi ferences kolostor alapításának körülményei
Authors: Galambosi Péter
Published: March 2023

The study examines the relations of Keszthely, the Lackfi-family and the local Franciscan church trough the revision of the written sources. It emphasizes, that the monks had appeared in Keszthely at least one decade before the baron family got hold of the village, which means, that the Lackfis weren’t the founders of the cloister, as it’s considered by the local tradition. Analysing the 1368 papal mandate, that arranged the conflict of the local vicar and the Franciscans, it draws attention to the fact, that the monks didn’t have supporters or an own church at those time. Based on these circumstances it queries the consciousness of the foundation and proposes the spontaneous appearance of the Franciscans. It also emphasizes, that the baron family began to support the monks only in the late 14th century, moreover, Stephan II. Lackfi appointed his future burial place deliberately in the Franciscans’ Holy Mary-temple in Keszthely.
Yerevan’s Cascade Memorial to Victims of Repression: Returning from Hilltop Marginalization
Authors: Gutbrod Hans
Published: March 2023

There is an extraordinary monument to the victims of Soviet-era repressions in a landmark location above Yerevan that hardly anyone in Armenia knows about. On June 14, a handful of activists gathered at this Cascade Memorial to pay their respects in a moving event. Fitting as that event was, it also had limited reach. Less than thirty people attended, illustrating how marginalized the history of Soviet repression remains in public engagement.An Ethics of Political Commemoration can help to reconceptualize this approach to commemoration. With the focus on the Cascade Memorial and the memorial day of June 14, Armenians, led and supported by memorial activist, could make this outstanding location come more alive, also by linking visits to the experience of being part of a larger chain of evoking the names of victims. Researchers, too, could contribute more insight and document their findings through Wikipedia. This effort could highlight the challenges of the authoritarian legacy in Armenia, and perhaps also contribute to a more civil tone as the country moves towards more democracy amidst geopolitical uncertainty.
Comments on the use of Key Performance Indicators in evaluating the Organization of Fracture Liaison Services
Authors: Belova K. Y. , Lesnyak O. M. , Evstigneeva L. P. , Gladkova E. N. , Dudinskaya E. N. , Gordzheladze Kh. G.
Published: March 2023

In recent years Fracture Liaison Services (FLS) have been established worldwide to reduce the number of fractures due to osteoporosis. Within the framework of the global campaign «Capture the fracture» by International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF), some questionnaires have been proposed to assess the quality of FLS’ organization. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are used to analyze the effectiveness of the FLS working at the patient level. Thanks to their use, it is possible to identify areas that need improvement, evaluate the effectiveness of the changes being made, and compare the quality of work in various FLS at the regional or country level. This article discusses approaches to the use and calculation of each KPI in practical healthcare in the Russian Federation, taking into account epidemiological data, national clinical guidelines, and the specifics of the organization of the healthcare system in our country.