bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Application of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network-distress thermometer in pediatric patients during autologous and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and relationship to blood parameters of the stress axis
Authors: Malaval Carmen Isolde , Cabanillas Stanchi Karin Melanie , Werle Dustin , Thiel Stefanie , Gansel Melanie , Lang Peter , Handgretinger Rupert , Svaldi Jennifer , Döring Michaela
Published: September 2023

Purpose

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantations (HSCT) are extremely stressful procedures for pediatric patients. The activation of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenocortical axis (HPA) can influence the immune system negatively and therefore the overall outcome. The distress thermometer (DT) is an easy to use tool for the self-assessment of perceived distress.

Methods

In this prospective study, a DT with an attached problem list was used in 40 pediatric patients undergoing HSCT and in one parent of each patient. The patients were aged 10–18 years. The patients' cortisol, thyroid stimulating hormone, free triiodothyronine and thyroxine levels were measured regularly during the in-patient stay.

Results

After admission to the hospital, the stress levels of the pediatric patients and their parents increased and reached their maximum on the day of HSCT. The overall stress values of the parents were higher than those of their children. There was a significant difference in the parents’ stress levels on the day of HSCT, as compared to their stress levels on other days. The mean cortisol values of the pediatric patients also increased after admission, reaching significant elevated levels above the upper normal limit 1 week after HSCT and on discharge day. Although the pediatric patients experienced mainly exhaustion, especially on the day of transplantation, their parents mainly felt worry and anxiety. Interestingly, the rate of worry among children increased in the post-transplant period and reached its maximum on the day of discharge.

Conclusions

In summary, a significantly increased stress level is shown for both the patients and their parents. This is reflected for the patients both in the DT scores and in the increased cortisol values. For the parents, the focus is primarily on worry and anxiety, for the patients primarily on exhaustion and worry.
Encephalitis in a patient with hypopharynx cancer treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors and radiotherapy: a case report and review of the literature
Authors: Kang Yan , Zhen Hongchao , Ma Nina , Zhao Hong , Cao Bangwei
Published: September 2023

Hypopharyngeal cancer (HPC) has one of the most unfavorable prognoses among head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. Immunotherapy in combination with chemotherapy, the same as conventional induction chemotherapy, has emerged as a vital part of the induction therapy protocol for HPC. Meanwhile, the incidence of immune-related adverse events is increasing. In this light, we present the first reported case of immune-associated encephalitis in a patient with hypopharyngeal cancer treated with Camrelizumab (a PD-1 inhibitor). After receiving immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy as induction therapy, along with concurrent chemoradiotherapy, the patient presented with symptoms of fatigue, tremors, drowsiness, and an abnormal signal in the right temporal lobe as shown on a brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Despite the minor elevation in protein and IgG index observed in the lumbar puncture, there is no evidence of abnormal autoantibodies or evidence of pathogenic infection. Following a thorough multidisciplinary consultation, the patient is suspected to be afflicted with immune-related autoimmune encephalitis. Intravenous methylprednisolone was prescribed as an empirical treatment at an initial dosage of 120 mg/day for 3 days, followed by steroid tapering. Finally, the patient experienced complete neurologic and radiographic (brain MRI) recovery. This case serves as a critical reminder that encephalitis is a potential diagnosis that should never be overlooked in patients undergoing immunotherapy who present with abnormal signs of the brain. The timely diagnosis and initiation of immunosuppressive therapy are key components of treating ICI-associated encephalitis.
Incidence and risk factors for venous thromboembolism in the Cancer-VTE Registry pancreatic cancer subcohort
Authors: Okusaka Takuji , Saiura Akio , Shimada Kazuaki , Ikeda Masafumi , Ioka Tatsuya , Kimura Tetsuya , Hosokawa Jun , Takita Atsushi , Oba Mari S.
Published: September 2023

Background

This substudy of the Cancer-VTE Registry estimated venous thromboembolism (VTE) incidence and risk factors in pancreatic cancer patients.

Methods

The Cancer-VTE Registry was an observational study that collected VTE data from patients with solid tumors across Japan. We measured baseline VTE prevalence, and at 1-year follow-up, the cumulative incidence of symptomatic and composite VTE (symptomatic VTE and incidental VTE requiring treatment), bleeding, cerebral infarction/transient ischemic attack (TIA)/systemic embolic event (SEE), and all-cause death.

Results

Of 1006 pancreatic cancer patients, 86 (8.5%) had VTE at baseline, and seven (0.7%) had symptomatic VTE. Significant risk factors of baseline VTE were Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) of 1, body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m2, history of VTE, D-dimer > 1.2 µg/mL, and hemoglobin < 10 g/dL. At 1-year follow-up, the cumulative incidence of events was higher for pancreatic cancer vs other cancers. Pancreatic cancer patients with VTE vs those without VTE had significantly higher incidences of bleeding, cerebral infarction/TIA/SEE, and all-cause death. No significant risk factors for composite VTE were identified.

Conclusions

The cumulative incidence of composite VTE during cancer treatment was higher in pancreatic cancer than in other cancer types. Some risk factors for VTE prevalence at cancer diagnosis were identified. Although VTE prevalence at cancer diagnosis did not predict the subsequent 1-year incidence of composite VTE, it was a significant predictor of other events such as all-cause death in pancreatic cancer patients.

Trial registration

UMIN Clinical Trials Registry; UMIN000024942
My Meals Are in the Pots: Making Pots and Meals in Wollega, Southwest Ethiopia
Authors: Wayessa Bula S.
Published: September 2023

Pottery is an ancient technology in Africa that transformed how people store and prepare their foods. It is a craft technology frequently associated with women and is often practiced by people who belong to marginalized social groups with limited access to farmland. This article offers insight into traditional pottery-making and how women have innovated the craft under changing sociopolitical and economic circumstances. It also addresses the more recent government policies that have shaped potters’ access to clay. In addition, the article examines how competition with alternative materials, including plastics and enamels, has challenged women’s ability to maintain their pottery-making livelihoods and inspired potters’ creativity in circumventing the challenges imposed on them. The study provides insights into the archaeological implications of resilience and dynamism in the pottery technological tradition and considers these in relation to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

La poterie est une technologie ancienne en Afrique qui a transformé la façon dont les gens préparent et stockent leurs aliments. Il s'agit d'une technologie artisanale fréquemment associée aux femmes, et souvent pratiquée par des personnes appartenant à des groupes sociaux marginalisés, ayant accès limité aux terres agricoles. Cet article offre un aperçu de la fabrication traditionnelle de la poterie et des façons dont les femmes ont innové l'artisanat dans des circonstances socio-politiques et économiques changeantes. Il aborde également les politiques gouvernementales plus récentes qui ont façonné l'accès des potiers à l'argile. Nous proposons également d'élaborer comment l’arrivée des matériaux autres, tels les plastiques et les émaux, a mis à l’épreuve la capacité des femmes à maintenir leurs moyens de subsistance en matière de poterie, tout en inspirant la créativité des potiers pour contourner les défis qui leur sont imposés. L’étude donne un aperçu des implications archéologiques de la résilience et du dynamisme dans la tradition technologique de la poterie, et les considère par rapport aux objectifs de développement durable (ODD) des Nations Unies.
AdaDeepStream: streaming adaptation to concept evolution in deep neural networks
Authors: Chambers Lorraine , Gaber Mohamed Medhat , Ghomeshi Hossein
Published: September 2023

Typically, Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) are not responsive to changing data. Novel classes will be incorrectly labelled as a class on which the network was previously trained to recognise. Ideally, a DNN would be able to detect changing data and adapt rapidly with minimal true-labelled samples and without catastrophically forgetting previous classes. In the Online Class Incremental (OCI) field, research focuses on remembering all previously known classes. However, real-world systems are dynamic, and it is not essential to recall all classes forever. The Concept Evolution field studies the emergence of novel classes within a data stream. This paper aims to bring together these fields by analysing OCI Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) adaptation systems in a concept evolution setting by applying novel classes in patterns. Our system, termed AdaDeepStream, offers a dynamic concept evolution detection and CNN adaptation system using minimal true-labelled samples. We apply activations from within the CNN to fast streaming machine learning techniques. We compare two activation reduction techniques. We conduct a comprehensive experimental study and compare our novel adaptation method with four other state-of-the-art CNN adaptation methods. Our entire system is also compared to two other novel class detection and CNN adaptation methods. The results of the experiments are analysed based on accuracy, speed of inference and speed of adaptation. On accuracy, AdaDeepStream outperforms the next best adaptation method by 27% and the next best combined novel class detection/CNN adaptation method by 24%. On speed, AdaDeepStream is among the fastest to process instances and adapt.
Absence of post-treatment changes in sentinel lymph nodes does not translate into increased regional recurrence rate in initially node-positive breast cancer patients
Authors: Pislar Nina , Gasljevic Gorana , Ratosa Ivica , Kovac Anja , Zgajnar Janez , Perhavec Andraz
Published: September 2023

Purpose

To determine whether the absence of post-treatment changes in the negative sentinel lymph nodes (SLN) in the neoadjuvant setting for biopsy-proven cN + disease results in an increased regional recurrence (RR) rate in patients after SLN biopsy (SLNB) only.

Methods

Breast cancer patients with biopsy-proven cN + disease who converted to node-negative disease after neoadjuvant systemic treatment (NAST) and underwent SLNB only were included. Retrospective analysis was performed for patients diagnosed between 2008 and 2021. Pathohistological specimens were reviewed for the presence of post-treatment changes in the SLNs. Patients with negative SLNs (ypN0) were divided into two groups: (i) with post-treatment changes, (ii) without post-treatment changes. Patients’ characteristics were compared between groups. Crude RR rates were compared using the log-rank test. Recurrence-free (RFS) and overall survival (OS) for the entire cohort were calculated using Kaplan–Meier.

Results

Of 437 patients with cN + disease, 95 underwent SLNB only. 82 were ypN0, 57 with post-treatment changes (group 1), 25 without post-treatment changes (group 2). During the median follow-up of 37 months (range 6–148), 1 isolated regional recurrence occurred in group 2 (RR rate 0% for group 1 vs. 4% for group 2, p = 0.149). There were no differences in 3-year RFS and OS between groups.

Conclusion

Absent post-treatment changes in negative SLNs for biopsy-proven cN + disease that covert to node-negative after NAST did not result in increased regional recurrence rates in our cohort. Multidisciplinary input is essential to determine whether additional treatment is needed in these patients.
A risk-based subgroup analysis of the effect of adjuvant S-1 in estrogen receptor-positive, HER2-negative early breast cancer
Authors: Takada Masahiro , Imoto Shigeru , Ishida Takanori , Ito Yoshinori , Iwata Hiroji , Masuda Norikazu , Mukai Hirofumi , Saji Shigehira , Ikeda Takafumi , Haga Hironori , Saeki Toshiaki , Aogi Kenjiro , Sugie Tomoharu , Ueno Takayuki , Ohno Shinji , Ishiguro Hiroshi , Kanbayashi Chizuko , Miyamoto Takeshi , Hagiwara Yasuhiro , Toi Masakazu
Published: September 2023

Purpose

The Phase III POTENT trial demonstrated the efficacy of adding S-1 to adjuvant endocrine therapy for estrogen receptor-positive, HER2-negative early breast cancer. We investigated the efficacy of S-1 across different recurrence risk subgroups.

Methods

This was a post-hoc exploratory analysis of the POTENT trial. Patients in the endocrine-therapy-only arm were divided into three groups based on composite risk values calculated from multiple prognostic factors. The effects of S-1 were estimated using the Cox model in each risk group. The treatment effects of S-1 in patients meeting the eligibility criteria of the monarchE trial were also estimated.

Results

A total of 1,897 patients were divided into three groups: group 1 (≤ lower quartile of the composite values) (N = 677), group 2 (interquartile range) (N = 767), and group 3 (> upper quartile) (N = 453). The addition of S-1 to endocrine therapy resulted in 49% (HR: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.33–0.78) and 29% (HR: 0.71, 95% CI 0.49–1.02) reductions in invasive disease-free survival (iDFS) events in groups 2 and 3, respectively. We could not identify any benefit from the addition of S-1 in group 1. The addition of S-1 showed an improvement in iDFS in patients with one to three positive nodes meeting the monarchE cohort 1 criteria (N = 290) (HR: 0.47, 95% CI: 0.29–0.74).

Conclusions

The benefit of adding adjuvant S-1 was particularly marked in group 2. Further investigations are warranted to explore the optimal usage of adjuvant S-1.
Inconsistent estimates of hybridization frequency in newts revealed by SNPs and microsatellites
Authors: Miralles Aurélien , Secondi Jean , Pabijan Maciej , Babik Wiesław , Lemaire Christophe , Crochet Pierre-André
Published: September 2023

Hybridization between the European smooth and palmate newts has recurrently been mentioned in the literature. The only two studies that attempted to quantify the frequency of hybridization and gene admixture between these two species came to strikingly opposite conclusions. According to Arntzen et al. (1998, 42 allozymes), hybrids are rare in nature and introgression negligible, while according to Johanet et al. (2011, 6 microsatellites), introgressive hybridization is significant and widespread across the shared distribution range. To clarify this question, we implemented high-throughput SNP genotyping with diagnostic biallelic SNPs on 965 specimens sampled across Europe. Our results are in line with Arntzen et al., since only two F1 hybrids were identified in two distinct French localities, and no further hybrid generations or backcrosses. Moreover, reanalysis of 78 of the samples previously studied by Johanet et al. (2011) using our SNPs panel could not reproduce their results, suggesting that microsatellite-based inference overestimated the hybridization frequency between these two species. Since we did not detect methodological issues with the analyses of Johanet et al., our results suggest that SNP approaches outperform microsatellite-based assessments of hybridization frequency, and that conclusions previously published on this topic with a small number of microsatellite loci should be taken with caution, and ideally be repeated with an increased genomic coverage.
Design and Evaluation of Peer Supervision for Community Mental Health Workers: A Task-Shifting Strategy in Low-Resource Settings
Authors: Pallikkuth Rekha , Manoj Kumar T. , Dictus Claudia T. , Bunders-Aelen J. F. G.
Published: September 2023

The use of Lay Mental Health Workers (LMHWs) to tackle the treatment gap in low-resource settings is well established, and although they often receive training, the potential of proper supervision to improve outcomes remains untapped. Indeed, given the strain on expert resources, peer-supervision models based on supervisors’ seniority of work experience have significant potential especially in relation to community knowledge and embedding of LMHWs. This study summarizes the evaluation of a pilot program for peer supervision on the basis of Social Cognitive Theories of Self-Efficacy for LMHWs in Kerala, India. Two experienced LMHWs worked as supervisors for a total of 12 LMHWs over the course of a year. These participants were subsequently interviewed to analyze their experiences in order to evaluate the potential of peer supervision and distil relevant information to improve future training of LMHWs. The findings include improved performance and emotional support for the participants.
Factors influencing the use of information and communication technologies by students for educational purposes
Authors: Silva João C. , Coelho Rodrigues José , Miguéis Vera L.
Published: September 2023

Implementation of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in education is defined as the incorporation of ICTs into teaching and learning activities, both inside and outside the classroom. Despite widely studied, there is still no consensus on how it affects student performance. However, before evaluating this, it is crucial to identify which factors impact students' use of ICT for educational purposes. This understanding can help educational institutions to effectively implement ICT, potentially improving student results. Thus, adapting the conceptual framework proposed by Biagi and Loi (2013) and using the 2018 database of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) and a decision tree classification model developed based on CRISP-DM framework, we aim to determine which socio-demographic factors influence students' use of ICT for educational purposes. First, we categorized students according to their use of ICT for educational purposes in two situations: during lessons and outside lessons. Then, we developed a decision tree model to distinguish these categories and find patterns in each group. The model was able to accurately distinguish different levels of ICT adoption and demonstrate that ICT use for entertainment and ICT access at school and at home are among the most influential variables to predict ICT use for educational purposes. Moreover, the model showed that variables related to teaching best practices of Internet utilization at school are not significant predictors of such use. Some results were found to be country-specific, leading to the recommendation that each country adapts the measures to improve ICT use according to its context.
Integrating spatial and ecological information into comprehensive biodiversity monitoring on agricultural land
Authors: Ecker Klaus Thomas , Meier Eliane Seraina , Tillé Yves
Published: September 2023

Biodiversity loss on agricultural land is a major concern. Comprehensive monitoring is needed to quantify the ongoing changes and assess the effectiveness of agri-environmental measures. However, current approaches to monitoring biodiversity on agricultural land are limited in their ability to capture the complex pattern of species and habitats. Using a real-world example of plant and habitat monitoring on Swiss agricultural land, we show how meaningful and efficient sampling can be achieved at the relevant scales. The multi-stage sampling design of this approach uses unequal probability sampling in combination with intermediate small-scale habitat sampling to ensure broad representation of regions, landscape types, and plant species. To achieve broad coverage of temporary agri-environmental measures, the baseline survey on permanent plots is complemented by dynamic sampling of these specific areas. Sampling efficiency and practicality are ensured at all stages of sampling through modern sampling techniques, such as unequal probability sampling with fixed sample size, self-weighting, spatial spreading, balancing on additional information, and stratified balancing. In this way, the samples are well distributed across ecological and geographic space. Despite the high complexity of the sampling design, simple estimators are provided. The effects of stratified balancing and clustering of samples are demonstrated in Monte Carlo simulations using modelled habitat data. A power analysis based on actual survey data is also presented. Overall, the study could serve as a useful example for improving future biodiversity monitoring networks on agricultural land at multiple scales.
Variability of heat stress using the UrbClim climate model in the city of Seville (Spain): mitigation proposal
Authors: Hidalgo-García David , Rezapouraghdam Hamed
Published: September 2023

Climate change is creating an increase in temperatures, which is harming the quality of life of people all over the world, particularly those with minimal financial resources. While 30% of the world’s population is now vulnerable to extreme heat, estimates show that ratio will rise to 74% in the next 20 years, according to forecasts. Using the UrbClim climate model, this study examines the space-time variability of the heat stress index (HI) in different local climate zones (LCZs), as well as how heat wave conditions might affect this index based on land use and land cover. To that end, Seville, in Southern Spain, was investigated during the summer of 2017, when it had four heat waves. The following indices were considered for each urban sub-area: Normalized Difference Vegetation, Proportion Vegetation, Normalized Difference Built, and Urban Index. The goal is to conduct a statistical analysis of the link between the aforementioned elements and the heat stress index in order to recommend mitigation and resilience techniques. Our findings showed that compact and industrial LCZs (2, 3, and 10) are less resistant to HI than open and rural regions (5, 6, B, D, and G), which are more resistant to HI due to higher vegetation rates. The heat wave condition exacerbates the HI in all LCZs. As a result, initiatives such as enhancing open space, increasing green space, or using green roofs and façades might alleviate heat stress and improve people’s quality of life.
Digitising reflective equilibrium
Authors: Smith Charlie Harry
Published: September 2023

Reflective equilibrium is overdue a twenty-first century update. Despite its apparent popularity, there is scant evidence that theorists ever thoroughly implement the method, and fewer still openly and transparently publish their attempts to do so in print—stymying its supposed justificatory value. This paper proposes digitising reflective equilibrium as a solution. Inspired by the global open science movement, it advocates for coupling a novel, digital implementation of the equilibrating process with new publication norms that can capitalise on the inherent reproducibility of digital data. The argument is structured around three main claims: that digitising will make it easier to (a) methodically construct, (b) widely disseminate, and (c) thoroughly critique reflective equilibria. Practical guidance is also provided throughout. Altogether, it is argued that digitisation will not only help theorists to better realise reflective equilibrium’s latent theoretical potential, but also greatly extend its value as a justificatory device in contemporary academic discourses.
Relationships between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Demographic Characteristics in a National Australian Sample
Authors: Chainey Carys , Burke Kylie , Haynes Michele
Published: September 2023

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are prevalent across the globe. They have been associated with a range of demographic characteristics and poor outcomes throughout the life course, however, little is known of the Australian context. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of ACEs in an Australian sample and identify demographic characteristics of children who experience adversity. We used data from the National Health Survey Australia 2014–15 to explore adversities experienced by children (aged 0–17) living with the 4161 adult respondents. Three types of adversity were examined: living with only one parent, parental mental health condition, and parental substance use problem. Bivariate associations and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used to investigate the relationships between the number of adversities reported and demographic characteristics. At least one-third of children had experienced one or more adversities, and almost 8% had experienced multiple adversities. Adversity was reported by respondents across all categories of demographic variables. The experience of adversity was significantly related to demographic characteristics measured at the level of geographic area, household, and individual. Adversity may be affecting at least one-third of Australian children, across a broad range of contexts. Implications for policy, practice and research are discussed.
Open syllable lengthening and diphthongisation in Upper Middle High German: evidence from verse
Authors: Booth Joshua
Published: September 2023

Despite a long history of scholarly interest, the relative chronologies (and even origins) of open syllable lengthening (OSL) and the diphthongisation of the Middle High German (MHG) high vowels "Image missing" remain unclear. This paper, drawing on orthographic evidence from a thirteenth-century Parzival MS, St. Gallen, Stiftsbibliothek, Cod. 857, provides new insights into these two key changes. The changes either maintained or increased the quantity of stressed vowels, leading to a net increase in the quantity of stressed syllables in MHG. Diphthongisation simply altered the segmental quality of already long monophthongs; only OSL increased the quantity of the vowels it affected. This paper argues that OSL was not a feature of the South Bavarian dialect of Cod. 857’s Hand III, although his dialect had certainly undergone diphthongisation. It is difficult to reconcile this picture with claims by Penzl, Kranzmayer and Wiesinger that OSL was present throughout the Bavarian dialect area by 1200. This paper challenges claims that diphthongisation was triggered by OSL via a phonological push-chain, maintaining that the two changes were independent. It is furthermore suggested that the scribe is uninterested in marking vocalic quantity, which—in the absence of OSL—was still consistent across inflexional paradigms. Instead, he uses the circumflex “length marker” to indicate diphthongal quality. The scribes’ dialect thus represents a key turning point: diphthongisation was well progressed, but OSL had yet to occur.
The de-construction in Wenzhounese: how it differs from the bǎ-construction in Mandarin
Authors: Xie Chen
Published: September 2023

The canonical word order in Mandarin is SVO, but it becomes “SbǎO V” in thebǎ-construction, wherebǎvaguely expresses the affectedness of the object. How to analyze thebǎ-construction is one of the most controversial topics in Chinese grammar. This paper approaches the issue from a fresh perspective by presenting new data from Wenzhounese, where thede-construction is parallel to thebǎ-construction. Although these constructions share a considerable degree of similarity, they differ in the following key respects. First, they differ in the strategies used to topicalize the post-de/bǎnoun phrase (NP). Second, the quantifier taking scope over the post-de/bǎNP has distinct distributions. Third, Wenzhounese has a double-deconstruction unattested in Mandarin. Based on these observations, I offer a formal analysis of thede-construction within the framework of Lexical Functional Grammar. This encompasses the lexical entries, constituent-structure, and functional-structure forde, which will capture the differences betweendeandbǎand shed new light on thebǎ-construction in Mandarin.
The role of domestic-firm knowledge in international patent collaborations: evidence from Indian firms
Authors: Mathew Nanditha , Napolitano Lorenzo , Rizzo Ugo
Published: September 2023

In this paper, we analyse the role of international patent collaborations in the performance of domestic firms and how the relationship is augmented by the pre-existing capabilities of the domestic firms. Using data on Indian firms, we study patterns of co-invention by Indian firms and foreign partners. The results confirm the crucial role played by the absorptive capacity of domestic firms in enhancing benefits from patent collaborations. Strikingly, we find that the coefficient associated to foreign collaboration has a positive effect on performance only when complemented with previous innovative capabilities. The evidence we present in this work contributes to existing knowledge on the microeconomics behind the process of technological capability accumulation and catching up in developing countries.
“The Learning of Learned ‘Learning Organizations’?”: How Southern African Universities Use a Professional Competency Framework for Research Management and Administration: Selective Cases
Authors: Williamson Charmaine , Dyason Karin , McNamara Caryn , Aslanyan Garry
Published: September 2023

How universities, respected for their position at the apex of learning, employ competency frameworks in order to increase learning impacts is acknowledged by the authors as a researchable problem. The respective natures of universities and professional work, the latter, which is often intensely integral to universities, means that universities have to take on board managerial as well philosophical means of learning. This article explores how staff at six universities employ a Professional Competency Framework for Research Management and Administration (PCF-RMA) to bring about organizational learning. Participants provide qualitative data which are condensed into six narrated cases to show how a PCF-RMA, created through action research, enters into the university systems and translates into individual and organizational systems thinking towards applied outcomes. Using the theoretical lenses of Senge’s five disciplines and core competencies for competitive advantage, we argue that systems thinking is not essentially about the system as an abstracted entity, but about sensitized individuals who actively ‘think through’ using the PCF-RMA to improve their own work and career prospects, while also improving the work of the research support offices for university research purposes. In short, systems and funding impacts. As such, the PCF-RMA, while initially carried through individuals, has a systems opportunity to change not only individuals but also set up a trajectory for generative holistic changes as articulated within organizational learning theories. The study recommends future research to employ a diverse and broadened scope in the domains of theory, context, and methodology. Aside from prompting ongoing research, this study offers an opportunity to demonstrate increased research impact, an area which stakeholders of research, including the funders, increasingly emphasize.
Transferring Vision-Language Models for Visual Recognition: A Classifier Perspective
Authors: Wu Wenhao , Sun Zhun , Song Yuxin , Wang Jingdong , Ouyang Wanli
Published: September 2023

Transferring knowledge from pre-trained deep models for downstream tasks, particularly with limited labeled samples, is a fundamental problem in computer vision research. Recent advances in large-scale, task-agnostic vision-language pre-trained models, which are learned with billions of samples, have shed new light on this problem. In this study, we investigate how to efficiently transfer aligned visual and textual knowledge for downstream visual recognition tasks. We first revisit the role of the linear classifier in the vanilla transfer learning framework, and then propose a new paradigm where the parameters of the classifier are initialized with semantic targets from the textual encoder and remain fixed during optimization. To provide a comparison, we also initialize the classifier with knowledge from various resources. In the empirical study, we demonstrate that our paradigm improves the performance and training speed of transfer learning tasks. With only minor modifications, our approach proves effective across 17 visual datasets that span three different data domains: image, video, and 3D point cloud.
Association of clinical biomarkers and response to neoadjuvant therapy in breast cancer
Authors: Feeney Gerard , Waldron Ronan , Miller Nicola , Malone Carmel , Sweeney Karl , McLaughlin Raymond , Lowery Aoife , Barry Kevin , Kerin Michael
Published: September 2023

Introduction

Neoadjuvant therapy is an essential component of multimodality therapy for locally advanced breast adenocarcinoma (BC). Complete pathologic response (pCR) is a useful surrogate for long-term oncologic outcome.

Aim

To assess the association between clinicopathologic, molecular and immunological markers and treatment response to neoadjuvant therapy in BC.

Methods

BC patients undergoing neoadjuvant therapy were identified from a prospectively maintained institutional database. Serum haematological/biochemical values, histopathologic, immunohistochemical data and TNM stage were obtained from electronic records. Patients were categorised into complete responders vs non-complete responders and responders vs non-responders. Statistical analysis was performed via SPSS.

Results

Overall, 299 BC patients were included. The average age was 49.8 ± 11.5 years. A pCR was evident in 22.6% (n = 69). pCR was associated with early T stage and non-luminal subtypes (HER2 enriched [HER2 +] and triple negative [TNBC]). The neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR) pre-operatively was lower in patients with a pCR (p = 0.02). The lymphocyte-CRP ratio (LCR) was also slightly reduced in responders (p = 0.049) at diagnosis. A pre-op NLR greater than 2 was not found to be a significant predictive factor (p = 0.071) on multivariable logistic regression analysis. T stage at diagnosis (p = 0.024), N stage (p = 0.001) and breast cancer subtype (p = 0.0001) were also determined to be significant predictive factors of complete response.

Conclusion

pCR was more likely in patients with less advanced disease in BC. The presence of HER2 + or TNBC in BC also increases the likelihood of pCR. Neoadjuvant therapy stimulates the systemic inflammatory response; however, a reduced baseline NLR may be associated with increased pCR. Confirmation with larger datasets is required.
Criterion validity and reliability of an instrumented mouthguard under pendulum impactor conditions
Authors: Austin Kieran , Nicholas Kieran Jai , Jones Christopher M. , Loosemore Mike
Published: September 2023

The popularity of instrumented mouthguards (iMGs) use to measure head impact kinematics in contact sports is growing. To accurately compare between systems, mouthguards should be subjected to standardised laboratory validation testing. The study aimed to establish the validity and reliability of a mouthguard system under independently collected pendulum impactor conditions. A NOCSAE anthropometric testing device with attached mouthguard was impacted in four different locations (front, front boss, rear, rear boss) at four target linear accelerations (25, 50, 75 and 100 g) with two different impactor caps (padded and rigid). Peak linear acceleration, peak rotational velocity and peak rotational acceleration values from the mouthguard were compared against the reference data with a battery of statistical tests, namely R squared values, Lin’s concordance correlation coefficient, intraclass correlation coefficients and Bland Altman analysis. Results indicate the iMG produces valid and reliable data comparable to that of the anthropomorphic testing device reference, with all measured variables reported ‘excellent’ intraclass correlation coefficients above 0.95; concordance correlation coefficients above 0.95; minimal average bias with Bland Altman analysis and R squared values above 0.92 for all measured variables. Results indicate the iMG is appropriately valid and reliable enough to next establish on-field validity.
Evaluating the efficiency of different sampling techniques to survey non-flying small mammals in the Amazon
Authors: Botelho André L. M. , D’Andrea Paulo S. , Crisóstomo Charle F. , Silveira Marcos , Lucio Camila S. , Santos Pedro Z. L. , Bonvicino Cibele R. , Gentile Rosana
Published: September 2023

Small non-flying mammals represent 44% of Brazilian mammal species and have a wide range of habits and life-history strategies. This wide diversity requires different sampling methods in survey studies. We compared the efficiency of pitfall and live-traps in different vertical positions in relation to the alpha and beta diversity of small mammals in three forest fragments with different levels of conservation and in a continuous area in the southwestern Amazon, Acre state. Captures were carried out using a combination of pitfall traps and live-traps on the ground, understorey, and canopy. Taxonomic identification was performed by morphological and molecular analyses. Alpha diversity was evaluated using Hill numbers (q = 0 and q = 1). The turnover between different types of traps and different vertical strata (beta diversity) was analysed using permutation analysis of variance. Species richness between areas ranged from 6 to 21. The highest species richness was observed in ground traps, and the lowest species richness was observed in the canopy. Live-traps on the ground recorded a greater diversity in two areas. Pitfall traps recorded the greatest number of unique species in three areas. The different types of traps and the different vertical positions acted in a complementary way in the small mammal samplings. The turnover in relation to trap type and stratum indicated the formation of two significantly different groups: ground traps and aboveground traps. However, the use of canopy traps did not contribute significantly to an increase in the estimated species richness and diversity in three of the four localities.
A Tutorial on Applying the Difference-in-Differences Method to Health Data
Authors: Rothbard Sarah , Etheridge James C. , Murray Eleanor J.
Published: September 2023

Purpose of Review

Difference-in-differences analyses are a useful tool for estimating group-level decisions, such as policy changes, training programs, or other non-randomized interventions, on outcomes which occur within the intervention group. However, there is little practical advice on how to apply difference-in-differences to epidemiologic and health data. Here, we provide a tutorial on applying the difference-in-differences method to health services data, targeted at epidemiologists and other biomedical researchers.

Recent Findings

As epidemiologists increasingly engage in policy discussions, familiarity with difference-in-differences will be increasingly important. However, much of the literature on difference-in-differences is limited to econometrics examples where the types of data and questions encountered may differ from health research. There remain limited resources for epidemiologists and other medical researchers to learn how to implement difference-in-differences analyses without first having to familiarize themselves with econometric terminology and concepts.

This tutorial contains synthetic data, code, and worksheets for class instruction. We provide a step-by-step description of the difference-in-differences analysis including sensitivity checks, modeling decisions, and interpretation. In addition, we supply novel guidance on modeling difference-in-differences outcomes for count or score outcomes.
Eating disorders and physical multimorbidity in the English general population
Authors: Smith Lee , López Sánchez Guillermo F. , Fernandez-Egea Emilio , Ford Tamsin , Parris Christopher , Underwood Benjamin R. , Butler Laurie , Barnett Yvonne , Trott Mike , Koyanagi Ai
Published: September 2023

Purpose

People with eating disorders may be at increased risk for physical health problems, but there are no data on the relationship between eating disorders and physical multimorbidity (i.e., ≥ 2 physical conditions) and its potential mediators. Thus, we investigated this association in a representative sample of adults from the UK, and quantified the extent to which this can be explained by various psychological and physical conditions, and lifestyle factors.

Methods

Cross-sectional data of the 2007 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey were analyzed. Questions from the five-item SCOFF screening instrument were used to identify possible eating disorder. Respondents were asked about 20 physical health conditions. Multivariable logistic regression and mediation analysis were conducted.

Results

Data on 7403 individuals aged ≥ 16 years were analyzed [mean (SD) age 46.3 (18.6) years; 48.6% males]. After adjustment, possible eating disorder was associated with 2.11 (95%CI = 1.67–2.67) times higher odds for physical multimorbidity. Anxiety disorder explained the largest proportion this association (mediated percentage 26.3%), followed by insomnia (21.8%), perceived stress (13.4%), depression (13.1%), obesity (13.0%), and alcohol dependence (4.3%).

Conclusion

Future longitudinal studies are warranted to understand potential causality and the underlying mechanisms in the association between eating disorder and multimorbidity, and whether addressing the identified potential mediators in people with eating disorders can reduce multimorbidity.
Generalized Taylor’s formula for power fractional derivatives
Authors: Zitane Hanaa , Torres Delfim F. M.
Published: September 2023

We establish a new generalized Taylor’s formula for power fractional derivatives with nonsingular and nonlocal kernels, which includes many known Taylor’s formulas in the literature. Moreover, as a consequence, we obtain a general version of the classical mean value theorem. We apply our main result to approximate functions in Taylor’s expansions at a given point. The explicit interpolation error is also obtained. The new results are illustrated through examples and numerical simulations.
A Qualitative Study on the Experiences of Preclinical Students in Learning Clinical and Communication Skills at a Simulation Centre
Authors: Sam Chong Pek , Nathan Joann Lalita , Aroksamy Jacintha Anita , Ramasamy Nithia , Mamat Norul Hidayah Binti , Nadarajah Vishna Devi
Published: September 2023

Introduction

Simulation centres (SC) and its learning resources are now firmly established as part of medical education. In SC, medical students obtain both knowledge and skills based on a combination of theory and practice using provided resources. This study aims to explore medical students’ use of SC learning resources to learn clinical and communication skills based on Kolb’s experiential learning cycle. This is based on the research question ‘How are the SC resources useful in supporting preclinical medical students’ clinical and communication skills learning?’ The findings of the study can make a case for further enhancement of SC design and resources for medical students in the preclinical phase.

Methods

A qualitative study involving 20 preclinical medical students with learning experiences in SC was conducted between December 2019 and 2020 at a medical school in Malaysia. Semi-structured interview questions were developed based on Kolb’s learning cycle. The data were thematically analysed using the six phases of Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis.

Results

Three main themes were identified based on preclinical medical students’ experiences in SC; they were ‘preparation for authentic clinical experience’, ‘accessibility of multiple resources for learning and support’ and ‘opportunities to learn and improve’.

Conclusions

The SC’s resources have a significant and positive role in supporting preclinical medical students learn clinical and communication skills. The SC resources prepared them for authentic clinical experiences with a patient-centred care approach and self-directed learning opportunities. Social support from peers, peer tutors and academics emerged as a key finding and resource of the SC as they help preclinical students learn and improve.
Two remarks on the new AI control problem
Authors: Vacek Daniela
Published: September 2023

This paper examines the new AI control problem and the control dilemma recently formulated by Sven Nyholm. It puts forth two remarks that may be of help in (dis)solving the problem and resolving the corresponding dilemma. First, the paper suggests that the idea of complete control should be replaced with the notion of considerable control. Second, the paper casts doubt on what seems to be assumed by the dilemma, namely that control over another human being is, by default, morally problematic. I suggest that there are some contexts (namely, relations of vicarious responsibility and vicarious agency) where having considerable control over another human being is morally unproblematic, if not desirable. If this is the case, control over advanced humanoid robots could well be another instance of morally unproblematic control. Alternatively, what makes it a problematic instance remains an open question insofar as the representation of control over another human being is not sufficient for wrongness, since even considerable control over another human being is often not wrong.
Intelligent surveillance support system
Authors: Saketh Meduri , Nandal Neha , Tanwar Rohit , Reddy B. Pradyun
Published: September 2023

The Intelligent Surveillance Support System(ISSS) is an innovative software solution that enables real-time monitoring and analysis of security footage to detect and identify potential threats. This system incorporates advanced features such as face recognition, alarm on theft detection, visitors in/out detection and motion detection, to provide a comprehensive and reliable security solution. The implementation of this software aims to improve the efficiency of surveillance systems, thereby enhancing the safety and security of public and private spaces. The focus of this study is on performing the aforementioned tasks in real time while utilizing enhanced algorithms from the OpenCV Library, such as LBPH and Haar Cascading, which enhance the use of machine perception and help us produce outcomes with an accuracy of about 95% after multiple runs. With the rapid advancements in technology and the increasing need for surveillance in today’s world, the Intelligent Surveillance Support System holds immense potential in the field of security and surveillance.
Collaborative impact of bacterial exometabolites governing root microbiota formation
Authors: Kareem Hafiz Abdul , Hao Xinwei , Shen Xihui
Published: September 2023

The majority of the root microbiota formation derives from soil-dwelling microorganisms. The limited extent of thorough investigation leads to a dearth of knowledge concerning the intricate mechanisms of microbe-microbe interaction implicated in the establishment of root microbiota. Therefore, the taxonomic signatures in bacterial inhibition profiles were determined by in vitro testing of 39,204 binary interbacterial interactions. However, findings from genetic and metabolomic studies elucidated that co-functioning of the antimicrobial 2,4-d iacetylphloroglucinol (DAPG) and the iron chelator pyoverdine as exometabolites has significantly contributed to the potent inhibitory activities of the highly antagonistic Pseudomonas brassicacearum R401. Microbiota restoration with a core of Arabidopsis thaliana root commensals showed that these exometabolites possess a root niche-specific function in establishing root competence and inducing anticipated changes in root surroundings. Both biosynthetic operons are abundant in roots in natural habitats, indicating that these exometabolites co-functioning is an adaptive feature that helps Pseudomonad dominate the root microbiota.