bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of a new clinical mattress solution on interface pressure and comfort during supine lying
Authors: Webb Jo-Anne , Chohan Ambreen
Published: August 2023

Objective:

Effective pressure management for individuals is critical for hospital and community-based care, to prevent the occurrence of pressure ulcers. This study explores the impact of a new mattress and topper solution on interface pressure and comfort during supine lying.

Method:

In this quantitative, healthy cohort study, patient–surface interface pressures were calculated for three mattresses (a standard hospital mattress, a new mattress solution (Levitex Foams Ltd., UK) and a dynamic air flow mattress) with and without an innovative topper solution (Levitex Foams Ltd., UK). Subjective comfort, contact surface area, peak and mean pressure and peak pressure index (head, sacrum, heels) were calculated for all mattress conditions for a 21-minute period.

Results:

A total of 27 healthy volunteers took part in this study. The new mattress solution decreased peak pressure significantly compared with the hospital and air mattresses (p<0.04). Lower peak pressures were observed for the hospital mattress compared with the dynamic air flow mattress. The new mattress solution improved comfort and significantly lowered (>30%; p≤0.005) heel and head pressure compared with the other surfaces. Both hospital and air mattresses significantly reduced pressure and improved comfort with the addition of the new topper solution (p<0.05).

Conclusion:

The new mattress solution used in this study offers a potentially improved pressure management solution for individuals. Implementation of the topper may also help to improve pressure management when used with existing standard or dynamic air flow mattresses.
Is vacuum-assisted closure therapy the main culprit in right ventricular rupture after deep sternal wound infection?
Authors: Abbas Ahmed A M , McPherson Iain , Dunning Joel
Published: August 2023

Right ventricular rupture after deep sternal wound infection (DSWI) is a rare but fatal complication, and can occur with or without vacuum assisted closure (VAC) therapy. There is currently no strong evidence to suggest whether or not VAC therapy is a contributing factor to this complication. In total, 30 articles were retrieved and assessed through a systematic review strategy from 1953 to 2022. The keywords: ‘vacuum assisted closure’; ‘VAC’; ‘negative pressure wound therapy’; ‘deep sternal wound infection’; ‘DSWI’; ‘right ventricular rupture’; and ‘cardiac rupture’ were used in the search. Overall, 15 of the included articles satisfied the predefined eligibility criteria. Fatal right ventricular ruptures were reported in 18 (36%) out of 50 cases. In this article, the risk factors, mechanisms and management of right ventricular rupture are discussed. A novel view of the mechanism of VAC-associated right ventricular rupture is highlighted, with a focus on both pre- and intraoperative management.
Women’s History Month Special Article: Interview with “Professor Cynthia Furse”
Authors: Noghanian Sima
Published: August 2023

In this article I had the pleasure of interviewing Professor Cynthia Furse. Professor Furse is not only an internationally well-known researcher in the field of computation and applied electromagnetics (EM), but also an innovator in modern teaching techniques, an entrepreneur, an academic leader, and a true mentor for many young professionals in the electromagnetics field.
An Omnidirectional Antenna with Multi-taper Conformal Structure
Authors: Jiang Zhaoneng , Sha Yongxin , Xuan Xiaofeng , Nie Liying
Published: August 2023

In this paper, a wideband quadrangular pyramid conformal printed dipole antenna is designed, manufactured, and tested. The proposed antenna comprises four dipoles pointing in different directions and four pairs of parasitic patches. Each dipole and pair of parasitic patches are placed on one side of the pyramid. The simulated impedance bandwidth exceeds 26% (S11 ≤ −10 dB), with the conformal taper varied from 0∘ to 20∘. Omnidirectional radiation characteristics can be realized within the working bandwidth. The prototype of the proposed antenna with 10∘ taper is fabricated and measured. Moreover, the results show that the operating frequency band is 2.28-3.58 GHz in the S-band. The size of the fabricated antenna is 35 × 35 mm2. The conclusion is that the simulation and test results of the 10∘ taper antennas are highly consistent.
A Differential Slot-type Dual-polarization Ultra-wideband Antenna
Authors: Jiang Zhao Neng , Wang Zhi Xin , Xuan Xiao Feng , Nie Li Ying , Jiang Ye
Published: August 2023

A differentially fed dual-polarization slotted antenna with an ultra-wide bandwidth and low cross polarization is presented in this paper. The antenna is composed of a radiation patch and a ground plane, both of which are printed on the top of the dielectric substrate. The ground is extended toward the radiation patch to form a slotted coplanar structure. In order to expand the bandwidth, a cross-shape symmetrical slotted structure is loaded into the radiation patch. Differential feed is adopted to realize 0∘/90∘ linear polarizations and suppress the cross polarization. Simulation and measurement results show that the proposed antenna with dimensions of 0.53λ0× 0.53λ0 × 0.0135λ0 (λ0is the wavelength at 4 GHz) has a differential mode impedance bandwidth of 82.25% (2.27-5.56 GHz), a differential feed port isolation of higher than 28 dB, and a cross polarization level of less than −30 dB, which achieves the characteristics of ultra-wideband, high isolation, and low cross polarization level.
Barbaric Jewishness
Authors: Listik Yonathan
Published: August 2023

A central part of what is considered as politically hegemonic results from civilizatory and colonial projects outside Europe. In this context, the figure of the Jew has an ambivalent position. On the one hand, it is a central figure of the so-called Judeo-Christian civilization. On the other hand, Jews more often appear to be the victims of this project rather than its perpetrators, hence making the notion of Judeo-Christianity the fruit of antisemitism. This article will argue that Boyarin and Slabodsky present an interesting approach to this dilemma while exploring the way Jewish identity could serve as a counter hegemonic political position.
Una ummah justa, libre y soberana
Authors: Chinnici Fernando Martin
Published: August 2023

El presente artículo se configura como un cúmulo de reflexiones en torno a la idea de ummah (comunidad) siguiendo la perspectiva de los estudios acerca del Islam. Una categoría que se expresa en múltiples dimensiones y que evidencia su presencia a medida que nos sumergimos en las fuentes tales como el Corán y los hadices (relatos acerca de la vida del profeta Muhammad). Con la fuerte convicción de que este din (forma de vida) es un camino para la emancipación individual y por ende colectiva, mediante este análisis buscamos relacionar a la ummah con conceptos centrales de la vida social y política como lo son: la justicia, la libertad y la soberanía.
Vygotskian Resonances With the African Worldview of Ubuntu for Decolonial Deaf Education
Authors: Musengi Martin
Published: August 2023

Abstract: The African worldview of Ubuntu predates Vygotskian theory, but the Ubuntu view that the community defines the person aligns uncannily with Vygotsky's biosocial proposition and contemporary conceptions of deaf ontology and epistemology. Unlike prevailing Euro-American thought, Ubuntu accentuates the view that it is not any physical or psychological characteristic of the individual that defines personhood. Instead, Ubuntu aphorisms, the containers of meaning in African epistemology, indicate that the reality of the communal world is at least equal if not superior to individual life histories. The author teases out similarities between Vygotskian thought and Ubuntu, illustrating deaf children's development along a different axis, facilitated by a holistic, diversified biosocial process in which neither their deafness nor disability indicates inferiority or coloniality. Grounded on the African principle No language is complete without other languages , the present article contributes to a nascent indigenous theorization of contemporary deaf education.
Six Arguments for Vygotskian Pragmatism in Deaf Education: Multimodal Multilingualism as Applied Harm Reduction
Authors: Scott Jessica , Henner Jon , Skyer Michael E.
Published: August 2023

Abstract: Deaf education research and practice have not always lived up to the ideal of improving deaf students' lives. Consequently, we have constructed novel arguments supporting deaf pedagogy using pragmatic ethics, the aim of which is to increase benefit and decrease harm to individuals and society. The ideal of harm reduction asks the pragmatist to pursue the path of action least likely to result in injury to others. Besides applying ideas that reduce harm, educators must also increase benefits for deaf students. Our analysis synthesizes Vygotskian perspectives on deaf pedagogy and pragmatic ideals about reducing harm and increasing benefit. We propose six arguments that can enable deaf educators to think about and enact deaf-positive concepts and strengths-based classroom interactions, including the use of sign language, images, and text, among other modes, such as speech. Our goal is to reduce the threat of harm from language deprivation.
From Vicious Circles to Virtuous Cycles: Vygotskian-Inspired Conclusions for Biomedicine and Deaf Education
Authors: Willicheva Kristina , Hall Wyatte C.
Published: August 2023

Abstract: In this concluding article of an American Annals of the Deaf Special Issue, we draw on Vygotsky's Fundamentals of Defectology to argue that the essence of deaf pedagogy is not centered on constructing deaf students' hearing abilities but on a biosocial orientation that considers the whole multimodal child with unfettered access to natural signed languages. In alignment with this biosocial view, we recognize and resist the overarching influence of biomedical professionals and systems on deaf education. Such biomedical influence comes with convenient detachment from accountability in education systems while arguably causing at least significant, if not maximal, harm to the optimal developmental outcomes of deaf children. The article ties together the articles of the Annals Special Issue, along with additional Vygotskian perspectives, to bring forth the emergence and exploration of biosocial accountability in deaf education.
Seas of Data; or, The Oceanographer in the Archive
Authors: Lüttge Felix
Published: August 2023

ABSTRACT: This paper examines the network of media, institutions, and actors that helped create the sea as an epistemic object in nineteenth-century US naval administration. Based on paper technologies such as lists, tables, and logbooks, early oceanography was essentially an archival practice and data processing. In contrast to pelagic histories of the “oceanic turn,” this paper argues that oceanography developed as a science of the archive. It challenges a focus on geographic features in earlier analyses by showing that the ocean of oceanography is not only a body of water between areas of land but also a data space that transcends the boundary between land and sea.
Feminist Digital Ecology: Mimesis, Fictocriticism and Altering Technological Space
Authors: Pearl Zach
Published: August 2023

ABSTRACT: This paper examines the ways authors of fictocriticism—a hybrid form of writing that blurs literature and literary-critical commentary— reenvision the affordances of digital media and the rise of networked technologies in feminist materialist terms. I consider the crucial role of mimesis in fictocriticism to foster “becoming similar with” one’s environment, including its media, and how fictocritical mimesis can serve as a feminist tool for space-making and betweenness. Through close readings of Mauve Desert (1987) by Nicole Brossard, Places Far From Ellesmere (1990) by Aritha van Herk, and Steven Shaviro’s Doom Patrols (1995–97), I make the case that fictocriticism affords an altering and ecological conception of our digital age in which the land and architecture are also understood as networked spaces of nomadic identity and capacious flux.
Our Sounds Reach the Other World: Sacred Musical Instruments and Their Spiritual Roles
Authors: Schreffler Cara R.
Published: August 2023

Abstract: The deliberate production of special sounds, whether culturally defined as music or not, plays a vital role in virtually all global religious and spiritual beliefs. Sometimes, a particular instrument is used specifically for sacred purposes and to manifest religiosity. In many cases, those musical instruments can serve as a physical representation of belief; a form of sacred text and a link between the natural, the human, and the supernatural. These musical instruments are often recognized as having their own independent agency and, frequently, are credited with supernatural powers. These powers fall within the constraints of belief: they have power because of their association with religious or spiritual practice. This paper discusses examples of musical instruments that have specifically religious, spiritual, or miraculous powers. Examples are found in multiple cultures throughout the world, and their existence helps to illuminate the role of musical instruments in religion and spirituality, as well as how those instruments, and the broader context of music, integrate into both sociocultural and religious paradigms.
COVID‐19 and abortion in the Ohio River Valley: A case study of Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia
Authors: Smith Mikaela H. , Broscoe Molly , Chakraborty Payal , Hill Jessie , Hood Robert , McGowan Michelle , Bessett Danielle , Norris Alison H.
Published: August 2023

Introduction

During early stages of COVID‐19 in the United States, government representatives in Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia restricted or threatened to restrict abortion care under elective surgery bans. We examined how abortion utilization changed in these states.

Methodology

We examined COVID‐19 abortion‐related state policies implemented in March and April 2020 using publicly available sources. We analyzed data on abortions by method and gestation and experiences of facility staff, using a survey of 14 facilities. We assessed abortions that took place in February–June 2020 and February–June 2021.

Results

In February–June 2020 the monthly average abortion count was 1916; 863 (45%) were medication abortions and 229 (12%) were ≥14 weeks gestation. Of 1959 abortions performed across all three states in April 2020, 1319 (67%) were medication abortions and 231 (12%) were ≥14 weeks gestation. The shift toward medication abortion that took place in April 2020 was not observed in April 2021. Although the total abortion count in the three‐state region remained steady, West Virginia had the greatest decline in total abortions, Ohio experienced a shift from instrumentation to medication abortions, and Kentucky saw little change. Staff reported increased stress from concerns over health and safety and increased scrutiny by the state and anti‐abortion protesters.

Discussion

Although abortion provision continued in this region, policy changes restricting abortion in Ohio and West Virginia resulted in a decrease in first trimester instrumentation abortions, an overall shift toward medication abortion care, and an increase in stress among facility staff during the early phase of COVID‐19.
Why a Multidisciplinary Team Approach in Managing Prostate Cancer Makes Sense
Authors:   European Association for Medical Education and Information (EAMEI), Hofland Peter
Published: August 2023

Prostate cancer is among the most prevalent cancers in the developed world. It also remains one of the most complex diseases to treat. According to the American Cancer Society prostate cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths.While the advent of PSA (prostate specific antigen) testing has shifted detection from late-stage disease to early-stage disease, it has also raised the challenge of distinguishing between fast-growing cancers that must be treated aggressively versus slow-growing cancers that may not become clinically significant in a patient's life. At the same time it gives us the option to detect clinically meaningful prostate cancers at a disease state that is most likely curable.
Updated Data to be Presented at ASH Reinforces the Strength of Servier’s Hematology Portfolio
Authors:   Sunvalley Communication, LLC, Hofland Peter
Published: August 2023

First results from the Phase 3 AGILE study, a multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial in patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with an isocitrate dehydrogenase-1 (IDH1-) mutation shows improved event-free survival (EFS) and various secondary outcomes.
The Anticancer Properties of Guava Leaves (Psidium guajava L.) and Turmeric Rhizome (Curcuma longa L.) Against Breast Cancer: A Literature Study
Authors: Asiandu Angga Puja , Sari Widya , Sari Septi Widiya , Majid Alif Syahrul Abdul
Published: August 2023

Breast cancer, one of the most deadly diseases occurring in women, is caused by factors. In the healing process, the sufferer needs treatment, such as radiation techniques, surgery, and chemotherapy. But, these techniques have avoidable weaknesses that damage healthy cells. To date, natural sources can be utilized in medicine field. Guava (Psidium guajava L.) and turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) are two common plants obtaining compounds that inhibit the growth of cancer cells based on phytochemical properties. This study was written to review the potential both of plants as anticancer agents. Through the literature, guava leaf extract consists of flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, saponins, terpenoids that inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells. Besides, turmeric also has tannins, alkaloids, terpenoids, flavonoids, glycosides, sterols, and curcumin. The presence of curcumin reduces histamine production which induce inflammation and decrease toxin. Because of curcumin, breast cancer cells have dehydration before apoptosis.
Peptide Fractions from Pepsin-digested Moringa oleifera Seed Proteins Inhibit Hemoglobin Glycation and Carbohydrate-hydrolyzing Enzymes
Authors: Ekun Oluwafemi Emmanuel
Published: August 2023

The multidirectional abilities of peptide digests and fractions obtained from the hydrolysis of food-based proteins have been investigated in recent times. This study aims to evaluate the effects of pepsin-derived Moringa oleifera seed protein hydrolysates and fractions on hemoglobin glycation and the carbohydrases - ?-amylase and ?-glucosidase. Proteins were extracted from M. oleifera seeds and consequently digested using pepsin. The hydrolysates obtained were separated into fractions of <1 kD, 1-3 kD, and 3-5 kD ranges using size-exclusion chromatography and comparison with elution volumes of known standards. The activities of the hydrolysates and peptide fractions against both the non-enzymatic glycation of hemoglobin and the carbohydrases were determined in vitro. Results revealed that the hydrolysate and its peptide fractions demonstrated varying abilities against the glycation of hemoglobin, with the unfractionated hydrolysate showing better activities (78.230 ± 0.774 % at a maximum concentration of 1.0 mg/ml) than its peptide fractions. Also, the hydrolysates and fractions demonstrated higher inhibitory effects on a-amylase (with all fractions displaying above 50% inhibition at a final concentration of 1.0 mg/mL) than against a-glucosidase. Kinetic analysis of a selected fraction showed that it inhibited ?-amylase via a mixed mechanism (Ki = 0.029 mg/mL) but displayed an uncompetitive mode for ?-glucosidase inhibition (Ki = 0.333 mg/mL). Therefore, it is inferred that M. oleifera seed proteins encode potentially therapeutic peptide sequences that could be further processed to formulate potential antidiabetic agents.
Factors Shaping the Evolution of the Islamic Cultural History (SKI) Curriculum in Madrasahs (1973-2013)
Authors: Rofik Rofik , Hasan Noorhaidi , Hak Nurul
Published: August 2023

Purpose – This research undertakes an exploration of the factors shaping the evolution and continuity of the Islamic Cultural History (SKI) curriculum in madrasahs between 1973 and 2013. It zeroes in on five predominant influences: political, economic, social, cultural, and ideological.
Design/methods/approach – A historical research method was the primary tool, with data from various written records—comprising legal documents, regulations, and textbooks. A chronological lens was employed for analysis, with categorizations influenced by pertinent regulations and the prevailing zeitgeist.
Findings – Of the factors, political dimensions, especially government stances and policies, took precedence in curriculum development. Furthermore, aspects like economic strides, prevailing social conditions, and national ideologies such as Pancasila (Indonesian state philosophy) bore significance in shaping the curriculum. The insights gathered suggest a pivotal role of socio-political dynamics and scientific progress in dictating madrasah curriculum changes.
Research implications/limitations – While this investigation furnishes deep insights into a specific period, its temporal scope poses limitations, suggesting a potential exploration post-2013 and scrutiny of other influencing variables.
Practical implications – The study underscores the pressing need for the continual evolution of Islamic education in Indonesia, aiming to cater to societal shifts. There is an evident emphasis on weaving together diverse threads, upholding universal tenets, and championing local sagacity.
How Could Judges Ignore the Audi Et Alteram Partem Principle in a Criminal Case Trial?
Authors: Hidayat Raihan Akbar , Hidayat Beni , Kodio Ahmed Hedieloum
Published: August 2023

In a judge's decision, legal considerations aim to delve into the facts revealed at trials based on the audi et alteram partem principle, which must exist and become a foundation. The philosophy of the audi et alteram partem principle is essentially the values of justice and balance. In applying the audi et alteram partem principle in a criminal case, although the judges have judicial power, they should consider the evidence and facts that are not only submitted by the public Prosecutor but also have to consider the evidence and facts submitted by the defendant. In decision Number 123/Pid.B/2022/PN Yyk, the panel of examining judges rejected the explanation of the witness a de-charge  which was not based on a clear reason, so it was felt that the panel of judges examining the case did not consider the explanation of the witness which was mitigating for the defendant and violated the principle of audi et alteram. Therefore, this study aims to elaborate on how the judicial panel examined the case by applying the audi et alteram partem principle. To answer these legal issues, this study uses combined research methods of normative and empirical data with data collection methods by conducting interviews and literature reviews as well as using descriptive qualitative data analysis methods. The result of this study showed that the judicial panel examining case number 123/Pid.B/2022/PN Yyk did not consider the audi et alteram partem principle for the judgment because the judges were not balanced by only considering the prosecutor's explanation and rejecting the testimony of the defendant's witnesses and ignoring material truth of defendant's proof.
T-Cell Activation: Post-Infection Diagnostic Tool for COVID-19
Authors: Simara P. , Tesarova L. , Tapuchova I. , Celerova J. , Koutná Irena
Published: August 2023

COVID-19 is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus and has spread globally in 2020. Cellular immunity may serve as an important functional marker of the disease, especially in the asymptomatic cases. Blood samples were collected from 46 convalescent donors with a history of COVID-19 and 38 control donors. Quantification of the T-cell response upon contact with SARS-CoV-2 proteins in vitro was based on IFN-γ. Significantly higher numbers of activated cells were measured in patients who underwent COVID-19. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 T cells were detected weeks after the active virus disappeared from the organism. Repeated sample collection after five months proved that the T-cell activation was weaker in time in 79 % of the patients. In the majority of cases, the CD4+ helper T-cell subpopulation was responsible for the immune reaction. Moreover, different viral proteins triggered activation in CD4+ helper and in CD8+ cytotoxic T cells. Together, these findings suggest that the T-cell activation level identifies the individuals who underwent COVID-19 and may become a diagnostic tool for the disease.
Serum Cytokine Analysis Reveals Predictors of Progression from Chronic Hepatitis B to Liver Cirrhosis
Authors: Cai F. , Zhao Y. , Chen Q. , Hu Y. , Su Shibing , Lu Yiyu
Published: August 2023

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is more likely to develop into chronic and persistent infection in China, which is the main cause of chronic liver disease. We examined the cytokine profiles of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and CHB-caused liver cirrhosis (LC) to look for the predictor of progression from CHB to LC. Serum samples of 15 healthy controls (HC), 15 CHB patients and 15 LC patients were collected to detect the profiles of 48 cytokines by multiplex biometric ELISA-based immunoassay. Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and random forest were used to analyse significant cytokines, which were further validated by ELISA using an independent cohort of 60 CHB patients, 60 LC patients and 35 HC samples. There were 18 differentially expressed cytokines of CHB and LC. Three cytokines were identified by PLS-DA and random forest, including interleukin (IL)-9, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and IL-2 receptor subunit α (IL-2Rα), which displayed significant changes in serum levels. Differentially expressed cytokine networks between HC, CHB and LC also indicated particular cytokine co-expression network patterns of CHB and LC. The receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) analysis demonstrated that IL-9, GM-CSF, IL-2Rα and their logistic regression panel are potential predictors that significantly differentiate CHB from LC (P < 0.001) and CHB from Child class A LC (P < 0.001). The three cytokines and the panel showed significant correlation with the Child-Pugh score. IL-9, GM-CSF, IL-2Rα and their logistic panel may be predictors for monitoring the progression of CHB to LC.
IMT504 protects beta cells against apoptosis and maintains beta cell identity, without modifying proliferation
Authors: Converti Ayelén , Bianchi María Silvia , Martinez Mario D. , Montaner Alejandro D. , Lux‐Lantos Victoria , Bonaventura María Marta
Published: August 2023

We have demonstrated that oligodeoxynucleotide IMT504 promotes significant improvement in the diabetic condition in diverse animal models. Based on these results, here we evaluated whether these effects observed in vivo could be due to direct effects on β‐cells. We demonstrate by immunofluorescence that IMT504 enters the cell and locates in cytoplasm where it induces GSK‐3β phosphorylation that inactivates this kinase. As GSK‐3β tags Pdx1 for proteasomal degradation, by inactivating GSK‐3β, IMT504 induces an increase in Pdx1 protein levels, demonstrated by Western blotting. Concomitantly, an increase in Ins2 and Pdx1 gene transcription was observed, with no significant increase in insulin content or secretion. Enhanced Pdx1 is promising since it is a key transcription factor for insulin synthesis and is also described as an essential factor for the maintenance β‐cell phenotype and function. Dose‐dependent inhibition of H2O2‐induced apoptosis determined by ELISA as well as decreased expression of Bax was also observed. These results were confirmed in another β‐cell line, beta‐TC‐6 cells, in which a cytokine mix induced apoptosis that was reversed by IMT504. In addition, an inhibitor of IMT504 entrance into cells abrogated the effect IMT504. Based on these results we conclude that the β‐cell recovery observed in vivo may include direct effects of IMT504 on β‐cells, by maintaining their identity/phenotype and protecting them from oxidative stress and cytokine‐induced apoptosis. Thus, this work positions IMT504 as a promising option in the framework of the search of new therapies for type I diabetes treatment.
Stanniocalcin‐2 inhibits skeletal muscle growth and is upregulated in functional overload‐induced hypertrophy
Authors: Lionikas Arimantas , Hernandez Cordero Ana I. , Kilikevicius Audrius , Carroll Andrew M. , Bewick Guy S. , Bunger Lutz , Ratkevicius Aivaras , Heisler Lora K. , Harboe Mette , Oxvig Claus
Published: August 2023

Aims

Stanniocalcin‐2 (STC2) has recently been implicated in human muscle mass variability by genetic analysis. Biochemically, STC2 inhibits the proteolytic activity of the metalloproteinase PAPP‐A, which promotes muscle growth by upregulating the insulin‐like growth factor (IGF) axis. The aim was to examine if STC2 affects skeletal muscle mass and to assess how the IGF axis mediates muscle hypertrophy induced by functional overload.

Methods

We compared muscle mass and muscle fiber morphology between Stc2−/− (n = 21) and wild‐type (n = 15) mice. We then quantified IGF1, IGF2, IGF binding proteins −4 and −5 (IGFBP‐4, IGFBP‐5), PAPP‐A and STC2 in plantaris muscles of wild‐type mice subjected to 4‐week unilateral overload (n = 14).

Results

Stc2−/− mice showed up to 10% larger muscle mass compared with wild‐type mice. This increase was mediated by greater cross‐sectional area of muscle fibers. Overload increased plantaris mass and components of the IGF axis, including quantities of IGF1 (by 2.41‐fold, p = 0.0117), IGF2 (1.70‐fold, p = 0.0461), IGFBP‐4 (1.48‐fold, p = 0.0268), PAPP‐A (1.30‐fold, p = 0.0154) and STC2 (1.28‐fold, p = 0.019).

Conclusion

Here we provide evidence that STC2 is an inhibitor of muscle growth upregulated, along with other components of the IGF axis, during overload‐induced muscle hypertrophy.
Birth-related soft tissue injury due to transverse malpresentation at delivery: a case report
Authors: Rohaert Celine , Poleij Anne , Quispel Chantal , de Jong Miranda , Ciet Pierluigi , Cassel Florian
Published: August 2023

Objectives

Birth-related mechanical trauma to the newborn is an important issue and may be underestimated [Chaturvedi A, Chaturvedi A, Stanescu AL, Blickman JG, Meyers SP. Mechanical birth-related trauma to the neonate: an imaging perspective. Insights Imag 2018;9:103–18]. Risk factors for birth-related injuries include vacuum or forceps delivery, large size for gestational age and abnormal presentation before delivery [Gupta R, Cabacungan ET. Neonatal birth trauma: analysis of yearly trends, risk factors, and outcomes. J Pediatr 2021;238:174–80]. When a newborn has a soft tissue mass, there is a wide range of potential diagnoses, ranging from benign traumatic origins to aggressive phenotypes of malignant tumors [Thacker M. Benign soft tissue tumors in children. Orthop Clin N Am 2014;44:433–44]. Diagnosing a congenital tumor in a newborn creates uncertainty for parents and health care providers. Accurate imaging is crucial for distinguishing soft tissue mass origins.

Case presentation

A 32 weeks 6 days pregnant Caucasian woman was admitted after premature prelabor rupture of membranes (PPROM). Fetal ultrasound showed no abnormalities, the infant was born by a caesarean section. The delivery was complicated by the infant’s transverse position. A female infant was born with a large left-sided dorsal soft tissue mass at the thoracic level with elastic consistency, and multiple skin lacerations. A broad differential diagnosis was made. Additional imaging was suggestive for a posttraumatic swelling due to transverse position during birth. The mass decreased and disappeared over three days.

Conclusions

The diagnosis of a soft tissue mass in a newborn can be challenging. A birth-related trauma affecting the soft tissue should be considered, especially if prenatal ultrasound findings were normal. Malpresentation during birth is a significant risk factor. Accurate diagnostic imaging is important to do before conducting further diagnostic examinations. The time course of the mass, before and after birth, can aid in determining its origin.
Lexical complexity in exemplar EFL texts: towards text adaptation for 12 grades of basic English curriculum in China
Authors: Su Yanfang , Liu Kanglong , Liu Fengkai , Lee John , Jin Tan
Published: August 2023

Lexical complexity has been a key consideration of teaching preparation in determining grade appropriateness of teaching materials. However, the lack of quantified and defined standards for benchmarking lexical complexity has made it difficult for teachers when adapting source texts to target learners. This study has assessed quantitative differences in lexical complexity of exemplar texts at different points of schooling using a range of lexical diversity and sophistication features. The data consists of 2,372 texts from popular curriculum packages adopted from 1 to 12 grades of the English curriculum in China. One-way ANOVAs revealed significant differences in 16 out of 17 lexical complexity indices among different grades. Subsequent post hoc tests identified three lexical diversity features and four sophistication features that helped to differentiate exemplar texts across these 12 grades. These findings on the nature and role of lexical complexity have yielded new insights into the establishment of grade-level benchmarks for material preparation.
What Does the German Minimum Wage Do? The Impact of the Introduction of the Statutory Minimum Wage on the Composition of Low- and Minimum-Wage Labour
Authors: Dütsch Matthias , Altun Orkun , Grundmann Luisa , Himmelreicher Ralf
Published: August 2023

In this article, we examine structural changes in minimum wage and low wage labor following the introduction and first increase of the German minimum wage. Changes in the impact that workers face earning gross hourly wages below the minimum-wage or low-wage thresholds are identified by comparing individual, company and sectoral characteristics based on the Structure of Earnings Surveys (SESs) 2014 and 2018. The SES is a mandatory survey of companies that provides information on wages and working hours for approximately 1 million jobs and nearly 70,000 companies across all industries. Using these rich data, we present the first systematic analysis of how structural changes in individual-, company-, and industry-level determinants affect minimum- and low-wage workers. Using descriptive analysis, we first summarize the changing pattern in jobs, companies, and industries after the introduction of minimum wage. Second, we use random intercept-only models to estimate the explanatory power at the individual, company, and industry levels in 2014 and 2018. Third, we perform logistic and linear regression estimations to assess the changing trends in having a minimum- or low-wage job and the distance between a worker’s actual earnings and the minimum- and low-wage thresholds. We conclude that the minimum wage had an elevator effect on minimum wage labor. However, compositional effects regarding the minimum-wage and low-wage workforce were evident in terms of individual and company factors. There was a selective redistribution of minimum wage employees into slightly higher wage ranges. Furthermore, convergence seems to have occurred predominantly among sectors, as their explanatory power for lower wages declined.
Embedding Inclusive, Equitable Diversity Practices in Nonprofit Organizations: Developing Policy to Account for System Dynamics
Authors: Bernstein Ruth Sessler , Salipante Paul
Published: August 2023

To offer guidance to nonprofit leaders desiring to leverage diversity for inclusion, performance, and equity, we develop a framework for a comprehensive, mission-enhancing policy. The policy fits nonprofit organizations’ distinctive characteristics of shared mission attainment and values focus among members. The framework proceeds from an extensive transdisciplinary review and synthesis of empirical literature. It focuses on lived actions in the form of organizing practices that leaders can institute and sustain. Through a combined lens of practice theory, intergroup contact theory, and systems dynamics, we identify everyday workplace practices that undermine inclusion, performance, and equity. We detail how these anti-inclusive practices produce systemic resistance to current diversity policies by operating in vicious cycles that continually reproduce organizational and social problems. We specify a combination of practices for accountability, inclusive interactions, and personalized socialization that address the anti-inclusive practices and produce virtuous cycles of inclusion among organizational members. Illustrative cases demonstrate how the combination of practices has been effective in producing inclusion and attitude change in nonprofit organizations. To overcome policy resistance, these cases and other evidence suggest nonprofit diversity policy should emphasize inclusive values and mission-attainment rather than legal compliance.
Research progresses on the effects of heavy metals on the circadian clock system
Authors: Xue Qian , Wang Rui , Zhu-ge Ruijian , Guo Li
Published: August 2023

Environmental pollution with heavy metals is widespread, thus increasing attention has been paid to their toxic effects. Recent studies have suggested that heavy metals may influence the expression of circadian clock genes. Almost all organs and tissues exhibit circadian rhythms. The normal circadian rhythm of an organism is maintained by the central and peripheral circadian clock. Thus, circadian rhythm disorders perturb normal physiological processes. Here, we review the effects of heavy metals, including manganese, copper, cadmium, and lead, on four core circadian clock genes, i.e., ARNTL, CLOCK, PER, and CRY genes.
Land Titling and Sustainable Agricultural Practices in Vietnam
Authors: Nguyen My
Published: August 2023

This study quantifies the less salient yet important impacts of land titling on the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices (SAPs) in the context of Vietnam. Exploiting the within-plot variation in titling status, we find that land titling is positively associated with the implementation of SAPs. Specifically, being given formal titles to land makes Vietnamese rural households 6.58, 3.65, and 1.97 percentage points more likely to invest in soil-water conservation, adopt crop rotation, and leave the land fallow, respectively. These estimates represent increases of 8.7, 20.9, and 2 % compared to the sample averages, respectively. Given the substantial stress on the agricultural system generated by conventional farming, raising the adoption of SAPs could improve food security and alleviate hunger. Our findings also imply that strengthening land property rights through land titling can help us achieve sustainable development goals. The study calls for intensified policy efforts to make sure that formal land use certificates are issued for all farmlands.
The Impact of the Tax Reduction on Fuel Prices in Germany – A Synthetic Difference-in-Differences Approach
Authors: Bernhardt Lea , Breiderhoff Xenia , Dewenter Ralf
Published: August 2023

We analyse the impact of the temporary tax reduction on diesel and gasoline prices from June to the end of August 2022 in Germany. By implementing a synthetic difference-in-differences approach with different baskets of European countries, we find a significant reduction in prices by 33.8–34.4 cents per litre for gasoline and 12.2–14.6 cents per litre for diesel. These results are robust to variations of countries as well as different time periods analysed. Therefore, we conclude that the temporary reduction of the tax rate on gasoline and diesel was passed through to consumers by rates of 97 %–99 % for gasoline and 75 %–86 % for diesel, respectively. However, these pass-on rates do not imply a high level of competition. On the contrary, an increase in prices before the introduction of the tax cut and an increase before the end of the discount tend to indicate less intense competition.
Non-Linear Impact of Public Debt on Inflation in Rwanda
Authors: Saungweme Talknice , Maluleke Glenda , Odhiambo Nicholas M.
Published: August 2023

This paper examines Rwanda’s debt-inflation dynamics and the asymmetric effect of government debt on inflation using time series data spanning the years 1980–2021. The study applied a battery of tests to examine the debt-inflation linkage in this country, including the bounds F-test for cointegration, the Brock-Dechert-Scheinkman (BDS) nonlinearity test, the Wald test for asymmetries and the nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag (NARDL) model for short run and long run asymmetric impact. The results of the NARDL bounds F-test for cointegration support a long-run nonlinear link between public debt and inflation in Rwanda. The findings of the BDS test reveal that the series is nonlinear in all dimensions, whereas the results of the Wald test show that public debt has an asymmetric impact on inflation, regardless of the timescale considered. The NARDL findings show that while a rise in public debt tends to be inflationary in the short run, a decline in public debt typically leads to a decrease in inflation in the long run. The study also demonstrates that inflation responds more rapidly and strongly to positive than negative shocks in public debt. The country should think about continuous enforcement of fiscal consolidation measures and reforms, as well as implementing economic growth-friendly policies to reduce debt increases in the short run. This will induce a decline in inflation and enhance macroeconomic stability in the long run.
How Does Takeover Competition Affect the Stock Performance of Targets and Acquirers? Evidence from the European Union
Authors: Kellner Tobias , Maltritz Dominik
Published: August 2023

We examine the impact of M&A announcements on stock prices of targets and acquirers in the European Union from 2002 to 2021. In line with the literature, we find strong positive returns for the target firms’ stocks, whereas returns are low or insignificant for the acquirers. We contribute to the literature by focusing on the effect of takeover competition and distinguishing between the returns of first and later bids. Accordingly, we confirm strong relationships between subsequent offers and target firms’ stock returns. These returns increase if a second order is made and if the premium related to the second offer is higher.
Powers that Reside in Communication
Authors: Thalos Mariam
Published: August 2023

Is it possible to measure a people’s capacity for containing the ambitions of any regime at its helm—its ability to resist the power of a tyrant? We begin here from the premise that this power has to be in proportion to individuals’ capacity (both individually and in groups) for communicating, at least among themselves, dissatisfaction with the regime. As the paper subsequently shows, by articulating an ontology of information diffusion on a communication network structure, it is possible to take some stock of the features of a communications network that facilitate resistance to tyranny (among other things), and so to begin answering questions about the sort of power that people living within them might be able to mobilize, while not yet answering outright the question of how to measure the power to resist.
A COVID-19 Roadmap to Promote Health Literacy Derived from the Atlas of Science Literacy
Authors: Zamalloa Teresa , Achurra Ainara , Berreteaga Ana
Published: August 2023

Currently, the world needs health-literate citizens who are able to make informed decisions about COVID-19 and other diseases. Here, we propose a COVID-19 roadmap consisting of four commented maps about infection, diagnosis, defense, treatment, and prevention. We built the maps based on those from the Atlas of Science Literacy following a qualitative methodology. Main ideas about health linked to COVID-19 and how they relate to each other can be visualized in the maps in an organized structure and according to K-levels. The maps are accompanied by a text that relates the health ideas to the COVID-19 disease. This tool can be used to promote health education and, ultimately, health literacy through the teaching and learning of COVID-19.
Reasons for Caution When Genotyping Students
Authors: Bailey Maia , Sherman Natasha
Published: August 2023

Genotyping real alleles in real people is an excellent way to connect abstract genetics concepts to human variation in the classroom; however, these activities can inadvertently promote misconceptions of the power of genetics to determine individual and group traits. By analyzing our own and others’ experiences of genotyping activities in the classroom, we illustrate the types of problems encountered and propose solutions. We find that genotyping activities can be an effective learning experience for genetics students when instructors use a nuanced approach to these activities emphasizing the predictive utility of genotyping, avoiding racializing or differentially valuing genotypes, and promoting good communication in the classroom.
The Larval Plate Assay
Authors: Ronad Anupama , Vartak Rekha
Published: August 2023

The larval plate test has been used by researchers as a choice test to study the response of terrestrial larvae to various external cues. We describe here a laboratory exercise using third instar larvae of wild-type Drosophila to study the response toward multiple cues including olfactory as well as physical environmental cues such as light. The experiment can be easily carried out in an undergraduate lab and does not require any sophisticated instruments or equipment. The results of a series of experiments indicate the extent of response that each of the cue generates relative to the other. The highlight of the article however is the pre-lab discussion that can be done with students by putting forth various possible designs followed by discussion regarding the benefits and/or errors that could creep into the results obtained by using a particular design. Such a discussion would prove to be helpful in enhancing student understanding of experimental design, especially in designing experiments in animal behavior. The article also includes an extended theoretical problem set that can be used by facilitators in an undergraduate classroom activity.
Global entropy and behavioral responses of economic agents in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors:   Odessa National Polytechnic University, Bavyko Oleksandr , Bavyko Olena ,   Odessa National Polytechnic University
Published: August 2023

The shock increase in global entropy is caused by the lack of reliable information about the factors that determine the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis of correlations indicates a significant weakening of the relationship between the number of infected and deaths, as well as the dynamics of economic activity, which began to recover in July-August 2020. There is a direct relationship between the level of information uncertainty and the economic activity of agents. The lack of information about the COVID-19 pandemic is offset by the formation of an information space for forecasts and scenarios that formed the overall picture of process controllability. At different stages of the pandemic the behavioral reactions of economic agents are represented by: ignoring the danger of a pandemic; an attempt to protect your economic system from changes; using traditional stabilization methods; the formation of a strategic approach to the organization of economic activity.