bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pregnancy Outcomes in Secondary Infertility for Women with versus without Cesarean Scar Defect
Authors: Tran Van T. T. , Ho Vu N. A. , Pham Toan D. , Nguyen Nam T. , Hoang Hieu L. T. , Nguyen Duy L. , Ho Tuong M. , Vuong Lan N.
Published: July 2023

Background: This study investigated pregnancy outcomes after expectant management and infertility treatment in women with secondary infertility, with and without cesarean scar defect (CSD).

Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted at IVFMD, My Duc Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Women aged [Formula: see text]18 years with at least one previous cesarean section were eligible. Women who had any uterine malformation, leiomyoma, adenomyosis, and myometrial surgery (except for cesarean section or previous CSD repair) were excluded. Patients were followed up for 15 months. The primary outcome was the cumulative live birth rate.

Results: A total of 340 women were included between October 2020 and March 2021. The cumulative live birth rate did not differ significantly between women with and without CSD (odds ratio 0.76; 95% confidence interval 0.47–1.22; [Formula: see text] = 0.256). In patients with CSD, only 6/117 (5%) had obstetrics complications, such as placenta previa and postpartum hemorrhage.

Conclusions: These data indicate that CSD does not appear to have a significant detrimental effect on pregnancy outcomes in our cohort of patients. This information is useful to help physicians to counsel women with secondary infertility and CSD.
Synthesis, Characterization, Density Functional Theory, Monte Carlo, and Molecular Dynamics Simulations of [Ni(Ii)(Tpy)2] Metal Organic Framework and Congo Red Dye Application
Authors: Olawale Margaret D. , Akintemi Eric O. , Ojo Nathanael D. , Isaac Aaron Y. , Su Hong , Obaleye Joshua A.
Published: July 2023

Effluents from dyeing companies are a major polluter of the environment and water bodies. An estimated 70 tons of dye are generated globally each year, with more than one-third of this amount lost to the environment. To combat this issue, novel chemical compounds that are more efficient than existing ones are proposed. The soft synthetic approach was used to create [Ni(II)(Tpy)2] MOF by reacting nickel nitrate with terpyridine (Tpy). The melting point of the MOF was determined, as well as the EA, HSM, TGA, PXRD, and X-ray crystallographic studies. The MOF results support the synthesis and coordination of the nickel (II) ion with the two Tpy molecules. In application, [Ni(II)(Tpy)2] MOF was utilized to study the adsorption of Congo red. After 30 min of adsorption time, 1 g of [Ni(II)(Tpy)2] MOF adsorbed a high amount of Congo red (138.26 mg) at [Formula: see text]C and a pH of 2. When compared to other isotherms, the Langmuir isotherm provided the best fit. Adsorption kinetics demonstrating electrostatic interaction between MOF and Congo red might be interpreted using the pseudo-second-order model.

Density functional theory, Monte Carlo, and molecular dynamics simulations of the [Ni(II)(Tpy)2] MOF over Congo red dye were computed. Density functional theory calculations provide insights into the reactivity of the novel [Ni(II)(Tpy)2] MOF by furnishing chemical reactivity parameters that explain the interactions and adsorption processes between the [Ni(II)(Tpy)2] MOF and Congo red. The quantum mechanical calculations provide data for an insightful understanding of the reactivity of the MOF and its high adsorption on the Congo red surface. Low band gaps (1.40 and 1.43 eV in the gas phase and water, respectively) obtained for the [Ni(II)(Tpy)2] MOF suggest that this will make an extrinsic semiconductor with high electrical conductivity. Thus, it would readily interact with and be adsorbed on the Congo red.
BISDU: A Bit-Serial Dot-Product Unit for Microcontrollers
Authors: Metz David , Kumar Vineet , Själander Magnus
Published: July 2023

Low-precision quantized neural networks (QNNs) reduce the required memory space, bandwidth, and computational power, and hence are suitable for deployment in applications such as IoT edge devices. Mixed-precision QNNs, where weights commonly have lower precision than activations or different precision is used for different layers, can limit the accuracy loss caused by low-bit quantization, while still benefiting from reduced memory footprint and faster execution. Previous multiple-precision functional units supporting 8-bit, 4-bit, and 2-bit SIMD instructions have limitations, such as large area overhead, under-utilization of multipliers, and wasted memory space for low and mixed bit-width operations.

This article introduces BISDU, a bit-serial dot-product unit to support and accelerate execution of mixed-precision low-bit QNNs on resource-constrained microcontrollers. BISDU is a multiplier-less dot-product unit, with frugal hardware requirements (a population count unit and 2:1 multiplexers). The proposed bit-serial dot-product unit leverages the conventional logical operations of a microcontroller to perform multiplications, which enables efficient software implementations of binary (
Xnor
), ternary (
Xor
), and mixed-precision [W×A] (
And
) dot-product operations.

The experimental results show that BISDU achieves competitive performance compared to two state-of-the-art units, XpulpNN and Dustin, when executing low-bit-width CNNs. We demonstrate the advantage that bit-serial execution provides by enabling trading accuracy against weight footprint and execution time. BISDU increases the area of the ALU by 68% and the ALU power consumption by 42% compared to a baseline 32-bit RISC-V (RV32IC) microcontroller core. In comparison, XpulpNN and Dustin increase the area by 6.9× and 11.1× and the power consumption by 3.8× and 5.97×, respectively. The bit-serial state-of-the-art, based on a conventional popcount instruction, increases the area by 42% and power by 32%, with BISDU providing a 37% speedup over it.
A Dynamic Attributes-driven Graph Attention Network Modeling on Behavioral Finance for Stock Prediction
Authors: Zhang Qiuyue , Zhang Yunfeng , Yao Xunxiang , Li Shilong , Zhang Caiming , Liu Peide
Published: July 2023

Stock prediction is a challenging task due to multiple influencing factors and complex market dependencies. Traditional solutions are based on a single type of information. With the success of multi-source information in different fields, the combination of different types of information such as numerical and textual information has become a promising option.

Although multi-source information provides rich multi-view information, how to mine and construct structured relationships from them is a difficult problem. Specifically, most existing methods usually extract features from commonly used multi-source information as predictive information sources, without further pre-constructing stock relationship graphs with dependencies using broader information. More importantly, they typically treat each stock as an isolated forecasting, or employ stock market correlations based on a fixed predefined graph structure, but current methods are not sensitive enough to aggregate the attribute features extracted from multi-source information and stock relationship graph, to obtain the dynamic update of market relations and relationship strength. The stock market is highly temporally, and the attributes of nodes are affected by the time perception of other attributes, which is not fully considered.

To address these problems, we propose a novel dynamic attributes-driven graph attention networks incorporating sentiment (DGATS) information, transaction data, and text data. Inspired by behavioral finance, we separately extract sentiment information as a factor of technical indicators, and further realize the early fusion of technical indicators and textual data through Kronecker product-based tensor fusion. In particular, by LSTM and temporal attention network, the short-term and long-term transition features are gradually grasped from the local composition of the fused stock trading sequence. Furthermore, real-time intra-market dependencies and key attributes information are captured with graph networks, enabling dynamic updates of relationships and relationship strengths in predefined graphs. Experiments on the real datasets show that the architecture can outperform the previous methods in prediction performance.
Targeting the Immunoglobulin IGSF9 Enhances Antitumor T-cell Activity and Sensitivity to Anti–PD-1 Immunotherapy
Authors: Liu Yifan , Wang Hongying , Zhao Xinyu , Zhang Jiashen , Zhao Zhiling , Lian Xia , Zhang Juan , Kong Feng , Hu Tao , Wang Ting , Li Xiaohua , Wang Lei , Wang Dapeng , Li Chunling , Luan Huiwen , Liu Xiaoli , Wang Chunyan , Jiang Yun , Li Xiaomin , Li Fangmin , Ji Shuhao , Wang Yaopeng , Li Zunling
Published: July 2023

Immune checkpoints modulate the immune response and represent important immunotherapy targets for cancer treatment. However, as many tumors are resistant to current immune checkpoint inhibitors, the discovery of novel immune checkpoints could facilitate the development of additional immunotherapeutic strategies to improve patient responses. Here, we identified increased expression of the adhesion molecule immunoglobulin superfamily member 9 (IGSF9) in tumor cells and tumor-infiltrating immune cells across multiple cancer types. IGSF9 overexpression or knockout in tumor cells did not alter cell proliferation in vitro or tumor growth in immunocompromised mice. Alternatively, IGSF9 deficient tumor cells lost the ability to suppress T-cell proliferation and exhibited reduced growth in immunocompetent mice. Similarly, growth of tumor cells was reduced in IGSF9 knockout syngeneic and humanized mice, accompanied by increased tumor-infiltrating T cells. Mechanistically, the extracellular domain (ECD) of IGSF9 bound to T cells and inhibited their proliferation and activation, and the tumor-promoting effect of IGSF9 ECD was reversed by CD3+ T-cell depletion. Anti-IGSF9 antibody treatment inhibited tumor growth and enhanced the antitumor efficacy of anti-programmed cell death protein 1 immunotherapy. Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed tumor microenvironment remodeling from tumor promoting to tumor suppressive following anti-IGSF9 treatment. Together, these results indicate that IGSF9 promotes tumor immune evasion and is a candidate immune checkpoint target.

Significance:

IGSF9 is an immune checkpoint regulator that suppresses T-cell activation in cancer and can be targeted to stimulate antitumor immunity and inhibit tumor growth.
The Critical Interplay of CAF Plasticity and Resistance in Prostate Cancer
Authors: Li Xiaoling , Mu Ping
Published: July 2023

Prostate cancer is a common malignancy driven by the androgen receptor (AR) pathway, with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) being a standard treatment. However, the development of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) poses a significant challenge. CRPC is characterized by significantly increased tumor heterogeneity and lineage plasticity. Current research has primarily emphasized intrinsic tumor mechanisms, paying less attention to the role of the tumor microenvironment in cancer recurrence and drug resistance. In their recent study published in Cancer Cell, Wang and colleagues used single-cell RNA sequencing in genetically engineered mouse models with prostate tumors at different stages. They revealed that SPP1+ myofibroblastic cancer-associated fibroblasts (myCAF), induced by ADT, play an instrumental role in CRPC development. Their work also underscores the association between therapy-induced phenotypic alterations of CAFs and disease progression. This discovery highlights the potential for stromal compartment targeting as a means to mitigate CRPC development and overcome treatment resistance.
A Genomic Analysis of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Eastern Africa
Authors: Van Loon Katherine , Mmbaga Elia J. , Mushi Beatrice P. , Selekwa Msiba , Mwanga Ally , Akoko Larry O. , Mwaiselage Julius , Mosha Innocent , Ng Dianna L. , Wu Wei , Silverstein Jordyn , Mulima Gift , Kaimila Bongani , Gopal Satish , Snell Jeff M. , Benz Stephen Charles , Vaske Charles , Sanborn Zack , Sedgewick Andrew J. , Radenbaugh Amie , Newton Yulia , Collisson Eric A.
Published: July 2023

Background:

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) comprises 90% of all esophageal cancer cases globally and is the most common histology in low-resource settings. Eastern Africa has a disproportionately high incidence of ESCC.

Methods:

We describe the genomic profiles of 61 ESCC cases from Tanzania and compare them to profiles from an existing cohort of ESCC cases from Malawi. We also provide a comparison to ESCC tumors in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA).

Results:

We observed substantial transcriptional overlap with other squamous histologies via comparison with TCGA PanCan dataset. DNA analysis revealed known mutational patterns, both genome-wide as well as in genes known to be commonly mutated in ESCC. TP53 mutations were the most common somatic mutation in tumors from both Tanzania and Malawi but were detected at lower frequencies than previously reported in ESCC cases from other settings. In a combined analysis, two unique transcriptional clusters were identified: a proliferative/epithelial cluster and an invasive/migrative/mesenchymal cluster. Mutational signature analysis of the Tanzanian cohort revealed common signatures associated with aging and cytidine deaminase activity (APOBEC) and an absence of signature 29, which was previously reported in the Malawi cohort.

Conclusions:

This study defines the molecular characteristics of ESCC in Tanzania, and enriches the Eastern African dataset, with findings of overall similarities but also some heterogeneity across two unique sites.

Impact:

Despite a high burden of ESCC in Eastern Africa, investigations into the genomics in this region are nascent. This represents the largest comprehensive genomic analysis ESCC from sub-Saharan Africa to date.
Changes in Geographic Variation and Socioeconomic Inequalities in Esophageal Cancer Mortality in China, 1973–2017
Authors: Ran Xianhui , Zheng Rongshou , Zeng Hongmei , Zhang Siwei , Sun Kexin , Han Bingfeng , Wang Shaoming , Chen Ru , Li Li , Wei Wenqiang , He Jie
Published: July 2023

Background:

Geographic variability in esophageal cancer has been reported in China, but data are lacking at the local level. We aimed to investigate changes in disparities in esophageal cancer–related mortality among Chinese counties and whether county-level socioeconomic status was associated with this variation.

Methods:

We used data from a nationwide survey and population-based cancer registries to calculate esophageal cancer–related mortality rates for 782 Chinese counties for the periods of 1973–1975 and 2015–2017. We performed hotspot analysis to identify spatial clusters. We used a multivariable negative binomial regression model to estimate the associations between county-level socioeconomic factors and mortality.

Results:

From 1973–1975 to 2015–2017, the age-standardized esophageal cancer–related mortality rate decreased from 27 to 8 per 100,000 person-years in China. By county, 577 (74%) of 782 counties experienced decreasing mortality. Geographic disparities in mortality substantially narrowed, with the gap in mortality rates between 90th and 10th percentile counties decreasing from 55 per 100,000 person-years in 1973–1975 to 16 in 2015–2017. However, clusters of elevated rates persisted across north-central China. Rurality [adjusted mortality rate ratio (MRR) 1.15; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.10–1.21], per capita gross domestic product (adjusted MRR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.91–0.98), and percentage of people with a high-school diploma (adjusted MRR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.84–0.87) in a county were significantly associated esophageal cancer–related mortality rates.

Conclusions:

China has made substantial progress in reducing esophageal cancer–related mortality and disparities, but the intercounty differences remain large.

Impact:

Continued efforts are needed to address the geographical and socioeconomic disparities in esophageal cancer.
O gênero Vibrio: conceitos atuais e novas perspectivas
Authors: Canellas Anna Luiza Bauer , Lopes Isabelle Rodrigues , Oliveira Bruno Francesco Rodrigues de , Laport Marinella Silva
Published: July 2023

O gênero Vibrio é um grupo bacteriano extremamente versátil. Seus membros são amplamente distribuídos em ambientes aquáticos, sendo a maioria não patogênica. Contudo, algumas espécies são patógenos de humanos e animais, causando impactos significativos na saúde pública e economia. Recentemente, o estudo dessas bactérias vem ganhando mais destaque, constituindo a área central de pesquisas em diversas áreas da Microbiologia. Nesse sentido, estudos buscam investigar sua patogenicidade, perfil de susceptibilidade aos antimicrobianos, potencialidades biotecnológicas e suas interações com fatores ambientais, sendo este último de notável relevância no contexto das mudanças climáticas. Assim, o presente trabalho objetiva fornecer uma revisão atualizada a respeito do gênero Vibrio, evidenciando sua relevância no contexto ambiental e clínico e indicando potenciais áreas para futuros estudos.
EXACT Trial: Results of the Phase 1 Dose-Escalation Study
Authors: Povsic Thomas J. , Henry Timothy D. , Traverse Jay H. , Anderson R. David , Answini Geoffrey A. , Sun Benjamin C. , Arnaoutakis George J. , Boudoulas Konstantinos D. , Williams Adam R. , Dittrich Howard C. , Tarka Elizabeth A. , Latter David A. , Ohman E. Magnus , Peterson Mark W. , Byrnes Dawn , Pepine Carl J. , DiCarli Marcelo F. , Crystal Ronald G. , Rosengart Todd K. , Mokadam Nahush A.
Published: July 2023

BACKGROUND:

New therapies are needed for patients with refractory angina. Encoberminogene rezmadenovec (XC001), a novel adenoviral-5 vector coding for all 3 major isoforms of VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor), demonstrated enhanced local angiogenesis in preclinical models; however, the maximal tolerated dose and safety of direct epicardial administration remain unknown.

METHODS:

In the phase 1 portion of this multicenter, open-label, single-arm, dose-escalation study, patients with refractory angina received increasing doses of encoberminogene rezmadenovec (1×10
9
, 1×10
10
, 4×10
10
, and 1×10
11
viral particles) to evaluate its safety, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy. Patients had class II to IV angina on maximally tolerated medical therapy, demonstrable ischemia on stress testing, and were angina-limited on exercise treadmill testing. Patients underwent minithoracotomy with epicardial delivery of 15 0.1-mL injections of encoberminogene rezmadenovec. The primary outcome was safety via adverse event monitoring over 6 months. Efficacy assessments included difference from baseline to months 3, 6 (primary), and 12 in total exercise duration, myocardial perfusion deficit using positron emission tomography, angina class, angina frequency, and quality of life.

RESULTS:

From June 2, 2020 to June 25, 2021, 12 patients were enrolled into 4 dosing cohorts with 1×10
11
viral particle as the highest planned dose. Seventeen serious adverse events were reported in 7 patients; none were related to study drug. Six serious adverse events in 4 patients were related to the thoracotomy, 3 non–serious adverse events were possibly related to study drug. The 2 lowest doses did not demonstrate improvements in total exercise duration, myocardial perfusion deficit, or angina frequency; however, there appeared to be improvements in all parameters with the 2 higher doses.

CONCLUSIONS:

Epicardial delivery of encoberminogene rezmadenovec via minithoracotomy is feasible, and up to 1×10
11
viral particle appears well tolerated. A dose response was observed across 4 dosing cohorts in total exercise duration, myocardial perfusion deficit, and angina class. The highest dose (1×10
11
viral particle) was carried forward into phase 2.

REGISTRATION:

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique identifier: NCT04125732.
Genus-level revision of the Heterozerconoidea (Parasitiformes: Mesostigmata)
Authors: KLOMPEN HANS , GERDEMAN BEVERLY S.
Published: July 2023

The genera of Heterozerconoidea are revised based on a species-level analysis of relationships in the group. The family Discozerconidae in its current state may be paraphyletic. Diagnoses for the genera are updated, and a catalog of all described species is provided. As part of this re-analysis two new genera, Amyzozercon and Ecuazercon, and four new species are described, and a key to the genera is provided. Possible evolutionary implications of the proposed set of relationships in terms of biogeography and the evolution of podospermy are discussed.
Evaluation of Reanalysis Estimates of Precipitation, Radiation, and Temperature over Benin (West Africa)
Authors: Bodjrenou René , Cohard Jean-Martial , Hector Basile , Lawin Emmanuel Agnidé , Chagnaud Guillaume , Danso Derrick Kwadwo , N’tcha M’po Yekambessoun , Badou Félicien , Ahamide Bernard
Published: July 2023

In West Africa, climatic data issues, especially availability and quality, remain a significant constraint to the development and application of distributed hydrological modeling. As alternatives to ground-based observations, reanalysis products have received increasing attention in recent years. This study aims to evaluate three reanalysis products, namely, ERA5, Water and Global Change (WATCH) Forcing Data (WFD) ERA5 (WFDE5), and MERRA-2, from 1981 to 2019 to determine their ability to represent four hydrological climates variables over a range of space and time scales in Benin. The variables from the reanalysis products are compared with point station databased metrics Kling–Gupta efficiency (KGE), mean absolute error (MAE), correlation, and relative error in precipitation annual (REPA). The results show that ERA5 presents a better correlation for annual mean temperature (between 0.74 and 0.90) than do WFDE5 (0.63–0.78) and MERRA-2 (0.25–0.65). Both ERA5 and WFDE5 are able to reproduce the observed upward trend of temperature (0.2°C decade−1) in the region. We noted a systematic cold bias of ∼1.3°C in all reanalyses except WFDE5 (∼0.1°C). On the monthly time scale, the temperature of the region is better reproduced by ERA5 and WFDE5 (KGE ≥ 0.80) than by MERRA-2 (KGE < 0.5). At all time scales, WFDE5 produces the best MAE scores for longwave (LW) and shortwave (SW) radiation, followed by ERA5. WFDE5 also provides the best estimates for the annual precipitation (REPA ∈ ]−25, 25[ and KGE ≥ 50% at most stations). ERA5 produces similar results, but MERRA-2 performs poorly in all the metrics. In addition, ERA5 and WFDE5 reproduce the bimodal rainfall regime in southern Benin, unlike MERRA-2, but all products have too many small rainfall events.
Constitutional Democracy: Changing Role of People-centric Administration
Authors: Puri Vivek
Published: July 2023

The people’s participation or Jan Bhagidari symbolises the essence of democracy. It not only strengthens the country’s democratic system but can set a global precedent as to how the contribution of every single citizen can make a nation a robust global leader. This article assesses the significance of the Constitution, democracy and the idea of constitutional democracy and the role of citizen-centred governance. It illuminates the changing role of people-centric administration, and the initiatives taken to amplify the citizen-centric approach to further reinforce the confidence and conviction of the people in the nation-building process, which is a vital component of good governance. Moreover, the article conveys a suitable way forward to make administration more citizen-centric by putting the best foot forward, while justifying democracy in its true sense as a paradigm shift to the ideal of Minimum Government–Maximum Governance.
Extended state observer–based improved non-singular fast terminal sliding mode for mobile manipulators
Authors: Algrnaodi Mhmed , Saad Maarouf , Saad Mohamad , Fareh Raouf , Kali Yassine
Published: July 2023

The robust non-singular fast terminal sliding mode (NFTSM) controller is adopted in this work to solve the problem of tracking trajectory of a mobile manipulator (MM) suffering from uncertainties. The NFTSM method has the capability to ensure convergence rate and to provide good tracking accuracy and robustness against external perturbations and parameter uncertainties (total disturbances). However, the NFTSM controller needs high discontinuous gain to reject the effect of strong disturbances, which results in vibrations in the steady-state and chattering in the control law. To solve these issues, an extended state observer–based NFTSM technique is proposed for [Formula: see text]-degree of freedom (DoF) coupling MM. The proposed method is designed to approximate and compensate in real-time the uncertainties. It also ensures robustness against total disturbances, good convergence rate, and good tracking accuracy. The stability of the proposed control is also verified based on the Lyapunov theory. Experimental works are conducted on a 5-degree-of-freedom (5-DoF) MM where the results obtained demonstrate the effectiveness of the developed technique and prove the stability of the closed-loop system.
Body mass index is not associated with time on veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation or in-hospital mortality
Authors: Roden-Foreman Jordin S. , Foreman Michael L. , Monday Kara , Lingle Kaitlyn , Blough Britton , Safa Mohamad M. , Schwartz Gary
Published: July 2023

Morbid obesity, as characterized by BMI, is often utilized as an exclusion criterion for VV-ECMO because of presumed poor prognosis and technically complex cannulation. However, the “obesity paradox” suggests obesity may be protective during critical illness, and BMI does not capture variations in body type, adiposity, or fluid balance. This study examines relationships between BMI and patient outcomes. Adult VV-ECMO patients with BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2 admitted January 2012 to June 2021 were identified from an institutional registry. BMI and outcomes were analyzed with Mann-Whitney U tests and Pearson correlations with Bayesian post-hoc analyses. 116 of 960 ECMO patients met inclusion criteria. Median (Q1, Q3) BMI was 42.3 (37.3, 50.8) and min, max of 35.0, 87.8 with 9.0 (5.0, 15.5) ECMO days. BMI was not significantly correlated with ECMO days (r = −0.102; p = .279). Bayesian analyses showed moderate evidence against BMI correlating with ECMO days. In-hospital mortality (27%) was significantly associated with ECMO days ( p = .014) but not BMI ( p = .485). In this cohort of high-BMI patients, BMI was not associated with survival or time on ECMO. BMI itself should not be used as an exclusion criterion for VV-ECMO.
Penehyclidine hydrochloride protects against lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury by promoting the PI3K/Akt pathway
Authors: Weng Junting , Liu Danjuan , Shi Bingbing , Chen Min , Weng Shuoyun , Guo Rongjie , Fu Chunjin
Published: July 2023

Introduction

Acute lung injury (ALI) attracted attention among physicians because of its high mortality. We aimed to determine whether the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) pathway is involved in the protective effects of penehyclidine hydrochloride (PHC) against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALI.

Methods

H&E staining was used to observed pathological changes in the lung tissues. ELISA was used to evaluate the concentration of inflammatory mediators in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). White-light microscopy was performed to observe the TUNEL-positive nuclei. The viability of NR8383 alveolar macrophages was determined by using CCK-8. The levels of MPO, MDA, SOD, and GSH-Px were analyzed using ELISA kits. Western blotting was used to evaluate the ERS-associated protein levels and the phosphorylation of PI3K and Akt.

Results

PHC administration defended against LPS-induced histopathological deterioration and increased pulmonary edema and lung injury scores, while all of these beneficial effects were inhibited by LY. In addition, PHC administration mitigated oxidative stress as indicated by decreases in lung myeloperoxidase (MPO) and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations, and increases in glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) concentrations. It also alleviated LPS-induced inflammation. PHC administration attenuated apoptosis-associated protein levels, improved cell viability, and decreased the number of TdT-mediated dUTP Nick-End Labeling (TUNEL)-positive cells. Furthermore, PHC inhibited ERS-associated protein levels. Meanwhile, the protection of PHC against inflammation, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and ERS was inhibited by LY. Moreover, PHC administration increased PI3K and Akt phosphorylation, indicating that the upregulation of the PI3K/Akt pathway, while this pathway was inhibited by LY.

Conclusion

PHC significantly activates the PI3K/Akt pathway to ameliorate the extent of damage to pulmonary tissue, inflammation, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and ERS in LPS-induced ALI.
Can space be conceptualized in a different way in political discourse? An extended application of Discourse Space Theory
Authors: Ma Qian , Wen Qiufang
Published: July 2023

Political discourse can be considered as consisting of conflictual discourse and cooperative discourse in view of the relationship between power entities. From the perspective of spatial conceptualization in cognitive discourse analysis, cooperative discourse is supposed to be different from conflictual one in terms of the spatial representation, with Chilton’s Discourse Space Theory, which mainly conceptualizes space as an inside/outside dichotomy, only accounting for the latter instead of the former. This paper attempts to further apply Chilton’s three-dimensional model to involve the alternative way of spatial conceptualization with different kind of construals and to compare the differences of the two types of political discourse in the construction of discourse space. Taking the speeches by two state leaders for the purposes of cooperation and accusation respectively as the cases in point, this paper concludes that cooperative discourse displays an outward-extensive discourse space representation as opposed to the inward-contractive discourse space representation of conflictual discourse. This study contributes to expand the scope of discourse space analysis, which is primarily for antagonistic relations only, to incorporate cooperative relations with an extended application of DST based on alternative ways of spatial conceptualization and an elaboration on the dynamics of its three dimensions, and hence to shed some lights on political discourse studies.
Are Poverty Alleviation and Carbon Reduction Parallel Paths? Empirical Research on the Interaction Between Poverty Alleviation and Carbon Emissions
Authors: Haoyan Li , Jiang Hui , Zhongqi Wu
Published: July 2023

Consolidating the results of poverty alleviation and achieving carbon neutrality are serious challenges for global sustainable development, and it is essential to explore the relationship between these goals, and then offer scientific responses. Based on the panel data of 30 provinces in China from 2010 to 2019, this paper conducted the 2SLS model by compromising the merits of the Regression Discontinuity principle with the STIRPAT model to study the interaction between poverty alleviation and carbon reduction. The study found that: (1) the implementation of poverty alleviation aggravates the problem of carbon emissions, and the main mechanism is that poverty alleviation promotes consumption and production by increasing the wealth of farmers, thereby increasing carbon emissions. (2) Carbon reduction weakens the achievement of poverty alleviation significantly, but the mitigation effect presents an “inverted U”-shaped curve, which first increases and then wanes. (3) Farmers' income and the development of rural transportation play a role in acting on the negative effects of carbon reduction. By integrating poverty theory and energy management, this article reveals the complex relationship between two important policies in China and offers relevant policy recommendations, which will not only promote the advancement of rural revitalization but also promote global sustainable development.
The “Police Personality”: Is it Real?
Authors: TenEyck Michael F.
Published: July 2023

Much research has discussed the “police personality.” Yet, it is still unclear what particular traits make up the police personality—or whether it exists at all. This can be partially attributed to the limited availability of data collected within individual police departments. Using a nationally representative sample of adults (Add Health), the current study examines whether the Big Five personality traits, temperamental characteristics, and empirically informed covariates are related to being a police officer. Results indicate that, compared to the general population, individuals in law enforcement score significantly lower on openness to experience. Police officers are also more likely than non-officers to have experienced divorce, served in the military, lean politically conservative, and be male. These findings provide partial support for the notion that there are distinct factors that define the police personality.
Ocular surface in posterior segment surgery
Authors: Coassin Marco , Arrigo Alessandro , Ricci Federico , Rosa Raffaella , Gattegna Roberto , Pupino Alessandro , Del Castillo Josè Manuel Benitez , Bonini Stefano
Published: July 2023

Nowadays, the technological breakthroughs of mini-invasive vitreo-retinal surgery improved the perioperative management and the outcomes of millions of patients. The most common procedures include pars plana vitrectomy, episcleral surgery, intravitreal injections, and laser photocoagulation. Potential sight and non-sight-threatening side effects have been reported during the follow-up period. Ocular surface disbalance can be induced by the aforementioned procedures, resulting in mild to severe ocular discomfort symptoms. This condition may recognize different causes such as pre-existing or concomitant diseases of the external eye, the surgical procedure damage of the anatomical or physiological structures of the ocular surface, the prolonged side effects induced by the chronic topical treatment that may be toxic to the external eye.

In addition to the most frequent dry eye-related signs and symptoms, subconjunctival haemorrhages, corneal epithelium damage, partial loss of corneal sensitivity or changes in corneal nerve density could postoperatively affect our patients.

In conclusion, any surgical trauma directed to the posterior segment of the eye may cause the loss of the ocular surface homeostasis. Ophthalmologists should not only recognise and treat, but possibly prevent, all patients’ symptoms that could manifest in the postoperative time.
Multivocal Stories About Caring During the War in Ukraine, as Told by Polish Researchers
Authors: Perzycka-Borowska Elżbieta , Szczepaniak Colette , Gruntowska Dominika
Published: July 2023

The text introduces the idea of a “new normal” in connection with the ongoing war in Ukraine, which affects not only those who are directly involved but also those who experience it indirectly. The study used collective autoethnography to identify common motives and patterns of action. There were presented statements of three women—university lecturers from three Polish universities who struggled with worries and conflict of conscience regarding the war in Ukraine and the Ukrainian refugees. The contexts of the limits of one’s ability to care for others and take steps to preserve one’s own well-being were given. The importance of thinking about a common future and perceiving the impact of history on the present was emphasized, taking into account memories of the Volhynian Massacre and prejudice against Ukrainians resulting from the negative experiences of ancestors and neighbors. Emotional involvement in various types of care was juxtaposed with human solidarity, a sense of common purpose and a human bond beyond divisions.
Socioeconomic Factors Associated With Increased Risk of Falls in Older Adults
Authors: Megalla Martinus , Ditkowsky Jared , Parulekar Manisha S. , Gelman Simon
Published: July 2023

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to use the National Health Interview Service (NHIS) database to assess the impact of socioeconomic factors on fall risk in older adults in the US. Methods: The NHIS database was retrospectively analyzed to assess several variables related to falls and resulting injuries in older adults. The database covered the period from 2000 to 2018. Results: Our study identified several correlations that have not been previously reported in the literature. Welfare recipiency was associated with more injuries from falls (aOR = 18.8, 95% CI: 1.9-185.6, P = .01), while US citizenship was associated with a lower risk of falls in older adults in the US (aOR = .4, 95% CI: .2-.9, P = .02). Discussion: These findings highlight the importance of evaluating patients for social determinants of health (SDOH) in both the inpatient and outpatient setting. Based on this data, we believe SDOH should be incorporated into fall risk assessments.
The Potential Impact of ChatGPT on Education: Using History as a Rearview Mirror
Authors: Wang (王梦倩) Mengqian , Guo (郭文革) Wenge
Published: July 2023

Highlights

This review compares generative artificial intelligence with five representative educational technologies in history and concludes that AI technology can become a knowledge producer and thus can be utilized as educative AI to enhance teaching and learning outcomes. From a historical perspective, each technological breakthrough has affected education by changing how symbols are represented and how knowledge is carried. The emergence of new educational technology is always accompanied by doubt, vigilance, and rejection from the traditional community. The new educational technology, generative artificial intelligence, interacts with the old, creating an increasingly complex ecology of educational technology. Three suggestions are proposed for adjusting the education system: first, promoting small-scale, individualized, and conversational teaching in schools; second, developing teachers’ and students’ digital literacy in a multi-curricula system; and third, conducting research on grading and classification standards for the application of AI in education.
Effect of Autologous Conditioned Plasma Injections in Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis
Authors: Korpershoek Jasmijn V. , Vonk Lucienne A. , Filardo Giuseppe , Kester Esmee C. , van Egmond Nienke , Saris Daniël B.F. , Custers Roel J.H.
Published: July 2023

Background:

Autologous conditioned plasma (ACP) is a commercially available platelet concentrate with promising results from clinical trials.

Purpose:

To evaluate the clinical outcome after 3 consecutive injections of ACP in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) and study the influence of ACP composition and different patient factors as predictors of treatment effect.

Study Design:

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

This prospective case series included 260 patients (307 knees) who received ACP treatment for knee OA. The mean patient age was 51 ± 10 years. Improvement up to 12 months’ follow-up was measured using the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS). ACP composition was analyzed in 100 patients. The predictive value of age, sex, history of knee trauma, Kellgren-Lawrence OA grade, body mass index, and ACP composition was evaluated using generalized estimating equations.

Results:

The mean overall KOOS improved from 38 ± 14 at baseline to 45 ± 18 at 3 months, 45 ± 18 at 6 months, and 43 ± 18 at 12 months (all P < .05); 40% of patients achieved an improvement above the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) of 8 after 6 months and 33% after 12 months. The variation in ACP composition did not correlate with KOOS ( P > .05). Older age led to a greater clinical benefit (β = 0.27; P = .05), whereas bilateral treatment predicted worse outcomes (β = –5.6; P < .05).

Conclusion:

The improvement in KOOS after treatment with ACP did not reach the MCID in most study patients. Older age was a predictor for better outcomes. The composition of ACP varied between patients but did not predict outcomes within the evaluated range. The study findings show the limited benefit of ACP treatment for knee OA and call for caution with routine use in clinical practice.
Knowledge and Compliance With Standard Precautions Among Nurses
Authors: Ghabayen Fares , ALBashtawy Mohammed , Abdelkader Raghad Hussein , Jarrah Samiha , Eshah Nidal , Abdalrahim Asem , Saifan Ahmad , Alkhawaldeh Abdullah , Rayan Ahmad , Ayed Ahmad , Al-Amer Rasmieh , Mohammad Khitam Ibrahem , Al-Dwaikat Tariq , Omari Omar Al , ALBashtawy Sa'd , ALBashtawy Bayan , Dameery Khloud Al
Published: July 2023

Introduction

The spread of microorganisms is caused by direct or indirect contact, respiratory droplets, and airborne transmission. Knowledge and compliance with standard precautions are crucial in preventing infection in the hospital.

Objectives

To assess the level of knowledge and compliance with standard precautions among registered nurses who work in military hospitals and the factors affecting compliance with standard precautions.

Methods

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted. Four hundred and eight registered nurses at three Jordanian Royal Medical Services hospitals completed an online self-report questionnaire using a convenience sampling technique. The statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 25 was used to analyze the data.

Results

The level of knowledge of standard precautions among nurses was excellent, with an overall mean score of 15.59 ± 2.22 out of 20; around half (54%) of them had an excellent level. Nurses’ compliance with standard precautions was intermediate, with an overall mean score of 59.65 ± 14.57 out of 80. Forty-seven percent of nurses had a high degree of compliance. Compliance with standard precautions was correlated positively with age, working experience in years, total knowledge score, training in standard precautions, and availability of personal protective equipment, and negatively with exposure to sharp injuries.

Conclusion

Nurses play a key role in preventing and managing hospital infections through their responsibility for a large proportion of patient treatment and care. Therefore, efforts should be made to improve nurses’ perceptions of the basic elements of standard precautions. Even so, results showed that compliance with standard precautions was intermediate. This highlights the need to take the necessary measures to raise the level of compliance. Even so, results showed that compliance with standard precautions was intermediate. This highlights the need to take the necessary measures to raise the level of compliance.
Advancing research on teams and team effectiveness in implementation science: An application of the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, Sustainment (EPIS) framework
Authors: McGuier Elizabeth A. , Kolko David J. , Stadnick Nicole A. , Brookman-Frazee Lauren , Wolk Courtney Benjamin , Yuan Christina T. , Burke C. Shawn , Aarons Gregory A.
Published: July 2023

Background

Effective teams are essential to high-quality healthcare. However, teams, team-level constructs, and team effectiveness strategies are poorly delineated in implementation science theories, models, and frameworks (TMFs), hindering our understanding of how teams may influence implementation. The Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, Sustainment (EPIS) framework is a flexible and accommodating framework that can facilitate the application of team effectiveness approaches in implementation science.

Main Text

We define teams and provide an overview of key constructs in team effectiveness research. We describe ways to conceptualize different types of teams and team constructs relevant to implementation within the EPIS framework. Three case examples illustrate the application of EPIS to implementation studies involving teams. Within each study, we describe the structure of the team and how team constructs influenced implementation processes and outcomes.

Conclusions

Integrating teams and team constructs into the EPIS framework demonstrates how TMFs can be applied to advance our understanding of teams and implementation. Implementation strategies that target team effectiveness may improve implementation outcomes in team-based settings. Incorporation of teams into implementation TMFs is necessary to facilitate application of team effectiveness research in implementation science.
A frog peptide provides new strategies for the intervention against skin wound healing
Authors: Li Chao , Fu Zhe , Jin Tao , Liu Yixiang , Liu Naixin , Yin Saige , Wang Zhuo , Huang Yubing , Wang Yinglei , Zhang Yingxuan , Li Jiayi , Wu Yutong , He Li , Tang Jing , Wang Ying , Yang Xinwang
Published: July 2023

Background

Amphibian derived pro-healing peptides as molecular probes might provide a promising strategy for development of drug candidates and elucidation of cellular and molecular mechanisms of skin wound healing. A novel skin amphibian peptide, OA-RD17, was tested for modulation of cellular and molecular mechanisms associated with skin wound healing.

Methods

Cell scratch, cell proliferation, trans-well, and colony formation assays were used to explore the pro-healing ability of peptide OA-RD17 and microRNA-632 (miR-632). Then, the therapeutic effects of OA-RD17 and miR-632 were assessed in mice, diabetic patient ex vivo skin wounds and SD rats. Moreover, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence staining were performed to detect skin wound tissue regeneration, inflammatory factors expression, and macrophage polarization. Finally, RNA sequencing, molecular docking, co-localization, dual luciferase reporter, real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR), and Western blotting were used to explore the mechanism of OA-RD17 and miR-632 on facilitating skin wound healing.

Results

The non-toxic peptide (OA-RD17) promoted macrophage proliferation and migration by activating MAPK and suppressed inflammation by inhibiting NF-κB. In keratinocytes, OA-RD17 inhibited excessive inflammation, and activated MAPK via the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) to promote proliferation and migration, as well as up-regulate the expression of miR-632, which targeted GSK3β to activate Wnt/β-catenin to boost proliferation and migration in a positive feedback manner. Notably, OA-RD17 promoted transition from the inflammatory to proliferative stage, accelerated epidermal and granulation regeneration, and exhibited therapeutic effects on mouse and diabetic patient ex vivo skin wounds. MiR-632 activated Wnt/β-catenin to promote full-thickness skin wound healing in rats.

Conclusions

OA-RD17 exhibited promising therapeutic effects on mice (full-thickness, deep second-degree burns), and ex vivo skin wounds in diabetic patients by regulating macrophages proliferation, migration, and polarization (MAPK, NF-κB), and keratinocytes proliferation and migration (TLR4/MAPK/miR-632/Wnt/β-catenin molecular axis). Moreover, miR-632 also activated Wnt/β-catenin to promote full-thickness skin wound healing in rats. Notably, our results indicate that OA-RD17 and miR-632 are promising pro-healing drug candidates.

Graphical Abstract