bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Poor glycemic control and its associated factors among children with type 1 diabetes mellitus in Harar, eastern Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Habteyohans Betelhem Demeke , Hailu Betre Shimelis , Meseret Fentahun , Mohammed Ahmed , Berhanu Yeshi , Alemu Ayichew , Tolosa Gadissa , Keneni Mulualem , Desalew Assefa
Published: September 2023

Background

Poor glycemic control increases the risk of acute metabolic derangements and long-term consequences, which are the main causes of morbidity and mortality. Maintaining adequate glycemic control is challenging for children with diabetes, particularly in resource-limited settings. There is a paucity of data on the magnitude of poor glycemic control and its predisposing factors in Ethiopian particularly in this study setting. Hence, we aimed to assess the magnitude of poor glycemic control and its associated factors among children and adolescents with type 1 diabetic mellitus in Jugol and Hiwot Fana Compressive Specialized University Hospitals in Harar, eastern Ethiopia.

Methods

A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 231 children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus in Jugol and Hiwot Fana Compressive Specialized University Hospitals. Participants were included consecutively in the follow-up clinic from November 15, 2022 to January 15, 2023. Data were collected through an interviewer-administered structured questionnaire and a review of medical records. A binary logistic regression model with an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) and a 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to identify the factors associated with poor glycemic control. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.

Result

A total of 231 children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus were included. The magnitude of poor glycemic control was 166 (71.9%) with 95% CI 66.0–77.7%). In multivariable analysis, the age of the child (aOR = 0.19, 95% CI: 0.05–0.83), education of the caregiver (aOR = 4.13;95% CI: 1.82–9.46), meal frequency less than three (aOR = 3.28; 95% CI: 1.25–8.62), and consumption of forbidden foods (aOR = 3.17; 95% CI: 1.21–8.29) were factors significantly associated with poor glycemic control.

Conclusion

Two-thirds of participants had poor glycemic control. There was a statistically significant association between the age of the child, education of the caregiver, meal frequency, and forbidden foods with poor glycemic control. To improve glycemic control, diabetes education on meal use and selection should be conducted during follow-up along with parent education.
Handling students’ misbehaviors in crowded classrooms: the nursing faculty members’ experiences
Authors: Salarvand Shahin , Niknejad Reyhaneh , Gyasi Razak M.
Published: September 2023

Introduction

The ability of teachers to organize classes and manage the behavior of their students is critical in achieving positive educational outcomes. The aim of this study was to explain the experiences of nursing faculty members in managing disruptive behaviors in the classroom.

Methods

The study adopted descriptive explanatory qualitative study design and provided an avenue to explain the experiences of nursing faculty members in managing disruptive behavior in the classroom Participants were included via the purposive sampling. In-depth and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. The content analysis presented by Graneheim and Lundman was used to analyze the data. The present study utilized four strength criteria, including credibility, confirmability, transferability, and dependability.

Results

The finding were presented using five themes that emerged from 350 open codes, including managing disruptive behavior in the classroom, guiding the disruptive student, trying to increase learning, and making the class more interesting, setting the rules and regulations of the class with sub-categories.

Conclusions

Participants cited strategies that they enabled to understand the cause of misbehavior and implement strategies to modify students’ misbehaviors by creating a safe and healthy climate to nurture effective learning by students.
Procedure code overutilization detection from healthcare claims using unsupervised deep learning methods
Authors: Suesserman Michael , Gorny Samantha , Lasaga Daniel , Helms John , Olson Dan , Bowen Edward , Bhattacharya Sanmitra
Published: September 2023

Background

Fraud, Waste, and Abuse (FWA) in medical claims have a negative impact on the quality and cost of healthcare. A major component of FWA in claims is procedure code overutilization, where one or more prescribed procedures may not be relevant to a given diagnosis and patient profile, resulting in unnecessary and unwarranted treatments and medical payments. This study aims to identify such unwarranted procedures from millions of healthcare claims. In the absence of labeled examples of unwarranted procedures, the study focused on the application of unsupervised machine learning techniques.

Methods

Experiments were conducted with deep autoencoders to find claims containing anomalous procedure codes indicative of FWA, and were compared against a baseline density-based clustering model. Diagnoses, procedures, and demographic data associated with healthcare claims were used as features for the models. A dataset of one hundred thousand claims sampled from a larger claims database is used to initially train and tune the models, followed by experimentations on a dataset with thirty-three million claims. Experimental results show that the autoencoder model, when trained with a novel feature-weighted loss function, outperforms the density-based clustering approach in finding potential outlier procedure codes.

Results

Given the unsupervised nature of our experiments, model performance was evaluated using a synthetic outlier test dataset, and a manually annotated outlier test dataset. Precision, recall and F1-scores on the synthetic outlier test dataset for the autoencoder model trained on one hundred thousand claims were 0.87, 1.0 and 0.93, respectively, while the results for these metrics on the manually annotated outlier test dataset were 0.36, 0.86 and 0.51, respectively. The model performance on the manually annotated outlier test dataset improved further when trained on the larger thirty-three million claims dataset with precision, recall and F1-scores of 0.48, 0.90 and 0.63, respectively.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates the feasibility of leveraging unsupervised, deep-learning methods to identify potential procedure overutilization from healthcare claims.
Immediate initiation of antiretroviral treatment: knowledge, attitudes, and practices among clinic staff in New York City
Authors: Bertolino Daniel , Baim-Lance Abigail , D’Aquila Erica , Coren Freda , Abraham Bisrat
Published: September 2023

Background

Immediate initiation of antiretroviral treatment (iART) is a proven intervention that significantly decreases time to viral suppression and increases patient retention. iART involves starting medication as early as possible, often after a reactive rapid HIV test or re-engagement in care, although it does not have a universal definition. We aimed to understand iART from an implementation science perspective in a wide range of New York City (NYC) clinics providing HIV primary care, including staff knowledge, attitudes, and practices, as well as clinic barriers and facilitators to iART.

Methods

We used a mixed-methods, convergent study design, with a quantitative survey and in-depth interview (IDI), to understand individual-level knowledge, attitudes, and practices, as well as clinic-level barriers and facilitators to iART. We recruited at least one medical and non-medical staff member from a diverse purposive sample of 30 NYC clinics. In quantitative analyses, we used separate binomial logistic regression models to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). In qualitative analyses, we used codebooks created by thematic analyses structured using a Framework Model to develop descriptive analytic memos.

Results

Recruited staff completed 46 surveys and 17 IDIs. We found high levels of awareness of the viral suppression and retention in care benefits of iART. Survey respondents more commonly reported medication starts within three to four days of a reactive rapid HIV test rather than same-day initiation. Among survey respondents, compared to medical staff, non-medical staff were more likely to agree that medication should only be initiated after receiving confirmatory HIV test results (OR: 0.2, 95% CI: 0.06–0.8). Additionally, survey respondents from clinics serving a majority people of color were less likely to report iART on the same day as a reactive rapid HIV test (OR: 0.2, 95% CI: 0.02–1.0, p-value < 0.5). IDI results elucidated barriers to implementation, including perceived patient readiness, which potentially leads to added disparities in iART access.

Conclusion

iART has proven benefits and support for its implementation among HIV clinic staff. Our findings indicate that barriers to expanding iART access may be overcome if implementation resources are allocated strategically, which can further progress towards health equity.
Proteomic analysis of ceftazidime and meropenem-exposed Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027
Authors: Ngo Hong Loan , Huynh Thuc Quyen , Tran Nguyen Bao Vy , Nguyen Ngoc Hoa Binh , Tong Thi Hang , Trinh Thi Truc Ly , Nguyen Van Dung , Das Prem Prakash , Lim Teck Kwang , Lin Qingsong , Nguyen Thi Thu Hoai
Published: September 2023

Background

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is well known for its intrinsic ability to resist a wide range of antibiotics, thus complicates treatment. Thus, understanding the response of the pathogen to antibiotics is important for developing new therapies. In this study, proteomic response of P. aeruginosa to the commonly used anti-pseudomonas antibiotics, ceftazidime (Caz) and meropenem (Mem) was investigated.

Methods

P. aeruginosa ATCC 9027, an antibiotic-susceptible strain, was exposed to sub-MIC values of antibiotics either Caz or Mem for 14 days to obtain E1 strains and then cultured in antibiotic-free environments for 10 days to obtain E2 strains. Proteomes of the initial and E1, E2 strains were identified and comparatively analyzed using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) in cooperation with nano LC–MS/MS. Noted up and down-regulated proteins were confirmed with quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR).

Results

Overall, 1039 and 1041 proteins were identified in Caz and Mem-exposed strains, respectively. Upon antibiotic exposure, there were 7–10% up-regulated (Caz: 71, Mem: 85) and down-regulated (Caz: 106, Mem: 69) proteins (1.5-fold change cut-off). For both Caz and Mem, the DEPs were primarily the ones involved in metabolic process, membrane, virulence, protein synthesis, and antibiotic resistance in which proteins involved in antibiotics resistance tended to be up-regulated while proteins involved in protein synthesis and metabolic process were down-regulated. Noted proteins included beta-lactamase AmpC which was up-regulated and OprD which was down-regulated in both the antibiotic-exposed strains. Besides, biofilm formation related proteins TssC1 and Hcp1 in Caz- exposed strains and the membrane/ periplasmic proteins Azu and PagL in Mem-exposed strains were found significantly down-regulated. qRT-PCR results confirmed the expression change of AmpC, Hcp1 and OprD proteins.

Conclusion

Exposure of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to sub-MIC values of Caz and Mem resulted in around 10% change in its proteome. Not only proteins with confirmed roles in antibiotic resistance mechanisms changed their expression but also virulence- associated proteins. Both Caz and Mem response involved up-regulation of AmpC and down-regulation of OprD. While TssC1 and Hcp1 were responsible for Caz response, Azu and PagL were more likely involved in Mem response.
Connexin-43 hemichannels orchestrate NOD-like receptor protein-3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation and sterile inflammation in tubular injury
Authors: Roger Elena , Chadjichristos Christos E. , Kavvadas Panagiotis , Price Gareth W. , Cliff Chelsy L. , Hadjadj Safia , Renciot Jessy , Squires Paul E. , Hills Claire E.
Published: September 2023

Background

Without a viable cure, chronic kidney disease is a global health concern. Inflammatory damage in and around the renal tubules dictates disease severity and is contributed to by multiple cell types. Activated in response to danger associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) including ATP, the NOD-like receptor protein-3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is integral to this inflammation. In vivo, we have previously observed that increased expression of Connexin 43 (Cx43) is linked to inflammation in chronic kidney disease (CKD) whilst in vitro studies in human proximal tubule cells highlight a role for aberrant Cx43 hemichannel mediated ATP release in tubule injury. A role for Cx43 hemichannels in priming and activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in tubule epithelial cells remains to be determined.

Methods

Using the Nephroseq database, analysis of unpublished transcriptomic data, examined gene expression and correlation in human CKD. The unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) mouse model was combined with genetic (tubule-specific Cx43 knockout) and specific pharmacological blockade of Cx43 (Peptide5), to explore a role for Cx43-hemichannels in tubule damage. Human primary tubule epithelial cells were used as an in vitro model of CKD.

Results

Increased Cx43 and NLRP3 expression correlates with declining glomerular filtration rate and increased proteinuria in biopsies isolated from patients with CKD. Connexin 43-tubule deletion prior to UUO protected against tubular injury, increased expression of proinflammatory molecules, and significantly reduced NLRP3 expression and downstream signalling mediators. Accompanied by a reduction in F4/80 macrophages and fibroblast specific protein (FSP1+) fibroblasts, Cx43 specific hemichannel blocker Peptide5 conferred similar protection in UUO mice. In vitro, Peptide5 determined that increased Cx43-hemichannel activity primes and activates the NLRP3 inflammasome via ATP-P2X7 receptor signalling culminating in increased secretion of chemokines and cytokines, each of which are elevated in individuals with CKD. Inhibition of NLRP3 and caspase 1 similarly decreased markers of tubular injury, whilst preventing the perpetual increase in Cx43-hemichannel activity.

Conclusion

Aberrant Cx43-hemichannel activity in kidney tubule cells contributes to tubule inflammation via activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and downstream paracrine mediated cell signalling. Use of hemichannel blockers in targeting Cx43-hemichannels is an attractive future therapeutic target to slow or prevent disease progression in CKD.
Therapeutic targeting of the TPX2/TTK network in colorectal cancer
Authors: Shaath Hibah , Vishnubalaji Radhakrishnan , Elango Ramesh , Velayutham Dinesh , Jithesh Puthen Veettil , Alajez Nehad M.
Published: September 2023

Background

While the increased screening, changes in lifestyle, and recent advances in treatment regimen have decreased colorectal cancer (CRC) mortality, metastatic disease and recurrence remains a major clinical challenge. In the era of precision medicine, the identification of actionable novel therapeutic targets could ultimately offer an alternative treatment strategy for CRC.

Methods

RNA-Seq was conducted using the illumina platform, while bioinformatics analyses were conducted using CLC genomics workbench and iDEP.951. Colony forming unit, flow cytometry, and fluorescent microscopy were used to assess cell proliferation, cell cycle distribution, and cell death, respectively. The growth potential of CRC cells under 3-dimensional (3D) conditions was assessed using Matrigel. STRING database (v11.5) and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) tool were used for network and pathway analyses. CRISPR-Cas9 perturbational effects database was used to identify potential therapeutic targets for CRC, through integration with gene-drug interaction database. Structural modeling and molecular docking were used to assess the interaction between candidate drugs and their targets.

Results

In the current study, we investigated the therapeutic potential of targeting TPX2, TTK, DDX39A, and LRP8, commonly upregulated genes in CRC identified through differential expression analysis in CRC and adjacent non-cancerous tissue. Targeted depletion of TPX2 and TTK impaired CRC proliferation, cell cycle progression, and organoid formation under 3D culture conditions, while suppression of DDX39A and LRP8 had modest effects on CRC colony formation. Differential expression analysis and bioinformatics on TPX2 and TTK-deficient cells identified cell cycle regulation as the hallmark associated with loss of TPX2 and TTK. Elevated expression of TPX2 and TTK correlated with an oncogenic state in tumor tissue from patients with colon adenocarcinoma, thus corroborating an oncogenic role for the TPX2/TTK network in the pathogenesis of CRC. Gene set enrichment and pathway analysis of TPX2high/TTKhigh CRC identified numerous additional gene targets as integral components of the TPX2/TTK network. Integration of TPX2/TTK enriched network with CRISPR-Cas9 functional screen data identified numerous novel dependencies for CRC. Additionally, gene-drug interaction analysis identified several druggable gene targets enriched in the TPX2/TTK network, including AURKA, TOP2A, CDK1, BIRC5, and many others.

Conclusions

Our data has implicated an essential role for TPX2 and TTK in CRC pathogenesis and identified numerous potential therapeutic targets and their drug interactions, suggesting their potential clinical use as a novel therapeutic strategy for patients with CRC.
Genetic evidence strengthens the bidirectional connection between gut microbiota and periodontitis: insights from a two-sample Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Ye Xinjian , Liu Bin , Bai Yijing , Cao Yue , Lin Sirui , Lyu Linshuoshuo , Meng Haohao , Dai Yuwei , Ye Ding , Pan Weiyi , Wang Zhiyong , Mao Yingying , Chen Qianming
Published: September 2023

Background

Recent research has established the correlation between gut microbiota and periodontitis via oral-gut axis. Intestinal dysbiosis may play a pivotal bridging role in extra-oral inflammatory comorbidities caused by periodontitis. However, it is unclear whether the link is merely correlative or orchestrated by causative mechanistic interactions. This two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study was performed to evaluate the potential bidirectional causal relationships between gut microbiota and periodontitis.

Materials and Methods

A two-sample MR analysis was performed using summary statistics from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for gut microbiota (n = 18,340) and periodontitis (cases = 12,251; controls = 22,845). The inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method was used for the primary analysis, and we employed sensitivity analyses to assess the robustness of the main results. The PhenoScanner database was then searched for pleiotropy SNPs associated with potential confounders. In order to identify the possibly influential SNPs, we further conducted the leave-one-out analysis. Finally, a reverse MR analysis was performed to evaluate the possibility of links between periodontitis and genetically predicted gut microbiota alternation.

Results

2,699 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with 196 microbiota genera were selected as instrumental variables (IVs). IVW method suggested that order Enterobacteriales (OR: 1.35, 95% CI 1.10–1.66), family Bacteroidales S24.7group (OR: 1.22, 95% CI 1.05–1.41), genus Lachnospiraceae UCG008 (OR: 1.16, 95% CI 1.03–1.31), genus Prevotella 7 (OR: 1.11, 95% CI 1.01–1.23), and order Pasteurellales (OR: 1.12, 95% CI 1.00–1.26) may be associated with a higher risk of periodontitis, while genus Ruminiclostridium 6 may be linked to a lower risk (OR: 0.82, 95% CI 0.70–0.95). The sensitivity and heterogeneity analyses yielded no indication of horizontal pleiotropy or heterogeneity. Only the association between order Enterobacteriales and the likelihood of periodontitis remained consistent across all alternative MR approaches. In the reverse MR analysis, four microbiota genera were genetically predicted to be down-regulated in periodontitis, whereas two were predicted to be up-regulated.

Conclusions

The present MR analysis demonstrated the potential bidirectional causal relationships between gut microbiota and periodontitis. Our research provided fresh insights for the prevention and management of periodontitis. Future research is required to support the finding of our current study.
Traditional ecological knowledge and non-food uses of stingless bee honey in Kenya’s last pocket of tropical rainforest
Authors: Héger Madeleine , Noiset Pierre , Nkoba Kiatoko , Vereecken Nicolas J.
Published: September 2023

Background

Stingless bee honey (SBH) is a natural remedy and therapeutic agent traditionally used by local communities across the (sub-)tropics. Forest SBH represents a prime non-timber forest product (NTFP) with a potential to revitalize indigenous foodways and to generate income in rural areas, yet it is also used in a variety of non-food contexts that are poorly documented in sub-Saharan Africa and that collectively represent a significant part of the local traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) passed on across generations. Documenting TEK of local communities in African tropical forests facing global change is a pressing issue to recognize the value of their insights, to evaluate their sustainability, to determine how they contribute to enhancing conservation efforts, and how TEK generally contributes to the well-being of both the natural environment and the communities that rely on it. This is particularly important to achieve in Kenya’s only tropical rainforest at Kakamega where SBH production and non-food uses have evolved and diversified to a remarkable extent.

Methods

We used ethnographic techniques and methods, including semi-structured questionnaires and recorded interviews. We used snowball sampling, a non-probability sampling method where new interviewees were recruited by other respondents, to collectively form a sample consisting of 36 interviewees (including only one woman).

Results

Our results indicate that local communities in Kakamega were able to discriminate between six different and scientifically recognized stingless bee species, and they provided detailed accounts on the species-specific non-food uses of these SBH. Collectively, we recorded an array of 26 different non-food uses that are all passed on orally across generations in the Kakamega community.

Conclusion

Our results uncover the vast and hitherto unexpected diversity of TEK associated with SBH and pave the way for a systematic survey of SBH and their non-food uses across a network of communities in different environments and with different cultural backgrounds in the Afrotropics. This, along with parallel and more in-depth investigations into honey chemistry, will help develop a comprehensive understanding of SBH, offering insights into holistic ecosystem management, resilience and adaptation while in the mid- to long-term promoting cross-cultural exchanges and pathways for the revitalization of cultural practices and traditions.
I got frightened and felt strange. I even cried a lot after the diagnosis; the experiences on the screening and management of gestational diabetes mellitus among diagnosed women
Authors: Abubakari Abdulai , Bukari Mohammed , Malechi Hawa , Garti Humphrey , Agbozo Faith
Published: September 2023

Introduction

Understanding the experiences of women diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) can improve screening, management, and postpartum care. Therefore, this study sought to investigate experiences on the screening and management of GDM among diagnosed women.

Methods

This was a facility-based explorative qualitative design among five purposively sampled women diagnosed with GDM who were receiving care from healthcare professionals. Women were asked about their reaction to being diagnosed with GDM, their experiences with care, training, self-monitoring, and challenges with the management of GDM, and data obtained were analysed using thematic analysis.

Results

Based on the thematic analysis, three main themes and ten sub-themes were generated. They were emotional experience (prior information on GDM before being diagnosed, and feelings about the diagnosis and blood glucose measurement), information source and care experience (source of information on healthy diet, training on blood glucose measurement, experiences with follow-up, and general impressions on GDM care), and dietary and lifestyle experience ( perceptions on dietary approaches, difficulties in getting and adhering to dietary and lifestyle guidelines, alternative treatment methods patronized, and effectiveness of dietary and lifestyle approaches).

Conclusion

The themes generated had psycho-emotional underpinning, and underscores the importance of psychotherapy when disclosing disease status and initiating medical care. The findings of this study could be important for the optimisation of GDM care and services for affected women.
Diagnostic accuracy of SSR-PET/CT compared to histopathology in the identification of liver metastases from well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors
Authors: Fabritius M. P. , Soltani V. , Cyran C. C. , Ricke J. , Bartenstein P. , Auernhammer C. J. , Spitzweg C. , Schnitzer M. L. , Ebner R. , Mansournia S. , Hinterberger A. , Lohse A. , Sheikh G. T. , Winkelmann M. , Knösel T. , Ingenerf M. , Schmid-Tannwald C. , Kunz W. G. , Rübenthaler J. , Grawe Freba
Published: September 2023

Background

Histopathology is the reference standard for diagnosing liver metastases of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). Somatostatin receptor-positron emission tomography / computed tomography (SSR-PET/CT) has emerged as a promising non-invasive imaging modality for staging NETs. We aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of SSR-PET/CT in the identification of liver metastases in patients with proven NETs compared to histopathology.

Methods

Histopathologic reports of 139 resected or biopsied liver lesions of patients with known NET were correlated with matching SSR-PET/CTs and the positive/negative predictive value (PPV/NPV), sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy of SSR-PET/CT were evaluated. PET/CT reading was performed by one expert reader blinded to histopathology and clinical data.

Results

133 of 139 (95.7%) liver lesions showed malignant SSR-uptake in PET/CT while initial histopathology reported on ‘liver metastases of NET´ in 127 (91.4%) cases, giving a PPV of 91.0%. Re-biopsy of the initially histopathologically negative lesions (reference standard) nevertheless diagnosed ‘liver metastases of NET’ in 6 cases, improving the PPV of PET/CT to 95.5%. Reasons for initial false-negative histopathology were inadequate sampling in the sense of non-target biopsies. The 6 (4.3%) SSR-negative lesions were all G2 NETs with a Ki-67 between 2–15%.

Conclusion

SSR-PET/CT is a highly accurate imaging modality for the diagnosis of liver metastases in patients with proven NETs. However, we found that due to the well-known tumor heterogeneity of NETs, specifically in G2 NETs approximately 4–5% are SSR-negative and may require additional imaging with [18F]FDG PET/CT.
Borehole-driven sparse-spike deconvolution and seismic bandwidth enhancement
Authors: Pérez Daniel O. , Gelpi Gabriel R. , Velis Danilo R.
Published: September 2023

Reflectivity estimation approaches are usually driven solely by observed seismic data, leaving other types of a priori information, such as well-log data, out of the equation. This may result in solutions that honor the observed data but are not properly linked to geology. We provide a method for estimating sparse-spike reflectivity solutions that takes into account the observed data and any given sparse-spike model derived from well-log data. Starting with the well-log measurements, we estimate the reflectivities trace by trace by iteratively perturbing the previous solution with a warping function. This procedure is repeated until the synthetic trace formed by convolving with an appropriate wavelet fits the observed data. The assumption that two consecutive reflectivities have the same number of spikes with similar amplitudes and positions ensures lateral continuity. Because it is expected that reflectivity fluctuates smoothly from trace to trace, the technique is appropriate for areas with low to moderate structural complexity. The resulting sparse-spike reflectivity section can be considered as a product in and of itself. Even so, the interpreter might prefer a borehole-consistent frequency-enhanced seismic image, which can be easily produced by convolving the reflectivity with a suitable broadband wavelet. We rigorously test the technique on 1D and 2D synthetic data as well as on a 3D poststack field data set. The results indicate that we can obtain sparse-spike reflectivities with good lateral continuity that honor the observed data. Most importantly, the resulting reflectivity section (or frequency-enhanced data) is guaranteed to honor the well-log information too, which may aid users in seismic data analysis and interpretation.
Proximity to Radiotherapy Center, Population, Average Income, and Health Insurance Status as Predictors of Cancer Mortality at the County Level in the United States
Authors: Beckett Matthew , Goethals Luc , Kraus Ryan D. , Denysenko Kseniya , Barone Mussalem Gentiles Maria Fernanda , Pynda Yaroslav , Abdel-Wahab May
Published: September 2023

Toward further understanding of the geographic disparities in oncologic outcomes faced by American patients.
Pan-Cancer Prevalence of Microsatellite Instability-High (MSI-H) Identified by Circulating Tumor DNA and Associated Real-World Clinical Outcomes
Authors: Kasi Pashtoon Murtaza , Bucheit Leslie A. , Liao Jiemin , Starr Jason , Barata Pedro , Klempner Samuel J. , Gandara David , Shergill Ardaman , Madeira da Silva Luciana , Weipert Caroline , Zhang Nicole , Pretz Christopher , Hardin Aaron , Kiedrowski Lesli A. , Odegaard Justin I.
Published: September 2023

MSI-H identified by ctDNA: prevalence across 21 advanced cancers and outcomes from >700 patients.
Functional Water Channels Within the TSH Receptor: A New Paradigm for TSH Action With Disease Implications
Authors: Latif Rauf , Davies Terry F , Mezei Mihaly
Published: September 2023

The thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor (TSHR) transmembrane domain (TMD) is found in the plasma membrane and consists of lipids and water molecules. To understand the role of TSHR-associated water molecules, we used molecular dynamic simulations of the TMD and identified a network of putative receptor-associated transmembrane water channels. This result was confirmed with extended simulations of the full-length TSHR with and without TSH ligand binding. While the transport time observed in the simulations via the TSHR protein was slower than via the lipid bilayer itself, we found that significantly more water traversed via the TSHR than via the lipid bilayer, which more than doubled with the binding of TSH. Using rat thyroid cells (FRTL-5) and a calcein fluorescence technique, we measured cell volumes after blockade of aquaporins 1 and 4, the major thyroid cell water transporters. TSH showed a dose-dependent ability to influence water transport, and similar effects were observed with stimulating TSHR autoantibodies. Small molecule TSHR agonists, which are allosteric activators of the TMD, also enhanced water transport, illustrating the role of the TMD in this phenomenon. Furthermore, the water channel pathway was also mapped across 2 activation motifs within the TSHR TMD, suggesting how water movement may influence activation of the receptor. In pathophysiological conditions such as hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism where TSH concentrations are highly variable, this action of TSH may greatly influence water movement in thyroid cells and many other extrathyroidal sites where the TSHR is expressed, thus affecting normal cellular function.
Spent Earth
Authors: Chao Sophie
Published: September 2023

This essay considers the multiscalar manifestations of loss and the destruction of loss through the material-semiotic figure of “spent earth,” a toxic waste by-product generated by the industrial bleaching of crude oils into edible oils. Drawing on two distinct encounters with spent earth in the Indonesian palm oil sector, the essay reflects on the substance's unevenly distributed effects across peoples, places, and generations; its association with visions of purity and realities of complicity; and the importance of attending to loss through both its situated, localized manifestations and its partial connections across sites, scales, and subjects.
This Is Why We Protect the Rivers, This Is How We Love the Rivers
Authors: Rubaii Kali
Published: September 2023

The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers are the sacred world-makers and life-sustainers of Iraq. At the same time, war has transformed them into toxified vectors of disease, death, and neglect. The “river protectors” (some of them identifying as activists, others not) strive to protect and repair their river ecologies from unjust destruction, even as they work under the shadow of prophecy that predicts the irreparable demise of these waterways. This essay explores how people love doomed rivers and what it means to pursue environmental repair and justice in the face of massive, irreversible harm.
Le souverain, le survivant, le dernier homme
Authors: Nichanian Marc
Published: September 2023

C'est une étrange logique que celle de la souveraineté, telle que Georges Bataille a voulu la mettre en oeuvre et la théoriser, par deux fois. Il l'a fait d'abord en 1942, ensuite dans ce livre impossible qui était censé clore la seconde Somme qu'il avait prévue, celle de la part maudite. Elle suppose une expérience, mais c'est une expérience qui ne peut pas témoigner d'elle-même. Elle a besoin de s'inscrire de façon institutionnelle, mais elle appelle une pensée apocalyptique. A chaque fois, elle ne peut se dire qu’à travers une « catastrophe » et, à chaque fois également, elle est obligée de faire appel à la figure du « dernier homme ». Cette logique demande à être reconstruite. Il faut revenir là où Bataille s'est arrêté. Il faut comprendre quel était ce formidable obstacle auquel il s'est heurté. Il devait entrer dans un territoire vierge, celui du survivant. Et puisqu'il s'est arrêté précisément là où il se proposait d’écrire sur Kafka, le présent essai annonce et introduit un travail sur la situation de Kafka dans l'histoire (européenne) de la souveraineté.
Cryoablation Allows the Ultimate De-escalation of Surgical Therapy for Select Breast Cancer Patients
Authors: Khan Sonia Y. , Cole Jaclyn , Habrawi Zaina , Melkus Michael W. , Layeequr Rahman Rakhshanda
Published: September 2023

Background

Widespread use of screening mammography has allowed breast cancer to be detected at earlier stages. This allows for increased customization of treatment and less aggressive management. De-escalation of therapy plays an important role in decreasing treatment burden and improving patient quality of life. This report examines cryoablation as the next step in the surgical de-escalation of breast cancer.

Methods

Women with a diagnosis of clinically node-negative, estrogen receptor-positive (ER +), progesterone receptor-positive (PR +), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2 −) infiltrating ductal carcinomas 1.5 cm or smaller underwent ultrasound-guided cryoablation. Either the Visica 2 treatment system (before 2020) or the ProSense treatment system (since 2020) was used to perform the cryoablation. Patients received mammograms and ultrasounds at a 6 months follow-up visit, and magnetic resonance images at baseline, then at 1 year follow-up intervals. Adjuvant therapy decisions and disease status were recorded.

Results

This study enrolled 32 patients who underwent 33 cryoablation procedures (1 patient had bilateral cancer). One patient had a sentinel node biopsy in addition to clinical staging of the axilla. For all the patients, adjuvant endocrine therapy was recommended, and six patients (18.75%) received adjuvant radiation. Of the 32 patients, 20 (60.6%) have been followed up for 2 years or longer, with no residual or recurrent disease at the site of ablation.

Conclusion

Cryoablation of the primary tumor foregoing sentinel node biopsy offers an oncologically safe and feasible minimally invasive office-based procedure option in lieu of surgery for patients with early-stage, low-risk breast cancer.
How Cable News Reshaped Local Government
Authors: Ash Elliott , Galletta Sergio
Published: September 2023

This paper shows that partisan cable news broadcasts have a causal effect on the size and composition of budgets in US localities. Using exogenous channel positioning as an instrument for viewership, we show that exposure to the conservative Fox News channel reduces revenues and expenditures. Multiple mechanisms drive these results: Fox News improves election chances for local Republicans, alters politician campaign agendas, and shifts voter policy preferences on fiscal issues. Consistent with the priorities of small-government conservatism, we find evidence that private provision compensates for the reduced public services. The “Fox News effect” extends beyond vote shares to rightward policy shifts. (JEL D72, H71, H72, H75, I20, L82)
Hidden Income and the Perceived Returns to Migration
Authors: Baseler Travis
Published: September 2023

In many developing economies, urban workers earn substantially more than rural workers with the same level of education. Why don't more rural workers migrate to cities? I use two field experiments in Kenya to show that low migration is partly due to underestimation of urban incomes, which is sustained by income hiding by migrants. Parents at the origin underestimate their migrant children's incomes by nearly half, and underestimation is greater when a migrant's remittance obligations are high. Providing information about urban earnings increases migration to the capital city by about 40 percent over two years. (JEL C93, J31, J61, J82, O15, O18, R23)
Collateralized Marriage
Authors: Lafortune Jeanne , Low Corinne
Published: September 2023

Marriage rates have become increasingly stratified by homeownership. We investigate this in a household model where investments in public goods reduce future earnings and, thus, divorce risk creates inefficiencies. Access to a joint savings technology, like a house, collateralizes marriage, providing insurance to the lower-earning partner and increasing specialization, public goods, and value from marriage. We use idiosyncratic variation in housing prices to show that homeownership access indeed leads to greater specialization. The model also predicts that policies that erode the marriage contract in other ways will make wealth a more important determinant of marriage, which we confirm empirically. (JEL D12, D86, G51, H41, J12, R31)
Head size and academic performance
Authors: Heapost Leiu
Published: September 2023

The aim of the paper was to study the potential correlation between school students’ head size and academic performance. As the material, the head length and breadth measurement data of 5034 7–18-year-old ethnic Estonian school students measured by Prof. J. Aul in 1966–1969 were used. To get an overview of head size and the development of its growth, head module A was used. The correlation between head size and school students’ academic performance was studied using the data of 4840 school students aged 8–18 years (2406 boys and 2434 girls). Academic performance was assessed based on school students’ grades in a three-point system: I – low, II – medium, III – good academic performance. As a result, head module A was found to increase relatively evenly and relatively modestly in Tallinn school students during their school years (7% in boys and 4.5% in girls), while boys’ heads were larger than girls’. Relative head module A decreased in school students with age in both boys and girls. Until the age of 14 years, relative value of head module A is greater in boys than in girls; from the age of 16 years, however, the relative value of head module A becomes greater in girls than boys. A significant correlation between academic performance and head size was found in both boys and girls. The greatest differences in head size were between students with low and good academic performance. Head module A of the latter was essentially greater. In puberty, a few years later in boys than in girls, the mentioned correlation was weaker.
Mathematical Resilience and Motivation to Study in Mathematically Gifted Students - Self-Determination Approach
Authors: Knopik Tomasz , Oszwa Urszula
Published: September 2023

Aim. This study aims to analyse the relationship between mathematical resilience (MR) and motivation (MOT) of mathematically gifted students (MG) through the lens of the self-determination theory (SDT). Questions. Based on a review of the results of previous research, the current study sought answers to four research questions revolving around the relationship between MR and MOT, the predictors of high mathematical achievement, the level and differentiations of dimensions of MR, and the types of MOT in a group of Polish MG high school students aged 16-18 (n = 113). The results of MG group were compared to a comparison group (n = 121). Method. The Mathematical Resilience Scale (MRS-24) and the Motivation to Learn Questionnaire (MLQ-30) were used to measure MR and MOT. Correlation analyses between indicators of the variables, regression analysis and statistical intergroup comparisons were conducted as well. Results. Significant correlations were found between MR and MOT in the MG group. The strongest predictors of high mathematical achievement in the MG appeared to be the students’ beliefs regarding the value of mathematics, along with their overall level of MOT to learn. The level of MR was elevated in the MG and was observed to be significantly higher compared to that in the comparison group. The dimension analysis of MR indicated the particular importance of the perceived values of mathematics as the leading factor in this variable that most strongly differentiated the two groups. The analysis of MOT types in the MG depicted that they manifested mainly intrinsic MOT, identification and introjection, and the level of indicators of these three types of MOT distinguished in the SDT was significantly higher in this group than those in the comparison group. Conclusion. As indicated by the study, the promotion of the social value of mathematics is crucial in shaping students’ MR and MOT as efficient problem-solving tools in school and daily life.
Work in the Experience of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities. A Focus Group Research Report
Authors: Bartnikowska Urszula , Ćwirynkało Katarzyna
Published: September 2023

Mimo że w literaturze dostrzega się korzyści wynikające z pracy i zatrudnienia dla osób z niepełnosprawnością intelektualną, niewiele badań poświęconych jest ich doświadczeniom i przeżyciom prezentowanym z ich własnej perspektywy. Artykuł stanowi raport z fenomenograficznych badań fokusowych prowadzonych w czterech grupach dorosłych osób z niepełnosprawnością intelektualną w stopniu umiarkowanym lub lekkim. Głównym celem badań było zrozumienie doświadczeń i przeżyć dorosłych osób z niepełnosprawnością intelektualną związanych z pracą i zatrudnieniem oraz nadawanych im przez te osoby znaczeń. Łącznie badaniom poddano 34 osoby. W wyniku analiz wyłoniono trzy obszary, do których uczestnicy odnosili się, mówiąc o pracy i zatrudnieniu: (1) ich własna osoba - marzenia, oczekiwania, wyobrażenia, możliwości, przekonania i doświadczenia, (2) środowisko - wzorce środowiskowe, wsparcie i bariery, rekrutacja do pracy i możliwości rynku pracy oraz (3) znaczenia nadawane pracy - źródło utrzymania/ zaspokojenia potrzeb bytowych/materialnych, społecznych, emocjonalnych (satysfakcja, zadowolenie) oraz szansa na samorozwój/samorealizację. Uzyskane wyniki pozwoliły na opracowanie implikacji dla rodziców, praktyków i polityki społecznej w obszarze zatrudnienia osób z niepełnosprawnością intelektualną.
Teachers' Perceptions of Their Own Competences in View of the Demands of the Professionalisation of the Teaching Profession
Authors: Pankowska Dorota , Kirenko Janusz , Samujło Małgorzata
Published: September 2023

Professionalism in the teaching profession plays a significant role in the execution of complex tasks and is based on relevant competences of varying scope and nature. The study conducted in a group of 2151 teachers from the Lubelskie Voivodeship in Poland focused on teachers’ perceptions of their professional competences in terms of their importance, difficulty and decollected. The OIP-II consists of six scales: psychomotor, sensual, imaginational, intellectual OEs, plus emotional sensitivity and emotional empathy. The participants were 116 parents-matic and transgressive. The study used a 40-item questionnaire, describing different areas of teachers’ knowledge, skills and activity, which operationalized broader groups of professional competences. Statistical analyses examined socio-demographic variables: gender, work experience, professional advancement grade, position held, and type and location of the educational establishment.The analysis of the results showed that teachers differentiate their perceptions of competences according to their nature, ranking pragmatic competences as the most important, followed by interpretive and transgressive competences, respectively. They consider the skills andactivities associated with transgressive and pragmatic competences to be more difficult than those associated with interpretive competences. While assessing the mastery of competences, a similar level is observed for interpretive and pragmatic competences and a lower level fortransgressive competences. On the basis of these results, it can be concluded that the teachers primarily pay attention to knowledge and practical skills related to the performance of professional tasks, with less appreciation of aspects related to interpretive and transgressive competences. This approach seems insufficient from the perspective of the ongoing professionalisation of the teaching profession and the challenges of 21st-century education.
The Cognitive Component of Academic Teachers’ Attitudes Towards E-Learning – Research Report
Authors: Tuczyński Krystian
Published: September 2023

The content of the article was directed at determining the level of the cognitive component of university teachers in relation to the use of e-learning in the process of academic education. The purpose of the research being carried out was to determine the dependence of the cognitive component of academic teachers’ attitudes toward e-learning in higher education on the implementation of a distance learning course in Poland. For the purpose of our own research, a survey method was chosen, while the technique used was questionnaire surveying. The research tool used to determine the cognitive component was a test consisting of a set of 30 purposefully selected single-choice questions with three possible answers. The test consisted of three main parts, and each part contained questions on basic knowledge and specific aspects of the issues discussed. The questions were created to verify the mastered content, which was implemented during a training course designed for university teacherson the use of e-learning in the process of educating students. They were used to determine the scope and depth of knowledge possessed by academic teachers regarding the use of elearning in the academic learning environment. Based on the analysis of the study, it can be noted that the implementation of trainingcourses to improve the teaching and information and communication skills academic teachers at the University of Rzeszow brought an increase in the level of the cognitive component. The task of academic teachers is to self-improve their workshop. The role of lecturers is to constantly update their knowledge using various e-learning technologies for this purpose. A key role is the awareness of the need for lifelong learning in a rapidly developing reality.