bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effectiveness of psychosocial interventions for pediatric patients with scoliosis: a systematic review
Authors: van Niekerk Maike , Richey Ann , Vorhies John , Wong Connie , Tileston Kali
Published: March 2023

Background

Pediatric patients affected by scoliosis have complex psychological and social care needs, and may benefit from psychosocial interventions. We therefore aimed to summarize evidence of the efficacy of psychosocial interventions for this patient population.

Methods

Literature was identified by searching Medline, PsycINFO, Embase, EBSCO Cumulated Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) from database inception to 20 March 2022. Articles that evaluated the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions for pediatric patients diagnosed with scoliosis and reported at least one quantitative outcome were included. Article eligibility, data extraction, and quality assessment (using the Cochrane Collaboration’s Risk of Bias Tool and Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies) were performed by two independent researchers. Findings are presented using narrative synthesis.

Results

We identified ten studies, all of which focused on adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Studies included a total of 1007 participants, most of whom were female. Three studies focused on patients undergoing bracing, six on patients undergoing spinal surgery, and one on patients broadly. Brace compliance monitoring and counseling were found to significantly improve brace compliance quality and quantity. Proactive mental healthcare delivery by nurses after spinal surgery was similarly found to improve outcomes. Several studies examined the efficacy of brief educational interventions; most did not report clear evidence of their efficacy. The methodological quality of studies was often unclear due to limitations in articles’ reporting quality.

Conclusions

Research on the efficacy of psychosocial interventions for pediatric patients with scoliosis is limited, with interventions involving frequent patient-provider interactions showing the most promise. Future clinical and research efforts should focus on developing and testing psychosocial interventions for this patient population, with emphasis on multidisciplinary teams delivering holistic care.

Trial registration number

PROSPERO number CRD42022326957
Effects of non-native Salmo trutta and multiscale habitat factors on native fishes in the Driftless Area
Authors: Kelly Brett B. , Siepker Michael J. , Weber Michael J.
Published: March 2023

We collected fishes and habitat data at 138 streams to evaluate the effects of introduced brown trout ( Salmo trutta) and habitat conditions on occurrence, detection, abundance, and size structure of sculpin ( Cottus spp.), longnose dace ( Rhinichthys cataractae), and southern redbelly dace ( Chrosomus erythrogaster) in the Driftless Area, USA. Sculpin detection decreased with increasing stream velocity, whereas southern redbelly dace detection increased with stream depth. Sculpin occupancy declined with increasing stream temperature and velocity and increased with increasing forested land, boulder substrate, and brown trout length and abundance. Longnose and southern redbelly dace occupancy and abundance declined with increasing brown trout abundance and occupancy increased with stream temperature. Longnose dace occupancy also increased with increasing stream temperature and cobble substrate and declined with increasing elevation. Native fish size structure was unrelated to brown trout presence. Our results suggest that effects of brown trout are not ubiquitous across native fishes and depend on abiotic conditions and species-specific habitat requirements, highlighting the need to consider both biotic and abiotic conditions when balancing native species conservation with introduced sportfish management.
Numerical and experimental evidence of topological edge states in periodic acoustic black hole based on valley hall effect
Authors: Qian Xingyu , Li Hongzhu , Lyu Xiaofei , Ding Qian , Ma Zhisai
Published: March 2023

In this paper, we design a phononic crystal plate with periodic lattices based on acoustic black holes (ABHs). The basic structure is composed of a triangular lattice with ABHs in the [Formula: see text] plane whose symmetry ensures that the Dirac cone exists at the corners of the Brillouin zone. The space inversion symmetry can be broken by alternating the parameter values of ABHs. Due to the symmetry of parameters, two topologically distinct phases can be obtained by analogy with the quantum valley Hall effect. We connect them together to create topological edge states. More specifically, the interface between these two phases supports the topologically protected elastic guided mode in the horizontal plane which features quasi-unidirectional propagation. Then, simulations and experiments are carried out to verify this phenomenon.
CONSTRUCTION OF NEW AFFINE AND NON-AFFINE FRACTAL INTERPOLATION FUNCTIONS THROUGH THE WEYL–MARCHAUD DERIVATIVE
Authors: PRIYANKA T. M. C. , GOWRISANKAR A.
Published: March 2023

This paper investigates the Weyl–Marchaud fractional derivative of affine and non-affine fractal interpolation functions with function scaling factors. The dependence of fractal interpolation function on the scaling factor is mainly explored by choosing the scaling factor as a function instead of a constant. In addition, for some fixed order [Formula: see text], the Weyl–Marchaud fractional derivative of a linear fractal interpolation function is estimated by predefining the fractional derivative values at the end points. Similarly, the Weyl–Marchaud fractional derivative of a [Formula: see text]-fractal function is investigated for some fixed order [Formula: see text] with additional constraints on the derivative of prescribed continuous function and base function.
Galactosyl, alkyl, and acidic groups modify uptake and subcellular deposition of pyropheophorbide-a by epithelial tumor cells and determine photosensitizing efficacy
Authors: Tracy Erin C. , Joshi Penny , Dukh Mykhaylo , Durrani Farukh A. , Pandey Ravindra K. , Baumann Heinz
Published: March 2023

Photosensitizers currently used for photodynamic therapy of cancer show enhanced accumulation in tumor tissue but lack cancer cell specificity. To augment cellular uptake, the targeting of pyropheophorbide-a to carbohydrate-binding components of cancer cells was explored. Galactose was attached to pyropheophorbide-a at positions 172 and 20. Since the modification at position 172 removed a carboxylic group, which is relevant for cell specificity, this study evaluated the relative contribution of galactosyl and carboxyl groups at either position 172 or 20, with or without a (hexyloxy)ethyl at position 3, to cellular uptake by human epithelial cancer cells. The subcellular deposition was monitored using fluorescence microscopy and the photoreaction was quantified using biomarkers. The results demonstrated that any galactose addition suppresses transmembrane diffusion and promotes endocytosis and lysosomal accumulation. An anionic group at position 172 or 20 enhances lysosomal retention. Neutralization of the carboxylic group at position 172 facilitates transfer to mitochondria/endoplasmatic reticulum and promotes tumor cell-specific retention. Replacing (hexyloxy)ethyl with an ethyl group at position 3 increased both cellular uptake and egress but did not alter subcellular localization. These findings suggest that specific neutral galactosylated pheophorbides may provide an enhanced therapeutic effect for those tumor types that do not retain unmodified pyropheophorbide. However, the galactose conjugates also serve as substrates for preferential uptake by liver cells resulting in hepatic sequestration, reduced systemic distribution, and lower accumulation in tumor tissue.
Synthesis of 31-aminopyridinio–chlorophyll-a derivatives and their optical properties
Authors: Takarada Yuki , Hara Nobuyuki , Ogasawara Shin , Tamiaki Hitoshi
Published: March 2023

Oxidative reactions of isomeric amino-, methylamino-, and dimethylamino-pyridines with the 3-vinyl group of methyl pyropheophorbide-[Formula: see text], a chlorophyll-[Formula: see text] derivative, afforded 3-{1-[[Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text]-(non/mono/di-methyl-amino)pyridinio]ethenyl}chlorins bearing the C31–N+ bond. Although all the [Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text]-substituents gave almost the same visible absorption spectra in acetonitrile, the [Formula: see text]-methylation effect on the Qy maxima was observed in the [Formula: see text]-substituted analogs with blue-shifted absorption bands. The substitution with most of the amino moieties suppressed the intramolecular electron transfer from the photoexcited chlorin core to the relatively electron-rich pyridinio periphery to enhance the fluorescence emission in acetonitrile, compared with the unsubstituted pyridinio analog. By contrast, the [Formula: see text]-NH2 substituted pyridine–chlorin conjugate was less fluorescent than any other aminated analogs as well as the unsubstituted counterpart. The electron-donating ability of the [Formula: see text]-NH2 group was recovered by the addition of alcohols to give highly fluorescent species.
Estimating the Bearing Capacity of a Square Footing on a Geogrid-Stabilised Granular Layer over Clay Using the Finite Element Method
Authors: Chua Boon Tiong , Nepal Kali Prasad , Abuel-Naga Hossam
Published: March 2023

The bearing capacity of a square footing on an unstabilised and geogrid-stabilised granular layer over clay is estimated using finite element techniques in ABAQUS (a commercial finite element software). The model incorporates a range of soil parameters and layer thicknesses. The two-layered soil system in the model assumes a strong upper granular layer and a weak lower clay layer. The parametric results of the finite element analyses are used to develop design curves with dimensionless parameters in terms of linear gradient and the ratio of the undrained shear strength of clay to the effective vertical stress of the granular layer. The design curves are compared with the published results in the literature and found to be promising. The developed design curves are applied to estimate the minimum thickness of the granular layer and are compared with other existing methods. This application illustrates the simplicity of the proposed technique and reveals that the proposed approach yields a reasonable prediction for the bearing capacity when compared with other established methods.
Driver Mutations Dictate the Immunologic Landscape and Response to Checkpoint Immunotherapy of Glioblastoma
Authors: Yeo Alan T. , Shah Rushil , Aliazis Konstantinos , Pal Rinku , Xu Tuoye , Zhang Piyan , Rawal Shruti , Rose Christopher M. , Varn Frederick S. , Appleman Vicky A. , Yoon Joon , Varma Hemant , Gygi Steven P. , Verhaak Roel G.W. , Boussiotis Vassiliki A. , Charest Al
Published: March 2023

The composition of the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) is considered a key determinant of patients’ response to immunotherapy. The mechanisms underlying TIME formation and development over time are poorly understood. Glioblastoma (GBM) is a lethal primary brain cancer for which there are no curative treatments. GBMs are immunologically heterogeneous and impervious to checkpoint blockade immunotherapies. Utilizing clinically relevant genetic mouse models of GBM, we identified distinct immune landscapes associated with expression of EGFR wild-type and mutant EGFRvIII cancer driver mutations. Over time, accumulation of polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cells (PMN-MDSC) was more pronounced in EGFRvIII-driven GBMs and was correlated with resistance to PD-1 and CTLA-4 combination checkpoint blockade immunotherapy. We determined that GBM-secreted CXCL1/2/3 and PMN-MDSC–expressed CXCR2 formed an axis regulating output of PMN-MDSCs from the bone marrow leading to systemic increase in these cells in the spleen and GBM tumor-draining lymph nodes. Pharmacologic targeting of this axis induced a systemic decrease in the numbers of PMN-MDSC, facilitated responses to PD-1 and CTLA-4 combination checkpoint blocking immunotherapy, and prolonged survival in mice bearing EGFRvIII-driven GBM. Our results uncover a relationship between cancer driver mutations, TIME composition, and sensitivity to checkpoint blockade in GBM and support the stratification of patients with GBM for checkpoint blockade therapy based on integrated genotypic and immunologic profiles.
Bartter Syndrome-Related Variants Distribution: Brazilian Data and Its Comparison with Worldwide Cohorts
Authors: Vaisbich Maria Helena , Messa Ana Carola Hebbia Lobo , Rangel-Santos Andréia Cristiane , Ferreira Juliana Caires de Oliveira Achili , Nunes Fernanda Andrade M. da F. , Watanabe Andreia
Published: March 2023

Background: Genetic testing is recommended for accurate diagnosis of Bartter syndrome (BS) and serves as a basis for implementing specific target therapies. However, populations other than Europeans and North Americans are underrepresented in most databases and there are uncertainties in the genotype-phenotype correlation. We studied Brazilian BS patients, an admixed population with diverse ancestry. Methods: We evaluated the clinical and mutational profile of this cohort and performed a systematic review of BS mutations from worldwide cohorts. Results: Twenty-two patients were included; Gitelman syndrome was diagnosed in 2 siblings with antenatal BS and congenital chloride diarrhea in 1 girl. BS was confirmed in 19 patients: BS type 1 in 1 boy (antenatal BS); BS type 4a in 1 girl and BS type 4b in 1 girl, both of them with antenatal BS and neurosensorial deafness; BS type 3 (CLCNKB mutations): 16 cases. The deletion of the entire CLCNKB (1–20 del) was the most frequent variant. Patients carrying the 1–20 del presented earlier manifestations than those with other CLCNKB-mutations and the presence of homozygous 1–20 del was correlated with progressive chronic kidney disease. The prevalence of the 1–20 del in this BS Brazilian cohort was similar to that of Chinese cohorts and individuals of African and Middle Eastern descent from other cohorts. Conclusion: This study expands the genetic spectrum of BS patients with different ethnics, reveals some genotype/phenotype correlations, compares the findings with other cohorts, and provides a systematic review of the literature on the distribution of BS-related variants worldwide.
Changes in Lifestyle and Body Weight in Children and Adolescents during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Representative Survey of Parents in Germany
Authors: Weihrauch-Blüher Susann , Huizinga Oliver , Joisten Christine , Pflanz Juliane , Torbahn Gabriel , Wiegand Susanna , Holzapfel Christina , Hauner Hans
Published: March 2023

Introduction: The public restrictions taken during the COVID-19 pandemic have substantially affected lifestyle and health behavior of children and adolescents. In Germany, little is known how these changes influenced daily life in families with children and adolescents. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was performed in April/May 2022 across Germany, similar to a survey performed in 2020. Parents (N = 1,004, 20–65 years) with at least one child aged 3–17 years filled in an online questionnaire released by the Forsa Institute for Social Research and Statistical Analysis. Fifteen questions related to eating habits, dietary patterns, physical activity, media consumption, fitness, mental health, and body weight were included, and standard socioeconomic parameters were assessed. Results: Parents’ answers indicated that there was a parental self-reported weight gain in every sixth child since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. This was most obvious in children from families with lower household income and preexisting overweight. Parents also reported that lifestyle patterns had worsened: 70% reported an increase of media consumption during leisure time, 44% a decrease in daily physical activity, and 16% the worsening of dietary habits (e.g., 27% stated to eat more cake and sweets). Children aged 10–12 years were most severely affected. Conclusion: Negative health effects related to the COVID-19 pandemic are predominantly observed in children 10–12 years of age and in children from families with low household income, suggesting a worsening social disparity. Political action is urgently needed to tackle the adverse consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on childhood lifestyle and health.
Low-Dose Aspirin Has Antiproliferative and Apoptosis Effects in HPV16 Tumor Cells and Delays Tumor Development and Growth in an Experimental Model
Authors: Zárate Geny del Socorro Fierros , Flores Fernando Luis Reyna , Burguete Ana Isabel , Marina Vicente Madrid , Olea Eduardo Guzmán , Carranza Clarita Olvera , Melendrez Celina García , Morales Victor Hugo Bermúdez
Published: March 2023

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of aspirin on epithelial HPV16-transformed cells and its antitumor effects, in an experimental HPV16-positive tumor model. Design: The design of the study is experimental (in vitro and in vivo). Participants/Materials, Setting, and Methods: SiHa and BMK-16/myc cells were treated with aspirin and cell proliferation was determined by MTT; Caspase-Glo 3/7 Assay was used to determine apoptosis. The tumor-bearing mice group was treated with 50 mg/gr/day of aspirin (orally) during 30 days and the antitumor effect was determined. Results: Here, we provide evidence that aspirin has a negative effect on proliferation and induces apoptosis in the human (SiHa) and murine (BMK-16/myc) HPV16 cells. Furthermore, aspirin showed inhibition of tumor growth, and in mice treated with aspirin prior to implantation of tumor cells, the tumor growth was delayed. Also, the effect of aspirin increased survival in tumor-bearing mice and in mice pre-treated with aspirin. Limitations: It is necessary to carry out in vitro and in vivo studies of the molecular mechanisms involved in the effects of aspirin on tumor cells. Conclusion: Aspirin showed antiproliferative effects in tumor cells and inhibited tumor progression and could be effective as a chemopreventive agent. Thus, aspirin deserves further exploration for the treatment of cervical cancer and other neoplasms.
Association of Body Fat Distribution and Risk of Breast Cancer in Pre- and Postmenopausal Women
Authors: Cao Yang , Xia Bin , Zhang Zhen , Hu Dan , Huang Xinwei , Yuan Jinqiu , Li Fangping
Published: March 2023

Introduction: Obesity is a risk factor for both the development of and mortality from breast cancer in postmenopausal but not in premenopausal women. However, which part of the fat mass is associated with risk remains unclear, and whether the difference in the risk for breast cancer is associated with discrepancy in the distribution of fat with menstrual status requires further study. Methods: A dataset from the UK Biobank, which included 245,009 female participants and 5,402 females who developed breast cancer during a mean follow-up of 6.6 years, was analyzed. Body fat mass was measured according to bioelectrical impedance at baseline by trained technicians. Age- and multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios and corresponding 95% confidence intervals for associations between body fat distribution and the risk for breast cancer were estimated using Cox proportional-hazards regression. Height, age, education level, ethnicity, index of multiple deprivation, alcohol intake, smoking, physical activity, fruit consumption, age at menarche, age at first birth, number of births, hormone replacement therapy, family history of breast cancer, hysterectomy, and ovariotomy were adjusted for potential confounders. Results: Fat distribution differed between pre- and postmenopausal women. After menopause, there was an increase in fat mass in different body segments (arms, legs, and trunk). After age- and multivariable adjustment, fat mass in different segments, BMI, and waist circumference were significantly associated with the risk for breast cancer among postmenopausal but not premenopausal women. Conclusion: Postmenopausal women exhibited more fat in different body segments, which are associated with increased risk for breast cancer, compared to premenopausal women. Fat mass control throughout the body may be beneficial in mitigating the risk for breast cancer and was not limited to abdominal fat alone among postmenopausal women.
O macro pianismo do Mikrokosmos: caminhos de desenvolvimento técnico e de linguagem por meio da série de 153 peças progressivas para piano do compositor Béla Bartók
Authors: Silva Alexandre Guilherme Montes
Published: March 2023

Neste ensaio são apresentadas as origens e a contextualização histórica da gênese do ciclo de 153 peças para piano, intitulado Mikrokosmosdo compositor húngaro Béla Bartók. Na primeira seção é discutido, em um breve panorama, as transformações conceituais pelas quais a pedagogia musical passou ao longo dos últimos séculos, de modo a podermos compreender melhor a relevância da obra de Bartók dentro desse contexto. No segundo seguimento é tratado sobre a gênese do ciclo e sobre a relevância dos conteúdos musicais presentes ao longo das peças, além da importância didática e estética deste material.
Processos de criação do professor-autor: esboços para a composição de uma paisagem em movimento
Authors: Alencar Renata , Ferreira Tailze Melo
Published: March 2023

Este artigo propõe quatro “zonas de contato” como resultado de uma pesquisa exploratória sobre possíveis diálogos epistemológicos entre os estudos dos processos de criação e as pesquisas contemporâneas em educação. As “zonas de contato” mapeadas são: “professor-autor”; “criatividade como competência”; “processos criativos como pista metodológica” e “documentos de processo para o metaconhecimento do professor-autor”. Por se constituir em etapa de uma pesquisa em desenvolvimento, as reflexões aqui apresentadas enfatizam as dimensões epistemológicas e conceituais que subsidiam as discussões sobre o trabalho criativo do professor-autor.
Relato de uma experiência no enfrentamento de um caso de bullying com jogos teatrais como metodologia ativa para a resolução de conflitos
Authors: Andrade Marina Meyer Aguirre de , Frutuoso Letícia Rodrigues
Published: March 2023

O objetivo deste artigo é relatar como se deu o processo de enfrentamento de bullying em uma escola particular de Hortolândia/SP. Diante de um caso sério de bullying, que acometia uma aluna do 9º ano da escola, foi decidido junto à coordenação, a realização de oficinas que utilizassem uma metodologia ativa para abordar o problema não somente com estudantes diretamente envolvidos, mas com todas as turmas da escola. Assim, foram realizadas oficinas de jogos teatrais, utilizando-se a metodologia MEET (Medical Education Empowered by Theater), trabalhando o tema de forma artística, fomentando o pensamento crítico e a criação de conhecimento em experiência. O resultado foi positivo, em apenas uma semana de atividades, os estudantes passaram a se posicionar, falar e agir quando discordavam de algo, criando na escola um clima de cooperativismo e intolerância com “brincadeiras” vexatórias e discriminatórias, culminando na resolução do caso de bullying que deu início ao projeto.
O caderno do pequeno artista: expressão e transformação no desenho da segunda infância
Authors: Silva Micaela Regina de Oliveira
Published: March 2023

Esse artigo se propõe a analisar e observar os aspectos relevantes do desenvolvimento e construção de um caderno de artista a partir da mudança implementada nas aulas de arte em ateliê no Colégio Pentágono, quando um simples caderno de desenho com folhas finas e capa simples deu lugar a um caderno de artista, compacto e diferente. Busca-se entender como essa mudança impacta nos processos criativos de cada um, conferindo assim, às próprias crianças um status de artista. Para esta dessa análise, conto com as considerações de Suzuki (2014), que aborda os meios de construção e uso do caderno em sala de aula, Salles (1998), sobre o processo de criativo, e Freire (1996) ao relatar a importância da relação entre professor e aluno e as abordagens de aprendizagem.
Differences in Myocardial Remodeling and Tissue Characteristics in Chronic Isolated Aortic and Mitral Regurgitation
Authors: Malahfji Maan , Kitkungvan Danai , Senapati Alpana , Nguyen Duc T. , El-Tallawi Carlos , Tayal Bhupendar , Debs Dany , Crudo Valentina , Graviss Edward A. , Reardon Michael J. , Quinones Miguel , Zoghbi William A. , Shah Dipan J.
Published: March 2023

Background:

The left ventricular hemodynamic load differs between aortic regurgitation (AR) and primary mitral regurgitation (MR). We used cardiac magnetic resonance to compare left ventricular remodeling patterns, systemic forward stroke volume, and tissue characteristics between patients with isolated AR and isolated MR.

Methods:

We assessed remodeling parameters across the spectrum of regurgitant volume. Left ventricular volumes and mass were compared against normal values for age and sex. We calculated forward stroke volume (planimetered left ventricular stroke volume−regurgitant volume) and derived a cardiac magnetic resonance–based systemic cardiac index. We assessed symptom status according to remodeling patterns. We also evaluated the prevalence of myocardial scarring using late gadolinium enhancement imaging, and the extent of interstitial expansion via extracellular volume fraction.

Results:

We studied 664 patients (240 AR, 424 primary MR), median age of 60.7 (49.5–69.9) years. AR led to more pronounced increases in ventricular volume and mass compared with MR across the spectrum of regurgitant volume (
P
<0.001). In ≥moderate regurgitation, AR patients had a higher prevalence of eccentric hypertrophy (58.3% versus 17.5% in MR;
P
<0.001), whereas MR patients had normal geometry (56.7%) followed by myocardial thinning with low mass/volume ratio (18.4%). The patterns of eccentric hypertrophy and myocardial thinning were more common in symptomatic AR and MR patients (
P
<0.001). Systemic cardiac index remained unchanged across the spectrum of AR, whereas it progressively declined with increasing MR volume. Patients with MR had a higher prevalence of myocardial scarring and higher extracellular volume with increasing regurgitant volume (
P
value for trend <0.001), whereas they were unchanged across the spectrum of AR (
P
=0.24 and 0.42, respectively).

Conclusions:

Cardiac magnetic resonance identified significant heterogeneity in remodeling patterns and tissue characteristics at matched degrees of AR and MR. Further research is needed to examine if these differences impact reverse remodeling and clinical outcomes after intervention.
Early-Life Cardiovascular Risk Factor Trajectories and Vascular Aging in Midlife: A 30-Year Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Wang Yang , Wang Jie , Zheng Xiao-Wei , Du Ming-Fei , Zhang Xi , Chu Chao , Wang Dan , Liao Yue-Yuan , Ma Qiong , Jia Hao , Hu Gui-Lin , Yan Yu , Sun Yue , Chen Chen , Zhang Xiao-Yu , Li Hao , Zou Ting , Niu Ze-Jiaxin , Man Zi-Yue , Wang Lan , Luo Wen-Jing , Wu Guan-Ji , Kang Yu-Ming , Chang John , Delles Christian , Lu Yao , Mu Jian-Jun
Published: March 2023

Background:

Vascular aging, as assessed by structural and functional arterial properties, is an independent predictor of cardiovascular outcomes. We aimed to explore the associations of individual cardiovascular risk factors from childhood to midlife and their accumulation over a 30-year span with vascular aging in midlife.

Methods:

Using data from the ongoing cohort of Hanzhong Adolescent Hypertension study, 2180 participants aged 6 to 18 years at baseline were followed for over 30 years. Distinct trajectories of systolic blood pressure (SBP), body mass index (BMI), and heart rate from childhood to midlife were identified by group-based trajectory modeling. Vascular aging was assessed by carotid intima media thickness or brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity.

Results:

We identified 4 distinct SBP trajectories, 3 distinct BMI trajectories, and 2 distinct heart rate trajectories from childhood to midlife. Persistently increasing SBP, high-increasing BMI, and high-stable heart rate were all shown to have a positive association with brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity in midlife. For carotid intima–media thickness, similar associations were observed for persistently increasing SBP and high-increasing body mass index. After further adjustment for SBP, body mass index and heart rate at the time of vascular assessment in 2017, associations were also observed for cardiovascular risk factor trajectories accumulation with brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (β, 0.656 [95% CI, 0.265–1.047]) and with carotid intima media thickness (β, 0.045 [95% CI, 0.011–0.079]) in adulthood.

Conclusions:

Longitudinal exposure to individual cardiovascular risk factors from childhood to midlife and cardiovascular risk factor accumulation were associated with an increased risk of vascular aging in midlife. Our study lends support for early targeting of risk factors in order to prevent cardiovascular disease later in life.
The Indochinese Communist Party's Unfinished Revolution of 1945 and the Origins of Vietnam's 30-Year Civil War
Authors: Asselin Pierre
Published: March 2023

This article examines the genesis and outcomes of the so-called August Revolution undertaken by the Indochinese Communist Party (ICP) in 1945. Drawing on Vietnamese archival materials and ICP resolutions, instructions, and assessments, the article shows that the revolution did not culminate in ICP dominance of Vietnamese politics and that Chinese Nationalist occupation authorities in northern Vietnam were neither cordial nor obliging toward the government established by Ho Chi Minh after he declared Vietnam's independence on 2 September 1945. The so-called bourgeois revolution Ho and the ICP instigated that summer faced insurmountable challenges, including domestic fracturing and contestation, that precluded its swift completion. The August Revolution that inspired Ho's declaration of independence marked the beginning of a bloody internal struggle for power in Vietnam, not its culmination.
A Shadow Party System: The Political Activities of Cold War Polish Exiles
Authors: Łukasiewicz Sławomir
Published: March 2023

Polish émigrés were an important feature of the Cold War landscape in Europe, as were exiles from other Central European countries. In addition to opposing the Communist systems in their countries of origin, they tried to pursue independent policies in the West. Émigrés were active in political parties—including Christian Democratic, Socialist, and agrarian parties—but at the same time they attempted to create new forms, such as new political and social movements and transnational organizations. With active international agendas, they also worked to influence their own societies, both in the countries in which they had settled and in their countries of origin. This mixture of social and political dimensions was a specific phenomenon of Cold War intellectual history in Europe. The article draws on archival materials from Poland, Great Britain, France, Italy, and the United States and builds on concepts developed by scholars such as Maurice Duverger, Giovanni Sartori, V. O. Key, Jr., Yossi Shain, and Idesbald Goddeeris.
U.S. Cold War Policy and the Italian Far-Right: The Nixon Administration, Republican Party Operatives, and the Borghese Coup Plot of 1970
Authors: Marshall Jonathan
Published: March 2023

The Nixon administration's attempt to promote a military coup in Chile after the election of a far-left president in September 1970 is a well-documented example of U.S. officials’ willingness do whatever was needed to curtail Soviet influence in the Third World. Drawing on declassified White House documents and records of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, this article examines the parallel but largely unknown story of U.S. dealings with right-wing extremists in one of the founding members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Italy, at around that same time. In December 1970, far-right activists in Italy staged an abortive coup that was intended to prevent further gains by Italy's leftist parties. The article draws on new and widely forgotten sources to examine the background and involvement of two private U.S. operatives for the Republican Party who were closely aligned with senior coup plotters in Italy. Their involvement with Italian neo-fascists should raise concerns about the dangers of private meddling in foreign policy and the potential for private actors to create misperceptions about critical U.S. government policies.
Making the Alliance for Progress Serve the Few: U.S. Economic Aid to Cold War Brazil (1961–1964)
Authors: Loureiro Felipe P.
Published: March 2023

This article analyzes the aid provided by U.S. and multilateral institutions to Brazilian states during the government of João Goulart in Brazil (1961–1964). Although scholars have long emphasized that John F. Kennedy's Alliance for Progress employed state-by-state shaped by Cold War goals that helped to destabilize Brazil's political system and to facilitate the advent of a military regime that lasted 21 years, little has been known until now about the amount, characteristics, and impact of these loans. This article presents the first comprehensive list of U.S. dollar loans and cruzeiro grants to Brazilian states during this crucial period of Brazil's history and demonstrates that U.S. aid was strongly guided by political objectives, particularly boosting anti-Communist and pro-U.S. governors for the forthcoming Brazilian presidential elections. Officials in Washington were hoping to keep strategic Brazilian states under U.S. influence in case a military move against Goulart proved necessary.
Mental Health and Attitudes Toward Seeking Counseling in Mexican Americans: Exploring Values and Social Class
Authors: Choi Na-Yeun , Li Xu , Crossley Rebecca , Gibbs Jessica , López-Harder Jessica
Published: March 2023

As previous research points to the importance of studying a specific ethnic group due to within group differences among the Latinx community, this research focused on Mexican Americans’ mental health disparities by examining mental health and attitudes toward seeking counseling in relation to relevant cultural factors, such as cultural values, generational status, and social class. Based on a sample of 350 Mexican American college students, the findings revealed that better mental health was related to lower adherence of the familism value, higher adherence of the respect value, and higher subjective social class. Moreover, more positive attitudes toward seeking counseling was related to lower adherence to familism and traditional gender role cultural values. Lastly, our findings did not support the moderation hypothesis by generational status. Mental health professionals need to consider that multidimensional cultural aspects operate differently by hindering or enhancing help-seeking attitudes and mental health.
Different strokes for different folks? The translation of public values into official meanings
Authors: Wæraas Arild , Sataøen Hogne Lerøy
Published: March 2023

It is well known that the meanings of public values can vary significantly across different settings, given their abstract nature. Despite this knowledge, however, the public values literature has not significantly examined the official meanings of public values in their local setting. Against this backdrop, on the basis of a translation perspective we examine the context-specific meanings of 219 public values as defined by the core values statements of 61 Nordic central government agencies. We show variation and patterns in the meanings, emphasizing how the meanings vary depending on whether the values are translated into (1) a work and service delivery theme, (2) an internal relations theme and (3) an external relations theme. Through these findings, the study highlights the importance of taking into consideration the official meanings of agency core values for understanding the relationship between public values and administrative behaviour.

Points for practitioners

The findings from this study inform public managers and administrators of the possible variation in the official meanings that could be attributed to core values. They suggest that public managers should carefully consider how they want their agency's core values to be understood by the employees. Specifically, when translating core values, public managers are advised to assess whether the signifiers they use to translate the values should guide work and service delivery, internal relations or external relations, respectively, or a combination. By drawing attention to the intended meanings of core values, the findings create increased awareness of how different translations of core values implicate different administrative behaviours.
A Meta-Analysis of Brand Extension Success: The Effects of Parent Brand Equity and Extension Fit
Authors: Peng Chenming , Bijmolt Tammo H.A. , Völckner Franziska , Zhao Hong
Published: March 2023

Given the high failure rates of brand extensions, insights into the drivers of brand extension success are critical for marketing practitioners and scholars. Prior research has inferred that parent brand equity and extension fit are the two key success drivers; however, empirical findings are mixed. Drawing on signaling theory, categorization theory, and a large database of 2,134 effect sizes from research spanning 1990–2020, the authors address these mixed findings through a meta-analysis to develop empirical generalizations. The results show that parent brand equity and extension fit positively influence extension success. However, the multifaceted dimensions of these two drivers have differential effects. For example, among the fit dimensions, usage fit has the weakest effect. While the results suggest an overall positive interaction effect between the two drivers, a fine-grained perspective that considers the drivers’ various dimensions reveals differences. For example, brand familiarity appears to have a lower interaction effect with extension fit than the other dimensions of parent brand equity. Furthermore, the authors provide a comprehensive analysis of five groups of moderators: contextual factors (parent brand, extension, communication, and consumer factors) and research method factors. The authors offer managerial and future research implications for the design of brand extension strategies.
Are common bean traders efficient? An empirical evidence from Malawi
Authors: Chitete Moses , Mgomezulu Wisdom Richard , Bwanaisa Mercy , Phiri Horace , Dzanja Joseph
Published: March 2023

Efficient agricultural markets can be a bedrock for diverse economy-wide benefits ranging from improvements in resource use to price stabilisation. However, as is the case with most developing and agrarian countries, Malawi's agricultural markets are still developing. This is mainly the case in the country's legume markets, especially the bean marketing system. The current study assessed the market efficiency of common bean traders in Malawi using a multiple linear regression model. By focusing on the bean traders in the major markets in Malawi, the study departs from earlier research on bean marketing, which has placed greater emphasis on the farmer. The findings reveal that traders in bean markets mostly use informal sources of market information. Again, transaction costs such as transportation, storage, handling and distance to sources of bean reduce marketing efficiency. The scale of the operation portrayed a positive influence on marketing efficiency. Access to credit significantly increased marketing efficiency for both wholesalers and retailers. In addition, markets that are located in rural areas had a negative effect on marketing efficiency as compared to markets in urban areas, further agreeing with the focus of the National Agriculture Policy (NAP) to introduce structured markets in rural areas. The study recommends adjustments in policies in the NAP that would promote smooth access to reliable market information, especially in rural areas. The upgrading of the rural road system and warehousing facilities should be promoted in order to lower transaction costs. This will enable bean traders to expand their operations on a larger scale while also lowering expenses and increasing profits.
Transnationalisme pentecôtiste et précarité enchantée : le cas du Monte de Oración dans la périphérie suburbaine de Lima, Pérou
Authors: Lecaros Véronique , Asenjo Samuel
Published: March 2023

This article presents the study of a popular Pentecostal center, Monte de Oración (MO), located in the suburban outskirts of Lima, Peru. The MO, founded by an illiterate woman originally from Cuzco, self-proclaimed pastor, began its trajectory (1970s, 1980s) as a community site of Catholic popular piety, anchored in the Andean traditions of mountain worship until it became a family religious enterprise. The MO is connected with some forty independent churches in Lima which organize retreats there and is, as well, in the process of being integrated into the networks of North American missionary denominations. The MO maintains a connection with transnational Pentecostal currents that make sense, locally, through similarity and affinity (Foucault, Han). At MO, are adopted and adapted, with creativity, issues and rites, among others, spiritual warfare, Israelophilia / Zionism, gender complementarity, refusal of vaccines against COVID.
Deceptive Affection is Strategically Expressed Under Relational Threat—But Not Towards Partners with Low Mate Value
Authors: Caton Neil R. , Horan Sean M.
Published: March 2023

Individuals sometimes express affection that they do not feel. This describes deceptive affectionate messages and occurs when communicators express affectionate messages that are not consistent with their internal feelings of affection in the moment. They are commonly expressed in romantic relationships (about 3 times per week) and are argued to function as relational maintenance and retention. The present work ( N = 1993) demonstrated that deceptive affectionate messages are the behavioral output of an evolved psychological system that strategically operates to maintain significant pair bonds (i.e., high mate value partners) but not non-significant pair bonds (i.e., low mate value partners). This system is uniquely and nonrandomly designed to increasingly generate deceptive affectionate messages when the individual’s highly valued partnership is perceived to be under relational threat and decreasingly deploy deceptive affectionate messages when the highly valued partnership is not under threat, but the system does not apply this relational strategy in low-valued partnerships. This supports evolutionary psychological reasoning that affectionate communication should be predicated on a cost–benefit ratio, such that deceptive affectionate messages are expressed to high value mates because the substantial costs of losing a highly valued partner outweigh the smaller risks of enacting them (e.g., discovered deception, temporary relational conflict). By establishing that deceptive affection is predicated on a cost–benefit ratio, the present work better solidifies deceptive affection, and affection exchange theory more broadly, in the human evolutionary sciences.
GEospatial aNalysis of ExtRacorporeal membrane oxygenATion in Europe (GENERATE)
Authors: Gillon Stuart , Zheng Chunyu , Feng Zhiqiang , Fleig Marcel , Scquizzato Tommaso , Belohlavek Jan , Lorusso Roberto , Lone Nazir , Swol Justyna
Published: March 2023

Introduction

A cross-sectional survey GENERATE (GEospatial aNalysis of ExtRacorporeal membrane oxygenATion in Europe) initiated on behalf of the European chapter of the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (EuroELSO), aims to provide a systematic, detailed description of contemporary Extracorporeal Life Support (ECLS) provision in Europe, map the spatial distribution of ECLS centers, and the accessibility of ECLS.

Methods

Structured data collection forms were used to create a narrative description of ECLS provision in EuroELSO affiliated countries. This consisted of both center-specific data and relevant national infrastructure. Data was provided by a network of local and national representatives. Spatial accessibility analysis was conducted where appropriate geographical data were available.

Results

281 centers from 37 countries affiliated to EuroELSO were included in the geospatial analysis and demonstrate heterogeneous patterns of ECLS provision. Accessibility of ECLS services within 1 hour of drive-time is available for 50% of the adult population in 8 of 37 countries (21.6%). This proportion is reached within 2 hours in 21 of 37 countries (56.8%) and within 3 hours in 24 of 37 countries (64.9%). For pediatric centers, accessibility is similar with 9 of 37 countries (24.3%) reached the covering of 50% of the population aged 0–14 within 1 hour and 23 of 37 countries (62.2%) within 2 hours and 3 hours.

Conclusions

ECLS services are accessible in most of the European countries, but their provision differs across the continent. There is still no solid evidence given regarding the optimal ECLS provision model. The spatial disparity in ECLS provision demonstrated in our analysis requires governments, healthcare professionals and policy makers to consider how to develop existing provision to accommodate the anticipated increase in need for time critical access to this advanced support modality.
Primary neonatal and pediatric ECMO transport: First experience in Spain
Authors: Belda Hofheinz Sylvia , López Fernández Eduardo , García Torres Enrique , Arias Dachary Javier , Boni Lorenzo , Tajuelo Llopis Imanol , Orozco Gámez Rocío , Carballo Rodríguez Lorena , Martins Bravo María , López Gámez Susana , García Maellas Maite , Gijón Mediavilla Manuel
Published: March 2023

Introduction

The organization of primary Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) transport is highly variable.

Methods

To present the experience of the first mobile pediatric ECMO program in Spain, we designed a prospective descriptive study of all primary neonatal and pediatric (0–16 years) ECMO transports carried out over 10 years. The main variables recorded include demographic information, patient background, clinical data, ECMO indications, adverse events, and main outcomes.

Results

39 primary ECMO transports were carried out with a 66.7% survival to hospital discharge. The median age was 1.24 months[IQR: 0.09–96]. Cannulation was mostly peripheral venoarterial (33/39). The mean response time from the call from the sending center to the departure of the ECMO team was 4 h[2.2–8]. The median inotropic score at the time of cannulation was 70[17.2–206.5], with a median oxygenation index of 40.5[29–65]. In 10% of the cases, ECMO-CPR was performed. Adverse events occurred in 56.4%, mostly related to the means of transport (40% overall). On arrival at the ECMO center, 44% of the patients underwent interventions. The median PICU stay was 20.5 days[11–32]. 5 patients developed neurological sequels. Statistically significant differences between survivors and deceased patients were not found.

Conclusions

A good survival rate, with a low prevalence of serious adverse events, suggests a clear benefit of primary ECMO transport when conventional therapeutic measures are exhausted and the patient is too unstable to undergo conventional transport. A nationwide primary ECMO-transport program must therefore be offered to all patients regardless of their location.