bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Total neoadjuvant therapy with split-course hypofraction radiotherapy combined with CAPOX and envafolimab followed by local excision for locally advanced very low rectal cancer (TRACE-LE): An open-label, single-arm, multicenter, phase II trial.
Authors: Jiang Weizhong , Chi Pan , Tao Kaixiong , Xu Dongbo , Yang Chunkang , Zheng Rong , Xu Benhua , Huang Ying , Chen Zhifen , Huang Shenghui , Xu Zongbin
Published: June 2024

TPS3647

Background: In the treatment of patients with locally advanced very low rectal cancer, neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by total mesorectal excision (TME) is considered a standard therapeutic approach. Short-course hypofractionated radiotherapy, in combination with subsequent chemotherapy, has been shown to be comparable to long-term chemoradiotherapy in terms of neoadjuvant therapy effects in rectal cancer. Additionally, it has been observed that hypofractionated radiotherapy, when combined with programmed death L-1 (PD-L1) blockade, can enhance the immune response. This study aims to investigate efficacy and safety of organ preservation in patients with locally advanced very low rectal cancer by utilizing total neoadjuvant therapy involving split-course hypofraction radiotherapy in conjunction with CAPOX and Envafolimab (a humanized single-domain anti-PD-L1 antibody fused to an Fc fragment). Methods: TheTRACE-LE trail is an open-label, single-arm, multicenter, phase II trial. The target sample is 72 participants. Key eligibility criteria include individuals aged 18-75, confirmed rectal adenocarcinoma, cT3-4N0/cT1-4N1-2 with lower margin ≤ 2cm from anorectal ring's upper edge (MRI) and ECOG performance status of 0-2. The treatment protocol include preoperative split-course hypofractionated radiotherapy (5×7Gy), in conjunction with 6 cycles of CAPOX chemotherapy and Enverolimab (300 mg subcutaneous injections) administered in a 3-week treatment cycle. The primary outcome measure is organ preservation, specifically the rectum intact, owing to no radical total mesorectal excision (TME), no locoregional regrowth unless amenable to limited, curative (R0) salvage surgery by local excision (LE) and no permanent stoma (including a never reversed protective stoma, or a stoma owing to toxicities and/or poor functional outcomes). The secondary outcome measures encompass ypT0-1 rate, pathological complete response (pCR) rate, acute and late toxicity as per NCICTCAE V.5.0, local recurrence rate, local regional recurrence rate, disease-free survival, quality of life, and anorectal function. Clinical trial information: NCT05970900 .
Financial Toxicity and Willingness-to-Pay for Cancer Treatment Among People With Multiple Myeloma
Authors: Fiala Mark A.
Published: June 2024

PURPOSE

This study used willingness-to-pay (WTP) exercises to explore the relationships between race, financial toxicity, and treatment decision making among people with cancer.

METHODS

A convenience sample of people with multiple myeloma who attended an academic medical center in 2022 was surveyed. Financial toxicity was assessed by the Comprehensive Score for financial Toxicity, with scores <26 indicating financial toxicity. WTP was assessed with (1) a discrete choice experiment (DCE), (2) fixed-choice tasks, and (3) a bidding game.

RESULTS

In total, 156 people were approached, and 130 completed the survey. The majority of the sample was White (n = 99), whereas 24% (n = 31) was African American or Black. Forty-six percent (n = 60) of the sample were experiencing financial toxicity. In the DCE, the relative importance of cost was twice as high for those with financial toxicity (30% compared with 14%; P < .001). In the fixed-choice tasks, they were twice as likely to accept a treatment with shorter progression-free survival but lower costs (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.47; P = .049). In the bidding game, the median monthly WTP of those with financial toxicity was half that of those without ($100 in US dollars [USD] compared with $200 USD; P < .001). Only in the bidding game was race statistically associated with WTP; after controlling for financial toxicity, African American or Black participants were three times as likely (aOR, 3.06; P = .007) to report a lower WTP.

CONCLUSION

Across all three exercises, participants with financial toxicity reported lower WTP than those without. As financial toxicity disproportionally affects some segments of patients, it is possible that financial toxicity contributes to cancer disparities.
The Association of Adiposity and RAAS With Incident Diabetes in African Americans: The Jackson Heart Study
Authors: Nedungadi Divya , Ayodele Adesanya Timothy M , Rayan Melanie Natasha , Zhao Songzhu , Williams Amaris , Brock Guy , Joseph Joshua J
Published: June 2024

Background

The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) and adiposity measures are independently associated with the development of diabetes in African American adults. However, studies have not examined the combined interaction between RAAS and adiposity measures in relation to diabetes risk in African American adults.

Objective

We examined the longitudinal association of combined RAAS and adiposity measures with incident diabetes among African American adults in the Jackson Heart Study.

Methods

African American adults were assessed at baseline (2000-2004) and over 12 years of follow-up. RAAS, anthropometric (waist circumference [WC], body mass index), and adipokine (adiponectin, leptin, leptin to adiponectin ratio [LAR]) measures were collected at baseline. Aldosterone, WC, and LAR were chosen as the best predictor variables. The final model, adjusting for age, sex, education, occupation, systolic blood pressure, smoking, physical activity and RAAS-altering medications, incorporated these variables and their interactions (WC*aldosterone + LAR*aldosterone) to explore their impact on incident diabetes.

Results

Among 3219 participants without diabetes at baseline, there were 554 incident cases over a median follow-up period of 7.5 years. Aldosterone, WC, and LAR were positively associated with incident diabetes (all P < .05). A significant interaction was found between WC and aldosterone, with a greater association among individuals with lower WC. This interaction was significant in participants with prediabetes but not in those with normoglycemia. No significant interaction was found between log-LAR and aldosterone with risk of incident diabetes.

Conclusion

Higher aldosterone in participants is associated with greater risk of diabetes, particularly among individuals with prediabetes and lower WC.
An Irak1-Mecp2 tandem duplication mouse model for the study of MECP2 duplication syndrome
Authors: Maino Eleonora , Scott Ori , Rizvi Samar Z. , Chan Wing Suen , Visuvanathan Shagana , Zablah Youssif Ben , Li Hongbin , Sengar Ameet S. , Salter Michael W. , Jia Zhengping , Rossant Janet , Cohn Ronald D. , Gu Bin , Ivakine Evgueni A.
Published: June 2024

MECP2 duplication syndrome (MDS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by tandem duplication of the MECP2 locus and its surrounding genes, including IRAK1. Current MDS mouse models involve transgenic expression of MECP2 only, limiting their applicability to the study of the disease. Herein, we show that an efficient and precise CRISPR/Cas9 fusion proximity-based approach can be utilized to generate an Irak1-Mecp2 tandem duplication mouse model (‘Mecp2 Dup’). The Mecp2 Dup mouse model recapitulates the genomic landscape of human MDS by harboring a 160 kb tandem duplication encompassing Mecp2 and Irak1, representing the minimal disease-causing duplication, and the neighboring genes Opn1mw and Tex28. The Mecp2 Dup model exhibits neuro-behavioral abnormalities, and an abnormal immune response to infection not previously observed in other mouse models, possibly owing to Irak1 overexpression. The Mecp2 Dup model thus provides a tool to investigate MDS disease mechanisms and develop potential therapies applicable to patients.
c-Src-induced vascular malformations require localised matrix degradation at focal adhesions
Authors: Essebier Patricia , Keyser Mikaela , Yordanov Teodor , Hill Brittany , Yu Alexander , Noordstra Ivar , Yap Alpha S. , Stehbens Samantha J. , Lagendijk Anne K. , Schimmel Lilian , Gordon Emma J.
Published: June 2024

Endothelial cells lining the blood vessel wall communicate intricately with the surrounding extracellular matrix, translating mechanical cues into biochemical signals. Moreover, vessels require the capability to enzymatically degrade the matrix surrounding them, to facilitate vascular expansion. c-Src plays a key role in blood vessel growth, with its loss in the endothelium reducing vessel sprouting and focal adhesion signalling. Here, we show that constitutive activation of c-Src in endothelial cells results in rapid vascular expansion, operating independently of growth factor stimulation or fluid shear stress forces. This is driven by an increase in focal adhesion signalling and size, with enhancement of localised secretion of matrix metalloproteinases responsible for extracellular matrix remodelling. Inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase activity results in a robust rescue of the vascular expansion elicited by heightened c-Src activity. This supports the premise that moderating focal adhesion-related events and matrix degradation can counteract abnormal vascular expansion, with implications for pathologies driven by unusual vascular morphologies.
Thermal performance curves for aerobic scope and specific dynamic action in a sexually dimorphic piscivore: implications for a warming climate
Authors: Bihun Christian J. , Stewart Erin M. C. , Lechner Emily R. , Brownscombe Jacob W. , Raby Graham D.
Published: June 2024

Digestion can make up a substantial proportion of animal energy budgets, yet our understanding of how it varies with sex, body mass and ration size is limited. A warming climate may have consequences for animal growth and feeding dynamics that will differentially impact individuals in their ability to efficiently acquire and assimilate meals. Many species, such as walleye (Sander vitreus), exhibit sexual size dimorphism (SSD), whereby one sex is larger than the other, suggesting sex differences in energy acquisition and/or expenditure. Here, we present the first thorough estimates of specific dynamic action (SDA) in adult walleye using intermittent-flow respirometry. We fed male (n=14) and female (n=9) walleye two ration sizes, 2% and 4% of individual body mass, over a range of temperatures from 2 to 20°C. SDA was shorter in duration and reached higher peak rates of oxygen consumption with increasing temperature. Peak SDA increased with ration size and decreased with body mass. The proportion of digestible energy lost to SDA (i.e. the SDA coefficient) was consistent at 6% and was unrelated to temperature, body mass, sex or ration size. Our findings suggest that sex has a negligible role in shaping SDA, nor is SDA a contributor to SSD for this species. Standard and maximum metabolic rates were similar between sexes but maximum metabolic rate decreased drastically with body mass. Large fish, which are important for population growth because of reproductive hyperallometry, may therefore face a bioenergetic disadvantage and struggle most to perform optimally in future, warmer waters.
Guideline-Concordant Surgical Care for Lobular Versus Ductal Inflammatory Breast Cancer
Authors: Iwai Yoshiko , Perez-Rojas Stephany , Thomas Samantha M. , Tadros Audree B. , Woodward Steven G. , Zhang Jennifer Q. , Elmore Leisha C. , Freedman Gary M. , Tchou Julia C. , Bleznak Aaron D. , Fayanju Oluwadamilola M.
Published: June 2024

Introduction

Quality of surgical care is understudied for lobular inflammatory breast cancer (IBC), which is less common, more chemotherapy-resistant, and more mammographically occult than ductal IBC. We compared guideline-concordant surgery (modified radical mastectomy [MRM] without immediate reconstruction following chemotherapy) for lobular versus ductal IBC.

Methods

 Female individuals with cT4dM0 lobular and ductal IBC were identified in the National Cancer Database (NCDB) from 2010–2019. Modified radical mastectomy receipt was identified via codes for “modified radical mastectomy” or “mastectomy” and “≥10 lymph nodes removed” (proxy for axillary lymph node dissection). Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and t-tests were used.

Results

A total of 1456 lobular and 10,445 ductal IBC patients were identified; 599 (41.1%) with lobular and 4859 (46.5%) with ductal IBC underwent MRMs (p = 0.001). Patients with lobular IBC included a higher proportion of individuals with cN0 disease (20.5% lobular vs. 13.7% ductal) and no lymph nodes examined at surgery (31.2% vs. 24.5%) but were less likely to be node-negative at surgery (12.7% vs. 17.1%, all p < 0.001). Among those who had lymph nodes removed at surgery, patients with lobular IBC also had fewer lymph nodes excised versus patients with ductal IBC (median [interquartile range], 7 (0–15) vs. 9 (0–17), p = 0.001).

Conclusions

Lobular IBC patients were more likely to present with node-negative disease and less likely to be node-negative at surgery, despite having fewer, and more frequently no, lymph nodes examined versus ductal IBC patients. Future studies should investigate whether these treatment disparities are because of surgical approach, pathologic assessment, and/or data quality as captured in the NCDB.
The medical use of Málaka wine and cola nuts in late 19th/early 20th century Greece
Authors: Tsoucalas Gregory , Vladimiros Lazaros
Published: June 2024

The lands of Malaka in Spain have been renowned for their wine since the 8th century BC. Malaka wine gained popularity among merchants and consumers since the 17th century, becoming one of Europe’s favourites. The seeds (nuts) of the African Cola acuminata trees had been used in daily life as an invigorating and stimulating chewing or eating delicacy. In the late 19th century, Stamatios Krinos, who had opened one of the first (or the first) pharmacies in Athens in 1836, and his son Athanasios, produced an Elixir named Krinos Cola Wine to treat neurasthenia, chlorosis, anaemia, indigestion, gastralgia, chronic diarrhoea, cardiopathies, weakness and infertility. The properties of both the wine and the nuts, along with the chemical compounds of cola, were already known by the mid-19th century and the Krinos family took advantage of this knowledge to introduce a novel herbal drug (cola seeds) to the Hellenic pharmacopeia. The properties attributed to the Krinos elixir are de novo and in depth validated today by a series of modern medical studies. The fact that cola was not included as a therapeutic agent in the Hellenic textbooks of pharmacology of that era suggests that Krinos made an innovative addition to the timelessly popular Hellenic herbal medicine and pharmacopeia.
Κεραμική της πρώιμης οθωμανικής περιόδου από την Θεσσαλονίκη
Authors: Σλαμπέας Περικλής
Published: June 2024

Αντικείμενο της παρούσας διδακτορικής διατριβής αποτελεί η κεραμική της πρώιμης οθωμανικής περιόδου (β΄ μισό 15ου έως αρχές 17ου αιώνα) από τη Θεσσαλονίκη και πιο συγκεκριμένα από την ανασκαφή που πραγματοποιήθηκε στο Σταθμό Βενιζέλου στο πλαίσιο κατασκευής του ΜΕΤΡΟ Θεσσαλονίκης. Βασικός στόχος της μελέτης είναι η παρουσίαση μιας νέας τυπολογικής κατάταξης που βασίζεται στο μεγάλο υλικό που προήλθε από την ανασκαφή και περιλαμβάνει όλες τις κατηγορίες αγγείων που χρησιμοποιούνται στην καθημερινή ζωή. Η προσέγγιση της τυπολογίας πραγματοποιήθηκε με βάση το σχήμα των αγγείων, τα οποία διαιρέθηκαν σε επιτραπέζια, μαγειρικά, μεταφορικά και αποθηκευτικά. Επίσης, προστέθηκαν τύποι που αφορούν φωτιστικά αντικείμενα και εργαλεία κλιβάνων καθώς και μια ευρύτερη κατηγορία αγγείων καθημερινής χρήσης που ονομάστηκε «άλλα χρηστικά αγγεία». Παράλληλα, διαπιστώθηκε η τοπική παραγωγή της παρουσιαζόμενης κεραμικής με βάση τα είδη πηλού που χρησιμοποιήθηκαν και τα εργαστήρια που έχουν αναγνωριστεί στη Θεσσαλονίκη. Στα πλαίσια της μελέτης παρουσιάζονται και παραδείγματα εισηγμένης κεραμικής που ολοκληρώνουν τη γνώση μας αναφορικά με τα είδη κεραμικής που εμπορευόταν η πόλη αυτήν την περίοδο. Τέλος, αναφέρονται οι διατροφικές συνήθειες των κατοίκων της Θεσσαλονίκης οι οποίες έπαιζαν σημαντικό ρόλο στη διαμόρφωση των τύπων των αγγείων.
Ταυτοποίηση αναστολέων πρωτεϊνικών κινασών που καταστέλλουν τη βιωσιμότητα των μολυσμένων από τον ιό EBV Β λεμφοκυττάρων
Authors: Μαυροματίδης Βασίλειος
Published: June 2024

Ο ιός Epstein-Barr (EBV) είναι ένας γ-ερπητοϊός που μολύνει τα Β λεμφοκύτταρα και τα επιθηλιακά κύτταρα του ανθρώπου. Η λανθάνουσα μόλυνση του EBV σχετίζεται με διάφορους τύπους καρκίνου των Β λεμφοκυττάρων, όπως το λέμφωμα του Burkitt, το λέμφωμα του Hodgkin, τα σχετιζόμενα με το AIDS λεμφώματα και η μετα-μεταμοσχευτική λεμφοϋπερπλαστική διαταραχή (PTLDs). In vitro, ο EBV μπορεί να μετασχηματίσει τα Β λεμφοκύτταρα μνήμης σε λεμφοβλαστοειδείς κυτταρικές σειρές (LCLs). Στις σειρές αυτές ο ιός έχει εγκαταστήσει λανθάνουσα μόλυνση τύπου ΙΙΙ, κατά την οποία εκφράζεται μια μικρή ομάδα ιικών γονιδίων: έξι πυρηνικά αντιγόνα (EBNA 1, 2, 3A, 3B, 3C και LP), τρεις διαμεμβρανικές πρωτεΐνες (LMP1, LMP2Α και LMP2B), δύο μη πολυαδενυλιωμένα μόρια RNA (EBER-1 και EBER-2) και μόρια RNA από την BamHI Α περιοχή του ιού (BARTs).Ο μετασχηματισμός των Β λεμφοκυττάρων από τον EBV στηρίζεται στην εκμετάλλευση από τις ιικές πρωτεΐνες, κυτταρικών μονοπατιών μεταγωγής σήματος που ενεργοποιούν την ανάπτυξη ή αναστέλλουν την απόπτωση. Για παράδειγμα, η LMP2A πρωτεΐνη μιμείται τη συμπεριφορά των υποδοχέων BCR των Β λεμφοκυττάρων, ενώ η LMP1 ογκοπρωτεΐνη λειτουργεί ως ένας συνεχώς ενεργοποιημένος CD40 υποδοχέας. Τα κυτταρικά αυτά μονοπάτια περιλαμβάνουν πολλές πρωτεϊνικές κινάσες, η λειτουργία των οποίων ελέγχεται πλέον από τις ιικές πρωτεΐνες. Στις κινάσες αυτές ανήκουν οι ERKs, καθώς και διάφορες κινάσες τυροσίνης, μεταξύ των οποίων και αυτές της οικογένειας Src (όπως οι Fyn, Lyn, Lck and cSrc).214 αναστολείς κινασών, όλοι μέλη μιας βιβλιοθήκης, ελέγχθηκαν με σκοπό να ταυτοποιηθούν μικρού μεγέθους αναστολείς της ανάπτυξης των μετασχηματισμένων με τον EBV Β λεμφοκυττάρων. Βρέθηκαν δύο αναστολείς κινασών τυροσίνης, οι PP2 and compound 5, καθώς και δύο αναστολείς των ΜΕΚ πρωτεϊνών, οι PD198306 and Cl-1040, που ανέστειλαν εκλεκτικά τη βιωσιμότητα των μολυσμένων με τον EBV Β λεμφοκυττάρων. Η μείωση αυτή συσχετίστηκε με την έναρξη της απόπτωσης. Καθένας από τους τέσσερις παραπάνω αναστολείς προκάλεσε μείωση στο επίπεδο της φωσφορυλίωσης της κινάσης - στόχου. Επιπλέον, τόσο η χρήση του ειδικού για την Lck αναστολέα Α-770041, όσο και πειράματα αποσιώπησης της έκφρασης του Lck γονιδίου έδειξαν ότι η αναστολή της έκφρασης της Lck πρωτεΐνης επέδρασσε αρνητικά στη βιωσιμότητα των μολυσμένων με τον EBV κυτταρικών σειρών. Το γεγονός αυτό υποδηλώνει ότι η Lck πρωτεΐνη θα μπορούσε να είναι ένας πιθανός στόχος των αναστολέων PP2 και compound 5. Με τον ίδιο τρόπο η αποσιώπηση του MEK-1 γονιδίου επηρέασε αρνητικά τη βιωσιμότητα των μολυσμένων με τον EBV κυτταρικών σειρών. Τα παραπάνω ευρήματα υπογραμμίζουν την πιθανή εξάρτηση των μολυσμένων με τον EBV Β λεμφοκυττάρων από μονοπάτια μεταγωγής σήματος που ελέγχονται από συγκεκριμένες κινάσες, υπογραμμίζοντας τη δυνατότητα ανάπτυξης θεραπειών με τη χρήση μικρών μορίων, που θα μπορούσαν να στοχεύσουν επιλεκτικά τις σχετιζόμενες με τον EBV κακοήθειες των Β λεμφοκυττάρων.
Medyczne zastosowanie preparatów Ginkgo biloba – wskazania, zagrożenia i regulacje
Authors: Łach Aleksandra , Skorupa Marcin , Marczyk Łukasz , Cytlau Bartłomiej
Published: June 2024

Ginkgo biloba jest gatunkiem drzewa zasiedlającym pierwotnie tereny wschodnich Chin. Od wieków był wykorzystywany w tradycyjnej medycynie krajów azjatyckich. W związku z rosnącą w obecnych czasach popularnością preparatów zawierających substancje czynne miłorzębu dwuklapowego, używanych głównie w celu poprawy funkcji poznawczych, należy rozważyć istotność pozytywnego i negatywnego wpływu stosowania owych wyrobów medycznych. W niniejszej pracy dokonano przeglądu literatury dotyczącej efektów działania G. biloba na ludzki organizm. Szczególną uwagę zwrócono na możliwe działania niepożądane oraz interakcje pomiędzy preparatami zawierającymi G. biloba i innymi lekami. W części dyskusyjnej poruszone zostały aspekty rynku farmaceutycznego oraz różnic pomiędzy poszczególnymi krajami w kontekście wskazań i wytycznych do stosowania preparatów G. biloba.
Właściwości odżywcze owsa i jego przetworów
Authors: Ginter Agnieszka , Zarzecka Krystyna , Gugała Marek , Mystkowska Iwona
Published: June 2024

W pracy przedstawiono właściwości prozdrowotne owsa oraz jego przetworów, przede wszystkim wyrobów spożywczych, a szczególnie płatków owsianych. Omówiono skład chemiczny ziarna owsa i według danych Głównego Urzędu Statystycznego przedstawiono powierzchnię, plony i zbiory Avena sativa L. Liczne badania wykazały, że produkty owsiane stanowią żywność funkcjonalną. Doniesienia naukowe wskazują, że artykuły spożywcze z dodatkiem owsa mają wyjątkowe właściwości prozdrowotne i należy je uwzględniać w codziennej diecie.
The Increasing Occurrence of Infectious Diseases in Childhood: Is It Linked with Declining Vaccination Rates Across Society?
Authors: Sztybór Izabela , Kułak Klaudia Brygida , Palacz Karolina Alicja , Pliszka Marzena , Janik Izabela , Gadżała Katarzyna , Chamera-Cyrek Katarzyna , Koman Anna Maria , Kuśmierska Martyna , Przygodzka Sabina
Published: June 2024

Introduction. Childhood infectious diseases have been a significant medical problem, with a global increase in recent years. Modern diagnostic methods and new vaccinations are available. Poland is part of the WHO-coordinated global measles and rubella elimination program. Controversy surrounds mandatory and recommended vaccinations in Poland. There has been a concerning increase in the abandonment of vaccinating children, leading to a resurgence of infectious diseases. In 2024, the WHO reported a significant increase in measles cases in the European region, including in Poland. It's crucial to remind people of these diseases and warn them about the complications they bring.
Aim of study. The aim of this study is to investigate the increasing occurrence of infectious diseases in childhood and examine the correlation with declining vaccination rates across society.
Materials and methods. An unsystematic review of scientific literature was conducted, employing specific keywords such as „measles,” „pertussis,” „rubella,” „infectious diseases,” „vaccination,” and „hib.” The review was executed on the PubMed database, analyzing a total of 59 sources published until the conclusion of 2024.
Conclusions. To control and eliminate infectious diseases, it is vital to maintain and improve vaccination rates. Policymakers and healthcare providers should prioritize immunization programs and address barriers to vaccine access. Further research is crucial to develop comprehensive strategies for increasing vaccination coverage and understanding vaccine-preventable diseases in modern public health challenges.
Respiratory syncytial virus - current treatment options and future possibilities for prophylaxis
Authors: Hołownia Weronika , Szewczyk Kamila , Szewczyk Bartłomiej , Pytel Paulina , Krzesłowska Wiktoria Julia , Wiśniewski Szymon
Published: June 2024

The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is responsible for a great deal of lower respiratory tract infections in infants, which result in hospitalizations and death in extreme cases. Almost all children have been infected by the time they turn two years old, but the most vulnerable to developing medical complications are preemies and infants with congenital heart diseases. Understanding the function of RSV F (fusion) protein turned out to be crucial in developing immunoprophylactic drugs, such as Palivizumab and Nirsevimab. Due to limited options of treatment, the search for optimal prophylactic strategy is expanding. This includes monoclonal antibodies and mRNA vaccines. Bringing attention to these methods of treatment will help expand the knowledge of healthcare providers, especially pediatricians and general practitioners.
Physical Activity as a Trigger for Anaphylaxis: Understanding Food-Dependent Exercise-Induced Anaphylaxis
Authors: Szewczyk Kamila , Szewczyk Bartłomiej , Hołownia Weronika , Pytel Paulina , Krzesłowska Wiktoria Julia , Wiśniewski Szymon
Published: June 2024

Introduction:
Food-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis (FDEIA) is a distinctive form of anaphylaxis, a severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction, that is triggered by physical activity following the consumption of specific food allergens. Unique in its manifestation, FDEIA embodies a complex interaction between food intake and exercise, making it a condition of noteworthy concern particularly among athletes and active individuals.
 
Aim of the study:
This article endeavors to explore the multifaceted nature of food-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis, beginning with a foundational understanding of anaphylaxis and the specific dynamics involved in exercise-induced reactions.
 
Material and methods:
Literature available in the PubMed database was reviewed using the following keywords: food-dependent exercise induced anaphylaxis; exercise induced-anaphylaxis; food allergies; pathogenesis of FDEIA; diagnosis of FDEIA; sport and anaphylaxis.
 
Conclusions:
FDEIA is a unique and complex condition that requires a comprehensive understanding for effective management. By exploring its various aspects, from pathophysiology to diagnosis and treatment, we can better equip individuals with the knowledge and tools to navigate this condition and minimize the risk of potentially life-threatening reactions.
Las facultades unilaterales en los contratos de las entidades exceptuadas de la Ley 80 de 1993
Authors: Hoyos Duque Ricardo
Published: June 2024

El propósito de este escrito es examinar esta controversia para concluir que las diferencias entre el contrato estatal y el contrato de derecho privado son cada día menores, toda vez que las potestades unilaterales no son exclusivas de los primeros.
La inclusión como elemento integrador de las estrategias de adaptación al cambio climático: el caso del Plan 4C en la ciudad de Cartagena de Indias
Authors: Luna-Galván Mauricio , Vargas-Chaves Iván , Franco-Gantiva Anna María
Published: June 2024

En este orden de ideas, este trabajo argumenta que la formulación de estrategias de adaptación en el caso de Cartagena necesita adoptar una visión integral de la resiliencia ante los impactos económicos y sociales de los riesgos climáticos. Para lograrlo, el sector privado y público tienen que integrar a la comunidad afectada, sin apartarse del contexto y respaldando el desarrollo de las capacidades sostenibles, la implementación sólida de proyectos, así como la sostenibilidad de las estrategias de adaptación climática.
Retos de la academia en materia de cambio climático
Authors: Sánchez Adriana
Published: June 2024

En este capítulo empezaré por abordar varios de los retos que tiene la academia per se, luego mencionaré algunos aspectos claves del cambio climático, seguido por algunos de los desafíos que enfrenta la academia en esta materia. Por último, sugeriré algunas acciones que pueden abordarse desde la academia para apoyar la investigación, adaptación e implementación de medidas frente al cambio climático.
The Secretary Problem with Independent Sampling
Authors: Correa José , Cristi Andrés , Feuilloley Laurent , Oosterwijk Tim , Tsigonias-Dimitriadis Alexandros
Published: June 2024

The secretary problem is probably the most well-studied optimal stopping problem with many applications in economics and management. In the secretary problem, a decision maker faces an unknown sequence of values, revealed successively, and has to make irrevocable take-it-or-leave-it decisions. Her goal is to select the maximum value in the sequence. Although in the classic secretary problem the values of upcoming elements are entirely unknown, in many realistic situations, the decision maker has access to some information, for example, from past data. In this paper, we take a sampling approach and assume that before starting the sequence, each element is sampled independently with probability p. We study both the adversarial and the random arrival models. Our main result is to obtain the best possible algorithms for both settings and all values of p. As p grows to one, the obtained guarantees converge to the optimal guarantees in the full information case. Notably, we establish that the best possible algorithm in the adversarial order setting is a fixed threshold algorithm. In the random order setting, we characterize the best possible algorithm by a sequence of thresholds, dictating at which point in time we should accept a value. Surprisingly, this sequence is independent of p. We complement our theoretical results with numerical experiments on data of people playing the secretary problem repeatedly. Our results help explain some behavioral issues they raised and indicate that people play a strategy similar to our optimal algorithms from the start onwards, albeit slightly suboptimally.

This paper was accepted by Chung Piaw Teo, optimization.

Funding: This work was partially funded by the Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Chile [Grants FB210005 (Centro de Modelamiento Matamático), AIM23_0004 (Millenium Institute for Research in Market Imperfections and Public Policy), AFB230002 (Instituto Sistemas Complejos de Ingeniería), ACT210005, and Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico 1220054], the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation with funds from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, and the German Research Foundation within the Research Training Group Advanced Optimization in a Networked Economy [Grant Graduiertenkolleg 2201]. The views expressed in this paper do not necessarily reflect those of the European Central Bank or the Eurosystem.

Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2021.01580 .
An exploration of the emotional impact of working in an adult hospice service for Irish healthcare professionals
Authors: Sweeney Anne , Hynes Sinéad M
Published: June 2024

Purpose:

An ageing population and a global pandemic has placed greater demands on palliative care services. Numerous studies describe the patient experience in palliative care, however, few explore the healthcare professional’s experience of caring in this setting. This study explored the emotional challenges faced by palliative care professionals working in adult hospice services in Ireland.

Design/methodology/approach:

A narrative phenomenological approach was adopted, using interpretative phenomenological analysis to analyse results from five participants’ semi-structured interviews.

Findings:

The type of challenge experienced reflected the impact it had on the participant’s emotional wellbeing. Challenges perceived as achievable contributed to high levels of emotional wellbeing. These challenges often offered the opportunity for skill development and elicited positive feelings. Challenges perceived as uncontrollable negatively impacted the professional’s emotional wellbeing and increased their risk of burnout. Examples of this included the shift in service provision and professional expectations. The challenges palliative care professionals experience on a daily basis can negatively or positively impact their emotional wellbeing.

Conclusion:

Overall, this study highlighted challenges and their impacts experienced by palliative care professionals, illustrating key areas for improvement to prioritise staff wellbeing.
Evaluation of an end-of-life teaching programme for unregistered domiciliary care staff
Authors: Griffith Sue , Richmond Isabel , Harwood Melanie , Peckham Jenny
Published: June 2024

Background:

With increased focus on people being supported to die at home, and increased numbers of people predicted to die in the coming years in the UK, it is recognised that domiciliary carers need to be trained and supported to give end-of-life care. Recent reports suggest that this is not happening.

Aim:

To introduce and evaluate a training programme to upskill unregulated domiciliary care agency staff and integrate them into the palliative care teams, supporting registered nurses in caring for end-of-life patients.

Method:

A training course was devised and implemented. This report covers the first 3 years of running the course, and evaluates the difference that it made to the first 210 recipients’ ability and confidence in delivering end-of-life care, using a mixed-methods approach.

Results:

Pre- and post-course confidence questionnaires, evaluations, post-course testimonials, and managers’ comments all identified improvements in knowledge, skills and attitudes following training. Agency policies were re-written with up-to-date guidance on how to respond to death in the community.

Conclusion:

This article demonstrates that this model is effective in achieving its aims.
A higher education institution's response to the NMC Standards for Student Supervision and Assessment
Authors: Morton Amy
Published: June 2024

This case study discusses how a higher education institution (HEI) responded to the Nursing and Midwfery Council's implementation of the Standards for Student Supervision and Assessment to support practice partners with their role in teaching and assessing students in clinical placements. In 2023, after consultation with key stakeholders, the HEI designed and implemented a new level 7 module aimed at enhancing clinicians' knowledge of teaching and assessing students in their practice-based learning environments. The module was designed to support clinicians working in a practice supervisor or practice assessor role in specialist community public health nursing, as there is recognition that this role requires advanced skills in decision-making and professional autonomy. The module has now completed its first year of delivery, with four separate cohorts having completed the taught sessions and the summative assessment. The cohorts have been a mix of health visitors, district nurses and school nurses from nationwide seconding NHS Trusts.
A content analysis of mothers' online communications of their partner's paternal postnatal depression
Authors: Davenport Caroline , Swami Viren
Published: June 2024

Research has increasingly focused on fathers' experiences of maternal postnatal depression (PND), but there is little information on mothers' experiences of paternal PND. Given that men are not routinely assessed or diagnosed with PND, the aim of this study was to understand how mothers describe their experiences of living with fathers who they presume to be experiencing paternal PND. This study used content analysis of online forum posts written by mothers on two UK parenting sites. Two themes are presented: mothers consider their partner to have PND due to his sudden behaviour changes and/or a lack of bonding with the baby; and women expect fathers to seek help when PND is suspected, with mothers feeling unsupported and in need of help. Mothers suspect paternal PND when they observe behavioural, emotional and character changes in fathers, as well as difficulties with father–infant bonding. Mothers seek advice on their situation based on a sense of helplessness. Among women more generally, fathers are expected to seek help for their mental health, usually from their GP. Conversely, women are advised to seek advice from their health visitor when they are concerned about their partner's mental health.
Âşık Ömer Divanı’nında Açan Klasik Türk Şiiri Çiçekleri
Authors: Yılmaz Ayşe
Published: June 2024

Bu makalede sanatın en derin ve değerli sembollerinden çiçeklerin halk edebiyatı şairi Âşık Ömer şiirlerine tesiri, klasik Türk şiiri malzemesi açısından ele alınmıştır. Eserde on iki çiçek tespit edilmiş ve seçilen örnek mısralarla benzerlikler ortaya konmaya çalışılmıştır. En geniş bahis alanı “gül” için açılmıştır. “Sevgili ile İlişkilendirilmesi” başlığı “Yüzü/Yanağı”, “Dudakları”, “Ayakları, “Hayaldeki Hâli” maddeleriyle izah edilmiştir. “Gül ile Bülbül Mazmunu” ve “Diken” alt başlıklarında gülün âşık üzerindeki tesiri ele alınmıştır. Diğer çiçeklerden “lale”, sevgilinin yanağı ve âşığın yanan bağrına dair benzetmelerde ön plana çıkar. “Nergis” sarhoşluk, uykululuk ile ilgili manalar kurarken “sümbül” renk ve koku hasebiyle sevgilinin saçlarıyla ilişkilendirilir. “Reyhan”, “karanfil”, “şebboy”, “yasemin” rayihalarıyla, “menekşe” başının toprağa mail oluşuyla, “erguvan” şarapla, “zambak” Hz. Muhammed’in kokusuyla, “susen” ise sevgilinin yan bakış hançeriyle anılır. Âşık Ömer Divanı’ndaki bu renk ve koku cümbüşü, şairin şiirlerine klasik Türk şiiri hayalleri kazandırmış, türlü ifadeleri besleyen, çiçeklendiren üslup arayışlarına fırsat sunmuştur.
USE OF TAQMAN ARRAY TO INVESTIGATE INFECTION IN DIABETIC FOOT WOUNDS
Authors: Johnson-Lynn S. , Curran M. , Allen C. , Webber K. , Maes M. , Enoch D. , Robinson A.H. , Coll A.P.
Published: June 2024

Introduction

Diabetic foot disease is a major public health problem with an annual NHS expenditure in excess of £1 billion. Infection increases risk of major amputation fivefold. Due to the polymicrobial nature of diabetic foot infections, it is often difficult to isolate the correct organism with conventional culture techniques, to deliver appropriate narrow spectrum antibiotics. Rapid DNA-based technology using multi-channel arrays presents a quicker alternative and has previously been used effectively in intensive care and respiratory medicine.

Methods

We gained institutional and Local Ethics Committee approval for a prospective cohort study of patients with clinically infected diabetic foot wounds. They all had deep tissue samples taken in clinic processed with conventional culture and real-time PCR TaqMan array.

Results

50 samples were taken from 39 patients between October 2020 and March 2022. 84% of patient were male, 88% had type 2 diabetes. The ulcers were of variable chronicity prior to sampling (range 1–113 weeks) and mean HbA1c was 67.2mmol/mol. Ulcers were on the heel (3), midfoot (6) and forefoot (41). Minimum follow up was 3 months. 6 ulcers healed, 24 patients were admitted due to foot disease, there were 2 major amputations and 4 deaths. TaqMan array results were available a mean of 4.3 days earlier than culture results. 9 patients had negative conventional cultures and 8 were negative onarray testing. 17 patients had the same organisms detected on culture and array. 16 of these 17 had additional organisms detected by array. The most frequent organisms detected on array that were not detected by culture were Staphylococcus spp., Enterobacter, Pseudomonas and fungi.

Conclusion

TaqMan array shows promise in detecting infecting organisms from diabetic foot wounds and providing earlier results than standard culture, which may enable appropriate and timely antibiotic therapy.
Analysis and Research on Secure Access Control Technology of Industrial Internet of Things Based on ZTM Model
Authors: Nie Yanliu
Published: June 2024

The security threat of IIoT is becoming increasingly serious. In order to address this challenge, security access control technology based on the ZTM model has become a hot research topic. The aim of this study is to conduct in-depth analysis and research on the security access control technology applied by the ZTM model in industrial Internet of Things environments. By analyzing the current challenges of IIOT security and the limitations of traditional security models, this paper proposes a series of security access control technologies related to the ZTM model, aiming to quantify and evaluate the effectiveness of access control policies, zero trust of the system, and comprehensive risk assessment. By using empirical research methods, this study verified the feasibility of the proposed technology in actual industrial Internet of Things environments and demonstrated the significant effect of the ZTM model in reducing security risks and improving system credibility. The experimental results showed that the optimized security access control technology improved security performance by 28% and the missed detection rate was as low as 3.2%. This study provides useful insights for practical applications in the field of secure access control and provides a solid foundation for future research.
Application of Intelligent Cloud Computing Technology in Optical Communication Network Security of Smart Grid
Authors: Hou Botao , Li Zhefeng , Zuo Xiaojun , Guo Yuling , Zhou Jianchun
Published: June 2024

In order to improve the security of smart grid optical communication network, this paper combines intelligent cloud computing technology to build a security system of optical communication network of power grid. In the aspect of improving communication security performance, multi-user access is realized by non-orthogonal power domain segmentation, and different users use different powers to add and superimpose the same spectrum resources, so as to increase spectrum utilization. At the sending end, this paper improves the safe channel capacity of users by means of pre-coding and artificial noise, and realizes the safe transmission of information. In terms of transmission stability, the cloud computing platform is used as a data processing platform, and multiple nodes are processed synchronously through optical communication state identification, which can more effectively improve the speed of optical communication state identification data. In order to test the performance of the power grid information dispatching model designed in this paper in optimizing power grid configuration and improving power grid load, simulation experiments are carried out. Through the experimental analysis, we can see that the communication method proposed in this paper can accurately identify the intrusion factors, and can effectively improve the security of smart grid optical communication network.
HANNAH ARENDT – A SINGULARIDADE DOS NOVOS COMEÇOS
Authors: Matias Luiz Paulo , Corá Elsio José
Published: June 2024

O propósito central deste artigo reside na análise da maneira pela qual um evento totalitário, em sua singularidade assustadora, aniquila a brevidade libertadora e espontânea da ação e do discurso, resultando na consequente anulação da possibilidade narrativa. Nesse contexto, a modernidade, caracterizada pelo entusiasmo diante dos avanços científicos e tecnológicos, é compartilhada por regimes totalitários que almejam suprimir o espaço comum, invalidando a esfera pública, amalgamando indivíduos em um coletivo massificado, cercando-os com um opressivo "cinturão de ferro". Todavia, é importante ressaltar que, mesmo diante do êxito dos regimes totalitários em eliminar a espontaneidade da ação e do discurso, bem como restringir a liberdade de inaugurar novos começos, o ato de contar estórias retém sua relevância. Mesmo considerando a irreversibilidade e inevitabilidade dos eventos passados, a prática de narrar oferece a oportunidade, não apenas de refletir sobre ações pretéritas, mas também de reexaminar o presente e o futuro. Ao fazê-lo, não se direciona a atenção somente aos desfechos previsíveis, mas sim à promessa subjacente de apresentar o mundo comum a novos habitantes.
EPISTEMOLOGIA DO RECONHECIMENTO
Authors: Leão de Oliveira Danniel , César Barros Carlos
Published: June 2024

Este trabalho aborda a relação entre um par que compõe o racismo: a invisibilidade das pessoas negras e a cegueira da branquitude. Um caminho possível para a superação do racismo é o que aqui denominamos “epistemologia do reconhecimento”. Com ela buscamos compreender os processos que possibilitam o reconhecimento do outro e de si mesmo como ser humano, tal como a denegação desse reconhecimento como efeito do racismo. Trata-se de uma revisão bibliográfica que toma como referencial teórico um diálogo entre as teorias do reconhecimento, de base hegeliana, de Frantz Fanon e Axel Honneth. Abordamos a distinção entre as perspectivas do observador e do participante; a tese de que o reconhecimento precede o conhecimento na gênese das relações humanas; a relação entre racismo, invisibilidade e cegueira; a alteração da lógica do primado do reconhecimento induzida pelo racismo. Nossos resultados passam pelos processos afetivos da infância, base da precedência do reconhecimento sobre o conhecimento, que é desafiada pela reificação racista que leva ao esquecimento do reconhecimento. O diálogo profícuo entre os pensamentos de Honneth e Fanon revela uma compreensão da interdição racista ao reconhecimento, mas também suas contradições e possibilidades em contexto complexo de reconhecimento fronteiriço.
Coronary artery calcification and cardiovascular outcome as assessed by intravascular OCT and artificial intelligence
Authors: Tian Jinwei , Li Chao , Qin Zhifeng , Zhang Yanwen , Xu Qinglu , Zheng Yuqi , Meng Xiangyu , Zhao Peng , Li Kaiwen , Zhao Suhong , Zhong Shan , Hou Xinyu , Peng Xiang , Yang Yuxin , Liu Yu , Wu Songzhi , Wang Yidan , Xi Xiangwen , Tian Yanan , Qu Wenbo , Sun Na , Wang Fan , Wang Yan , Xiong Jie , Ban Xiaofang , Yonetsu Taishi , Vergallo Rocco , Zhang Bo , Yu Bo , Wang Zhao
Published: June 2024

Coronary artery calcification (CAC) is a marker of atherosclerosis and is thought to be associated with worse clinical outcomes. However, evidence from large-scale high-resolution imaging data is lacking. We proposed a novel deep learning method that can automatically identify and quantify CAC in massive intravascular OCT data trained using efficiently generated sparse labels. 1,106,291 OCT images from 1,048 patients were collected and utilized to train and evaluate the method. The Dice similarity coefficient for CAC segmentation and the accuracy for CAC classification are 0.693 and 0.932, respectively, close to human-level performance. Applying the method to 1259 ST-segment elevated myocardial infarction patients imaged with OCT, we found that patients with a greater extent and more severe calcification in the culprit vessels were significantly more likely to have major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) (p < 0.05), while the CAC in non-culprit vessels did not differ significantly between MACCE and non-MACCE groups.
Tunable dynamical tissue phantom for laser speckle imaging
Authors: Sarkar Soumyajit , K Murali , Varma Hari M.
Published: June 2024

We introduce a novel method to design and implement a tunable dynamical tissue phantom for laser speckle-based in-vivo blood flow imaging. This approach relies on stochastic differential equations (SDE) to control a piezoelectric actuator which, upon illuminated with a laser source, generates speckles of pre-defined probability density function and auto-correlation. The validation experiments show that the phantom can generate dynamic speckles that closely replicate both surfaces as well as deep tissue blood flow for a reasonably wide range and accuracy.
Unsupervised denoising of photoacoustic images based on the Noise2Noise network
Authors: Cheng Yanda , Zheng Wenhan , Bing Robert , Zhang Huijuan , Huang Chuqin , Huang Peizhou , Ying Leslie , Xia Jun
Published: June 2024

In this study, we implemented an unsupervised deep learning method, the Noise2Noise network, for the improvement of linear-array-based photoacoustic (PA) imaging. Unlike supervised learning, which requires a noise-free ground truth, the Noise2Noise network can learn noise patterns from a pair of noisy images. This is particularly important for in vivo PA imaging, where the ground truth is not available. In this study, we developed a method to generate noise pairs from a single set of PA images and verified our approach through simulation and experimental studies. Our results reveal that the method can effectively remove noise, improve signal-to-noise ratio, and enhance vascular structures at deeper depths. The denoised images show clear and detailed vascular structure at different depths, providing valuable insights for preclinical research and potential clinical applications.