bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Totality Reconsidered: Lukács’sHistory and Class Consciousnessa Century On
Authors: Gindner Jette
Published: August 2023

Georg Lukács’s essay collection History and Class Consciousness (1923) remains a foundational text of Western Marxism and a vital influence on contemporary German studies, not least by way of the Frankfurt School. Yet Lukács’s positing of the proletariat as the historical agent of revolutionary change raises difficult questions for radical Left theory and praxis in our rapidly deindustrializing world. Who or what is that working class that would redeem Lukács’s vision today? This article argues that the main concept for actualizing History and Class Consciousness is totality rather than class or reification. However, we should understand totality in a strictly negative sense, as a feature of capitalist coercion to be overcome in a free society.
Human pluripotent stem cell-derived inner ear organoids recapitulate otic development in vitro
Authors: Doda Daniela , Alonso Jimenez Sara , Rehrauer Hubert , Carreño Jose F. , Valsamides Victoria , Di Santo Stefano , Widmer Hans R. , Edge Albert , Locher Heiko , van der Valk Wouter H. , Zhang Jingyuan , Koehler Karl R. , Roccio Marta
Published: August 2023

Our molecular understanding of the early stages of human inner ear development has been limited by the difficulty in accessing fetal samples at early gestational stages. As an alternative, previous studies have shown that inner ear morphogenesis can be partially recapitulated using induced pluripotent stem cells directed to differentiate into inner ear organoids (IEOs). Once validated and benchmarked, these systems could represent unique tools to complement and refine our understanding of human otic differentiation and model developmental defects. Here, we provide the first direct comparisons of the early human embryonic otocyst and fetal sensory organs with human IEOs. We use multiplexed immunostaining and single-cell RNA-sequencing to characterize IEOs at three key developmental steps, providing a new and unique signature of in vitro-derived otic placode, epithelium, neuroblasts and sensory epithelia. In parallel, we evaluate the expression and localization of crucial markers at these equivalent stages in human embryos. Together, our data indicate that the current state-of-the-art protocol enables the specification of bona fide otic tissue, supporting the further application of IEOs to inform inner ear biology and disease.
Sublobar resection in non-small cell lung cancer: patient selection criteria and risk factors for recurrence
Authors: Park Sohee , Lee Sang Min , Choe Jooae , Choi Sehoon , Kim Sehee , Do Kyung-Hyun , Seo Joon Beom
Published: August 2023

Objective:

To validate selection criteria for sublobar resection in patients with lung cancer with respect to recurrence, and to investigate predictors for recurrence in patients for whom the criteria are not suitable.

Methods:

Patients who underwent sublobar resection for lung cancer between July 2010 and December 2018 were retrospectively included. The criteria for curative sublobar resection were consolidation-to-tumor ratio ≤0.50 and size ≤3.0 cm in tumors with a ground-glass opacity (GGO) component (GGO group), and size of ≤2.0 cm and volume doubling time ≥400 days in solid tumors (solid group). Cox regression was used to identify predictors for time-to-recurrence (TTR) in tumors outside of these criteria (non-curative group).

Results:

Out of 530 patients, 353 were classified into the GGO group and 177 into the solid group. In the GGO group, the 2-year recurrence rates in curative and non-curative groups were 2.1 and 7.7%, respectively (p = 0.054). In the solid group, the 2-year recurrence rates in curative and non-curative groups were 0.0 and 28.6%, respectively (p = 0.03). Predictors of 2-year TTR after non-curative sublobar resection were pathological nodal metastasis (hazard ratio [HR], 6.63; p = 0.02) and lymphovascular invasion (LVI; HR, 3.28; p = 0.03) in the GGO group, and LVI (HR, 4.37; p < 0.001) and fibrosis (HR, 3.18; p = 0.006) in the solid group.

Conclusion:

The current patient selection criteria for sublobar resection are satisfactory. LVI was a predictor for recurrence after non-curative resection.

Advances in knowledge:

This result supports selection criteria of patients for sublobar resection. LVI may help predict recurrence after non-curative sublobar resection.
Utilization of health insurance by patients admitted for dental surgical procedures at a tertiary care hospital in Coastal Karnataka: a retrospective study
Authors: Bhat Bhargav , Vasthare Ramprasad , Singla Nishu , Nayak Prajna P , Kumar Ashwini , Singla Ritesh
Published: August 2023

Background: There are various medical insurance options available in India. However, unlike many other countries, dental insurance plans are rare. The aim of this study was to assess the utilization of various government and private health insurance schemes by patients admitted for dental surgical procedures at a tertiary care hospital in coastal Karnataka, India.

Methods: A study was conducted retrospectively to gather data on the socio-demographics, bill details, insurance, and benefits claimed by patients admitted to the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at a tertiary care hospital from May 2016 to September 2022.

Results: Out of 1750 patients, only 856 (48.9%) patients have availed of insurance, 395 patients (22.6%) utilized government health insurance policies, and 461 patients (26.3%) availed of private health insurance plans. Among Government schemes, primarily Ayushman Bharat-Arogya Karnataka was used by 262 (30.6%) patients, followed by Employees' State Insurance Scheme by 110 (12.9%) patients. Among private schemes, 212 (24.8%) patients used the policies purchased by them, 19 (2.2%) patients’ medical expenses were paid by their employers, 105 (12.3%) patients utilized Manipal Arogya Suraksha and 124 (14.5%) patients used Medicare provided by the hospital.  Bivariate linear regression confirmed that the total bill amount, out-of-pocket expenditure by the patient, and insurance amount reimbursed to the hospital were significantly associated with the type of insurance (government vs. private). The study noticed a gradual rise in insured patients every year.

Conclusion: Greater utilization of health insurance should be encouraged because the cost of dental treatment has always hindered the use of oral health services worldwide. This study highlights that the benefit available to the patients were mainly through general health insurance schemes, not specifically dental health insurance. Insurance schemes covering dental must be promoted more aggressively in the media, highlighting their available benefits, merits, and demerits.
When educators are locked down: transitioning an international faculty development program from in-person to online during the COVID-19 pandemic in China
Authors: Lio Jonathan , Fromme H. Barrett , Dong Hongmei , Jiang Ivy , Sherer Renslow
Published: August 2023

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic forced international faculty development programs in medical education to forgo in-person activities and transition to online learning. We sought to examine changes in international medical educators’ evaluations of our faculty development program as it transitioned due to the pandemic.

Methods: We compared survey responses from participants in our International Medical Educators Program between 2019 (in-person) and 2020 (online). The 43-item survey addressed aspects such as program evaluation and self-assessment of curriculum development and teaching skills. We analyzed data using t-tests to compare means and chi-square test for categorical variables and performed thematic analysis of open-ended responses.

Results: We found that trainees in both cohorts rated the program highly with regard to overall program quality and self-assessed learning outcomes, but the 2019 group reported stronger relationships with peers and instructors. Some scores for self-assessed outcomes were lower for the 2020 class, but no statistically significant differences were found in pre- and post- training scores between the two cohorts. Four themes emerged from the feedback: positive program utility, IMEP as an example of good curriculum design, timing issues, and online learning environment challenges.

Discussion: Despite pandemic challenges, the transition to online faculty development was favorably evaluated, with high confidence in the applicability of learned skills. Future efforts should focus on fostering community and optimizing interaction times to enhance learning experiences. The study contributes insights for global medical education communities in pandemic circumstances.
Gauging the learning environment at Damascus University Pharmacy School in Syria using the DREEM questionnaire: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Alfakhry Ghaith , Saymeh Rowaida , Jamous Issam , Alhomsi Khaled
Published: August 2023

Introduction: This study was undertaken to provide the first record of evaluation of the educational environment of the Bachelor of Pharmacy program at Damascus University (DU), Syria using the internationally adopted Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) tool and compare it with other pharmacy schools around the world.  

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at DU Pharmacy School in 2022. The validated DREEM 50-item inventory was added to Google Forms and used to collect data electronically. River sampling and snowball sampling methods were used. Data was collected during the second term between April 2022 and June 2022. Students from all years were included.  

Results: A total of 269 students completed the questionnaire; that is about 6.7% of the total population. The Cronbach’s alpha of the DREEM questionnaire was 0.94. The total DREEM score was 89.8±32.1/200. Senior students scored significantly less on the DREEM scale than their younger counterparts. DU Pharmacy School scored significantly less on the total DREEM score than its other counterparts around the world with a large effect size (d>0.80). All subscales scored below 50% and the lowest scoring subscales were students’ perception of learning (SPL=41.8%) and students’ perception of the social environment (SSP=42.5%).  

Conclusions: The findings implied that the educational environment is in need of major improvement, especially in areas related to teaching and learning practices and the general social environment; failure to address the current issues in the learning environment might hinder learning and clinical practice of the future generation of pharmacists. This study provides a quality improvement map which could be used preciously address the areas that need most attention at DU Pharmacy School.
­Pharmacokinetics of antimalarial drugs used to treat uncomplicated malaria in breastfeeding mother-infant pairs: An observational pharmacokinetic study
Authors: Nakijoba Ritah , Nakayiwa Kawuma Aida , Ojara Francis Williams , Tabwenda Jovia C. , Kyeyune Jacqueline , Turyahabwe Christine , Asiimwe Simon Peter , Magoola Johnson , Banda Clifford George , Castelnuovo Barbara , Buzibye Allan , Waitt Catriona
Published: August 2023

Background: Data surrounding the exposure of the breastfed infant to drugs and any associated risks are sparse. Drugs usually are transferred to milk in small quantities, and many have been used without obviously noticeable infant toxicity for many years – this lack of a ‘safety signal’ has further reduced the interest in studying mother-to-infant transfer of the drugs. In sub-Saharan Africa, pregnant women are at risk of Plasmodium falciparum infection, and one in four women have evidence of placental infection at the time of delivery. Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs), primarily artemether-lumefantrine (AL), are the current first-line treatment for uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria, with the same dosing recommendations in breastfeeding women as those in the adult population. Dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DP) is routinely used as an alternative to AL in Uganda. However, lactation pharmacokinetics (PK) of ACTs are unknown. Pharmacokinetic characterization of anti-malarial transfer to breast milk and breastfed infants is crucial in understanding the potential consequences to the infant, in terms of therapeutic- and prophylactic effects as well as potential toxicity.  

Methods: This observational study will enroll 30 mother-infant pairs, and aims to characterize the breastmilk transfer of antimalarial medications (AL and DP) to infants when these ACTs are administered to mothers as part of treatment for uncomplicated malaria. In addition, we will assess the mental health of the breastfeeding mothers enrolled as well as the well-being of their children.

PK samples of maternal blood, breastmilk and breastfeeding infant’s blood will be obtained at specific times points. Pharmacokinetic data will be analyzed using a population pharmacokinetic approach.

Conclusions: We anticipate that findings from this research will guide to develop a PK model describing lumefantrine and piperaquine disposition and will provide a framework to foster other lactation pharmacokinetic studies in different disease areas.
Code and Data Repository for Software for Data-Based Stochastic Programming Using Bootstrap Estimation
Authors: Chen Xiaotie , Woodruff David L.
Published: August 2023

Data-based, two-stage stochastic programming using bootstrap and bagging for confidence intervals.
Feasibility of an improved knotless method of chest drain wound closure:a prospective cohort clinical trial
Authors: Zhao Lei , Wang Longfei , Wang Jin , Zhao Shilei , Wang Jinna , Gu Chundong
Published: August 2023

Objective:

Chest tube management plays a key role in minimising erioperative period. We have improved the knotless method to chest tube wounds. In this article, we demonstrate the clinical bility and safety of this method.

Method:

From 13 October 2018–3 January 2019, patients were ecutively included in our study at the First Affiliated Hospital of n Medical University, Dalian, China. They were separated into approximately equally sized groups—the knotless group and the entional group. Our improved knotless method was performed ose the chest tube wounds of patients in the knotless group, and onventional method using the pre-existing U-shaped string to the chest tube wounds of patients in the conventional group. Patient clinical information, tube-related complications, retreatment s and cosmetic scores were compared between the groups.

Results:

The cohort comprised 102 patients; 47 in the knotless group and 55 in the conventional group. There were no statistically significant differences in patient clinical information or tube-related complications between the two groups (p>0.05; both comparisons). In the knotless group, retreatment times were shorter (p<0.001) and cosmetic scores were higher (p<0.001).

Conclusion:

This study showed that our new knotless method is safe and has wide clinical feasibility. The new method also improved patient cosmetic scores. Furthermore, it decreased the patients’ economic burdens.
Cytotoxicity, Apoptosis Induction, Oxidative Stress, and Cell Cycle Arrest of Clerodendrum chinense Flower Extract Nanoparticles in HeLa Cells
Authors:   Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Chiang Mai University, Mueang, Chiang Mai 50200 Thailand, Chittasupho Chuda , Samee Weerasak ,   Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Srinakharinwirot University, Ongkharak, Nakhon Nayok 26120 Thailand, Tadtong Sarin ,   Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Srinakharinwirot University, Ongkharak, Nakhon Nayok 26120 Thailand, Jittachai Wullapa ,   Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Srinakharinwirot University, Ongkharak, Nakhon Nayok 26120 Thailand, Managit Chittima ,   Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Srinakharinwirot University, Ongkharak, Nakhon Nayok 26120 Thailand, Athikomkulchai Sirivan ,   Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Srinakharinwirot University, Ongkharak, Nakhon Nayok 26120 Thailand
Published: August 2023

Clerodendrum chinense is a plant containing numerous secondary active metabolites. This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant and anti-cancer activities of C. chinense flower ethanolic extract and identify the bioactive compounds. High-performance liquid chromatography was used to identify and quantify the bioactive compounds of the extract. The antioxidant activity of the extract was determined using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) free radical scavenging assays and the Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power Assay (FRAP). The cytotoxicity of C. chinense flower ethanolic extract against A549, MCF-7 and HeLa cells was determined using the sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay. Nanoparticles (NPs) of C. chinense flower extract were fabricated using a solvent displacement method. Then the anti-cancer activities of the extract and NPs were confirmed by cytotoxicity, cell apoptotic induction, reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, colony formation and cell cycle assays against HeLa cervical cancer cells. C. chinense flower extract and NPs showed significant free radical scavenging activities and ferric-reducing power. As shown by Pearson’s correlation coefficients, the total phenolic and total flavonoid contents of C. chinense flower extract and NPs significantly correlated with antioxidant activity. C. chinense flower extract demonstrated antiproliferative activity against A549, MCF-7 and HeLa cancer cells after treatment for 24, 48 and 72 h. The growth inhibition of HeLa cells mediated by C. chinense flower extract and NPs appears to be associated with apoptosis, ROS formation and cell cycle arrest. Thus, this study provided evidence of the anticervical cancer potentials of C. chinense flower ethanolic extract and NPs. Keywords: Natural products, Nanoparticles, Pharmaceutical, Phenolic compounds, Plant extract, Clerodendrum chinense
Missionaries of Light and Progress in Mexico: Engineers and Technological Pilgrims Craft Necaxa Falls, 1890s–1914
Authors: Montaño Diana J.
Published: August 2023

abstract: Beginning in 1905, American and European reporters, writers, and artists made pilgrimages to the hydroelectric Necaxa complex in southern Mexico. For the fossil-hungry Mexican nation, advances in hydraulic engineering had made the vision of an electrical-powered industrial future not just desirable but also feasible. North Atlantic water technicians set out to redesign rivers that would power an electrified Mexico. Necaxa was no small, remote project. Its numerous innovations commanded the world's attention, which foreign writers used to recast European and North American ambitions. Through their accounts, these "technological pilgrims" turned Necaxa into a global hydropower imaginary. With foreign engineers in the leading roles, their romanticized narratives rhetorically naturalized the redesign of rivers and the enabling power relations. This article applies a sociotechnical imaginary lens and Necaxa as the case study to show the centrality of rhetorical frames paving the way for new energy technologies.
Visions of Control: The Head-Up Display, Perceptual Labor, and a Lesson for Augmented Reality
Authors: Akselrad Daniel
Published: August 2023

abstract: Traditional workplace studies focus on the bodily integration of familiar technologies like the desktop computer and smartphone. To better understand augmented reality (AR) technologies that provide new ways to perform daily tasks, this article turns to an overlooked yet critical forerunner of AR: the head-up display (HUD). Extensive archival research and oral histories show that the HUD caused pilots to depend on a single interface, curtailing their autonomy for integrating disparate information that could inform critical, often lethal decision-making processes. This history provides evidence that once a single device subsumes many functions of a work environment, adaptive articulation work can drive information workers to undertake increasingly insulated information practices. The HUD's isolating and insulating perceptual legacy suggests that AR will similarly train users in many contexts how to trust interactive data overlays in ways that preclude cross-checking alternative data sources that could inform decision-making processes.
Women, Reactors, and Nuclear Weapons: From Revolutionary Liberation to the "Miss Atom" Pageant in (Post-)Soviet Russia
Authors: Kasperski Tatiana , Josephson Paul
Published: August 2023

abstract: This article considers the Soviet Union's successful efforts to employ more women specialists in nuclear science and technology, from the Bolshevik revolution in 1917 and the Soviet atomic bomb project to the Cold War and the present. Despite their contributions to building a Cold War military machine, women rarely reached the pinnacle of the scientific enterprise due to persistent views about their lesser capabilities as specialists. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, in a vastly changed social, political, and cultural climate, the claimed socialist equality of women gave way to more traditional views of their status in Russian society. For the nuclear enterprise, this change emerged in activities that had disappeared under communism such as the annual "Miss Atom" beauty pageant, a striking departure from Soviet attempts to involve women equally in science and technology.
Hydraulic Engineers and Antiquarians: Political Use of the Past in Nineteenth-Century Venice
Authors: Bonan Giacomo
Published: August 2023

abstract: The article analyzes the relationship between hydraulics and history in the nineteenth century, often described as a period when the humanities and the sciences split into "two separate cultures." Venice, amphibious city par excellence, is a good starting point for exploring the use of history in water management debates. In the early nineteenth century, humanists and hydraulic engineers came together through multiple disciplinary approaches and in constant confrontation with the Republic of Venice's water policies. In the following decades, while making extensive use of history, these engineers realized and emphasized the diversity of both disciplines' methodologies. This evolution—seen through the writings of renowned hydraulic engineer at the time Pietro Paleocapa—illustrates how history was no longer a source of empirical knowledge but came to be used for rhetorical and political purposes.
Technology and Subaltern Knowledge at the Catalan Olive Oil Museum
Authors: Guillem-Llobat Ximo
Published: August 2023

abstract: The Catalan Olive Oil Museum (Museu de l'Oli de Catalunya) deals with the production of olive oil in one of Spain's major oil clusters. Its rich approach to museography has successfully avoided the "book on the wall" or information-dense labeling in other museums. And its direct connection with the local oil cooperative and the Center for Oil Culture has been positive in building a solid narrative for the museum. The excessive emphasis on the "treasures" inside an oil cruet, however, introduces important limitations when looking from a history of food technologies viewpoint. The article considers the exhibition's potential by concentrating on categories like subaltern knowledge, food quality, industrial districts, circulation, and experts.
Dynamic resource allocation for multicast in SDM-EON: time-decoupled dynamic path cross talk and joint weight
Authors: Ma Yudong , Yang Xin , Sun Qiang , Zhao Yue
Published: August 2023

With the development of the Internet and the rise of multicast, enabling multicast in a space division multiplexing elastic optical network (SDM-EON) is considered highly necessary. This paper focuses on the dynamic resource allocation for multicast in SDM-EON. First, to ensure service survivability and reduce the complexity of inter-core cross talk computation, we design a path-based strict cross talk avoidance routing, modulation, core, and spectrum allocation (PSCA-RMCSA) algorithm. Then, based on PSCA-RMCSA, a joint weight and PSCA-RMCSA (JW-PSCA-RMCSA) algorithm is proposed to further reduce the blocking probability (BBP) of services. Simulation results show that PSCA-RMCSA reduces the BBP by up to 7.55% and the resource allocation time by up to 88.63%, while JW-PSCA-RMCSA reduces the BBP by up to 10.43% and the resource allocation time by up to 82.11%, when compared to the shortest path tree RMSCA.
From time-series transcriptomics to gene regulatory networks: A review on inference methods
Authors: Marku Malvina , Pancaldi Vera
Published: August 2023

Inference of gene regulatory networks has been an active area of research for around 20 years, leading to the development of sophisticated inference algorithms based on a variety of assumptions and approaches. With the ever increasing demand for more accurate and powerful models, the inference problem remains of broad scientific interest. The abstract representation of biological systems through gene regulatory networks represents a powerful method to study such systems, encoding different amounts and types of information. In this review, we summarize the different types of inference algorithms specifically based on time-series transcriptomics, giving an overview of the main applications of gene regulatory networks in computational biology. This review is intended to give an updated reference of regulatory networks inference tools to biologists and researchers new to the topic and guide them in selecting the appropriate inference method that best fits their questions, aims, and experimental data.
Pro-environmental voting when climate change is made salient: Evidence from high-resolution flooding data
Authors: Holub Felix , Schündeln Matthias
Published: August 2023

Experiencing events such as extreme heat, flooding, or wildfires may affect political preferences and voting patterns, but existing evidence is mixed. Further, although scientists attribute the increasing incidence and severity of these events to climate change, it is typically uncertain whether the public makes this connection and, therefore, the channel leading from extreme weather events to political outcomes remains unclear. Here we consider a setting in which this connection was made very salient. We use high-resolution flooding and building-level damage data to identify spatially finely disaggregated effects of a large flood in Germany on pro-environmental voting. The flood’s destructiveness and temporal proximity to a general election entailed that media and politicians paid significant attention to the flood, drawing a connection to climate change. Our analysis shows that experiencing damage increases pro-environmental voting, suggesting that first-hand experiences of extreme weather events that are attributed to climate change affect political preferences.
Comparison of the results of stop-start technique with stop-start technique and sphincter control training applied in premature ejaculation treatment
Authors: Doğan Kazım , Keçe Cem
Published: August 2023

Background

The aim of this study is to compare the results of stop-start technique with stop-start technique together with sphincter control training applied in the treatment of premature ejaculation.

Methods

This research was conducted as a pre-test post-test quasi-experimental study. The sample of the study consisted of 80 men. The study was conducted on men who applied to the urology outpatient clinic of LIV Hospital, a prıvate hospital, in Gaziantep, Turkey, between 01 October 2021 and 01 March 2022. “Personal Information Form”, “Intravaginal Ejaculation Latency Time (IELT)”, “Fold Increase Intravaginal Ejaculation Latency Time (F-IELT)” “Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool (PEDT) Questionnaire” and “Arabic Index Premature Ejaculation (AIPE)” were used as the data collection tools. Behavioral therapy, consisting of a total of 6 sessions, was applied once every two weeks, with each session lasting for 45 minutes. After 3rd and 6th months from the beginning of the application, the data collection tools were applied again. “Stop-Start Technique (Group A)” and “Stop-Start Technique and Sphincter Control Training (Group B)” were used in the treatment.

Results

In both groups, the IELT and AIPE values after 3rd and 6th months from the beginning of the application were statistically higher than those obtained before (p<0.05). IELT and AIPE values increased more in Group B than Group A (p<0.05). F-IELT values after 6th months from the beginning of the application were found to be statistically significant with a low level of effect size than those obtained before (p<0.05, Cohen’s d = 0.027). In both groups, the PEDT values in the 3rd and 6th months after the application were statistically lower than those seen before (p<0.05). PEDT value decreased more in Group B than Group A (p<0.05). The differences between the two groups’ IELT (Cohen’s d = 0.011), AIPE (Cohen’s d = 0.044), and PEDT (Cohen’s d = 0.066) values in the 3rd month after the application and IELT (Cohen’s d = 0.025), AIPE (Cohen’s d = 0.048), and PEDT (Cohen’s d = 0.024) values in the 6th month after the application were found to be clinically weak.

Conclusions

It was determined that the stop-start technique given to men with premature ejaculation increased the time spent in the vagina and eliminated the problem of premature ejaculation. It was determined that the stop-start technique in combination with sphincter control training were more effective than the stop-start technique alone.
miR34a-5p impedes CLOCK expression in chronodisruptive C57BL/6J mice and potentiates pro-atherogenic manifestations
Authors: Vyas Hitarthi , Vohra Aliasgar , Upadhyay Kapil , Thounaojam Menaka , Jadeja Ravirajsinh , Dalvi Nilay , Bartoli Manuela , Devkar Ranjitsinh
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Altered circadian rhythms underlie manifestation of several cardiovascular disorders, however a little is known about the mediating biomolecules. Multiple transcriptional-translational feedback loops control circadian-clockwork wherein; micro RNAs (miRNAs) are known to manifest post transcriptional regulation. This study assesses miR34a-5p as a mediating biomolecule.

Method

8–10-week-old male C57BL/6J mice (n = 6/group) were subjected to photoperiodic manipulation induced chronodisruption and thoracic aortae were examined for miRNA, gene (qPCR) and protein (Immunoblot) expression studies. Histomorphological changes were assessed for pro-atherogenic manifestations (fibrillar arrangement, collagen/elastin ratio, intima-media thickening). Computational studies for miRNA-mRNA target prediction were done using TargetScan and miRDB. Correlative in vitro studies were done in serum synchronized HUVEC cells. Time point based studies were done at five time points (ZT 0, 6, 12, 18, 24) in 24h.

Results

Chronodisruption induced hypomethylation in the promoter region of miR34a-5p, in the thoracic aortae, culminating in elevated miRNA titers. In a software-based detection of circadian-clock-associated targets of miR34a-5p, Clock and Sirt1 genes were identified. Moreover, miR34a-5p exhibited antagonist circadian oscillations to that of its target genes CLOCK and SIRT1 in endothelial cells. Luciferase reporter gene assay further showed that miR34a-5p interacts with the 3’UTR of the Clock gene to lower its expression, disturbing the operation of positive arm of circadian clock system. Elevated miR34a-5p and impeded SIRT1 expression in a chronodisruptive aortae exhibited pro-atherogenic changes observed in form of gene expression, increased collagen/elastin ratio, fibrillar derangement and intimal-media thickening.

Conclusion

The study reports for the first time chronodisruption mediated miR34a-5p elevation, its circadian expression and interaction with the 3’UTR of Clock gene to impede its expression. Moreover, elevated miR34a-5p and lowered SIRT1 expression in the chronodisruptive aortae lead off cause-consequence relationship of chronodisruption mediated proatherogenic changes.
Development of a graphical user interface for automatic separation of human voice from Doppler ultrasound audio in diving experiments
Authors: Azarang Arian , Blogg S. Lesley , Currens Joshua , Lance Rachel M. , Moon Richard E. , Lindholm Peter , Papadopoulou Virginie
Published: August 2023

Doppler ultrasound (DU) is used in decompression research to detect venous gas emboli in the precordium or subclavian vein, as a marker of decompression stress. This is of relevance to scuba divers, compressed air workers and astronauts to prevent decompression sickness (DCS) that can be caused by these bubbles upon or after a sudden reduction in ambient pressure. Doppler ultrasound data is graded by expert raters on the Kisman-Masurel or Spencer scales that are associated to DCS risk. Meta-analyses, as well as efforts to computer-automate DU grading, both necessitate access to large databases of well-curated and graded data. Leveraging previously collected data is especially important due to the difficulty of repeating large-scale extreme military pressure exposures that were conducted in the 70-90s in austere environments. Historically, DU data (Non-speech) were often captured on cassettes in one-channel audio with superimposed human speech describing the experiment (Speech). Digitizing and separating these audio files is currently a lengthy, manual task. In this paper, we develop a graphical user interface (GUI) to perform automatic speech recognition and aid in Non-speech and Speech separation. This constitutes the first study incorporating speech processing technology in the field of diving research. If successful, it has the potential to significantly accelerate the reuse of previously-acquired datasets. The recognition task incorporates the Google speech recognizer to detect the presence of human voice activity together with corresponding timestamps. The detected human speech is then separated from the audio Doppler ultrasound within the developed GUI. Several experiments were conducted on recently digitized audio Doppler recordings to corroborate the effectiveness of the developed GUI in recognition and separations tasks, and these are compared to manual labels for Speech timestamps. The following metrics are used to evaluate performance: the average absolute differences between the reference and detected Speech starting points, as well as the percentage of detected Speech over the total duration of the reference Speech. Results have shown the efficacy of the developed GUI in Speech/Non-speech component separation.
Improving physician documentation for malnutrition: A sustainable quality improvement initiative
Authors: Levy Brittany E. , Castle Jennifer T. , Wilt Wesley S. , Fedder Kelly , Riser Jeremy , Burke Erin D. , Hourigan Jon S. , Bhakta Avinash S.
Published: August 2023

This study compares documentation and reimbursement rates before and after provider education in nutritional status documentation. Our study aimed to evaluate accurate documentation of nutrition status between registered dietitian nutritionists and licensed independent practitioners before and after the implementation of a dietitian-led Nutrition-Focused Physical Exam intervention at an academic medical center in the southeastern US. ICD-10 codes identified patients from 10/1/2016-1/31/2018 with malnutrition. The percentage of patients with an appropriate diagnosis of malnutrition and reimbursement outcomes attributed to malnutrition documentation were calculated up to 24 months post-intervention. 528 patients were analyzed. Pre-intervention, 8.64% of patients had accurate documentation compared to 46.3% post-intervention. Post-intervention, 68 encounters coded for malnutrition resulted in an estimated $571,281 of additional reimbursement, sustained at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. A multidisciplinary intervention improved physician documentation accuracy of malnutrition status and increased reimbursement rates.
Prevalence of musculoskeletal injuries among university undergraduates following Sri Lankan traditional dancing
Authors: Chathurani Geethika , Dassanayake Yasantha B. , Fernando Sanduni N. , Gunarathna Lahiru S. , Gunarathne Lakshani K. , Chandrasekara Nadheera C. , Senarath Dilhari , Wadugodapitiya Surangika I.
Published: August 2023

Dancing is a demanding form of art that consists of a purposefully selected series of human movements presented in a rhythmic way. However, Dancers represent a medically under-served occupational group who are at high risk for work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Injury prevention among dancers has become challenging due to the dearth of research in the field. Therefore, a cross-sectional survey to determine the prevalence of musculoskeletal injuries among Sri Lankan traditional dancers is vital of need. The main objective of this research was to evaluate the prevalence of common musculoskeletal injuries among university undergraduates who follow Sri Lankan traditional dancing. This study was a cross-sectional descriptive study that included undergraduate students from four local universities. Stratified sampling method was used to select 293 participants and an online questionnaire was used to collect data. Among the three types of traditional dancing styles, many were following Kandyan dancing: 45.1%. Out of the study sample, 190 dancers (64.84%) reported injuries with males indicating the highest rate of injuries (36.87%). The most common injury types reported were strain and sprain. Kandyan dancers reported the highest number of injuries (p<0.025), contributing to the highest rate of injury due to strains (19.45%). Twirls and prolonged mandiya positions are found to be the common mechanisms that cause injuries. Only 10.6% of the participants approached physiotherapy treatments after an injury. According to the findings of the current study, there is a significant rate of dancing-related injuries among Sri Lankan traditional dancers.
Even minimal student-instructor interactions may increase enjoyment in the classroom: Preliminary evidence that greeting your students may have benefits even if you can’t remember their names
Authors: Sandstrom Gillian M.
Published: August 2023

Students value rapport with their instructors, and benefit from interacting with them; student-instructor contact is related to persistence, satisfaction, grades, etc. Instructors who wish to build rapport with their students are often encouraged to address their students by name. However, learning names is difficult for many people, and when classes are large, or team-teaching restricts the time spent with a group of students, it is even more difficult. Outside the classroom, even minimal social interactions with strangers (e.g., making eye contact, having a brief chat) can increase feelings of connection. Could minimal social interactions between instructors and students also have benefits? A rapport-building intervention was tested on students in three classes taught by two instructors (N = 352). Compared to students in a control condition and students who were assigned to a greeting condition (a minimal interaction designed to enable instructors to recognize students’ faces) reported a stronger relationship with the instructor, and greater relationship strength predicted greater interest/enjoyment, relatedness and belonging. This novel intervention produced similar results to a more traditional nameboard condition, designed to enable instructors to learn students’ names. These findings raise the intriguing possibility that even when instructors struggle to learn students’ names, they can still build rapport with their students by simply greeting them as they enter class.
Spatial data collection and qualification methods for urban parks in Brazilian capitals: An innovative roadmap
Authors: Slovic Anne Dorothée , Kanai Claudio , Marques Sales Denise , Carnavalli Rocha Solimar , de Souza Andrade Amanda Cristina , Martins Lucas Soriano , Morais Coelho Débora , Freitas Anderson , Moran Mika , Mascolli Maria Antonietta , Teixeira Caiaffa Waleska , Gouveia Nelson
Published: August 2023

Urban parks have been studied for their effects on health and the environment. Accessing park data from reliable and comparable sources remains challenging, reinforcing the importance of standardized search tools, notably in Latin America. We designed a systematized methodology to identify processes of accessing, collecting, verifying, and harmonizing urban park spatial data in all Brazilian capitals included in the Urban Health in Latin America (SALURBAL) project. We developed a research protocol using official and non-official sources combining the results of Google Maps (GMaps) points and OpenStreetMap (OSM) polygons–GMaps-OSM. Descriptive analyses included the frequency of the distribution of parks before and after harmonization stratified by data source. We used the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) to assess agreement in the area between official and GMaps-OSM data. Official data were obtained for 16 cities; for the remaining 11 capitals, we used GMaps-OSM. After verification and harmonization, 302 urban parks were obtained from official data and 128 from GMaps-OSM. In a sub-study of the 16 cities with official data (n = 302 parks), we simulated a collection of non-official data using GMaps-OSM and OSM only. From GMaps-OSM, we obtained 142 parks, and from OSM, 230 parks. Statistical analysis showed a better agreement between official data and OSM. After completing verification and harmonization, the complete dataset (official and GMaps-OSM) included 430 urban parks with a total area of 145.14 km2. The mean number of parks across cities was 16, with a mean size area of 0.33 km2. The median number of parks was nine, with a median area of 0.07 km2. This study highlights the importance of creating mechanisms to access, collect, harmonize, and verify urban park data, which is essential for examining the impact of parks on health. It also stresses the importance of providing reliable urban park spatial data for city officials.
Knockdown resistance allele L1014F introduced by CRISPR/Cas9 is not associated with altered vector competence of Anopheles gambiae for o’nyong nyong virus
Authors: Kay Grant A. , Patterson Edward I. , Hughes Grant L. , Lord Jennifer S. , Reimer Lisa J.
Published: August 2023

Knockdown resistance (kdr) alleles conferring resistance to pyrethroid insecticides are widespread amongst vector populations. Previous research has suggested that these alleles are associated with changes in the vector competence of mosquitoes for arboviruses and Plasmodium, however non-target genetic differences between mosquito strains may have had a confounding effect. Here, to minimise genetic differences, the laboratory Anopheles gambiae Kisumu strain was compared to a CRISPR/Cas9 homozygous kdr L1014F mutant Kisumu-kdr line in order to examine associations with vector competence for o’nyong nyong virus (ONNV). Mosquitoes were infected using either blood feeds or intrathoracic microinjections. There were no significant differences in the prevalence of virus in mosquito body parts between kdr mutant and wildtype lines from either oral or intrathoracic injection routes. The ONNV titre was significantly higher in the legs of the wildtype strain at 7dpi following intrathoracic microinjection, but no other significant differences in viral titre were detected. ONNV was not detected in the saliva of mosquitoes from either strain. Our findings from per os infections suggest that the kdr L1014F allele is not associated with altered infection prevalence for ONNV, a key component of vector competence.
Influence of psychological capital on core competency for new nurses
Authors: Wang Junqiang , Chen Jiya , Zheng Lingzhi , Zeng Baojin , Yan Xiaoting , Xia Mengjie , Chen Lili
Published: August 2023

Background

The development of core competency is crucial for the success of new nurses, enabling them to deliver high-quality care. Psychological capital (PsyCap), encompassing self-efficacy, optimism, hope, and resilience, significantly influences individuals’ abilities and achievements across various professions. However, limited research has specifically examined the impact of PsyCap on the core competency of new nurses. This study aims to bridge this gap by investigating the relationship between PsyCap and core competency development in new nurses, providing valuable strategic insights for improving PsyCap and promoting core competence acquisition.

Methods

142 new nurses were chosen for the investigation using a convenient cluster sampling method. The questionnaire included components on socio-demographic characteristics, the Competency Inventory for Registered Nurses (CIRN), and the PsyCap Questionnaire-24 (PCQ-24). The t-test, One-Way ANOVA, Pearson correlation analysis and hierarchical multiple regression were used for statistical analysis.

Result

The number of valid questionnaires was 138, and the effective return rate was 97.2%. The overall mean score for core competencies was 171.01 (SD 25.34), and the PsyCap score was 104.76(SD 13.71). The PsyCap of new nurses was highly correlated with core competency, with a correlation coefficient of r = 0.7, p < 0.01. Self-efficacy of PsyCap is a significant independent predictor of core competency (adjust R2 = 0.49).

Conclusion

Self-efficacy in PsyCap is an important predictor of new nurses’ core competency. Nursing managers should pay sufficient attention to the cultivation and development of new nurses’ PsyCap, with particular emphasis on enhancing self-efficacy to improve their core competency.
Space-time POD and the Hankel matrix
Authors: Frame Peter , Towne Aaron
Published: August 2023

Time-delay embedding is an increasingly popular starting point for data-driven reduced-order modeling efforts. In particular, the singular value decomposition (SVD) of a block Hankel matrix formed from successive delay embeddings of the state of a dynamical system lies at the heart of several popular reduced-order modeling methods. In this paper, we show that the left singular vectors of this Hankel matrix are a discrete approximation of space-time proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) modes, and the singular values are square roots of the POD energies. Analogous to the connection between the SVD of a data matrix of snapshots and space-only POD, this connection establishes a clear interpretation of the Hankel modes grounded in classical theory, and we gain insights into the Hankel modes by instead analyzing the equivalent discrete space-time POD modes in terms of the correlation matrix formed by multiplying the Hankel matrix by its conjugate transpose. These insights include the distinct meaning of rows and columns, the implied norm in which the modes are optimal, the impact of the time step between snapshots on the modes, and an interpretation of the embedding dimension/height of the Hankel matrix in terms of the time window on which the modes are optimal. Moreover, the connections we establish offer opportunities to improve the convergence and computation time in certain practical cases, and to improve the accuracy of the modes with the same data. Finally, popular variants of POD, namely the standard space-only POD and spectral POD, are recovered in the limits that snapshots used to form each column of the Hankel matrix represent flow evolution over short and long times, respectively.