bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prophylactic antibiotic use for infective endocarditis: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Lean Sue S H , Jou Eric , Ho Jamie Sin Ying , Jou Ernest G L
Published: August 2023

Objectives

Infective endocarditis (IE) is a devastating disease with a 50% 1-year mortality rate. In recent years, medical authorities across the globe advised stricter criteria for antibiotic prophylaxis in patients with high risk of IE undergoing dental procedures. Whether such recommendations may increase the risk of IE in at-risk patients must be investigated.

Design

Prospectively registered systematic review and meta-analysis.

Data sources

Medline, Embase, Scopus and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched through 23 May 2022, together with an updated search on 5 August 2023.

Eligibility criteria

All primary studies reporting IE within 3 months of dental procedures in adults >18 years of age were included, while conference abstracts, reviews, case reports and case series involving fewer than 10 cases were excluded.

Data extraction and synthesis

All studies were assessed by two reviewers independently, and any discrepancies were further resolved through a third researcher.

Results

Of the 3771 articles screened, 38 observational studies fit the inclusion criteria and were included in the study for subsequent analysis. Overall, 11% (95% CI 0.08 to 0.16, I2=100%) of IE are associated with recent dental procedures.Streptococcus viridansaccounted for 69% (95% CI 0.46 to 0.85) of IE in patients who had undergone recent dental procedures, compared with only 21% (95% CI 0.17 to 0.26) in controls (p=0.003). None of the high-risk patients developed IE across all studies where 100% of the patients were treated with prophylactic antibiotics, and IE patients are 12% more likely to have undergone recent dental manipulation compared with matched controls (95% CI 1.00 to 1.26, p=0.048).

Conclusions

Although there is a lack of randomised control trials due to logistic difficulties in the literature on this topic, antibiotic prophylaxis are likely of benefit in reducing the incidence of IE in high-risk patients after dental procedures. Further well-designed high-quality case-control studies are required.

Trial registration number

CRD42022326664.
Subhumans, human flourishing and abortion: a reply to Räsänen
Authors: Miller Calum
Published: August 2023

In a recent article, I argued that all humans are morally equal, and that this generates an argument against abortion. Here, I defend my argument against two objections from Räsänen: that it is possible to ground equal human value in the ability to flourish in a particular kind of way, and that being human is not, in fact, a binary property in the way needed for the argument to work. I show that this proposed criterion for grounding human value falls prey to my original argument, and that Räsänen’s attempt to conceive of subhuman entities fails.
Spread of local anesthetic injected in the paravertebral space, intertransverse processes space, and erector spinae plane: a cadaveric model
Authors: Varela Victor , Ruíz Carlos , Montecinos Sara , Prats-Galino Alberto , Sala-Blanch Xavier
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Paraspinal fascial plane blocks have become popular and include the erector spinae plane (ESP) and intertransverse process (ITP) blocks. Controversy exists regarding the exact mechanism(s) of these blocks. We aimed to evaluate the spread of local anesthetic (LA) following ESP and ITP blocks as compared with paravertebral (PV) blocks in a cadaveric model.

Method

Single-injection ultrasound guided ESP (n=5), ITP (n=5), and PV (n=5) blocks were performed in 15 fresh cadaver hemithoraces. The extent of LA spread within the erector spinae fascial plane, involvement of the dorsal ramus, and distribution within the PV space, were qualitatively described.

Results

The spread of LA following ESP block extended eight vertebral levels in a cranio-caudal direction, involving the dorsal ramus at each level, but without LA spread into the PV space nor to the ventral rami. LA spread following ITP block extended 1–2 vertebral levels within the PV space and 7 vertebral levels within the erector spinae fascial plane. The spread of LA following PV blocks extended 2–4 vertebral levels, involving the ventral and dorsal ramus at each level, but without LA spread into the ESP.

Conclusion

Based on the results of this cadaveric experimental model of paraspinal fascial plane blocks, LA spread following ITP blocks extends into both the PV space and the erector spine fascial plane, and thus may offer a more favorable analgesic profile than ESP blocks.
Smoking and quality of life in lung cancer patients: systematic review
Authors: Halms Theresa , Strasser Martina , Hasan Alkomiet , Rüther Tobias , Trepel Martin , Raab Stephan , Gertzen Marcus
Published: August 2023

Objectives

Lung cancer (LC) accounts for the largest number of cancer deaths worldwide, with smoking being the leading cause for its development. While quality of life (QoL) is a crucial factor in the treatment of patients with LC, the impact of smoking status on QoL remains unclear. This systematic review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of available evidence on the relationship between smoking status and QoL among patients with LC.

Methods

A systematic search of Embase, Medline and Web of Science was conducted. Studies reporting the impact of smoking status on QoL among patients with LC were eligible for inclusion. Two reviewers independently assessed the eligibility of studies, extracted data and evaluated the risk of bias using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme appraisal tool for cohort studies. A descriptive synthesis was performed due to the heterogeneity of the studies.

Results

A total of 23 studies met the inclusion criteria (17 studies providing cross-sectional and 6 longitudinal data). The studies included a total of 10 251 participants. The results suggested a tendency towards lower QoL among smokers compared with non-smokers. The effect of smoking cessation on QoL was insufficiently investigated in the included studies and therefore remains inconclusive.

Conclusions

The findings of this review suggest that current smokers may experience worse QoL than former and never smokers. The results of this systematic review should, however, be viewed in the context of the difficulty of data collection in this patient group given the low survival rates and low performance status, among other factors and in light of the large variety of different QoL measures used. Future research requires uniform QoL measures, a holistic representation of all patients with LC as well as a comprehensive consideration of all potential determinants of QoL. The potential benefits of smoking cessation on QoL among patients with LC require investigation.
A risk-based labelling strategy for supplemented foods in Canada: consumer perspectives
Authors: Mansfield Elizabeth , Wahba Rana , Lafrenière Jacynthe , De Grandpré Elaine
Published: August 2023

Unlike conventional foods, supplemented foods are prepackaged foods containing one or more added supplemental ingredients, such as vitamins, mineral nutrients, amino acids, and caffeine, which have historically been marketed as providing specific physiological benefits or health effects. These ingredients can pose a health risk if overconsumed by the general population or if consumed by certain vulnerable populations such as children or those who are pregnant. Consumer perspectives of a proposed risk-based multicomponent supplemented food labelling strategy to protect the health and safety of Canadians were explored using virtual discussion groups with participants ( n = 88) of varying socio-demographics and health literacy levels. Thematic content analysis of the discussions was conducted using core health literacy competencies of accessibility, understanding, and appraisal of the risk-based product labelling information. The front-of-package supplemented food caution identifier was attention grabbing and conveyed a message to search out and carefully consider the Supplemented Food Facts table and cautionary labelling elements on the back of the package. These back-of-package labelling elements enhanced awareness of the supplemental ingredients and the specific cautions for use of the supplemented food. This risk-based product labelling strategy, with multiple components, was perceived to be a useful strategy for distinguishing supplemented foods from conventional foods and enhancing awareness of the cautionary labelling. Educational strategies will be required to ensure that the health and safety risks associated with supplemented foods are understood so that consumers can make more informed consumption decisions.

Novelty

Risk-based labelling strategy for supplemented foods Strategy goes beyond the general requirements for prepackaged foods
Spectroscopic behavior of fully heavy tetraquarks
Authors: An Hong-Tao , Luo Si-Qiang , Liu Zhan-Wei , Liu Xiang
Published: August 2023

Stimulated by the observation of theX(6900) from LHCb in 2020 and the recent results from CMS and ATLAS in the di-$$J/\psi $$J/ψinvariant mass spectrum, in this work we systematically study all possible configurations for the ground states of fully heavy tetraquark in the constituent quark model. By our calculation, we present their spectroscopic behaviors including binding energy, lowest meson–meson thresholds, specific wave function, magnetic moment, transition magnetic moment, radiative decay width, rearrangement strong width ratio, internal mass contributions, relative lengths between (anti)quarks, and the spatial distribution of four valence (anti)quarks. We cannot find a stable S-wave state for the fully heavy tetraquark system. We hope that our results will be valuable to further experimental exploration of fully heavy tetraquark states.
A generalized trial equation scheme: A tool for solving thin films constructed from the ferroelectric materials
Authors: Li Cheng , Manafian Jalil , Eslami Baharak , Mahmoud Khaled Hussein , Abass Russul Reidh , Bashar Bashar S. , Ilhan Onur Alp
Published: August 2023

In this paper, the thin-film ferroelectric material equation (TFFME) which enables the propagation of solitary polarization in thin-film ferroelectric materials is investigated, and also illustrated through the nonlinear evolution equations. Ferroelectrics are dielectric materials that exhibit nonlinear behaviors in wave propagation. Thin films constructed from the ferroelectric materials are utilized in different modern electronic devices. To investigate the characteristics of new waves, the solitary wave dynamics of the mentioned equation is used in the generalized trial equation scheme. The bright and periodic solutions are obtained by semi-inverse variational principle scheme. Many alternative responses may be obtained through different formulae; each of these solutions offers a distinct graph. The validity of such methods and solutions may be demonstrated by assessing how well the relevant techniques and solutions match up. The effects of free variables on the behavior of few achieved solutions for nonlinear rational exact cases are also plotted and explored depending upon the nature of nonlinearities. The dynamic properties of the obtained results are shown and analyzed by some density, two- and three-dimensional images. The results provide a way for future research on generating optical memories based on the nonlinear solitons.
Conservation law and Lie symmetry analysis of the Zakharov–Kuznetsov equation
Authors: Ju Long , Zhang Yufeng , Afzal Faiza , Feng Binlu
Published: August 2023

The Zakharov–Kuznetsov (ZK) equation is extensively investigated in this study. This equation is a two-dimensional (2D) generalization of the well-known Korteweg–de Vries (KdV) equation, which is spatially limited as the 1D model of weakly nonlinear waves in shallow water. In this paper, we use three different methods to solve the conservation laws of it. First, the direct construction method is used to calculate the multipliers of the objective equation, and the conservation laws can be obtained by using the multipliers. Then its strict self-adjoint property is verified, and its conservation laws are solved by Ibragimov’s method. Finally, the conservation laws of the target equation are solved by Noether’s theorem. Then we calculate some exact solutions of the ZK equation by the extended Kudryashov method and seek a few solutions in terms of hyperbolic tangent functions and [Formula: see text]. Meanwhile, the conservation law analysis of the target equation is carried out, and its Lie point symmetries, reduced order form and invariant solution are determined. In the end, the Hamiltonian structure of the target equation, the generalized pre-symplectic that maps symmetries into adjoint-symmetries and some of its soliton solutions are calculated.
Brinkman–Navier–Stokes flow under the influence of electric and magnetic fields
Authors: Anwar Muhammad Shoaib , Muhammad Taseer , Irfan Muhammad , Hussain Majid , Khan Mumtaz
Published: August 2023

Importance of studying Brinkman–Navier–Stokes flow under the influence of electric and magnetic fields lies in its relevance to fundamental physical phenomena, its applications in various fields of science and engineering and its potential for technological advancements. The study of Brinkman–Navier–Stokes flow under the influence of electric and magnetic fields, along with additional factors such as Joule heating, fractional derivatives and convection, represents a multifaceted and challenging problem in fluid dynamics and applied mathematics. In this study, we explore the combined effects of Joule heating due to electric current passing through the fluid and fractional derivatives that describe nonlocal behaviors. The fractional formulation leads to a relaxation mechanism that exhibits delay and recollection of the fluid motion. The organization of direct temperature and concentration changes in MHD flow is made possible by this formalization. A finite difference/finite element method is used to calculate the flow dynamics issue and fractionally linked fields. The physical factors explain how the topic under examination is relevant.
Making a Difference: The Political Life of Religious Conversion
Authors: Kravel-Tovi Michal
Published: August 2023

This article reviews the anthropological scholarship that engages with religious conversion as a political phenomenon, broadly defined. It develops the idea of making a difference as an overarching framework with a double meaning. First, this idiom captures how, by framing religious conversion in political terms, anthropologists have claimed to have substantially intervened—have made a difference, so to speak—in the discussion of conversion. Second, the article sets aside the prevalent problematization of conversion as a category of change, showing instead how anthropologists have sought to establish how religious change makes a difference—in the interweaved realities of individuals, collectives, and polities. I scrutinize and contextualize the belated consolidation of this area of inquiry, map its major strands, and identify the interrelated theoretical developments within anthropology. Seeing these strands as a generative domain of inquiry, I conclude with a number of suggestions for future research, such as paying closer attention to political conversions and to the links between religious conversion and political crises.
The Deep Soil Organic Carbon Response to Global Change
Authors: Hicks Pries Caitlin E. , Ryals Rebecca , Zhu Biao , Min Kyungjin , Cooper Alexia , Goldsmith Sarah , Pett-Ridge Jennifer , Torn Margaret , Berhe Asmeret Asefaw
Published: August 2023

Over 70% of soil organic carbon (SOC) is stored at a depth greater than 20 cm belowground. A portion of this deep SOC actively cycles on annual to decadal timescales and is sensitive to global change. However, deep SOC responses to global change likely differ from surface SOC responses because biotic controls on SOC cycling become weaker as mineral controls predominate with depth. Here, we synthesize the current information on deep SOC responses to the global change drivers of warming, shifting precipitation, elevated CO2, and land use and land cover change. Most deep SOC responses can only be hypothesized because few global change studies measure deep soils, and even fewer global change experiments manipulate deep soils. We call on scientists to incorporate deep soils into their manipulations, measurements, and models so that the response of deep SOC can be accounted for in projections of nature-based climate solutions and terrestrial feedbacks to climate change.
The Causes and Consequences of Seed Dispersal
Authors: Beckman Noelle G. , Sullivan Lauren L.
Published: August 2023

Seed dispersal, or the movement of diaspores away from the parent location, is a multiscale, multipartner process that depends on the interaction of plant life history with vector movement and the environment. Seed dispersal underpins many important plant ecological and evolutionary processes such as gene flow, population dynamics, range expansion, and diversity. We review exciting new directions that the field of seed dispersal ecology and evolution has taken over the past 40 years. We provide an overview of the ultimate causes of dispersal and the consequences of this important process for plant population and community dynamics. We also discuss several emergent unifying frameworks that are being used to study dispersal and describe how they can be integrated to provide a more mechanistic understanding of dispersal.
Lattice Vibration, Optical and Mechanical Properties of AlP Semiconductor under the Influence of Pressure
Authors: Al Maaitah Ibtisam F
Published: August 2023

The lattice vibrations, optical, and mechanical properties of zinc-blende AlP semiconductor have been investigated. Research has been carried out to determine how pressure affects various properties, including the refractive index, optical and static dielectric constants, longitudinal and transverse sound velocities, reflectivity, susceptibility, phonon frequencies, ionicity, transverse effective charge, and micro-hardness. The pseudo-potential method (EPM) was used to perform the computations in this article. A fair degree of agreement is seen when comparisons are made with the available experiment and other theoretical calculations.
FAM13A regulates cellular senescence marker p21 and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species production in airway epithelial cells
Authors: Chen Qing , Vasse Gwenda F. , Nwozor Kingsley Okechukwu , Bekker Nicolaas J. , van den Berge Maarten , Brandsma Corry-Anke , de Vries Maaike , Heijink Irene H.
Published: August 2023

To our knowledge, this is the first study investigating the role of the COPD susceptibility gene FAM13A in aging and cellular senescence. We found that FAM13A negatively regulates the expression of the cellular senescence marker P21 and mitochondrial ROS production in the airway epithelium. In this way, the lower expression of FAM13A observed upon aging may facilitate cellular senescence and potentially contribute to accelerated lung aging in COPD.
Molecular insights using spatial transcriptomics of the distal lung in congenital diaphragmatic hernia
Authors: Lingappan Krithika , Olutoye Oluyinka O. , Cantu Abiud , Cantu Gutierrez Manuel Eliezer , Cortes-Santiago Nahir , Hammond J. D. , Gilley Jamie , Quintero Joselyn Rojas , Li Hui , Polverino Francesca , Gleghorn Jason P. , Keswani Sundeep G.
Published: August 2023

This is the first use of spatial transcriptomics in patients with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) that identifies the contribution of different lung cellular subpopulations in CDH pathophysiology and highlights sex-specific differences.
Multivisit Drone-Vehicle Routing Problem with Simultaneous Pickup and Delivery considering No-Fly Zones
Authors: Liu Yan-Qiu , Han Jing , Zhang Ying , Li Yan , Jiang Tao
Published: August 2023

The employment of drones for the distribution of goods represents a significant avenue for addressing logistical challenges at the end of the supply chain. The truck-drone cooperative delivery model overcomes drone limitations such as limited capacity and endurance and has emerged as a crucial mode of drone participation in logistics delivery. This delivery model effectively reduces delivery costs and shortens delivery times. Herein, we examine a variant of the truck-drone routing problem, which encompasses the strategic deployment and routing of multiple fleets of trucks, each equipped with an auxiliary drone. The objective is to fulfill all the pickup and delivery demands of a designated customer base while minimizing the overall route cost. Within this problem domain, drones are authorized to serve multiple customers within their capacity and endurance limits, providing both pickup and delivery services during each trip. However, the utilization of drones for servicing all customers is impeded by the existence of no-fly zones that have been implemented in numerous cities worldwide. These prescribed no-fly zones cause significant challenges when attempting to optimize the routing of truck-drone operations. Thus, this study constructs a mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model for the path optimization problem of joint service of trucks and drones considering no-fly zones and simultaneous pickup and delivery. Given the intricacy of the MILP model, we propose a two-stage heuristic algorithm based on a simulated annealing approach, combined with strategies for rectifying infeasible solutions and expediting algorithmic processes. During the phase of computational experimentation, we explore the advantages derived from enabling drones to serve multiple customers and assess the effectiveness of the proposed model and two-stage heuristic algorithm. Finally, sensitivity analysis is conducted on two key parameters.
Breast Cancer Survivors with Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause Receiving Aromatase Inhibitors Are Willing to Sexual Assessment: Is a Dyspareunia Approach Enough?
Authors: Anglès-Acedo Sònia , Mension Eduard , Ribera-Torres Laura , Gómez Carballo Sílvia , Matas Isabel , Tortajada Marta , Alonso Inmaculada , Castelo-Branco Camil
Published: August 2023

Objective. To assess the sexual health and interest of breast cancer survivors (BCSs) in a tailored evaluation of their sexuality. Methods. A descriptive analysis on baseline sexual assessment of female BCS with genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) receiving aromatase inhibitors (AIs), who have participated on an ongoing double-blinded randomized controlled trial on the efficacy and safety of laser therapy (NCT04619485), was conducted. Epidemiological and BC variables, as well as mental, vaginal, and basic sexual health assessment (self-reported sexual activity and frequency, sexual behavior, type of sexual activity and relationship status, Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), and Body Image Scale questionnaires and 2 visual analogue scales (VASs) about sexual life disturbance and dyspareunia) were recorded. An optional specialized sexual assessment was offered. Results. Among 83 participants, 67 (80.7%) wanted sexual counseling. Half of them had a body image alteration, and 74% worsened their sexual life after receiving BC diagnosis and treatments. The sexual activity rate was 71.1%. Sexually inactive women had higher impairment of FSFI desire dimension (

p
=
0.0013

), dyspareunia (

p
=
0.0114

), and unsatisfaction with their sexuality (

p
=
0.0530

) compared to sexually active women. In sexually active women, the mean FSFI and all of its dimensions showed a lower score. The most frequent sexual behavior was a combination of nonvaginal and vaginal sex, despite the high intensity of dyspareunia (mean VAS ± SD: 7.1 ± 2.1). Conclusion. Most of the BCSs with GSM receiving AI were interested in a specialized sexual consultation. Sexual activity and function were impaired, either secondary to dyspareunia or to other biopsychosocial sexual factors.
Acute Pancreatitis as an Unusual Culprit of Diabetic Ketoacidosis in a Nondiabetic: A Case-Based Review
Authors: Imburgio Steven , Vedire Apurva , Sanekommu Harshavardhan , Johal Anmol , Taj Sobaan , Lesniak Christopher , Mushtaq Arman
Published: August 2023

Acute pancreatitis has been associated with a multitude of complications including pancreatic necrosis, pseudocysts, abscesses, acute respiratory distress syndrome, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and hyperglycemia. To date, only rare case reports have demonstrated diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) as a rare sequela of acute pancreatitis. We report a case of a 34-year-old female with no prior history of diabetes who was subsequently diagnosed with DKA after presenting with severe acute pancreatitis. This case serves as a framework to not only highlight DKA as a rare complication of acute pancreatitis but also to explore the potential pathophysiology that underlies this phenomenon including stress hyperglycemia and post-pancreatitis diabetes mellitus.
Estimating the Importation Risk of Mpox Virus in 2022 to Hong Kong, China
Authors: Xu Mingda , Shan Songwei , Shao Zengyang , Bai Yuan , Du Zhanwei , Wang Zhen , Gao Chao
Published: August 2023

International air travel has been recognized as a crucial factor in the cross-regional transmission of monkeypox (now known as mpox) since this disease rapidly spread across the globe in May 2022. On September 6, 2022, Hong Kong SAR (HK) reported its first imported mpox case with travel history of the United States (US), Canada, and the Philippines. In this study, we estimated the importation risk to HK from 25 international departure regions from May 1 to September 6, 2022, based on the prevalence of presymptomatic mpox cases in the study regions, and time-varying flight mobility evaluated by aggregating multiple open-access air travel datasets (e.g., OpenSky and Aviation Edge). The results of the study indicated that during the study period, the highest risk of mpox importation was from the US, at 63% (95% CI: 32% and 95%), followed by the United Kingdom (UK) and Canada, with risks of 29% (95% CI: 10% and 63%), and 17% (95% CI: 8% and 32%), respectively. The importation risk of mpox from the US and Canada was substantially higher than from the other regions, which was aligned with the travel history of the first reported case in HK. Our study introduces a simplified computational method that estimates the risk of importation mpox virus by combining air travel mobility, disease prevalence, and observed real-world scenarios to achieve accurate outcome estimates. Estimating the cross-regional importation risk of mpox would be beneficial in designing and adjusting inbound measures appropriately, which are essential for emergency public health policies.
Effect of a Standardized Extract of Asparagus officinalis Stem (ETAS®50) on Cognitive Function, Psychological Symptoms, and Behavior in Patients with Dementia: A Randomized Crossover Trial
Authors: Zenimoto Takayuki , Takahashi Mitsuhiko
Published: August 2023

Dementia is a disease of substantial national concern in a superaging society in Japan. Thus, the treatments targeting this disease are of high priority. However, pharmaceutical treatments are under development and invasive. Hence, many alternative treatments, which are less invasive, are tried, and some of them are supposed to work for dementia symptoms. ETAS®50 is one of these treatments. ETAS®50, a standardized extract of the Asparagus officinalis stem with heat shock protein‐inducing activity, is a functional food. ETAS®50 has antistress, autonomic nerve regulation, and sleep quality improvement effects in humans and could contribute to relieving dementia symptoms. This double‐blind crossover pilot trial aimed to examine the effects of ETAS®50. A total of 27 patients with mild‐to‐moderate dementia between October 2018 and February 2020 were included in the trial. ETAS®50 was consumed for 12 weeks and then a placebo for 12 weeks. A significant difference in the mean score of the severity of symptoms in the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire (NPI‐Q‐a) was observed between the ETAS®50 period (0.56 ± 1.72 points) and placebo period (−0.67 ± 2.34 points) (p = 0.045). Between‐group comparisons with respect to the items of NPI‐Q‐a also showed a significant decrease in symptoms in the ETAS®50 period compared with the placebo period (p = 0.015 for agitation and p = 0.045 for depression). In addition, we observed that scores for apathy tended to improve in the ETAS®50 period (p = 0.058).
Supplementary Figure S6 from Natural Killer Cell Activation by Ubiquitin-specific Protease 6 Mediates Tumor Suppression in Ewing Sarcoma
Authors: Jain Kanika , Henrich Ian C. , Quick Laura , Young Robert , Mondal Shreya , Oliveira Andre M. , Blobel Gerd A. , Chou Margaret M.
Published: August 2023

Gating strategy for NK cells in peripheral blood
FIGURE 4 from Natural Killer Cell Activation by Ubiquitin-specific Protease 6 Mediates Tumor Suppression in Ewing Sarcoma
Authors: Jain Kanika , Henrich Ian C. , Quick Laura , Young Robert , Mondal Shreya , Oliveira Andre M. , Blobel Gerd A. , Chou Margaret M.
Published: August 2023

USP6 upregulates NK cell-activating ligands on Ewing sarcoma cells in vitro and in vivo.A, Activating and inhibitory receptors on NK cells, and their cognate ligands on target cells. B, USP6/A673 or USP6/RD-ES cells were treated with or without dox, and surface levels of the indicated markers was quantified by flow cytometry (n ≥ 3 experiments per marker). C, USP6/A673 xenografts from RAG2−/− mice were digested and subjected to flow cytometry to detect surface levels of the indicated markers (−dox n = 6, +dox n = 8).
FIGURE 3 from Natural Killer Cell Activation by Ubiquitin-specific Protease 6 Mediates Tumor Suppression in Ewing Sarcoma
Authors: Jain Kanika , Henrich Ian C. , Quick Laura , Young Robert , Mondal Shreya , Oliveira Andre M. , Blobel Gerd A. , Chou Margaret M.
Published: August 2023

USP6 expression in Ewing sarcoma (ES) stimulates cytolytic activity of immortalized and primary human NK cells. A, USP6/A673 were cocultured with immortalized NK cell line NK-92 at the indicated E:T ratios, and percent remaining live Ewing sarcoma cells was quantified (n = 3). B, Live cell imaging of cocultured NK-92 (gray) and USP6/RD-ES (green) in the absence (top) or presence (bottom) dox. Images from start (t = 0) and end (t = 90 minutes) timepoints are shown; scale bar, 50 μm. Note that the endpoint frames were digitally enhanced to facilitate visualization of photobleached but live GFP+ cells remaining. Timelapse imaging is provided in Supplementary Video S1. C, USP6/RD-ES were cocultured with primary human NK cells, and percent remaining live Ewing sarcoma cells was quantified. Data represent analysis from five independent experiments using 5 distinct human donors. D, Degranulation in primary human NK cells was monitored by CD107a surface staining (data from 5 independent donors). In C and D, right plots depict paired −dox and +dox samples treated with NK cells from a common donor.
FIGURE 2 from Natural Killer Cell Activation by Ubiquitin-specific Protease 6 Mediates Tumor Suppression in Ewing Sarcoma
Authors: Jain Kanika , Henrich Ian C. , Quick Laura , Young Robert , Mondal Shreya , Oliveira Andre M. , Blobel Gerd A. , Chou Margaret M.
Published: August 2023

USP6 expression in Ewing sarcoma (ES) cells stimulates cytolytic activity of primary mouse NK cells. A, USP6/RD-ES cells were cocultured with primary mouse LAKs at the indicated E:T ratios for 24 hours, and percent remaining live Ewing sarcoma cells (GFP+/7AAD−) was quantified by flow cytometry. Right plot, alternate depiction of data where the paired −dox and +dox symbols represent results from a common LAKs preparation. B, CD27 and CD11b surface levels in LAKs cultured alone, or together with USP6/RD-ES or USP6/A673 cells. Percent of cells in Quadrants 1/2 (Q1/Q2) is quantified. C, Markers for activation (CD69), degranulation (CD107a), and cytotoxicity (CD86) were quantified in Q1/Q2 populations. Data are from four independent LAK preparations (each isolated from combined spleens of 3 mice), with each sample analyzed in technical duplicate. E:T ratio was 1:1 for USP6/RD-ES, and 2.5:1 for USP6/A673.
Time to Reperfusion Is Not Associated With Functional Outcomes in First‐Pass Reperfusion: Analysis of the STRATIS Registry
Authors: Manning Nathan W. , Hassan Ameer E. , Liebeskind David S. , Mueller‐Kronast Nils H. , Jadhav Ashutosh P. , Nogueira Raul G. , Yavagal Dileep R. , Cheung Andrew , Wenderoth Jason , Zaidat Osama O.
Published: August 2023

Background

Time is considered a fundamental driver of treatment success in ischemic stroke reperfusion therapy. First‐pass reperfusion (FPR) is associated with improved outcomes. We explored the association between time to reperfusion, FPR, and functional outcomes in an analysis of the STRATIS (Systematic Evaluation of Patients Treated With Neurothrombectomy Devices for Acute Ischemic Stroke) registry data.

Methods

Registry patients with anterior circulation stroke, treated with endovascular thrombectomy and achieving complete or near‐complete expanded Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction scale (eTICI) 2c/3 reperfusion per core laboratory assessment were included. FPR was considered eTICI 2c/3 reperfusion in a single device pass. Patients undergoing multipass reperfusion required ≥2 device passes to achieve the same, total, or near‐total reperfusion (eTICI 2c/3). Logistic regression was used to model functional independence, defined as a modified Rankin scale score of 0 to 2 at 3 months, as a function of time to reperfusion, comparing FPR and multipass reperfusion patient populations.

Results

Of the 984 patients in the STRATIS registry, 563 patients achieved eTICI 2c/3 reperfusion of anterior circulation large‐vessel occlusions and were eligible for inclusion in the analysis. In patients undergoing multipass reperfusion (n=186), increased time to treatment was associated with a decreased likelihood of a good clinical outcome. Odds ratio for every 60‐minute delay to treatment: 0.71 (95% CI, 0.55–0.90;
P
=0.005). However, in patients undergoing FPR (n=377), no association between increased time to treatment and good clinical outcomes was observed (odds ratio for every 60‐minute delay to treatment, 0.93 [95% CI, 0.79–1.09];
P
=0.347).

Conclusion

First‐pass reperfusion may compensate for the effects of delays to reperfusion on functional outcomes in ischemic stroke.
Insights into ENSO Diversity from an Intermediate Coupled Model. Part I: Uniqueness and Sensitivity of the ENSO Mode
Authors: Geng Licheng , Jin Fei-Fei
Published: August 2023

The basic dynamics of the spatiotemporal diversity for El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) has been the subject of extensive research and, while several hypotheses have been proposed, remains elusive. One promising line of studies suggests that the observed eastern Pacific (EP) and central Pacific (CP) ENSO may originate from two coexisting leading ENSO modes. We show that the coexistence of unstable EP-like and CP-like modes in these studies arises from contaminated linear stability analysis due to unnoticed numerical scheme caveats. In this two-part study, we further investigate the dynamics of ENSO diversity within a Cane–Zebiak-type model. We first revisit the linear stability issue to demonstrate that only one ENSO-like linear leading mode exists under realistic climate conditions. This single leading ENSO mode can be linked to either a coupled recharge-oscillator (RO) mode favored by the thermocline feedback or a wave-oscillator (WO) mode favored by the zonal advective feedback at the weak air–sea coupling end. Strong competition between the RO and WO modes for their prominence in shaping this ENSO mode into a generalized RO mode makes it sensitive to moderate changes in these two key feedbacks. Modulations of climate conditions yield corresponding modulations in spatial pattern, amplitude, and period associated with this ENSO mode. However, the ENSO behavior undergoing this linear climate condition modulations alone does not seem consistent with the observed ENSO diversity, suggesting the inadequacy of linear dynamics in explaining ENSO diversity. A nonlinear mechanism for ENSO diversity will be proposed and discussed in Part II.
Trends in mental health inequalities for people with disability, Australia 2003 to 2020
Authors: Bishop Glenda M , Kavanagh Anne Marie , Disney George , Aitken Zoe
Published: August 2023

Objective:

Cross-sectional studies have demonstrated that people with disability have substantial inequalities in mental health compared to people without disability. However, it is not known if these inequalities have changed over time. This study compared the mental health of people with and without disability annually from 2003 to 2020 to investigate time trends in disability-related mental health inequalities.

Methods:

We use annual data (2003–2020) of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey. Mental health was measured using the five-item Mental Health Inventory. For each wave, we calculated population-weighted age-standardised estimates of mean Mental Health Inventory scores for people with and without disability and calculated the mean difference in Mental Health Inventory score to determine inequalities. Analyses were stratified by age, sex and disability group (sensory or speech, physical, intellectual or learning, psychological, brain injury or stroke, other).

Results:

From 2003 to 2020, people with disability had worse mental health than people without disability, with average Mental Health Inventory scores 9.8 to 12.1 points lower than for people without disability. For both people with and without disability, Mental Health Inventory scores decreased, indicating worsening mental health, reaching the lowest point for both groups in 2020. For some subpopulations, including young females and people with intellectual disability, brain injury or stroke, mental health inequalities worsened.

Conclusion:

This paper confirms that people with disability experience worse mental health than people without disability. We add to previous findings by demonstrating that disability-related inequalities in mental health have been sustained for a long period and are worsening in some subpopulations.
A Survey of Pharmacists and Other Healthcare Professionals in Vietnam: Factors Influencing Knowledge and Attitudes Toward Reporting Adverse Drug Reactions
Authors: Tran Van De , Tran Thi Ngoc Kieu , Vo Quang Loc Duyen , Pham Kieu Anh Tho , Dewey Rebecca Susan , Van Cong Khanh , Dorofeeva Valeria Valeryevna
Published: August 2023

Background:

Knowledge and attitudes of healthcare professionals are significant factors that affect the reporting of adverse drug reactions (ADRs). No previous research has examined the predictors of knowledge and attitudes toward ADR reporting in Vietnam.

Objectives:

The aim of this study was to examine the factors (ie, demographic and job-related characteristics) associated with inadequate knowledge and negative attitudes toward ADR reporting in a Vietnamese public hospital.

Methods:

A survey recruited a cross-sectional sample of 511 healthcare professionals (with a response rate of 92.9%) at a public hospital in Vinh Long province, Vietnam, from December 2022 to February 2023, using a self-administered questionnaire. Factors related to knowledge and attitudes toward ADR reporting were identified using univariate and multivariate logistic regression.

Results:

Pharmacists had significantly lower knowledge scores (mean = 5.86) than medical practitioners (7.24) and nurses (6.72). Additionally, pharmacists’ attitudes scored significantly lower (34.61) than those of medical practitioners (37.21) and nurses (36.86). Multivariate logistic regression showed that educational level, healthcare profession, monthly on-call shifts, and number of direct patient interactions were factors associated with a lower level of knowledge regarding ADR reporting. Additionally, age group and healthcare profession were identified as factors associated with negative attitudes toward ADR reporting among healthcare workers.

Conclusions:

Our study identified several factors associated with lower levels of knowledge and negative attitudes toward ADR reporting among healthcare workers in Vietnam. These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions and education programs to improve healthcare workers’ knowledge and attitudes toward ADR reporting.
Strategic hedgers? Australia and Canada's defence adaptation to the global power transition
Authors: Fortier Maxandre , Massie Justin
Published: August 2023

The intensification of rivalries between the US and China, and, in recent years, between the US and Russia, has deeply affected how middle powers relate to these great powers. Scholars have argued that middle powers are increasingly adopting “hedging” strategies to maximize their benefits and limit the consequences of the great power competition for their security and status. This paper revisits the concept of hedging and assesses whether two prominent US allies—Australia and Canada—have resorted to hedging in place of conventional alternatives like bandwagoning and balancing. The paper systematically compares Australia's and Canada's threat perceptions and defence policies to ascertain whether they have shifted their policies in the wake of the US's relative decline. Since our study began, in 2008, we have found instances where the two allies resorted to hedging. However, evidence shows that when pressured to make a choice, Australia and Canada have closed ranks with the US against revisionist powers. Our paper suggests that threat perceptions play a fundamental role in this. Going forward, it would suggest that the US is in a stronger position than commonly assumed. As the competition between Washington and revisionist great powers increases, the former's ability to build credible coalitions is expected to improve as it will rely on more dependable allies.
Exploring a Teacher Residency as a Recruitment and Retention Strategy for High-Need Districts
Authors: Kwok Andrew , Svajda-Hardy Megan , Hill-Jackson Valerie , Hutchins Shaun
Published: August 2023

Effective recruitment and retention strategies of teachers remain elusive for school districts. This study examines the pilot implementation of a year-long teacher residency program throughout four high-needs districts. This program embeds eight residents in these schools and provides various teacher preparation supports to support these beginning professionals to sustain within the classroom. We interview district administrators about their recruitment and retention efforts, and then document how the teacher residents experienced these structures throughout their residency year. Findings have implications for improving this innovative and increasingly implemented teacher pipeline structure towards raising the quality and diversifying the workforce.
On Between Death and Life: Intensive Care Nurses
Authors: DEMIRBAĞ Selin , AKAN Dilan DENIZ , BAYSAL Ebru
Published: August 2023

The aim of this study is to explore intensive care nurses’ perceptions and experiences about death and dying patient. This study included 15 nurses from a university hospital’s intensive care units (paediatric and internal medicine). Data were collected through face-to-face, in-depth and individual interviews using the “Nurse Information Form” and “Semi-Structured Interview Form”. Six major themes and sixteen sub-themes were identified on the nurses' perceptions and experiences with death. After the nurses described their perceptions of death, their responses, approaches, coping mechanisms, and effects on the dead and dying patient in care and factors affecting perceptions of death were defined. Our findings suggest that nurses, particularly those working in intensive care, should be educated/trained on death, and dying patient care. Thus, orderly psychological support should be provided to nurses.
The Paradox of Information Control Under Authoritarianism: Explaining Trust in Competing Messages in China
Authors: Wang Chengli , Zhu Jiangnan , Zhang Dong
Published: August 2023

To steer public opinion, autocracies prioritize state media reports of political news while marginalizing commercial and foreign media. Can this dominance guarantee people’s trust in state media news? We contend that rumors, circulated via informal channels and resistant to state information control, present a formidable challenge to public trust in state media news. Our two survey experiments in China pitted news of varying information quality (e.g. informative/detailed reports vs cursory mentions of events) from state media sources against rumors, showing that state media news can retain high levels of trustworthiness only if its information quality is high; however, low-quality state media news resulting from information control diminishes its trustworthiness and prompts people to believe rumors. Low-quality rumors have more negative effects than high-quality rumors on news trustworthiness and citizens’ satisfaction with government policies. Thus, information control can paradoxically erode trust in state media, which often represent the government in autocracies.
Consumer Anxiety and Coping in COVID Times: Towards a Sociological Understanding of Consumer Resilience
Authors: Ingram Claire , Caruana Robert , Chakrabarty Anita , Kelemen Mihaela , Yuan Ruizhi
Published: August 2023

This article develops a sociological understanding of consumer resilience across three national contexts during a prolonged, global health crisis – COVID-19. We asked 112 individuals from the UK, China and Malaysia to diarise their consumption during the initial lockdowns of 2020. We found that when social subjects were confronted with material, socio-relational and symbolic restrictions, two types of anxieties emerged – health, safety and wellbeing and social alienation – along with three coping-response strategies, consumer purification, consumer policing and consumer sociality. At this anxiety–coping interface, we identify reflexive, emotive and transformative narratives that are productive of consumer resilience. In this era of ‘Permacrisis’ relating to war, health, climate and cost-of-living, it is essential to examine consumer behaviour under conditions of deep uncertainty to comprehend how (resilient) social subjects use the (non-)market domain to cope with anxieties caused by multifaceted restrictions placed on everyday life.
A Comprehensive Survey on Usage of Learning Analytics for Enhancing Learner's Performance in Learning Portals
Authors: Shabnam Ara S.J. , Tanuja R. , Manjula S.H. , Venugopal K.R.
Published: August 2023

Learning analytics (LA) is considered a promising field of study as it's helping to improve learning and the context in which it occurs. A learner's performance can be defined as how well students are learning in terms of knowledge and skills development and can be analyzed based on students’ outcomes and engagement in the course. We have consolidated the work carried out from 2011 to 2022 to improve learners’ performance using LA, describe criteria that define learners’ performance, discuss parameters that impact learners’ performance, and how predictive models can be created to forecast learners’ performance using these parameters. Results showed that the data collected from log files of the Learning Management System (LMS) had been used to get insights into the learner's performance in online platforms and LA could bring incredible benefits in the field of the education sector, such as improvement of learners’ involvement with learning activities as well as learning outcomes, identification of students at risk, providing real-time feedback, and personalization of learning. Hence, we can say usage of LA significantly helps learners’ performance improvement in learning portals. But we can get better results if we augment data from log files of LMS with the learner's personal data from his birth to the current moment, which is a bit challenging with respect to data collection i.e., huge and from multiple sources.