bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PSA and PSA Kinetics as Predictors for 18F-Fluciclovine PET/CT Positivity in Biochemically Recurrent Prostate Cancer
Authors: Crocerossa Fabio , Carbonara Umberto , Parekh Jayashree , Urdaneta Alfredo , Weprin Samuel , Damiano Rocco , Grob Mayer B. , Hampton Lance J. , Paul Asit , Autorino Riccardo , Cantiello Francesco
Published: December 2021

Introduction: 18F-Fluciclovine PET/CT is one of the imaging techniques currently employed to restage prostate cancer (PCa). Due to the conflicting results reported in the literature, it is not yet known at what PSA threshold 18F-fluciclovine PET/CT could reliably demonstrate the presence of recurring disease. We explored the association between 18F-fluciclovine PET/CT positivity and prescan PSA, PSA doubling time, and PSA velocity in patients with biochemical recurrence (BCR) of PCa after curative-intent treatment. Methods: Data from 59 patients who underwent 18F-fluciclovine PET/CT for BCR after radical prostatectomy or radiotherapy were retrieved from a single institution database. Patients already undergone salvage treatments at the time of PET/CT, with newly diagnosed PCa or with initial diagnosis of metastatic PCa were excluded. A 2-sided independent samples Bayesian t test and Bayesian Mann-Whitney U test were used to assess the association between PET/CT and prescan PSA, PSA doubling time, and PSA velocity. Results: Evidence for no difference between PET/CT-positive and -negative patients for log-transformed PSA was found (BF01 3.61, % error: 0.01). Robustness check and sequential analysis showed stability across a wide range of prior distribution specifications. The hypothesis of no difference in terms of PSA-dt and for PSA-vel between groups was found to be more likely compared to the alternative hypothesis (BF01 of 3.44 and 3.48, respectively). Conclusion: PSA and PSA kinetics are unlikely to be associated with 18F-fluciclovine PET/CT positivity in patients with BCR, and none of these serum biomarkers might be used as single predictors of PET/CT detection. Larger studies might be needed to evaluate the role of different predictors.
Early Termination of Acute Stroke Randomized Controlled Trials Published Between 2013 and 2020: A Systematic Review
Authors: Strong Brent , Oostema J. Adam , Nikroo Nadia , Hussain Murtaza , Reeves Mathew J.
Published: December 2021

Background:

Termination of a clinical trial before the maximum planned sample size is accrued can occur for multiple valid reasons but has implications for the interpretation of results. We undertook a systematic review of contemporary acute stroke trials to document the prevalence of and reasons for early termination.

Methods:

We searched MEDLINE for randomized controlled trials of acute stroke therapies published between 2013 and 2020 in 9 major clinical journals. Manuscripts describing the primary results of phase 2 and phase 3 trials of acute stroke care were included. Data on study characteristics and adherence to CONSORT reporting guidelines were abstracted and summarized using descriptive statistics. Where feasible, we compared treatment effect sizes between trials terminated early and those not terminated early.

Results:

Of 96 randomized controlled trials, 39 (41%) were terminated early, 84 (88%) had a data and safety monitoring board, and 57 (59%) reported a prespecified statistical stopping rule. Among the 39 trials terminated early, 10 were discontinued for benefit, 10 due to logistical issues, 8 for futility, 6 because of newly available evidence, 1 for harm, and 4 for other or a combination of reasons. The median percentage of the maximum planned sample size accrued among trials terminated early was 63% (range, 8%–89%). Only 55% of trials (53 of 96) reported whether interim efficacy analyses were conducted, as recommended by the CONSORT guidelines. When 10 endovascular therapy trials were compared according to early termination status, the effect sizes of trials terminated early for benefit were only modestly larger than those not terminated early.

Conclusions:

The high prevalence of early termination in combination with the wide variety of reasons underscores the necessity of meticulous trial planning and adherence to methodological and reporting guidelines for early termination.

Registration:

URL:
https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/
; Unique identifier: CRD42019128727.
Activated Protein C Strengthens Cardiac Tolerance to Ischemic Insults in Aging
Authors: Ren Di , Fedorova Julia , Davitt Kayla , Van Le Tran Ngoc , Griffin John H. , Liaw Patricia C. , Esmon Charles T. , Rezaie Alireza R. , Li Ji
Published: December 2021

Background:

APC (activated protein C) is a plasma serine protease with anticoagulant and anti-inflammatory activities. EPCR (Endothelial protein C receptor) is associated with APC’s activity and mediates its downstream signaling events. APC exerts cardioprotective effects during ischemia and reperfusion (I/R). This study aims to characterize the role of the APC-EPCR axis in ischemic insults in aging.

Methods:

Young (3–4 months) and aged (24–26 months) wild-type C57BL/6J mice, as well as EPCR point mutation (EPCR

R84A/R84A

) knockin C57BL/6J mice incapable of interaction with APC and its wild type of littermate C57BL/6J mice, were subjected to I/R. Wild-type APC, signaling-selective APC-2Cys, or anticoagulant-selective APC-E170A were administrated before reperfusion.

Results:

The results demonstrated that cardiac I/R reduces APC activity, and the APC activity was impaired in the aged versus young hearts possibly attributable to the declined EPCR level with aging. Serum EPCR measurement showed that I/R triggered the shedding of membrane EPCR into circulation, while administration of APC attenuated the I/R-induced EPCR shedding in both young and aged hearts. Subsequent echocardiography showed that APC and APC-2Cys but not APC-E170A ameliorated cardiac dysfunction during I/R in both young and aged mice. Importantly, APC elevated the resistance of the aged heart to ischemic insults through stabilizing EPCR. However, all these cardioprotective effects of APC were blunted in the EPCR

R84A/R84A

mice versus its wild-type littermates. The ex vivo working heart and metabolomics results demonstrated that AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase) mediates acute adaptive response while AKT (protein kinase B) is involved in chronic metabolic programming in the hearts with APC treatment.

Conclusions:

I/R stress causes shedding of the membrane EPCR in the heart, and administration of APC prevents I/R-induced cardiac EPCR shedding that is critical for limiting cardiac damage in aging.
The Vizier Ankhu and the Dual Vizierate in the Late Middle Kingdom
Authors: Ilin-Tomich Alexander
Published: December 2021

The conjecture that the vizier Ankhu’s centre of life lay in Thebes has been expressed by previous scholars. This paper reviews the available evidence, complemented by a new reading of stela Cairo CG 20102 and the accounts of the smaller manuscript of pBoulaq 18. Taken together, the data suggests that Ankhu, his father, and his sons, all holding the office of the vizier, had their seat in Thebes. Given that at least one other vizier stands chronologically between Ankhu and his father, the association of Ankhu’s family with Thebes supports the hypothesis of a dual vizierate in the late Middle Kingdom; a theory long proposed but deemed unconfirmed.
Pauline Hopkins’ Literary Egyptology
Authors: Davies Vanessa
Published: December 2021

Author Pauline Hopkins produced work in a variety of genres: short stories, novels, a musical, a primer of facts. Like other African Americans of the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, she engaged with the history of the Nile Valley before the discipline of Egyptology was firmly established in the sphere of higher education in the US. Her serialized novel Of One Blood, published in 1902 and 1903, draws on a variety of sources, such as the English historian George Rawlinson, to tell a fictionalized story set in the contemporary present of the Upper Nile and to address issues related to the ancient past of that region. Her main character, Reuel, embodies links across time—ancient and contemporary—and space—the United States and the Nile River Valley. Through him, she shows the power and relevance of ancient history to contemporary life.
Filipino Science Teachers’ Evaluation on Webinars’ Alignments to Universal Design for Learning and Their Relation to Self-Efficacy amidst the Challenges of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Leonardo Mary Dane F. , Cha Jeongho
Published: December 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has led teachers in the Philippines to rely on technology to provide and support continued education for K-12 students. However, it is not only technology, but also the interactive online learning environments crafted by teachers that impact student science learning. To support teachers to cope with pandemic teaching, the government provided professional development in the form of teacher-training webinars. This study evaluated the webinars using Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles to understand the impact these professional development sessions had on science teachers’ self-efficacy for delivering science instruction during the pandemic. The study found that webinars including UDL design elements improved science teachers’ self-efficacy for teaching science and there were no significant differences in teacher perceptions relative to gender or teaching experience. Implications for the use of UDL to design long-term professional development offerings beyond the pandemic are discussed.
景寧畲話古全濁聲母的今讀
Authors: 項 夢冰
Published: December 2021

大部分畲族所使用的語言是一種接近客家話的漢語方言，習慣上叫做畲話。浙江景寧畲族自治縣的畲族所說的畲話，古全濁聲母今讀清塞音、清塞擦音時存在較多不送氣的情形，主要是由通語、閩語、吳語的不同影響造成的層次累積，在確定畲話的性質時應當排除這一部分字音。
Does Increasing Immigration Affect Ethnic Minority Groups?
Authors: Li Danying , Ramos Miguel R. , Bennett Matthew R. , Massey Douglas S. , Hewstone Miles
Published: December 2021

Immigration is increasing around the world. Academic work suggests that increasing immigration reduces social cohesion and subjective well-being, but these studies mainly focused on white majority populations. Using the 2002 to 2014 European Social Survey, we analyze data from 5,149 ethnic minority respondents living in twenty-four European countries. We examine the association between immigration and respondents’ well-being, mediated by two critical cognitive mechanisms: perceived discrimination and generalized trust. We find that in the short term, immigration is associated with greater perceived discrimination, which in turn is associated with lower trust and well-being. Over the longer term, though, immigration is associated with lower perceived discrimination from ethnic minorities, yielding greater generalized trust and perceived well-being.
Migration Decision-Making and Its Key Dimensions
Authors: Czaika Mathias , Bijak Jakub , Prike Toby
Published: December 2021

Migration decisions are made in the context of personal needs and desires, and the individuals making these decisions face uncertain outcomes. Information about future opportunities is incomplete, and whether migration turns out to be a personal success or failure depends mostly on circumstances that are ex ante unknown and ex post not fully under the control of the individuals who migrate. This article elaborates on four dimensions of the complex process of migration decision-making: the formation of migration aspirations, the cognitive rules for searching and evaluating information about migratory options, the timing and planning horizons for preparing and realizing migratory decisions, and the locus of control and degree of agency in making migration decisions. We review the current state of evidence and identify opportunities for future empirical research that can help us to better understand these key dimensions of migration decision-making.
“What Is Truth?” Negotiating Christian Convert Asylum Seekers’ Credibility
Authors: Rose Lena , Given-Wilson Zoe
Published: December 2021

The arrival of more than five million refugees in Europe since 2015 has led to increasing investigations into Europe’s management of multiculturalism and religious pluralism. Studies to date have chiefly focused on the integration of the cultural and religious “other,” but we take a different approach by analyzing asylum proceedings in Germany, based on conversions from Islam to Christianity. Negotiations of credibility of newly converted Christian asylum seekers help to show how European legal authorities conceive of their own historically Christian identity and their expectations of newcomers. We show how these negotiations are influenced by the power dynamics in the courts, understandings of cultural and religious contexts, and assumptions about conversion and Christianity. Our interdisciplinary approach provides insights into how European legal authorities navigate the challenge of cultural and religious others to Europe’s cultural cohesion, “values,” and secularism.
Articulating the Pueblo Cubano: Women’s Politicization and Productivity in Revolutionary Cuba, 1959 to 1969
Authors: Triplett Jen
Published: December 2021

How do political actors forge social solidarity across preexisting axes of social difference? This article investigates how political elites undertaking projects of political articulation—understood as linking together diverse constituencies to create integrated political blocs—contend with preexisting cultural constraints embedded in the social fabric. I do so by tracing how the post-1959 Cuban regime attempted to build a population-wide revolutionary identity despite persisting cultural understandings of women primarily as apolitical housewives. Through systematic analysis of a large corpus of state discourse in the form of speeches and women’s magazines, I show how regime leaders negotiated, with varying degrees of success over time, the cultural constraints that gender posed to their unifying project. Ultimately, the regime’s initiatives to politicize women through including them in mass campaigns and radicalizing their traditional household tasks were relatively successful, but cultural backlash against women’s increasing presence in the labor force prompted the institutionalization of a gendered division of labor in the economy that traditionalized their initially radical entry into the workplace. Analyzing how political elites confront and manage social differences within political blocs promises to contribute to a better understanding of the political production of social solidarity and its downstream effects on categorical inequalities.
Access to Environmental Cognitive Alternatives Predicts Pro-Environmental Activist Behavior
Authors: Wright Joshua D. , Schmitt Michael T. , Mackay Caroline M. L.
Published: December 2021

We expand on the plausible role of access to cognitive alternatives to the environmental status quo (i.e., the ability of people to imagine what a sustainable relationship with nature would look like) in motivating pro-environmental collective action. Using a representative sample of Canadians on age, gender, and ethnicity ( N = 1,029) we evaluate the associations between access to environmental cognitive alternatives, politicized environmental identity, and willingness to engage in pro-environmental activist behavior. Additionally, we move beyond self-reported behavior by giving participants the opportunity to write and sign a pro-environmental letter to the Canadian Minister of the Environment and Climate Change. Our results suggest that access to cognitive alternatives is associated with stronger politicized environmental identity, greater willingness to engage in pro-environmental activist behavior, and increased likelihood of writing and signing a pro-environmental letter. All methods and analyses follow our preregistration and all materials and data are openly available.
Bring Your Own Politics: Life Strategies and Mobilization in Response to Urban Redevelopment
Authors: Zhelnina Anna
Published: December 2021

This article contributes to social movement literature and theories of strategic action by making the case for an analytic distinction between habitual and intentional life strategies, namely the ways in which people pursue what they value in life. Housing strategies are one example of life strategies. The distinction helps explain how political players, including social movements, bring about social change (or preserve the status quo) by changing or reinforcing people’s minds and their preferred ways of action. They can achieve their goals by first recognizing these habitual strategies, and then prompting people to articulate or adjust them during interactive, group-level situations. My analysis relies on a qualitative study of Renovation, a controversial urban renewal project in Moscow. I examine how Muscovites revisited, articulated and sometimes revised their housing strategies in response to the surprising, and for some, shocking announcement of the relocation project.
Assessing the Impact of Out-of-Pocket Expenditures for Prevention of COVID-19 Infection on Households: Evidence From Malaysia
Authors: Jaafar Hafiz , Abd Laziz Nur Amalina , Ithnin Muslimah , Azzeri Amirah
Published: December 2021

COVID-19 infection resulted in significant economic implications to patients as well as a considerable financial burden to the general population for preventive measures. A descriptive study was conducted among staff at one of the public universities in Malaysia to estimate the monthly out-of-pocket expenditures for preventive measures used for COVID-19 infection. The study tool includes questions on household out-of-pocket expenditure and the measurements of the impact of the expenditure on household income. It was found that the average cumulative monthly expenditures related to the preventive measures were US$ 45.90 (Ringgit Malaysia 187.77), which was 4.3% of the household income. The highest expenditures were for traditional and complementary medicine followed by nutraceutical/supplements and disposable facemask. 8% of the households in this study incurred more than ten per cents of their monthly household income for expenditures related to COVID-19 preventive measures. Several households are experiencing substantial financial implications for preventive measures related to COVID-19 infection. This study highlights the out-of-pocket expenditures incurred for preventive measures were substantial for certain households. Effective initiatives from the government on providing subsidized protective personal equipment and a cost-sharing approach could help to alleviate the household financial burden.
Coronavirus disease 2019-induced hypercoagulability and its clinical implications
Authors: Poveda-Jaramillo Ricardo
Published: December 2021

Coronavirus disease 2019 is the disease produced by severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2, which is introduced into the host’s cell thanks to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor. Once there, it uses the cell’s machinery to multiply itself. In this process, it generates an immune response that stimulates the lymphocytes to produce cytokines and reactive oxygen species that begin to deteriorate the endothelial cell. Complement activation, through the complement attack complex and C5a, contributes to this endothelial damage. The different mediators further promote the expression of adhesion molecules on the endothelial surface, which encourages all blood cells to adhere to the endothelial surface to form small conglomerates, called clots, which obstruct the lumen of the small blood vessels. Furthermore, the mediators of clot lysis are inhibited. All this promotes a prothrombotic environment within the pulmonary capillaries that is reflected in the elevation of D-dimer. The only solution for this cascade of events seems to be the implementation of an effective anticoagulation protocol that early counteracts the changes induced by thrombi in the pulmonary circulation and reflected in the functioning of the right ventricle.
Information seeking behaviors, attitudes, and beliefs about pregnancy-related nutrition and supplementation: A qualitative study among US women
Authors: Daigle Millan Kelly , Poccia Samantha , Fung Teresa T.
Published: December 2021

Background: Maternal behavior during pregnancy is crucial to her own and her infant's health, and as such, it is important to understand the nutrition and supplement habits of women during pregnancy and what informs those behaviors. Aim: We aimed to assess the information seeking habits, attitudes, and beliefs about pregnancy-related nutrition and supplementation among pregnant women in the United States. Methods: Qualitative study using key informant interviews with pregnant and recently pregnant ( n = 21) US women. Themes related to concerns, attitudes, behaviors, and information seeking habits were extracted. Results: The mean age was 31.9 years and all had at least a university degree. Two major themes that emerged: (1) nutrition information-related attitudes and beliefs and (2) food and supplement-related attitudes and beliefs. Pregnant women in the US were underwhelmed with their health care provider experience when receiving information about pregnancy-related nutrition and supplementation. Nutrition was most often addressed in a reactive manner while women desired a more proactive approach. As a result, they conducted their own research using the internet as their primary tool, and ultimately made nutrition and supplement decisions based largely on their own instincts. Conclusion: Women interviewed for this study encountered barriers to pregnancy related nutrition information from a lack of clear communication from their health care provider and ambiguity and inconsistencies in information within and between sources. Women relied on themselves for information seeking and nutrition related decision making throughout their pregnancy.
Overcoming women’s isolation at work: The effect of organizational structure and practices on female managers’ workplace relationships
Authors: Shin Hwajin , Kim Soohan
Published: December 2021

Successful career outcomes depend on maintaining positive relationships with and evaluations from supervisors and peers. Recognizing that structure frames behaviors and perceptions, this study explores the impact of organizational structure and practices on the relationships of 598 women in 298 Korean companies using longitudinal data from 2010 to 2016. The results from fixed-effects models show that corporate structure and practices shape female managers’ relationships with supervisors and peers. Gender equality practices improve relationships with both men and women. By contrast, diversity programs have negative effects on female managers’ relationships with female supervisors and peers, and work–life programs show mixed results. However, in firms with female executives and firms that encourage men to use parental leave, diversity programs and work–life practices stimulate positive relationships with both male and female supervisors and peers. This study suggests that organizational contexts, rather than intrinsic gender preferences, shape women’s relationships in the workplace.
A Comparison of the Two-Minute Walk Test (2MWT) and Comprehensive High-level Activity Mobility Predictor (CHAMP) in People with a Leg Prosthesis
Authors: Gailey Robert S. , Gaunaurd Ignacio , Morgan Sara J. , Kristal Anat , Balkman Geoffrey S. , Newton Eavey M , Palomo Jose J , Shay Kevin M , Salem Rana , Hafner Brian J.
Published: December 2021

Objective

To determine if the two-minute walk test (2MWT) could serve as an alternative measure of high-level mobility in lower limb prosthesis users when circumstances preclude administration of the Comprehensive High-level Activity Mobility Predictor (CHAMP).

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting

Indoor recreational athletic field and gymnasium

Subjects

Fifty-eight adult lower limb prosthesis users with unilateral or bilateral lower limb amputation who participate in recreational athletic activities.

Intervention

N/A

Main Measures

The 2MWT and CHAMP while using their preferred prosthesis(es) on an indoor artificial athletic field or hardwood gymnasium floor.

Results

Thirty-nine men and nineteen women with a median age of 38.3 years participated in the study. Most participants experienced amputation(s) due to trauma (62%) or tumor (10%) and were generally higher functioning (K4 (91.4%) and K3 (8.6%)). The median (range) score for the CHAMP was 23.0 points (1.5–33.5) and the mean ± standard deviation (range) 2MWT distance walked was 188.6 ± 33.9 m (100.2–254.3 m). The CHAMP demonstrated a strong positive relationship with 2MWT (r = 0.83, p < 0.001). The 2MWT distance predicted 70% of the variance in CHAMP score.

Conclusions

Although the 2MWT does not test multi-directional agility like the CHAMP, they were found to be highly correlated. If space is limited, the two-minute walk test can serve as an alternative measure for assessing high-level mobility capabilities in lower limb prosthesis users.
AA-amyloidosis in captive northern tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri)
Authors: Klein Annette , Radespiel Ute , Felmy Felix , Brezina Tina , Ciurkiewicz Malgorzata , Schmitz Jessica , Bräsen Jan Hinrich , Linke Reinhold Paul , Reinartz Sina , Distl Ottmar , Beineke Andreas
Published: December 2021

A high prevalence of AA-amyloidosis was identified in a breeding colony of northern tree shrews ( Tupaia belangeri) in a retrospective analysis, with amyloid deposits in different organs being found in 26/36 individuals (72%). Amyloid deposits, confirmed by Congo red staining, were detected in kidneys, intestines, skin, and lymph nodes, characteristic of systemic amyloidosis. Immunohistochemically, the deposited amyloid was intensely positive with anti-AA-antibody (clone mc4), suggesting AA-amyloidosis. The kidneys were predominantly affected (80%), where amyloid deposits ranged from mild to severe and was predominantly located in the renal medulla. In addition, many kidneys contained numerous cysts with atrophy of the renal parenchyma. There was no significant association between concurrent neoplastic or inflammatory processes and amyloidosis. The lack of distinctive predisposing factors suggests a general susceptibility of captive T. belangeri to develop amyloidosis. Clinical and laboratory findings of a female individual with pronounced kidney alterations were indicative of renal failure. The observed tissue tropism with pronounced kidney alterations, corresponding renal dysfunction, and an overall high prevalence suggests amyloidosis as an important disease in captive tree shrews.
Assessment of physical, chemical, and tribochemical properties of biomedical alloys used in explanted modular hip prostheses: A review
Authors: Gómez Taborda Yesenia , Gómez Botero Maryory , Castaño-González Juan Guillermo , Bermúdez-Castañeda Angela
Published: December 2021

During their service life, modular interfaces experience tribological, and corrosion phenomena that lead to deterioration, which in turn can cause a revision procedure to remove the failed prosthesis. To achieve a clearer understanding of the surface performance of those biomedical alloys and the role of the surface properties in the mechanical and chemical performance, samples were taken from retrieval implants made of Ti6Al4V and Co28Cr6Mo alloys. Polarization resistance and pin-on-disk tests were performed on these samples. Physical properties such as contact angle, roughness, microhardness, and Young’s modulus were determined. A correlation between surface energy and evolution of the tribological contact was observed for both biomedical alloys. In tribocorrosion tests, titanium particles seem to remain in the surface, unlike what is observed in CoCr alloys. These metallic or oxidized particles could cause necrosis or adverse tissue reactions.
Solutions to problems of nonexistence of parameter estimates and sparse data bias in Poisson regression
Authors: Joshi Ashwini , Geroldinger Angelika , Jiricka Lena , Senchaudhuri Pralay , Corcoran Christopher , Heinze Georg
Published: December 2021

Poisson regression can be challenging with sparse data, in particular with certain data constellations where maximum likelihood estimates of regression coefficients do not exist. This paper provides a comprehensive evaluation of methods that give finite regression coefficients when maximum likelihood estimates do not exist, including Firth’s general approach to bias reduction, exact conditional Poisson regression, and a Bayesian estimator using weakly informative priors that can be obtained via data augmentation. Furthermore, we include in our evaluation a new proposal for a modification of Firth’s approach, improving its performance for predictions without compromising its attractive bias-correcting properties for regression coefficients. We illustrate the issue of the nonexistence of maximum likelihood estimates with a dataset arising from the recent outbreak of COVID-19 and an example from implant dentistry. All methods are evaluated in a comprehensive simulation study under a variety of realistic scenarios, evaluating their performance for prediction and estimation. To conclude, while exact conditional Poisson regression may be confined to small data sets only, both the modification of Firth’s approach and the Bayesian estimator are universally applicable solutions with attractive properties for prediction and estimation. While the Bayesian method needs specification of prior variances for the regression coefficients, the modified Firth approach does not require any user input.
The effect of age and sex on glycated hemoglobin in dogs
Authors: Oikonomidis Ioannis L. , Tsouloufi Theodora K. , Kritsepi-Konstantinou Maria , Soubasis Nectarios
Published: December 2021

We investigated the effect of age and sex on canine glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) using a validated capillary electrophoresis assay. Aliquots of EDTA blood samples collected for routine health checks were used. HbA1c was measured using the Capillarys 2 flex-piercing system (Sebia). We included 58 clinically and hematologically healthy, normoglycemic dogs (29 males, 29 females), allocated to 3 age groups: young (14 dogs <1-y-old), adult (31 dogs 1–7.9-y-old), and senior (13 dogs ≥8-y-old). The mean (± SD) HbA1c was not significantly different ( p = 0.428) between the age groups (young: 1.68 ± 0.54%; adult: 1.59 ± 0.41%; senior: 1.80 ± 0.57%). The HbA1c was not significantly correlated with age (rho = 0.144, p = 0.280). The median (range) HbA1c was not significantly different ( p = 0.391) between male [1.7% (0.5–2.5%)] and female [1.5% (1.0–2.7%)] dogs. Age and sex do not appear to affect canine HbA1c; however, a study of geriatric dogs would be needed to fully exclude an effect of age on HbA1c.
Using Black Feminist Theory and Methods to Uncover Best Practices in Health Promotion Programming
Authors: Wade Jeannette , Alexander Ramine , Giscombé Cheryl Woods , Keegan Daniel , Parker Sharon , Jackson Katia , Gibbs Jasmine , McElroy Asha , Ferguson Ja Vae
Published: December 2021

This study was created to uncover the social determinants of Black American women’s success in health promotion programs. We used the Superwoman Schema to understand the complexities of Black womanhood and uncover best practices in the promotion of their health. The sample consisted of women ages 18–25 who attend a large southern HBCU. We collected data using qualitative focus groups. Participants reported the greatest health-related concerns Black American women facing are mental health, obesity, and relationships with Black men. When it comes to health promotion programs, respondents reported a desire for classes that are fun, interactive, informative, educational, and include group interaction, accessible, and incentivize participation. Uncovering the social determinants of Black American women’s health and program success is central in decreasing extant health disparities. Future health scholars are urged to incorporate Black feminist theory and methods into their work to create health promotion interventions tailored for Black women.
Natalizumab concentrations during pregnancy in three patients with multiple sclerosis
Authors: Toorop Alyssa A , Rispens Theo , Strijbis Eva MM , van Oosten Bob W , de Jong Brigit A , Uitdehaag Bernard MJ , Killestein Joep , van Kempen Zoé LE
Published: December 2021

In women with very active multiple sclerosis (MS), natalizumab can be continued during pregnancy to prevent rebound disease activity. Our aim was to evaluate changes in serum natalizumab trough concentrations during pregnancy. Blood samples of 3 patients were collected before, during, and after pregnancy. Natalizumab trough concentrations gradually decreased during pregnancy. The patient with the lowest trough concentrations during the third trimester was treated with extended interval dosing (EID). After delivery, natalizumab concentrations increased to similar levels as before pregnancy. All patients remained clinically and radiologically stable. MS neurologists should be aware of decreasing natalizumab concentrations during pregnancy, especially in patients with low initial trough concentrations and patients with EID.
The spillover effects of the COVID-19 pandemic: Which subsectors of tourism have been affected more?
Authors: Abdelsalam Omneya , Aysan Ahmet Faruk , Cepni Oguzhan , Disli Mustafa
Published: December 2021

This paper investigates the effects of COVID-19 pandemic-related uncertainty focusing on the US tourism subsectors, including airlines, hotels, restaurants, and travel companies. Using daily stock price data, we compute connectedness indices that quantify the financial distress in the tourism and hospitality industry and link these indices with a measure of COVID-19-induced uncertainty. Our empirical results show that some subsectors of tourism are affected more than others. The connectedness of tourism companies has severely increased after March 2020. Restaurants are the most heavily influenced subsectors of tourism, while airline companies come the next. Besides, our quantile regression suggests that higher quantile COVID-19 uncertainty index has more effect on the connectedness of tourism companies. Our results guide the policymakers and investors to detect the stress accumulated in each subsectors of tourism and to take more informed and timely decisions.
Tourist attractions in efficiency analysis
Authors: Dong Hai , Liang Qi-Bin , Peypoch Nicolas
Published: December 2021

This paper discusses the use of tourist attractions in tourism efficiency analysis. Tourist attractions can be employed either as an input of the production technology or as an environmental factor in a two-stage Data Envelopment Analysis model. An empirical illustration to the case of Chinese provinces underlines that using tourist attractions in different ways can yield different rankings of the units in terms of efficiency. Recommendations for future research are then proposed.
Physical education students’ usage and perceptions of a supplemental online health-related fitness knowledge curriculum (iPE)
Authors: Killian Chad M , Woods Amelia Mays
Published: December 2021

The purpose of this study was to explore high school physical education students’ usage and perceptions of a supplemental online health-related fitness knowledge curriculum through the lens of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology. Individual interviews were conducted with 37 students who were enrolled in a ninth-grade physical education class. The course used an externally provided online curriculum designed to deliver and assess health-related fitness knowledge. Initial themes were generated using open and axial coding compiled into a codebook. The codebook was pilot-tested and finalized following peer debriefing sessions. Four main themes were developed: Home(room), Alone; Easy to Use, Easier to Ignore; Disconnected and Conflicted; and Low Value, Low Priority. Students completed their online work alone, but location and devices varied. Most thought the online platform was easy to navigate, and many completed multiple modules at once. Students sensed that the online content was disconnected from face-to-face physical education and questioned why they were required to engage in sedentary online learning for a physically active course. They also expressed difficulty understanding the value of the online content and assigned a low priority to completing it as a result. Implementing a supplemental online physical education curriculum presents challenges given the relative novelty of the modality within the subject. This study highlights the important role system design plays in the online learning process. It also illustrates the responsibility teachers have in helping students see the value of online learning opportunities by making connections to their own lives.
Investigation of the joinability of the high-strength aluminum alloy AA7075 in shear-clinching processes
Authors: Wiesenmayer S , Merklein M
Published: December 2021

Shear-clinching has proven to be a suitable technology for joining of high-strength materials. However, the mechanical properties of the upper joining partner are limited due to the high strains, which occur during the process. Therefore, shear-clinching of the high-strength aluminum alloy AA7075 in the T6 temper is not possible. Yet, the mechanical properties of hardenable alloys of the 7000 series can be influenced by a heat treatment. Thus, within the scope of this work, the joinability of the high-strength alloy AA7075 in shear-clinching processes in dependance of its temper is investigated. The as fabricated state F, the artificially aged T6 temper, a paint baked state and the naturally aged T4 temper are compared to the fully solution annealed W temper as well as to a retrogression heat-treated state. For retrogression heat treatment, a laser is used as heat source, heating up the alloy for a short term in order to only partially dissolve precipitations. The resulting mechanical properties are determined with uniaxial tensile tests. Moreover, the influence of the mechanical properties of AA7075 on the shear-clinching process, the joint formation and the resulting joint strength is analyzed.
Data-driven news work culture: Reconciling tensions in epistemic values and practices of news journalism
Authors: Ekström Mats , Ramsälv Amanda , Westlund Oscar
Published: December 2021

This study investigates the epistemological implications of the appropriation of audience analytics in a data-driven news culture. Focussing on two central aspects of epistemology, epistemic value and epistemic practices, we ask two overall questions (1) How are audience metrics balanced and reconciled in relation to other standards in the justification of news as valuable knowledge? How are different practices of research and presentation, truth-seeking and truth-telling, prioritized in a news organization marked as a data-driven news work culture? The study presents a case study of a Scandinavian legacy news publisher that has pursued the embracing of a data-driven news work culture. It is based on a qualitative multi-method approach. The findings show how metrics are used as a superior standard in deciding on the epistemic value of news. This is expressed in strategies, guidelines and discussions in the newsroom, and put into practice in coaching, evaluations and rewarding of the performance of individual journalists. In the everyday news production, metrics are reconciled in relation to independent standards in journalism, related to the claims of news journalism to provide relevant and verified public knowledge about current events. Moreover, the study shows how the embracement of metrics radicalizes the focus on presentation, packaging and timing in the optimization of news material and in the valuing of professional practices. Efforts in research and truth seeking are more seldom explicitly valued. The work of fulfilling reasonable truth claims is mainly taken for granted.
‘Look, my name! I can write’ – Literacy events and digital technology in the preschool atelier
Authors: Magnusson Lena O
Published: December 2021

This article explores and displays some of the literacy events taking place in the context of early childhood education in Sweden. More specifically, the literacy events are part of the educational practices in the atelier of Reggio Emilia inspired preschools in Sweden. As parts of an ethnographic study of aesthetic activities, including digital technology, these literacy events awoke the researcher’s interest. The literacy events are analysed from a sociocultural perspective reinforced by the use of multimodal theory. The results show how the literacy events in the ateliers become playful explorations. The children use the atelier’s specific cultural and social potentiality to explore and develop written and oral language as part of the visual and aesthetic literacy practices taking place there.
Preparation and properties of reduced graphene oxide-carbon nanotubes aerogel/cotton flexible composite fabric with electromagnetic shielding function
Authors: Wang Peng , Liu Shuqiang , Zhang Man , Pan Zheng-Ze , Wu Gaihong , Li Fu , Zhang Aiqin , Huimin Li
Published: December 2021

The electromagnetic pollution has become a serious problem with the rapid development of electromagnetic industry. The present work prepared an electromagnetic interference (EMI) functional composite fabric. Reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-carbon nanotubes (CNTs) aerogel with three-dimensional (3-D) architecture were coated to the cotton fabric with the assistance of waterborne polyurethane (WPU). The structure of graphene aerogel was affected by the amount of CNTs. Small amount of CNTs is helpful to minish the pore size of aerogel and thus improve the EMI value. However, it has been shown that excess CNTs will destroy the 3-D architecture of graphene aerogel. Result shows that the EMI shielding effectiveness exceeded 35 dB when the weight ratio of rGO and CNTs was 7:3, and EMI value of the corresponding composite fabric samples reached 34 dB. Consequently, excellent EMI results were obtained by the unique 3-D rGO-CNTs aerogel in the case of a small nano-carbon material amount. The present work will be expected to make contributions to the practical application of rGO-CNTs aerogel.
Tolerance and Pharmacokinetics of Recombinant Human Endostatin Administered as Single-Dose or Multiple-Dose Infusions in Patients With Advanced Solid Tumors: A Phase I Clinical Trial
Authors: Wang Xu , Shi Yehui , Jia Yongsheng , Zhao Weipeng , Zhang Li , Bai Guiying , Ren Yulin , Chen Yong-Zi , Tong Zhongsheng
Published: December 2021

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the tolerance and pharmacokinetic characteristics of recombinant human endostatin (rh-endostatin) administered as single-dose or multiple-dose infusions in patients with advanced solid tumors. Methods: This phase I trial was designed as a single-center, single-arm, nonrandomized, open-label, dose-escalation study. The trial consisted of 2 parts: a single-dose part and a multiple-dose part, each with 3 dose comparison groups. Rh-endostatin was administered as an intravenous injection only once at a dose of 5 mg/m2, 7.5 mg/m2, or 10 mg/m2 in the single-dose part and as a daily intravenous injection for 14 days at the same doses in the multiple-dose part. The serum pharmacokinetics, toxicity and immunogenicity of rh-endostatin were evaluated. Results: Dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) was not observed in any group. A few patients developed cardiotoxicity, such as QT prolongation or narrow arrhythmia. Other adverse events were slight coagulation abnormalities and haematological abnormalities. For rh-endostatin doses of 5 mg/m2, 7.5 mg/m2, and 10 mg/m2, the mean Cmax values in the single-dose part were 344 ± 38.7 ng/mL, 524 ± 157 ng/mL, and 800 ± 201 ng/mL, respectively, and the average AUC0−t values were 3290 ± 3790 ng•h/mL, 4940 ± 4380 ng•h/mL, and 5050 ± 3980 ng•h/mL, respectively. The Cmax ss values of the 3 doses in the multiple-dose part were 575 ± 270 ng/mL, 531 ± 106 ng/mL, and 864 ± 166 ng/mL, respectively, and the AUC0−τ values were 3610 ± 1040 ng•h/mL, 3290 ± 1090 ng•h/mL, and 5180 ± 1210 ng•h/mL, respectively. The Cmax of a single-dose regimen showed linear kinetic characteristics. The patients in the single-dose group were negative for serum antibodies against rh-endostatin, while one patient in the multiple-dose group was positive. Conclusions: Rh-endostatin as a daily intravenous injection for 14 days in patients with advanced solid tumors is safe and well tolerated, without DLT, at doses of 5 mg/m2, 7.5 mg/m2, and 10 mg/m2. Serum antibodies against rh-endostatin were very low after multiple infusions. For phase II trials, the recommended rh-endostatin dose is 10 mg/m2 as a daily intravenous injection for 14 days.
Effectiveness of Acupuncture in Relieving Chemotherapy-induced Leukopenia in Patients With Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review With A Meta-Analysis and Trial Sequential Analysis
Authors: Shih Ya Wen , Su Jui Yuan , Kung Yu Shan , Lin Yu Huei , To Anh Duong Thi , Ridwan Edi Sampurno , Tsai Hsiu Ting
Published: December 2021

Background:

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers and a major cause of death in women worldwide. Chemotherapy is mainly used to treat and control the progression of breast cancer. Leukopenia is the most common side effect of chemotherapy which may decrease immune function and further lead to serious fatal infections. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of acupuncture on regulating hematopoietic function in chemotherapy-induced leukopenia among patients with breast cancer.

Methods:

PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL Plus, Web of Science, and Chinese articles in the Airiti Library and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases were searched to August 2021 for papers to include in a systematic review and meta-analysis. A random-effects model was applied. The effect size was calculated by Hedges’ g. Heterogeneity was determined using Cochran’s Q test. Moderator analyses were performed to examine potential sources of heterogeneity. A trial sequential analysis (TSA) was conducted to determine whether the current sample size was sufficient.

Results:

Ten randomized controlled trials involving 650 participants were eligible for inclusion. Analysis by the random-effects model showed a significant effect by acupuncture of ameliorating leukopenia during chemotherapy. Levels of white blood cells (WBCs) were increased (Hedges’ g = 0.70, P < .001, I2 = 34%), neutrophil counts (Hedges’ g = 0.80, P < .001, I2 = 0%) were significantly enhanced. Moreover, regardless of the manner through which acupuncture was applied, overall values of WBCs increased.

Conclusions:

The current meta-analysis supports acupuncture possibly ameliorating chemotherapy-induced leukopenia, as WBC and neutrophil values significantly increased after acupuncture in patients undergoing chemotherapy. Additionally, regardless of the type of acupuncture, values of WBCs increased. These findings are actionable and support both the clinical use of acupuncture to relieve chemotherapy-induced leukopenia and further research regarding the use of acupuncture in patients experiencing immunosuppression when undergoing chemotherapy. Trial Registration: PROSPERO-CRD42020215759.
Editorial: State of the Art CT and Image Quality, Radiation and Contrast Dose
Authors: Cavaliere Carlo
Published: December 2021

A special issue of the journal Dose-Response entitled “State of the Art CT and Image Quality, Radiation and Contrast Dose” is proposed. Technological improvements on CT scanners have the potentiality to reduce the issues related to ionizing radiation administration, opening new insights toward innovative applications also thanks to the contamination of other research fields like artificial intelligence algorithms and additive manufacturing technologies. In order to approach these new research directions, a multidisciplinary team becomes needed, overcoming the clinical and radiological point of view and enriching the workflow with different contributes. The real weight of these afferents on patient’s management remains to be assessed and characterized. The main topics will be related to innovative CT applications able to improve patient management and treatment assessment and reduce patients risks due to radiation exposure and iodinated contrast injection.