bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association between nutritional status and biochemical markers among hematopoietic stem cell transplant candidates: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Zahedi Hoda , Parkhideh Sayeh , Sadeghi Omid , Mehdizadeh Mahshid , Roshandel Elham , Cheraghpour Makan , Hajifathali Abbas , Shadnoush Mahdi
Published: December 2023

Aim

Candidates of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) may be at nutritional risk due to decreased oral intake, high nutritional requirements and nutrient malabsorption. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between nutritional status and blood biomarkers in candidates of HSCT.

Methods

A total of 278 patients aged 18–65 years old were recruited and their baseline demographic and clinical characteristics were recorded. All subjects underwent nutritional status analysis using Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS-2002). Blood biomarkers including C-reactive protein (CRP), Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR), hemoglobin, albumin and total protein as well as CRP-albumin ratio (CAR) and Body Mass Index (BMI) were measured and compared between two groups based on Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS-2002) within 24 h of admission in Bone Marrow Transplant ward.

Results

The results showed that undernourished patients (NRS ≥ 3) had significantly higher inflammatory markers including ESR, CRP and CAR as well as lower BMI and serum albumin and hemoglobin concentrations (P < 0.05); however, no significant association was observed in terms of total protein even after adjusting for confounders (P > 0.05).

Conclusions

This study revealed that BMI combined with biochemical markers are the appropriate parameters for assessment of nutritional status in HSCT candidates. Furthermore, the nutritional status was verified to be significantly associated with systematic inflammation.
Experiences of social support by participants with morbid obesity who participate in a rehabilitation program for health-behavior change: a qualitative study
Authors: Jøranli Karoline Thomlevold , Vefring Linn Tennefoss , Dalen Maria , Garnweidner-Holme Lisa , Molin Marianne
Published: December 2023

Background

Obesity is a global public health concern with significant implications for individuals’ physical health and overall well-being. Health-behavior change programs are crucial for addressing obesity and its associated health risks. Social support plays a central role in facilitating successful outcomes in these programs, yet limited qualitative research exists on the experiences of individuals with morbid obesity participating in such interventions. Thus, this study explores how participants with morbid obesity experienced social support in a group-based rehabilitation program for health-behavior change.

Methods

Fourteen participants in a group-based rehabilitation health-behavior change program in Norway were interviewed using semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed with thematic analysis.

Results

The thematic analysis revealed three primary sources of social support: support from other participants in the group, social support from family and friends, and support from the interdisciplinary team. The participants emphasized the significance of ongoing social support throughout their health-behavior change program. Participants appreciated fostering a sense of community and regular interaction with other members of the program to ensure ongoing social support.

Conclusions

Participants outlined the importance of maintaining a sense of community in the group and appreciated platforms for facilitating ongoing interactions and support among group participants. Future studies should focus on long-term interventions, tailored approaches for individuals with diverse needs involving family and friends, and the impact of enhanced peer support. By understanding the role of social support in health-behavior change programs, interventions can be optimized to better support individuals with morbid obesity.
External validation of the five domains of negative symptoms: Focus on cognition, functional capacity, and real-world functioning
Authors: Giordano Giulia M. , Sanmarchi Francesco , Mucci Armida , Rucci Paola , Brando Francesco , Caporusso Edoardo , Giuliani Luigi , Melillo Antonio , Pezzella Pasquale , Bucci Paola , Rocca Paola , Rossi Alessandro , Bertolino Alessandro , Rossi Rodolfo , Pergola Giulio , Galderisi Silvana , Maj Mario ,   Italian Network for Research on Psychoses
Published: December 2023

Background

The conceptualization of negative symptoms (NS) in schizophrenia is still controversial. Recent confirmatory factor-analytic studies suggested that the bi-dimensional model (motivational deficit [MAP] and expressive deficit [EXP]) may not capture the complexity of NS structure, which could be better defined by a five-factor (five NS domains) or a hierarchical model (five NS domains as first-order factors, and MAP and EXP, as second-order factors). A validation of these models is needed to define the structure of NS. To evaluate the validity and temporal stability of the five-factor or the hierarchical structure of the brief negative symptom scale (BNSS) in individuals with schizophrenia (SCZ), exploring associations between these models with cognition, social cognition, functional capacity, and functioning at baseline and at 4 years follow-up.

Methods

Clinical variables were assessed using state-of-the-art tools in 612 SCZ at two-time points. The validity of the five-factor and the hierarchical models was analyzed through structural equation models.

Results

The two models had both a good fit and showed a similar pattern of associations with external validators at the two-time points, with minor variations. The five-factor solution had a slightly better fit. The associations with external validators favored the five-factor structure.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that both five-factor and hierarchical models provide a valid conceptualization of NS in relation to external variables and that five-factor solution provides the best balance between parsimony and granularity to summarize the BNSS structure. This finding has important implications for the study of pathophysiological mechanisms and the development of new treatments.
Cobimetinib Plus Vemurafenib in Patients With Solid Tumors With BRAF Mutations: Results From the Targeted Agent and Profiling Utilization Registry Study
Authors: Meric-Bernstam Funda , Rothe Michael , Mangat Pam K. , Garrett-Mayer Elizabeth , Gutierrez Rodolfo , Ahn Eugene R. , Cannon Timothy L. , Powell Steven , Krauss John C. , Reynolds Christopher M. , von Mehren Margaret , Behl Deepti , Calfa Carmen J. , Duvivier Herbert L. , Kaplan Henry G. , Livingston Michael B. , Sharma Manish R. , Urba Walter J. , Grantham Gina N. , Hinshaw Dominique C. , Gregory Abigail , Halabi Susan , Schilsky Richard L.
Published: December 2023

PURPOSE

The Targeted Agent and Profiling Utilization Registry Study is a phase II basket study evaluating antitumor activity of commercially available targeted agents in patients with advanced cancers with genomic alterations known to be drug targets. The results in a cohort of patients with solid tumors with BRAF mutations treated with cobimetinib plus vemurafenib are reported.

METHODS

Eligible patients had measurable disease (RECIST v.1.1), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0-2, adequate organ function, and no standard treatment options. The primary end point was disease control (DC), defined as complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) or stable disease of at least 16-weeks duration (SD16+). Low-accruing histology-specific cohorts with BRAF mutations treated with cobimetinib plus vemurafenib were collapsed into a single histology-pooled cohort for this analysis. The results were evaluated on the basis of a one-sided exact binomial test with a null DC rate of 15% versus 35% (power, .82; α, .10). The secondary end points were objective response (OR), progression-free survival, overall survival, duration of response, duration of stable disease, and safety.

RESULTS

Thirty-one patients with solid tumors with BRAF mutations were enrolled. Twenty-eight patients were evaluable for efficacy. Patients had tumors with BRAF V600E (n = 26), K601E (n = 2), or other (n = 3) mutations. Two patients with CR (breast and ovarian cancers; V600E), 14 with PR (13 V600E, one N581I), and three with SD16+ (two V600E, one T599_V600insT) were observed with a DC rate of 68% ( P < .0001; one-sided 90% CI, 54 to 100) and an OR rate of 57% (95% CI, 37 to 76). Nineteen patients experienced ≥one drug-related grade 3-5 adverse event or serious adverse event including one death attributed to treatment-related kidney injury.

CONCLUSION

Cobimetinib plus vemurafenib showed antitumor activity in patients with advanced solid tumors with BRAF V600E mutations; additional study is warranted to confirm the antitumor activity in tumors with non-V600E BRAF mutations.
Redistribute Toxicity
Authors: Ektander Caroline , Stuck Jonas
Published: December 2023

Redistribute Toxicity was a commissioned art piece created by visual artist Jonas Staal in close collaboration with environmental historian Jonas Stuck and curator and researcher Caroline Ektander, and later enriched by the knowledge and practices of seed librarian, artist, and activist Zayaan Khan for the exhibition The Long Term You Cannot Afford: On the Distribution of the Toxic at SAVVY Contemporary in Berlin in 2019. Informed by historical research on the trade of hazardous waste between the two Germanys during the Cold War—with a particular focus on the landfill Vorketzin, which served as West Berlin’s primary hazardous waste disposal site during the division—the art commission asked us to consider what an act of redistribution of a toxic past could look like. Similar to other waste practices premised on systems of externalization, the one that transpired between a divided Germany resulted in an asymmetrical impact on human, animal, and plant lives populating the former East—effects that are till this day hard to account for. The research process generated a series of designs that exposed the various practical and ethical issues entangled with acts of retribution and helped shape a project that became less concerned with correcting the past and more committed to reconfiguring toxic relations in the present. The final installation design propagated seeds from the wetland vegetation surrounding the landfill. This wild vegetation had not only become implicated in Germany’s toxic history as silent witnesses but had also helped remediate the soils over time.
Mapping Groundwater Resource using Multispectral Sentinel 2 and Fuzzy Logic method, Case Study: Salafchegan, Qom, Iran
Authors: Shahsavari Hamideh , Arefi Hossein , Davoodabdi Farahani Meysam , Alizadeh Pirbasti Mehran , Shobairi Seyed Omid Reza
Published: December 2023

Groundwater is one of the essential freshwater sources for human consumption, with the highest reserves of fresh water on earth after glaciers and glaciers. Conservation and maintenance of groundwater quality in a large area require an overview of the status and potential of groundwater resources in that area, which can be applied to potential areas using remote sensing technology. In this study, after extracting the factors influencing the formation of groundwater aquifers from the Sentinel satellite image, appropriate information layers were prepared and integrated into the ArcGIS using different fuzzy operators and potential maps prepared with the location of groundwater wells. The area was validated. The results of combining slope layers, slope direction, lithology, drainage length density, lineament length density, lineament buffer, drainage buffer, and vegetation in the area showed that fuzzy multiplication and gamma operators could be used as suitable operators for Introducing information layers to identify groundwater potential in the area. Also, using the gamma numbers 0.1 gave better results than larger gamma numbers. The research results showed that 15.9% of the studied area has good and very good potential for the presence of underground water in the production map using the fuzzy gamma with gamma 0.1 method. Also, this map was validated by 70.1% of water wells in the region. The normalized ratio of accuracy to validity in the final production model with this method was estimated to be 54%, which is entirely acceptable compared to other methods.
Benefits for visitors provided by protected areas in Bulgaria and willingness to become a conservation volunteer
Authors: Koleva Vanya , Koynova Teodora , Dragoeva Asya , Kolev Nikolay , Kuleva Ivayla , Natchev Nikolay
Published: December 2023

Protected areas in Bulgaria (PAB) provide valuable ecosystem services. Maintaining of ecosystem health is of great importance for human wellbeing. The environmental volunteering is a valuable tool in solving local ecological problems. The main objective of the present research was to identify ecosystem services offered by PAB and attitude to participation in conservation volunteering using online survey and face-to-face interviews. Most respondents regularly use ecosystem services offered by PAB. Being well-informed about significance of maintaining ecosystem health, a lot of them declared willingness to become conservation volunteers. Online surveys could be used not only for data collection, but as also as a tool to involve people in environmental protection.
Air Quality Mapping and Urban Planning for Sustainable Urban Ecology: A Case Study of Chandigarh, India
Authors: Saharan Shubham , Deswal Surinder , Pal Mahesh
Published: December 2023

In the fast urbanizing world, it has become vital to study urban ecology so as to understand where and how anthropogenic activities impair the urban environment, including air quality; and how living conditions can be improved by urban planning without mortifying urban ecology. This may require innovative technological ideas to efficiently and judiciously utilize the limited urban space. Air quality mapping using Geographic Information System (GIS) provides one such effective tool to urban planners to identify and target specific areas for air quality management in urban setting. In the present study, the air quality mapping of a well-planned city of Chandigarh (India) with proper environmental management zoning has revealed that the air quality index (AQI) of the city falls under “Moderately Polluted (101-200)” category primarily due to annual average concentrations of  (range: 44.17-68.87; overall: 56.64) and  (range: 99.32-129.39; overall: 111.92) being higher than the permissible levels of  40   and 60  respectively as per Indian standards at all locations as well as for overall city. The study has identified vehicular traffic as the primary reason responsible for the moderately polluted air quality of the city that has the highest vehicle density (878 per 1,000 population) in India. The paper has also suggested measures that may be incorporated during designing and developing the physical and social infrastructures in the city so as to judiciously and efficiently utilize the limited urban space.
ASSESSMENT OF THE TRANSLATION COMPETENCE THROUGH A QUESTIONNAIRE OF DIDACTIC AUDIOVISUAL TRANSLATION IN TRANSLATOR TRAINING
Authors: Sabaté-Carrové Mariona , Tinedo-Rodríguez Antonio-Jesús
Published: December 2023

This experiment aimed to explore the potential of Didactic Audiovisual Translation (DAT) for teaching specialized terminology in the translation classroom. A total of 55 participants were included in the intervention, which consisted of a specialized DAT lesson plan and an ad-hoc questionnaire designed to assess the students’ perception regarding the development of their linguistic and knowledge about translation sub-competences in accordance with the theoretical framework proposed by PACTE (Process in the Acquisition of Translation Competence and Evaluation) research group . The main outcome of this study suggests that DAT can aid in the development of bilingual, knowledge about translation, and psycho-physiological sub-competences, and therefore, enhance the translation teaching experience. The results of this study indicate that the use of DAT can have a positive impact on enhancing and learning specialized terminology among translation students. Moreover, it was observed that DAT can lead to the development of a more holistic development of the competences identified by the PACTE research group. However, it is important to note that further research with larger samples and longitudinal designs is necessary to confirm these findings and fully realize the potential of DAT in the translation classroom. In conclusion, the present study provides empirical evidence that DAT can be an effective tool for teaching specialized terminology and developing linguistic and knowledge about translation sub-competences.
Ciclo colombino e industria editorial. La retórica visual al servicio del imaginario imperial (España, 1892)
Authors: Revenga Domínguez Paula
Published: December 2023

El artículo analiza el lugar que ocupó la representación del ciclo colombino en los impresos ilustrados que circularon en España en 1892, año de celebración del IV centenario del descubrimiento de América, como estrategia retórica encaminada a la construcción de un imaginario imperial. A partir del contexto de la industria editorial finisecular, se enfatiza en las iniciativas particulares que promovieron publicaciones ilustradas, tanto de grandes obras destinadas a la élite letrada, como de pequeños libros, folletos y cromos dirigidos al público juvenil y al grueso de la población, en una época en el que el analfabetismo era muy alto.
El canto republicano español en la tradición musical-militante de la izquierda chilena del siglo XX
Authors: Loyola Manuel
Published: December 2023

A base de fuentes públicas (electrónicas e impresas) secundarias, este trabajo aporta algunos antecedentes respecto de la influencia que el canto republicano español de los tiempos de la Guerra Civil y la posterior resistencia antifranquista, tuvo en la cultura política de la izquierda chilena del siglo XX. Se postula que esta vertiente cantoral desempeñó un rol notorio en al menos en tres ámbitos: primero, promoviendo y fortaleciendo la adhesión de sectores de la izquierda nacional a la causa republicana y democrática española; segundo, fortaleciendo la perspectiva emancipadora internacionalista de diversos grupos militantes y no militantes, y, tercero, actuar de antecedente del desarrollo del movimiento político-musical que acompañará al proyecto transformador de la Unidad Popular.
Sampling Bias in Entrepreneurial Experiments
Authors: Cao Ruiqing , Koning Rembrand , Nanda Ramana
Published: December 2023

Using data from a prominent online platform for launching new digital products, we document that “sampling bias”—defined as the difference between a startup’s target customer base and the actual sample on which early “beta tests” are conducted—has a systematic and persistent impact on the venture’s success. Specifically, we show that products with a female-focused target market launching on a typical day, when nine in 10 users on this platform are men, experience 45% less growth a year after launch than those for whom the target market is more male-focused. By isolating exogenous variation in the composition of beta testers unrelated to the characteristics of launched products on that day, we find that on days when there are unexpectedly more women beta testers on the platform—reducing the amount of sampling bias for female-focused products—the gender performance gap shrinks toward zero. Our results highlight how sampling bias can lead to fewer successfully commercialized innovations for consumers who are underrepresented among early users.

This paper was accepted by Alfonso Gambardella, business strategy.

Funding: This work was supported by the Harvard Business School, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation [Grant 201708-2801].

Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2021.01740 .
Hic Sunt Dracones: Algumas Considerações sobre a Psicanálise e a Obra de Frantz Fanon
Authors: Salaberry Ismael , D'Agord Marta
Published: December 2023

Esse artigo tem como objetivo propor algumas reflexões sobre a psicanálise e a obra de Frantz Fanon, tomando como inquietação inicial um conjunto de cartas publicadas por psicanalistas na França sobre o tema da decolonialidade. Em um primeiro momento, detalhamos de forma breve o teor da discussão francesa, o conteúdo das cartas e alguns dos seus variados efeitos, assim como parte do contexto francês em que o debate se inicia. Partindo em seguida para um desenvolvimento sobre algumas das elaborações fanonianas sobre o tema da identidade, do humanismo e do universalismo - conceitos densamente presentes no debate francês. Na sequência, enfocamos alguns dos modos como a psicanálise aparece na obra desse autor, a fim de destacar algumas das questões que consideramos fundamentais de serem observadas em seus escritos, e em conjunto das discussões sobre decolonialidade e psicanálise. Dessa maneira, busca-se, a partir de nossa produção, tensionar e colaborar para o debate das possíveis contribuições da teoria de Fanon para o campo psicanalítico.
A modernização da arquitetura brasileira na passagem do século XIX
Authors: De Sousa José Antônio
Published: December 2023

O presente artigo tem como objetivo analisar a modernização da arquitetura brasileira na passagem do século XIX e as primeiras décadas do século XX, marcadas pelo processo de industrialização e urbanização. No âmbito da arquitetura brasileira e seu caráter, quais aspectos estariam ligados a essa modernização? Uma nova arquitetura passará a modificar o espaço e a paisagem colonial, a arquitetura eclética, com a profusão de réplicas de estilos históricos classicistas, e sua força no ornamento arquitetônico, bem como a Arquitetura Moderna e suas tendências, ambas transmitindo novos valores artístico-culturais, evidências e percepções de sociedades em transformação e transição. A metodologia de trabalho apoia-se na revisão de bibliografias especializadas sobre o tema. O trabalho dialoga com a História da Arquitetura e do Urbanismo e alguns dos seus conceitos como: composição, volumetria, ornamento e estilo arquitetônico, entre outros.
O Grande Medo Brasileiro: imaginário social, cultura do medo e anticomunismo no Brasil da Segunda República
Authors: De Andrade José Antonio
Published: December 2023

O declínio da Primeira República, provocado, principalmente, pela ruptura do pacto interelites que dominava a cena política brasileira nas três primeiras décadas do século XX, reacendeu o conflito político, colocando em confronto novos grupos em disputa pelo poder. Embora essa nova contenda tivesse tido lugar no campo prático, caso da própria Revolução de 1930, foi, especialmente, no âmbito das narrativas, que se travou a principal batalha, o que permitiu o retorno ainda mais contundente ao campo das ações práticas. Portanto, este artigo irá tratar a maneira pela qual a construção dessa narrativa permitiu aos novos grupos detentores do poder transmitir ao imaginário social a ideia de que seus opositores representavam um perigo “iminente e real”, não aos seus interesses, mas à sociedade como um todo.
Decoding Abilities in Early Elementary School Bosnian Children: Towards a Better Understanding of Reading
Authors: Memisevic Haris , Malec Daniel , Dedic Admira
Published: December 2023

Acquiring mastery in reading is considered one of the primary academic skills during the early years of elementary school. Additionally, attaining proficiency in reading during the early grades of elementary school serves as a strong predictor for future academic achievements and overall success in life. This cross-sectional study aimed to examine the effect of several linguistic and cognitive variables on decoding abilities in the Bosnian language. The sample consisted of 153 children in the 2nd to 5th grades of elementary school. To assess decoding abilities, we employed tasks involving reading real words and non-words (pseudowords). The key predictors for both tasks included phonological awareness, rapid automatized naming of letters, working memory, and processing speed. Both models accounted for approximately 64% of the variance in the scores, signifying a substantial advancement compared to existing models of reading in the Bosnian language. The results of this study may contribute to the development of targeted and effective reading interventions in early elementary education.
Prior abdominal surgery as a potential risk factor for colonic diverticulosis or diverticulitis
Authors: Ariam Eran , Richter Vered , Bermont Anton , Sandler Yael , Cohen Daniel L , Shirin Haim
Published: December 2023

BACKGROUND

Abnormal colonic pressure profiles have been associated with an increased risk of colonic diverticulosis. A surgical history is a known risk factor for abdominal adhesions and these may lead to increased intraluminal colonic pressure.

AIM

To assess whether previous abdominal surgery is associated with colonic diverticulosis or diverticulitis.

METHODS

We analyzed data from a study of patients undergoing colonoscopy for different indications from 2020 through 2021. Patients completed a structured questionnaire concerning previous abdominal surgeries, dietary and lifestyle exposures including smoking, alcohol use and co-morbidities.

RESULTS

Three hundred and fifty-nine patients were included in the study. The mean age was 67.6 and 46% were females. Diabetes mellitus, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic renal failure, and body mass index were similar in the diverticulosis and control groups. The overall prevalence of colonic diverticulosis was 25% (91/359) and 48% of the patients had previous abdominal surgery. As expected, the prevalence of diverticulosis increased with age. There was no difference in the rate of previous abdominal surgery between patients with or without diverticulosis (49% vs 47%, P = 0.78). In regards to specific surgeries, inguinal hernia repair was significantly associated with diverticulosis (52% vs 20%, P = 0.001), but not diverticulitis. In contrast, appendectomy was not associated with diverticulosis (6% vs 14%, P = 0.048).

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that post-operative abdominal adhesions inducing high colonic intraluminal pressures do not appear to be the mechanism for diverticula formation. Rather, inguinal hernia and diverticulosis may share similar connective tissue pathologies with no causative relationship between them.
Balloon venoplasty for disdialysis syndrome due to pacemaker-related superior vena cava syndrome with chylothorax post-bacteraemia: A case report
Authors: Yamamoto Satomi , Kamezaki Michitsugu , Ooka Junichi , Mazaki Toru , Shimoda Yoshiaki , Nishihara Takaaki , Adachi Yoko
Published: December 2023

BACKGROUND

Although superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome has also been reported as a late complication of pacemaker (PM) implantation, acute onset of SVC syndrome caused by disdialysis syndrome in patients with PM implantation is very rare. There are no specific therapies or guidelines.

CASE SUMMARY

A 96-year-old woman receiving dialysis was implanted with a PM due to sick sinus syndrome. She was referred to our facility for chest discomfort experienced during dialysis. Upon examination, unilateral pleural effusion on the right side was cloudy with a foul odour. The patient was diagnosed with pyothorax and treated with antibiotics. After the effusion was reduced, it gradually reaggravated and remained cloudy. In this case, SVC syndrome, which is generally considered a late complication after PM implantation, rapidly developed following the bacteraemia, resulting in impaired venous return, chylothorax, and disdialysis syndrome. After catheter intervention for SVC stenosis, the patient’s symptoms promptly improved. The patient has been recurrence-free for a year.

CONCLUSION

Acute SVC syndrome can cause dysdialysis in PM-implanted patients. Catheter intervention alone has improved this condition for a traceable period.
Multifocal papillary thyroid cancer in Graves’ disease: A case report
Authors: Alzaman Naweed
Published: December 2023

BACKGROUND

Thyroid cancer is not commonly observed in patients with Graves’ disease (GD). The presence of thyroid nodules in GD is not uncommon. However, a link between these two entities has been reported. Herein, we report the case of a patient with GD and thyroid cancer in Saudi Arabia, which has not been reported previously in our region.

CASE SUMMARY

A 26-year-old male patient with GD, receiving carbimazole for 2 years, presented to our hospital. His hyperthyroidism was controlled clinically and biochemically. On clinical examination, he was found to have a left-sided thyroid nodule. Ultrasound revealed a 2.6 cm hypoechoic nodule with high vascularity. He was then referred for fine needle aspiration which showed that the nodule was highly suspicious for malignancy. The patient underwent total thyroidectomy and was diagnosed with multifocal classical micropapillary thyroid cancer. Post thyroidectomy he received radioactive iodine ablation along with levothyroxine replacement therapy.

CONCLUSION

Careful preoperative assessment and thyroid gland ultrasound might assist in screening and diagnosing thyroid cancer in patients with GD.
Anlotinib in combination with pembrolizumab for low-grade myofibroblastic sarcoma of the pancreas: A case report
Authors: Wu Rong-Ting , Zhang Ji-Cheng , Fang Cheng-Nan , Qi Xiao-Yu , Qiao Jin-Fei , Li Ping , Su Li
Published: December 2023

BACKGROUND

Low-grade myofibroblastic sarcoma (LGMS) is a rare spindle cell sarcoma especially in the pancreas, with myofibroblastic differentiation. Hitherto, only a few cases have been reported.

CASE SUMMARY

Herein, we report a case involving the discovery of a pancreatic mass detected during a routine physical examination. Subsequent imaging and pathological tests of the patient led to the diagnosis of LGMS of the pancreas. Following surgical intervention, the patient experienced recurrence and metastasis. Conventional treatment is not effective for postoperative recurrent pancreatic LGMS with multiple metastases. After communicating with the patients and their families, informed consent was obtained for the treatment of anlotinib combined with pembrolizumab. Evaluation of imaging and clinical symptoms post-treatment revealed a relatively favorable response to the combination of anlotinib and pembrolizumab.

CONCLUSION

Based on the comprehensive literature review, our report aimed to provide evidence for a better understanding of the disease characteristics, diagnostic criteria, imaging findings, and identification of LGMS. And explore novel treatment strategies for this disease.
Ankle and toe weakness caused by calcified ligamentum flavum cyst: A case report
Authors: Jung Ho-Young , Kim Geon-U , Joh Yong-Won , Lee Jun-Seok
Published: December 2023

BACKGROUND

Ligamentum flavum cysts, which are most common in mobile junctional levels of the spine, can be a rare cause of spinal stenosis. There have been several case reports of ligamentum flavum cysts. However, there is yet to be a documented case report of a calcified ligamentum flavum cyst. Herein, we report the first case of a calcified ligamentum flavum cyst causing ankle and toe weakness.

CASE SUMMARY

A 66-year-old male visited our hospital complaining of claudication as well as thigh and calf pain in his left leg, all beginning two weeks prior. Physical examination revealed motor weakness of the left ankle dorsiflexion and great toe dorsiflexion. Lumbar spinal computed tomography scans showed spinal stenosis combined with a calcified mass at the left side of the L4-5 level. Magnetic resonance imaging showed dural sac compression caused by the calcified mass at the left ligamentum flavum of the L4-5 level. We performed decompressive laminectomy and excision of the calcified mass combined with posterior lumbar interbody fusion at the L4-5 level. Intra-operatively, we found a firm and nodule like mass originating from the ventral surface of ligamentum flavum. Pathological examination suggested a calcified pseudocyst without a capsular lining. After the operation, the patient’s motor weakness in the ankle and great toe improved gradually.

CONCLUSION

The patient’s ankle and great toe weakness were improved successfully after surgical removal of the calcified cyst.
Inflammatory cutaneous metastases originating from gastric cancer: A case report
Authors: Tian Lei , Ye Zhi-Bin , Du Yun-Lei , Li Qiao-Fang , He Li-Ya , Zhang Hong-Zhen
Published: December 2023

BACKGROUND

Cutaneous metastasis with gastric cancer (GC) origin is extremely rare and associated with poor prognosis. Nodular type is the most common type, while other forms are extremely rare.

CASE SUMMARY

This study describes severe skin redness, swelling, pain, and fever in a 65-year-old man diagnosed with GC, whose left chest wall, left upper limb, and left back were mainly affected. Firstly, the patient was diagnosed with “lymphangitis” and treated to promote lymphatic return. However, the symptoms were constantly deteriorating, and skin thickening and scattered small nodules gradually appeared. Finally, the skin biopsy confirmed cutaneous metastases, and the patient died 7 d later.

CONCLUSION

Our case highlights that cutaneous metastasis should be considered when skin lesions appear in patients with GC.
Abemaciclib-induced lung damage leading to discontinuation in brain metastases from breast cancer: A case report
Authors: Yamashiro Hiroyasu , Morii Nao
Published: December 2023

BACKGROUND

This case report addresses the dearth of effective therapeutic interventions for central nervous system metastases in patients with HER2-negative breast cancer. It presents a unique case of a woman with estrogen receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer who developed brain metastasis. The report highlights her initial favorable response to abemaciclib and letrozole therapy prior to the discontinuation due to drug-induced lung damage (DILD).

CASE SUMMARY

In this comprehensive case summary, we present the clinical course of a woman in her 60s, who 11 years following primary breast cancer surgery, was diagnosed with multiple brain metastases. As a third-line systemic therapy, she underwent treatment with abemaciclib and letrozole. This treatment approach yielded a near-partial response in her metastatic brain lesions. However, abemaciclib administration ceased due to the emergence of DILD, as confirmed by a computed tomography scan. The DILD improved after 1 mo of cessation. Despite ongoing therapeutic efforts, the patient’s condition progressively deteriorated, ultimately resulting in death due to progression of the brain metastases.

CONCLUSION

This case underscores the challenge of managing adverse events in responsive brain metastasis patients, given the scarcity of therapeutic options.
Post-transplant malignancy: Focusing on virus-associated etiologies, pathogenesis, evidence-based management algorithms, present status of adoptive immunotherapy and future directions
Authors: Yadav Rahul , El Kossi Mohsen , Belal Dawlat , Sharma Ajay , Halawa Ahmed
Published: December 2023

Modern immunosuppression has led to a decrease in rejection rates and improved survival rates after solid organ transplantation. Increasing the potency of immunosuppression promotes post-transplant viral infections and associated cancers by impairing immune response against viruses and cancer immunoediting. This review reflects the magnitude, etiology and immunological characteristics of various virus-related post-transplant malignancies, emphasizing the need for future research. A multidisciplinary and strategic approach may serve best but overall literature evidence targeting it is sparse. However, the authors attempted to provide a more detailed update of the literature consensus for the prevention, diagnosis, management and surveillance of post-transplant viral infections and associated malignancies, with a focus on the current role of adoptive immunotherapy and the way forward. In order to achieve long-term patient and graft survival as well as superior post-transplant outcomes, collaborative research on holistic care of organ recipients is imperative.
The Real Dangers of Generative AI
Authors: Allen Danielle , Weyl E. Glen
Published: December 2023

Abstract: As perhaps the most consequential technology of our time, Generative Foundation Models (GFMs) present unprecedented challenges for democratic institutions. By allowing deception and de-contextualized information sharing at a previously unimaginable scale and pace, GFMs could undermine the foundations of democracy. At the same time, the investment scale required to develop the models and the race dynamics around that development threaten to enable concentrations of democratically unaccountable power (both public and private). This essay examines the twin threats of collapse and singularity occasioned by the rise of GFMs.
Unravelling cancer subtype-specific driver genes in single-cell transcriptomics data with CSDGI
Authors: Huang Meng , Ma Jiangtao , An Guangqi , Ye Xiucai
Published: December 2023

Cancer is known as a heterogeneous disease. Cancer driver genes (CDGs) need to be inferred for understanding tumor heterogeneity in cancer. However, the existing computational methods have identified many common CDGs. A key challenge exploring cancer progression is to infer cancer subtype-specific driver genes (CSDGs), which provides guidane for the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of cancer. The significant advancements in single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) technologies have opened up new possibilities for studying human cancers at the individual cell level. In this study, we develop a novel unsupervised method, CSDGI (Cancer Subtype-specific Driver Gene Inference), which applies Encoder-Decoder-Framework consisting of low-rank residual neural networks to inferring driver genes corresponding to potential cancer subtypes at the single-cell level. To infer CSDGs, we apply CSDGI to the tumor single-cell transcriptomics data. To filter the redundant genes before driver gene inference, we perform the differential expression genes (DEGs). The experimental results demonstrate CSDGI is effective to infer driver genes that are cancer subtype-specific. Functional and disease enrichment analysis shows these inferred CSDGs indicate the key biological processes and disease pathways. CSDGI is the first method to explore cancer driver genes at the cancer subtype level. We believe that it can be a useful method to understand the mechanisms of cell transformation driving tumours.
Optimized strategy for real-time qPCR detection of Onchocerca volvulus DNA in pooled Simulium sp. blackfly vectors
Authors: Doherty Mary , Grant Jessica R. , Pilotte Nils , Bennuru Sasisekhar , Fischer Kerstin , Fischer Peter U. , Lustigman Sara , Nutman Thomas B. , Pfarr Kenneth , Hoerauf Achim , Unnasch Thomas R. , Hassan Hassan K. , Wanji Samuel , Lammie Patrick J. , Ottesen Eric , Mackenzie Charles , Williams Steven A.
Published: December 2023

Background

Onchocerca volvulus is a filarial parasite that is a major cause of dermatitis and blindness in endemic regions primarily in sub-Saharan Africa. Widespread efforts to control the disease caused by O. volvulus infection (onchocerciasis) began in 1974 and in recent years, following successful elimination of transmission in much of the Americas, the focus of efforts in Africa has moved from control to the more challenging goal of elimination of transmission in all endemic countries. Mass drug administration (MDA) with ivermectin has reached more than 150 million people and elimination of transmission has been confirmed in four South American countries, with at least two African countries having now stopped MDA as they approach verification of elimination. It is essential that accurate data for active transmission are used to assist in making the critical decision to stop MDA, since missing low levels of transmission and infection can lead to continued spread or recrudescence of the disease.

Methodology/Principal findings

Current World Health Organization guidelines for MDA stopping decisions and post-treatment surveillance include screening pools of the Simulium blackfly vector for the presence of O. volvulus larvae using a PCR-ELISA-based molecular technique. In this study, we address the potential of an updated, practical, standardized molecular diagnostic tool with increased sensitivity and species-specificity by comparing several candidate qPCR assays. When paired with heat-stable reagents, a qPCR assay with a mitochondrial DNA target (OvND5) was found to be more sensitive and species-specific than an O150 qPCR, which targets a non-protein coding repetitive DNA sequence. The OvND5 assay detected 19/20 pools of 100 blackfly heads spiked with a single L3, compared to 16/20 for the O150 qPCR assay.

Conclusions/Significance

Given the improved sensitivity, species-specificity and resistance to PCR inhibitors, we identified OvND5 as the optimal target for field sample detection. All reagents for this assay can be shipped at room temperature with no loss of activity. The qPCR protocol we propose is also simpler, faster, and more cost-effective than the current end-point molecular assays.
Development of selection strategies for genetic improvement in production traits of Mecheri sheep based on a Bayesian multi trait evaluation
Authors: Balasundaram Balakrishnan , Muralidharan Jaganadhan , Murali Nagarajan , Cauveri Doraiswamy , Raja Angamuthu , Okpeku Moses , Thiruvenkadan Aranganoor Kannan
Published: December 2023

The progression of genetic selection techniques to enhance farm animal performance traits is guided by the present level of genetic variation and maternal impact in each trait, as well as the genetic association between traits. This study was conducted on a population of Mecheri sheep maintained from 1980 to 2018 at Mecheri Sheep Research Station, Pottaneri, India, to determine variance and covariance components, as well as genetic parameters for various production performance traits. A total of 2616 lambs, produced by 1044 dams and 226 sires, were examined in the study and the production traits of Mecheri sheep assessed include birth weight (BW), weaning weight (WW), six-month weight (SMW), nine-month weight (NMW), and yearling weight (YW). The Bayesian approach, using the Gibbs sampler, analyzed six animal models with different combinations of additive direct and maternal additive effects. Direct genetics, maternal genetics, and residual effects models were the major contributors to total phenotypic variation for all the production traits studied. Direct heritability estimates of birth weight, WW, SMW, NMW, and YW were 0.25, 0.20, 0.12, 0.14, and 0.13, respectively. The maternal heritability estimated for BW, WW, SMW, NMW, and YW were 0.17, 0.10, 0.12, 0.14, and 0.14, respectively. The maternal effects had a major impact on the pre-weaning production traits. The genetic correlations estimated between different pairs of production traits studied ranged from 0.19 to 0.93. The body weight at birth exhibited a higher genetic relationship with weaning weight than post-weaning growth characteristics, and the genetic correlation between weaning weight and post-weaning attributes was moderate to high (0.52 to 0.72). Based on the additive genetic variance in weaning weight and the correlation estimates of weaning weight with post-weaning traits, weaning weight was proposed as a selection criterion for improving growth traits in Mecheri sheep.
Frequentist model averaging for analysis of dose–response in epidemiologic studies with complex exposure uncertainty
Authors: Kwon Deukwoo , Simon Steven L. , Hoffman F. Owen , Pfeiffer Ruth M.
Published: December 2023

In epidemiologic studies, association estimates of an exposure with disease outcomes are often biased when the uncertainties of exposure are ignored. Consequently, corresponding confidence intervals (CIs) will not have correct coverage. This issue is particularly problematic when exposures must be reconstructed from physical measurements, for example, for environmental or occupational radiation doses that were received by a study population for which radiation doses cannot be measured directly. To incorporate complex uncertainties in reconstructed exposures, the two-dimensional Monte Carlo (2DMC) dose estimation method has been proposed and used in various dose reconstruction efforts. The 2DMC method generates multiple exposure realizations from dosimetry models that incorporate various sources of errors to reflect the uncertainty of the dose distribution as well as the uncertainties in individual doses in the exposed population. Traditional measurement-error model approaches, typically based on using mean doses in the dose-exposure analysis, do not fully account exposure uncertainties. A recently developed statistical approach that overcomes many of these limitations by analyzing multiple exposure realizations in relation to disease risk is Bayesian model averaging (BMA). The analytic advantage of the BMA is its ability to better accommodate complex exposure uncertainty in the risk estimation, but a practical. Drawback is its significant computational complexity. In this present paper, we propose a novel frequentist model averaging (FMA) approach which has all the analytical advantages of the BMA method but is much simpler to implement and computationally faster. We show in simulations that, like BMA, FMA yields 95% confidence intervals for association parameters that close to 95% coverage rate. In simulations, the FMA has shorter length of CIs than those of another frequentist approach, the corrected information matrix (CIM) method. We illustrate the similarities in performance of BMA and FMA from a study of exposures from radioactive fallout in Kazakhstan.
A qualitative exploration of the health system responses to the screening and management of comorbid mental illness and chronic physical illness in Jamaica
Authors: Whitehorne-Smith Patrice , Martin Robyn , Oshi Daniel , Abel Wendel , Milbourn Ben , Smith Kristen , Burns Sharyn
Published: December 2023

Background

People with comorbid mental illness (MI) and chronic physical illness (CPI) face a range of health and quality of life challenges. The appropriate screening and management of comorbid MI and CPI are crucial to improving outcomes for this population. Despite this, there is a dearth of research exploring the health system response to the screening and management of patients with these comorbidities in public primary care settings, in several jurisdictions including Jamaica. This study explored and described the attitudes, perspectives, experiences, and practices of policymakers, primary care physicians, psychiatrists, and mental health nurses regarding screening and management of comorbid MI and CPI.

Method

Twenty-nine participants representing policymakers, primary care physicians, psychiatrists, and mental health nurses took part in semi-structured interviews. Data was collected over the period April to November 2020 and subject to thematic analysis.

Results

Three overarching themes emerged from the data related to: 1) Policies and Protocols; 2) Clinical Practice; and 3) Personnel. The interplay of these themes illustrated fragmentation and gaps between national policies and guidelines and clinical practice. The findings also identified factors related to personnel, including barriers that limit clinicians’ abilities to adequately screen and manage this patient population.

Conclusion

There is a need for the continued development and revision of policies and protocols that support integrated care for patients with comorbid MI and CPI in primary care settings in Jamaica. Additionally, programs and strategies to improve clinicans knowledge, skills and access to resources are necessary to help them offer improved quality of care around screening and management for this patient population.