bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An integrated review of music cognition and rhythmic stimuli in sensorimotor neurocognition and neurorehabilitation
Authors: Emmery Laura , Hackney Madeleine E. , Kesar Trisha , McKay J. Lucas , Rosenberg Michael C.
Published: November 2023

This work reviews the growing body of interdisciplinary research on music cognition, using biomechanical, kinesiological, clinical, psychosocial, and sociological methods. The review primarily examines the relationship between temporal elements in music and motor responses under varying contexts, with considerable relevance for clinical rehabilitation. After providing an overview of the terminology and approaches pertinent to theories of rhythm and meter from the musical‐theoretical and cognitive fields, this review focuses on studies on the effects of rhythmic sensory stimulation on gait, rhythmic cues’ effect on the motor system, reactions to rhythmic stimuli attempting to synchronize mobility (i.e., musical embodiment), and the application of rhythm for motor rehabilitation for individuals with Parkinson's disease, stroke, mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease, and other neurodegenerative or neurotraumatic diseases. This work ultimately bridges the gap between the musical‐theoretical and cognitive science fields to facilitate innovative research in which each discipline informs the other.
What matters to adolescents with obesity, and their caregivers, when considering bariatric surgery or weight loss devices? A qualitative evidence synthesis
Authors: Carroll Christopher , Booth Andrew , Cuevas Diana Castelblanco
Published: November 2023

Background

Bariatric surgery and weight loss devices have been considered as a therapeutic option in some settings for adolescents with severe obesity. We conducted a systematic review and qualitative evidence synthesis of factors affecting adolescent and caregiver decision‐making processes around such interventions, as well as post‐surgery demands and challenges, so that their experiences might be better understood and improved support given. No previous qualitative evidence synthesis has been published on this topic.

Methods and findings

We searched 10 bibliographic databases and followed‐up gray literature and citations sources. We performed a qualitative evidence synthesis on 19 primary qualitative research studies in adolescents aged 13 years or older. They reported diverse motivations and incentives for considering these interventions, including the physical and social problems resulting from living with obesity, and an awareness of the benefits and limitations of interventions. They reported that they need: information, physical and emotional support and, in some cases, financial assistance. There was high confidence in a majority of these findings (GRADE CERQual).

Conclusions

We found that supportive interventions accompanying bariatric surgery should be in place to offer: practical help; address anxieties and uncertainties; and facilitate both appropriate decision‐making and the achievement of young people's desired outcomes.
Antemortem cytologic diagnosis of pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis in a cat
Authors: Mau Alex , Chiu Elliott S. , Armien Anibal , Johnson Lynelle R. , Moore Peter F. , Vernau William
Published: November 2023

Feline pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis (FPLCH) is a rare histiocytic proliferative disease of middle‐aged to older domestic cats. Langerhans cells in the terminal airways proliferate and infiltrate the interstitium and the airways to a lesser degree, widely effacing normal parenchyma. Historically, definitive diagnosis has required postmortem evaluation where pulmonary lesions have a classic gross and histologic morphology. Here, we present the first documented antemortem diagnosis of FPLCH using bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cytology and immunocytochemistry (ICC) in a 9‐year‐old British shorthair mix. The cat had a 3‐month history of respiratory difficulty that was refractory to steroids and antimicrobials. Pulmonary radiographs had marked diffuse changes with a complex bronchointerstitial and micronodular pattern. BAL cytology revealed neutrophilic inflammation and markedly increased histiocytes with morphology distinct from typical pulmonary macrophages. ICC characterized histiocytes as CD1a+/E‐cadherin+/CD11b−/PanCK−, consistent with a Langerhans cell phenotype. The cat was humanely euthanized due to poor prognosis and presented for necropsy. Gross, histopathologic, immunophenotypic, and ultrastructural findings confirmed a diagnosis of FPLCH. Proliferative cells were E‐cadherin+/Iba‐1+/CD18+/CD1a+/CD5+/MHCII+/CD204−/CD4−; transmission electron microscopy identified the presence of Birbeck granules in the proliferating histiocytes, consistent with previous reports of FPLCH.
Review on remote phonon scattering in transistors with metal-oxide-semiconductor structures adopting high-k gate dielectrics
Authors: Ma Yuan Xiao , Su Hui , Tang Wing Man , Lai Pui To
Published: November 2023

One main obstacle to obtaining high carrier mobility in transistors with metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) structures is carrier scattering, which has been systematically investigated. In the past few decades, much attention was preferentially paid to the scatterings arising from the region near the semiconductor/oxide interface because they can affect the carrier transport in the semiconductor channel more directly and effectively, e.g., polaronic effect, Coulomb scattering, surface-roughness scattering, and intrinsic phonon scattering resulted from the thermal vibration of the semiconductor channel. However, scattering originated from hybrid interface plasmon/optical-phonon excitations, so-called remote phonon scattering, has been neglected to some extent, but is especially severe for gate oxides with high dielectric constants due to the easy vibrations of their atoms. On the other hand, plasmons generated from the oscillations of majority carriers in the gate electrode can couple with the remote phonons to suppress the remote phonon scattering, which is called the gate screening effect. However, when the frequency of the gate-electrode plasmon is close/equal to that of the gate-dielectric phonon, the resonance between the gate electrode and the gate dielectric greatly enhances the remote phonon scattering to severely degrade the carrier mobility (so-called gate antiscreening effect). This work intends to give a comprehensive review on the origins, effects, suppression methods, and recent advances of the remote phonon scattering, with a view to achieving high-mobility MOS devices (including those based on two-dimensional semiconductors) with high-k gate dielectrics for future high-speed electronic applications.
Income inequality and its association with COVID-19 cases and deaths: a cross-country analysis in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Authors: Alam Mohammed Fasihul , Wildman John , Abdul Rahim Hanan
Published: November 2023

Introduction

There is limited evidence on the associations between economic and social disparities in the Eastern Mediterranean region (EMR) with COVID-19 infections and deaths. This study aims to investigate the relationship between income inequalities using Gini coefficients and COVID-19 cases and deaths per million population in the EMR countries.

Methods

Country-level data on monthly COVID-19 cases and deaths between March 2020 and October 2021, along with data on selected confounders, were collected from publicly available databases. Mixed-effect negative binomial and inverse hyperbolic sine transformation regressions were estimated to examine the association.

Results

The study showed that, in the EMR, a unit increase in Gini coefficient is associated with approximately 7.2% and 3.9% increase in COVID-19 cases and deaths per million population, respectively. The magnitude and direction of the association between income inequality and COVID-19 cases and deaths per-million population still remain the same after excluding four warzone countries from the analysis.

Conclusion

This increase in COVID-19 cases and deaths is underpinned by the fact that a large number of the population in the region is living in conditions of poverty, with inadequate housing, comorbidities and limited or virtually no access to essential healthcare services. Healthcare policy-makers across countries in the region need to implement effective interventions in areas of income inequality, where it may be linked to increasing the risk of COVID-19 cases and deaths.
Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis secondary to acute cytomegalovirus infection
Authors: Martin Andrew J
Published: November 2023

Background

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is a potentially life-threatening disorder with a number of causes, including viral infections.

Case presentation

A 25-year-old female patient presented with a non-specific febrile illness, headache and hepatitis. She was found to have right transverse sinus and cortical venous thrombosis in addition to acute systemic Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. She responded well to anticoagulation with warfarin for 6 months. CMV infection was treated conservatively.

Conclusion

CVST is an increasingly prevalent condition often presenting with headache, focal neurological deficits and seizures. Despite extensive investigations, often no specific cause is found. CMV is a ubiquitous virus that can present with a non-specific febrile illness or a variety of organ dysfunction. CMV has been shown to be associated with predominantly venous thrombosis, most commonly lower limb deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism and splanchnic vein thrombosis. The risk is highest in immunocompromised patients, though most patients are immunocompetent. There have been few reports of CVST related to CMV and all of these with a more tenuous link to acute CMV infection. Clinicians should be aware of this link, particularly in those who have CVST in the context of a febrile illness, or immunocompromised patients.
Understanding the dynamics of chemsex among men who have sex with men, male sex workers and transgender women in Dhaka, Bangladesh: a multiphase sequential mixed-method research protocol
Authors: Sarwar Golam , Irfan Samira Dishti , Reza Masud , Khan Mohammad Niaz Morshed , Khan Sharful Islam
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Chemsex is defined as drug use to enhance sexual pleasure. Global literature illustrated the pervasiveness of chemsex among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (hijra) for prolonging anal intercourse, reducing pain and intensifying pleasure, oftentimes without condoms. Global literature highlighted the association between chemsex and unsafe sexual behaviours. These circumstances warrant targeted chemsex research to explore the chemsex situation. The study aims to explore the overall dynamics of chemsex among MSM, male sex workers (MSW) andhijrain Dhaka, Bangladesh and formulate culturally relevant, context-specific, gender-sensitive and evidence-based recommendations for chemsex interventions.

Methods and analysis

This will be a sequential, exploratory, mixed-methods study. Data will be collected at four drop-in centres in Dhaka in three phases. To explore issues related to chemsex, the formative phase (phase 1) will generate evidence on the overall dynamics of chemsex through a literature review and qualitative interviews. Qualitative data will be manually analysed using thematic analysis. In phase 2, a cross-sectional survey will be conducted among 458 MSM, male sex workers andhijrato measure the prevalence, reasons and sexual risk behaviour associated with chemsex. In phase 3, qualitative interviews will be conducted with the participants involved in chemsex, service providers and relevant stakeholders to add qualitative depth to survey responses. In this phase, service provision will also be investigated for people engaging in chemsex. Moreover, based on the findings of phases 1 and 2, and qualitative interviews of phase 3, a preliminary chemsex intervention model will be developed through a series of intervention design workshops.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval has been attained from the Ethical Review Committee of icddr,b. Informed consent will be obtained from the participants, and confidentiality will be maintained during data collection and storage. Findings will be disseminated via several platforms including dissemination seminars, scientific articles and study report.
(Cost-)effectiveness of an individualised risk prediction tool (PERSARC) on patient’s knowledge and decisional conflict among soft-tissue sarcomas patients: protocol for a parallel cluster randomised trial (the VALUE-PERSARC study)
Authors: Kruiswijk Anouk A , van de Sande Michiel A J , Haas Rick L , van den Akker-van Marle Elske M , Engelhardt Ellen G , Marang-van de Mheen Perla , van Bodegom-Vos Leti
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Current treatment decision-making in high-grade soft-tissue sarcoma (STS) care is not informed by individualised risks for different treatment options and patients’ preferences. Risk prediction tools may provide patients and professionals insight in personalised risks and benefits for different treatment options and thereby potentially increase patients’ knowledge and reduce decisional conflict. The VALUE-PERSARC study aims to assess the (cost-)effectiveness of a personalised risk assessment tool (PERSARC) to increase patients’ knowledge about risks and benefits of treatment options and to reduce decisional conflict in comparison with usual care in high-grade extremity STS patients.

Methods

The VALUE-PERSARC study is a parallel cluster randomised control trial that aims to include at least 120 primarily diagnosed high-grade extremity STS patients in 6 Dutch hospitals. Eligible patients (≥18 years) are those without a treatment plan and treated with curative intent. Patients with sarcoma subtypes or treatment options not mentioned in PERSARC are unable to participate. Hospitals will be randomised between usual care (control) or care with the use of PERSARC (intervention). In the intervention condition, PERSARC will be used by STS professionals in multidisciplinary tumour boards to guide treatment advice and in patient consultations, where the oncological/orthopaedic surgeon informs the patient about his/her diagnosis and discusses benefits and harms of all relevant treatment options. The primary outcomes are patients’ knowledge about risks and benefits of treatment options and decisional conflict (Decisional Conflict Scale) 1 week after the treatment decision has been made. Secondary outcomes will be evaluated using questionnaires, 1 week and 3, 6 and 12 months after the treatment decision. Data will be analysed following an intention-to-treat approach using a linear mixed model and taking into account clustering of patients within hospitals.

Ethics and dissemination

The Medical Ethical Committee Leiden-Den Haag-Delft (METC-LDD) approved this protocol (NL76563.058.21). The results of this study will be reported in a peer-review journal.

Trial registration number

NL9160,NCT05741944.
Can machine learning methods be used for identification of at-risk neonates in low-resource settings? A prospective cohort study
Authors: Hasan Babar S , Hoodbhoy Zahra , Khan Amna , Nogueira Mariana , Bijnens Bart , Chowdhury Devyani
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Timely identification of at-risk neonates (ARNs) in the community is essential to reduce mortality in low-resource settings. Tools such as American Academy of Pediatrics pulse oximetry (POx) and WHO Young Infants Clinical Signs (WHOS) have high specificity but low sensitivity to identify ARNs. Our aim was assessing the value of POx and WHOS independently, in combination and with machine learning (ML) from clinical features, to detect ARNs in a low/middle-income country.

Methods

This prospective cohort study was conducted in a periurban community in Pakistan. Eligible live births were screened using WHOS and POx along with clinical information regarding pregnancy and delivery. The enrolled neonates were followed for 4 weeks of life to assess the vital status. The predictive value to identify ARNs, of POx, WHOS and an ML model using maternal and neonatal clinical features, was assessed.

Results

Of 1336 neonates, 68 (5%) had adverse outcomes, that is, sepsis (n=40, 59%), critical congenital heart disease (n=2, 3%), severe persistent pulmonary hypertension (n=1), hospitalisation (n=8, 12%) and death (n=17, 25%) assessed at 4 weeks of life. Specificity of POx and WHOS to independently identify ARNs was 99%, with sensitivity of 19% and 63%,respectively. Combining both improved sensitivity to 70%, keeping specificity at 98%. An ML model using clinical variables had 44% specificity and 76% sensitivity. A staged assessment, where WHOS, POx and ML are sequentially used for triage, increased sensitivity to 85%, keeping specificity 75%. Using ML (when WHOS and POx negative) for community follow-up detected the majority of ARNs.

Conclusion

Classic screening, combined with ML, can help maximise identifying ARNs and could be embedded in low-resource clinical settings, thereby improving outcome. Sequential use of classic assessment and clinical ML identifies the most ARNs in the community, still optimising follow-up clinical care.
Pulmonary vasodilators and exercise in Fontan circulation: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Kosmidis Diamantis , Arvanitaki Alexandra , Farmakis Ioannis T , Liakos Aris , Giannopoulos Andreas , Ziakas Antonios , Giannakoulas George
Published: November 2023

Objective

In Fontan circulation, pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)-targeted therapies could improve the patients’ exercise capacity. This study aimed to investigate the effects of PAH agents on different exercise parameters in stable Fontan patients by synthesising evidence of randomised controlled trials (RCTs).

Methods

A systematic search of PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and Web of Science databases, as well as of ClinicalTrials.gov, was performed. Primary outcomes were specific cardiopulmonary exercise test parameters: peak oxygen uptake (peak VO2), peak heart rate (peak HR), the minute ventilation/produced carbon dioxide (VE/VCO2) slope and the oxygen uptake, both measured at the anaerobic threshold (VO2@AT).

Results

Five RCTs were included in the analysis including 573 Fontan patients (mean age 21.2 years, 60% male). PAH-targeted therapies did not affect peak VO2(mean difference (MD) 0.72, 95% CI −0.25 to 1.70) or peak HR (MD −0.67, 95% CI −3.81 to 2.47), but resulted in a small, significant improvement in VO2@AT (standardised MD 0.24, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.47). VE/VCO2slope at the anaerobic threshold was also reduced (MD −1.13, 95% CI −2.25 to −0.01).

Conclusions

Although PAH-targeted therapies did not affect exercise parameters at maximal effort, they induced slight improvements in indices of submaximal effort, measured at the anaerobic threshold. Pharmacological improvement of submaximal exercise seems to be a more suitable indicator of Fontan individuals’ exercise capacity. Larger RCTs, recruiting specific subpopulations and focusing also on the anaerobic threshold, are warranted to draw more robust conclusions.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42022306674.
Generic professional capabilities hub: developing leadership and management skills in trainees
Authors: Millar Kate Rachel , James Christopher , Headon Hannah , Afzal Azka , Lipton Joseph , Armit Kirsten , McKimm Judy
Published: November 2023

High quality leadership is key to delivering high standards of patient care. For many reasons, doctors in training are not currently well represented in leadership positions and struggle to access opportunities to develop these skills. As a key cohort within the medical workforce, using existing present opportunities within clinical training programmes would allow them to engage in leadership development and support them to lead on projects within their trusts and make sustainable changes within their own organisation.

Within our anaesthetic department, we designed the Generic Professional Capabilities Hub (GPC hub)—a framework that aims to address some of the barriers to engagement in clinical leadership. Involvement in the GPC hub can be at three different levels, which allows for flexibility around other training needs. Currently, there are seven workstreams within the framework, with trainees being involved through symposia attendance, leading on projects linked to the hub or becoming a trainee workstream lead. We share our learning from setting up this framework, the benefits it brings to trainees and departments, initial evaluation results and our next steps which include regional roll out to four other anaesthetic departments.
Where do Databases and Digital Forensics meet? A Comprehensive Survey and Taxonomy
Authors: Seufitelli Danilo B. , Brandão Michele A. , Fernandes Ayane C. A. , Siqueira Kayque M. , Moro Mirella M.
Published: November 2023

We present a systematic literature review and propose a taxonomy for research at the intersection of Digital Forensics and Databases. The merge between these two areas has become more prolific due to the growing volume of data and mobile apps on the Web, and the consequent rise in cyber attacks. Our review has identified 91 relevant papers. The taxonomy categorizes such papers into: Cyber-Attacks (subclasses SQLi, Attack Detection, Data Recovery) and Criminal Intelligence (subclasses Forensic Investigation, Research Products, Crime Resolution). Overall, we contribute to better understanding the intersection between digital forensics and databases, and open opportunities for future research and development with potential for significant social, economic, and technical-scientific contributions.
Patterns and Evolutionary Consequences of Pleiotropy
Authors: Zhang Jianzhi
Published: November 2023

Pleiotropy refers to the phenomenon of one gene or one mutation affecting multiple phenotypic traits. While the concept of pleiotropy is as old as Mendelian genetics, functional genomics has finally allowed the first glimpses of the extent of pleiotropy for a large fraction of genes in a genome. After describing conceptual and operational difficulties in quantifying pleiotropy and the pros and cons of various methods for measuring pleiotropy, I review empirical data on pleiotropy, which generally show an L-shaped distribution of the degree of pleiotropy (i.e., the number of traits affected), with most genes having low pleiotropy. I then review the current understanding of the molecular basis of pleiotropy. In the rest of the review, I discuss evolutionary consequences of pleiotropy, focusing on advances in topics including the cost of complexity, regulatory versus coding evolution, environmental pleiotropy and adaptation, evolution of ageing and other seemingly harmful traits, and evolutionary resolution of pleiotropy.
Learning Nonlinear Reduced Models from Data with Operator Inference
Authors: Kramer Boris , Peherstorfer Benjamin , Willcox Karen E.
Published: November 2023

This review discusses Operator Inference, a nonintrusive reduced modeling approach that incorporates physical governing equations by defining a structured polynomial form for the reduced model, and then learns the corresponding reduced operators from simulated training data. The polynomial model form of Operator Inference is sufficiently expressive to cover a wide range of nonlinear dynamics found in fluid mechanics and other fields of science and engineering, while still providing efficient reduced model computations. The learning steps of Operator Inference are rooted in classical projection-based model reduction; thus, some of the rich theory of model reduction can be applied to models learned with Operator Inference. This connection to projection-based model reduction theory offers a pathway toward deriving error estimates and gaining insights to improve predictions. Furthermore, through formulations of Operator Inference that preserve Hamiltonian and other structures, important physical properties such as energy conservation can be guaranteed in the predictions of the reduced model beyond the training horizon. This review illustrates key computational steps of Operator Inference through a large-scale combustion example.
Direct Laser-Functionalized Au-LIG Sensors for Real-time Electrochemical Monitoring of Response of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms to Antibiotics
Authors: Zhou Keren , Kammarchedu Vinay , Ebrahimi Aida
Published: November 2023

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is a phenazine-producing pathogen recognized for its biofilm-mediated antibiotic resistance, showing up to 1000 times higher resistance compared to planktonic cells. In particular, it is shown that a phenazine called pyocyanin promotes antibiotic tolerance in P. aeruginosa cultures by upregulating efflux pumps and inducing biofilm formation. Therefore, real-time study of phenazine production in response to antibiotics could offer new insights for early detection and management of the infection. Toward this goal, this work demonstrates real-time monitoring of P. aeruginosa colony biofilms challenged by antibiotics using electrochemical sensors based on direct laser functionalization of laser induced graphene (LIG) with gold (Au) nanostructures. Specifically, two routes for functionalization of the LIG electrodes with Au-containing solutions are studied: electroless deposition and direct laser functionalization (E-Au/LIG and L-Au/LIG, respectively). While both methods show comparable sensitivity (1.276 vs 1.205 μA μM−1), E-Au/LIG has bactericidal effects which make it unsuitable as a sensor material. The effect of antibiotics (gentamicin as a model drug) on the production rate of phenazines before (i.e., in planktonic phase) or after biofilm formation is studied. The sensor data confirms that the P. aeruginosa biofilms are at least 100 times more tolerant to the antibiotic compared to planktonic cells. The biosensors are developed using a scalable and facile manufacturing approach and may pave the way toward simple-to-use antibiotic susceptibility testing devices for early infection diagnosis and real-time study of antibiotic resistance evolution.
Perspective—Five Sensor-Centric Grand Challenges in Soft Robotics
Authors: Singh Kunal , Khosla Ajit , Gupta Shilpa
Published: November 2023

Soft robotics, offering precise actions in complex environments, stands at the brink of transformative advancements across diverse fields. To realize this potential, the field must address five key challenges: creation of soft power and control mechanisms, emphasis on sustainability, cultivation of advanced intelligence, and the imperative for standardization. This perspective argues for solutions grounded in sensory feedback systems, aiming to fortify the foundation of soft robotics, ensure its sustainability, enhance adaptability in robot intelligence, and set the stage for scalable robot production. Addressing these challenges, we aim to pave the way for a more inclusive era of soft robotic technology.
Endotoxemia Correlates with Kidney Function and Length of Stay in Critically Ill Patients
Authors: Piret Sian E. , Khan Sobia , Fairuz Fabliha , Gholami Samaneh , Davis Merin , Kim Chang Kyung , Espinoza Melissa , Foster Debra , Kellum John A. , Ahmad Sahar , Kalogeropoulos Andreas P. , Mallipattu Sandeep K.
Published: November 2023

Introduction: Endotoxin is a key driver of sepsis, which frequently causes acute kidney injury (AKI). However, endotoxins may also be found in non-bacteremic critically ill patients, likely from intestinal translocation. Preclinical models show that endotoxins can directly injure the kidneys, and in COVID-19 patients, endotoxemia correlated with AKI. We sought to determine correlations between endotoxemia and kidney and hospital outcomes in a broad group of critically ill patients. Methods: In this single-center, serial prospective study, 124 predominantly Caucasian adult patients were recruited within 48 h of admission to Stony Brook University Hospital Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Demographics, vital signs, laboratory data, and outcomes were collected. Circulating endotoxin was measured on days 1, 4, and 8 using the endotoxin activity assay (EAA). The association of EAA with outcomes was examined with EAA: (1) categorized as <0.6, ≥0.6, and nonresponders (NRs); and (2) used as a continuous variable. Results: Patients with EAA ≥0.6 had a higher prevalence of proteinuria, and lower arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) to fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) (SaO2/FiO2) ratio versus patients with EAA <0.6. EAA levels positively correlated with serum creatinine (sCr) levels on day 1. Patients whose EAA level stayed ≥0.6 had a slower decline in sCr compared to those whose EAA started at ≥0.6 and subsequently declined. Patients with AKI stage 1 and EAA ≥0.6 on day 1 showed slower decline in sCr compared to patients with stage 1 AKI and EAA <0.6. EAA ≥0.6 and NR patients had longer hospital stay and delayed ICU discharge versus EAA <0.6. Conclusions: High EAA levels correlated with worse kidney function and outcomes. Patients whose EAA levels fell, and those with AKI stage I and day 1 EAA <0.6 recovered more quickly compared to those with EAA ≥0.6, suggesting that removal of circulating endotoxins may be beneficial in critically ill patients.
Exceptional Response to Pembrolizumab in a Mismatch Repair-Deficient Aggressive Prostate Cancer with Somatic EPCAM, MSH2, and MSH6 Co-Deletion: A Case Report
Authors: Hoch Dennis , Rabaglio Manuela , Grob Tobias , von Gunten Michael , Beyer Jörg , Akhoundova Dilara
Published: November 2023

Mismatch repair-deficient (dMMR) prostate cancer (PCa) is a rare (1–5%) but highly actionable molecular subgroup of PCa, vulnerable to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Our case of sporadic dMMR PCa due to large monoallelic co-deletion of EPCAM, MSH2, and MSH6 features a clinically aggressive disease presentation and a major response to pembrolizumab. We report a 65-year-old patient with primary metastatic PCa, Gleason score 5 + 5 = 10, with penile and lymph node metastases at diagnosis. Patient showed rapid progression on first-line ADT and enzalutamide. Tumor next-generation sequencing (NGS) revealed microsatellite instability and a tumor mutational burden of 40.8 mutations/megabase. Immunohistochemistry showed co-loss of MSH2 and MSH6. Review of NGS row data confirmed large monoallelic deletion in chromosome 2p, including EPCAM, MSH2, and MSH6. No germline alterations in mismatch repair genes were detected. Patient showed excellent response to pembrolizumab, which is still ongoing. We conclude that early molecular tumor profiling is essential to enable personalized management of advanced PCa, especially in patients with aggressive or atypical disease course.
Predictors of Developmental Defects of Enamel in Primary Maxillary Central Incisors Using Bayesian Model Selection
Authors: Reed Susan G. , Fan Sijian , Wagner Carol L , Lawson Andrew B.
Published: November 2023

Introduction: Localized non-inheritable developmental defects of tooth enamel (DDE) are classified as enamel hypoplasia (EH), opacity (OP), and post-eruptive breakdown (PEB) using the enamel defects index. To better understand the etiology of DDE, we assessed the linkages amongst exposome variables for these defects during the specific time duration for enamel mineralization of the human primary maxillary central incisor enamel crowns. In general, these two teeth develop between 13 and 14 weeks in utero and 3–4 weeks’ postpartum of a full-term delivery, followed by tooth eruption at about 1 year of age. Methods: We utilized existing datasets for mother-child dyads that encompassed 12 weeks’ gestation through birth and early infancy, and child DDE outcomes from digital images of the erupted primary maxillary central incisor teeth. We applied a Bayesian modeling paradigm to assess the important predictors of EH, OP, and PEB. Results: The results of Gibbs variable selection showed a key set of predictors: mother’s prepregnancy body mass index (BMI); maternal serum concentrations of calcium and phosphorus at gestational week 28; child’s gestational age; and both mother’s and child’s functional vitamin D deficiency (FVDD). In this sample of healthy mothers and children, significant predictors for OP included the child having a gestational period >36 weeks and FVDD at birth, and for PEB included a mother’s prepregnancy BMI <21.5 and higher serum phosphorus concentration at week 28. Conclusion: In conclusion, our methodology and results provide a roadmap for assessing timely biomarker measures of exposures during specific tooth development to better understand the etiology of DDE for future prevention.
Molecular Profile of Subungual Melanoma: A MelaNostrum Consortium Study of 68 Cases Reporting BRAF, NRAS, KIT, and TERT Promoter Status
Authors: Millan-Esteban David , García-Casado Zaida , Macià Anna , de la Rosa Inés , Torrecilla-Vall-llossera Clara , Penin Rosa Maria , Manrique - Silva Esperanza , Pellegrini Stefania , Biasin Maria Raffaella , Rizzolo Piera , Gavillero Alicia , Di Stefani Alessandro , Pellegrini Cristina , Requena Celia , Fargnoli Maria Concetta , Peris Ketty , Cota Carlo , Menin Chiara , Landi Maria Teresa , Nagore Eduardo
Published: November 2023

Background: Subungual melanoma (SM) is an unusual type of melanocytic tumor affecting the nail apparatus. The mutational prevalence of the most prominently mutated genes in melanoma has been reported in small cohorts of SM, with unclear conclusions on whether SM is different from the rest of melanomas arising in acral locations or not. Hence, the molecular profile of a large series of SM is yet to be described. Objectives: The aim of this study was to describe the molecular characteristics of a large series of SM and their association with demographic and histopathological features. Methods: Patients diagnosed with SM between 2001 and 2021 were identified from six Spanish and Italian healthcare centers. The mutational status for BRAF, NRAS, KIT, and the promoter region of TERT (TERTp) were determined either by Sanger sequencing or next-generation sequencing. Clinical data were retrieved from the hospital databases to elucidate potential associations. Results: A total of 68 SM cases were included. Mutations were most common in BRAF (10.3%) and KIT (10%), followed by NRAS (7.6%), and TERTp (3.8%). Their prevalence was similar to that of non-subungual acral melanoma but higher in SM located on the hand than on the foot. Conclusions: To date, this study represents the largest cohort of SM patients with data on the known driver gene mutations. The low mutation rate supports a different etiopathogenic mechanism for SM in comparison of non-acral cutaneous melanoma, particularly for SM of the foot.
Tempo fotográfico e tempo cinematográfico: reciprocidades
Authors: Dobal Susana
Published: November 2023

If at first cinema can be distinguished for representing the duration of time, photography, in its turn, is known for retaining the flow of time. This division, nevertheless, ends up being merely circumstantial as one considers works that mix the two domains: filmmakers like Godard, David Claerbout and Juan Millares use photography to stop time stream while photographers and artists like Alexey Titarenko, Mimmo Jodice and Douglas Gordon have refused the tyranny of the shutter release that only captures time summits. The dialogue between photography and cinema has been forcing the limits attributed to each of them, thus affecting our perception of how memory works and how time is related to each of these media.
A Imagem imoral: aporia do modelo entre flagrante delito e livre consentimento
Authors: Jesus Samuel de
Published: November 2023

This article analyses the photographic image and the role of the model in relation to its moral, and more precisely immoral, dimension. It raises the following questions: is morality a symptom that precludes any artistic, critical or transgressive attitude? Is it possible to consider the immoral stance of a photographic work when its inherent form is singularly aporetic? To what degree can morality pose a threat to a picture whose non-normative object of representation derives from a non-monstrance: subtly obscene, poetically subversive? Through a series of case-studies, it will be possible to evaluate how the screening and the staging of the model and his/her body can contain the ambiguity of the role and of the status of the model within the photographic and cinematographic practice.
Kieslowski, Jarman e Klein: variações em torno do azul
Authors: Dobal Susana
Published: November 2023

It may happen that the path that departs from interaction towards interiority leads to an urge to encompass the world. Though this experience is impalpable, it has been translated as a colour in cinema and in art.This is the interior movement that informs explorations on the colour blue in three different works: in Krzysztof Kieslowski’s film Bleu, in Derek Jarman’s film Blue and in Yves Klein’s artistic investigation of ultramarine blue. The comparison between them can help elucidate different points: how the colour blue can trigger similar meanings in different contexts; how film and art can engage in a dialogue wherein the singularity of each work helps clarify elements of the other; how an ineffable concept, such as that represented by the blue colour, can fit different artistic languages and different levels of abstraction.
A latitude humana de 'O Sétimo Continente' de Michael Haneke
Authors: Ulhôa Marco Túlio
Published: November 2023

O sétimo continente (1989), de Michael Haneke, é um filme baseado na história real de uma família de classe média austríaca constituída por Georg, um engenheiro; sua esposa Anna, oftalmologista; e sua filha Eva. Diante de uma vida normal cercada por uma rotina comum a qualquer ambiente doméstico, a família decide mudar-se para a Austrália em busca de um recomeço. Porém, tal mudança nada mais seria que um pretexto social para a execução de um plano metódico, onde o casal resolve dar cabo de suas próprias vidas, levando consigo a sua filha.
O filme amador em movimento: os filmes da família Bernas entre o êxodo e o exílio
Authors: Rodovalho Beatriz
Published: November 2023

This article analyses the multiple discourses mobilized by home movies in displacement through the Bernas’s family films, which belong to the amateur film collection of the Forum des Images in Paris. The films shot by the amateur filmmaker Robert Bernas between 1936 and 1966 recorded the family’s displacements between Europe, Africa and North America. Four decades later, they have migrated from the intimate and private circle to the public sphere of the archive. In this context, this text seeks to map the possible readings of the role of the amateur camera as it traverses different territories of culture, memory and history.
On the taxonomy, distribution and the natural history of Lesteva cordicollis Motschulsky, 1860 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Omaliinae, Anthophagini)
Authors: SHAVRIN ALEXEY V.
Published: November 2023

N/A
Is There a Survival Difference Between Male and Female Breast Cancer Subtypes According to the Prognostic Staging System? A Population-Based Cohort Study
Authors: Sanli Ahmet Necati , Tekcan Sanli Deniz Esin , Altundag M Kadri , Aydogan Fatih
Published: November 2023

Background

In retrospective studies investigating the difference in survival by gender, there are conflicting results. It was aimed to compare overall survival (OS) and breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) in male and female breast cancer subtypes according to the prognostic staging system.

Methods

Overall survival rates and BCSS rates of patients diagnosed with breast cancer between 2010 and 2019 compared by gender for all cohorts, stages, and molecular subtypes using the SEER Database. The stage has been rearranged according to the eighth edition of the AJCC.

Results

364 039 patients were included in the study. .7% (n = 2503) of all breast cancers were male breast cancer. Overall survival (male: 5-year OS 73.9%, female = 5-year OS 86%) and BCSS rates (male: 5-year BCSS 78.9%, female = 5-year BCSS 94.7%) were significantly higher in females than in males for all cohorts. OS (male: 5-year OS 66.2% vs female: 5-year OS 88.3%), and BCSS (male: 5-year BCSS 88.4% vs female: 5-year 93.6%) rates were higher in hormone receptor (HR)-positive/Her2-negative female patients. Overall survival rate is higher in females in stage I (male: 5-year OS 81.5%, female: 5-year OS 92.8%), and BCSS rate is higher in stage I (male: 5-year BCSS 94.8%, female: 5-year BCSS 97.5%). Males have 2 times (HR = 2.023) higher overall mortality risk than females, but the risk of dying from breast cancer is only 1.6 times (HR = 1.596) higher.

Conclusions

Breast cancer-specific mortality is significantly higher in male breast cancers, especially in the early stage, and HR-positive subtype than females.
Music on mission: Integrated perspectives on the shared song
Authors: Mugambi Kyama M.
Published: November 2023

African Christian music is a culturally distinct and recognizable element of faith in Africa. This article argues that such music embodies interrelated movements, conceptual and physical. These movements are central to Christian mission that is responsible for Christian expansion in Africa. Little scholarly reflection on the relationship between music in mission in this era might suggest that music is peripheral to mission. Yet, music is an essential element in the practice of mission within and beyond regular worship encounters on the continent. This article contributes to discourse about Christian mission and its relevance in the unprecedented growth of Christianity in Africa in the late 20th century. A World Christianity approach here will apply the framework of translation to assess the missiological implications of movement in music. Case studies of popular Christian music from various parts of the continent will supply the data for this analysis. Drawing on the author’s experiences with music and mission on the continent the article provides insights on revitalization, conversion, and globality in African Christianity. In the analysis, music will be evaluated in its own merit as a critical component of the ongoing undertaking of mission. The article will demonstrate how music provides the context for multiple transformations through performance and belief. These insights contribute to the growing body of knowledge regarding mission in Africa.
What is ‘Neo-Craft’ Work, and Why it Matters
Authors: Gandini Alessandro , Gerosa Alessandro
Published: November 2023

Existing research has highlighted a global return into fashion of craft work in the new century. Within this context, the term ‘neo-craft’ work has been used to identify innovative craft work practices characterized by an aura of ‘coolness’, which promise a less alienated form of work; yet, the specific contours of this new form of work remain uncertain. In this article we develop a theoretical conceptualization of neo-craft work. We define it as an emergent form of post-industrial craft work whereby work that was previously considered low-status, or performed by the working class, is: (a) ‘resignified’ into status-producing activity through the integration of craft practices and values; and (b) conferred new meaningfulness as the outcome of a specific process of discursive materiality, by which the intra-action of discursive and material practices provides meaning to work activity. Neo-craft work, we contend, finds roots in the cultural milieu of hipster culture, where extenuating cultural negotiations around authenticity and ‘the particular’ constitute the baseline for a quest for social status based on practices of ‘marginal distinction’, and sets itself as an alternative not only to industrial work but, primarily, to the precarious, low-paid or otherwise unsatisfactory ‘bullshit jobs’ of the knowledge and creative economy.
Hypersensitivity to opening of ATP-sensitive potassium channels in post-traumatic headache
Authors: Al-Khazali Haidar M. , Christensen Rune H. , Dodick David W. , Chaudhry Basit Ali , Burstein Rami , Ashina Håkan
Published: November 2023

Objective

To investigate whether levcromakalim (a KATP channel opener) induces migraine-like headache in people with persistent post-traumatic headache who had no known history of migraine.

Methods

In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 2-way crossover trial, participants were randomly assigned to receive a 20-minute continuous intravenous infusion of levcromakalim (50 µg/mL) or placebo (isotonic saline) on two separate experimental days with a 1-week wash-out period in between. The primary endpoint was the difference in incidence of migraine-like headache between levcromakalim and placebo during a 12-hour observational period after infusion start. The secondary endpoint was the difference in area under the curve for baseline-corrected median headache intensity scores between levcromakalim and placebo during the 12-hour observational period.

Results

A total of 21 participants with persistent post-traumatic headache were randomized and completed the trial. During the 12-hour observational period, 12 (57%) of 21 participants reported experiencing migraine-like headache following the levcromakalim infusion, compared with three after placebo ( P = 0.013). Moreover, the baseline-corrected median headache intensity scores were higher following the levcromakalim infusion than after placebo ( P = 0.003).

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that KATP channels play an important role in the pathogenesis of migraine-like headache in people with persistent post-traumatic headache. This implies that KATP channel blockers might represent a promising avenue for drug development. Further research is warranted to explore the potential therapeutic benefits of KATP channel blockers in managing post-traumatic headache. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05243953
Ibn Khaldûn and the Political Economy of Communication in the Age of Digital Capitalism
Authors: Fuchs Christian
Published: November 2023

Ibn Khaldûn (1332–1406) was a philosopher, historian and sociologist. This paper asks: What elements of the Political Economy of Communication are there in Ibn Khaldûn’s work and how do they matter in digital capitalism? It presents relevant passages from Khaldûn’s main work Muqaddimah and points out parallels between the Muqaddimah and works in Political Economy, especially Karl Marx’s approach of the Critique of Political Economy. The comparison of Khaldûn to Marx is not an arbitrary choice. Several scholars have pointed out parallels between the two’s works with respect to general Political Economy. It, therefore, makes sense to, also, compare Khaldûn and Marx in the context of the Political Economy of Communication. The paper analyses the relevance of Khaldûn’s ideas in digital capitalism. Khaldûn’s works are situated in the context of media and communication theory, digital automation, Facebook, Google, labour in informational and digital capitalism, Amazon, the tabloid press, fake news and post-truth culture. The analysis shows that Khaldûn’s Muqaddimah is an early work in Political Economy that can and should inform our contemporary critical analysis of communication in society, communication in capitalism and class society, ideology and digital capitalism. What connects Marx and Khaldûn is that they were critical scholars who although living at different times in different parts of the world saw the importance of the analysis of class and communication. Their works can and should inform the Political Economy of Communication and the analysis of digital capitalism.