bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exosomal AFAP1-AS1 binds to microRNA-15a-5p to promote the proliferation, migration, and invasion of ectopic endometrial stromal cells in endometriosis
Authors: Wang Xi , Zhang Mengmeng , Jiang Liaofei , Fang Xiaoling , Zhang Tingting
Published: May 2022

Background

Endometriosis (EMS) remains a major challenge to reproductive health due to multifactorial etiology, disease heterogeneity, and the lack of appropriate diagnostic markers and treatment. Eexosome (Exo) has become a major factor in progression of a variety of diseases. However, the mechanisms directing their role in the pathophysiology of EMS are ill-defined. Here, we aimed to investigate the clinical implications of actin filament associated protein 1-Antisense RNA 1 (AFAP1-AS1) in EMS.

Methods

Bioinformatics analysis was used to predict the expression and interaction of AFAP1-AS1, miR-15a-5p and BCL9 in EMS, and dual luciferase reporter assay was used to verify the targeted relationship of AFAP1-AS1, miR-15a-5p, and BCL9. The Exo from endometrial stromal cells (ESCs) was isolated and characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA). Exosome uptake studies were performed. For in vitro assay, ectopic ESCs (EcESCs) proliferation, migration, and invasion were assessed by CCK-8 and Transwell assays. In vivo assay was performed by establishment of EMS mice to validate the result derived from in vitro assay.

Results

The Exo was successfully isolated from ESCs and we observed high expression of AFAP1-AS1 and BCL9 but low expression of miR-15a-5p in EMS. Moreover, Exo derived from EcESCs could deliver AFAP1-AS1 to EcESCs and thus promoting proliferation, migration, and invasion of ESCs. AFAP1-AS1 bound to BCL9, which was targeted by miR-15a-5p in EMS. In vivo experiments in nude mice revealed that inhibition of Exosomal AFAP1-AS1 suppressed migration and invasion of EcESCs through miR-15a-5p/BCL9.

Conclusions

Collectively, these findings suggested that ESCs-derived Exo carrying AFAP1-AS1 contributed to EMS pathogenesis. This study might help us realize the etiology of EMS and improve the treatment of the related complications.
Ivermectin-induced gene expression changes in adult Parascaris univalens and Caenorhabditis elegans: a comparative approach to study anthelminthic metabolism and resistance in vitro
Authors: Dube Faruk , Hinas Andrea , Roy Shweta , Martin Frida , Åbrink Magnus , Svärd Staffan , Tydén Eva
Published: May 2022

Background

The nematodeParascaris univalensis one of the most prevalent parasitic pathogens infecting horses but anthelmintic resistance undermines treatment approaches. The molecular mechanisms underlying drug activity and resistance remain poorly understood in this parasite since experimental in vitro models are lacking. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use ofCaenorhabditis elegansas a model forP. univalensdrug metabolism/resistance studies by a comparative gene expression approach after in vitro exposure to the anthelmintic drug ivermectin (IVM).

Methods

Twelve adultP. univalensworms in groups of three were exposed to ivermectin (IVM, 10–13 M, 10–11 M, 10–9 M) or left unexposed for 24 h at 37 °C, and total RNA, extracted from the anterior end of the worms, was sequenced using Illumina NovaSeq. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved in metabolism, transportation, or gene expression with annotatedCaernorhabditis elegansorthologues were identified as candidate genes to be involved in IVM metabolism/resistance. Similarly, groups of 300 adultC. elegansworms were exposed to IVM (10–9 M, 10–8 M and 10–7 M) or left unexposed for 4 h at 20 °C. Quantitative RT-PCR of RNA extracted from theC. elegansworm pools was used to compare against the expression of selectedP. univalenscandidate genes after drug treatment.

Results

After IVM exposure, 1085 DEGs were found in adultP. univalensworms but the relative gene expression changes were small and large variabilities were found between different worms. Fifteen of the DEGs were chosen for further characterization inC. elegansafter comparative bioinformatics analyses. Candidate genes, including the putative drug targetlgc-37, responded to IVM inP. univalens, but marginal to no responses were observed inC. elegansdespite dose-dependent behavioral effects observed inC. elegansafter IVM exposure. Thus, the overlap in IVM-induced gene expression in this small set of genes was minor in adult worms of the two nematode species.

Conclusion

This is the first time to our knowledge that a comparative gene expression approach has evaluatedC. elegansas a model to understand IVM metabolism/resistance inP. univalens. Genes inP. univalensadults that responded to IVM treatment were identified. However, identifying conserved genes inP. univalensandC. elegansinvolved in IVM metabolism/resistance by comparing gene expression of candidate genes proved challenging. The approach appears promising but was limited by the number of genes studied (n = 15). Future studies comparing a larger number of genes between the two species may result in identification of additional candidate genes involved in drug metabolism and/or resistance.

Graphical Abstract
Analysis of team success based on match technical and running performance in a professional soccer league
Authors: Andrzejewski Marcin , Oliva-Lozano José M. , Chmura Paweł , Chmura Jan , Czarniecki Sławomir , Kowalczuk Edward , Rokita Andrzej , Muyor José M. , Konefał Marek
Published: May 2022

Background

The aims of this study were to (1) determine the match technical and running performance required by different teams based on their final ranking position in a professional soccer league; and (2) analyze the correlation between teams’ success at the end of the season and variables related to match technical and running performance.

Methods

These performance data were collected during a total of 612 matches in the German Bundesliga. The final ranking position and the total of points obtained by each team at the end of the season were registered for the analysis of the correlation between team success and performance.

Results

The main findings were that there was a significant interaction (p < 0.05) between the ranking position, and both match technical and running performance. However, goals scored, saved shots on goal by the goalkeeper, assists, allowed shots on goal, goals conceded, ball possession ratio and successful passes from open play were the variables with the strongest correlation (r > 0.7; p ≤ 0.01) with the total of points obtained at the end of the season.

Conclusions

Strength and conditioning coaches may consider these results to develop adequate training strategies, which may not only optimize performance but also reduce the injury risk.
Bullous pemphigoid associated with squamous cell lung carcinoma showing remarkable response to carboplatin-based chemotherapy: a case report
Authors: Shrestha Prajwol , George Mathew K. , Baidya Sweta , Rai Sunil K.
Published: May 2022

Background

Bullous pemphigoid is an uncommon dermatologic manifestation seen in squamous cell lung cancer, and evidence guiding optimal treatment, especially in the elderly population, is limited. We report herein a case of squamous cell lung cancer diagnosed after being investigated for refractory bullous pemphigoid showing marked response to carboplatin-based chemotherapy. This is the first case report that shows carboplatin can be used as an effective alternative in treatment of malignancy-associated bullous pemphigoid.

Case report

An 80-year-old caucasian man developed extensive vesiculobullous rashes on his trunk, chest, abdomen, and inguinal region associated with significant pruritus causing sleep disturbance. The diagnosis of bullous pemphigoid was confirmed on skin biopsy. The skin lesions continued to worsen even after use of oral and topical steroid in addition to oral doxycycline. Chest computed tomography revealed a spiculated left lung lesion along with mediastinal lymphadenopathy. Fine-needle aspiration from the mediastinal lymph node confirmed metastatic squamous cell lung carcinoma. Carboplatin with gemcitabine was initiated, and significant response was seen within 3 days of chemotherapy. The skin lesions continued to remain in remission even after stopping the chemotherapy.

Conclusion

Although there are still controversies regarding paraneoplastic etiology of bullous pemphigoid, this case presents a temporal association. It is the first case report showing a remarkable response with the use of a carboplatin-based regimen.
Over Diagnosis or a Hidden Epidemic? The Rising Incidence of Thyroid Cancer in Sri Lanka
Authors: Nawaratne Sashiprabha , Vidanapathirana Janaki
Published: May 2022

PURPOSE

Thyroid cancer (TC) is the second commonest cancer among females and the third commonest cancer in both sexes in Sri Lanka. In 2019 the age-standardized rates (ASR) of TC among females and males were greater than the South East Asian estimates and the global estimates of TC for females and males. The aim of the study was to assess the reason for the thyroid cancer burden in Sri Lanka.

METHODS

Secondary data was analyzed from the National Cancer Registry of Sri Lanka. ASR of thyroid cancer was extracted, and age-specific incidence rates were calculated for the respective years. JoinPoint software version 4.9.0.0 was used to analyze trends. Best fit models reported, by Annual Percentage Change and Average Annual Percentage Change (AAPC), 95% CI. A P value < .05 were taken as the level of significance.

RESULTS

A total of Total 23,363 TC cases were reported from 2005 to 2019. Among women, ASR has increased threefold from 2005 to 2019 (5.6-17.3) with an AAPC of 7.5% (95% CI, 4.1 to 11.1, P < .05) and among males a two-fold rise was seen in ASR (1.7-3.9) with AAPC being 8.0% (95% CI, 5.5 to 10.6, P < .05). The highest age-specific incidence rates were seen among women in the reproductive age group (25-34 years). Differentiated thyroid carcinoma comprised 94% (n = 17,861) of all reported TC cases. Papillary TC was the main type of differentiated TC seen in both sexes (n = 14,036).

CONCLUSION

The incidence of TC in Sri Lanka reveals an increasing trend in both sexes. Increase incidence in women in the reproductive age group with a high incidence of papillary TC was highly suggestive of overdiagnosis. However, it cannot be confirmed due to the unavailability of staging and mortality data. Therefore, further studies are recommended to explore the reasons for this observed increase, and the National Cancer Registry should be further strengthened to ensure the completeness of cancer data.
Demonstration of Impact Through the Evaluation of the 2020-2021 Africa Cancer Research and Control ECHO
Authors: Lasebikan Nwamaka , Nakaganda Annet , Fadelu Temidayo , Ibeka Paulette , Haskins Laura , Cira Mishka
Published: May 2022

PURPOSE

The Africa Cancer Research and Control ECHO is a virtual community of practice and knowledge dissemination platform for cancer professionals. Each year, the steering committee completes an evaluation to elicit feedback and inform continuous program improvement. The 2020-2021 evaluation included for the first time a qualitative component, allowing documentation of concrete utilization of knowledge gained from the Africa Cancer ECHO to advance cancer control efforts.

METHODS

Participants were invited to complete a survey about satisfaction, knowledge acquisition, knowledge application, and outcomes of the Africa Cancer ECHO. In addition, six steering committee members completed semi-structured interviews with a focus on program outcomes.

RESULTS

A total of 226 unique people from over 40 organizations participated in the Africa Cancer ECHO during 2020-2021, with 19 sessions hosted on topics across the cancer control continuum. Twenty-two participants representing nine countries and multiple sectors of cancer research and control responded to the survey. They reported participating to gain knowledge (57%), network (21%) and strongly agreed that sessions were relevant and engaging (100%). Reported limitations included obstacles of time (74%), technology (13%) and limited opportunities to engage with partners and participants (50%). Participants applied the knowledge gained in various ways including: adding survivorship to their National Cancer Control Plans (for the first time); adapting training materials to initiate a patient navigation program, partnering to strengthen brachytherapy capacity at the national level and collaboratively conducting a situational analysis of cancer survivorship in the Africa region.

CONCLUSION

The Africa Cancer ECHO provides a relevant and engaging platform which encourages community and the exchange of socio-culturally adapted best practices in cancer research and control in the African region. The mixed methods evaluation approach has deepened understanding of how knowledge exchanged in the ECHO sessions is utilized and applied. More targeted recruitment and retention, as well as facilitation of collaborations beyond the sessions will further strengthen this community.
Age at Diagnosis for Lung, Colon, Breast, and Prostate Cancers: An International Comparative Study
Authors: Zahed Hana , Feng Xiaoshuang , Sheikh Mahdi , Arnold Melina , Bray Freddie , Ferlay Jacques , Shiels Meredith , Robbins Hilary
Published: May 2022

PURPOSE

Differences in the age at diagnosis for lung, colon, breast, and prostate cancers have been reported between low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and high-income countries (HICs). However, this may be influenced by differences in the population age distributions across countries. We aimed to compare the median age at diagnosis for these cancers after adjusting for population age differences.

METHODS

We analyzed data from the Cancer Incidence in 5 Continents (CI5) Volume XI database. It includes information on cancer diagnoses during 2008 to 2012 from cancer registries in 66 countries. We calculated crude median ages at diagnosis for each cancer in each country, and then performed indirect standardization using the age-specific UN world population estimate to remove the influence of population age structure.

RESULTS

Overall, the adjustment for population age structure tended to increase the median ages at diagnosis in LMICs which have younger populations, and decrease them in HICs which have older populations. After standardization, differences between the youngest and oldest median ages of diagnosis across cancer sites were: 11 years for lung cancer (youngest median age observed was 61 in Bulgaria v 71 in Bahrain), 10 years for colon cancer (59 in Iran v 69 New Zealand), 10 years for breast (49 in Algeria v 59 Iceland), and 8 years for prostate cancer (65 in USA v 73 in the Philippines). LMICs had younger ages at diagnosis for colon cancer but older ages at diagnosis for prostate cancer as compared with HICs. Countries with higher smoking prevalence had younger ages at lung cancer diagnosis ( P value Pearson correlation = 0.0025).

CONCLUSION

For lung, colon, breast, and prostate cancers, the differences across countries in the median age at diagnosis range from 8 to 11 years after adjusting for population age distribution. These differences likely reflect population-level variation in risk factors and screening.
Serious Illness Communication in Cancer Care in Africa: A Scoping Review of Empirical Research
Authors: Wabl Chiara A. , Athanas Raymond , Cubaka Vincent , Mushi Beatrice , Ngoma Mamsau , Nsabimana Nicaise , Sama Godfrey , Tuyishime Hubert , Uwamahoro Pacifique , Sanders Justin J. , Sudore Rebecca L. , Van Loon Katherine , Whitaker Evans , DeBoer Rebecca J.
Published: May 2022

PURPOSE

Serious illness communication (SIC) in cancer care describes conversations between clinicians, patients, and families about prognosis and treatment decisions. Cultural context influences SIC. Researchers have studied SIC across diverse settings in Africa. We aimed to describe and synthesize the heterogeneous body of research on SIC practices, preferences, and needs in Africa to identify research and training priorities.

METHODS

Our search strategy identified studies that focused on SIC within cancer or palliative care in Africa. Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic literature search was performed using PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL, African Index Medicus, and PsycINFO, yielding 1811 unique titles. After sequential review of abstracts, full text, and cited references, 42 articles met inclusion criteria. Quantitative and qualitative data describing study characteristics, aims, methods, and findings were abstracted and analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. Critical appraisal was performed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool.

RESULTS

The 42 included articles were published from 1997-2021, half since 2017, representing 16 countries and all African Union regions: West (33%), East (29%), South (21%), North (12%), and Central (5%). Most study designs were qualitative (45%) or quantitative surveys (50%). Study participants included patients (35%), family caregivers (18%), doctors (18%), nurses (12%), and/or other (11%). Study aims focused on disclosure of diagnosis (27%) or prognosis (20%), breaking bad news (15%), general patient-clinician communication (12%), truth-telling (8%), shared decision-making (7%), information needs/preferences (5%), and/or advance care planning (5%). Despite diverse contexts, common themes emerged. Study authors frequently recommended communication skills training. Critical appraisal demonstrated high quality of studies overall.

CONCLUSION

Research on SIC in Africa has increased in recent years. Most studies have focused on information delivery by clinicians; fewer on eliciting information from patients (eg, shared decision-making, advanced care planning). Significant opportunities exist for further study and for communication skills training.
Community Awareness About Pediatric Cancer in Tanzania
Authors: Sanga Erica , Mbata Doris , Msoka Elizabeth , Rajabu Shabani , Karia Francis , Sued Hillary , Pollak Kathryn , Schroeder Kristin
Published: May 2022

PURPOSE

Early hospital presentation and completion of treatment is crucial for better treatment outcomes in children with cancer. There are thousands of children who die of cancer each year without ever being diagnosed in Tanzania. To address this gap and inform childhood cancer awareness campaigns, it is important to understand the inherent cultural values and beliefs that influence health care seeking behavior among the Tanzanian community.

METHODS

This was a descriptive qualitative study conducted in Mwanza, Kilimanjaro and Dar- es Salaam regions. Community members aged ≥ 18 years from three rural and three urban communities were purposively selected to participate in seven focus group discussions (each with 8-12 respondents) between March and June 2021. Data were transcribed, coded and analyzed by thematic content-analysis with the support of NVIVO software.

RESULTS

A total of 72 participants were interviewed. Many had heard of breast or cervical cancer however, awareness of pediatric cancer was low. The belief that cancer in children is caused by witch craft led to initial evaluation by traditional healers leading to delayed presentation to the hospital. Additional community concerns included the cost of transportation and investigations, duration of treatment and community influence on families to abandon hospital treatment for spiritual or traditional treatment.

CONCLUSION

Low community awareness about pediatric cancer, late hospital presentation and treatment abandonment remains a challenge in most parts of Tanzania. The common belief that childhood cancer is a result of witchcraft and superstition contributes to limited health seeking behavior, especially in the rural areas. Cultural and contextually relevant awareness interventions are needed to increase cancer knowledge and cancer health-seeking behavior in Tanzanian communities.
Prioritizing Cancer Care in Low and Middle-Income Countries Using Delta Mortality-to-Incidence Ratios
Authors: Diehl Thomas , Pourdashti Sheida , Schroeder Daniel , Zafar Syed Nabeel
Published: May 2022

PURPOSE

Cancer outcomes are disparate around the world. Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) face higher cancer mortality rates than high-income countries (HICs), and the burden will only intensify as cancer incidence is projected to rise 81% by 2040. Mortality-to-incidence ratios (MIR), calculated by dividing mortality rates by incidence rates, have been used to study disparities in cancer control. By calculating delta mortality-to-incidence ratios (dMIR), the difference between MIRs in HICs and LMICs, we can develop country-specific cancer priority lists for cancer control planning and resource allocation.

METHODS

We extracted country-specific incidence and mortality rates for 35 cancer types from 183 countries using GLOBACAN 2020. Countries were grouped into income categories as defined by the World Bank. Development indicators and country metadata were extracted from the United Nations Development Program. MIRs were calculated for each cancer in every country. Linear regression was used to test relationships between MIRs and development indicators. Delta MIR was calculated for each cancer type by subtracting the average MIR for HICs from the average MIR for LMICs.

RESULTS

For all cancers combined, MIRs varied widely across the globe, ranging from 0.33 in Australia to 0.80 in Gambia. Variation in MIR was low for certain diseases such as pancreas cancer (range = 0.80-1.0), but high for screenable cancers such as breast (0.11-0.63) and colon (0.28-1.0) cancers. Upon multivariate linear regression, MIRs were associated with life expectancy and income index. Cancers of the nasopharynx (0.90), Kaposi sarcoma (0.51), anus (0.46), salivary grands (0.38) and prostate (0.34) had the highest dMIRs.

CONCLUSION

Delta MIRs can be employed to systematically address disparities in global cancer survival. Cancers with the highest dMIRs represent those with the greatest proportion of potentially avoidable deaths and should be targeted first for maximum impact on global cancer mortality. These data can inform country-specific cancer priority lists.
Black Mass; or, a Billion Plagues and More
Authors: Alexander Travis
Published: May 2022

This essay asks how we are to think the ethics of Black Lives Matter protest amid conditions of contagion in the summer of 2020. It argues that the multitude instantiated in these events didn't simply tolerate the biomedical damage that could result from such proximity, but that it stakes a claim for the ethical virtue of exposure and vulnerability. That these viral commonwealths apprehend not exactly Covid itself, but the risk of infection, as a figure for the historicity of Blackness under the necropolitics of medical apartheid and social death. In order to stage this counterintuitive valorization of risk, the essay examines the barebacking and bug chasing subcultures that emerged during the late 1990s. These communities, too, sourced means of filiation, intimacy, and minoritized historicity from their identification with—and desire for—HIV. Thinking these movements together also allows an overdue retelling of AIDS activism through the intersectional lens of a contemporary queer diaspora.
The Politics of Cool
Authors: Viljoen Stella
Published: May 2022

Writing in 2004, bell hooks suggests that Black men respond to histories of patriarchal domination and emotional isolation through a “politics of cool.” She ties the notion of cool to the ability to be “real.” For her this is epitomized by the vulnerability of blues and jazz musicians whose art was historically a form of lament. She contrasts this with the versions of rap and hip-hop that, she says, use “cool” to distance men from their feelings. Whether empowering or a form of further disenfranchisement, the strategies of cool are the subject of this article. It asks how the politics of cool intersects with race and gender. The article considers the epistemology of “cool” across different consumer media. The music video, This Is America, it is argued, resists easy classification but expands the concept of and jouissance of ‘cool’ so that violence too becomes a kind of vulnerability, an expression of pain. The art of Mohau Modisakeng likewise pulls the politics of cool into the gallery and creates new possibilities for the sublimation of righteous anger. Through iterations of cool, Black masculine subjectivities are discussed as in tension with the dream of decolonization and the transnational reality of capitalization.
Glitter, Shine, Glow
Authors: Iqani Mehita
Published: May 2022

This article explores the ways in which patina is deployed in gendered celebrity culture, specifically through forms of visual communication in relation to luxury. The article is framed by literature on race and gender from apartheid to postapartheid, and texture in visual communication in relation to luxury in Africa. The author uses three magazine covers featuring beloved Black South African women celebrities to illustrate three aesthetics of Black feminine success: glitter, shine, and glow. Visually, the three patinas are linked and on the surface might seem indistinguishable, but a difference in positioning and ethic comes through in the discourse animated by each. Glitter is linked to the classic narratives of sexy fame, in which the woman featured is portrayed as the heteronormatively desirable archetype of fun and glamour. Shine is linked to a politicized ethic of visibility, the work of spotlighting presence, legitimacy, and excellence as a role model for a broader feminine community. Glow is linked to a narrative of feminine enlightenment and inner peace, in which beauty comes from within and radiates outward from the skin, and feminine aesthetic labor is harnessed to the project of transcending gross materialism while simultaneously using material cues to communicate that joyful transcendence.
Survival Outcomes After Cytoreductive Surgery with Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy in Patients with Synchronous Versus Metachronous Onset of Peritoneal Metastases of Colorectal Carcinoma
Authors: Dietz Michelle V. , van Kooten Job P. , Said Ibrahim , Brandt-Kerkhof Alexandra R. M. , Verhoef Cornelis , Bremers Andreas J. A. , de Wilt Johannes H. W. , de Reuver Philip R. , Madsen Eva V. E.
Published: May 2022

Background

Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is a treatment option for peritoneal metastases (PM) from colorectal carcinoma (CRC). Because of considerable morbidity, optimal patient selection is essential. This study was designed to determine the impact of the onset of PM (synchronous vs. metachronous) on survival outcomes after CRS-HIPEC.

Methods

Patients undergoing CRS-HIPEC for colorectal PM in two academic centers in the Netherlands between 2010 and 2020 were eligible for inclusion. Patients were classified as synchronous (s-PM, i.e., diagnosis at time of presentation, staging, or primary surgery) or metachronous onset (m-PM, i.e., diagnosis during follow-up) of colorectal PM. Survival outcomes were compared between groups by Kaplan–Meier survival and Cox regression analyses.

Results

Of 390 included patients, 179 (45.9%) had synchronous onset of colorectal PM. These patients more often presented with higher TN-stage and poor differentiation/signet cell histology. Treatment with perioperative chemotherapy was more common in s-PM patients. m-PM patients experienced more serious postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo ≥ III). There was no significant difference in disease-free survival (DFS) between s-PM (median 9 months, interquartile range [IQR] 5–15) and m-PM patients (median 8 months, IQR 5–17). Overall survival (OS) was significantly shorter for s-PM (median 28 months, IQR 11–48) versus m-PM patients (median 33 months, IQR 18–66, p = 0.049). Synchronous onset of PM was not independently associated with OS in a multivariable analysis.

Conclusions

Synchronous onset of colorectal PM was associated with poor tumor characteristics and more advanced disease, but was not an independent predictor of survival outcomes after CRS-HIPEC.
Dynamic and widespread control of poly(A) tail length during macrophage activation
Authors: Kwak Yeonui , Daly Ciarán W.P. , Fogarty Elizabeth A. , Grimson Andrew , Kwak Hojoong
Published: May 2022

The poly(A) tail enhances translation and transcript stability, and tail length is under dynamic control during cell state transitions. Tail regulation plays essential roles in translational timing and fertilization in early development, but poly(A) tail dynamics have not been fully explored in post-embryonic systems. Here, we examined the landscape and impact of tail length control during macrophage activation. Upon activation, more than 1500 mRNAs, including proinflammatory genes, underwent distinctive changes in tail lengths. Increases in tail length correlated with mRNA levels regardless of transcriptional activity, and many mRNAs that underwent tail extension encode proteins necessary for immune function and post-transcriptional regulation. Strikingly, we found that ZFP36, whose protein product destabilizes target transcripts, undergoes tail extension. Our analyses indicate that many mRNAs undergoing tail lengthening are, in turn, degraded by elevated levels of ZFP36, constituting a post-transcriptional feedback loop that ensures transient regulation of transcripts integral to macrophage activation. Taken together, this study establishes the complexity, relevance, and widespread nature of poly(A) tail dynamics, and the resulting post-transcriptional regulation during macrophage activation.
A JUDICIALIZAÇÃO DE LITÍGIOS ESTRUTURAIS COMO ESTRATÉGIA DE MOBILIZAÇÃO POLÍTICA: MUDANÇAS SOCIAIS “DE BAIXO PARA CIMA” OU “DE CIMA PARA BAIXO”?
Authors: França Eduarda Peixoto da Cunha , Nóbrega Flavianne Fernanda Bitencourt
Published: May 2022

Objetivo: O presente artigo estuda como a proteção dos Direitos Socioeconômicos e Culturais (DESC) pelas cortes nacionais, no Sul Global, pode funcionar a partir de uma lógica contra-intuitiva e fomentar desigualdades sociais. No Brasil, foi observado o problema de os indivíduos com situação econômico-financeira mais privilegiada e cientes de sua cidadania serem mais beneficiados com a justiciabilidade dos DESC, em detrimento dos grupos socialmente vulneráveis. Metodologia: O artigo analisa o problema da inefetividade desses direitos a partir do método dedutivo e de pesquisa bibliográfico-documental, investigando como o processo estrutural pode ser uma estratégia de mobilização política para desencadear transformações sociais. Objetiva-se, assim, avançar no debate sobre os papéis que a sociedade civil organizada, bem como os Poderes Constituídos, podem desempenhar na tentativa de superação de falhas sistêmicas que envolvem violações massivas e reiteradas a direitos fundamentais. Nesse contexto, é discutido como mudanças sociais podem ocorrer, “de baixo para cima” ou “de cima para baixo”. Para essa finalidade, foram avaliados os modelos de proteção dos DESC de David Landau, bem como os efeitos provenientes das sentenças estruturais e os impactos das medidas afirmativas e transformativas.Resultados: Ao final, concluiu-se que a judicialização de demandas estruturais a envolver a necessidade de ajuste, desenho ou implementação de uma política pública pode funcionar enquanto meio alternativo à proteção que vem sendo oferecida aos DESC pelos tribunais, desde que juízes utilizem ferramentas processuais dialógicas, ao invés da prolatar decisões atomizadas autorreferenciadas. Assim, a luta por transformações sociais deve ocorrer, necessariamente, da coordenação de esforços entre juízes, instâncias majoritárias e sociedade civil organizada.Contribuições: Introduz os processos estruturais enquanto forma alternativa à proteção atomizada dos direitos sociais, econômicos e culturais, bem como aponta a importância do diálogo e da cooperação para que mudanças sociais efetivas possam acontecer.
Magnetized jets in laboratory astrophysics
Authors: Κουνδουράκης Γεώργιος
Published: May 2022

H ερευνητική συνεισφορά της παρούσης διατριβής αφορά τρείς επιμέρους εργασίες. Πρώτον, τη μαθηματική και γεωμετρική μοντελοποίηση των αρχικών συνθηκών που αφορούν την πυκνότητα ύλης, τη θερμική πίεση και του αντίστοιχου μαγνητικού πεδίου στο μαγνητοϋδροδυναμικό κώδικα για τη βέλτιστη χωροχρονική εξέλιξη και συμπεριφορά του πλάσματος. Δεύτερον, τη συνθετική εργασία φυσικής μοντελοποίησης όλων των φυσικών παραμέτρων που επηρεάζουν τη δυναμική εξέλιξη του πλάσματος και του μαγνητικού πεδίου, όπως, η ηλεκτρική και θερμική αγωγιμότητα, το ιξώδες, ο λογάριθμος Coulomb, οι καταστατικές εξισώσεις, ο βαθμός ιονισμού, η μεταφορά και η απώλεια της ακτινοβολίας του πλάσματος. Η δεύτερη αυτή εργασία, προσφέρει λύση στη φυσική μοντελοποίηση που αφορά όλες τις περιοχές πυκνοτήτων και θερμοκρασιών του πλάσματος. Ο τρίτος και κύριος στόχος εστιάζει στην αριθμητική διερεύνηση και μοντελοποίηση της δυναμικής εξέλιξης του πλάσματος και του παραγόμενου μαγνητικού πεδίου παραγόμενο από οπτοηλεκτρονικές διατάξεις Ζ-pinch και Χ-pinch, μονών, διπλών και πολλών μεταλλικών καλωδίων υπό συνθήκες μεγάλης πυκνότητας κι θερμοκρασίας, για την εξαγωγή συμπερασμάτων του τρόπου δημιουργίας και της δυναμικής εξέλιξης συγκεκριμένων ασταθειών, της κεντρικής περιοχής του X-pinch αλλά κυρίως για τον τρόπο σχηματισμού των πιδάκων πλάσματος που προκύπτουν από διατάξεις Χ-pinch. Για το λόγο αυτό, ένας αρχικά αστροφυσικός κώδικας, ο PLUTO, έχει διαμορφωθεί και μοντελοποιηθεί με επιτυχία, για την μελέτη των προαναφερθέντων διατάξεων πλάσματος. Ένας δεύτερος κώδικας, ο GORGON, χρησιμοποιείται ως εργαλείο σύγκρισης και αξιολόγησης σε μοντέλα διατάξεων X-pinch. Τα συμπεράσματα που εξάγονται δίνουν πολύτιμες πληροφορίες για τον τρόπο σχηματισμού των πιδάκων πλάσματος και των μαγνητοϋδροδυναμικών ασταθειών. Καταληκτικά παρουσιάζεται η πιθανή συσχέτιση των εργαστηριακών πιδάκων πλάσματος με τους αντίστοιχους πίδακες που προκύπτουν από νεαρά αστροφυσικά αντικείμενα (YSO's) και αντικειμένων Herbig Haro (HH). Συγκεκριμένα αυτή η εργασία συνεισφέρει στην εκτίμηση των παραγόντων κλίμακας και όλων των σχετικών αδιάστατων αριθμών και παραμέτρων που αφορούν τη συσχέτιση των αστροφυσικών και εργαστηριακών πιδάκων πλάσματος που παράγονται από μία διάταξη X-pinch, δύο καλωδίων Βολφραμίου, χαμηλού παλμικού ρεύματος.
Análisis comparativo de la personalidad en las marcas de alimento para mascotas en la ciudad de Bogotá
Authors: Cristancho Triana Gerson Jaquin , Lopez Diaz Alejandra , Muñoz Mercha´n Erika Julieth , Vigoya Naranjo Jennifer Catherine
Published: May 2022

La personalidad de marca es una percepción ampliada que tiene el consumidor hacia las marcas, lo que involucra una relación con este y se fundamenta en aspectos relacionados en la compra como el precio, la calidad o el sabor; pero asociar características de personalidad y emocionalidad a la marca genera una percepción interesante que define el mismo consumidor. Por ello este artículo tiene como objetivo identificar la personalidad de marca percibida hacia las marcas de alimento para mascotas, perros y gatos, por parte de sus dueños en la ciudad de Bogotá. Para esto se llevó a cabo un estudio descriptivo y de corte transversal, a través de la aplicación de un instrumento a 388 personas dueñas de mascotas perros y gatos. Entre los resultados se destacó el reconocimiento como uno de los principales rasgos de personalidad que identifican a estas marcas de alimentos, ya que es un factor que sí influye en la decisión de compra y si el consumidor es de un nivel socioeconómico menor, logra percibir o identificar más fácil los rasgos de personalidad en las marcas.
Network Design with Service Requirements: Scaling-up the Size of Solvable Problems
Authors: Gudapati Naga V. C. , Malaguti Enrico , Monaci Michele
Published: May 2022

Network design, a cornerstone of mathematical optimization, is about defining the main characteristics of a network satisfying requirements on connectivity, capacity, and level-of-service. It finds applications in logistics and transportation, telecommunications, data sharing, energy distribution, and distributed computing. In multicommodity network design, one is required to design a network minimizing the installation cost of its arcs and the operational cost to serve a set of point-to-point connections. The definition of this prototypical problem was recently enriched by additional constraints imposing that each origin-destination of a connection is served by a single path satisfying one or more level-of-service requirements, thus defining the Network Design with Service Requirements. These constraints are crucial, for example, in telecommunications and computer networks to ensure reliable and low-latency communication. In this paper we provide a new formulation for the problem, where variables are associated with paths satisfying the end-to-end service requirements. We present a fast algorithm for enumerating all the exponentially many feasible paths, and when this is not viable, we provide a column generation scheme that is embedded into a branch-and-cut-and-price algorithm. Extensive computational experiments on a large set of instances show that our approach can move a step further in the solution of the network design with service requirements compared with the current state-of-the-art.
The accuracy of reporting of periprosthetic joint infection to the Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Replacement Registry
Authors: Sinagra Zachary P. , Davis Joshua S. , Lorimer Michelle , de Steiger Richard N. , Graves Stephen E. , Yates Piers , Manning Laurens
Published: May 2022

Aims

National joint registries under-report revisions for periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). We aimed to validate PJI reporting to the Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Arthroplasty Registry (AOANJRR) and the factors associated with its accuracy. We then applied these data to refine estimates of the total national burden of PJI.

Methods

A total of 561 Australian cases of confirmed PJI were captured by a large, prospective observational study, and matched to data available for the same patients through the AOANJRR.

Results

In all, 501 (89.3%) cases of PJI recruited to the prospective observational study were successfully matched with the AOANJRR database. Of these, 376 (75.0%) were captured by the registry, while 125 (25.0%) did not have a revision or reoperation for PJI recorded. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, early (within 30 days of implantation) PJIs were less likely to be reported (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 0.56; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.34 to 0.93; p = 0.020), while two-stage revision procedures were more likely to be reported as a PJI to the registry (OR 5.3 (95% CI 2.37 to 14.0); p ≤ 0.001) than debridement and implant retention or other surgical procedures. Based on this data, the true estimate of the incidence of PJI in Australia is up to 3,900 cases per year.

Conclusion

In Australia, infection was not recorded as the indication for revision or reoperation in one-quarter of those with confirmed PJI. This is better than in other registries, but suggests that registry-captured estimates of the total national burden of PJI are underestimated by at least one-third. Inconsistent PJI reporting is multifactorial but could be improved by developing a nested PJI registry embedded within the national arthroplasty registry. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2022;3(5):367–373.
Spatial Processing Using High-Fidelity Models of Dual-Polarization Antenna Elements
Authors: Spitzmiller John N. , Choi Sanyi Y.
Published: May 2022

This paper generalizes a recent improvement to a traditional spatial-processing algorithm to optimally use body-mounted arrays of dual-polarization radio-frequency antenna elements rather than single-polarization antenna elements. The paper’s generalized algorithm exploits high-fidelity far-field gain and polarization data, generated most practically by a computational electromagnetic solver (CES), to characterize the antenna array’s individual dual-polarization elements. Using this characterization and that of the desired and undesired communication nodes’ antennas, the generalized algorithm determines the array’s optimal weights. The subsequent application of a CES to a practical scenario, in which an optimally weighted array of dual-polarization antenna elements is mounted on a representative body, demonstrates the generalized algorithm’s exceptional spatial-processing performance.
Surrogate-Based Design Optimization of Multi-Band Antenna
Authors: Belen Aysu , Tari Ozlem , Mahouti Peyman , Belen Mehmet A. , Çalışkan Alper
Published: May 2022

In this work, design optimization process of a multi-band antenna via the use of artificial neural network (ANN) based surrogate model and meta-heuristic optimizers are studied. For this mean, first, by using Latin-Hyper cube sampling method, a data set based on 3D full wave electromagnetic (EM) simulator is generated to train an ANN-based model. By using the ANN-based surrogate model and a meta-heuristic optimizer invasive weed optimization (IWO), design optimization of a multi-band antenna for (1) 2.4–3.6 GHz for ISM, LTE, and 5G sub-frequencies, and (2) 9–10 GHz for X-band applications is aimed. The obtained results are compared with the measured and simulated results of 3D EM simulation tool. Results show that the proposed methodology provides a computationally efficient design optimization process for design optimization of multi-band antennas.
Modeling the Performance Impact of Anisotropic Unit Cells Used in Additively Manufactured Luneburg Lenses
Authors: LaRocca Brian , Mirotznik Mark
Published: May 2022

Additively manufactured graded index lenses, such as the Luneburg lens, often result in some degree of uniaxial anisotropy in the effective permittivity distribution. A uniaxially anisotropic Luneburg lens modifies the polarization state of an incident electromagnetic field, thus giving rise to a polarization mismatch at the receiving antenna. Using 3D finite element simulation, the lens focal point polarization is analyzed and a model that fits the simulation data is created. The model allows prediction of polarization mismatch loss given any incident field and any receiving antenna polarization without resorting to further time-consumingsimulations.
Fourier single pixel imaging reconstruction method based on the U-net and attention mechanism at a low sampling rate
Authors: Jiang Pengfei , Liu Jianlong , Wu Long , Xu Lu , Hu Jiemin , Zhang Jianlong , Zhang Yong , Yang Xu
Published: May 2022

There exists the contradiction between imaging efficiency and imaging quality for Fourier single-pixel imaging (FSI). Although the deep learning approaches have solved this problem to some extent, the reconstruction quality at low sampling rate is still not enough to meet the practical requirements. To solve this problem, inspired by the idea of super-resolution, this paper proposes the paralleled fusing of the U-net and attention mechanism to improve the quality of FSI reconstruction at a low sampling rate. This paper builds a generative adversarial network structure to achieve recovery of high-resolution target images from low-resolution FSI reconstruction results under low sampling rate conditions. Compared with conventional FSI and other deep learning methods based on FSI, the proposed method can get better quality and higher resolution results at low sampling rates in simulation and experiments. This approach is particularly important to high-speed Fourier single pixel imaging applications.
Skew-lens image rotator
Authors: Bělín Jakub , Ferenczi Gergely , Courtial Johannes
Published: May 2022

We construct combinations of three skew ideal lenses whose mapping between object and image space corresponds to a rotation of the object space around a common intersection line of all included lenses. The angle of image rotation Δθ can be set arbitrarily within a range (0, 2π) by tuning the parameters of the lenses. The resulting skew-lens image rotator could form the basis of novel applications, e.g. simulating curved spaces.
Do multiple experimenters improve the reproducibility of animal studies?
Authors: von Kortzfleisch Vanessa Tabea , Ambrée Oliver , Karp Natasha A. , Meyer Neele , Novak Janja , Palme Rupert , Rosso Marianna , Touma Chadi , Würbel Hanno , Kaiser Sylvia , Sachser Norbert , Richter S. Helene
Published: May 2022

The credibility of scientific research has been seriously questioned by the widely claimed “reproducibility crisis”. In light of this crisis, there is a growing awareness that the rigorous standardisation of experimental conditions may contribute to poor reproducibility of animal studies. Instead, systematic heterogenisation has been proposed as a tool to enhance reproducibility, but a real-life test across multiple independent laboratories is still pending. The aim of this study was therefore to test whether heterogenisation of experimental conditions by using multiple experimenters improves the reproducibility of research findings compared to standardised conditions with only one experimenter. To this end, we replicated the same animal experiment in 3 independent laboratories, each employing both a heterogenised and a standardised design. Whereas in the standardised design, all animals were tested by a single experimenter; in the heterogenised design, 3 different experimenters were involved in testing the animals. In contrast to our expectation, the inclusion of multiple experimenters in the heterogenised design did not improve the reproducibility of the results across the 3 laboratories. Interestingly, however, a variance component analysis indicated that the variation introduced by the different experimenters was not as high as the variation introduced by the laboratories, probably explaining why this heterogenisation strategy did not bring the anticipated success. Even more interestingly, for the majority of outcome measures, the remaining residual variation was identified as an important source of variance accounting for 41% (CI95[34%, 49%]) to 72% (CI95[58%, 88%]) of the observed total variance. Despite some uncertainty surrounding the estimated numbers, these findings argue for systematically including biological variation rather than eliminating it in animal studies and call for future research on effective improvement strategies.
Defining the determinants of protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection and viral control in a dose-down Ad26.CoV2.S vaccine study in nonhuman primates
Authors: Zhu Daniel Y. , Gorman Matthew J. , Yuan Dansu , Yu Jingyou , Mercado Noe B. , McMahan Katherine , Borducchi Erica N. , Lifton Michelle , Liu Jinyan , Nampanya Felix , Patel Shivani , Peter Lauren , Tostanoski Lisa H. , Pessaint Laurent , Van Ry Alex , Finneyfrock Brad , Velasco Jason , Teow Elyse , Brown Renita , Cook Anthony , Andersen Hanne , Lewis Mark G. , Lauffenburger Douglas A. , Barouch Dan H. , Alter Galit
Published: May 2022

Despite the rapid creation of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines, the precise correlates of immunity against severe Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) are still unknown. Neutralizing antibodies represent a robust surrogate of protection in early Phase III studies, but vaccines provide protection prior to the evolution of neutralization, vaccines provide protection against variants that evade neutralization, and vaccines continue to provide protection against disease severity in the setting of waning neutralizing titers. Thus, in this study, using an Ad26.CoV2.S dose-down approach in nonhuman primates (NHPs), the role of neutralization, Fc effector function, and T-cell immunity were collectively probed against infection as well as against viral control. While dosing-down minimally impacted neutralizing and binding antibody titers, Fc receptor binding and functional antibody levels were induced in a highly dose-dependent manner. Neutralizing antibody and Fc receptor binding titers, but minimally T cells, were linked to the prevention of transmission. Conversely, Fc receptor binding/function and T cells were linked to antiviral control, with a minimal role for neutralization. These data point to dichotomous roles of neutralization and T-cell function in protection against transmission and disease severity and a continuous role for Fc effector function as a correlate of immunity key to halting and controlling SARS-CoV-2 and emerging variants.