bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Epicardial EMT and cardiac repair: an update
Authors: Foglio Eleonora , D’Avorio Erica , Nieri Riccardo , Russo Matteo Antonio , Limana Federica
Published: July 2024

Epicardial epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a pivotal role in both heart development and injury response and involves dynamic cellular changes that are essential for cardiogenesis and myocardial repair. Specifically, epicardial EMT is a crucial process in which epicardial cells lose polarity, migrate into the myocardium, and differentiate into various cardiac cell types during development and repair. Importantly, following EMT, the epicardium becomes a source of paracrine factors that support cardiac growth at the last stages of cardiogenesis and contribute to cardiac remodeling after injury. As such, EMT seems to represent a fundamental step in cardiac repair. Nevertheless, endogenous EMT alone is insufficient to stimulate adequate repair. Redirecting and amplifying epicardial EMT pathways offers promising avenues for the development of innovative therapeutic strategies and treatment approaches for heart disease. In this review, we present a synthesis of recent literature highlighting the significance of epicardial EMT reactivation in adult heart disease patients.
piscesCSM: prediction of anticancer synergistic drug combinations
Authors: AlJarf Raghad , Rodrigues Carlos H. M. , Myung Yoochan , Pires Douglas E. V. , Ascher David B.
Published: July 2024

While drug combination therapies are of great importance, particularly in cancer treatment, identifying novel synergistic drug combinations has been a challenging venture. Computational methods have emerged in this context as a promising tool for prioritizing drug combinations for further evaluation, though they have presented limited performance, utility, and interpretability. Here, we propose a novel predictive tool, piscesCSM, that leverages graph-based representations to model small molecule chemical structures to accurately predict drug combinations with favourable anticancer synergistic effects against one or multiple cancer cell lines. Leveraging these insights, we developed a general supervised machine learning model to guide the prediction of anticancer synergistic drug combinations in over 30 cell lines. It achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of up to 0.89 on independent non-redundant blind tests, outperforming state-of-the-art approaches on both large-scale oncology screening data and an independent test set generated by AstraZeneca (with more than a 16% improvement in predictive accuracy). Moreover, by exploring the interpretability of our approach, we found that simple physicochemical properties and graph-based signatures are predictive of chemotherapy synergism. To provide a simple and integrated platform to rapidly screen potential candidate pairs with favourable synergistic anticancer effects, we made piscesCSM freely available online at https://biosig.lab.uq.edu.au/piscescsm/ as a web server and API. We believe that our predictive tool will provide a valuable resource for optimizing and augmenting combinatorial screening libraries to identify effective and safe synergistic anticancer drug combinations.

Scientific contribution

This work proposes piscesCSM, a machine-learning-based framework that relies on well-established graph-based representations of small molecules to identify and provide better predictive accuracy of syngenetic drug combinations. Our model, piscesCSM, shows that combining physiochemical properties with graph-based signatures can outperform current architectures on classification prediction tasks. Furthermore, implementing our tool as a web server offers a user-friendly platform for researchers to screen for potential synergistic drug combinations with favorable anticancer effects against one or multiple cancer cell lines.
A decade of liver transplantation in Mongolia: Economic insights and cost analysis
Authors: Tsengel Amarjargal , Orgoi Sergelen , Damdinbazar Otgonbayar , Badarch Bat-Ireedui , Ganbold Urnultsaikhan , Batsuuri Batsaikhan , Mukhtar Yerkyebulan , Bat-Erdene Batsaikhan , Lei Liu , Bazarsad Tserenbat , Zandanbazar Undarmaa , Yundendorj Gantugs
Published: July 2024

Background

Mongolia introduced liver transplantation 10 years ago, becoming the 46th country globally to successfully perform this procedure. However, the cost of liver transplantation treatment remains expensive in Mongolia, a lower-middle-income country. Thus, the need to calculate the cost of liver transplants, a highly-valued treatment, forms the basis for this study.

Methods

This study employed a retrospective research design with secondary data. The primary dataset comprised 143 cases of liver transplantation performed at the First Central Hospital of Mongolia between 2011 and 2021.

Results

The average cost of a liver transplant in Mongolia is $39,589 ± 10,308, with 79.6% being direct costs and 20.4% indirect costs. Of the direct costs, 71% were attributed to drugs, medical equipment, and supplies, while 8.6% accounted for salaries. In terms of the Model of End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) scores, treatment costs were $39,205 ± 10,786 for patients with MELD ≤ 14 points, $40,296 ± 1,517 for patients with MELD 15–20 points, $39,352 ± 8,718 for patients with MELD 21–27 points, and $39,812 ± 9,954 for patients with MELD ≤ 28 points, with no statistically significant difference (P = 0.953). However, when calculated according to the Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) score classification, treatment cost for CTP-A patients was $35,970 ± 6,879, for CTP-B patients $41,951 ± 12,195, and for CTP-C patients $37,396 ± 6,701, which was statistically significant (Р=0.015).

Conclusion

The average cost of liver transplantation treatment in Mongolia was $39,589. Despite medical facilities’ capacity to treat up to 50 patients annually, the waiting list exceeds 300 individuals, highlighting significant unmet healthcare needs.
Cultural factors influencing COVID-19-related perceptions and behavior, seen from immigrants’ own perspective – a qualitative study in Norway
Authors: Vederhus Solveig , Myhre Eirik , Diaz Esperanza , Kvalvik Liv Grimstvedt
Published: July 2024

Background

Cultural factors are often mentioned as a possible explanation for the observed differences between immigrant populations compared to general populations with regards to COVID-19 disease burden and vaccination rates, but usually without any further exploration of what this entails. This paper aims to capture the thoughts of immigrants themselves and explore how they think culture may or may not have affected vaccination rates and health behavior during the pandemic.

Methods

We performed qualitative interviews with 18 immigrants from Poland, Somalia and Sri Lanka living in Norway. Group interviews and individual interviews were transcribed and analyzed using systematic text condensation.

Results

We identified four main themes the participants thought could influence spread of infection and vaccine hesitancy: cultural factors, transcultural factors, host society factors, and other personal factors. Social habits, religious traditions, attitudes towards and trust in the healthcare system, sense of community and societal duty were understood as cultural factors that influenced health behavior and vaccination hesitancy. However, different cultural factors could have varied impact on immigrants’ behavior related to COVID-19 and possibly other health settings for different immigrant groups. In addition, we found examples of other factors related to being ‘between cultures’, and we found structural and socioeconomic factors not linked to culture.

Conclusions

Our paper brings awareness to how rules and guidelines may hit harder and interfere more in the way of life in some communities than others. In the continued work towards equity in health promotion and healthcare services, policymakers ought to keep the existence of such cultural differences in mind, to be able to make policies well fitted to ensure good health and quality of life for all.
A case of severe opioid and methamphetamine use disorder in a 14 year old
Authors: Allami Nadia , O’Connor Kristen , Bagley Sarah M.
Published: July 2024

We present the case of a 14-year-old who established care at our primary care clinic after hospitalization for unintentional fentanyl overdose. They were diagnosed with severe opioid use disorder (OUD) and stimulant use disorder (StUD) and initiated buprenorphine while inpatient. They were then transitioned to the only known outpatient primary care clinic in her county who was actively providing medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in adolescents.

At the first visit, they reported a history of 20 overdoses, struggling with adherence to buprenorphine and continued opioid cravings. An overdose safety plan was reviewed with them and their parent including providing them naloxone kits, fentanyl test strips, and education handout sheets. Due to their significant overdose history and adherence challenges with sublingual buprenorphine, they were started on long-acting injectable buprenorphine (LAIB) with weekly provider visits and urine toxicology screening. In collaboration with the treatment team, they initiated behavioral treatment with contingency management (CM), with incentives for appointment completion, expected urine results, and successful medication administration. Over the next 19 months, and to date, they have increasingly engaged with care and have remained abstinent. LAIB may be an appealing alternative for adolescents with OUD to improve adherence and reduce risk of recurrent use and overdose. Adjunctive treatment with CM may improve retention in MOUD and have the benefit of treating StUD. There is a need for further research to explore innovative, community-based treatment for youth with OUD.
Effects of broadband music and audible band music on relaxation states and cognitive function in young adults: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Lin Lu , Zuo Shufang , Liu Yao , Masato Ito , Wataru Machidori , Yasuhiro Kumamoto , Isao Kakuhari , Chen Si , Wang Ziyu , Ye Cui , Huang Xuan
Published: July 2024

Background

Although broadband music with inaudible high-frequency components may benefit human well-being, this research area is largely unexplored and lacks sufficient studies on the topic. This study aimed to investigate and compare the effects of broadband and audible band music on relaxation states and cognitive function in young adults.

Methods

A single-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted in a professional soundproof laboratory from December 22, 2022, to January 18, 2023 with 32 participants randomly assigned to two groups, “Day 1 broadband + Day 2 audible band” (n = 16) and “Day 1 audible band + Day 2 broadband” (n = 16), listening to either broadband or audible band music (the same music piece played on the piano and harp) for two sessions of 15 min each on two consecutive days. Cognitive function was measured using CNS Vital Signs at pre-listening, after the 1st session, and after the 2nd session, while heart rate was monitored throughout the experiment. Visual Analog Scale was also administered for self-reported arousal, stress, thinking ability, and attention following each listening session.

Results

No significant differences were found in heart rate, cognitive flexibility, and executive function between the broadband listening group and the audible band-listening group (p > 0.05). However, the broadband group exhibited significant differences in mean heart rate at several time points, as well as a significant improvement in VAS stress level during the 2nd listening session compared to the 1st (p < 0.05). On the other hand, significant improvements in cognitive flexibility and executive function were observed in the audible band group across different time points (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Comparative analysis showed that broadband and audible band music influenced cognitive function differently. Short-term audible band music listening significantly improved cognitive flexibility and executive function, while short-term broadband music listening significantly reduced reaction time in cognitive tests. Additionally, broadband music consistently resulted in lower mean heart rates compared to audible band music at all time points, suggesting that it may be more effective in promoting relaxation and reducing stress, although these differences were not statistically significant. Since the cognitive enhancing effects of broadband music may be counteracted by the drowsy effect of the selected relaxing music, using different types of music may be necessary to confirm its effects in future studies.
A qualitative approach to assess the opinion of physicians about the challenges and prospects of pharmacogenomic testing implementation in clinical practice in Greece
Authors: Koufaki Margarita-Ioanna , Patrinos George P. , Vasileiou Konstantinos Z.
Published: July 2024

Background

Pharmacogenomics (PGx) constitutes an important part of personalized medicine and has several clinical applications. PGx role in clinical practice is known, however, it has not been widely adopted yet. In this study, we aim to investigate the perspectives of Greek physicians regarding the implementation of PGx testing in clinical practice and the key issues associated with it.

Methods

Fourteen interviews were conducted with physicians of various specialties for which PGx applications are available. A semi-structured interview guide was utilized based on the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) context and the Diffusion of Innovation model. Transcripts were coded independently and compared by two members of the research team. Descriptive statistics were generated using Microsoft Excel.

Results

Six main themes emerged: awareness and use of PGx testing; source of information; key stakeholders of the PGx supply chain, their interactions and change agents; clinical benefit and significance of PGx testing; barriers and lack of reimbursement; and recommendations to boost the PGx adoption rate. Most respondents were aware of PGx applications, but only three had already recommended PGx testing. Peer-reviewed journals along with clinical guidelines were regarded as the most used source of information while stakeholders of the PGx supply chain were discussed. PGx was considered that promote patient-centered care, enhance medication clinical effectiveness, decrease the risk of side effects, and reduce healthcare costs. Lack of reimbursement, scarcity of resources, and high PGx cost were the foremost barriers affecting PGx adoption.

Conclusions

It was concluded that if case PGx testing is reimbursed and physicians’ training is reinforced, PGx implementation will be boosted and improved shortly.
Portfolios versus exams: a study to gauge the better student assessment tool
Authors: Zaabalawi Rafe S. , Zaabalawi Jawad
Published: July 2024

Portfolio assessment is a method used by teachers to evaluate their students’ academic performance by giving them several assignments and/or projects to work on during the semester. This is one alternative to exams which are an assessment tool seldom questioned for its validity and efficacy. This study seeks to scrutinize both of the mentioned methods of assessment and determine which is more accurate and viable to be adopted in tertiary education. A cohort of sixty 20–22-year-old university students in the College of Engineering at the American University of Sharjah participated in this study. They were required to complete a questionnaire comprising 12 questions concerning the academic, mental health, and professional benefits that students can enjoy as a result of being tested by means of portfolio assessment instead of exams. The research question is as follows: Is portfolio assessment a generally more viable method of evaluating university students’ academic performance than exams in terms of the potential academic, mental health, and professional benefits which such an assessment affords students? Overall, portfolio assessment was found to be a much more appropriate method of assessing university students than exams. The results of the study have implications for university professors, education experts, and examiners.
An independent Taiwanese lineage of powdery mildew on the endemic host species Koelreuteria henryi
Authors: Yeh Yu-Wei , Kirschner Roland
Published: July 2024

Background

Powdery mildews (Erysiphaceae, Ascomycota) are common plant disease agents and also cause stress for forest and fruit trees worldwide as well as in Taiwan. The powdery mildew Erysiphe bulbouncinula on Koelreuteria host trees was considered an endemic species in China. While in China the host was K. paniculata and only the teleomorph stage found, the anamorph and the teleomorph were both recorded for the host in Taiwan, K. henryi. We aimed to clarify the relationship of the powdery mildews recorded under E. bulbouncinula with an apparently disjunct distribution.

Results

Specimens of powdery mildew on K. henryi from Taiwan were characterized based on the anamorph morphology and DNA sequences. They revealed a new record of Sawadaea koelreuteriae for this host species and Taiwan and a new species of Erysiphe, E. formosana, sister to E. bulbouncinula from China.

Conclusions

In Erysiphe on Koelreuteria hosts, speciation of plant parasitic fungi seems to be correlated with disjunct host and geographic distribution possibly shaped by extinction of potential host species which are known only as fossils. Two of the three extant East Asian species of Koelreuteria are now known as hosts of specific Erysiphe species. We may predict a further not yet discovered Erysiphe species on the third East Asian species, K. bipinnata, in South and Southwest China. In the speciation in Sawadaea, the extinction events in Koelreuteria can be excluded from being involved.
Addressing opioid misuse through community-engaged strategy development: study protocol of a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Zimmerman Emily B. , Rafie Carlin , Wenzel Sophie G. , Hosig Kathryn , Villani Domenique , Dance Jon , Lee Samantha S.
Published: July 2024

Background

Involving stakeholders in the research process facilitates collaboration, increasing understanding of factors influencing their wellbeing and motivating community action. Currently, there is a need for randomized controlled trials to evaluate the effectiveness of community-engaged research approaches for health, well-being, and engagement outcomes. In this study, we evaluate the effectiveness of both the SEED Method and a modified Delphi method in a participatory project to develop local strategies to address the opioid epidemic in three rural communities. The purpose of this study is to increase the level of evidence for community-engaged research methods through a randomized controlled trial.

Methods

Two communities will use the SEED Method and one will use a modified Delphi method. We aim to recruit a total of 144 participants (48 per community). The evaluation team will randomize participants to an intervention group or a control group. In addition, we will collect outcome data from the participatory research team members leading the projects in each county (n = 18) and from additional community members who participate in focus groups (n = 32). The primary outcome for all participants will be the change in self-reported civic engagement as measured by the total score on the Individual Mobilization Scale.

Discussion

In the context of participatory action to address opioid misuse in rural counties, this study will provide an understanding of the effectiveness of two community engagement methods for increasing civic engagement, as well as the extent to which participants successfully create locally tailored action strategies. The study will also explore how the observed effects differ depending on the participant’s role in the project (stakeholder participant, community research team member, or focus group participant), which is an important consideration for participatory research.
Development of 3D-printed universal adapter in enhancing retinal imaging accessibility
Authors: Latip Aisya Amelia Abdul , Kipli Kuryati , Kamaruddin Abang Mohammad Nizam Abang , Sapawi Rohana , Lias Kasumawati , Jalil Muhammad Arif , Tamrin Khairul Fikri , Tajudin Nurul Mirza Afiqah , Ong Han Yi , Mahmood Muhammad Hamdi , Jali Suriati Khartini , Sahari Siti Kudnie , Mat Dayang Azra Awang , Lim Lik Thai
Published: July 2024

Background

The revolutionary technology of smartphone-based retinal imaging has been consistently improving over the years. Smartphone-based retinal image acquisition devices are designed to be portable, easy to use, and cost-efficient, which enables eye care to be more widely accessible especially in geographically remote areas. This enables early disease detection for those who are in low- and middle- income population or just in general has very limited access to eye care. This study investigates the limitation of smartphone compatibility of existing smartphone-based retinal image acquisition devices. Additionally, this study aims to propose a universal adapter design that is usable with an existing smartphone-based retinal image acquisition device known as the PanOptic ophthalmoscope. This study also aims to simulate the reliability, validity, and performance overall of the developed prototype.

Methods

A literature review has been conducted that identifies the limitation of smartphone compatibility among existing smartphone-based retinal image acquisition devices. Designing and modeling of proposed adapter were performed using the software AutoCAD 3D. For the proposed performance evaluation, finite element analysis (FEA) in the software Autodesk Inventor and 5-point scale method were demonstrated.

Results

Published studies demonstrate that most of the existing smartphone-based retinal imaging devices have compatibility limited to specific older smartphone models. This highlights the benefit of a universal adapter in broadening the usability of existing smartphone-based retinal image acquisition devices. A functional universal adapter design has been developed that demonstrates its compatibility with a variety of smartphones regardless of the smartphone dimension or the position of the smartphone’s camera lens. The proposed performance evaluation method generates an efficient stress analysis of the proposed adapter design. The end-user survey results show a positive overall performance of the developed universal adapter. However, a significant difference between the expert's views on the developed adapter and the quality of images is observed.

Conclusion

The compatibility of existing smartphone-based retinal imaging devices is still mostly limited to specific smartphone models. Besides this, the concept of a universal and suitable adapter for retinal imaging using the PanOptic ophthalmoscope was presented and validated in this paper. This work provides a platform for future development of smartphone-based ophthalmoscope that is universal.
Comparison of the EQ-5D-5L and the patient-reported outcomes measurement information system preference score (PROPr) in the United States
Authors: Hays Ron D. , Edelen Maria Orlando , Rodriguez Anthony , Qureshi Nabeel , Feeny David , Herman Patricia M.
Published: July 2024

Background

In contrast to prior research, our study presents longitudinal comparisons of the EQ-5D-5L and Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) preference (PROPr) scores. This fills a gap in the literature, providing a much-needed understanding of these preference-based measures and their applications in healthcare research. Furthermore, our study provides equations to estimate one measure from the other, a tool that can significantly facilitate comparisons across studies.

Methods

We administered a health survey to 4,098 KnowledgePanel® members living in the United States. A subset of 1,256 (82% response rate) with back pain also completed the six-month follow-up survey. We then conducted thorough cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses of the two measures, including product-moment correlations between scores, associations with demographic variables, and health conditions. To estimate one measure from the other, we used ordinary least squares (OLS) regression with the baseline data from the general population.

Results

The correlation between the EQ-5D-5L and PROPr scores was 0.69, but the intraclass correlation was only 0.34 because the PROPr had lower (less positive) mean scores on the 0 (dead) to 1 (perfect health) continuum than the EQ-5D-5L. The associations between the two preference measures and demographic variables were similar at baseline. The product-moment correlation between unstandardized beta coefficients for each preference measure regressed on 22 health conditions was 0.86, reflecting similar patterns of unique associations. Correlations of change from baseline to 6 months in the two measures with retrospective perceptions of change were similar. Adjusted variance explained in OLS regressions predicting one measure from the other was 48%. On average, the predicted values were within a half-standard deviation of the observed EQ-5D-5L and PROPr scores. The beta-binomial regression model slightly improved over the OLS model in predicting the EQ-5D-5L from the PROPr but was equivalent to the OLS model in predicting the PROPr.

Conclusion

Despite substantial mean differences, the EQ-5D-5L and PROPr have similar cross-sectional and longitudinal associations with other variables. We provide the OLS regression equations for use in cost-effectiveness research and meta-analyses. Future studies are needed to compare these measures with different conditions and interventions to provide more information on their relative validity.
Exploring the factors impacting choice and quality of overnight private hospital stays and consumer perspectives on patient reported experience measures (PREMs) in Australia: a qualitative interview study
Authors: Verlis Krista , McCaffery Kirsten , Copp Tessa , Dodd Rachael , Laidsaar-Powell Rebekah , Nickel Brooke
Published: July 2024

Objectives

Patient reported experience measures (PREMs) are tools often utilised in hospitals to support quality improvements and to provide objective feedback on care experiences. Less commonly PREMs can be used to support consumers choices in their hospital care. Little is known about the experience and views of the Australian consumer regarding PREMs nor the considerations these consumers have when they need to make decisions about attending hospital. This study aimed to explore consumer awareness of PREMs, consumer attitudes towards PREMs and the utility of PREMs as a decision-making tool in accessing hospital care.

Methods

Qualitative study involving semi-structured interviews conducted over the phone. Participants (n = 40) were recruited from across Australia and purposively sampled according to key characteristics: holding private health insurance, > 30-years of age, may have accessed private hospital care in the past year, variety of educational and cultural backgrounds, and if urban or rural residing. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analysed thematically.

Results

Four overarching themes and six subthemes were identified from the data. Major findings were that prior awareness of PREMs was limited; however, many had filled in a PREM either for themselves or for someone they cared for following a hospital stay. Most respondents preferred to listen to experience of self or family/friends or the recommendation of their physician when choosing a hospital to attend. Participants appeared to be more interested in the treating clinician than the hospital with this clinician often dictating the hospital or hospital options. If provided choice in hospital, issues of additional costs, timeliness of treatment and location were important factors.

Conclusion

While PREMs were considered a possible tool to assist in hospital decision-making process, previous hospital experiences, the doctor and knowing up-front cost are an overriding consideration for consumers when choosing their hospital. Consideration to format and presentation of PREMs data is needed to facilitate understanding and allow meaningful comparisons. Future research could examine the considerations of those consumers who primarily access public healthcare facilities and how to improve the utility of PREMs.
Genomic analysis of BAX and Bcl-2 gene mutations in human papilloma virus-associated squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix
Authors: Ekundina Victor O. , Omon Emmanuel A.
Published: July 2024

Purpose

The aim of the current study was to molecularly determine Bcl-2 and BAX gene mutations in HPV-associated squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix.

Methods

Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue blocks, all consisting of squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix, were used for this study. The nucleic acid amplification technique and various steps for DNA sequencing, including DNA extraction and polymerase chain reaction, were used.

Results

Mutations were detected in the Bcl-2 gene of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix in the 10–860 bp region, while BAX gene mutations were detected in the 10–320 bp region. The nucleotide mutations in the Bcl-2 gene were A > G (50%), C > T (33.33%), and G > A > T (16.67%), while the BAX gene mutations were A > (16.67%), T > (16.67%), G > (16.67%), A > C (16.67%), T > G (16.67%), and T > C (16.67%). The mutations in the BAX gene were Indel (50%), Transversion (33.4%), and Transition (16.6%), while only the Transition mutation (100%) was detected in the Bcl-2 gene. The functional mutations in the BAX gene were only missense mutations (100%), but in the Bcl-2 gene, the functional mutations were missense (50%) and silent (50%) mutations.

Conclusion

Our findings revealed genomic mutations of different types and frequencies in the BAX and Bcl-2 genes in squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix, which should encourage further research to better understand these mutations and exploit them for clinical use.
Is Rewilding Twenty-First-Century Primitivism?
Authors: Etherington Ben
Published: July 2024

This essay considers whether the contemporary rewilding movement is a reincarnation of twentieth-century primitivism. Both reject capitalist modernity’s drive to dominate nature, and both idealize an originary or innate natural condition. Both are also galvanized by the perception that the condition they idealize is on the verge of extinction and so must be regenerated through primitivist or rewilding praxis. Where primitivist idealism typically is trained on those forms of human life regarded as “primitive,” rewilders tend to be more concerned with the “wildness” of whole ecologies. Covering a range of articulations of rewilding, from conservation biology to green anarchism, the essay argues that the question of what constitutes “wild” humanity nevertheless shadows all rewilding discourse. This persistently has led rewilding toward the kinds of racialized idealism for which primitivism has so frequently been arraigned. The final part of the essay compares the role of aesthetic practice in primitivism and rewilding by considering recent fictions of rewilding by Sarah Hall, Charlotte McConaghy, and Jeff VanderMeer. Unlike primitivism’s pervasive anti-scientism, we find in these novels the narration of a process by which scientific reason transcends the study of wild things to itself become the wild.
Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Residual, Recurrent, and Metastatic Hemangiopericytomas: A Single-Institution Retrospective Experience
Authors: Yoo Kelly H. , Park David J. , Veeravagu Anand , Persad Amit , Lee Marco , Marianayagam Neelan J. , Zamarud Aroosa , Gu Xuejun , Pollom Erqi L. , Soltys Scott G. , Meola Antonio , Chang Steven D.
Published: July 2024

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:

Hemangiopericytomas are infrequent vascular tumors originating from Zimmermann pericytes. The conventional treatment involves gross total resection, followed by adjuvant radiotherapy. Nevertheless, their tendency to infiltrate dural sinuses, high vascularity, and anatomic complexity pose challenges for radical resection, leading to a significant risk of recurrence. Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) has emerged as a promising adjuvant therapy to address these challenges. Our study provides the largest single-institutional retrospective, aiming to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of SRS as a treatment modality for residual, recurrent, and metastatic hemangiopericytomas.

METHODS:

From 1998 to 2023, 27 patients with 101 tumors underwent CyberKnife SRS at Stanford University Medical Center. The median age was 51 years at the time of treatment. The median follow-up period from SRS was 103 months (range: 6-250). All patients underwent upfront surgical resection. The median tumor volume was 1.5 cc. The median single-fraction equivalent dose was 19 Gy. The SRS was administered at the 76% of the median isodose line (range: 64-89).

RESULTS:

Of the 101 treated tumors, 24 (23.8%) progressed with a median time to recurrence of 30 months. At 10 years, the rates of local tumor control (LTC), overall survival (OS), and progression-free survival (PFS) were 74.3%, 80.8%, and 67%, respectively. In patients with metastatic lesions, the LTC rates were significantly greater when compared with those with residual or recurrent tumors. There was no significant difference between patients with residual, recurrent, and metastatic hemangiopericytomas in OS and PFS. Notably, no cases of radiation-induced adverse events were detected.

CONCLUSION:

SRS leads to excellent LTC, PFS, and OS at 10 years with negligible risk for adverse events. Therefore, it is an effective and safe management modality for patients with residual, recurrent, and metastatic hemangiopericytomas.
American Association of Neurological Surgeons/Congress of the Neurological Surgeons Section on Tumors Guidelines: Assessing Their Impact on Brain Tumor Clinical Practice
Authors: Robertson Faith C. , Nahed Brian V. , Barkhoudarian Garni , Veeravagu Anand , Berg David , Kalkanis Steven , Olson Jeffrey J. , Germano Isabelle M.
Published: July 2024

Clinical guidelines direct healthcare professionals toward evidence-based practices. Evaluating guideline impact can elucidate information penetration, relevance, effectiveness, and alignment with evolving medical knowledge and technological advancements. As the American Association of Neurological Surgeons/Congress of Neurological Surgeons Section on Tumors marks its 40th anniversary in 2024, this article reflects on the tumor guidelines established by the Section over the past decade and explores their impact on other publications, patents, and information dissemination. Six tumor guideline categories were reviewed: low-grade glioma, newly diagnosed glioblastoma, progressive glioblastoma, metastatic brain tumors, vestibular schwannoma, and pituitary adenomas. Citation data were collected from Google Scholar and PubMed. Further online statistics, such as social media reach, and features in policy, news, and patents were sourced from Altmetric. Online engagement was assessed through website and CNS+ mobile application visits. Data were normalized to time since publication. Metastatic Tumor guidelines (2019) had the highest PubMed citation rate at 26.1 per year and webpage visits (29 100 page views 1/1/2019-9/30/2023). Notably, this guideline had two endorsement publications by partner societies, the Society of Neuro-Oncology and American Society of Clinical Oncology, concerning antiepileptic prophylaxis and steroid use, and the greatest reach on X (19.7 mentions/y). Citation rates on Google Scholar were led by Vestibular Schwannoma (2018). Non-Functioning Pituitary Adenoma led Mendeley reads. News, patent, or policy publications were led by low-grade glioma at 1.5/year. Our study shows that the American Association of Neurological Surgeons/Congress of Neurological Surgeons Section on Tumors guidelines go beyond citations in peer-reviewed publications to include patents, online engagement, and information dissemination to the public.
LAST-MILE DELIVERY - A CHALLENGING OPPORTUNITY FOR SMES: MANAGERIAL AND ECONOMIC ASPECTS
Authors: Dvorak Zdenek , Prigoda Lyudmila , Cekerevac Zoran
Published: July 2024

Cities are expanding and becoming more populated. Citizens are becoming increasingly demanding in meeting their needs. Retail must constantly adapt to new client requirements. As a result, last-mile delivery is becoming more complex and requires new methods and innovative solutions. SMEs are becoming increasingly significant participants in the logistics chain. Transformation of last-mile delivery provides them with new development opportunities. After a short consideration of the current situation and forecasting future needs in logistics, the article detailly analyzes the importance of SMEs and the importance of modern last-mile delivery. In the second chapter, the authors analyzed modern e-commerce through the opportunities for SMEs participating in the global market and logistics chains and the challenges SMEs face. Specific attention the authors paid to the analysis of security and financing, which can be considered the most critical factors in the participation of SMEs in last-mile delivery. Some of the most common innovative logistics solutions and the need for legal regulations are analyzed below. Based on the analyses carried out in the work, in the Conclusions chapter, the conclusions reached by the authors are systematized and presented with suggestions for the continuation of the research.
REJOINDER TO GORDON AND NJOYA ON ISRAEL AND LIBERTARIANISM
Authors: Futerman Alan , Block Walter
Published: July 2024

Block and Futerman (2021) maintain that the classical liberal political-economic philosophy, when properly understood, strongly supports Israel. Gordon and Njoya (2024) disagree and criticize the thesis of the two present authors. Gordon and Njoya (hence, GN) offer several arguments. For one thing, they maintain that we are mistaken in asserting a connection as we do between John Locke, libertarian theoretician of homesteading and private property rights, and Zionism. Our friendly critics aver that contrary to the title of our book, The Classical Liberal Case for Israel, we are simply making, instead, a typical or ordinary Zionist case to this end. GN also charge us with taking the position “that the legitimacy of the only Jewish state should not be questioned if the legitimacy of all other states is accepted.” Our learned colleagues hold the view that we “… consider that principles of property law are the only relevant benchmark by which a libertarian may ascertain war guilt. “All four of the present authors are staunch Rothbardians (we do not agree with him on this issue). Perhaps the widest divergence between the present authors and GN is the following: They opine that we “have misfired in (our) claim that Rothbard’s views of Zionism reflect a mistaken application of libertarian principles.“ The present paper is our response to these criticisms of our book made by Gordon and Njoya.
A study of the ideas of future employees of traffic safety departments about the image of a traffic police officer
Authors: Kutyepova Marina , Okhramenko Sergey , Shein Mikhail , Baidan Dmitry
Published: July 2024

The main objective of the personnel policy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation is to increase the professionalism of police officers, as well as to create a completely new image of an employee to create a positive image.
The object of the conducted scientific research is the image of a traffic police officer. The subject is the peculiarities of the ideas of cadets of the educational organization of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, future employees of traffic safety units, about the image of a traffic police officer. The purpose of the scientific work is to study the characteristics of the image of a traffic police officer. The research method was a questionnaire survey and analysis of the data obtained.
The image of a traffic police officer consists of a large number of elements; they depend on the conditions in which the employees work and the specifics of their activities in general. The formation of an employee’s opinion about his activities begins from the first day of admission to study at an organization of higher professional education in a given specialty and in the process of training is transformed depending on a large number of factors, both professional and personal (the degree of mastery of the content of the disciplines studied, the presence of success in studies, absence of violations of discipline).
Księgi miejskie kamienieckiе z XVI wieku. Treść i wartość źródłoznawcza
Authors: Biłous Natalia
Published: July 2024

The town books of Kamieniec, now stored at the Central State Historical Archive of Ukraine in Kiev, are the only surviving collection of town books from the 16th century. A cursory analysis of the entries drawn into them offers a wide range of research possibilities. This article aims to provide an overview of the contents of these books. Due to the fact that no other earlier books of the Kamieniec city chancellery have survived, they are the oldest creations and constitute an extremely valuable source for research into the history of Kamieniec. Of the 20 surviving books of Kamieniec, 9 are from the aldermanic court, 3 are from the council court, 1 is a collection of acts of various offices, and 7 are from the Armenian court, which were written in Armeno-Kipchak language. The state of preservation of the Kamieniec books is satisfactory, as they have been restored. The subject matter of the entries is characteristic of this category of books. Entries were made by representatives of the nobility, less often – the clergy, burghers from Kamieniec and other centres, suburbanites, peasants from suburban villages. The books of the Polish chancellery were written entirely in Latin, only in some books from the second half of the 16th century are there a few deeds in Polish. The records entered in the Kamieniec books of the Polish chancellery reflect the diverse national composition of the city community. The Polish chancellery was an important center for the development of Kamieniec’s bourgeois scribal culture, and represented a high level of education of the town’s chancellery officials. All this testifies to the superiority of this chancellery in the city over other chancellery centers.
Analisis Tingkat Kerawanan COVID-19 Menggunakan Metode Random Forest (Studi Kasus: Unit Pengembangan II Kertajaya dan III Tambak Wedi Kota Surabaya)
Authors: Deradjat Andy Kusuma , Handayani Hepi Hapsari
Published: July 2024

Pada bulan Maret 2020 pandemi COVID-19 telah melanda seluruh dunia termasuk Indonesia. Oleh karena itu, dinas kesehatan, pemerintah, dan layanan publik perlu bekerja sama secara global untuk mencegah penyebaran lebih lanjut. Analisis dan pemetaan kerawanan sangat dibutuhkan untuk mengembangkan informasi terkait pandemi COVID-19 dari beberapa faktor yang yang mempengaruhi penularan COVID-19, salah satunya adalah faktor sosial- ekonomi yang memiliki tingkat interaksi antar manusia yang cukup beresiko. Dengan Machine Learning Technique Random forest dapat membantu dalam memberikan keputusan tingkatan atau prioritas parameter dalam analisis dan pemetaan kerawanan pandemi COVID-19 dengan akurat dan mendukung keputusan serta tindakan pencegahan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk melakukan analisis dan pemetaan kerawanan pandemi COVID-19 berdasarkan faktor sosial-ekonomi di Unit Pengembangan II Kertajaya dan III Tambak Wedi Kota Surabaya. Penelitian ini menggunakan data statistik jumlah kasus penderita COVID-19 pada bulan Maret tahun 2020 hingga Agustus tahun 2021 dan data fasilitas sosial-ekonomi berupa jumlah fasilitas kesehatan (rumah sakit, puskesmas, dan klinik), objek wisata (tempat wisata dan taman kota), perbankan (atm dan bank), pasar, mall, SPBU, dan terminal. Hasil pengolahan random forest didapatkan tingkat pengaruh dari setiap parameter terhadap penyebaran COVID-19, yaitu fasilitas kesehatan 24,135%, terminal 20,338%, objek wisata 19,916%, mall 19,574%, pasar 11,317%, perbankan 2,628%, dan SPBU 2,092%. Berdasarkan penelitian terdahulu, uji akurasi model yang dihasilkan dapat dikatakan baik dengan nilai akurasi sebesar 0,946 dan nilai kappa sebesar 0,892 serta nilai AUC sebesar 0,984. Hasil pemetaan dari model random forest tersebut, didapatkan daerah dengan tingkat kerawanan rendah pada bagian sebelah utara Kecamatan Kenjeran dan sebelah timur Kecamatan Sukolilo dan Kecamatan Mulyorejo, sedangkan tingkat kerawanan tinggi pada bagian tengah Kecamatan Mulyorejo, dan bagian tengah Kecamatan Sukolilo.
Analisis Hubungan Kemunculan Hiu Paus (Rhincodon typus) dengan Suhu Permukaan Laut dan Klorofil-a Pada Perairan Botubarani Provinsi Gorontalo
Authors: Wumu Romansah , Suryalfihra Shabri Indra
Published: July 2024

Hiu Paus merupakan salah satu hewan yang terancam punah, sehingga masuk dalam hewan yang dilindungi. Salah satu lokasi kemunculan Hiu Paus di Indonesia adalah perairan Botubarani Provinsi Gorontalo. Perairan tersebut dijadikan Kawasan Ekowisata Hiu Paus yang bertujuan meningkatkan ekonomi masyarakat setempat sekaligus menjadi lokasi riset dan konservasi Hiu Paus. Kemunculan Hiu Paus pada perairan Botubarani masih belum banyak diketahui penyebabnya. Secara umum kemunculan Hiu Paus pada suatu lokasi tergantung pada kondisi kimia, fisik, dan biologi perairan. Penelitian bertujuan mencari korelasi antara kemunculan Hiu Paus pada perairan Botubarani menggunakan parameter suhu permukaan laut (SPL) dengan dan Klorofil-a. Kedua data tersebut diperoleh dari data citra Modis dan Landsat-8. Hasil pengujian korelasi antara kemunculan Hiu Paus dengan Klorofil-a dari data harian MODIS Aqua dan Terra masing-masing adalah -0,356 dan -0,077, sedangkan korelasi dengan SPL masing-masing adalah 0,338 dan 0,108. Hasil ini menunjukkan korelasi moderat antara kemunculan Hiu Paus dengan SPL dari data MODIS Aqua, tetapi korelasi yang lemah dengan Klorofil-a. Pengujian korelasi menggunakan data Landsat-8 menunjukkan korelasi moderat positif antara kemunculan Hiu Paus dengan Klorofil-a sebesar 0,499, sementara korelasi dengan SPL menunjukkan nilai yang sangat lemah sebesar -0,183. Selain itu, terdapat korelasi negatif kuat antara Klorofil-a dan SPL dengan nilai -0,782 pada data Landsat-8, mengindikasikan fenomena upwelling. Disparitas dalam hasil ini disebabkan perbedaan resolusi spasial antara data MODIS dan Landsat-8 serta kompleksitas dinamika perairan pesisir yang mempengaruhi kualitas data satelit.
Pemanfaatan Sistem Informasi Geografis Untuk Pemetaan Kerawanan Bencana Banjir Kota Padang Tahun 2011-2022
Authors: Mulia Fajar Agung , Handayani Wiwandari
Published: July 2024

Banjir merupakan salah satu bencana yang menjadi prioritas dalam penanganan bencana di Kota Padang saat ini karena frekuensi banjir yang meningkat dan tingkat risiko yang tinggi. Pada tahun 2012 banjir bandang di DAS Kuranji menyebabkan kerusakan ratusan rumah. Beberapa pekerjaan rekayasa telah dilaksanakan di sekitar Kota Padang yang bertujuan untuk mengurangi dampak banjir. Namun, kota ini masih menghadapi masalah banjir saat musim hujan. Dalam hal ini, penting untuk mengidentifikasi kawasan yang rentan terhadap banjir guna membantu perencanaan evakuasi dan meningkatkan kesadaran masyarakat serta pemerintah daerah untuk melakukan persiapan yang efektif dan tepat. Penelitian ini bertujuan menganalisis tingkat kerawanan banjir Kota Padang pada tahun 2011 dan 2022. Lima faktor yang diperhatikan dalam analisis ini meliputi kelerengan, curah hujan, jarak wilayah terhadap sungai, tutupan lahan, dan jenis tanah. Analisis dilakukan dengan metode sistem informasi geografis melalui penilaian skoring dan tahapan overlay. Hasil Kerawanan banjir di Kota Padang terdiri dari kelas sangat rendah hingga sangat tinggi. Pada tahun 2011 kawasan rawan banjir Kota Padang pada kategori tinggi seluas 14.10,62 ha sedangkan pada tahun 2022 kawasan rawan banjir pada kategori tinggi menjadi 16.591,12 ha atau bertambah 4%. Hasil temuan studi ini menunjukkan kawasan rawan banjir di Kota Padang pada kategori sedang sampai tinggi umumnya berada pada wilayah barat perkotaan pada tahun 2011, Namun, pada tahun 2022, kawasan yang rawan terhadap banjir mulai berkembang dan meluas ke wilayah utara, selatan, dan timur Kota Padang.