bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Successful treatment of invasive tracheobronchial pulmonary aspergillosis with venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and combined systemic, intratracheal instillation of liposomal amphotericin B: a case report
Authors: Sato Shuku , Kamata Wataru , Fukaguchi Kiyomitsu , Tsunoda Shun , Kamio Tadashi , Koyama Hiroshi , Sugimoto Hideyasu , Tamai Yotaro
Published: December 2022

Background

Invasive pulmonary Aspergillus and invasive bronchial aspergillosis is a life-threatening opportunistic fungal infection that predominantly affects immunocompromised hosts. A case series and review found that the mortality rate of invasive bronchial aspergillosis is high, at about 40%, and 23.7% of invasive bronchial aspergillosis patients require mechanical ventilator management. There are few reports of life-saving cases with venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as rescue therapy in invasive pulmonary Aspergillus and invasive bronchial aspergillosis. Here, we report a case of invasive bronchial aspergillosis and invasive pulmonary Aspergillus that was successfully treated with venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and combined systemic and intratracheal instillation of liposomal amphotericin B.

Case presentation

We present the case of a 61-year-old Japanese man with invasive tracheobronchial-pulmonary aspergillosis while receiving chemotherapy for malignant lymphoma. Bronchoscopy revealed trachea covered with pseudomembranous necrotizing tissue, the culture revealed Aspergillus fumigatus, and the histological findings of pseudomembranous revealed fungal hyphae. The patient required venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation because of respiratory failure for atelectasis and obstructive pneumoniae. While continuing systemic administration of liposomal amphotericin B, intratracheal instillation liposomal amphotericin B was performed by bronchoscopy three times a week. Although the respiratory conditions improved and the patient was discontinued on venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, he ultimately died of recurrence of malignant lymphoma.

Conclusion

Intratracheal instillation of liposomal amphotericin B is safe, and liposomal amphotericin B instillation allowed a targeted high local drug concentration, which led to improvement in the invasive bronchial aspergillosis. In addition, since the patient was supported with venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, we were able to perform safe bronchoscopic debridement of airway lesions and intratracheal instillation of liposomal amphotericin B.
Risk factors for colonization by carbapenemase-producing bacteria in Spanish long-term care facilities: a multicentre point-prevalence study
Authors: Callejón Fernández Manuel , Madueño Alonso Ana , Abreu Rodríguez Rossana , Aguirre-Jaime Armando , Castro Hernández María Beatriz , Ramos-Real María José , Pedroso-Fernández Yanet , Lecuona Fernández María
Published: December 2022

Background

The emergence of carbapenemase-producing bacteria (CPB) has become a major public health concern. Long-term care facilities (LTCF) are potential reservoirs for multidrug-resistant micro-organisms (MDRO). However, data on CPB is limited. The study aims to determine the prevalence of MDRO and risk factors for CPB colonization among residents of LTCFs.

Methods

A point-prevalence study was conducted at 14 LTCFs in Tenerife (Spain) between October 2020 and May 2021. Nasal and rectal swabs were cultured for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales, MDR Acinetobacter baumannii (MDR-Ab) and MDR Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing and molecular detection of resistance genes were performed. Risk factors for colonization by carbapenemase-producing bacteria (CPB) were determined by univariate and multivariate analysis.

Results

A total of 760 LTCF residents were recruited. The prevalence of colonization by CPB was 9.3% (n = 71) with the following distribution: 35 (49.3%) K. pneumoniae, 26 (36.6%) MDR-Ab, 17 (23.9%) E. coli, and 1 (1.4%) C. koseri. In addition, the prevalence of colonization by MRSA was 28.1% (n = 215) and only one case of VRE was isolated. Multivariate analysis identified male sex (odds ratio [OR], 1.86; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.86–3.11; P = 0.01), having a high health requirement (OR, 6.32; 95% CI, 1.91–20.92; P = 0.003) and previous hospitalization (OR, 3.60; 95% CI, 1.59–8.15 P = 0.002) as independent risk factors for CPB rectal carriage.

Conclusions

LTCFs are an important reservoir for MDRO, including CPB. We have identified some predictors of colonization by CPB, which enable a more targeted management of high-risk residents. Antimicrobial stewardship programmes and infection control preventive measures are needed to stop acquisition and transmission of MDRO.
Ishige foliacea ameliorates depressive-like behaviors in stress hormone treated mice
Authors: Kim Minji , Kwon Sangoh , Cho Sueongmok , Um Min Young
Published: December 2022

Chronic stress is an important factor to several physical and mental diseases. Ishige foliacea, an edible brown seaweed, has various biological properties; however, its role in alleviating stress-induced depression remains unclear. Thus, the antidepressant-like effects of I. foliacea ethanolic extract (IE) were investigated using corticosterone (CORT)-treated HT22 cells and CORT-induced depressive mice. IE significantly reduced the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inhibited monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity and protein expression; furthermore, it up-regulated the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)-cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB)-brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signaling pathway. In the CORT-induced depressive mice, IE administration (500 mg/kg, bodyweight) exerted antidepressant effects according to behavioral tests. In addition, IE activated the ERK-CREB-BDNF signaling pathway owing to CORT exposure in the hippocampus. Therefore, IE inhibited ROS production and MAO activity and improved depressive behaviors caused by stress hormones, which demonstrates the therapeutic potential of IE in the treatment of depression.
Full-fat insect meals in ruminant nutrition: in vitro rumen fermentation characteristics and lipid biohydrogenation
Authors: Renna Manuela , Coppa Mauro , Lussiana Carola , Le Morvan Aline , Gasco Laura , Maxin Gaelle
Published: December 2022

Background

The most used protein sources in ruminant nutrition are considered as having negative impacts in terms of environmental sustainability and competition with human nutrition. Therefore, the investigation of alternative and sustainable feedstuffs is becoming a priority in ruminant production systems.

Results

This trial was designed to evaluate eight full-fat insect meals (Acheta domesticus – ACD; Alphitobius diaperinus – ALD; Blatta lateralis – BL; Gryllus bimaculatus – GB; Grylloides sygillatus – GS; Hermetia illucens – HI; Musca domestica – MD; and Tenebrio molitor – TM) as potential protein and lipid sources in ruminant nutrition. Fermentation parameters and fatty acids (FA) of rumen digesta after 24-h in vitro ruminal incubation of the tested insect meals were measured and compared with those of three plant-based meals (soybean meal, rapeseed meal and sunflower meal) and fishmeal (FM). Similarly to FM, the insect meals led to a significantly lower total gas production (on average, 1.75 vs. 4.64 mmol/g dry matter—DM), methane production (on average, 0.33 vs. 0.91 mmol/g DM), volatile FA production (on average, 4.12 vs. 7.53 mmol/g DM), and in vitro organic matter disappearance (on average, 0.32 vs. 0.59 g/g) than those observed for the plant meals. The insect meals also led to lower ammonia of rumen fluid, when expressed as a proportion of total N (on average, 0.74 vs. 0.52 for the plant and insect meals, respectively), which could be an advantage provided that intestinal digestibility is high. Differences in ruminal fermentation parameters between the insect meals could be partially explained by their chitin, crude protein and ether extract contents, as well as by their FA profile. In particular, high content of polyunsaturated FA, or C12:0 (in HI), seems to partially inhibit the ruminal fermentations.

Conclusions

The tested full-fat insect meals appear to be potentially an interesting protein and lipid source for ruminants, alternative to the less sustainable and commonly used ones of plant origin. The FA profile of the rumen digesta of ACD, ALD, GB, GS and TM, being rich in n-6 polyunsaturated FA, could be interesting to improve the quality of ruminant-derived food products.
Identification of a minimum number of genes to predict triple-negative breast cancer subgroups from gene expression profiles
Authors: Akhouayri Laila , Ostano Paola , Mello-Grand Maurizia , Gregnanin Ilaria , Crivelli Francesca , Laurora Sara , Liscia Daniele , Leone Francesco , Santoro Angela , Mulè Antonino , Guarino Donatella , Maggiore Claudia , Carlino Angela , Magno Stefano , Scatolini Maria , Di Leone Alba , Masetti Riccardo , Chiorino Giovanna
Published: December 2022

Background

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a very heterogeneous disease. Several gene expression and mutation profiling approaches were used to classify it, and all converged to the identification of distinct molecular subtypes, with some overlapping across different approaches. However, a standardised tool to routinely classify TNBC in the clinics and guide personalised treatment is lacking. We aimed at defining a specific gene signature for each of the six TNBC subtypes proposed by Lehman et al. in 2011 (basal-like 1 (BL1); basal-like 2 (BL2); mesenchymal (M); immunomodulatory (IM); mesenchymal stem-like (MSL); and luminal androgen receptor (LAR)), to be able to accurately predict them.

Methods

Lehman’s TNBCtype subtyping tool was applied to RNA-sequencing data from 482 TNBC (GSE164458), and a minimal subtype-specific gene signature was defined by combining two class comparison techniques with seven attribute selection methods. Several machine learning algorithms for subtype prediction were used, and the best classifier was applied on microarray data from 72 Italian TNBC and on the TNBC subset of the BRCA-TCGA data set.

Results

We identified two signatures with the 120 and 81 top up- and downregulated genes that define the six TNBC subtypes, with prediction accuracy ranging from 88.6 to 89.4%, and even improving after removal of the least important genes. Network analysis was used to identify highly interconnected genes within each subgroup. Two druggable matrix metalloproteinases were found in the BL1 and BL2 subsets, and several druggable targets were complementary to androgen receptor or aromatase in the LAR subset. Several secondary drug–target interactions were found among the upregulated genes in the M, IM and MSL subsets.

Conclusions

Our study took full advantage of available TNBC data sets to stratify samples and genes into distinct subtypes, according to gene expression profiles. The development of a data mining approach to acquire a large amount of information from several data sets has allowed us to identify a well-determined minimal number of genes that may help in the recognition of TNBC subtypes. These genes, most of which have been previously found to be associated with breast cancer, have the potential to become novel diagnostic markers and/or therapeutic targets for specific TNBC subsets.
Prognostic significance of delirium subtypes in critically ill medical and surgical patients: a secondary analysis of a prospective multicenter study
Authors: Smit Lisa , Wiegers Eveline J. A. , Trogrlic Zoran , Rietdijk Wim J. R. , Gommers Diederik , Ista Erwin , van der Jagt Mathieu
Published: December 2022

Background

The prognostic implication of delirium subtypes in critically ill medical and surgical patients is scarcely investigated. The objective was to determine how delirium subtypes are associated with hospital mortality and other clinical outcomes.

Methods

We performed a secondary analysis on data from a prospective multicenter study aimed at implementation of delirium-oriented measures, conducted between 2012 and 2015 in The Netherlands. We included adults (≥ 18 years) admitted to the medical or surgical intensive care unit (ICU). Exclusion criteria were neurological admission diagnosis, persistent coma or ICU readmissions. Delirium was assessed using the Confusion Assessment Method-ICU or Intensive Care Delirium Screening Checklist, and delirium subtypes (hypoactive, hyperactive, or mixed) were classified using the Richmond Agitation–Sedation Scale. The main outcome was hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes were ICU mortality, ICU length of stay, coma, mechanical ventilation, and use of antipsychotics, sedatives, benzodiazepines and opioids.

Results

Delirium occurred in 381 (24.4%) of 1564 patients (52.5% hypoactive, 39.1% mixed, 7.3% hyperactive). After case-mix adjustment, patients with mixed delirium had higher hospital mortality than non-delirious patients (OR 3.09, 95%CI 1.79–5.33, p = 0.001), whereas hypoactive patients did not (OR 1.34, 95%CI 0.71–2.55, p = 0.37). Similar results were found for ICU mortality. Compared to non-delirious patients, both subtypes had longer ICU stay, more coma, increased mechanical ventilation frequency and duration, and received more antipsychotics, sedatives, benzodiazepines and opioids. Except for coma and benzodiazepine use, the most unfavourable outcomes were observed in patients with mixed delirium.

Conclusions

Patients with mixed delirium had the most unfavourable outcomes, including higher mortality, compared with no delirium. These differences argue for distinguishing delirium subtypes in clinical practice and future research.

Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01952899.
Perspectives on joint EANM/SNMMI/ANZSNM practice guidelines/procedure standards for [18F]FDG PET/CT imaging during immunomodulatory treatments in patients with solid tumors
Authors: Lopci E. , Aide N. , Dimitrakopoulou-Strauss A. , Dercle L. , Iravani A. , Seban R. D. , Sachpekidis C. , Humbert O. , Gheysens O. , Glaudemans A. W. J. M. , Weber W. A. , Van den Abbeele A. D. , Wahl R. L. , Scott A. M. , Pandit-Taskar N. , Hicks R. J.
Published: December 2022

Response assessment in the context of immunomodulatory treatments represents a major challenge for the medical imaging community and requires a multidisciplinary approach with involvement of oncologists, radiologists, and nuclear medicine specialists. There is evolving evidence that [18F]FDG PET/CT is a useful diagnostic modality for this purpose. The clinical indications for, and the principal aspects of its standardization in this context have been detailed in the recently published “Joint EANM/SNMMI/ANZSNM practice guidelines/procedure standards on recommended use of [18F]FDG PET/CT imaging during immunomodulatory treatments in patients with solid tumors version 1.0”. These recommendations arose from a fruitful collaboration between international nuclear medicine societies and experts in cancer treatment. In this perspective, the key elements of the initiative are reported, summarizing the core aspects of the guidelines for radiologists and nuclear medicine physicians. Beyond the previous guidelines, this perspective adds further commentary on how this technology can advance development of novel therapeutic approaches and guide management of individual patients.
Adaptation of the Turkish version of the obsession with COVID-19 scale (TR-OCS): its association with psychological distress and resilience
Authors: Kartol Aslı , Söner Osman
Published: December 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic adversely affected the physical and mental health of individuals. Measures required to prevent the spread of the virus, such as isolation, hygiene, mask use, and lockdown, led individuals to develop obsessive thoughts and behaviors. This study aims to adapt the obsession with COVID-19 scale (OCS) to Turkish culture. This four-item scale aims at measuring obsessive thoughts related to COVID-19. The study group consisted of 870 participants from seven regions of Turkey. Data from different groups were collected for exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Data for the exploratory factor analysis were collected from 296 (71.5%) females and 118 (28.5%) males (n = 414). For the confirmatory factor analysis, data were collected from 301 (66.0%) females and 155 (34.0%) males (n = 456). As a result of the analysis, the one-dimensional structure of the TR-OCS was confirmed in the Turkish sample. It was revealed that TR-OCS scores had a positive relationship with depression, anxiety, and stress but a negative relationship with resilience. The findings confirmed that the TR-OCS was valid and reliable. This scale is a short and effective tool for measuring obsessive thoughts related to COVID-19.
Parameters estimation of AC transmission line by an improved moth flame optimization method
Authors: Shaikh Muhammad Suhail , Raj Saurav , Ikram Muniba , Khan Waqar
Published: December 2022

The parameters calculation for a transmission line is described in the proposed work, and the estimation of transmission line parameters is essential for properly managing transmission and distribution networks. The research work deals with the concept of optimization of the transmission line parameters. To this purpose, an improved moth flame optimization technique is applied to different test cases of the transmission lines. Moth movement with respect to the light source is the basis for improved moth flame optimization. In this research work, simulations are performed on various test cases to determine the effectiveness of the suggested method. Results from the suggested method are compared with those from other methods mentioned in the literature. The comparison shows that the proposed method rapidly and smoothly converges to the best-obtained value. The improved moth flame optimization performs better than other algorithms in terms of solution quality and feasibility, proving its effectiveness and competence. The optimal values obtained for capacitance in ($$\mathrm{\mu F}$$μF) are 0.22406, 0.022935, and 0.0049734, and for inductance in (mH) are 0.65055, 0.41258, and −0.76593, respectively.
An overview of PROTACs: a promising drug discovery paradigm
Authors: Liu Zi , Hu Mingxing , Yang Yu , Du Chenghao , Zhou Haoxuan , Liu Chengyali , Chen Yuanwei , Fan Lei , Ma Hongqun , Gong Youling , Xie Yongmei
Published: December 2022

Proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) technology has emerged as a novel therapeutic paradigm in recent years. PROTACs are heterobifunctional molecules that degrade target proteins by hijacking the ubiquitin–proteasome system. Currently, about 20–25% of all protein targets are being studied, and most works focus on their enzymatic functions. Unlike small molecules, PROTACs inhibit the whole biological function of the target protein by binding to the target protein and inducing subsequent proteasomal degradation. PROTACs compensate for limitations that transcription factors, nuclear proteins, and other scaffolding proteins are difficult to handle with traditional small-molecule inhibitors. Currently, PROTACs have successfully degraded diverse proteins, such as BTK, BRD4, AR, ER, STAT3, IRAK4, tau, etc. And ARV-110 and ARV-471 exhibited excellent efficacy in clinical II trials. However, what targets are appropriate for PROTAC technology to achieve better benefits than small-molecule inhibitors are not fully understood. And how to rationally design an efficient PROTACs and optimize it to be orally effective poses big challenges for researchers. In this review, we summarize the features of PROTAC technology, analyze the detail of general principles for designing efficient PROTACs, and discuss the typical application of PROTACs targeting different protein categories. In addition, we also introduce the progress of relevant clinical trial results of representative PROTACs and assess the challenges and limitations that PROTACs may face. Collectively, our studies provide references for further application of PROTACs.
Thermal cycling effects on the seismic wave propagation coefficients of granite
Authors: Fan Lifeng , Yang Kaichao , Wang Meng , Chen Su
Published: December 2022

The seismic wave propagation properties of granite after thermal cycles were experimentally investigated. The granite specimens were subjected to a series of thermal cycles with different thermal cycling temperatures and numbers. Ultrasonic and pendulum impact tests were performed on the granite after thermal cycles. Subsequently, a theoretical study was introduced to explore the wave propagation coefficients of granite after thermal cycles. The effects of the thermal cycling number on the wave attenuation rate, wave velocity, attenuation coefficient, and wavenumber were discussed. The results indicate that the wave velocity and dynamic elastic modulus decrease as the number of thermal cycles increases and that the damage factor increases as the number of thermal cycles increases. However, the variations in wave velocity, dynamic elastic modulus, and damage factor are concentrated mainly in the first thermal cycle. The results further indicate that the wave propagation coefficients, attenuation coefficient, and wavenumber increase as the number of thermal cycles increases. However, they are not significantly influenced by the amplitude and wavelength of impact loading.
A Symptoms and Signs Approach to the Patient With Neuromuscular Weakness
Authors: Silvestri Nicholas J.
Published: December 2022

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Muscle weakness is a common feature of many neuromuscular disorders. This article outlines a symptoms and signs approach to the patient presenting with neuromuscular weakness, highlighting key aspects of the clinical history and examination.

RECENT FINDINGS

The past several years have seen a dramatic increase in the ability to test for many inherited and autoimmune neuromuscular disorders more reliably and accurately. Similarly, numerous targeted therapies have been recently approved to treat previously untreatable disorders. Therefore, timely and accurate diagnosis is essential so that patients can receive appropriate therapy, ultimately leading to better clinical outcomes.

Muscle weakness is a common symptom resulting from dysfunction that can occur at any level of the neuraxis and is a cardinal feature of many neuromuscular disorders. An accurate and meticulous history and a thorough neurologic examination are paramount in localizing the lesion in order to generate a differential diagnosis and guide appropriate ancillary testing. The patient’s age at symptom onset, any identified inciting factors, tempo of symptom progression, pattern of weakness, and associated symptoms and signs are all important diagnostic clues in the evaluation of a patient presenting with muscle weakness.
Muscle Channelopathies
Authors: Trivedi Jaya R.
Published: December 2022

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This article describes the clinical features, diagnosis, pathophysiology, and management of nondystrophic myotonia and periodic paralysis.

RECENT FINDINGS

An increasing awareness exists about the genotype-phenotype overlap in skeletal muscle channelopathies, and thus genetic testing is needed to make a definitive diagnosis. Electrodiagnostic testing in channelopathies is highly specialized with significant overlap in various mutation subtypes. Randomized clinical trials have now been conducted in these disorders with expanded treatment options for patients with muscle channelopathies.

Skeletal muscle channelopathies are rare heterogeneous conditions characterized by lifelong symptoms that require a comprehensive management plan that includes pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic interventions. The significant variability in biophysical features of various mutations, coupled with the difficulties of performing clinical trials in rare diseases, makes it challenging to design and implement treatment trials for muscle channelopathies.
The Parasitical Trick: Mediating Dispossession in Early America
Authors: Plaue Ethan A.
Published: December 2022

How do settlers organize their discursive relationship with the lands they settle, in order to claim, conceptually and materially, the position of owner and occupant? What must they do to transform themselves, in their eyes and in the eyes of others, from parasite to host? And in what ways have these practices been contested? This article addresses these questions in the historical context of early American settler colonialism and demonstrates the relational structure that colonial legitimation requires, including how this structure is mediated by subjects not strictly part of that relation. Through readings of John Marshall, Mary Rowlandson, James Printer, and Martin R. Delany, this article brings together the fields of media philosophy and settler colonial studies to theorize the “parasitical trick” as a fundamental and flexible technique of settler colonialism that removes Indigenous people from relationality by, paradoxically, making them central to it.
How to Do the History of Sexual Science
Authors: Kahan Benjamin , LaFleur Greta
Published: December 2022

This introduction maps the ways in which sexual scientific thought circulated during the fin de siècle, tracing the interconnections between and breaks in the global circuits of sexological thought and how this circuitry continues to structure sexuality in the present. In so doing, Kahan and LaFleur position their approach and that of the special issue as a whole within the larger field of sexology, placing it in more robust dialogue with sexuality studies and attending in particular to sexology's racial and imperial logics. They examine the ways in which racial science and colonial knowledge constitute sexual science as an amorphous object, one with a problematically vast reach that contributes to contemporary understandings of racialization and undergirding colonial infrastructures. And yet, they argue, sexual science is not something that can be wished away or easily left behind, for its taxonomies and ways of knowing continue to structure identitarian frameworks of gender and sexuality.
Early Gender Clinics, Transsexual Etiology, and the Racialized Family
Authors: Drager Emmett Harsin
Published: December 2022

This article puts the research and writing of UCLA psychology professor Robert J. Stoller in conversation with Daniel Patrick Moynihan's famous essay “The Negro Family: The Case for National Action” to highlight the racial and colonial logics of university-based gender clinics and their significance for transsexual life. The author provides examples of patients of color who made their way to these gender clinics through institutions of psychiatric detention or the criminal justice system. The article attempts to demonstrate three points: (1) gender-clinic patients were not all white and middle class, and many of them did not come to the gender clinics voluntarily; (2) understanding the prolonged, multigenerational temporality of Stoller's theory of transsexual etiology makes clear the connections between transsexual medicine, evolutionary and eugenic theory, and racial science; and (3) Stoller's theory of transsexual etiology emerges alongside essays like Moynihan's reveals the shared genealogy of US sexology and Jim Crow.
Toward a Black Vernacular Sexology
Authors: Stone Aaron J.
Published: December 2022

By the turn of the twentieth century, race science, ethnology, and sexology had conspired to calcify the racial and sexual limits of the “human.” This article posits that contemporaneous African American novelists responded to the anti-Blackness of American sexual scientific discourse by presenting their own investigations of sexual behavior through literary narrative. This practice, which we might call “Black vernacular sexology,” adapted the language and methods of institutionalized sexual science to refute the claims of scientific racism and to generate sexual knowledge from a Black standpoint. This essay examines Charles Chesnutt’s The Marrow of Tradition (1901) as a powerful example of Black vernacular sexology, arguing that the novel performs a case study of a Southern aristocrat to reveal how whiteness is constructed through a perverse and sexualized obsession with Blackness. Placing the novel in dialogue with American racial and sexual scientists, the article demonstrates how Chesnutt adapts the methods and refutes the racist claims of official sexology while also refusing to duplicate that field’s pathologization of individuals. This analysis suggests that the study of American sexual scientific discourse requires an understanding of how turn-of-the-century African American literature provided a Black vernacular sexology to combat anti-Black scientific truth-claims about sex itself.
Data Journalism in Turkey: Developing a Scale and Measuring Journalists’ Skills
Authors: Özay Seçil , Bayrakcı Serkan
Published: December 2022

Data journalism has recently emerged as an important method of news gathering and editing in journalism. For data journalism -which includes the process of producing news from data- journalists need to have various skills and competencies. As a result of the literature review, it is observed that the required skills and competencies for data journalism have not been determined precisely, and in this regard, there is a lack of quantitative studies to measure these skills and competencies of data journalism. This study aims to develop a unique scale that will reveal the data journalism skills of news producers. For this purpose, a data journalism scale has been developed through an online survey applied to news producers registered with the Turkish Press Agency (BIK). As a result of the item pool, expert views, and the scale application stages, it is understood that data journalism skills can be measured with a 2-factor structure: “data skills and tools” and “journalism skills.” The Cronbach Alpha reliability coefficient for the overall 21-item data journalism scale was calculated as 0.856, the data skills and tools factor as 0.883, and the journalism skill factor as 0.821. As a result of the research, it has been determined that while the journalism skills of the news producers are at a high level, their competence in data processing is low. In this sense -as a result of the study- a revision is recommended in both academic and professional training curriculum to include data collection, analysis and visualization skills that will improve data skills of news producers.
Examining Social Workers’ Exposure to Client Violence: The Case of Turkey
Authors: Yıldırım Buğra , Şahin Fatih , Gönül Ayşenur
Published: December 2022

Short-term and long-term psychosocial effects of client violence on social workers have been observed. Meanwhile, social work settings are also known to be divided into risk categories against all sorts of attacks from clients. This descriptive study is based on analyzing the factors affecting client violence through client violence against 130 social workers working in various public institutions and organizations registered to the NASW in Turkey. Of the participants, 56.2% are female social workers; the participants have an average age of 32.3 ± 7.6 years. The most common type of violence is verbal abuse/verbal assault (89.9%). Interestingly, the majority of social workers (70.2%) who’ve been exposed to violence clearly expressed that the violence to which they’d been subjected would recur and that they alert for this. These statements were actually the most intense psychosocial effects seen in social workers. In addition, a significant difference was seen to exist between social workers’ exposure to client violence with respect to social work settings (p ˂ 0.05). The study findings have revealed social workers’ needs to have work environments and social work practice settings where client violence does not occur to be important for not experiencing negative psychosocial effects in order to remove the barriers to a successful professional life.
Insulin and insulin-like growth factor-I receptors in astrocytes exert different effects on behavior and Alzheimer´s-like pathology
Authors: Zegarra-Valdivia Jonathan , Fernandez Ana M. , Martinez-Rachadell Laura , Herrero-Labrador Raquel , Fernandes Jansen , Torres Aleman Ignacio
Published: December 2022

Background: Pleiotropic actions of insulin and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) in the brain are context- and cell-dependent, but whether this holds for their receptors (insulin receptor (IR) and IGF-I receptor (IGF-IR), respectively), is less clear.

Methods: We compared mice lacking IR or IGF-IR in glial fibrillary astrocytic protein (GFAP)-expressing astrocytes in a tamoxifen-regulated manner, to clarify their role in this type of glial cells, as the majority of data of their actions in brain have been obtained in neurons.

Results: We observed that mice lacking IR in GFAP astrocytes (GFAP IR KO mice) develop mood disturbances and maintained intact cognition, while at the same time show greater pathology when cross-bred with APP/PS1 mice, a model of familial Alzheimer´s disease (AD). Conversely, mice lacking IGF-IR in GFAP astrocytes (GFAP-IGF-IR KO mice) show cognitive disturbances, maintained mood tone, and show control-dependent changes in AD-like pathology.

Conclusions: These observations confirm that the role of IR and IGF-IR in the brain is cell-specific and context-dependent.
Identidad y adolescencia: la educación artística, visual y audiovisual frente a la influencia de redes sociales y publicidad.
Authors: Rodríguez Clavel María
Published: December 2022

Las redes sociales se han convertido hoy en la forma de comunicación preferida de muchas personas. Los registros en plataformas como Instagram o TikTok ocurren cada vez a una edad más temprana. Estudios demuestran el aumento de usuarios adolescentes en estas redes. Esta tendencia, trae consigo que profesionales de distintos campos se cuestionen si es esta una generación preparada para afrontar su uso de forma saludable o cómo afecta su consumo a la personalidad del adolescente, pudiendo perjudicar a la construcción identitaria de los mismos. Este artículo pretende fomentar entre adolescentes la criticidad que les permita enfrentarse a mensajes publicitarios estereotipados con la capacidad de distinguirlos de la realidad que viven. Para poder obtener datos representativos, se ha llevado a cabo una revisión sistemática de artículos disponibles en bases de datos como Scopus, Eric o Dialnet, sesgando por año de publicación, para poder ofrecer conclusiones actualizadas. Esto se completa con la realización de una encuesta, instrumento principal de análisis. Los resultados descubren la necesidad de utilizar la educación para ofrecer al estudiante las herramientas que lo lleven a la consecución identitaria, utilizando, para ello, el área de las artes.
Cuerpos ultrajados, la imagen desgarrada. Contrapedagogías estéticas ante la necropolítica capitalista.
Authors: Diaz Santiago
Published: December 2022

El presente trabajo es un ejercicio filosófico de pensamiento estético-político en relación a la serie “linchamientos” del artista visual argentino Gabriel Glaiman. En ellas, se presentan figuradas las formas de la violencia cotidiana en las que los cuerpos se ven ultrajados en nuestras sociedades urbanizadas. Ante la constante pedagogía de la crueldad que la necropolítica capitalista despliega como condición de existencia, nos interesa proponer que las artes en composición con la filosofía, pueden entramar una “contrapedagogía” (Segato, 2018) de lo sensible, por medio de la cual, se rescate una sensibilidad vinculada a la vida, que habiliten modos de resistencias posibles a las presiones y ultrajes de esta época.
The threats to Jupyter Notebook
Authors: Morag Assaf
Published: December 2022

The popular data practitioners’ tool, Jupyter Notebook, has become the victim of a Python-based ransomware attack for the first time. The popular open-source platform is vulnerable to misconfiguration, which could leave your servers wide open to attack.
Ancestry evaluation from subtrochanteric shape of femur using Tallman and Winburn's Adjusted Platymeric Index: A validation study in the Northern Thai population
Authors:   Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand., Chantakona Akarawin , Mahakkanukrauh Pasuk ,   Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand., Traithepchanapai Pongpon ,   Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Published: December 2022

Background: Ancestry estimation of unidentified human skeletons using metric parameters of bones other than the skull, such as the subtrochanteric shape of the femur, is a challenging method in cases with limited information from cranial examination. The results of multiple studies show that the subtrochanteric shape can differentiate Asian and non-Asian individuals. However, the cut-point of the platymeric index for subtrochanteric shape might need adjustment for each region or country for higher accuracy, due to interpopulation and intrapopulation variation. Objectives: This study aims to validate the cut-point adjusted for the Thai population suggested by Tallman and Winburn and observes the differences between each sex within the same population. Materials and methods: The researchers conduct the study by collecting and calculating multiple parameters (such as femoral subtrochanteric diameters and shape, and platymeric index) from 130 northern Thai individuals collected from the Chiang Mai University bone collection, then making comparisons with the traditional cut-point, and comparing these parameters between different populations and sex. Results: The results show that the accuracy of ancestry estimation is improved from 46.38% to 57.49%, using an adjusted cut-point. This study also notes that the platymeric index of the northern Thai samples is significantly higher (p<0.05) than the north-eastern samples recorded by Tallman and Winburn. Moreover, the index of the male Thai samples is significantly higher (p<0.05) than the female samples from the same bone collection. Conclusion: This study approves the use of the adjusted cut-point in the northern Thai region and indicates an intrapopulation variation and sexual dimorphism of subtrochanteric shape which might influence ancestry assessment.
Psychometric properties of the Vocal Fatigue Index – Thai Version
Authors:   Communication Disorders, Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand., Latpitaya Laksika , Chinchai Supaporn ,   Communication Disorders, Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand., Shibamoto Isamu ,   Department of Speech Language and Hearing Sciences, Seirei Christopher University, Japan.
Published: December 2022

Background: Voice disorders can be found in many scenarios. Many people have experienced vocal problems in their lifetime. Such problems can occur occasionally or permanently during the course of life. Previous literature review showed that vocal fatigue usually occurs concurrently with voice disorders, though it could occur alone as well. Vocal fatigue is considered the first symptom of a vocal problem and usually improves after voice rest. Detecting vocal fatigue before an individual develops a voice disorder is extremely important. Objectives: This study aims to 1) translate the original VFI into the Thai version and 2) evaluate the psychometric properties of VFI-TH, including content validity, face validity, predictive validity (sensitivity and specificity), and reliability. Materials and methods: Participants in this study consisted of two groups comprising one group of 22 participants with voice disorders and another group of 60 participants with healthy voices. The age of participants was 18 years and older. Procedures: Cross-cultural protocol of translation was followed per Beaton, which consisted of five steps: Initial translation, synthesis of the translation, back translation, expert committee review, and pretesting. This study was divided into 2 phases. Phase I consisted of the first three steps of Beaton’s guideline, while Phase II was the evaluation of psychometric properties; content validity by expert committee review, face validity by data trial in ten participants with voice disorders, predictive validity through sensitivity and specificity by formula calculation, and reliability were examined by evaluating internal consistency through Cronbach’s Alpha co-efficiency. Results: The results showed that the VFI-TH had content validity, face validity, and predictive validity. For predictive validity, the percentages of sensitivity and specificity were 22.7 and 100, respectively, and internal consistency was 0.87-0.94, which meant very good or excellent. Conclusion: The VFI-TH had content validity, specificity, and reliability to detect vocal fatigue. However, the VFI-TH should be used along with other vocal assessments in adults aged 18 years and older.
Guillain–Barré Syndrome in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus with underlying pituitary carcinoid: A rare presentation
Authors:   Department of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences & SUM Hospital, Siksha O Anusandhan (deemed to be) University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India., Vihari Jonnalagadda , Dalai Siba Prasad ,   Department of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences & SUM Hospital, Siksha O Anusandhan (deemed to be) University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India., Uppu Pooja ,   Department of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences & SUM Hospital, Siksha O Anusandhan (deemed to be) University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India., Aditya Adurty ,   Post Graduate Resident, Department of Medicine, GSL Medical College & General Hospital, Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh, India., Roja Tammineni ,   Department of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences & SUM Hospital, Siksha O Anusandhan (deemed to be) University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.
Published: December 2022

Background: Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a rare neuropsychiatric symptom of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). GBS in individuals with SLE has distinct features than those without SLE. There is much heterogeneity in the treatment and clinical outcome. Even though GI carcinoids have been related with autoimmune illnesses, extra-gastrointestinal carcinoid coexisting with SLE has been documented only once, and coexistent GBS and SLE with pituitary carcinoid have never been reported previously to the best of our knowledge. Greater knowledge of how inflammation causes cytological alterations that contribute to the formation of a carcinoid might help explore newer pathological mechanisms and therapies. Objectives: We report a middle-aged female who presented with sudden onset of weakness in all four limbs, long-standing history of arthralgia, flushing, dizziness, and a malar rash. Materials and methods: The initial evaluation led to the diagnosis of GBS and SLE, for which the patient was treated. Further workup of patient revealed the presence of a carcinoid tumor in the pituitary. Results: Patient was successfully treated with plasmapheresis, steroids, and injection octreotide. Conclusion: In patients with SLE, neuropsychiatric illness may have a plethora of presentation including GBS. Recognizing such rare presentations and evaluating the possibility of a carcinoid tumor in presence of symptoms like a long-standing history of intermittent palpitation, dizziness, profuse sweating, and flushing, should alert the physician of an underlying carcinoid tumor, which could prove detrimental if left untreated.
Öğretim Üyelerinin Lisansüstü Öğrencilerden Beklentilerinin İncelenmesi
Authors: KAHYA Merve , KOŞAR Didem
Published: December 2022

Öğretim üyelerinin eğitim yönetimi yüksek lisans ve doktora programına devam edenlerden beklentilerinin incelendiği bu araştırma 2020-2021 akademik döneminde Ankara’da dört devlet üniversitesinde görevli 12 öğretim üyesi ile yürütülmüştür. Nitel araştırma yönteminde olgubilim deseni kullanılan araştırmada, veriler araştırmacıların geliştirdiği yarı yapılandırılmış görüşme formu ile toplanmış olup çözümünde içerik analizi kullanılmıştır. Araştırmada öğretim üyelerinin lisansüstü öğrencilerden ders, yeterlik, tez dönemindeki ve bireysel beklentileri, öğrencilerle iletişim kanalları, öğrenci tipleri ve süreçte yaşanan sorunlar ele alınmıştır. Araştırma bulgularına göre öğrencilerin öğretim üyeleri ile uygun zaman diliminde uygun yöntemle iletişim kurmaları önemlidir; az okuma, etik ihlal, zamanı yönetme, derse devam sağlama, eksik motivasyon, öğretim üyesi ve öğrenci iletişimi, nitelik, kaynakların yetersiz olması gibi faktörlerin lisansüstü eğitimde sorun oluşturması gibi sonuçlara ulaşılmıştır. Ayrıca lisansüstü eğitime devam edebilmede görev yapılan kurumun izin konusunda desteğinin sağlanmasının önemi ortaya konmuştur. Araştırmada lisansüstü derslerin çeşitliliğinin artırılması önemlidir; ayrıca doğru iletişim kanallarının kullanılması, lisansüstü eğitime gereken zamanın ayrılması gibi öneriler sunulmuştur.
Research on Intelligent Grading System of Tremella Fuciformis Based on Machine Vision
Authors: Zhang Yin-ping , Zhang Yin-ping , Zhu Shuang-jie , Wang Huan , Xu Yan , Zhu Shuang-jie , Wang Huan , Xu Yan
Published: December 2022

Highlights

The experimental results showed that the grading accuracy of the intelligent grading system of Tremella fuciformis designed in the study was 97.07%.

The grading speed designed in the study was five times that of manual grading.

The grading system designed in the study can also be extended to classification fields of other edible fungi, fruits, and vegetables.

It was proved by experiments that the system involved has high work efficiency and market value.

Abstract.
An intelligent grading system of dried Tremella fuciformis was designed to solve the problem of low intelligence in the course of production and processing of Tremella fuciformis in this study. The overall structure and working process of the grading system were described, and different grading standards were set according to the color, shape, size, and integrity of dried Tremella fuciformis. The image acquisition and image preprocessing of dried Tremella fuciformis were completed. The RGB model was used for the color feature extraction and recognition of dried Tremella fuciformis, and the diameter and integrity of dried Tremella fuciformis were judged by edge detection. A set of intelligent grading system of dried Tremella fuciformis was developed based on Microsoft Visual Studio 2017 platform. The experimental results showed that the grading accuracy of the grading system designed in the study was 97.07%, and the average grading speed was five times that of manual grading. It was better in reliability, speed, work efficiency, and robustness than the traditional manual grading. Keywords: Intelligent classification, Image recognition, Machine vision, Tremella fuciformis.