bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring gaps and opportunities in primary care following an asthma hospital admission: a multisite mixed-methods study of three data sources
Authors: Jones Renee , Hiscock Harriet , Shanthikumar Shivanthan , Lei Shaoke , Sanci Lena , Chen Katherine
Published: January 2023

Objective

Explore gaps and opportunities in primary care for children following a hospital admission for asthma.

Design

Exploratory mixed-methods, using linked hospital and primary care administration data.

Setting

Eligible children, aged 3–18 years, admitted to one of three hospitals in Victoria, Australia between 2017 and 2018 with a clinical diagnosis of asthma.

Results

767 caregivers of eligible children participated, 39 caregivers completed a semistructured interview and 277 general practitioners (GPs) caring for 360 children completed a survey. Over 90% (n=706) of caregivers reported their child had a regular GP. However, few (14.1%, n=108) attended a GP in the 24 hours prior to index admission or in the 7 days after (35.8%, n=275). Children readmitted for asthma (34.2%, n=263), compared with those not readmitted (65.8%, n=504), were less likely to have visited a GP in the non-acute phase of their asthma in the 12 months after index admission (22.1% vs 42.1%, respectively), and their GP was more likely to report not knowing the child had an asthma admission (52.8% vs 39.2%, respectively). Fewer GPs reported being extremely confident managing children with poorly controlled asthma (11.9%, n=43) or post-discharge (16.7%, n=60), compared with children with well-controlled asthma (36.4%, n=131), with no difference by child readmission status.

Conclusions

Given the exploratory design and descriptive approach, it is unknown if the differences by child readmission status have any causal relationship with readmission. Nonetheless, improving preventative patterns of primary care visits, timely communication between hospitals and primary care providers, and guideline concordant care by GPs are needed.
National consensus to develop core outcomes for the evaluation of complications from excess weight (CEW) clinics: results of a national Delphi process
Authors: Stilwell Philippa Anna , White Billy , Graham Catherine , Rigby Emma , Shield Julian P H , Brandreth Rachael , Solti Sophie , Owen Richard , Kenny Simon
Published: January 2023

Objective

In 2021, centres across all seven NHS-England regions were selected to develop pilot clinics with the aim of treating children and young people (CYP) living with complications relating to excess weight (CEW). We led a process to develop core outcomes to enable the evaluation of these clinics.

Methods

A two-round Delphi process, virtual steering group meetings and two patient representation workshops were used to agree the most important outcomes for both clinicians/allied professionals and representative prospective service users.

Results

A total of 119 clinicians/allied professionals were invited to contribute to the Delphi process: 62 (52%) agreed and completed round 1 and 47 of these (76%) went on to complete round 2. Six young people (age range 13–17 years) and six parents were involved in two patient representation workshops and their experiences fed into virtual steering group meetings, via a representative.

There were 44 outcomes assessed in round 1 and 21 outcomes assessed in round 2. There were 16 core outcomes selected: anthropometric, glucose tolerance/insulin resistance/type 2 diabetes, blood pressure, lipid profile, breathing problems, identification of aetiology, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, idiopathic intracranial hypertension, anxiety, depression, self-esteem, quality of life, school attendance, dietary habits including disordered eating, exercise and activity habits.

Conclusions

Use of an online Delphi process, patient representation workshops and virtual steering group meetings has enabled the development of core outcomes for clinical obesity services with eight physical health, five mental health and three self-management outcomes. Further work is needed to develop outcome measures to complete a core outcome set. These will be used to guide the evaluation of novel regional clinics for the treatment of complications of excess weight.
Unintentional deception still deceives
Authors: Hardman Doug
Published: January 2023

In my recent article,Pretending to care, I argue that a better understanding of non-doxastic attitudes could improve our understanding of deception in clinical practice. In an insightful and well-argued response, Colgrove highlights three problems with my account. For the sake of brevity, in this reply I focus on the first: that my definition of deception is implausible because it does not involve intention. Although I concede that my initial broad definition needs modification, I argue that it should not be modified by involving intention but by involving responsibility.
Differential rates of germline heterozygote and mosaic variants inNF2may show varying propensity for meiotic or mitotic mutation
Authors: Evans D Gareth , Burghel George J , Smith Miriam Jane
Published: January 2023

NF2-related schwannomatosis is an autosomal dominant tumour predisposition condition that causes multiple benign tumours of the nervous system, especially schwannomas. This results from germline pathogenic variants in theNF2gene, which are most commonly de novo NF2 nonsense variants. Over half of these de novo variants occur at just six CpG dinucleotides. In this study, we show that the sixNF2CpG nonsense variants make up 54% (136/252) of de novo nonsense variants, despite constituting <10% of nonsense positions in the germline (total=62), and that this pattern is different from theAPCgene, which is also known to have a high rate of mosaicism. In addition, theNF2c.586C>T; p.(Arg196Ter) has a higher de novo heterozygote to mosaicism ratio than the five other CpG variants (73.1% vs 53.7%, p=0.03) and the neighbouring CpG variant (NF2c.592C>T; p.(Arg198Ter) 38.5%, p=0.02). This may be due to differences in rates of mutation at meiosis versus mitosis.
Supersymmetrization of deformed BMS algebras
Authors: Banerjee Nabamita , Mitra Arpita , Mukherjee Debangshu , Safari H. R.
Published: January 2023

The W(a, b) and $$W(a,b;\bar{a},\bar{b})$$

W
(
a
,
b
;

a

¯

,

b

¯

)

algebras are deformations of $$\mathfrak {bms}_{3}$$

bms
3

and $$\mathfrak {bms}_{4}$$

bms
4

algebras, respectively. We present a $$\mathcal {N}=2$$

N
=
2

supersymmetric extension of both algebras in the presence of Rsymmetry generators that rotates the two supercharges. Our construction provides the most generic central extensions of the W(a, b) algebra. In particular, we find that $$\mathcal {N}=2$$

N
=
2

$$\mathfrak {bms}_{3}$$

bms
3

algebra admits a new central extension. On the other hand, we explicitly demonstrate that an infinite $$U(1)_V \times U(1)_A$$

U

(
1
)

V

×
U

(
1
)

A

extension of the $$W(a,b;\bar{a},\bar{b})$$

W
(
a
,
b
;

a

¯

,

b

¯

)

algebra corresponding to the $$R-$$

R
-

symmetry is not possible for linear and quadratic structure constants with generic deformation parameters. This also implies that the infinite R symmetry considered in our analysis is broken for the $$\mathcal {N}=2 \, \mathfrak {bms}_{4}$$

N
=
2

bms
4

algebra.
Gravitational waves from no-scale supergravity
Authors: Spanos Vassilis C. , Stamou Ioanna D.
Published: January 2023

In this paper we study four concrete models, based on no-scale supergravity with SU(2,1)/SU(2) $$\times $$
×
 U(1) symmetry. We modify either the Kähler potential or the superpotential, which are related to the no-scale theory with this symmetry. In this scenario, the induced Gravitational Waves, are calculated to be detectable by the future space-based observations such as LISA, BBO and DECIGO. The models under study are interrelated, as they all yield the Starobinsky effective-like scalar potential in the unmodified case. We evaluate numerically the scalar power spectrum and the stochastic background of the Gravitational Waves, satisfying the observational Planck cosmological constraints for inflation.
Sukuk with Index-linked Coupons and Hedging: Case Study of Petronas
Authors: Baaquie Belal Ehsan
Published: January 2023

A sukuk (an Islamic debt instrument) is reasoned to be equivalent to an index-linked coupon bond that pays coupons with values that are stochastic — depending on a market defined index — has been proposed in Belal Ehsan Baaquie (2018a), Belal Ehsan Baaquie (2020). Oil is one of the most important commodities. The proposed model is studied by taking the index of the coupons to be based on the price of oil, given by Brent Crude Oil Index or WTI (West Texas Intermediate). In particular, a case study is carried out in which fixed coupon bonds issued Petronas are compared with a corresponding sukuk with index-linked coupons. A novel hedging procedure for the index-lined sukuk (coupon bond) can be defined using the underlying commodity on which the index is based: when the sukuk is issued a fixed quantum of the commodity can be allocated and ring-fenced for paying the coupons of the sukuk; the sale of this commodity provides the tangible asset that generates the revenue required for the future payments of the index-linked coupons for a wide variation of the index.
HIFGAN: A High-Frequency Information-Based Generative Adversarial Network for Image Super-Resolution
Authors: Yang Xin , Li Hengrui , Li Xiaochuan , Li Tao
Published: January 2023

Since the neural network was introduced into the super-resolution (SR) field, many SR deep models have been proposed and have achieved excellent results. However, there are two main drawbacks: one is that the methods based on the best peak-signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) do not have enough comfortable visual quality; the other is that although the SR models based on generative adversarial network (GAN) have satisfactory visual quality, the structure of the reconstructed image has apparent defects. Therefore, according to the characteristics that human eyes are sensitive to high-frequency components in images, this article proposes an improved image SRGAN model based on high-frequency information fusion (HIFGAN). It builds a feature extraction network for high-frequency information fusion by designing a lightweight spatial attention module and improving the network architecture of enhanced super-resolution GAN (ESRGAN). It makes the generator in the GAN network have better feature recovery ability, reduces the dependence of the later training on the decider and loss function, and makes the generated image structure more consistent with the real situation. In addition, we build a high-frequency loss function to optimize the training of the generator network. Detailed experimental results show that HIFGAN performs excellently in both objective criterion evaluation and subjective visual effect. Compared with the state-of-the-art GAN-based SR networks, the reconstructed image by our model is more precise and complete in texture details.
Secure Data Sharing over Vehicular Networks Based on Multi-sharding Blockchain
Authors: Huang Junqin , Kong Linghe , Wang Jingwei , Chen Guihai , Gao Jianhua , Huang Gang , Khan Muhammad Khurram
Published: January 2023

Internet of Vehicles (IoV) has become an indispensable technology to bridge vehicles, persons, and infrastructures and is promising to make our cities smarter and more connected. It enables vehicles to exchange vehicular data (e.g., GPS, sensors, and brakes) with different entities nearby. However, sharing these vehicular data over the air raises concerns about identity privacy leakage. Besides, the centralized architecture adopted in existing IoV systems is fragile to single point-of-failure and malicious attacks. With the emergence of blockchain technology, there is the chance to solve these problems due to its features of being tamper-proof, traceability, and decentralization. In this article, we propose a privacy-preserving vehicular data sharing framework based on blockchain. In particular, we design an anonymous and auditable data sharing scheme using Zero-Knowledge Proof (ZKP) technology so as to protect the identity privacy of vehicles while preserving the vehicular data auditability for Trusted Authorities (TAs). In response to high mobility of vehicles, we design an efficient multi-sharding protocol to decrease blockchain communication costs without compromising the blockchain security. We implement a prototype of our framework and conduct extensive experiments and simulations on it. Evaluation and analysis results indicate that our framework can not only strengthen system security and data privacy but also reduce communication complexity by

\(O(\frac{n\sqrt {m}}{m^2})\)

times compared to existing sharding protocols.
VL-NMS: Breaking Proposal Bottlenecks in Two-stage Visual-language Matching
Authors: Zhang Chenchi , Ma Wenbo , Xiao Jun , Zhang Hanwang , Shao Jian , Zhuang Yueting , Chen Long
Published: January 2023

The prevailing framework for matching multimodal inputs is based on a two-stage process: (1) detecting proposals with an object detector and (2) matching text queries with proposals. Existing two-stage solutions mostly focus on the matching step. In this article, we argue that these methods overlook an obvious
mismatch
between the roles of proposals in the two stages: they generate proposals solely based on the detection confidence (i.e., query-agnostic), hoping that the proposals contain all instances mentioned in the text query (i.e., query-aware). Due to this mismatch, chances are that proposals relevant to the text query are suppressed during the filtering process, which in turn bounds the matching performance. To this end, we propose VL-NMS, which is the first method to yield query-aware proposals at the first stage. VL-NMS regards all mentioned instances as critical objects and introduces a lightweight module to predict a score for aligning each proposal with a critical object. These scores can guide the NMS operation to filter out proposals irrelevant to the text query, increasing the recall of critical objects, and resulting in a significantly improved matching performance. Since VL-NMS is agnostic to the matching step, it can be easily integrated into any state-of-the-art two-stage matching method. We validate the effectiveness of VL-NMS on three multimodal matching tasks, namely referring expression grounding, phrase grounding, and image-text matching. Extensive ablation studies on several baselines and benchmarks consistently demonstrate the superiority of VL-NMS.
Electrochemical Study of Eu(III)/Eu(II) in LiF-BeF2 Molten Salt
Authors: Zuo Yong , Peng Hao , Ji Nan , Huang Wei , Gong Yu
Published: January 2023

The electrochemical behavior of Eu(III)/Eu(II) (C

Eu total
= 2.34 × 10−5 mol g−1) in LiF-BeF2 (FLiBe) molten salt is studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV), square wave voltammetry (SWV), chrono potentiometry (CP) and linear polarization (LP) in the temperature range of 773 to 973 K. The coexistence of Eu(III) and Eu(II) and the ratio of Eu(III)/Eu(II) are determined by SWV test. The redox reaction of Eu(III)/Eu(II) couple on an inert tungsten electrode is demonstrated to be a quasi-reversible process with diffusion controlled mass transfer. The diffusion coefficient and diffusion activation energy of Eu(III) and Eu(II) are obtained by CP method at different temperature. The thermodynamic and kinetic characteristics of the redox reaction of Eu(III)/Eu(II) couple are investigated by various electrochemical methods. With the obtained data, the thermodynamic data ΔG
0 (−1046.1 KJ mol−1), ΔH
0 (−1218.2 KJ mol−1), ΔS
0 (−0.197 KJ mol−1), and E
0

EuF2/Eu
(−0.799 V vs E
0

BeF2/Be
) for EuF2 are calculated at 873 K and the possibility of the application of the Eu(III)/Eu(II) couple as redox buffering species or salt potential indicator is evaluated.
Anolyte Enhances Catalyst Utilization and Ion Transport Inside a CO2 Electrolyzer Cathode
Authors: Saha Prantik , Henckel Danielle , Baez-Cotto Carlos , Intia Fry , Hu Leiming , Van Cleve Tim , Neyerlin K. C.
Published: January 2023

Electrochemical CO2 reduction is a promising technology to capture and convert CO2 to valuable chemicals. High Faradaic efficiencies of CO2 reduction products are achieved with zero-gap alkaline CO2 electrolyzers with a supporting electrolyte at the anode (anolyte). Herein, we investigate the effect of anolyte on the electrode properties such as catalyst utilization, ionic accessibility etc. of a CO2 reduction cathode using electrochemical techniques and cell configurations that avoid the complexities related to co-electrolysis. Using 1M KOH as the anolyte and a Cu gas-diffusion-electrode with low Nafion content as the model CO2 reduction electrode, we find that electrode capacitance (proxy for electrochemically active surface area) and ionic conductivity inside the cathode increase approximately 4 and 447 times, respectively, in presence of KOH. Liquid anolyte wets the electrode’s pore structure more efficiently than capillary condensation of feed water vapor. The ionomer coverage is very low, and its distribution inside the electrode is highly fragmented. Surface ion conduction mechanisms inside the electrode are orders of magnitude lower than the bulk ion conduction in presence of anolyte. This study shows that when an anolyte (e.g., KOH) is used, catalyst utilization and ionic accessibility inside the electrode increase significantly.
Histone Deacetylase 1 Expression and Regulatory Network in Lung Adenocarcinoma Based on Data Mining and Implications for Targeted Treatment
Authors: Zhong Yueyuan , Li Mingdong , Guo Shihui , Li Minhua , Cao Zitong , Luo Xueyao , Liu Jianhong , Liang Runzhang , Shao Yingqi , Yang Yue , Chen Xinqia , Wei Chuzhong , Ling Weijun , Zhu Xiao , Huang Yongmei
Published: January 2023

Background and Aims. Histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) codes a protein that is a component of the histone deacetylase complex. The abnormal expression of HDAC1 is strongly correlated with cell proliferation, differentiation, transcription, and translation. Through continuous screening of genes associated with changes in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), gene networks are formed to explore tumor pathogenesis and new therapeutic targets. Methods. We evaluated HDAC1 gene survival analysis and its expression of LUAD using relevant websites and databases (TCGA and GEO databases). Through data mining, we determined the frequency and type of HDAC1 mutation, obtained the relevant heat map of the gene interaction network, completed the analysis of gene ontology and function enrichment, and understood the pharmaceutic of HDAC1. Results. We found that HDAC1 expression was associated with the prognosis of patients with LUAD. In gene expression analysis, HDAC1 was highly expressed in LUAD, and the HDAC1 interaction gene network (MARCKSL, eIF3I) was closely related to cellular gene expression. Functional network analysis shows that the expression of HDAC1 is related to the monitoring point of the G1-S phase of the cell cycle and the activation of the Notch signaling pathway (CSL transcription factor), which is involved in the process of cell proliferation and differentiation and gene expression associated with new therapeutic targets. Conclusion. Our data revealed the expression and potential regulatory factors of HDAC1 in LUAD of data mining, which laid a foundation for the study of the occurrence, development, and treatment of HDAC1 in LUAD.
Differences in the Clinical Characteristics and 1-Year Mortality Rates of Patients with Dermatomyositis with anti-Jo-1 and anti-MDA5 Antibodies
Authors: Liu Chao-Han , Kor Chew-Teng , Hung Ming-Hui , Hsiao Kai-Hung , Cheng Yen-Huang , Tien Ya-Chih
Published: January 2023

Objective. Patients with anti-Jo-1 antibodies (Abs) and anti–melanoma differentiation-associated protein 5 (MDA5) Abs are at a higher risk of interstitial lung disease (ILD) and have a mortality rate higher than that of patients with anti-Jo-1 Abs. This study investigated differences in the clinical characteristics and prognosis of patients with anti-Jo-1 Abs and anti-MDA5 Abs with dermatomyositis (DM). Methods. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 38 patients with DM from January 2000 to December 2021. The patients were divided into anti-Jo-1 Abs and anti-MDA5 Abs groups. The basic demographic data, clinical manifestations, and 1-year mortality rates of the groups were compared. Results. Among the 38 patients, 30 were anti-Jo-1-Abs positive and 8 patients were anti-MDA5 Aba positive. The patients with anti-MDA5 Abs presented with more apparent cutaneous symptoms and aggressive pulmonary manifestations than did those with anti-Jo-1 Abs. The mortality rate in the anti-MDA5 Abs group (1.95/person-year (PY)) was much higher than that in anti-Jo-1 Abs group (0.094/PY), and most of the mortalities occurred within the first 1–3 months of follow-up. Conclusion. Distinct cutaneous and pulmonary manifestations were observed in the anti-Jo-1 Abs and anti-MDA5 Abs groups. The mortality rate in the anti-MDA5 Abs group was significantly higher than that in the anti-Jo-1 Abs group. Early recognition is crucial to ensuring higher chances of survival for patients with anti-MDA5 Abs.
Characterization and Assessment of PEEK/Silicon Dioxide Composite
Authors: Saeed Husam Mohammed , Jassim Raghdaa Kareem
Published: January 2023

Background. In the domain of dentistry, PEEK materials have been utilised as removable partial denture frameworks, implant substances, and fixed dental prostheses. Even though PEEK polymer has a low modulus of elasticity, its mechanical attributes could be fine-tuned by integrating various inorganic filler materials. The study intends to characterise and assess Nano SiO2/PEEK composite prepared by using the melt blend approach. Materials and Methods. The design of this study uses 3% SiO2 and PEEK composite made using the melt blend technique and studies their characteristics with reference to pure PEEK. The following assessments are conducted: SEM and EDX assessment with AFM investigation in addition to tensile strength test, transverse strength test, and wettability test. All data were scrutinised by SPSS software version 24 and the statistical analyses included the mean, standard deviation, and the independent sample t-test. Results. The outcomes of this investigation pertain to the differences in characteristics of a composite of SiO2/PEEK compared with pure PEEK. The outcomes indicate that there is a statistically highly significant increase in the mean value of transverse strength was seen with the PEEK/SiO2 composite (3503.02 MPa) versus PEEK (2694.61 MPa), while there is a statistically significant decrease in the mean value of the tensile strength for PEEK/SiO2 (63.69 MPa) versus PEEK (97.62 MPa). Moreover, improvement in hydrophobic characteristics and surface roughness of PEEK/SiO2 (81.78°), (0.66 nm) versus PEEK (71.01°), (1.23 nm), respectively, thus giving more chance to composite to be investigated in human bone/implant substitution. Furthermore, the results of EDX and SEM images exhibited adequate distribution of Nano SiO2 within the PEEK matrix. There was also a statistically substantial decrease in the surface roughness and tensile strength obtained from the AFM investigation. Conclusion. As far as this study is concerned, a conclusion can be made that we can use 3% Nano SiO2 to prepare a composite of SiO2/PEEK by using the melt blend approach. Nano SiO2 can alter the SiO2/PEEK composite’s transverse strength and reduce the hydrophobic characteristics of the surfaces with proper distribution of nanoparticles within the matrix of PEEK with less surface roughness.
Chitosan Superabsorbent Biopolymers in Sanitary and Hygiene Applications
Authors: Mistry Peenal Arvind , Konar Meera Nambidas , Latha Srinivasan , Chadha Utkarsh , Bhardwaj Preetam , Eticha Tolera Kuma
Published: January 2023

The consumption of diapers and sanitary products has constantly been rising. Several problems are associated with using chemical-based sanitary products, which are difficult to degrade easily and cause nappy rash and bacterial infections in babies. Therefore, there is an increasing shift towards natural-based sanitary products because of their biodegradability, non-toxicity, and biocompatibility. Several studies are being carried out in which researchers have incorporated natural polymers, such as cellulose, starch, alginate, and xantham gum for producing superabsorbent materials. Chitosan (CS) is one such natural polymer that exhibits anti-microbial activity because of the functional groups present in its structure. Moreover, it is also easily available, biodegradable, and non-toxic. This review mainly focuses on CS’s properties and several approaches to synthesizing natural polymer-based superabsorbent products, such as sanitary pads and diapers. It also briefly discusses the diversified applications of CS as a biopolymer in the cosmetic, medical, food, and textile industries. In addition, this study implies using CS as a superabsorbent biopolymer in the manufacturing and producing sanitary products for women and children. Due to the excellent water retention capacity, swelling ability, and anti-microbial activity exhibited by CS can be considered a potential candidate for producing superabsorbent biopolymers.
Protective Effects of Clinacanthus nutans (Burm.f.) Lindau Aqueous Extract on HBV Mouse Model by Modulating Gut Microbiota and Liver Metabolomics
Authors: Zhang Rui , Lu Zhe , Xu Yachen , Peng Qian , Xiao Man , Sang Shenggang
Published: January 2023

Background. Clinacanthus nutans (Burm.f.) Lindau (C. nutans) has been used in the therapy of hepatitis B (HB) and is effective; however, the mechanism of action has not been elucidated. Objective. To investigate the protective effects of C. nutans aqueous extract on the hepatitis B virus (HBV) mouse model based on correlation analysis between gut microbiota and liver metabolomics. Materials and Methods. We firstly constructed the animal model by high‐pressure injection of pcDNA3.1(+)/HBV plasmid into the tail vein and treated it with C. nutans. The biomarkers and inflammatory cytokines of HB were detected by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay and quantitative PCR; the Illumina‐MiSeq platform was used for investigating gut microbiota; the LC‐MS/MS method was utilized on screening liver tissue metabolites; multiomics joint analysis was performed using the R program. Results. Compared with the modeling group, C. nutans significantly decreased the expression levels of HBsAg, IL‐1β, TNF‐α (P < 0.05) in the serum, and cccDNA (P < 0.05) in the liver tissues of mice. C. nutans dramatically reduced the ratio of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes (P < 0.05) and significantly declined the proportion of Lactobacillaceae and Lactobacillus (P < 0.05), dramatically increasing the relative abundance of Bacteroidales_S24-7_group, Rikenellaceae, and Alistipes (P < 0.05); LC‐MS/MS analysis results showed that C. nutans dramatically upregulate hippuric acid, L‐histidine, trehalose, D‐threitol, and stachyose and downregulate uridine 5′‐diphosphate, cholic acid, trimethylamine N‐oxide, CDP‐ethanolamine, and phosphorylcholine (P < 0.05). The correlation analysis revealed that C. nutans affects the related metabolite levels of hippuric acid and cholic acid through the modulation of crucial bacteria (Alistipes) (P < 0.01), exerting specific anti‐inflammatory effects. Conclusion. These results suggest that C. nutans exerts protective effects in HBV model mice, showing the therapeutic potential for anti‐HBV infection.
The Impact of Low Socioeconomic Background on a Child’s Educational Achievements
Authors: Vadivel Balachandran , Alam Sohaib , Nikpoo Iman , Ajanil Bemnet
Published: January 2023

A child’s educational achievements are based on multiple factors, including their family, their family’s behavior, socioeconomic status, their behavior toward their parents, etc. The main objective of the study is to establish the relationship between the socioeconomic background of the children and their educational achievements and how it impacts their psychology. A descriptive survey research design was used to conduct this study. The target population was 50 students and either of their parents. The target was selected through random sampling. Focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, and different types of observation techniques were implied while collecting the data. The study concluded that most of the students with low socioeconomic status had poor achievements in their academics, which led them into the labor market at an early age. It has been found that parents with low socioeconomic backgrounds were less interested in educating their children. Kids from low socioeconomic backgrounds are more focused on employment instead of pursuing their studies after completing their secondary education. Such students end up in unskilled or blue-collar jobs. This study recommends free-of-cost vocational and technical education to such children to provide them with better livelihood opportunities. There is a need for parental education and awareness programs as well conducted by schools/universities and other concerned authorities.
Examining the Effects of Cue Cards on EFL Learners’ Speaking Fluency, Accuracy, and Speaking Anxiety
Authors: Sukmana Nano , Koamriah Aan , Bazarov Bunyod , Patra Indrajit , Hashim Alghazali Tawfeeq Abdulameer , Ali Hussein Al-Khafaji Forqan , Farhangi Fariba
Published: January 2023

As using cue cards is not common in Iranian EFL classes, this research aimed at examining the impacts of applying cue cards on developing the speaking accuracy and fluency of Iranian EFL students. Additionally, this study looked at how employing cue cards helped Iranian EFL learners reduce their speaking anxiety. Sixty of the 97 Iranian EFL students who took the Oxford Quick Placement Test were selected as the target sample for the current research. The selected participants were then indiscriminately designated into two groups: control and experimental of equal size. Afterward, the pretests of speaking fluency and accuracy and speaking anxiety were administered to both groups. After pretesting, the experimental group was instructed by using cue cards, and the control group was instructed by a traditional speaking method. After the instruction finished, both groups took the posttests of the mentioned variables. The data analysis revealed that on their speaking accuracy, fluency, and anxiety posttests, the experimental group outperformed the control group. According to results, applying cue cards led to positive effects on speaking fluency, accuracy, and anxiety. Ultimately, based on the findings, some implications and conclusions were proposed.
Loss of CDKN2A Cooperates with WWTR1(TAZ)–CAMTA1 Gene Fusion to Promote Tumor Progression in Epithelioid Hemangioendothelioma
Authors: Seavey Caleb N. , Hallett Andrea , Li Shuo , Che Kepeng , Pobbati Ajaybabu V. , Ma Shuang , Burtscher Ashley , Kanai Ryan , Lamar John M. , Rubin Brian P.
Published: January 2023

Purpose:

Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) is a vascular sarcoma caused by the WWTR1(TAZ)–CAMTA1 (TC) gene fusion. This fusion gene has been observed in almost all reported EHE cases and functions as a constitutively activated TAZ. Sequencing of human tumors has, however, identified additional secondary mutations in approximately 50% of EHE, most commonly the loss of tumor suppressor CDKN2A. In this study, the effect of loss of CDKN2A in EHE tumorigenesis was evaluated.

Experimental Design:

Mice bearing a conditional TC allele were paired with a conditional Cdkn2a knockout allele and an endothelial-specific Cre. Histologic characterization and single-cell RNA-seq of the resultant tumors were performed. EHE cell lines were established through ex vivo culture of tumor cells and evaluated for sensitivity to TEAD inhibition and trametinib.

Results:

Loss of Cdkn2a within EHE was associated with more aggressive disease, as displayed by earlier tumor-related morbidity/mortality and enhanced tumor cell proliferation. As no previous EHE cell lines exist, we attempted, successfully, to expand EHE tumor cells ex vivo and produced the first EHE cell lines. These cell lines are “addicted” to the TC oncoprotein, replicate the EHE transcriptional profile, and generate EHE tumors when injected into immunodeficient mice.

Conclusions:

CDKN2A loss enhances the tumorigenicity of EHE in vivo and enabled the generation of the first cell lines of this disease. These cell lines replicate key facets of the human disease phenotype. Therefore, these cell lines and allograft tumors generated after implantation serve as robust model systems for therapeutic testing of compounds directed at either EHE or other TAZ-driven cancers.
Abstract P013: Impact of blood-based biomarkers for predicting lung cancer mortality in the PLCO cohort
Authors: Irajizad Ehsan , Fahrmann Johannes F. , Vykoukal Jody V. , Dennison Jennifer B. , Long James P. , Do Kim-Anh , Ostrin Edwin J. , Hanash Sam
Published: January 2023

Purpose: To investigate the utility of integrating a panel of circulating protein biomarkers in combination with a risk model based on subject characteristics for identifying individuals at high risk of harboring a lethal lung cancer. Methods: Data for a 4-marker protein panel (4MP) (consisting of the precursor form of surfactant protein B, cancer antigen 125, carcinoembryonic antigen, and cytokeratin-19 fragment) previously assayed in pre-diagnostic sera from 552 lung cancer cases and 2,193 non-cases from the Prostate Lung Colorectal and Ovarian (PLCO) cohort as well as a scores from a logistic regression model that combined the 4MP with the PLCOm2012 risk model were used for this study. Of the 552 lung cancer cases, 387 (70%) died from lung cancer. Cumulative incidence of lung cancer death as well as sub-distributional and cause-specific hazard ratios were calculated based on 4MP+PLCOm2012 risk scores at a pre-defined 1.0%/6-year risk threshold, which corresponds to current US Preventive Services Task Force screening criteria. For hazard modeling, stage at the time of clinical diagnosis and treatment modality were considered as co-variables. Results: When considering cases diagnosed within 1 year of blood draw and all non-cases, the performance estimate of the 4MP+PLCOm2012 model for risk prediction of lung cancer death was 0.88 (95% CI: 0.86-0.90). Among cases only, at the 1.0%/6-year risk threshold the cumulative incidence of lung cancer death was statistically significantly higher in ‘test positive’ cases compared to ‘test negative’ cases (Chi-square test: 5.42, P: 0.02). The adjusted sub distributional hazard ratio for ‘test positive’ cases was 1.67 (95% CI: 1.02-2.74). The adjusted lung-cancer death-specific hazard ratio for ‘test positive’ cases was 2.02 (95% CI: 1.28-3.17). Conclusions and Relevance: The blood-based biomarker panel in combination with PLCOm2012 identifies individuals at high risk of a lethal lung cancer.

Citation Format: Ehsan Irajizad, Johannes F. Fahrmann, Jody V. Vykoukal, Jennifer B. Dennison, James P. Long, Kim-Anh Do, Edwin J. Ostrin, Sam Hanash. Impact of blood-based biomarkers for predicting lung cancer mortality in the PLCO cohort. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Precision Prevention, Early Detection, and Interception of Cancer; 2022 Nov 17-19; Austin, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Can Prev Res 2023;16(1 Suppl): Abstract nr P013.
Abstract P019: Continued depression of breast and lung cancer screening among Medicare enrollees during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Doan Christopher Huy D. , Li Shuang , Goodwin James
Published: January 2023

Background: Several studies reported sharp decreases in screening mammography for breast cancer and low-dose computerized tomographic screening for lung cancer in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by a return to normal or near-normal levels in the summer of 2020. Objective: To determine the observed vs. expected mammography and low dose computed tomography rates from the beginning of the pandemic through April 2022. Methods: Retrospective cohort study assessing mammography and low dose computed tomography rates from January 2017 through April 2022. Data for January 2016 to February 2020 were used to generate expected rates for the period March 2020 to April 2022.Setting: United States Medicare population. Participants: A 20% national sample of Medicare fee-for-service enrollees among women aged 50-74 for mammography, and men and women aged 55-79 for low dose computerized tomography. Main outcome: Receipt of screening mammography or low dose computed tomography. Results: From January 2017 through February 2020, monthly mammography rates were flat, while there was a monotonic increase in low dose computed tomography rates, from approximately 500 per million per month in early 2017 to 1100 per million per month by January 2020. Over the period from March 2020 to April 2022, there were episodic drops in both mammography and low dose computed tomography rates, coincident with increases in national COVID-19 infection rates. For the periods from March 2020 to February 2020 and March 2021 to February 2022, the observed low dose computed tomography rates were 24% (95% Confidence Interval: 23%, 24%) and 14% (95% Confidence Interval: 13%, 15%) below expected rates, while mammography rates were 17% (95% Confidence Interval: 17%, 18%) and 4% (95% Confidence Interval: 4%, 3%) below expected. Conclusions and Relevance: The negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on lung cancer screening and breast cancer screening did not resolve after the initial pandemic surges. Successful interventions to improve screening rates should address pandemic-specific reasons for low screening participation.

Citation Format: Christopher Huy D. Doan, Shuang Li, James Goodwin. Continued depression of breast and lung cancer screening among Medicare enrollees during the COVID-19 pandemic. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Precision Prevention, Early Detection, and Interception of Cancer; 2022 Nov 17-19; Austin, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Can Prev Res 2023;16(1 Suppl): Abstract nr P019.
Overview of Ancillary Techniques in Cervical Cytology
Authors: Olivas Andrea D. , Barroeta Julieta E. , Lastra Ricardo R.
Published: January 2023

Background: The association between high-risk serotypes of human papillomavirus (hr-HPV) and cervical cancer is well-established. Summary: In order to improve the sensitivity of cervical cytology testing, hr-HPV testing has rapidly become part of routine cervical cancer screening, either in conjunction with cytology or as primary testing. In this review, we discuss the overall utility and strategies of hr-HPV testing, as well as the advantages and limitations of potential triage strategies for hr-HPV-positive women, including HPV genotyping, p16/Ki-67 dual staining, and methylation assays. Key Message: hr-HPV testing is discussed as primary screening and HPV genotyping, p16/Ki-67 dual staining, and methylation assays are discussed as ancillary techniques to cytology in the triage of hr-HPV-positive women undergoing cervical cancer screening.
Description of the tadpole of Agalychnis hulli (Anura: Hylidae)
Authors: Gray Andrew R. , Coloma Luis A.
Published: January 2023

The collection of larval specimens from Amazonian Ecuador allows for the scientific description of the tadpole of Agalychnis hulli. The tadpole is unusual among Phyllomedusinae and its external morphology appears more similar to species of Hylomantis than other species of Agalychnis, suggesting the species may well represent an important evolutionary link between these genera. The tadpole, which to date has remained undescribed, can be distinguished from all other Agalychnis tadpoles in having an oral disc (i) that is directed anteroventrally and extends to more than half the width of the body, (ii) which is modified into a short funnel- shaped structure, (iii) and surrounded by a single row of marginal papillae.
Sexual dimorphism, female fertility, and diet of Physalaemus feioi (Anura: Leptodactylidae) from southeastern Brazil
Authors: Sant’Anna Anathielle Caroline , Carrillo Juan F. C. , Hote Priscila Soares , Lopes Diego Senra , Silva Emanuel Teixeira da , Santana Diego José
Published: January 2023

Physalaemus feioi is a South American frog endemic to the Brazilian Atlantic Forest that occurs in the states of Minas Gerais and São Paulo. We evaluated sexual dimorphism, female fertility, and diet of P. feioi from two locations in the state of Minas Gerais, including the type locality of the species. We collected 73 individuals (16 adult females and 57 adult males). The number of oocytes of P. feioi (x̅ = 1385 ±498.13) was higher than in other species of the genus, such as P. maculiventris, P. signifer, P. cuvieri, and P. ephippifer, but it resembles that of P. centralis, P. kroyeri, and P. marmoratus. The prey items with the highest index of importance were Coleoptera (IIR = 24.26) and Formicidae (IIR = 16.46). We found no sex differences regarding the number of ingested prey and the volume of the stomach contents. In summary, Physalaemus feioi was similar to other species of the genus regarding sexual dimorphism, fecundity, and feeding habits.
Vocalizations, morphological variation, and morphometry of Pristimantis gutturalis (Anura: Strabomantidae)
Authors: Lopes André Gomes , Pedroso-Santos Fillipe , Sousa Jackson Cleiton , Santos Joandro Pandilha , Costa-Campos Carlos Eduardo
Published: January 2023

Pristimantis gutturalis is a species of the P. conspicillatus group described from French Guiana, with distribution so far restricted to the eastern Guiana Shield. Some aspects of this species are yet understudied, including its vocal repertoire which is unknown to date. Although in its original description it was properly characterized with regard to morphology, the description of its coloration in life consisted of brief remarks based on field notes on two females only. Moreover, little morphometric data were presented in its description, with detailed measurements provided for the holotype (a female) only. Subsequent studies have only briefly addressed this species and have not presented significant new data on it. In order to improve the knowledge on P. gutturalis, based on data from the state of Amapá, northern Brazil, in the present study we describe for the first time the advertisement and territorial calls of this species, assess its morphological and chromatic variation, provide detailed morphometric data on males and one female, and briefly comment on its natural history. Additionally, we compare the advertisement call of P. gutturalis with calls of other species of the P. conspicillatus group, and make some remarks on the acoustics of this group.
Reflexos de uma Lógica Mercadológica no Ensino Superior
Authors: Bernal Elisa , Ferraz Daniela Tankevicius , Morillo Helena Schafirovits , Carriles Mariana Pereira , Pereira Paula Thais Antunes , Fender Wilian Donnangelo
Published: January 2023

O presente trabalho visou problematizar as possibilidades e o lugar do docente de ensino superior dentro de um escopo de uma política voltada para uma racionalidade neoliberal, a qual prima por grande produtividade, desenvolvimento pessoal meritocrático, pela lógica da concorrência e da competitividade, bem como – em especial recorte deste artigo ao contexto acadêmico – na transformação das Instituições de Ensino Superior tomadas enquanto empresas, que devem responder às demandas e preceitos da gestão à qual são submetidas. Neste contexto, a formação do docente é amplamente atravessada pela ênfase na produção massiva de conteúdo acadêmico, em detrimento da formação didática e do incentivo ao pensamento crítico no ensino. Partindo do contexto histórico no qual a universidade se insere hoje, o presente artigo buscou discutir como as implicações da demanda mercadológica para a universidade recaem no exercício da docência, tendo como questão norteadora: os professores apresentam condições formativas para enfrentar as novas demandas que se impõe à universidade?
Metabolomic Signatures Associated With Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Outcomes
Authors: Pi Hongyang , Xia Lu , Ralph David D. , Rayner Samuel G. , Shojaie Ali , Leary Peter J. , Gharib Sina A.
Published: January 2023

Background:

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a complex disease characterized by progressive right ventricular (RV) failure leading to significant morbidity and mortality. Investigating metabolic features and pathways associated with RV dilation, mortality, and measures of disease severity can provide insight into molecular mechanisms, identify subphenotypes, and suggest potential therapeutic targets.

Methods:

We collected data from a prospective cohort of PAH participants and performed untargeted metabolomic profiling on 1045 metabolites from circulating blood. Analyses were intended to identify metabolomic differences across a range of common metrics in PAH (eg, dilated versus nondilated RV). Partial least squares discriminant analysis was first applied to assess the distinguishability of relevant outcomes. Significantly altered metabolites were then identified using linear regression, and Cox regression models (as appropriate for the specific outcome) with adjustments for age, sex, body mass index, and PAH cause. Models exploring RV maladaptation were further adjusted for pulmonary vascular resistance. Pathway enrichment analysis was performed to identify significantly dysregulated processes.

Results:

A total of 117 participants with PAH were included. Partial least squares discriminant analysis showed cluster differentiation between participants with dilated versus nondilated RVs, survivors versus nonsurvivors, and across a range of NT-proBNP (N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide) levels, REVEAL 2.0 composite scores, and 6-minute-walk distances. Polyamine and histidine pathways were associated with differences in RV dilation, mortality, NT-proBNP, REVEAL score, and 6-minute walk distance. Acylcarnitine pathways were associated with NT-proBNP, REVEAL score, and 6-minute walk distance. Sphingomyelin pathways were associated with RV dilation and NT-proBNP after adjustment for pulmonary vascular resistance.

Conclusions:

Distinct plasma metabolomic profiles are associated with RV dilation, mortality, and measures of disease severity in PAH. Polyamine, histidine, and sphingomyelin metabolic pathways represent promising candidates for identifying patients at high risk for poor outcomes and investigation into their roles as markers or mediators of disease progression and RV adaptation.
How Do We Experience Digital Arts? An Exploration through Latour’s Modes of Existence
Authors: Schlienger Dominik
Published: January 2023

This article explores the divergence between the practice and theory of technology as observed through an interdisciplinary free-improvisation workshop that critically engaged with (digital) technology Bruno Latour’s “technical mode of existence” proposes an intriguing interpretation of this differentiation. What is it that we experience when we engage with “digital art”? How does this bear on conceptualizations of technologies? The “fictional” and “reference” modes of existence further aid in understanding the digital as it pervades culture and media. Using examples from music, visual arts, and observations from the workshop, dystopian visions of technology are disentangled and reconfigured. Embodied agency and kinesthesia play a major role in this process.