bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of spatial transcriptomics on tumor immune microenvironment resistant to immune checkpoint inhibitors in metastatic urothelial carcinoma.
Authors: Iwasawa Tomohiro , Tanaka Nobuyuki , Itahashi Kota , Matsumoto Kazuhiro , Koyama Shohei , Nishikawa Hiroyoshi , Oya Mototsugu
Published: August 2023

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Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICBs) for metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC) are widely used, but their response rates are inadequate, around 20%. Currently, analyzing samples prior to ICB administration has accumulated so far; thereby predicting response to ICBs by high tumor mutation burden levels and PD-L1 positivity. However, little is known about what kind of tumor microenvironment is formed in recurrent or residual tumors post ICBs, and how it contributes to ICB resistance. Therefore, we applied large datasets of spatial transcriptome analysis to mUC samples post ICBs in order to reveal the diversity of the tumor microenvironment after ICB administration. Methods: The Visium spatial transcriptome analysis was performed on FFPE samples from 12 mUC patients with viable tumor resection after ICB administration. Further, 4 FFPE samples of non-metastatic UC treated-surgically were subjected to spatial transcriptome analysis and were used as ICB-naïve tumor controls. First, the tumor and stromal regions were pathologically annotated. We then identified CD4-positive, CD8A-positive, and FOXP3-positive spots in both tumor and stromal regions, respectively, and analyzed changes in differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and pathways in the tumor space where cancer cells survive after ICB treatment. Results: For DEGs and pathway analysis, 8082 spots in the tumor region and 10964 spots in the stromal region were used. In the tumor and stromal areas, 15.4% and 15.1% were CD4 positive, 6.5% and 6.3% were CD8A positive, and 2.9% and 2.0% were FOXP3 positive, respectively. In tumor regions of ICB-treated specimens, the expression of SULF1, an extracellular matrix-related gene, was increased in all CD4-, CD8A-, and FOXP3-positive spots compared to negative spots. In addition, the expression of complement-related genes such as C1QB, C1QC, and C1R was upregulated in CD8A-positive spots in the tumor regions after ICB. Pathway analysis revealed that oxidative phosphorylation was enriched in CD8A-positive spots in tumor regions prior to ICB, while angiogenesis was enriched in CD8A-positive spots after ICB. Conclusions: Spatial transcriptome analysis of a large dataset of UC samples showed distinct features of immune infiltration involved in therapeutic resistance in the tumor microenvironment under immunotherapy. Notably, T-cells may be exhausted by metabolic changes in CD8A-positive spots in ICB-refractory tumor environment spaces.
Effects of supervised exercise and self-managed psychosexual therapy on sexual health in men with prostate cancer: A randomized clinical trial.
Authors: Galvao Daniel Abido , Chambers Suzanne K , Taaffe Dennis R , Cormie Prue , Schumacher Oliver , Gardiner Robert Alexander , Spry Nigel , Lopez Pedro , Joseph David John , Tang Colin , Hayne Dickon , Newton Robert Usher
Published: August 2023

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Background: Sexual dysfunction is a common, distressing, and persistent adverse effect of prostate cancer treatment and current management strategies do not adequately address physical and psychological effects. Exercise is emerging as potential therapy in the management of sexual health. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of supervised, clinic-based, resistance and aerobic exercise with and without psychosexual therapy self-management on sexual health in men with prostate cancer. Methods: A 3-arm, parallel group, multi-center randomized clinical trial was undertaken between 2014 and 2018. The study was conducted at university-affiliated exercise clinics. Eligible participants were men with prostate cancer who had previously or were currently undergoing treatment and concerned about sexual dysfunction. One-hundred and twelve participants were randomized to: 1) 6 months of supervised, group-based resistance and aerobic exercise (n=39), 2) the same exercise program plus psychosexual therapy (n=36), or 3) usual care (n=37). Exercise was undertaken 3 days per week at university-affiliated exercise clinics. Psychosexual therapy consisted of a brief self-management intervention that addressed psychological and sexual wellbeing. The primary outcome was sexual health assessed with the International Index of Erectile Function. Secondary outcomes included body composition, physical function, and muscle strength. Analyses were undertaken using an intention-to-treat approach. Results: Erectile function increased by 5.1 points (exceeds MICD) with exercise and 1.0 point with usual care (P interaction=.010) while intercourse satisfaction increased by 2.2 points with exercise and 0.2 points with usual care (P interaction=.026). Self-managed psychosexual therapy did not result in additional improvements. Compared with usual care, exercise prevented an increase in fat mass (P interaction=.028) and improved physical function outcomes, as well as upper and lower body muscle strength. Conclusions: Supervised resistance and aerobic exercise improved erectile function and intercourse satisfaction in men with prostate cancer; however, self-managed psychosexual therapy resulted in no additional improvements. Men with prostate cancer concerned about sexual dysfunction should be encouraged to undertake exercise as a potential countermeasure. Clinical trial information: ACTRN12613001179729 .
Profound impact of ECOG performance status on clinical trial eligibility and access: Diverging effects by cancer type.
Authors: Lapidot Yelena , Safran Michal , Bader Tzvia , Gaziel Avital
Published: August 2023

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Background: The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status is a widely used measure of a patient's (pt) physical function and is often used as a criterion for clinical trial eligibility. Strict use of this criterion may exclude pts with comorbidities or poorer performance status, limiting the generalizability of trial results to the broader cancer pt population. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of ECOG performance status on eligibility for solid and non-solid cancer clinical trials (CTs) among pts using the Leal web-based platform. Methods: Leal (formerly, Trialjectory) is an AI-based platform that matches cancer pts to CTs based on a self-reported questionnaire that generates an individual clinical profile. The profile includes parameters essential for CT matching such as disease status, stage, biomarkers, treatment history, comorbidities and demographics. Data from pts with solid and non-solid cancers were analyzed. The number of matched trials per pt was determined based on the pt’s profile, location and travel preference. To assess the impact of ECOG score, the data set was edited to reflect a better performance status per pt. We used Yuen’s robust paired samples analysis to assess the association between improving the ECOG score and the number of matched CTs. Moreover, we have collected the cumulative ECOG distribution as an eligibility criteria in CTs in various cancer types. Results: In a data set of 5,018 cancer pts, high ECOG score (3 or 2) was significantly associated with fewer matched clinical trials per pt (p<0.001). This relationship was independent of ethnicity and gender. The relationship varied by cancer type, with a 3-fold greater effect size in solid tumors compared to non-solid tumors. When ECOG score per pt was edited from 3 to 2 or from 2 to 1, the number of matched CTs significantly increased by 246% and 189%, respectively, for all cancer types (p<0.001). Notably, the prevalence of CTs that allow worse ECOG scores (2 or higher) was significantly higher in non-solid CTs compared to solid tumors (p<0.001). Conclusions: Our results show that strict ECOG scores are significantly associated with fewer matched CTs per pt. This relationship varies by cancer type, with a greater impact on solid tumors. These findings suggest that cancer type may influence the relationship between ECOG scores and access to CTs. Pts with solid tumors may face more barriers to trial enrollment due to strict ECOG requirements. Our results highlight the need for a more nuanced approach to using ECOG performance status as an eligibility criterion in CTs, taking into account the specific cancer type and its associated physical demands. Further research is needed to fully understand the impact of ECOG performance status on trial enrollment and to determine the optimal balance between pt safety and representation in clinical research.
Quekett Microscopical Club
Authors: Hart Ernest
Published: August 2023

A paper was read by Mr. Cooke, “On the Progress of Microscopical Science in 1866,” in which his remarks were classed under three heads :—1. The establishment of new Societies, and increased vigour in old ones. 2. The mechanical improvements in microscopes, microscopical apparatus, and manipulation. 3. The contributions to microscopical literature. Under each of these heads numerous details were given.
Think Globally, Act Globally: Opportunities to Mitigate Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
Authors: Glennerster Rachel , Jayachandran Seema
Published: August 2023

Reductions in greenhouse gas emissions are a global public good, which makes it efficient to act globally when addressing this challenge. We lay out several reasons that high-income countries seeking to mitigate climate change might have greater impact if they invest their resources in opportunities in low- and middle-income countries. Specifically, some of the easiest and cheapest options have already been tapped in high-income countries, land and labor costs are lower in low- and middle-income countries, it is cheaper to build green than to retrofit green, and global targeting matters in integrated economies. We also discuss economic counterarguments such as the challenge of monitoring emissions levels in low- and middle-income countries, ethical considerations, the importance of not double-counting mitigation funding as development aid, and policy steps that might help realize this opportunity.
Φύλο, σώμα και πολιτική
Authors: Κάλφα Μαρία
Published: August 2023

Στο πλαίσιο αυτής της διατριβής αναπτύσσονται βασικοί άξονες γύρω από το κοινωνικό φύλο, τη συλλογική δράση και τη θέση του σώματος στην διαμαρτυρία και την πολιτική από τα κάτω. Κεντρικός άξονας αυτής της διατριβής είναι η θέση του γυμνού γυναικείου σώματος στον δημόσιο χώρο και Λόγο και η χρήση του ως εργαλείο στην φεμινιστική δράση και τα σύγχρονα διακευβεύματα του φεμινισμού. Στο πρώτο μέρος της έρευνας παρουσιάζεται η βιβλιογραφική επισκόπηση της οργάνωσης FEMEN και των βασικών διακυβευμάτων της, όπως και ο ρόλος του σώματος (τους) στον δημόσιο χώρο, η στάση τους απέναντι στην θρησκεία, στην πορνεία, στην πολιτική, στον σεξτρεμισμό και στον τρόπο που επιλέγουν να επιτελέσουν το φύλο τους σε δύο χώρους, στον δημόσιο χώρο και στον χώρο των ΜΜΕ. Στο δεύτερο μέρος αποτυπώνονται οι απόψεις ελληνικών φεμινιστικών οργανώσεων, δράσεων και συλλογικοτήτων γύρω από την συμμετοχή των Ελληνίδων στην φεμινιστική δράση, τη συμβολή των social media στην πολιτική συμμετοχή, τις προοπτικές της υιοθέτησης του σώματος ως πολιτικό εργαλείο, τις αντιλήψεις για τις FEMEN και τις πιθανότητες υιοθέτησης αντίστοιχων δράσεων στον ελληνικό χώρο. Ειδικότερα αναδύονται οι αγκυλώσεις που περιορίζουν το γυναικείο σώμα στον δημόσιο χώρο και παρουσιάζονται οι λόγοι εκείνοι που καθιστούν την παρουσία των FEMEN στην ελληνική κοινωνία αδύνατη, εφόσον το γυμνό γυναικείο σώμα εξακολουθεί να λειτουργεί ως ταμπού, εγείροντας απαγορεύσεις, προκλήσεις και ερωτήματα.
Διερεύνηση, καταγραφή και αξιολόγηση των αναγκών συνεχιζόμενης επαγγελματικής κατάρτισης του στελεχιακού δυναμικού του τομέα υγείας
Authors: Βόβα-Χατζή Μαγδαληνή
Published: August 2023

Το ανθρώπινο κεφάλαιο αποτελεί παγκοσμίως σήμερα τον κυριότερο συντελεστή παραγωγής. Υπάρχουν άπειρες ενδείξεις παγκοσμίως, ότι η επένδυση στην Συνεχιζόμενη Επαγγελματική Κατάρτιση (ΣΕΚ) είναι ζωτικής σημασίας. Και αυτό γιατί μπορεί να ενισχύσει την οικονομική και ανταγωνιστική απόδοση σε ατομικό, οργανωτικό και κοινωνικό επίπεδο. Η ΣΕΚ αποτελεί μια διαρκή διαδικασία που έχει σκοπό να διασφαλίσει ότι οι γνώσεις και οι δεξιότητες του ατόμου προσαρμόζονται συνεχώς και ανταποκρίνονται στις εξελισσόμενες απαιτήσεις της θέσης εργασίας του και των αναγκών της αγοράς εργασίας. Η παρούσα μελέτη αποσκοπεί στο να περιγράψει, αναλύσει και τεκμηριώσει τις ανάγκες κατάρτισης των εργαζομένων καθώς και να προτείνει τους βέλτιστους τρόπους επίτευξής της, μέσα από μια συνολική και συγκροτημένη αποτύπωση από το στελεχιακό δυναμικό του τομέα υγείας, έτσι ώστε να συμβάλλει στην αναβάθμιση της ποιότητας της προσφερόμενης κατάρτισης και στην περαιτέρω ανάπτυξη του στελεχιακού δυναμικού στον Τομέα της Υγείας. Για την επίτευξη των στόχων της εργασίας πραγματοποιήθηκε η μέθοδος Delphi, χρησιμοποιώντας ένα πάνελ 103 έμπειρων επαγγελματιών υγείας από όλη την Ελλάδα. Μέσα από τη μελέτη αναδείχτηκαν τα προβλήματα που δυσχεραίνουν τη ΣΕΚ (όπως η απουσία συστηματικού σχεδίου κατάρτισης προσωπικού από τη κεντρική διοίκηση του κράτους, η έλλειψη οικονομικών και ανθρώπινων πόρων, η έλλειψη διασύνδεσης μεταξύ της διαδικασίας κατάρτισης και της αξιολόγησης και επαγγελματικής εξέλιξης των εργαζομένων). Η έρευνά μας στοχεύει να δείξει, ότι για ένα καλύτερο και αποτελεσματικότερο σύστημα υγείας η κατάρτιση του ανθρώπινου δυναμικού στον τομέα της υγείας πρέπει να σχεδιάζεται και να οργανώνεται μέσω ενός συστηματικού σχεδίου για την ανάλυση των εκπαιδευτικών αναγκών. Η εκπαίδευση του εργατικού δυναμικού στον τομέα της υγείας πρέπει επίσης να είναι ολιστική, περιλαμβάνοντας αντικείμενα επιμόρφωσης που σχετίζονται με το πληθυσμό, τον εργασιακό χώρο των εργαζομένων, τον ασθενή και τη γνώση, με διαφορετική όμως επιλογή προτεραιότητας ανά κατηγορία προσωπικού. Η παρούσα μελέτη μπορεί να αποτελέσει χρήσιμο εργαλείο για τους υπεύθυνους χάραξης πολιτικής του τομέα υγείας στην ΣΕΚ. Σε περιόδους οικονομικής κρίσης με την έλλειψη οικονομικών πόρων, η αναβάθμιση και η ενίσχυση του προσωπικού του Τομέα Υγείας σύμφωνα με τις απαιτήσεις και τις ανάγκες της κοινωνίας είναι απαραίτητη περισσότερο από ποτέ.
Functionalized molecules via MCRs
Authors: Λέι Ζαοφάνγκ
Published: August 2023

Στο πρώτο κεφάλαιο της διατριβής συντέθηκαν για πρώτη φορά 2-τετραζολο ινδόλια μέσω της αντίδρασης UT-4CR, τα οποία αποτελούν βιοϊσοστερή των 2-καρβοξυ ινδολίων. Πραγματοποιήθηκαν επιπλέον MCRs και διάφορες δευτερογενείς συνθετικές μετατροπές. Στο δεύτερο κεφάλαιο, εκμεταλλευόμενοι τα ευρήματα της παραπάνω μελέτης, συνθέσαμε επιτυχώς ινδολο αμίδια μέσω της αντίδρασης U-4CR. Η διαδικασία είναι πράσινη και βιώσιμη. Έπειτα (κεφάλαιο 3), πραγματοποιήθηκε η σύνθεση βιβλιοθηκών νέων παραγώγων διβενζοθειαζεπινών και βενζοθιαζινών. Αυτά αποτελούν προνομιούχες δομές και χρησιμοποιούνται ευρέως τόσο στην Φαρμακευτική Χημεία, όσο και στην Χημεία υλικών. Οι ενώσεις αξιολογήθηκαν με υπολογιστικές μελέτες.Στο δεύτερο μέρος της διατριβής (κεφάλαια 4 και 5) πραγματοποιήθηκαν συνθέσεις παραγώγων με έμφαση στις εφαρμογές τους ως ημιαγωγοί. Αναφέρθηκαν συνθέσεις ενώσεων βασιζόμενες στις φλουορενόνες/φλουορένια (κεφάλαιο 4) και TTF (κεφάλαιο 5). Στα τελευταία παράγωγα, πραγματοποιήθηκαν εκτενείς μετρήσεις τόσο σε διάλυμα όσο και σε φιλμ ώστε να αξιολογηθεί η αγωγιμότητά τους. Πάνω από 50 διαφορετικά παράγωγα συντέθηκαν και στα δύο project.
Hypothesis on the pathophysiology of syringomyelia based on analysis of phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging of Chiari-I malformation patients
Authors: Chang Han Soo
Published: August 2023

Background: Despite several hypotheses, our understanding of syringomyelia’s pathophysiology remains limited. The hypothesis proposed by Oldfield et al. suggests that piston-like movement of the cerebellar tonsils propels the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) into the syrinx via the spinal perivascular space. However, a significant question remains unanswered: how does the CSF enter and stay in the syrinx, which has a higher pressure than the subarachnoid space. In the current study, we attempted to verify Oldfield’s hypothesis using phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data from patients with syringomyelia.

Methods: We analyzed phase-contrast MRI scans of 18 patients with Chiari-I malformation associated with syringomyelia, all of whom underwent foramen magnum decompression, and 21 healthy volunteers. We obtained velocity waveforms for CSF and brain tissue from regions of interest (ROI) set at the various locations. These waveforms were synchronized at the peak timing of downward CSF flow. We compared the preoperative patient data with the control data and also compared the preoperative patient data with the postoperative patient data.

Results: The syrinx shrank in 17 (94%) of the patients, and they experienced significant clinical improvement. When comparing pre- and postoperative MRI results, the only significant difference noted was the preoperative elevated velocity of the cerebellar tonsil, which disappeared post-surgery. The CSF velocities in the subarachnoid space were higher in the preoperative patients than in the controls, but they did not significantly differ in the postoperative MRI. The tonsillar velocity in the preoperative MRI was significantly lower than that of the CSF, suggesting that the elevated tonsillar velocity was more of an effect, rather than the cause, of the elevated CSF velocity.

Conclusions: Given these findings, a completely new paradigm seems necessary. We, therefore, propose a novel hypothesis: the generative force of syringomyelia may be the direction-selective resistance to CSF flow in the subarachnoid space.
Oriented Calmness and Sweeping Process Dynamics
Authors: Daniilidis Aris , Tapia Sebastian
Published: August 2023

Daniilidis and Drusviatskiy, in 2017, extended the celebrated Kurdyka–Łojasiewicz inequality from definable functions to definable multivalued maps by establishing that the coderivative mapping admits a desingularization around every critical value. As was the case in the gradient dynamics, this desingularization yields a uniform control of the lengths of all bounded orbits of the corresponding sweeping process. In this paper, working outside the framework of o-minimal geometry, we characterize the existence of a desingularization for the coderivative in terms of the behavior of the sweeping process orbits and the integrability of the talweg function. These results are close in spirit with the ones in Bolte et al., 2010, in which characterizations for the desingularization of the (sub)gradient of functions is obtained.

Funding: A. Daniilidis was supported by the Austrian Science Fund [Grant FWF P-36344N], Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico [Grant 1211217], and Centro de Modelamiento Matemático [Grant FB210005]. S. Tapia was supported by Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo (Chile)-Programa de Fortalecimiento de Capital Humano Académico Doctorado Nacional [Grant 2018-21181905].
Server Routing-Scheduling Problem in Distributed Queueing System with Time-Varying Demand and Queue Length Control
Authors: Wu Zerui , Liu Ran , Pan Ershun
Published: August 2023

We study a server routing-scheduling problem in a distributed queueing system, where the system consists of multiple queues at different locations. In a distributed queueing system, servers are shared among multiple queues, and they travel between queues in response to stochastic and time-varying demands. Although server traveling can improve service levels and shorten queue lengths, server routing and scheduling is complicated. We propose a dynamic programming model to solve this special routing-scheduling problem with time-varying demand, stochastic travel time, and queue-length constraints. In order to tackle large-scale practical instances, we design a dynamic programming-based rollout heuristic algorithm. Experiments on large-scale airports and scenic spots show that our approach reduces the total working periods of servers/employees without violating queue-length constraints. Furthermore, we demonstrate that our algorithm outperforms existing benchmark methods and the practical schedules of a scenic spot.

Funding: Financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grant 71972133] is gratefully acknowledged.

Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/trsc.2022.0099 .
Outcomes of Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Decortication in Pleural Empyema in Children
Authors: ATEŞ Ufuk , ERGÜN Ergun , QURBANOV Anar , KHALİLOVA Pari , SÖZDUYAR Sümeyye , ÇİFTÇİ Ergin , ÖZDEMİR Halil , ARGA Gül , KONCA Hatice Kubra , GUN Emrah , KENDİRLİ Tanıl , KOLOĞLU Meltem , YAĞMURLU Aydın , ÇAKMAK Ahmet , GÖLLÜ BAHADIR Gülnur
Published: August 2023

Objectives: The aim of this study is to determine efficacy, safety, and feasibility of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) in childhood empyema with two port technique.

Materials and Methods: 34 patients under 17 years of age were included to the study. Demographic and clinical data of the patients were recorded retrospectively.

Results: 34 patients under 17 years of age were included in the study. The first time the complaints started was 12 days. VATS was performed on mean 12 (2-46) days after the complaints of the patients started. The empyemas were in right hemithorax in 21 children and left in 11. Two patients underwent bilateral decortication Mean of chest tube removal time was 9.70 (2-26) days. While the postoperative stay was 23.50 (4-120) days, the total hospital stay was 32.50 (7-142) days. Emphysema developed in 7 patients in the following period. Chest tube revision was performed in a patient. Emphysema spontaneously regressed at follow-up in 6 patients. Two children had died due to 1- arrest and 2 – after liver transplant.

Conclusion: VATS is a feasible method with good results pleural empyema in children. The results are satisfactory in the early or late period of disease.
Propeller Noise Breakthrough
Authors: Knight Helen
Published: August 2023

Quieter blades will protect marine life
Electric Air Racing Looking to Take Flight
Authors: Nathan Stuart
Published: August 2023

looks at the development of Air Race E, a new motorsport involving electrically powered air racing, and the effect this might have on the future of air transport
Funding Gap Preventing Firm Growth
Authors: Knight Helen
Published: August 2023

Mid-sized firms miss out on new contracts
Silicon Anodes to Extend Battery Life
Authors: Knight Helen
Published: August 2023

Coating technology could lead to faster-charging lithium ion batteries
Lunar Lift-Off
Authors: Nathan Stuart
Published: August 2023

National space agencies and private companies are preparing missions that will return humans to the surface of the Moon, 50 years on from the successful landing of Apollo 11. Why go back, and what might the new crewed lunar missions involve?
COVID-19-induced gastrointestinal autonomic dysfunction: A systematic review
Authors: Elbeltagi Reem , Al-Beltagi Mohammed , Saeed Nermin Kamal , Bediwy Adel Salah
Published: August 2023

In recent years, because of the growing desire to improve the noninvasiveness and safety of tumor treatments, sonodynamic therapy has gradually become a popular research topic. However, due to the complexity of the therapeutic process, the relevant mechanisms have not yet been fully elucidated. One of the widely accepted possibilities involves the effect of reactive oxygen species. In this review, the mechanism of reactive oxygen species production by sonodynamic therapy (SDT) and ways to enhance the sonodynamic production of reactive oxygen species are reviewed. Then, the clinical application and limitations of SDT are discussed. In conclusion, current research on sonodynamic therapy should focus on the development of sonosensitizers that efficiently produce active oxygen, exhibit biological safety, and promote the clinical transformation of sonodynamic therapy.
Recurrent ventricular arrhythmia due to aconite intoxication successfully treated with landiolol: A case report
Authors: Matsuo Chiaki , Yamamoto Koji , Fukushima Hidetada , Yajima Daisuke , Inoue Hiroyuki
Published: August 2023

In recent years, because of the growing desire to improve the noninvasiveness and safety of tumor treatments, sonodynamic therapy has gradually become a popular research topic. However, due to the complexity of the therapeutic process, the relevant mechanisms have not yet been fully elucidated. One of the widely accepted possibilities involves the effect of reactive oxygen species. In this review, the mechanism of reactive oxygen species production by sonodynamic therapy (SDT) and ways to enhance the sonodynamic production of reactive oxygen species are reviewed. Then, the clinical application and limitations of SDT are discussed. In conclusion, current research on sonodynamic therapy should focus on the development of sonosensitizers that efficiently produce active oxygen, exhibit biological safety, and promote the clinical transformation of sonodynamic therapy.
Rapid progression of heart failure secondary to radioactive iodine treatment of hyperthyroidism: A case report
Authors: Li Zi-Han , Ni Lu-Jia , Liu Yuan-Qiao , Si Dao-Yuan
Published: August 2023

In recent years, because of the growing desire to improve the noninvasiveness and safety of tumor treatments, sonodynamic therapy has gradually become a popular research topic. However, due to the complexity of the therapeutic process, the relevant mechanisms have not yet been fully elucidated. One of the widely accepted possibilities involves the effect of reactive oxygen species. In this review, the mechanism of reactive oxygen species production by sonodynamic therapy (SDT) and ways to enhance the sonodynamic production of reactive oxygen species are reviewed. Then, the clinical application and limitations of SDT are discussed. In conclusion, current research on sonodynamic therapy should focus on the development of sonosensitizers that efficiently produce active oxygen, exhibit biological safety, and promote the clinical transformation of sonodynamic therapy.
Los almanaques alegórico-teatrales italianos en el origen de la Melodrama astrológica de Diego de Torres Villarroel (1724)
Authors: Lora Márquez Claudia
Published: August 2023

RESUMEN: Diego de Torres Villarroel publica en 1724 un almanaque titulado Melodrama astrológica: teatro temporal y político . El opúsculo, además de granjearle notoriedad al presuntamente vaticinar en él la muerte del rey Luis I, supone uno de los primeros intentos por insertar contenidos literarios en los pronósticos astrológicos. Este artículo trata de demostrar que, frente a las teorías que ven en el “modelo literario” un hallazgo original e inesperado, Torres se inspira en ciertas fórmulas que algunos autores de su tiempo practican con éxito en otras partes de Europa, concretamente en los Estados italianos. Abstract: Diego de Torres Villarroel published in 1724 an almanac entitled Melodrama astrológica: teatro temporal y político. The chapbook, besides helping him to gain fame by having supposedly predicted the death of King Louis I, is one of his first attempts at incorporating literary content into astrological predictions. This article aims to demonstrate that, contrary to those critics who see in the “literary model” an original and fortuitous discovery, Torres is inspired by certain formulas that some other contemporary authors were successfully practicing in Europe, specifically in the Italian States.
Scientific Hero: Dr. James E. K. Hildreth
Authors: Rice Valerie Montgomery , Payne Kermit G.
Published: August 2023

Abstract: Note from the editor: This column was originally published in 2013. Currently, Dr. Hildreth serves as president and CEO of Meharry Medical College, leading the technological, academic, and clinical transformation of the nation's largest private historically Black academic health sciences center. Because of his standing as a world-class infectious disease expert, Hildreth emerged as an important national figure in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In September 2020, he was appointed to the FDA Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee that reviewed COVID-19 vaccine candidates for approval, and in February 2021, Dr. Hildreth was named to President Joseph Biden's Health Equity Task Force.
The POWER of LEARNing and LEADing Together: Shared Learning Communities
Authors: McCormick Katie A. , Smith-Bankhead Neena , Ali Samira , Colbert Kia , Reif Susan , Mathews Allison , Jones Shonda R. , Ward Dafina
Published: August 2023

Summary: Southern community-based organizations often lack adequate resources to implement high-quality, culturally appropriate HIV programs and services. Shared learning communities (SLCs) combine in-depth training, tailored coaching, and peer-to-peer learning to strengthen HIV programs and services. This paper describes five SLCs, participant characteristics, and their capacity-building components.
Centralizing Evaluation to Amplify the Impact of Focused Grantmaking and Capacity Building Across a Southern US Large-Scale HIV Initiative
Authors: Kennedy Kristin , Fuega Jamie , McGoy Shanell L. , Silver Gillian , Udoh Ifeoma
Published: August 2023

Abstract: Education, Training and Research Associates (ETR) employed a centralized evaluation (CE) approach to monitor progress toward COMPASS (COMmitment to Partnership in Addressing HIV/AIDS in Southern States) goals and demonstrate the impact of grantmaking, capacity-building, and HIV-related service delivery. Evaluators 1) developed streamlined surveys to capture people served and impact; 2) held routine meetings with partners to contextualize data; 3) implemented partner feedback loops for refinement; and 4) provided partners with evaluation technical assistance. This streamlined the evaluation process for more than 350 organizations serving people living with HIV (PLWH), which permitted timely outcomes and impact data. Centralized evaluation has been pivotal in offering considerations for data use, informing strategic funding, and facilitating alignment across the initiative. By standardizing measures, evaluators developed a cross-site data collection strategy measuring impact on PLWH. This adoption of CE produced vital recommendations for social impact evaluation and replicability for other large-scale projects.
Loving Attention: Buddhaghosa, Katsuki Sekida, and Iris Murdoch on Meditation
and Moral Development
Authors: Fortney Mark
Published: August 2023

According to Iris Murdoch, one of our central moral capacities is the capacity to direct our attention in a way that is just and loving. In Metaphysics as a Guide to Morals , Murdoch explores the prospects for strengthening this capacity through engaging in Zen Buddhist practices, particularly zazen meditation as Katsuki Sekida describes it in Zen Training: Methods and Philosophy . Murdoch has a mixed view of whether zazen could really contribute to our moral development, expressing both some optimism and some reservations. I argue that a stronger version of Murdoch’s project, by her own lights, would have looked to the Theravāda Buddhist philosopher Buddhaghosa’s instructions for taking up loving-kindness, compassion, gladness, and equanimity as meditation subjects.
Fertility Decline in Bedouin Society in the Negev, Israel, in the Early 21st Century
Authors: AbuSrihan Naser , Anson Jon
Published: August 2023

Abstract: At the end of the 20th century, the recorded total fertility of the Bedouin in Israel was over 10 children per woman, one of the highest levels ever recorded in human history. In the first decade of the present century, fertility declined by almost 50% and has since stabilized. This article examines how fertility decline is related to other social changes: the rise in living standards, in education and paid work, especially for women; the move to urban dwelling, beside the continuation of life in the unrecognized villages; the permeation of new aspirations and lifestyles, but also the reality of living on the margins of Israeli society and the ongoing confrontations with the institutions of the Jewish State. The analysis is based on a representative sample of 491 married women aged 18 to 52 from the towns and unrecognized villages in the Negev, drawn from a socio-economic survey of the Arab population in Israel conducted by the Galilee Society in 2007. Controlling for age, the main effects on fertility were of post-secondary education, a non-traditional lifestyle, and confrontations with the State (negative) and standards of living (positive). These effects have brought about a change in the age at marriage and at first birth, which are he proximate, but not the only, determinants of the number of children born.
Mary Gladstone: Late-Victorian Hostess, Salonnière —and New Woman
Authors: Diedrick James
Published: August 2023

ABSTRACT: Mary Gladstone's identity as an accomplished musician, salonnière , hostess, and ministerial secretary has been well-documented in recent scholarship. So has her close alliance with her father W. E. Gladstone, including their shared commitment to Victorian liberalism, Anglicanism, and the sanctity of the domestic sphere. But her close friendships with heterodox thinkers, her writings, and her work in support of female suffrage and social purity feminism suggest important distinctions between her views and those of her father. They also demonstrate that she occupied another subject position in late-century Britain: that of a proto-New Woman. Viewing her within this discursive field, and analyzing her associations with thinkers like Henry Scott Holland, Josephine Butler, John Jay Chapman, and Olive Schreiner, illuminate important, overlooked aspects of her life and ideological sympathies. Examining her diary entries, publications, and correspondence—especially her exchanges with Chapman and Schreiner—sheds new light on Gladstone's involvement in the socio-political, religious, and gender debates of the fin de siècle and of the distinctly progressive forms of her social and political liberalism.
Hidden conditional random field-based equalizer for the 3D-CAP-64 transmission of OAM mode-division multiplexed ring-core fiber communication
Authors: Cui Yi , Gao Ran , Zhang Qi , Wang Yongjun , Liu Jie , Wang Fei , Xu Qi , Li Zhipei , Zhu Lei , Chang Huan , Guo Dong , Zhou Sitong , Wang Fu , Pan Xiaolong , Dong Ze , Tian Qinghua , Tian Feng , Huang Xin , Yan Jinghao , Jiang Lin , Xin Xiangjun
Published: August 2023

As a key technique for achieving ultra-high capacity optical fiber communications, orbital angular momentum (OAM) mode-division multiplexing (MDM) is affected by severe nonlinear impairments, including modulation related nonlinearities, square-law nonlinearity and mode-coupling-induced nonlinearity. In this paper, an equalizer based on a hidden conditional random field (HCRF) is proposed for the nonlinear mitigation of OAM-MDM optical fiber communication systems with 20 GBaud three-dimensional carrierless amplitude and phase modulation-64 (3D-CAP-64) signals. The HCRF equalizer extracts the stochastic nonlinear feature of the OAM-MDM 3D-CAP-64 signals by estimating the conditional probabilities of the hidden variables, thereby enabling the signals to be classified into subclasses of constellation points. The nonlinear impairment can then be mitigated based on the statistical probability distribution of the hidden variables of the OAM-MDM transmission channel in the HCRF equalizer. Our experimental results show that compared with a convolutional neural network (CNN)-based equalizer, the proposed HCRF equalizer improves the receiver sensitivity by 2 dB and 1 dB for the two OAM modes used here, with l =  + 2 and l =  + 3, respectively, at the 7% forward error correction (FEC) threshold. When compared with a Volterra nonlinear equalizer (VNE) and CNN-based equalizer, the computational complexity of the proposed HCRF equalizer was found to be reduced by 30% and 41%, respectively. The bit error ratio (BER) performance and reduction in computational complexity indicate that the proposed HCRF equalizer has great potential to mitigate nonlinear distortions in high-speed OAM-MDM fiber communication systems.
In-line temperature-compensated vector magnetic field sensor with side-polished fiber
Authors: Han Shufei , Pu Shengli , Hao Zijian , Zhang Chencheng , Liu Weinan , Duan Simiao , Fu Jiaqi , Wu Mingjue , Mi Peiwen , Zeng Xianglong , Lahoubi Mahieddine
Published: August 2023

A novel, to the best of our knowledge, vector magnetic field sensor with temperature compensation is proposed and investigated. The proposed sensor is realized by side polishing a multi-mode optical fiber and adopting the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect. The side-polished surface is coated with a magnetic fluid (MF) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) successively along the fiber axis. The as-fabricated sensor can be used not only for magnetic field strength and direction sensing, but also for temperature detection. The achieved magnetic field intensity sensitivities are 1720 pm/mT (90° direction) and −710 pm/mT (0° direction), and the temperature sensitivity is −2070 pm/°C. On top of its temperature compensation ability, the easy fabrication and very high sensitivity of the proposed sensor are attractive features for vector magnetic field sensing applications.
Assessing geochemical and natural radioactivity impacts of Hamadat phosphatic mine through radiological indices
Authors: Fathy Douaa , Zakaly Hesham M. H. , Lasheen El Saeed R. , Elsaman Reda , Alarifi Saad S. , Sami Mabrouk , Awad Hamdy A. , Ene Antoaneta
Published: August 2023

The utilization of phosphorite deposits as an industrial resource is of paramount importance, and its sustainability largely depends on ensuring safe and responsible practices. This study aims to evaluate the suitability of phosphorite deposits for industrial applications such as the production of phosphoric acid and phosphatic fertilizers. To achieve this goal, the study meticulously examines the geochemical characteristics of the deposits, investigates the distribution of natural Radioactivity within them, and assesses the potential radiological risk associated with their use. The phosphorites are massive and collected from different beds within the Duwi Formation at the Hamadat mining area. They are grain-supported and composed of phosphatic pellets, bioclasts (bones), non-phosphatic minerals, and cement. Geochemically, phosphorites contain high concentrations of P2O5 (23.59–28.36 wt.%) and CaO (40.85–44.35 wt.%), with low amounts of Al2O3 (0.23–0.51 wt.%), TiO2 (0.01–0.03 wt.%), Fe2O3 (1.14–2.28 wt.%), Na2O (0.37–1.19 wt.%), K2O (0.03–0.12 wt.%), and MnO (0.08–0.18 wt.%), suggesting the low contribution of the detrital material during their deposition. Moreover, they belong to contain enhanced U concentration (55–128 ppm). They are also enriched with Sr, Ba, Cr, V, and Zn and depleted in Th, Zr, and Rb, which strongly supports the low detrital input during the formation of the Hamadat phosphorites. The high Radioactivity of the studied phosphorites is probably due to the widespread occurrence of phosphatic components (e.g., apatite) that accommodate U in high concentrations. Gamma spectrometry based on NaI (Tl) crystal 3×3 has been used to measure occurring radionuclides in the phosphorite samples. The results indicate that the radioactive concentrations’ average values of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K are 184.18±9.19, 125.82±6.29, and 63.82±3.19 Bq Kg-1, respectively. Additionally, evaluations have been made of the radiological hazards. The calculated risk indicators exceeded the recommended national and world averages. The data obtained will serve as a reference for follow-up studies to evaluate the effectiveness of the Radioactivity of phosphatic materials collected from the Hamdat mine area.
The impact of city financial ecology on firm financing efficiency: Evidence from China’s strategic emerging industries
Authors: Zhang Hanbo , Zhang Guiyang , Qi Yong , Gao Yuchen , Wang Dong , Li Xing
Published: August 2023

Based on the concept of bionics and the connotation of city financial ecology, this study constructs a 3-level and 27-indicator evaluation index system, including financial ecology growth, soil, and air. This study uses the entropy-TOPSIS model to weigh indicators objectively and evaluate the financial ecology of 343 China’s prefecture-level cities during 2009–2016. This study uses the DEA-Tobit method to assess the financing efficiency of 4013 China’s strategic emerging listed firms during 2010–2017 and runs random-effect Tobit panel regressions. Regression results suggest that a city’s financial ecology overall has a positive effect on strategic emerging firms’ financing efficiency. Therefore, the government should: improve the multi-tiered financial market system and encourage financial innovation; transform the economic growth model and optimize the industrial structure; establish an information-sharing mechanism and construct a social credit system.
Evaluation of an optimized germline exomes pipeline using BWA-MEM2 and Dragen-GATK tools
Authors: Alganmi Nofe , Abusamra Heba
Published: August 2023

The next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology represents a significant advance in genomics and medical diagnosis. Nevertheless, the time it takes to perform sequencing, data analysis, and variant interpretation is a bottleneck in using next-generation sequencing in precision medicine. For accurate and efficient performance in clinical diagnostic lab practice, a consistent data analysis pipeline is necessary to avoid false variant calls and achieve optimum accuracy. This study aims to compare the performance of two NGS data analysis pipeline compartments, including short-read mapping (BWA-MEM and BWA-MEM2) and variant calling (GATK-HaplotypeCaller and DRAGEN-GATK). On Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) data, computational performance was assessed using several criteria, including mapping efficiency, variant calling performance, false positive calls rate, and time. We examined four gold-standard WES data sets: Ashkenazim father (NA24149), Ashkenazim mother (NA24143), Ashkenazim son (NA24385), and Asian son (NA25631). In addition, eighteen exome samples were analyzed based on different read counts, and coverage was used precisely in the run-time assessment. By using BWA-MEM 2 and Dragen-GATK, this study achieved faster and more accurate detection for SNVs and indels than the standard GATK Best Practices workflow. This systematic comparison will enable the bioinformatics community to develop a more efficient and faster solution for analyzing NGS data.
Pregnant women with mild COVID-19 followed in community setting by telemedicine, and factors associated with unfavorable outcome
Authors: Dinh Aurélien , Drouet Florian , Dechartres Agnes , Yordanov Youri , Duran Clara , Schmidt Nicolas , Banzet Amélie , Perrier Marie-Hermine , Mosquet Nathalie , Lescure François-Xavier , Jourdain Patrick , Nizard Jacky , Masingue Xavier ,   on behalf of the AP-HP/Universities/Inserm COVID-19 research collaboration
Published: August 2023

Objectives

Few is known on pregnant women with mild COVID-19 managed in a community setting with a telemedicine solution, including their outcomes. The objective of this study is to evaluate the adverse fetal outcomes and hospitalization rates of pregnant COVID-19 outpatients who were monitored with the Covidom© telemedicine solution.

Methods

A nested study was conducted on pregnant outpatients with confirmed COVID-19, who were managed with Covidom© between March and November 2020. The patients were required to complete a standard medical questionnaire on co-morbidities and symptoms at inclusion, and were then monitored daily for 30 days after symptom onset. Adverse fetal outcome was defined as a composite of preterm birth, low birthweight, or stillbirth, and was collected retrospectively through phone contact with a standardized questionnaire.

Results

The study included 714 pregnant women, with a median age of 32.0 [29.0–35.0] and a median BMI of 23.8 [21.3–27.0]. The main comorbidities observed were smoking (53%), hypertension (19%). The most common symptoms were asthenia (45.6%), cough (40.3%) and headache (25.7%), as well as anosmia (28.4%) and agueusia (32.3%). Adverse fetal outcomes occurred in 64 (9%) cases, including 38 (5%) preterm births, 33 (5%) low birthweights, and 6 (1%) stillbirths. Hospitalization occurred in 102 (14%) cases and was associated with adverse fetal outcomes (OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.3–4.4).

Conclusions

Our study suggests that adverse fetal outcomes are rare in pregnant women with mild COVID-19 who are monitored at home with telemedicine. However, hospitalization for COVID-19 and pregnancy-induced hypertension are associated with a higher risk of adverse fetal outcome.
Understanding the efficacy of wastewater surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 in two diverse communities
Authors: Flood Matthew T. , Sharp Josh , Bruggink Jennifer , Cormier Molly , Gomes Bailey , Oldani Isabella , Zimmy Lauren , Rose Joan B.
Published: August 2023

During the COVID-19 pandemic, wastewater-based surveillance has been shown to be a useful tool for monitoring the spread of disease in communities and the emergence of new viral variants of concern. As the pandemic enters its fourth year and clinical testing has declined, wastewater offers a consistent non-intrusive way to monitor community health in the long term. This study sought to understand how accurately wastewater monitoring represented the actual burden of disease between communities. Two communities varying in size and demographics in Michigan were monitored for SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater between March of 2020 and February of 2022. Additionally, each community was monitored for SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern from December 2020 to February 2022. Wastewater results were compared with zipcode and county level COVID-19 case data to determine which scope of clinical surveillance was most correlated with wastewater loading. Pearson r correlations were highest in the smaller of the two communities (population of 25,000) for N1 GC/person/day with zipcode level case data, and date of the onset of symptoms (r = 0.81). A clear difference was seen with more cases and virus signals in the wastewater of the larger community (population 110,000) when examined based on vaccine status, which reached only 50%. While wastewater levels of SARS-CoV-2 had a lower correlation to cases in the larger community, the information was still seen as valuable in supporting public health actions and further data including vaccination status should be examined in the future.
Hepatic transcript profiling in beef cattle: Effects of rumen-protected niacin supplementation
Authors: Alfaro Gastón F. , Palombo Valentino , D’Andrea Mariasilvia , Cao Wenqi , Zhang Yue , Beever Jonathan , Muntifering Russell B. , Pacheco Wilmer J. , Rodning Soren P. , Wang Xu , Moisá Sonia J.
Published: August 2023

The objective of our study was to assess the effect of rumen-protected niacin supplementation on the transcriptome of liver tissue in growing Angus × Simmental steers and heifers through RNA-seq analysis. Consequently, we wanted to assess the known role of niacin in the physiological processes of vasodilation, detoxification, and immune function in beef hepatic tissue. Normal weaned calves (~8 months old) were provided either a control diet or a diet supplemented with rumen-protected niacin (6 g/hd/d) for a 30-day period, followed by a liver biopsy. We observed a significant list of changes at the transcriptome level due to rumen-protected niacin supplementation. Several metabolic pathways revealed potential positive effects to the animal’s liver metabolism due to administration of rumen-protected niacin; for example, a decrease in lipolysis, apoptosis, inflammatory responses, atherosclerosis, oxidative stress, fibrosis, and vasodilation-related pathways. Therefore, results from our study showed that the liver transcriptional machinery switched several metabolic pathways to a condition that could potentially benefit the health status of animals supplemented with rumen-protected niacin. In conclusion, based on the results of our study, we can suggest the utilization of rumen-protected niacin supplementation as a nutritional strategy could improve the health status of growing beef cattle in different beef production stages, such as backgrounding operations or new arrivals to a feedlot.