bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
"ANALYSE DES MODES D’EXPRESSION DES FORMES SYMBOLIQUES DANS LES PUBLICITES SUR LES PRODUITS MCDONALD’S FRANCE ET INDE"
Authors:   Paul Sabatier University, Crangasu Mihai
Published: April 2023

Dans cet article nous tenterons d’analyser en quoi les dimensions culturelles non-manifestes de la communication sur les produits McDonald’s sont des formes d’expression symboliques? McDonald’s personnalise ses produits selon le contexte culturel de chaque pays. L'adaptation aux spécificités locales fait partie de l'ADN du développement de la multinationale McDonald’s. A partir de ces déclarations de mission explicites au centre de certaines publicités de McDonald’s, nous nous sommes engagés de mener une analyse basée sur la méthode sémio-herméneutique (Bratosin, 2007, 2011) selon laquelle le sens est produit dans un contexte pratiqué (culturel, religieux, scientifique, etc.). Dès lors, la communication sur les produits McDonald’s sera abordée dans ses aspects liés à la symbolique, au mythe, issus de la culture comme forme symbolique qui créée les conditions de possibilités d’ouvrir le sens des publicités sur les produits McDonald’s vers l’intelligibilité. Notre corpus sera constitué des affiches publicitaires pour les produits McDonald’s France et Inde. Les résultats attendus consistent à trouver les symboles culturels, religieux et mythiques qui prouvent la spécificité des produits McDonald par rapport à la culture comme forme symbolique.
Rotatable sphincterotome as a rescue device for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography cannulation: a single-center experience
Authors: Okamoto Takeshi , Sasaki Takashi , Takeda Tsuyoshi , Mie Takafumi , Mori Chinatsu , Furukawa Takaaki , Yamada Yuto , Kasuga Akiyoshi , Matsuyama Masato , Ozaka Masato , Sasahira Naoki
Published: April 2023

Background/Aims: Selective bile duct or pancreatic duct cannulation remains a significant initial hurdle in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) despite advances in endoscopy and accessories. This study evaluated our experience with a rotatable sphincterotome in cases of difficult cannulation.Methods: We retrospectively reviewed ERCP cases using TRUEtome, a rotatable sphincterotome, as a rescue device for cannulation at a cancer institute in Japan from October 2014 to December 2021.Results: TRUEtome was used in 88 patients. Duodenoscopes were used for 51 patients, while single-balloon enteroscopes (SBE) were used for 37 patients. TRUEtome was used for biliary and pancreatic duct cannulation (84.1%), intrahepatic bile duct selection (12.5%), and strictures of the afferent limb (3.4%). Cannulation success rates were similar in the duodenoscope and SBE groups (86.3% vs. 75.7%, p=0.213). TRUEtome was more commonly used in cases with steep cannulation angles in the duodenoscope group and in cases requiring cannulation in different directions in the SBE group. There were no significant differences in adverse events between the two groups.Conclusions: The cannulation sphincterotome was useful for difficult cannulations in both unaltered and surgically altered anatomies. It may be an option to consider before high-risk procedures such as precut and endoscopic ultrasound-guided rendezvous techniques.
Redaktionelt forord
Authors: Marcussen Martin
Published: April 2023

En gang boede der sunde mennesker på Lolland! Lolikker født i 1906-1915 havde således en 37 pct. højere chance end danskere født andre steder for atblive 100 år (Danmarks Statistik, 2018: 3). Sådan er det ikke længere. I dag dør folk i Lolland Kommune tidligere end alle andre steder i Danmark. Hvor middellevetiden i hele Danmark er 81,1 år er den 78,2 år på Lolland (Lynge og Holmager, 2021). Mens 24 pct. af borgerne i Lolland Kommune rapporterer at have et dårligt helbred, gælder det kun 17 pct. af den danske befolkning som helhed.
Nye finansielle forventninger – konsekvenser for bosætning og erhverv i landdistrikterne
Authors: Hvarregaard Thorsøe Martin , Bjørnshave Noe Egon
Published: April 2023

Dansk landbrug og de danske landdistrikter har historisk set været tæt knyttet sammen. Nok så vigtigt har udviklingen for begge områder været tæt forbundet med den finansielle sektor, der gennem långivning har sikret mulighederne for byggeri, investering, ejerskab og generationsskifter. I international sammenligning har danske kreditforeninger således spillet en unik rolle i udvikling af både bolig- og landbrugsområdet. I de senere årtier er der imidlertid sket en række forandringer af relationen mellem landbrugserhvervet og landdistrikterne på den ene side og det finansielle system på den anden side, der grundlæggende har ændret betingelserne for økonomisk aktivitet. I denne artikel dykker vi nærmere ned i disse forandringer og forsøger at belyse konsekvenserne.
Udfordringer i den neo-endogene selvfølgelighed i kommuners strategiske planlægning for landsbyer
Authors: Aagaard Thuesen Annette , Friis Bavnbæk Kasper , Bjørnshave Noe Egon
Published: April 2023

Megen landdistriktsforskning og -politik er baseret på en forventning om en neo-endogen selvfølgelighed, som handler om, at en stor del af ansvaret for landsbyudviklingen lægges over på landsbyaktørerne selv. Denne artikel undersøger mønstre i lokalsamfunds sociale kapital, der kan vise, hvordan lokalsamfundene står rustet til at agere udviklingsaktør. Artiklen analyserer kvantitative data fra en landsdækkende spørgeskemaundersøgelse hos borgerforeninger, lokalråd og lignende lokalsamfundsforeninger. I alt har 1.468 foreninger modtaget spørgeskemaet, og besvarelsesprocenten er 58. Kommunerne har for nylig fået et mere fastlagt ”landsbyansvar” i takt med at kommuneplanlægningen siden 2019 har skullet understøtte en udvikling af levedygtige landsbyer, fremme en differentieret og målrettet udvikling af landsbyer samt angive overordnede målsætninger og virkemidler for udviklingen af landsbyer. Artiklen diskuterer, i lyset af den strategiske planlægning for levedygtige landsbyer, udfordringerne ved den neo-endogene selvfølgeligheds ”læggen ansvar” over på lokalsamfundene.
La gestion de classe
Authors: Decelles Sylvain
Published: April 2023

Ce numéro de la revue Apprendre et enseigner aujourd’hui a pour thème « La gestion de classe : une tâche complexe à maîtriser ». Lorsque nous avons amorcé notre recherche portant sur ce thème, nous nous sommes posé les questions suivantes : quel est l’état des travaux portant sur la gestion de classe ? Comment s’inscrit-elle dans la formation initiale et comment s’arrime-t-elle aux diverses approches pédagogiques ?
La transdisciplinarité comme voie de décolonisation du savoir et de la pensée
Authors: Boelen Virginie
Published: April 2023

Cet article illustre, avec le cas d’une recherche doctorale, une triple transdisciplinarité, tant par l’objet de recherche, par la posture épistémologique de la chercheure que par la méthode de recherche utilisée. La recherche de développement théorique en question avait pour objectif la construction d’un modèle holistique visant à enrichir l’action éducative par la prise en compte de la spiritualité de l’apprenant dans le but de favoriser chez ce dernier la compréhension profonde de son lien au monde, au fondement d’un vivre-ensemble qui intègre l’ensemble du vivant. Après l’exposé de l’objet d’étude complexe, il sera question de rendre compte de la transdisciplinarité comme posture et méthode de recherche en y relevant les apports dont le plus important est celui de la décolonisation du savoir et de la pensée. Une telle recherche n’a pas été simple. Les obstacles rencontrés, mais aussi les pièges à éviter, seront également présentés.
Le livre numérique en bibliothèque publique au Québec : analyses des conditions d’exécution de la licence de Pretnumerique
Authors: Pelbois Christelle , Luckerhoff Jason , Lapointe Marie-Claude
Published: April 2023

Depuis 2012, la mise à la disposition de l’offre éditoriale commerciale de livres numériques québécois et francophones par les bibliothèques publiques au Québec se fonde principalement sur la licence québécoise, principale licence offerte par Pretnumerique. Les conditions de cette licence, décrites par Cusson (2016), ont été déterminées conjointement par des représentants de plusieurs des principaux partenaires de la chaîne du livre, soit des bibliothèques, des libraires et des éditeurs (Cusson, 2016; Labbé, 2016; Lapointe et al., 2021; Pelbois et al., 2022). Dans cet article émanant d’un programme de recherche sur le livre numérique en bibliothèque publique, nous explorons cette licence et faisons état de ses conditions d’exécution. Ses conditions suffisantes jugées essentielles conditionnent la réalisation de l’objectif de la licence et sont centrées sur le livre numérique (LN) appréhendé comme contenu. Ses conditions suffisantes strictement nécessaires répondent à des arbitrages relatifs à la tolérance aux contraintes de la licence et à l’équilibrage entre ses avantages attendus et ses inconvénients. Elles sont centrées sur le LN en tant que support. Nous analysons également comment, dix ans après son émergence, la comparaison de ces conditions avec celles d’autres licences peut amener à repenser certains aspects du modèle adopté.
Social learning mechanisms shape transmission pathways through replicate local social networks of wild birds
Authors: Beck Kristina B , Sheldon Ben C , Firth Josh A
Published: April 2023

The emergence and spread of novel behaviours via social learning can lead to rapid population-level changes whereby the social connections between individuals shape information flow. However, behaviours can spread via different mechanisms and little is known about how information flow depends on the underlying learning rule individuals employ. Here, comparing four different learning mechanisms, we simulated behavioural spread on replicate empirical social networks of wild great tits and explored the relationship between individual sociality and the order of behavioural acquisition. Our results reveal that, for learning rules dependent on the sum and strength of social connections to informed individuals, social connectivity was related to the order of acquisition, with individuals with increased social connectivity and reduced social clustering adopting new behaviours faster. However, when behavioural adoption depends on the ratio of an individuals’ social connections to informed versus uninformed individuals, social connectivity was not related to the order of acquisition. Finally, we show how specific learning mechanisms may limit behavioural spread within networks. These findings have important implications for understanding whether and how behaviours are likely to spread across social systems, the relationship between individuals’ sociality and behavioural acquisition, and therefore for the costs and benefits of sociality.
The ATM-E6AP-MASTL axis mediates DNA damage checkpoint recovery
Authors: Li Yanqiu , Wang Feifei , Li Xin , Wang Ling , Yang Zheng , You Zhongsheng , Peng Aimin
Published: April 2023

Checkpoint activation after DNA damage causes a transient cell cycle arrest by suppressing CDKs. However, it remains largely elusive how cell cycle recovery is initiated after DNA damage. In this study, we discovered the upregulated protein level of MASTL kinase hours after DNA damage. MASTL promotes cell cycle progression by preventing PP2A/B55-catalyzed dephosphorylation of CDK substrates. DNA damage-induced MASTL upregulation was caused by decreased protein degradation, and was unique among mitotic kinases. We identified E6AP as the E3 ubiquitin ligase that mediated MASTL degradation. MASTL degradation was inhibited upon DNA damage as a result of the dissociation of E6AP from MASTL. E6AP depletion promoted cell cycle recovery from the DNA damage checkpoint, in a MASTL-dependent manner. Furthermore, we found that E6AP was phosphorylated at Ser-218 by ATM after DNA damage and that this phosphorylation was required for its dissociation from MASTL, the stabilization of MASTL, and the timely recovery of cell cycle progression. Together, our data revealed that ATM/ATR-dependent signaling, while activating the DNA damage checkpoint, also initiates cell cycle recovery from the arrest. Consequently, this results in a timer-like mechanism that ensures the transient nature of the DNA damage checkpoint.
Discourses of democratic education in the preparation of teachers for international contexts
Authors: Helland Karianne
Published: April 2023

This article offers a critical and comparative view of democratic education as expressed in curriculum documents of ten teacher education programmes aimed at educating teachers for international contexts. Democracy and democratic education are concepts with contested meanings, and I use the discourses of democratic education identified by Sant (2019) as an analytical tool for mapping the understandings or approaches present in the documents. Intercultural competence, global citizenship, and International Mindedness are contested and overlapping concepts which intersect with these democratic discourses. The tension between a neoliberal discourse and a traditional focus on international-mindedness and global citizenship is often described as characteristic of international schools. The “internationalist” ethos dominates course descriptions and learning objectives. While several discourses of democratic education are present, the focus is mainly individual and geared towards intercultural understanding rather than democratic competences. The idea of the student as a citizen beyond the limits of the classroom walls is not very visible, nor are concepts of power and privilege.
CINmetrics: an R package for analyzing copy number aberrations as a measure of chromosomal instability
Authors: Oza Vishal H. , Fisher Jennifer L. , Darji Roshan , Lasseigne Brittany N.
Published: April 2023

Genomic instability is an important hallmark of cancer and more recently has been identified in others like neurodegenrative diseases. Chromosomal instability, as a measure of genomic instability, has been used to characterize clinical and biological phenotypes associated with these diseases by measuring structural and numerical chromosomal alterations. There have been multiple chromosomal instability scores developed across many studies in the literature; however, these scores have not been compared because of the lack of a single tool available to calculate and facilitate these various metrics. Here, we provide an R package CINmetrics, that calculates six different chromosomal instability scores and allows direct comparison between them. We also demonstrate how these scores differ by applying CINmetrics to breast cancer data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). The package is available on CRAN at https://cran.rproject.org/package=CINmetrics and on GitHub at https://github.com/lasseignelab/CINmetrics.
Finanças comportamentais: comparação do nível de aversão ao risco financeiro entre profissionais da área da saúde
Authors: Ramos Vinícius , Maemura Marcia Mitie Durante , Stanzani Lívia Maria Lopes , Pimenta Junior Tabajara
Published: April 2023

As Finanças Comportamentais são consideradas a nova era das finanças. Amparado em seus pressupostos, este trabalho teve o objetivo de detectar e comparar os níveis de aversão a risco em decisões financeiras de dois grupos de profissionais da saúde: um composto por aqueles expostos a situações de urgência (linha de frente no atendimento aos doentes da Covid-19) e outro composto por aqueles que atuam em situações hospitalares convencionais não-urgentes. Com a aplicação de um questionário a profissionais de ambos os grupos, foram obtidas respostas que possibilitaram testar a hipótese de que o trabalho em situações de urgência gera uma influência diferente no sentimento de aversão ao risco, do que os trabalhos hospitalares convencionais não-urgentes. Os resultados da análise estatística e do teste Qui-Quadrado revelaram que há uma pequena diferença de aversão ao risco entre os profissionais de ambos os grupos, sem apresentar, contudo, significância estatística. Os resultados revelaram ainda indícios de que os profissionais que atuam/atuaram na linha de frente contra a Covid19, em situações de ganho, aceitaram assumir maiores riscos, visando maior recompensa financeira. Já em situações que envolviam perdas, estes mesmos profissionais mostraram-se mais avessos ao risco, do que aqueles do outro grupo.
Proposição de um plano de marketing digital para um escritório contábil
Authors: Piccinin Yvelise Giacomello , Bichueti Roberto Schoproni , Borba Sabrina Nascimento , Posser Talita Gonçalves , Zonatto Vinícius Costa da Silva
Published: April 2023

O marketing digital pode trazer mais agilidade, baixo custo, personalização de acordo com as necessidades dos clientes, ausência de limitações geográficas e atendimento ao crescente aumento de usuários. Seguindo estes anseios, objetivou-se estabelecer estratégias de marketing digital para uma empresa de contabilidade localizado em Santa Maria/RS. A pesquisa classifica-se como aplicada, utilizando-se dos procedimentos técnicos de matriz SWOT, benchmarking e da proposição de um plano de marketing adaptado de Carvalho (2017). Dentre os resultados, percebeu-se pelo benchmarking pontos de melhorias para as estratégias de marketing digital e, assim, traçaram-se objetivos de alcance, quais sejam: ter uma política de marketing e comunicação digital estabelecida; aumentar a presença digital da empresa; melhorar a articulação de ideias nas mídias sociais, buscando consolidar relações, melhorando a lealdade dos seguidores; aprimorar a experiência do cliente no site da empresa; aumentar a base de clientes e de condomínios geridos; e, melhorar o relacionamento com os clientes existentes. Para atender aos objetivos delinearam-se ações que enfocam no site e nas mídias digitais. Espera-se que este artigo as análises contribuam ao subsidiar a tomada de decisão frente a relevância de se adotar o marketing digital em empresas.
Новый национальный парк на Северо-Востоке России , "Природа"
Authors: Хаменкова Е.В.
Published: April 2023

12 декабря 2022 г. вышло постановление Правительства РФ (№2284) о создании Национального парка «Черский» имени А.В.Андреева в Магаданской области — одном из самых известных горнопромышленных районов в мире. Ее площадь — более 460 тыс. км, около 10% (более 50 тыс. км) покрыто «метастазами» россыпной золотодобычи. Геологическое «освоение» области — важнейший фактор ее развития, одновременно превращающий обширные земли верховьев р.Колымы в неприглядные лунные ландшафты. История развития системы особо охраняемых природных территорий на Северо-Востоке России в целом и в Магаданской области в частности связана с именем известного геолога А.П.Васьковского.
ТРЕХЪЯЗЫЧИЕ В ДЕЛОПРОИЗВОДСТВЕ АНГЛИЙСКИХ ГОРОДОВ XIII–XVI вв., "Средние века"
Authors: Анисимова А.А.
Published: April 2023

В статье рассматривается языковая ситуация в английских средневековых городах на материале их делопроизводства. За основу исследования взяты два английских города – Фавершем и Фордвич – со схожими обстоятельствами развития: оба были монастырскими городами и членами Конфедерации Пяти Портов. На основе архивов этих городов изучается характерное для средневековой Англии трехъязычие – сосуществование латинского, французского (в его англо-нормандском варианте) и английского языков. Соотношение выбора языка с особенностями происхождения каждого документа (его типа, содержания, обстоятельств записи) позволят определить роли каждого языка и проследить их изменения со временем.
Are Perceived Organizational Support and Flexible Working Arrangement Able to Influence Employee Engagement among Millennials?
Authors: Marumpe Dody Pratama , Rosnani Titik , Heriyadi  , Fahruna Yulyanti , Jaya Arman
Published: April 2023

Aims: This study aims to find out the influence of Perceived Organizational and Flexible Working Arrangements on Employee Engagement among millennials while Work/Life Balance is an intervening variable.

Study Design: This study used quantitative methods. The data was collected using an online questionnaire. This study involved Millennials as a sample with 151 respondents who came from various kinds of companies.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was taken place at Palopo, South Sulawesi. This study was conducted between March and May 2018.

Methodology: This study involved 151 respondents and was conducted in Palopo. The respondents came from various companies and institutions such as Government-owned companies, Banking companies, Private companies, Educational institutions, Finance companies, Insurance companies, etc.

Results: Hypothesis 1, Perceived Organizational Support on Work/Life Balance produces T statistics values of 5.630 with a probability of 0.000. The test results show that the probability <alpha (5%). It means that there is a significant direct influence of Perceived Organizational Support on Work/life Balance. Hypothesis 2, the influence of a Flexible Working Arrangement on Work/Life Balance generates a T statistics value of 3.678 with a probability of 0.000. The test results show that the probability <alpha (5%). It means that there is a significant direct influence of Flexible Working Arrangements on Work/Life Balance. Hypothesis 3, the influence of Work/Life Balance on Employee Engagement. generate T statistics values of 5.924 with a probability of 0.000. The test results show that the probability <alpha (5%). It means that there is a significant direct influence of Work/Life Balance on Employee Engagement. Hypothesis 4, the influence of Perceived Organizational Support on Employee Engagement mediated by Work/life Balance generates in indirect influence coefficient direct influence coefficient It means that there is a significant influence of Perceived Organizational Support on Employee Engagement through Work/life Balance. Hypothesis 5, the influence of the Flexible Working Arrangement on Employee Engagement mediated by Work/life Balance generates in indirect influence coefficient direct influence coefficient. It means that there is a significant influence on the Flexible Working Arrangement of Employee Engagement through Work/life Balance.

Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that; 1). Perceived Organizational Support and Flexible Working Arrangements have a positive and significant influence on Work/Life Balance, 2). Work/life Balance has a positive and significant influence on Employee Engagement 3). Perceived Organizational Support and Flexible Working Arrangement have positive and significant influence on Employee Engagement with Work / life balance as a mediating variable.
Beyond the Classroom Walls: Activity based Learning for a Real-world Math Experience
Authors: Vansdadiya R. P. , Vasoya N. H. , Gondaliya P. R.
Published: April 2023

Students and educators have reported that mathematics education in schools is in a poor state. Because of this, pupils' academic performance suffers, both in class and on standardised tests. Teachers' pedagogy is a significant impact on pupils' mathematical achievement. For the most part, educators in today's schools continue to use time-tested practises. Evidence from studies shows that this approach fails to get the desired results. So, we need to move away from the lecture-based model of education and toward more active forms of learning like project-based learning. However, many educators struggle to develop and implement efficient methods of activity-based learning for mathematical concepts. This study is belonging to activity-based learning in mathematics classrooms for students with constructivist approach. Methods such as guided exploration, hands-on activities, instructional technology, collaborative study in small groups, and classroom debate all figure prominently. The authors argue that mathematics education should shift from a focus on conventional approaches to one that emphasises activity-based learning.
Honey Attenuates Phenylhydrazine-Induced Hematotoxicity and Oxidative Stress in Male Wistar Rats
Authors: Chinko Bruno C. , Pughikumo Dibo T. , Obia Onyebuchi , Udeh Winifred C. , Hart Victor O.
Published: April 2023

Honey is a sweet, viscous food substance produced by bees using nectar from flowers. Due to its complex chemical composition, it has been widely used in traditional medicine for its therapeutic properties. The present study evaluated the protective role of honey in attenuating phenylhydrazine (PHZ)-induced toxicity in male Wistar rats. Twenty (20) male Wistar rats with a weight range of 200-250g were used for the study. They were allocated into four (4) groups consisting of five (5) rats each. In the first phase of the experiment, animals in group I (control) received distilled water while animals in groups II, III and IV received 2ml of 15, 30 and 60% honey respectively by oral gavage. In the second phase, haematotoxicity and oxidative stress were induced by intraperitoneal injection of phenylhydrazine (PHZ) at 50 mg/kg to all twenty (20) animals, daily for two (days). The animals continued to receive distilled water and honey as in phase one. Blood collected from animals was analyzed for haematological and oxidative stress parameters following standard laboratory procedures. Results from the present study show significantly increased packed cell volume, haemoglobin concentration, red blood cell, total white blood cell and neutrophil counts among the experimental groups compared to the control (p<0.05). Also, superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione levels increased among the honey-supplemented experimental groups compared while MDA levels reduced compared to the control (P<0.05). The study concludes that oral supplementation of honey may have protected against phenylhydrazine-induced toxicity evidenced by increased packed cell volume, red blood cell, white blood cell and neutrophile counts, catalase and superoxide dismutase as well reduced malondialdehyde. The present evidence suggests that honey could attenuate haematotoxicity and oxidative stress caused by phenylhydrazine.
Evaluation of Different Elite Pear (Pyrus communis L.) Varieties for North Western Plain Zone of Uttar Pradesh, India
Authors: Kumar Arvind , Kumar Amit , Kumar Vipin , Tiwari Bharat , Singh Shalini , Pandey Vibhu
Published: April 2023

The present investigation was carried out at Horticultural Research Centre under Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology Meerut, during 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 seasons to select the promising varieties of pear. The experiment was conducted on a 7-8-year-old pear orchard spaced at a distance of 3 m × 4 m. On four varieties i.e.  Baggugosa, Punjab Beauty, Punjab Gold and Punjab Nectar and each replicated thrice. Each treatment consisted of three trees with a total of 12 trees. The obtained results showed that the highest canopy spread (3.765 m), number of fruits per plant (57.995) and fruit yield per plant (6.235 kg) were found to be significant. On the other side, number of flowers per plant (98.98), number of primary branches (6.165), stem girth (31.83 cm), plant height (6.965 m), fruit weight (5 fruits) (122.45 g), fruit length (73.97 mm) and fruit width (58.505 mm) were found to be non-significant. The results of the present study indicate that on the basis of their flowering times, full bloom times and morpho-economic characteristics, Punjab Nectar appeared to be a superior variety in terms of tree morphology and others as moderate. Further, it can be concluded that the variety Punjab Beauty had more productivity and the fruits of Punjab Nectar and Punjab beauty were having more marketable fruit traits.
Quantity of Melatonin and CBD in Melatonin Gummies Sold in the US
Authors: Cohen Pieter A. , Avula Bharathi , Wang Yan-Hong , Katragunta Kumar , Khan Ikhlas
Published: April 2023

This study assesses the actual measured quantities of melatonin and cannabidiol (CBD) in products marketed and sold in the US as melatonin gummies compared with the quantities declared on their labels.
Changes in Urologic Cancer Surgical Volume and Length of Stay During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Pennsylvania
Authors: Chun Brian , Ramian Haleh , Jones Cameron , Vasan Robin , Yabes Jonathan G. , Davies Benjamin J. , Sabik Lindsay M. , Jacobs Bruce L.
Published: April 2023

Importance

Disruptions in cancer surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic led to widespread deferrals and cancellations, creating a surgical backlog that presents a challenge for health care institutions moving into the recovery phase of the pandemic.

Objective

To describe patterns in surgical volume and postoperative length of stay for major urologic cancer surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This cohort study identified 24 001 patients 18 years or older from the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council database with kidney cancer, prostate cancer, or bladder cancer who received a radical nephrectomy, partial nephrectomy, radical prostatectomy, or radical cystectomy between the first quarter (Q1) of 2016 and Q2 of 2021. Postoperative length of stay and adjusted surgical volumes were compared before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcome was adjusted surgical volume for radical and partial nephrectomy, radical prostatectomy, and radical cystectomy during the COVID-19 pandemic. The secondary outcome was postoperative length of stay.

Results

A total of 24 001 patients (mean [SD] age, 63.1 [9.4] years; 3522 women [15%], 19 845 White patients [83%], 17 896 living in urban areas [75%]) received major urologic cancer surgery between Q1 of 2016 and Q2 of 2021. Of these, 4896 radical nephrectomy, 3508 partial nephrectomy, 13 327 radical prostatectomy, and 2270 radical cystectomy surgical procedures were performed. There were no statistically significant differences in patient age, sex, race, ethnicity, insurance status, urban or rural status, or Elixhauser Comorbidity Index scores between patients who received surgery before and patients who received surgery during the pandemic. For partial nephrectomy, a baseline of 168 surgeries per quarter decreased to 137 surgeries per quarter in Q2 and Q3 of 2020. For radical prostatectomy, a baseline of 644 surgeries per quarter decreased to 527 surgeries per quarter in Q2 and Q3 of 2020. However, the likelihood of receiving radical nephrectomy (odds ratio [OR], 1.00; 95% CI, 0.78-1.28), partial nephrectomy (OR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.77-1.27), radical prostatectomy (OR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.22-3.22), or radical cystectomy (OR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.31-1.53) was unchanged. Length of stay for partial nephrectomy decreased from baseline by a mean of 0.7 days (95% CI, −1.2 to −0.2 days) during the pandemic.

Conclusions and Relevance

This cohort study suggests that partial nephrectomy and radical prostatectomy surgical volume decreased during the peak waves of COVID-19, as did postoperative length of stay for partial nephrectomy.
Online adaptive radiotherapy and dose delivery accuracy: A retrospective analysis
Authors: Bessieres Igor , Lorenzo Olivier , Bertaut Aurélie , Petitfils Aurélie , Aubignac Léone , Boudet Julien
Published: April 2023

Purpose

With online adaptive radiotherapy (ART), patient‐specific quality assurance (PSQA) testing cannot be performed prior to delivery of the adapted treatment plan. Consequently, the dose delivery accuracy of adapted plans (i.e., the ability of the system to interpret and deliver the treatment as planned) are not initially verified. We investigated the variation in dose delivery accuracy of ART on the MRIdian 0.35 T MR‐linac (Viewray Inc., Oakwood, USA) between initial plans and their respective adapted plans, by analyzing PSQA results.

Methods

We considered the two main digestive localizations treated with ART (liver and pancreas). A total of 124 PSQA results acquired with the ArcCHECK (Sun Nuclear Corporation, Melbourne, USA) multidetector system were analyzed. PSQA result variations between the initial plans and their respective adapted plans were statistically investigated and compared with the variation in MU number.

Results

For the liver, limited deterioration in PSQA results was observed, and was within the limits of clinical tolerance (Initial = 98.2%, Adapted = 98.2%, p = 0.4503). For pancreas plans, only a few significant deteriorations extending beyond the limits of clinical tolerance were observed and were due to specific, complex anatomical configurations (Initial = 97.3%, Adapted = 96.5%, p = 0.0721). In parallel, we observed an influence of the increase in MU number on the PSQA results.

Conclusion

We show that the dose delivery accuracy of adapted plans, in terms of PSQA results, is preserved in ART processes on the 0.35 T MR‐linac. Respecting good practices, and minimizing the increase in MU number can help to preserve the accuracy of delivery of adapted plans as compared to their respective initial plans.
Multi‐Functional and Stretchable Thermoelectric Bi2Te3 Fabric for Strain, Pressure, and Temperature‐Sensing
Authors: Kwon Chaebeen , Lee Sanghyeon , Won Chihyeong , Lee Kyu Hyoung , Kim Minyoung , Lee Jaehong , Yang Seung‐Jae , Lee Minkyu , Lee Seungmin , Yoon Kukro , Cho Sungjoon , Lee Taeyoon
Published: April 2023

Fiber‐based electronics are essential components for human‐friendly wearable devices due to their flexibility, stretchability, and wearing comfort. Many thermoelectric (TE) fabrics are investigated with diverse materials and manufacturing methods to meet these potential demands. Despite such advancements, applying inorganic TE materials to stretchable platforms remains challenging, constraining their broad adoption in wearable electronics. Herein, a multi‐functional and stretchable bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) TE fabric is fabricated by in situ reduction to optimize the formation of Bi2Te3 nanoparticles (NPs) inside and outside of cotton fabric. Due to the high durability of Bi2Te3 NP networks, the Bi2Te3 TE fabric exhibits excellent electrical reliability under 10,000 cycles of both stretching and compression. Interestingly, intrinsic negative piezoresistance of Bi2Te3 NPs under lateral strain is found, which is caused by the band gap change. Furthermore, the TE unit achieves a power factor of 25.77 µWm−1K−2 with electrical conductivity of 36.7 Scm−1 and a Seebeck coefficient of −83.79 µVK−1 at room temperature. The Bi2Te3 TE fabric is applied to a system that can detect both normal pressure and temperature difference. Balance weight and a finger put on top of the 3 × 3 Bi2Te3 fabric assembly are differentiated through the sensing system in real time.
An AIE Photosensitizer with Simultaneous Type I and Type II ROS Generation: Efficient Bacterial Elimination and Hypoxic Tumor Ablation
Authors: Wang Yuwei , Liao Jinghan , Lyu Yanting , Guo Qianqian , Zhu Zhirong , Wu Xupeng , Yu Jiahong , Wang Qi , Zhu Wei‐Hong
Published: April 2023

Aggregation induced emission (AIE) photosensitizers have attracted great attention due to their good performance in photodynamic therapy (PDT). However, the therapeutic effect of AIE photosensitizer is often highly dependent on the biological microenvironment because it is difficult to produce type I and type II reactive oxygen species (ROS) simultaneously. Herein, an electron‐rich anion‐π+ AIEgen Pys‐QM‐TT is reported, which is capable of highly generating type I and type II ROS and realizing near‐infrared fluorescence imaging synchronously. In the rational design of AIE photosensitizer, the strong electron‐donating triphenylamine unit, π‐bridge thiophene and electron‐withdrawing pyridinium salt unit can enhance the D–π–A behavior, thereby improving the intramolecular charge transfer effect and extending the wavelength. Meanwhile, the powerful D–π–A effect is supposed to reduce ∆ES‐T and promote the intersystem crossing processes, thus increasing the generation of ROS. In addition, the negatively charged anion in pyridinium salt group provides an electron‐rich environment for the excited photosensitizer, so as to promote electron transfer to generate type I ROS. Therefore, Pys‐QM‐TT can not only generate type I and type II ROS simultaneously with weak environmental dependence, but also effectively inhibit bacterial infections and ablate tumor tissue by promoting tumor cell apoptosis, inhibiting tumor cell proliferation and anti‐angiogenesis.
The Exsolution of Cu Particles from Doped Barium Cerate Zirconate via Barium Cuprate Intermediate Phases
Authors: Wang Mei , Papaioannou Evangelos I. , Metcalfe Ian S. , Naden Aaron , Savaniu Cristian D. , Irvine John T. S.
Published: April 2023

As a low‐cost alternative to noble metals, Cu plays an important role in industrial catalysis, such as water‐gas shift reaction, methanol or ethanol oxidation, hydrogenation of oils, CO oxidation, among many others. An important step in optimizing Cu catalyst performance is control of nanoparticles size, distribution, and the interface with the support. While proton conducting perovskites can enhance the metal catalytic activity when acting as the support, there has been limited investigation of in situ growth of Cu metal nanoparticles from the proton conductors and its catalytic performance. Here, Cu nanoparticles are tracked exsolved from an A‐site‐deficient proton‐conducting barium cerate‐zirconate using scanning electron microscopy, revealing a continuous phase change during exsolution as a function of reduction temperature. Combined with the phase diagram and cell parameter change during reduction, a new exsolution mechanism is proposed for the first time which provides insight into tailoring metal particles interfaces at proton conducting oxide surfaces. Furthermore, the catalytic behavior in the CO oxidation reaction is explored and, it is observed that these new nanostructures can rival state of the art catalysts over long term operation.
Trehalose‐Guanosine Glycopolymer Hydrogels Direct Adaptive Glia Responses in CNS Injury
Authors: DuBois Eric M. , Adewumi Honour O. , O'Connor Payton R. , Labovitz Jacob E. , O'Shea Timothy M.
Published: April 2023

Neural tissue damaged after central nervous system (CNS) injury does not naturally regenerate but is instead replaced by non‐neural fibrotic scar tissue that serves no neurological function. Scar‐free repair to create a more permissive environment for regeneration requires altering the natural injury responses of glial cells. In this work, glycopolymer‐based supramolecular hydrogels are synthesized to direct adaptive glia repair after CNS injury. Combining poly(trehalose‐co‐guanosine) (pTreGuo) glycopolymers with free guanosine (fGuo) generates shear‐thinning hydrogels through stabilized formation of long‐range G‐quadruplex secondary structures. Hydrogels with smooth or granular microstructures and mechanical properties spanning three orders of magnitude are produced through facile control of pTreGuo hydrogel composition. Injection of pTreGuo hydrogels into healthy mouse brains elicits minimal stromal cell infiltration and peripherally derived inflammation that is comparable to a bioinert methyl cellulose benchmarking material. pTreGuo hydrogels alter astrocyte borders and recruit microglia to infiltrate and resorb the hydrogel bulk over 7 d. Injections of pTreGuo hydrogels into ischemic stroke alter the natural responses of glial cells after injury to reduce the size of lesions and increase axon regrowth into lesion core environments. These results support the use of pTreGuo hydrogels as part of neural regeneration strategies to activate endogenous glia repair mechanisms.
Coexistence of Both Localized Electronic States and Electron Gas at Rutile TiO2 Surfaces
Authors: Shen Shengchun , Wang Meng , Zhang Yang , Lyu Yingjie , Tian Di , Gao Chang , Long Youwen , Zhao Jin , Yu Pu
Published: April 2023

Localized electron polarons formed through the coupling of excess electrons and ionic vibrations play a key role in the functionalities of materials. However, the mechanism of the coexistence of delocalized electrons and localized polarons remains underexplored. Here, the discovery of high‐mobility 2D electron gas at the rutile TiO2 surfaces through argon ion irradiation induced oxygen vacancies is reported. Strikingly, the electron gas forms localized electronic states at lower temperatures, resulting in an abrupt metal–insulator transition. Moreover, it is found that the low‐temperature conductivity in the insulating state is dominated by excess free electrons with a high mobility of ≈103 cm2 V−1 s−1, whereas the carrier density is dramatically suppressed with decreasing temperature. Remarkably, it reveals that the application of an electric field can lead to a collapse of the localized states, resulting in a metallic state. These results reveal the strongly correlated/coupled nature between the localized electrons and high‐mobility electrons and offer a new pathway to probe and harvest the exotic electron states at the complex oxide surfaces.
Highly Efficient 3D Nonlinear Photonic Crystals in Ferroelectrics
Authors: Liu Shan , Wang Lei , Mazur Leszek Mateusz , Switkowski Krzysztof , Wang Bingxia , Chen Feng , Arie Ady , Krolikowski Wieslaw , Sheng Yan
Published: April 2023

Nonlinear photonic crystals (NPCs) with spatially modulated second‐order nonlinear coefficients are indispensable in nonlinear optics and modern photonics. To access full degrees of freedom in the generation and control of coherent light at new frequencies, three dimensional (3D) NPCs have been recently fabricated employing the femtosecond laser writing technique in ferroelectric crystals. However, the nonlinear interaction efficiencies in 3D NPCs so far are rather low, which has been a major barrier to further development. Here, fabrication challenges of large‐scale 3D NPCs have been overcome to realize more than four orders of magnitude efficiency improvement over previously reported crystals. With the generation of second harmonic vortex beam as an example, the measured conversion efficiencies as high as 2.9 × 10−6 W−1 (femtosecond pulse‐pumped) and 1.2 × 10−5 W−1 (continuous‐wave‐pumped) are comparable with those in 1D or 2D NPCs. A general approach of structural simplification to relax fabrication challenge of truly complex 3D structures without sacrificing the predesigned functions is also presented. This realization of efficient nonlinear interactions in 3D NPCs paves the way for their novel applications in nonlinear photonics and quantum optics including nonlinear orbital angular momentum multiplexing and high‐dimensional entangled source.
Enhanced Optical Gain from Photoactivated Colloidal Quantum Wells
Authors: Wei Huayu , Wang Chenlin , Li Xiaoxiao , Meng Heyan , Tong Bingyi , Li Luxi , Zhan Xuepeng , Jin Bing , Sun Baoqing , Zong Yanmin , Zhao Xian , Gao Yuan
Published: April 2023

Cadmium chalcogenide colloidal quantum wells (CQWs) are a unique class of optical gain materials that can be precisely engineered in terms of thickness and composition at the atomic level using colloidal atomic layer deposition (c‐ALD). However, the atomic layer deposition is typically performed at room temperature, resulting in low emission efficiency and the need for additional thermal annealing. In this study, ultraviolet (UV) illumination is used to treat the CQWs prepared using c‐ALD and a significant improvement in their photoluminescence is observed, with an irreversible 79‐fold increase. Furthermore, the lasing threshold is reduced to two‐thirds of the untreated samples, enabling whispering gallery mode lasing from the CQW in solution. This research demonstrates an efficient and convenient method for boosting the emission from the CQWs and highlights the advantages of CQWs as optical gain media that can be engineered with atomic precision.
Application of Thermogels to the Anterior of the Eye as Alternatives to Conventional Eyedrops
Authors: Ross Mitchell , Sheardown Heather
Published: April 2023

The anterior of the eye can be affected by numerous different diseases, but the treatment of these diseases is dominated by topical formulations which are well documented to be largely ineffective. To increase the efficacy of these drugs, thermogel formulations have been developed for sustained release following application to the anterior of the eye. These thermogel formulations have been designed for either injectable or topical application. The types of polymers used to create the thermogels, testing methods, and subsequent performance will be outlined in this review. The current trends in design including increasing mechanical performance, utilizing designed degradation, incorporation of micro or nanoparticles, and developing mucoadhesion formulations are also highlighted.
Material Stiffness in Cooperation with Macrophage Paracrine Signals Determines the Tenogenic Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Authors: Sheng Renwang , Liu Jia , Zhang Wei , Luo Yifan , Chen Zhixuan , Chi Jiayu , Mo Qingyun , Wang Mingyue , Sun Yuzhi , Liu Chuanquan , Zhang Yanan , Zhu Yue , Kuang Baian , Yan Chunguang , Liu Haoyang , Backman Ludvig J. , Chen Jialin
Published: April 2023

Stiffness is an important physical property of biomaterials that determines stem cell fate. Guiding stem cell differentiation via stiffness modulation has been considered in tissue engineering. However, the mechanism by which material stiffness regulates stem cell differentiation into the tendon lineage remains controversial. Increasing evidence demonstrates that immune cells interact with implanted biomaterials and regulate stem cell behaviors via paracrine signaling; however, the role of this mechanism in tendon differentiation is not clear. In this study, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrates with different stiffnesses are developed, and the tenogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) exposed to different stiffnesses and macrophage paracrine signals is investigated. The results reveal that lower stiffnesses facilitates tenogenic differentiation of MSCs, while macrophage paracrine signals at these stiffnesses suppress the differentiation. When exposed to these two stimuli, MSCs still exhibit enhanced tendon differentiation, which is further elucidated by global proteomic analysis. Following subcutaneous implantation in rats for 2 weeks, soft biomaterial induces only low inflammation and promotes tendon‐like tissue formation. In conclusion, the study demonstrates that soft, rather than stiff, material has a greater potential to guide tenogenic differentiation of stem cells, which provides comprehensive evidence for optimized bioactive scaffold design in tendon tissue engineering.
Antiviral Nanobiologic Therapy Remodulates Innate Immune Responses to Highly Pathogenic Coronavirus
Authors: Liu Xuan , Yuan Lunzhi , Chen Jijing , Zhang Yali , Chen Peiwen , Zhou Ming , Xie Jiaxuan , Ma Jian , Zhang Jianzhong , Wu Kun , Tang Qiyi , Yuan Quan , Zhu Huachen , Cheng Tong , Guan Yi , Liu Gang , Xia Ningshao
Published: April 2023

Highly pathogenic coronavirus (CoV) infection induces a defective innate antiviral immune response coupled with the dysregulated release of proinflammatory cytokines and finally results in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). A timely and appropriate triggering of innate antiviral response is crucial to inhibit viral replication and prevent ARDS. However, current medical countermeasures can rarely meet this urgent demand. Here, an antiviral nanobiologic named CoVR‐MV is developed, which is polymerized of CoVs receptors based on a biomimetic membrane vesicle system. The designed CoVR‐MV interferes with the viral infection by absorbing the viruses with maximized viral spike target interface, and mediates the clearance of the virus through its inherent interaction with macrophages. Furthermore, CoVR‐MV coupled with the virus promotes a swift production and signaling of endogenous type I interferon via deregulating 7‐dehydrocholesterol reductase (DHCR7) inhibition of interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) activation in macrophages. These sequential processes re‐modulate the innate immune responses to the virus, trigger spontaneous innate antiviral defenses, and rescue infected Syrian hamsters from ARDS caused by SARS‐CoV‐2 and all tested variants.