bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mission abort strategy for generalized k-out-of-n: F systems considering competing failure criteria
Authors: Cao Shuai , Wang Xiaoyue
Published: May 2023

For safety-critical systems such as submarines and solar lighting system, mission abort is an effective way to enhance system survivability when a certain malfunction condition is met. This paper contributes by presenting a bivariate mission abort policy for generalized k-out-of- n: F systems that fail if there are at least m non-overlapping kc consecutive failed components or at least kt failed components. When the number of non-overlapping kc consecutive failed components reaches a preset level or the total number of failed components exceeds a predetermined value, the mission is aborted, and then a rescue procedure is initiated. Mission reliability and system survivability are derived by employing a two-step finite Markov chain imbedding approach. The optimization models are formulated with the purpose of maximizing the mission reliability, and minimizing the expected total cost of mission failure and system failure, respectively. A numerical example based on a solar lighting system is presented to illustrate the applicability of the proposed policies.
Designing Well-Being: A Qualitative Investigation of Young Patients’ Perspectives on the Material Hospital Environment
Authors: Payam Shahin , Hossaini Jihad , Zaschka Katharina , Friedmann Anna , Mall Volker
Published: May 2023

Background:

Physical surroundings of healthcare facilities are suggested to influence young patients’ well-being and hospitalization experiences.

Purpose:

The current research seeks to understand young patients’ views and perspectives of the hospital lobby and inpatient rooms. Thus, a qualitative study was carried out in a social pediatric clinic for young patients with disabilities, developmental delays, behavioral problems, and chronic health conditions, that is undergoing reconstruction.

Method:

Operating from a critical realist position, the study employed arts-based methods in conjunction with semi-structured interviews. The data were explored by employing thematic analysis.

Results:

37 young people between the age of four and 30 years participated in the study. The analysis illustrates that the built environment should contain comforting and joyful elements, while enabling patients’ autonomy. The ideal lobby was depicted as open and accessible and an ideal patient room as practical and adapted to personal needs.

Conclusion:

It is suggested that disabling and medicalized spatial arrangements and features may restrict young people’s sense of control and autonomy, while possibly posing a barrier to a health-promoting environment. Large and open spaces with comforting and distracting features are cherished by patients and may be embedded in a comprehensive, yet simple overall design and structural concept.
A Systematic Literature Review on Healthcare Facility Evaluation Methods
Authors: Pereira Lucas Melchiori , Ornstein Sheila Walbe
Published: May 2023

To present a systematic literature review on predesign evaluation (PDE), postoccupancy evaluation (POE), and evidence-based design (EBD); to delimit the concepts and relationships of these terms and place them in the building life cycle framework to guide their application and indicate a common understanding and possible gaps. The preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses protocol was used. Inclusion criteria cover texts that present a concept, method, procedure, or tool and use the example in healthcare services or other environments. The reports were excluded if there was no evidence of a relationship between the terms, if cited rhetorically, duplicated, or if an instrument was not related to at least one other term. The identification used Scopus and Web of Science and considered reports until December 2021 (search period). When extracting the evidence, formal quality criteria were observed and sentences and other elements were collected as evidence and tabulated to segment topics of interest. The searches identified 799 reports with 494 duplicates. In the selection, 53 records were selected from 305 obtained in 14 searches. The classification extracted concepts, relationships, and frameworks. Results indicate a consistent understanding of POE and EBD and a diffuse understanding of PDE. A summary of the three concepts including two frameworks is proposed. Situations are contextualized where these frameworks are used in specific areas of research. One of these frameworks provides a basis for classifying building assessment methods, procedures, and tools but does not detail the classification criteria. Thus, more detailed adjustments should be considered in specific studies.
Different approach, same focus: How China is shaping the future of its African cooperation through education
Authors: Adovor Tsikudo Kwame
Published: May 2023

Aid, trade, and foreign direct investments remain central to burgeoning Africa and China engagements. However, a recent analysis of the Forum of China-Africa Cooperation action plan reveals a steady shift from the material to the nonmaterial spheres. This observation stems from increasing investments in education, including Confucius Institutes and Confucius Classroom projects, scholarships, professionalized training for African media and security personnel, and China's peacekeeping operations. These people-to-people encounters are expected to expand as the Belt and Road Initiatives deepen. Yet, how these educational collaborations connect to China's quest to consolidate its African presence remains undertheorized. Focusing on Ghana's recent emergence as the continent's largest “exporter” of students to China despite its relatively small population, this study explores the significance of China's growing educational investments on future relationships between China and African countries. The research draws on relational productive power framework of knowledge production and argues that China's growing educational investments in Africa comprise state-led efforts to build social capital to shape future engagements with African countries.
Building decolonial climate justice movements: Four tensions
Authors: Simpson Michael , Pizarro Choy Alejandra
Published: May 2023

Prevailing approaches to resolving the climate crisis further entrench and extend the same institutions of racial capitalism and colonial domination which have precipitated this crisis. The need to build transformative movements to fight for climate justice is dire. Yet, transformative movements are inevitably structured by many of the same dynamics they oppose. This presents a risk that such movements may reproduce colonial or otherwise unjust relations in the worlds they seek to bring about. We point to four areas of tension where we see this dilemma playing out within efforts to build decolonial climate justice movements, and briefly discuss some questions that arise for scholars committed to this work.
Exploring theoretical conditions for a steady-state global economy: A simulation model
Authors: Matutinović Igor , Ulanowicz Robert E , Vlah Domagoj
Published: May 2023

We use a simulation model to explore the theoretical impact of technology, recycling, household propensity for material consumption, and nature conservation policies on economic growth and possible stabilization of the global economy within biophysical boundaries. The model dynamics, which arise from the autocatalytic loop between production and household sectors that deplete finite natural resources, qualitatively reproduce historically observed global GDP growth. The simulation results show that a sustainable but unstable steady-state can be reasonably reached only by the simultaneous application of policies that increase nature conservation and promote environmentally efficient technologies, a circular economy, and less-intensive material lifestyles. These policy measures, if realized, would reflect the anticipatory behavior of the human system to prevent future hazards by taking adequate actions in the present. The unstable steady-state suggests long-term sustainability would depend on continuous behavioral, institutional, and policy adjustments rooted in anticipatory behavior.
Prediction as extraction of discretion
Authors: Hong Sun-ha
Published: May 2023

I argue that prediction is not primarily a technological means for knowing future outcomes, but a social model for extracting and concentrating discretionary power. Prediction is a ‘relational grammar’ that governs this allocation of discretion: the everyday ability to define one's situation. This extractive dynamic extends a long historical pattern, in which new methods for producing knowledge entail a redistribution of decision-making power. I focus on two contemporary domains: (1) crime and policing are emblematic of how predictive systems are extractive by design, with pre-existing interests governing what is measured and what persistently goes unmeasured. (2) The prediction of productivity demonstrates the long tradition of extracting discretion as a means to extract labour power. Time after time, making human behaviour more predictable for the client of prediction (the manager, the police officer) often means making life and work more unpredictable for the target of prediction (the employee, the urban citizen).
Ethical scaling for content moderation: Extreme speech and the (in)significance of artificial intelligence
Authors: Udupa Sahana , Maronikolakis Antonis , Wisiorek Axel
Published: May 2023

In this article, we present new empirical evidence to demonstrate the severe limitations of existing machine learning content moderation methods to keep pace with, let alone stay ahead of, hateful language online. Building on the collaborative coding project “AI4Dignity” we outline the ambiguities and complexities of annotating problematic text in AI-assisted moderation systems. We diagnose the shortcomings of the content moderation and natural language processing approach as emerging from a broader epistemological trapping wrapped in the liberal-modern idea of “the human”. Presenting a decolonial critique of the “human vs machine” conundrum and drawing attention to the structuring effects of coloniality on extreme speech, we propose “ethical scaling” to highlight moderation process as political praxis. As a normative framework for platform governance, ethical scaling calls for a transparent, reflexive, and replicable process of iteration for content moderation with community participation and global parity, which should evolve in conjunction with addressing algorithmic amplification of divisive content and resource allocation for content moderation.
Benefits and challenges of tele-dance movement psychotherapy with children with autism and their parents
Authors: Moo Janet TN , Ho Rainbow TH
Published: May 2023

Dance movement psychotherapy can be physically and psychologically beneficial for children with autism spectrum disorder. The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic required therapy to take place online. However, tele-dance movement psychotherapy with children with autism spectrum disorder has yet to be studied. This mixed methods study involving qualitative research and movement analyses entailed providing tele-dance movement psychotherapy to children with autism spectrum disorder and their parents, during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, and exploring its potential benefits and challenges. The parents who completed the programme reported positive outcomes including the child's social development, enjoyment, improved understanding of their child, insight and ideas, as well as relationship-building. Movement analyses using the Parent Child Movement Scale (PCMS) lent greater insight into these developments. All of the parents reported challenges in participating in tele-dance movement psychotherapy. These were related to screen-to-screen interactions, home, and physical distance. There was a relatively high attrition rate. These findings highlight the challenges of tele-dance movement psychotherapy with children with autism spectrum disorder and the unique benefits of meeting in person whilst the positive outcomes may indicate that tele-dance movement psychotherapy can be beneficial, perhaps particularly as an interim or adjunct form of therapy. Specific measures can be taken to enhance engagement.
Swapping data: A pragmatic approach for enabling academic-industrial partnerships
Authors: Kasprzak Julia , Frey Simon , Oetlinger Hermann , Benedikt Westphalen C. , Erickson Nicole , Heinemann Volker , Nasseh Daniel
Published: May 2023

Objectives

Academic institutions have access to comprehensive sets of real-world data. However, their potential for secondary use—for example, in medical outcomes research or health care quality management—is often limited due to data privacy concerns. External partners could help achieve this potential, yet documented frameworks for such cooperation are lacking. Therefore, this work presents a pragmatic approach for enabling academic-industrial data partnerships in a health care environment.

Methods

We employ a value-swapping strategy to facilitate data sharing. Using tumor documentation and molecular pathology data, we define a data-altering process as well as rules for an organizational pipeline that includes the technical anonymization process.

Results

The resulting dataset was fully anonymized while still retaining the critical properties of the original data to allow for external development and the training of analytical algorithms.

Conclusion

Value swapping is a pragmatic, yet powerful method to balance data privacy and requirements for algorithm development; therefore, it is well suited to enable academic-industrial data partnerships.
Ensemble machine learning methods in screening electronic health records: A scoping review
Authors: Stevens Christophe AT , Lyons Alexander RM , Dharmayat Kanika I , Mahani Alireza , Ray Kausik K , Vallejo-Vaz Antonio J , Sharabiani Mansour TA
Published: May 2023

Background

Electronic health records provide the opportunity to identify undiagnosed individuals likely to have a given disease using machine learning techniques, and who could then benefit from more medical screening and case finding, reducing the number needed to screen with convenience and healthcare cost savings. Ensemble machine learning models combining multiple prediction estimates into one are often said to provide better predictive performances than non-ensemble models. Yet, to our knowledge, no literature review summarises the use and performances of different types of ensemble machine learning models in the context of medical pre-screening.

Method

We aimed to conduct a scoping review of the literature reporting the derivation of ensemble machine learning models for screening of electronic health records. We searched EMBASE and MEDLINE databases across all years applying a formal search strategy using terms related to medical screening, electronic health records and machine learning. Data were collected, analysed, and reported in accordance with the PRISMA scoping review guideline.

Results

A total of 3355 articles were retrieved, of which 145 articles met our inclusion criteria and were included in this study. Ensemble machine learning models were increasingly employed across several medical specialties and often outperformed non-ensemble approaches. Ensemble machine learning models with complex combination strategies and heterogeneous classifiers often outperformed other types of ensemble machine learning models but were also less used. Ensemble machine learning models methodologies, processing steps and data sources were often not clearly described.

Conclusions

Our work highlights the importance of deriving and comparing the performances of different types of ensemble machine learning models when screening electronic health records and underscores the need for more comprehensive reporting of machine learning methodologies employed in clinical research.
Right wing cultural hegemony and the decline of socialism in Pakistan: A case study of Punjab – 1977–1997
Authors: Shoaib Muhammad , Baig Muhammad Ali , Shulan Zhang
Published: May 2023

Soon after its independence from the British in August 1947, Pakistan's socio-political culture became entangled into a monopoly of the right-wing with feudal lords, especially in the Punjab province. The pseudo right-wing political parties exploited Pakistan’s religious foundations and established a cultural hegemony. Historically, Punjab had remained the epicentre of political bargains since its inception; therefore, it retained strong alliances for stable government in the centre. Somehow, dissident voices and views from any other political ideology were deemed to be anti-state or anti-religious. This paper analyses through Antonio Gramsci's Theory of Cultural Hegemony how the right wing manipulated the opinion of the masses to legitimize their rule, which ultimately led to the decline of socialism. This paper illustrates the underlying ultra-religious campaigns in the electoral manoeuvring of the right wing from 1977 to 1997, thereby gaining the consent of the people. This study also outlines the systematic othering and demonizing of the left wing in society by pseudo right-wing factions.
Electoral districts’ distribution in Jordan: Political geographical analysis
Authors: Bani Salameh Mohammed Torki , Aldabbas Khaled Mufadi
Published: May 2023

This study attempts to reveal the impact of distribution inequality of electoral districts on the election outcomes in Jordan. Since 1993 elections, electoral laws and regulations have been adopted that underestimate population density in Jordan, meaning that some regions with lower population densities have obtained more parliamentary seats than regions with high population density, including the governorates of Amman, Irbid and Zarqa. Successive Jordanian governments’ strategies have intentionally ignored electoral geography, which reduces the chances of mainly the Palestinian component obtaining significant numbers of seats in the Parliament. Governments have also sought to mitigate the chances of Islamic, Leftist and Nationalist parties obtaining a majority of seats in the Parliament, and thus being able to exert effective pressure to hold the executive authority accountable and responsible for its actions. In addition, low levels of confidence of most Jordanian citizens in Parliament have resulted in a lack of true desire to vote, which has led to an increase in the percentage of wasted votes compared with the cast votes. The study concludes that the executive authority's domination in drawing and dividing electoral districts as part of its hegemony and control over the general policy of elections has purposefully neglected population density and geographical criteria. In light of the study results, an urgent need arises to endorse an election law that accomplishes the standards of distributive justice, maximizes the role of supportive and opposition parties, raises citizen confidence in Parliaments, reduces the percentage of wasted votes and finally activates a truly representative Parliament.
Racial/Ethnic Diversity in Positions of Power in U.S. Law Enforcement: An Examination of Active Representation and Disparities in Vehicle Stops
Authors: Shjarback John A.
Published: May 2023

Increasing minority representation in law enforcement has long been viewed as a means of improving police-citizen relations. Yet, little scholarly attention has examined whether racial/ethnic diversity translates into desired outcomes. These studies largely measure the racial/ethnic composition of the agency in general—not in positions of power where they are most likely to make an impact on department policy/practice (i.e., ‘active representation’). Using data from the 2016 Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) survey, the current study 1) provides an overview of Black and Hispanic representation in chief executive, mid-level management, and supervisory roles and 2) explores the impact that diversity in these positions has on racial/ethnic disparities in vehicle stops in Illinois and Missouri. Minority officers are more underrepresented in these positions of power compared to their composition in agencies in general, and higher levels of representation are not significantly associated with reductions in disparities in stops.
“We’re Not Gonna Talk about This, It Didn’t Happen. You’re Confused”: Adverse Communication in Family Responses to Mental Health, Childhood Sexual Assault, and LGBTQ Identities
Authors: Dorri Armin A. , Stone Amy L. , Heffington Brooke Izzy , Njowo Pekam Jenny , Rivera Guadalupe , Schnarrs Phillip W. , Salcido Robert
Published: May 2023

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people disproportionately report high exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). In this study, we examine the ways that LGBTQ people with high ACEs also describe experiencing adverse communication with family systems about mental health, childhood sexual abuse (CSA), and their gender identity. From interviews with a racially diverse sample of 82 LGBTQ people in South Texas, we analyze how this adverse communication—including gaslighting, silence, denial and ignoring—is attentive to courtesy stigma dynamics. This adverse communication impacts transgender people, cisgender LGBTQ people, and Black or Latinx LGBTQ people differently; for example, Black and Latinx LGBTQ people discussed adverse communication about mental health and therapy within their families that prioritized the respectability of the family. These findings provide insight into family dynamics and communication practices in the lives of LGBTQ people, particularly at the intersections of multiple marginalized identities.
Mother's Experience with COVID-19 in Breastfeeding: A Phenomenological Study
Authors: Mufdlilah Mufdlilah , Kusuma Nur Intan , Suryaningsih Endang Koni
Published: May 2023

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted mothers’ and children's access to essential health services. Concerns about the transmission of COVID-19 to infants resulted in strict procedures, which then caused delays in initial contact and breastfeeding. This delay then impacted the well-being of mothers and babies.

Purpose

This study aimed to explore the experience of mothers with COVID-19 in breastfeeding. This study was qualitative research with a phenomenological approach.

Methods

Participants were mothers with a confirmed history of COVID-19 during the breastfeeding period either in 2020, 2021, or 2022. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 21 mothers. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results

Three themes were obtained: breastfeeding during the mother was confirmed COVID-19, changes in the mother's condition, and social support received by the mother. Based on this theme, it can be seen that mothers are temporarily separated from their newborns, which causes breastfeeding difficulties. Mothers confirmed to have COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021 appear to have more significant concerns about transmitting COVID-19, as indicated by the mother's decision not to breastfeed and to undergo separate isolation with the baby.

Conclusion

Mothers need support to continue to breastfeed. The benefits obtained from breastfeeding are far more significant than efforts to prevent transmission by separating mother and baby, so mothers should be encouraged to continue breastfeeding.
An Approach to Leadership Development and Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Education in the Context of Professional Identity Formation in Pre-Clinical Medical Students
Authors: Inayat Hamza , Torti Jacqueline , Hemmett Juliya , Lingard Lorelei , Chau Brandon , Inayat Ali , Elzinga Jason L. , Sultan Nabil
Published: May 2023

Objectives

Leadership and patient safety and quality improvement (PSQI) are recognized as essential parts of a physician's role and identity, which are important for residency training. Providing adequate opportunities for undergraduate medical students to learn skills related to these areas, and their importance, is challenging.

Methods

The Western University Professional Identity Course (WUPIC) was introduced to develop leadership and PSQI skills in second-year medical students while also aiming to instill these topics into their identities. The experiential learning portion was a series of student-led and physician-mentored PSQI projects in clinical settings that synthesized leadership and PSQI principles. Course evaluation was done through pre/post-student surveys and physician mentor semi-structured interviews.

Results

A total of 108 of 188 medical students (57.4%), and 11 mentors (20.7%), participated in the course evaluation. Student surveys and mentor interviews illustrated improved student ability to work in teams, self-lead, and engage in systems-level thinking through the course. Students improved their PSQI knowledge and comfort levels while also appreciating its importance.

Conclusion

The findings from our study suggest that undergraduate medical students can be provided with an enriching leadership and PSQI experience through the implementation of faculty-mentored but student-led groups at the core of the curricular intervention. As students enter their clinical years, their first-hand PSQI experience will serve them well in increasing their capacity and confidence to take on leadership roles.
Robust Damage Detection and Localization Under Complex Environmental Conditions Using Singular Value Decomposition-based Feature Extraction and One-dimensional Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Zong Shengkang , Wang Sheng , Luo Zhitao , Wu Xinkai , Zhang Hui , Ni Zhonghua
Published: May 2023

Ultrasonic guided wave is an attractive monitoring technique for large-scale structures but is vulnerable to changes in environmental and operational conditions (EOC), which are inevitable in the normal inspection of civil and mechanical structures. This paper thus presents a robust guided wave-based method for damage detection and localization under complex environmental conditions by singular value decomposition-based feature extraction and one-dimensional convolutional neural network (1D-CNN). After singular value decomposition-based feature extraction processing, a temporal robust damage index (TRDI) is extracted, and the effect of EOCs is well removed. Hence, even for the signals with a very large temperature-varying range and low signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs), the final damage detection and localization accuracy retain perfect 100%. Verifications are conducted on two different experimental datasets. The first dataset consists of guided wave signals collected from a thin aluminum plate with artificial noises, and the second is a publicly available experimental dataset of guided wave signals acquired on a composite plate with a temperature ranging from 20°C to 60°C. It is demonstrated that the proposed method can detect and localize the damage accurately and rapidly, showing great potential for application in complex and unknown EOC.
Improvement of straw decomposition and rice growth through co-application of straw-decomposing inoculants and ammonium nitrogen fertilizer
Authors: Liu Wei , Tang Jichao , Zhang Dahong , Jiang Xun , Lu Bilin , Yang Wenjia
Published: May 2023

Background

The growth of rice is reduced by the slow decomposition of accumulated straw, which competes with rice for soil nitrogen nutrient. In recent year, straw-decomposing inoculants (SDIs) that can accelerate straw decomposition and ammonium nitrogen (N) fertilizer that can quickly generate available N is increasingly adopted in China. However, it is still unknown whether the N demand of straw decomposition and crop growth can be simultaneously met through the co-application of SDIs and ammonium N fertilizer.

Results

In this study, we investigated the effect of the co-application of SDIs and ammonium bicarbonate on decomposition rate of wheat straw, rice growth and rice yield over two consecutive years in rice-wheat rotation system. Compound fertilizer (A0) was used as control. The ratios of ammonium bicarbonate addition were 20% (A2), 30% (A3) and 40% (A4), respectively, without SDIs or with SDIs (IA2, IA3, IA4). Our results revealed that without SDIs, compared with A0, straw decomposition rate, rice growth and yield were improved under A2; However, under A3, rice yield was decreased due to the slow decomposition rate of straw and limited growth of rice during late growth stage. Combining SDIs and N fertilizer increased straw decomposition rate, rice growth rate and yield more than that of N fertilizer alone, especially under IA3. Compared with A0, straw decomposition rate, tiller number, aboveground biomass, leaf area index, root length, and nitrogen use efficiency were significantly increased by 16%, 8%, 27%, 12%, 17%, and 15% under IA3. Consequently, the average rice yield of IA3 was increased to 10,856 kg/ha, which was 13% and 9% higher, respectively, than of A0 and A2.

Conclusion

Our results indicated that ammonium bicarbonate application alone carried a risk of nutrient deficiency during late growth stage and yield decline. Therefore, the co-application of SDIs and 30% ammonium N fertilizer substitution can be a favorable practice to simultaneously accelerate straw decomposition and increase rice crop growth.
High expression of PPFIA1 in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma correlates with tumor metastasis and poor prognosis
Authors: Gao Yongyin , Guan Lizhao , Jia Ran , Xiao Wanyi , Han Youming , Li Yue , Tang Peng , Yu Zhentao , Zhang Hongdian
Published: May 2023

Background

PTPRF interacting protein alpha 1 (PPFIA1) is reportedly related to the occurrence and progression of several kinds of malignancies. However, its role in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is unclear. This current study investigated the prognostic significance and biological functions of PPFIA1 in ESCC.

Methods

Oncomine, Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA), and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) were used to investigate PPFIA1 expression in esophageal cancer. The relationship between PPFIA1 expression and clinicopathological characteristics and patient survival was evaluated in GSE53625 dataset, and verified in the cDNA array based on qRT–PCR and tissue microarray (TMA) dataset based on immunohistochemistry. The impact of PPFIA1 on the migration and invasion of cancer cells were investigated by wound-healing and transwell assays, respectively.

Results

The expression of PPFIA1 was obviously increased in ESCC tissues versus adjacent esophageal tissues according to online database analyses (all P < 0.05). High PPFIA1 expression was closely related to several clinicopathological characteristics, including tumor location, histological grade, tumor invasion depth, lymph node metastasis, and tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage. High PPFIA1 expression was related to worse outcomes and was identified as an independent prognostic factor of overall survival in ESCC patients (GSE53625 dataset, P = 0.019; cDNA array dataset, P < 0.001; TMA dataset, P = 0.039). Downregulation of PPFIA1 expression can significantly reduce the migration and invasion ability of ESCC cells.

Conclusion

PPFIA1 is related to the migration and invasion of ESCC cells, and can be used as a potential biomarker to evaluate the prognosis of ESCC patients.
Psychometrics evaluation of the university student engagement inventory in online learning among Arab students
Authors: Sharif-Nia Hamid , Marôco João , Rahmatpour Pardis , Ghahrani Nassim , Muhammad Ibrahim Fatima , Mohammad Ibrahim Maryam , Kaveh Omolhoda
Published: May 2023

Aim

Student’ engagement is a predictor of various educational outcomes, and it is a key factor in perceived learning. This study aims to investigate the psychometric properties of University Student Engagement Inventory (USEI) among students of Arab universities.

Methods

In this cross-sectional methodological study 525 Arab university students participated. Data was collected from December 2020 to January 2021. The confirmatory factor analysis used for construct validity, reliability and Invariance analysis for Sex were evaluated.

Results

Confirmatory factor analysis indices confirmed the good model fit to the data (CFIscl=0.977, NFIscl=0.974, TLIscl=0.972, SRMR = 0.036, RMSEAscl=0.111, n = 525). All tested models showed strong invariance of the USEI between male and females. There was also evidence of convergent (AVE > 0.7 for all the scales) and discriminant validity (HTMT > 0.75 for all scales). Reliability evidence for the USEI measures in the sample of Arabic students was high (αordinal and ω above 0.86).

Conclusion

The results of this study support the validity and reliability of the USEI with 15 items and 3 factors and demonstrate the importance of students’ engagement in the learning process, academic progress, and self-directed learning.
Early sex-dependent differences in metabolic profiles of overweight and adiposity in young children: a cross-sectional analysis
Authors: Azab Sandi M , Shanmuganathan Meera , de Souza Russell J , Kroezen Zachary , Desai Dipika , Williams Natalie C , Morrison Katherine M , Atkinson Stephanie A , Teo Koon K , Azad Meghan B , Simons Elinor , Moraes Theo J , Mandhane Piush J , Turvey Stuart E , Subbarao Padmaja , Britz-McKibbin Philip , Anand Sonia S
Published: May 2023

Background

Childhood obesity is a global health concern and can lead to lifetime cardiometabolic disease. New advances in metabolomics can provide biochemical insights into the early development of obesity, so we aimed to characterize serum metabolites associated with overweight and adiposity in early childhood and to stratify associations by sex.

Methods

Nontargeted metabolite profiling was conducted in the Canadian CHILD birth cohort (discovery cohort) at age 5 years (n = 900) by multisegment injection-capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry. Clinical outcome was defined using novel combined measures of overweight (WHO-standardized body mass index ≥ 85th percentile) and/or adiposity (waist circumference ≥ 90th percentile). Associations between circulating metabolites and child overweight/adiposity (binary and continuous outcomes) were determined by multivariable linear and logistic regression, adjusting for covariates and false discovery rate, and by subsequent sex-stratified analysis. Replication was assessed in an independent replication cohort called FAMILY at age 5 years (n = 456).

Results

In the discovery cohort, each standard deviation (SD) increment of branched-chain and aromatic amino acids, glutamic acid, threonine, and oxoproline was associated with 20–28% increased odds of overweight/adiposity, whereas each SD increment of the glutamine/glutamic acid ratio was associated with 20% decreased odds. All associations were significant in females but not in males in sex-stratified analyses, except for oxoproline that was not significant in either subgroup. Similar outcomes were confirmed in the replication cohort, where associations of aromatic amino acids, leucine, glutamic acid, and the glutamine/glutamic acid ratio with childhood overweight/adiposity were independently replicated.

Conclusions

Our findings show the utility of combining measures of both overweight and adiposity in young children. Childhood overweight/adiposity at age 5 years has a specific serum metabolic phenotype, with the profile being more prominent in females compared to males.
The role and metabolic adaptations of neutrophils in premetastatic niches
Authors: Chen Enli , Yu Jing
Published: May 2023

It has been found that tumor cells create microenvironments in distant organs that promote their survival and growth in advance of their arrival. These predetermined microenvironments are referred to as “pre-metastatic niches”. Increasing attention is being paid to neutrophils’ role in forming the pre-metastatic niche. As major components of the pre-metastatic niche, tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs) play an important role in the formation of the pre-metastatic niche through communication with multiple growth factors, chemokines, inflammatory factors, and other immune cells, which together create a pre-metastatic niche well suited for tumor cell seeding and growth. However, how TANs modulate their metabolism to survive and exert their functions in the process of metastasis remains largely to be discovered. Accordingly, the objective of this review is to assess the role that neutrophils play in the formation of pre-metastatic niche and to explore the metabolism alteration of neutrophils in cancer metastasis. A better understanding of the role of TANs in pre-metastatic niche will help us discover new mechanisms of metastasis and develop new therapies targeting TANs.
An optimal spatial-filtering method derived from eigenvalue perturbation for extending the Courant-Friedrichs-Lewy stability limit
Authors: Miao Zhongzheng , Zhang Jinhai
Published: May 2023

Explicit time-marching schemes are widely used in numerical simulations. However, their maximum time step is constrained by the Courant-Friedrichs-Lewy (CFL) stability limit. Two methods have been developed to extend this limit: (1) the eigenvalue perturbation method, which exhibits high numerical accuracy but incurs unaffordable memory demand and computational costs, even for middle-scale models, and (2) the spatial-filtering method, which can be implemented easily but results in significant numerical errors under large time steps. However, the intrinsic relationship between these two methods remains unknown. We reveal the intrinsic relationship between these two methods by considering the eigenvalue perturbation method for a homogeneous model. Using this relationship, we derive an analytical spatial filter for the homogeneous model and develop an optimal spatial filter for heterogeneous models. Compared to the classical spatial-filtering method, which removes all high-wavenumber components, our method retains all high-wavenumber components that contribute to wave propagation while eliminating other high-wavenumber components that cause instability. For the same numerical accuracy, the maximum time step allowed by the proposed method is approximately twice that of the classical spatial-filtering method. Compared to the eigenvalue perturbation method, our method can be used in large-scale models without additional memory consumption and computational cost. This can significantly accelerate the pseudospectral method with significantly larger time steps beyond the CFL stability limit, which is particularly promising for large-scale models with a fine grid.
Deficiency in hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia-associated Endoglin elicits hypoxia-driven heart failure in zebrafish
Authors: Lelièvre Etienne , Bureau Charlotte , Bordat Yann , Frétaud Maxence , Langevin Christelle , Jopling Chris , Kissa Karima
Published: May 2023

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is a rare genetic disease caused by mutations affecting components of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)/transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling in endothelial cells. This disorder is characterized by arteriovenous malformations that are prone to rupture, and the ensuing hemorrhages are responsible for iron-deficiency anemia. Along with activin receptor-like kinase (ALK1), mutations in endoglin are associated with the vast majority of HHT cases. In this study, we characterized the zebrafish endoglin locus and demonstrated that it produces two phylogenetically conserved protein isoforms. Functional analysis of a CRISPR/Cas9 zebrafish endoglin mutant revealed that Endoglin deficiency is lethal during the course from juvenile stage to adulthood. Endoglin-deficient zebrafish develop cardiomegaly, resulting in heart failure and hypochromic anemia, which both stem from chronic hypoxia. endoglin mutant zebrafish display structural alterations of the developing gills and underlying vascular network that coincide with hypoxia. Finally, phenylhydrazine treatment demonstrated that lowering hematocrit/blood viscosity alleviates heart failure and enhances the survival of Endoglin-deficient fish. Overall, our data link Endoglin deficiency to heart failure and establish zebrafish as a valuable HHT model.
Effectiveness of irinotecan plus trabectedin on a desmoplastic small round cell tumor patient-derived xenograft
Authors: Zuco Valentina , Pasquali Sandro , Tortoreto Monica , Percio Stefano , Doldi Valentina , Barisella Marta , Collini Paola , Dagrada Gian Paolo , Brich Silvia , Gasparini Patrizia , Fiore Marco , Casanova Michela , Frezza Anna Maria , Gronchi Alessandro , Stacchiotti Silvia , Ferrari Andrea , Zaffaroni Nadia
Published: May 2023

This study exploited a novel patient-derived xenograft (PDX) of desmoplastic small round cell tumor (DSRCT), which reproduces histomorphological and molecular characteristics of the clinical tumor, to assess the activity of cytotoxic and targeted anticancer agents. Antitumor effect was moderate for doxorubicin, pazopanib and larotrectenib [maximum tumor volume inhibition (max TVI), 55-66%], while trabectedin had higher activity (max TVI, 82%). Vinorelbine, irinotecan and eribulin achieved nearly complete tumor growth inhibition (max TVI, 96-98%), although tumors regrew after the end of treatment. The combination of irinotecan with either eribulin or trabectedin resulted in complete responses, which were maintained until the end of the experiment for irinotecan plus trabectedin. Irinotecan-based combinations nearly abrogated the expression of proteins of the G2/M checkpoint, preventing cell entrance in mitosis, and induced apoptotic and necroptotic cell death. Consistently, irinotecan plus trabectedin resulted in reprogramming of DSCRT transcriptome, with downregulation of E2F targets, G2/M checkpoint and mitotic spindle gene sets. This study emphasizes the importance of patient-derived preclinical models to explore new treatments for DSRCT and fosters clinical investigation into the activity of irinotecan plus trabectedin.
Leader peptide or pro-segment mutants of renin are misrouted to mitochondria in autosomal dominant tubulointerstitial kidney disease
Authors: Schaeffer Céline , De Fusco Maurizio , Pasqualetto Elena , Scolari Caterina , Izzi Claudia , Scolari Francesco , Rampoldi Luca
Published: May 2023

Autosomal dominant tubulointerstitial kidney disease (ADTKD), a rare genetic disorder characterised by progressive chronic kidney disease, is caused by mutations in different genes, including REN, encoding renin. Renin is a secreted protease composed of three domains: the leader peptide that allows insertion in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), a pro-segment regulating its activity, and the mature part of the protein. Mutations in mature renin lead to ER retention of the mutant protein and to late-onset disease, whereas mutations in the leader peptide, associated with defective ER translocation, and mutations in the pro-segment, leading to accumulation in the ER-to-Golgi compartment, lead to a more severe, early-onset disease. In this study, we demonstrate a common, unprecedented effect of mutations in the leader peptide and pro-segment as they lead to full or partial mistargeting of the mutated proteins to mitochondria. The mutated pre-pro-sequence of renin is necessary and sufficient to drive mitochondrial rerouting, mitochondrial import defect and fragmentation. Mitochondrial localisation and fragmentation were also observed for wild-type renin when ER translocation was affected. These results expand the spectrum of cellular phenotypes associated with ADTKD-associated REN mutations, providing new insight into the molecular pathogenesis of the disease.
The role of lipid rafts in vesicle formation
Authors: Sapoń Karolina , Mańka Rafał , Janas Teresa , Janas Tadeusz
Published: May 2023

The formation of membrane vesicles is a common feature in all eukaryotes. Lipid rafts are the best-studied example of membrane domains for both eukaryotes and prokaryotes, and their existence also is suggested in Archaea membranes. Lipid rafts are involved in the formation of transport vesicles, endocytic vesicles, exocytic vesicles, synaptic vesicles and extracellular vesicles, as well as enveloped viruses. Two mechanisms of how rafts are involved in vesicle formation have been proposed: first, that raft proteins and/or lipids located in lipid rafts associate with coat proteins that form a budding vesicle, and second, vesicle budding is triggered by enzymatic generation of cone-shaped ceramides and inverted cone-shaped lyso-phospholipids. In both cases, induction of curvature is also facilitated by the relaxation of tension in the raft domain. In this Review, we discuss the role of raft-derived vesicles in several intracellular trafficking pathways. We also highlight their role in different pathways of endocytosis, and in the formation of intraluminal vesicles (ILVs) through budding inwards from the multivesicular body (MVB) membrane, because rafts inside MVB membranes are likely to be involved in loading RNA into ILVs. Finally, we discuss the association of glycoproteins with rafts via the glycocalyx.
The histone methyltransferase NSD3 contributes to sister chromatid cohesion and to cohesin loading at mitotic exit
Authors: Eot-Houllier Grégory , Magnaghi-Jaulin Laura , Bourgine Gaëlle , Smagulova Fatima , Giet Régis , Watrin Erwan , Jaulin Christian
Published: May 2023

Sister chromatid cohesion is a multi-step process implemented throughout the cell cycle to ensure the correct transmission of chromosomes to daughter cells. Although cohesion establishment and mitotic cohesion dissolution have been extensively explored, the regulation of cohesin loading is still poorly understood. Here, we report that the methyltransferase NSD3 is essential for mitotic sister chromatid cohesion before mitosis entry. NSD3 interacts with the cohesin loader complex kollerin (composed of NIPBL and MAU2) and promotes the chromatin recruitment of MAU2 and cohesin at mitotic exit. We also show that NSD3 associates with chromatin in early anaphase, prior to the recruitment of MAU2 and RAD21, and dissociates from chromatin when prophase begins. Among the two NSD3 isoforms present in somatic cells, the long isoform is responsible for regulating kollerin and cohesin chromatin-loading, and its methyltransferase activity is required for efficient sister chromatid cohesion. Based on these observations, we propose that NSD3-dependent methylation contributes to sister chromatid cohesion by ensuring proper kollerin recruitment and thus cohesin loading.
Warmer and more acidic conditions enhance performance of an endemic low-shore gastropod
Authors: Martin Nicole , Robinson Tamara B. , Clusella-Trullas Susana
Published: May 2023

Changing ocean temperatures are predicted to challenge marine organisms, especially when combined with other factors, such as ocean acidification. Acclimation, as a form of phenotypic plasticity, can moderate the consequences of changing environments for biota. Our understanding of how altered temperature and acidification together influence species’ acclimation responses is, however, limited compared with that of responses to single stressors. This study investigated how temperature and acidification affect the thermal tolerance and righting speed of the girdled dogwhelk, Trochia cingulata. Whelks were acclimated for 2 weeks to combinations of three temperatures (11°C: cold, 13°C: moderate and 15°C: warm) and two pH regimes (8.0: moderate and 7.5: acidic). We measured the temperature sensitivity of the righting response by generating thermal performance curves from individual data collected at seven test temperatures and determined critical thermal minima (CTmin) and maxima (CTmax). We found that T. cingulata has a broad basal thermal tolerance range (∼38°C) and after acclimation to the warm temperature regime, both the optimal temperature for maximum righting speed and CTmax increased. Contrary to predictions, acidification did not narrow this population's thermal tolerance but increased CTmax. These plastic responses are likely driven by the predictable exposure to temperature extremes measured in the field which originate from the local tidal cycle and the periodic acidification associated with ocean upwelling in the region. This acclimation ability suggests that T. cingulata has at least some capacity to buffer the thermal changes and increased acidification predicted to occur with climate change.