bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects on household income and earnings from chronic kidney disease of non-traditional origins: PREP project findings from Chichigalpa, Nicaragua
Authors: Prince Heath , Boswell Thomas , Glaser Jason , Wesseling Catharina , Patnaik Ashweeta , Martinez-Cuadra William
Published: May 2024

Objective

Our purpose with this study is to examine the socioeconomic outcomes associated with chronic kidney disease not related to well-known risk factors (CKDnt) in four communities in Chichigalpa, Nicaragua that are home to a substantial number of sugarcane workers.

Methods

We employed a cluster-based systematic sampling design to identify differences in outcomes between those households affected directly by CKDnt and those that are not.

Results

Overall, we find that approximately one-third of households surveyed had a household member diagnosed with CKDnt. 86% of CKDnt households reported that the head of the household had been without work for the last 6 months or more, compared with 53% of non-CKDnt households. Non-CKDnt households took in more than double the earnings income on average than CKDnt households ($C52 835 and $C3120, respectively). Nonetheless, on average, CKDnt households’ total income exceeded that of non-CKDnt households due to Nicaragua’s national Instituto Nicaraguense de Seguridad Social Social Security payments to CKDnt households, suggestive of a substantial economic burden on the state resulting from the disease. Households headed by widows or widowers who are widowed as a result of CKDnt demonstrate distinct deficits in total income when compared with either non-widowed households or to households widowed by causes other than CKDnt.

Conclusions

Despite strong similarities in terms of demographic characteristics and despite residing in the same communities with similar access to the available resources, households experiencing CKDnt exhibit distinct and statistically significant differences in important socioeconomic outcomes when compared to non-CKDnt households.
Gravity-Based Tools to Assess the Impact of Tariff Changes: An Application to Armenia
Authors: GNUTZMANN-MKRTCHYAN AREVIK , HUGOT JULES
Published: May 2024

This paper uses two empirical tools to quantify the impact of tariff changes on bilateral trade and welfare. Both tools are rooted in structural gravity literature. The first tool estimates the impact of tariff changes on bilateral trade for 5,020 products in a partial equilibrium framework. The second tool quantifies the impact on bilateral aggregate trade in a general equilibrium setup, allowing estimates of trade diversion and welfare changes. These tools are used to estimate the impact of tariff changes on Armenia with regard to (i) its alignment with the external tariff of the Eurasian Economic Union; (ii) free trade agreements between the Eurasian Economic Union and other economies, including Iran and the People’s Republic of China; and (iii) Armenia’s loss of beneficiary status under the Generalised Scheme of Preferences of the European Union.
Propulsive study of blood flow with heat transfer enhancement connection to ferro copper magnetized nanoparticles in converging tapered stenosed arterial surface
Authors: Akbar Noreen Sher , Rafiq Maimona , Muhammad Taseer , Alghamdi Metib
Published: May 2024

To investigate the effects of magnetic fields and variously structured nanoparticles in narrowing, stenosed arteries, an arterial flow model is incorporated. The aim of this study here is to achieve more realistic results by modeling and simulating the arterial blood flow system with the nanoparticles and shape factor of the nanoparticles. The study of blood flow in tapered stenosed arteries with nanoparticles involves understanding the dynamics of blood circulation in vessels having application in drug delivery. Nanoparticles with specific shape factors can enhance imaging modalities like MRI, CT or ultrasound diagnosing tumor. Metallic nanoparticles in various shapes utilizing water as the base fluid have not yet been considered. Imagine a symmetrical radially but axially nonsymmetric constriction for the blood flow. Along with taking into account the regularity in the sequence of distributing the wall shear stress as well as resistance impedance, the study also takes into account a rise in these readings as the stenosis worsens. For speed, resistive impedance, wall shear and shearing forces at the stenosis throat, results have been computed in exact form. For various Cu-water-relevant parameters, the visual results of several types of converging tapering arteries have been assessed.
Reducing global warming and mitigating PM2.5 air pollution with electrorheology
Authors: Tao R. , Xu Xiaojun , Chen Zhi
Published: May 2024

Black carbon, a part of harmful PM2.5 air pollution, is the second largest contributor to global warming. Due to per unit of mass, black carbon has a warming impact on climate 460–1,500 times stronger than CO2. UNEP emphasizes that the black carbon issue is more urgent than CO2 now. Unfortunately, current technologies cannot help large factories in preventing emission of black carbon particles into air because they fail to catch them effectively. Therefore, a new technology, which can catch black carbon and other PM2.5 pollution effectively, is critically needed. Here we report that electrorheology is the solution we are looking for. Under a strong electric field, black carbon and other particles are polarized. When the polluted air flow becomes a special flow with pollution particles moving adjacent to the electrodes, black carbon and other particles are captured by the electrodes effectively. Our tests have confirmed that with this technology, more than 98% black carbon and other PM2.5 particles can be caught. Moreover, this technology is not only suitable as incoming air filters, but also appropriate for large factories in preventing emitting black carbon and pollution into air. We hope that electrorheology will improve our environment and reduce global warming effectively.
Strain engineering of electronic, mechanical, and optical properties of orthorhombic III–V group monolayers by first principles calculations
Authors: Jin Xuehu , Yao Can , Qi Yunxi , Zhao Jun , Zeng Hui
Published: May 2024

Using first principles calculations, we systematically investigated the effects of strain engineering on the electronic, mechanical, and optical properties of two-dimensional (2D) orthorhombic III–V group materials, including BN, BP, BAs, AlN, AlP, and GaN. It is shown that all the III–V orthorhombic monolayers exhibit excellent mechanical anisotropy for Young’s modulus, Shear modulus, and Poisson’s ratio, especially for the AlN and GaN monolayers. AlN, AlP, and GaN are predicted to be indirect bandgap semiconductors, with their bandgap of 0.70, 0.15, and 0.53 eV, respectively. And BN is demonstrated to be a direct bandgap semiconductor (0.63 eV). Under uniaxial tensile strains, their electronic structures have non-monotonic anisotropic variations and these monolayers can be effectively modulated from metal to semiconductor, experiencing indirect–direct bandgap transitions. In addition, all the orthorhombic III–V materials exhibit highly anisotropic light-harvesting performances and the optical absorbance can be efficiently tailored with tensile strains applied along a- and b-directions. The strong optical absorptions in the visible light regions suggested that AlN, BN, and GaN may be optically tunable 2D materials for component absorbance layers for solar cell applications. The excellent anisotropic and tunable electronic, mechanical, and optical performances indicate that the orthorhombic III–V monolayers are promising candidates for potential applications of optoelectronics and photovoltaics.
A novel design of layered recurrent neural networks for fractional order Caputo–Fabrizio stiff electric circuit models
Authors: Kausar Aneela , Chang Chuan-Yu , Raja Muhammad Asif Zahoor , Shoaib Muhammad
Published: May 2024

Electrical engineering models often rely on complex circuit configurations that facilitate the dynamic flow of electrically charged particles within a closed conductive network. These circuits serve as essential tools for simulating and analyzing diverse electrical systems and components. This paper introduces a study on nonlinear fractional circuits modeling through the development of a stochastic neuro-computational artificial intelligent-based solver to address mathematical models governing the Fractional order Caputo–Fabrizio stiff electric circuit model (FO-CFSECM) by manipulating the knacks of layered recurrent neural networks (LRNNs) trained with Gradient-based local search algorithm (GLA). In fractional calculus, the Caputo–Fabrizio (CF) fractional order derivative (FOD) emerges as a powerful instrument, binding its capabilities to deliver remarkably accurate solutions for fractional stiff systems. The objective of this work is to exploit the numerical treatment comprehensively for the dynamics of fractal Resistor–Capacitor (RC) and fractal Resistor–Inductor (RL) circuit models by introducing the CF fractional operator. Through the application of artificial intelligence-based soft computing and advanced back-propagative deep neural networks, a deeper understanding of the behavior and distinctive characteristics inherent in these models is sought. The Levenberg–Marquardt optimizer serves as an efficient training GLA tool for learning of LRNNs weights of fractal RL/RC circuit models. The comparative studies on variants of FO-CFSECM demonstrate that LRNNs achieve an impressive mean square error (MSE) ranging from [Formula: see text] to [Formula: see text] and absolute error (AE) within [Formula: see text] to [Formula: see text]. The accuracy, reliability, and efficiency of LRNNs for solving the FO-CFSECM were further validated through MSE, AE, controlling parameters of state transitions, error histograms, and correlation measures.
Comprehensive study of tri-hybrid nanofluid flow in a vertical channel with Cu, Al2O3, and TiO2 nanoparticles via fractional dynamics and non-local kernel approach
Authors: Ali Qasim , Awan Aziz Ullah , Alassar Rajai S. , Amir Muhammad , Younas Usman , Farman Muhammad
Published: May 2024

Nanofluids and hybrid nanofluids enhance the transfer of heat with low nanoparticle concentration. Tri-hybrid nanofluids combine different nanoparticles (NPs) to further increase the performance of base fluids. Tri-hybrid nanofluids have significant uses in several industries, including electronic cooling, heat transport, biomedical engineering as well as energy storage systems. This study investigates the thermal performance of tri-hybrid nanofluid in the existence of a magnetic field and porous saturated space along with copper (Cu), aluminium oxide (Al2O3), and titanium dioxide (TiO2) NPs dispersed in base fluid, i.e. water (H2O) flowing through a vertical channel by convection. The resultant partial differential equations based on Atangana–Baleanu time-fractional derivative (having non-singular and non-local kernel) are solved using the Laplace transform along with the appropriate physical conditions. The Stehfest as well as Tzou’s numerical approaches are then utilized to compute the Laplace inverse, to check the validity of obtained solutions and to get the graphical representations of, concentration, energy, and velocity fields. The results show that tri-hybrid nanofluids have advanced thermal as well as momentum characteristics compared to nanofluids and hybrid nanofluids.
The Chinese Diaspora and Its Identity in Southeast Asia: Research Notes from the Perspective of International Politics
Authors: WIDIATMO DANNY , SOETJIPTO ANI W. , YUDONO RADEN MAISA
Published: May 2024

Chinese identity in Southeast Asia has become complex and multifaceted over the past few decades. The Chinese diaspora in Southeast Asia has faced political challenges that pressure acculturation and assimilation, transforming its identity. This critical literature review outlines how Chinese identity in Southeast Asia has been viewed in connection with international relations and global politics. Using a taxonomic approach to scholarly works on the subject, the findings show that Chinese identity in Southeast Asia is a multi-dimensional one composed of diverse and unique community identities. Chinese identity is also viewed as a spectrum that is imagined both by nation-states and the community itself. Consequently, members of the Chinese diaspora are not simply viewed as actors, agents, or political instruments in international politics but also as independent subjects with their own stories and experiences.
Simulation of Strong Ground Motions From the October 30, 2020, Samos Earthquake and Validations Against Observed Records, Intensity Distributions, and Damages in Izmir, Türkiye
Authors: Karimzadeh Shaghayegh , Askan Aysegul
Published: May 2024

An earthquake of Mw = 7.0 occurred on October 30, 2020, in the Aegean Sea near Samos Island, which caused severe structural damage in Bayraklı, Izmir (Türkiye), located around 70 km from the epicenter. To investigate the source, path, and site effects, ground motions recorded in Western Anatolia are simulated using the stochastic finite-fault method based on a dynamic corner frequency approach. The input model parameters are calibrated using the recorded motions at selected 10 stations within an epicentral distance of less than 100 km. The soil amplifications are modeled using horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratios and generic amplification factors. At most stations, including a few within Izmir Bay, amplitudes and frequency contents are modeled closely. Minor discrepancies within particular frequency bands can be attributed to insufficient representation of the local site effects. Finally, distributions of observed and simulated felt intensities are found to be consistent.
An Evolutionary Gravitational Neocognitron Neural Network for Earthquake Parameters Observation in IoT System-Based Earthquake Early Warning
Authors: Manikannan K. , Bansod Premendra Janardan , Murugan Mageswari , Subbaram Sivaramakrishnan
Published: May 2024

An earthquake early-warning system (EEWS) is essential for preserving human life. In terms of disaster management and EQ risk reduction, quickly determining the earthquake’s (EQ’s) magnitude and position is important. To prevent an EQ catastrophe, these parameters can be transmitted over an IoT network. The Evolutionary Gravitational Neocognitron Neural Network (EGNNN), a novel technique for real-time earthquake parameter observation, is introduced in this paper to enhance earthquake early warning (EEW) systems. The proposed framework uses various sophisticated data processing methods to analyze publically accessible earthquake data from sources like the Japan Meteorological Agency. The Morphological Filtering Extended Empirical Wavelet Transformation (MFEEWT) method is first used to pre-process seismic waveform input, significantly lowering noise levels in the data. After that, from the pre-processed waveforms the relevant features are extracted via the Fast Discrete Curvelet Transform with Wrapping (FDCT-WRP) and a Stacked Autoencoder (SAE). The EGNNN, an innovative neural network model created for earthquake parameter prediction, specifically location and magnitude, uses these extracted features as input. The Osprey optimization algorithm (OOA) is employed to enhance the EGNNN model. A crucial component of EEW systems, dependable and quick alert delivery is ensured by the proposed system’s integration with an Internet of Things (IoT) framework. The EGNNN swiftly evaluates earthquake parameters and sends this vital data to a centralized IoT system, enabling pertinent entities to act promptly. Performance evaluation is conducted on the Python platform, comparing the proposed technique with existing methods. The proposed method EGNNN-EPO-IoT achieves a higher warning time of 23.34%, 3.45%, and 7.86%; 12.23%, 32.21%, and 22.09% higher accuracy compared to the other existing techniques such as 3S-AE-CNN-EPO-IoT (3 sec-Autoencoder-Convolutional neural network-Earthquake parameter observation-IoT), XGB-EPO-IoT (Extreme Gradient Boosting-EPO-IoT), and SVM-EPO-IoT (Support Vector Machine-EPO-IoT).
Gas separation in bimetallic Zn/Co-ZIF-62 glass membrane
Authors: Zhong Lingshan , Du Zijuan , Guo Siyu , Ren Xianglong , Qiao Ang , Tao Haizheng
Published: May 2024

Metal-organic framework (MOF) glasses, are attracting increasing attention in the gas separation field due to their component flexibility, ease of processing and porous structures. In this work, a series of bimetallic MOF glass membranes were synthesized and the impact of the metal node ratio (Co/Zn) on the gas separation performance of the membranes was investigated. It is found that the replacement of Zn nodes by Co in the ZIF-62 glass membrane leads to a nonlinear increase in the separation selectivity for [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. Such a phenomenon corresponds to the mixed-metal node effect found in the MOF glass. Through the structural characterization results, we found that the different affinities of the central metal nodes towards gas molecules and the diversity in porosity of the Zn/Co-ZIF-62 membranes could be the two main reasons for the evolution of the gas separation properties in the ZIF-62 glass membranes. This work gives a new approach to developing MOF glass membranes with high-performance gas separation.
FuSeBMC v4: Improving Code Coverage with Smart Seeds via BMC, Fuzzing and Static Analysis
Authors: Alshmrany Kaled , Aldughaim Mohannad , Bhayat Ahmed , Cordeiro Lucas
Published: May 2024

Bounded model checking (BMC) and fuzzing techniques are among the most effective methods for detecting errors and security vulnerabilities in software. However, there are still shortcomings in detecting these errors due to the inability of existing methods to cover large areas in target code. We proposeFuSeBMCv4, a test generator that synthesizes seeds with useful properties, that we refer to assmart seeds, to improve the performance of its hybrid fuzzer thereby achieving high C program coverage.FuSeBMCworks by first analyzing and incrementally injecting goal labels into the given C program to guide BMC and Evolutionary Fuzzing engines. After that, the engines are employed for an initial period to produce the so–called smart seeds. Finally, the engines are run again, with these smart seeds as starting seeds, in an attempt to achieve maximum code coverage/find bugs. During seed generation and normal running, theTracersubsystem aids coordination between the engines. This subsystem conducts additional coverage analysis and updates a shared memory with information on goals covered so far. Furthermore, theTracerevaluates test-cases dynamically to convert cases into seeds for subsequent test fuzzing. Thus, the BMC engine can provide the seed that allows the fuzzing engine to bypass complex mathematical guards (e.g., input validation). As a result, we received three awards for participation in the fourth international competition in software testing (Test-Comp 2022), outperforming all state-of-the-art tools in every category, including the coverage category.
Eukaryotic Ribosome Assembly
Authors: Vanden Broeck Arnaud , Klinge Sebastian
Published: May 2024

During the last ten years, developments in cryo–electron microscopy have transformed our understanding of eukaryotic ribosome assembly. As a result, the field has advanced from a list of the vast array of ribosome assembly factors toward an emerging molecular movie in which individual frames are represented by structures of stable ribosome assembly intermediates with complementary biochemical and genetic data. In this review, we discuss the mechanisms driving the assembly of yeast and human small and large ribosomal subunits. A particular emphasis is placed on the most recent findings that illustrate key concepts of ribosome assembly, such as folding of preribosomal RNA, the enforced chronology of assembly, enzyme-mediated irreversible transitions, and proofreading of preribosomal particles.
Bacteriophage T4 as a Protein-Based, Adjuvant- and Needle-Free, Mucosal Pandemic Vaccine Design Platform
Authors: Zhu Jingen , Tao Pan , Chopra Ashok K. , Rao Venigalla B.
Published: May 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed vaccinology. Rapid deployment of mRNA vaccines has saved countless lives. However, these platforms have inherent limitations including lack of durability of immune responses and mucosal immunity, high cost, and thermal instability. These and uncertainties about the nature of future pandemics underscore the need for exploring next-generation vaccine platforms. Here, we present a novel protein-based, bacteriophage T4 platform for rapid design of efficacious vaccines against bacterial and viral pathogens. Full-length antigens can be displayed at high density on a 120 × 86 nm phage capsid through nonessential capsid binding proteins Soc and Hoc. Such nanoparticles, without any adjuvant, induce robust humoral, cellular, and mucosal responses when administered intranasally and confer sterilizing immunity. Combined with structural stability and ease of manufacture, T4 phage provides an excellent needle-free, mucosal pandemic vaccine platform and allows equitable vaccine access to low- and middle-income communities across the globe.
LabVIEW-Enabled Synthetic Signal for Empowering Fetal-Maternal Healthcare
Authors: Queyam Abdullah Bin , Kumar Ramesh , Ratnesh Ratneshwar Kumar , Chauhan Rajeev Kumar
Published: May 2024

Biomedical signal processing has advanced to the point that tools and methods are now available to doctors to diagnose and track medical conditions connected to pregnancy. However, it is extremely difficult for researchers to look into novel procedures and approaches to uncover underlying pathological abnormalities associated with high-risk pregnancies due to the scarcity of high-quality medical databases of pregnant women. In this study, a LabVIEW software environment is used to precisely design a bio-physiological signal generator (BPSG) for use in feto-maternal health assessment applications. McSharry’s dynamical ECG model served as inspiration for the methods utilized to create the proposed time-domain mathematical model. The BPSG is capable of generating various realistic synthetic signals like respiration signal, pulse plethysmography (PPG) signal, phonocardiography (PCG) signal, maternal ECG (MECG) signal, fetal ECG (FECG) signal, abdominal ECG (AECG) signa,l and umbilical blood flow (UBF) velocimetry signals with corresponding Doppler indices. It is possible to create synthetic signals for both healthy and unhealthy conditions. Synthetic signal facilitates the testing and calibration of new diagnostic procedures, denoising algorithms, feature extraction processes, and instrumentation, all of which contribute to the prompt prediction of an overall health state of expectant mother.
Comparative Cryogenic Investigation of FD-SOI Devices with Doped Epitaxial and Metallic Source/Drain
Authors: Su Xueyin , Xu Binbin , Tang Bo , Xu Jing , Liu Jinbiao , Cui Yan , Yang Meiyin , Chen Bohan , Tong Keyou , Zhao Guanyuan , Li Binhong , Wang Xiaolei , Ye Tianchun , Luo Jun
Published: May 2024

Defects induced by the source/drain process have a significant impact on the scattering mechanism of PMOS at cryogenic temperatures. Here, the cryogenic characteristics of FD-SOI devices with heavily doped epitaxial source/drain (Epi FD-SOI devices) and metallic Schottky barrier source/drain (SB FD-SOI devices) were investigated from 300 K down to 6 K. The doping profile along the channel was analyzed by TCAD simulation analysis. Experimental comparison of transistor performance at cryogenic temperatures was carried out for these devices with gate lengths (L

G
) of 100 nm and 40 nm. The I-V characteristics of the FD-SOI devices were measured with a liquid helium cooling environment. The cryogenic effect of the two types of devices on Key parameters including transconductance (G

m
), field effect mobility (μ

FE
), threshold voltage (V

th
) and subthreshold slope (SS) were systematically analyzed. The doping distribution of the heavily doped epitaxial SiGe source/drain structure were subjected to more Coulomb scattering at cryogenic temperatures, whereas the doping distribution of the Schottky-barrier source/drain structure dictates that the device is mainly subjected to phonon scattering at cryogenic temperatures.
Feeding behavior modifies the circadian variation in RR and QT intervals by distinct mechanisms in mice
Authors: Ono Makoto , Burgess Don E. , Johnson Sidney R. , Elayi Claude S. , Esser Karyn A. , Seward Tanya S. , Boychuk Carie R. , Carreño Andrés P. , Stalcup Rebecca A. , Prabhat Abhilash , Schroder Elizabeth A. , Delisle Brian P.
Published: May 2024

We used time-restricted feeding and thermoneutrality to demonstrate that different mechanisms regulate the 24-h rhythms in heart rate and ventricular repolarization. The daily rhythm in heart rate reflects changes in autonomic input, whereas daily rhythms in ventricular repolarization reflect changes in core body temperature. This novel finding has major implications for understanding 24-h rhythms in mouse cardiac electrophysiology, arrhythmia susceptibility in transgenic mouse models, and interpretability of cardiac electrophysiological data acquired in thermoneutrality.
The interactive effects of posture and biological sex on the control of muscle sympathetic nerve activity during rhythmic handgrip exercise
Authors: D’Souza Andrew W. , Moore Jonathan P. , Manabe Kazumasa , Lawley Justin S. , Washio Takuro , Hissen Sarah L. , Sanchez Belinda , Fu Qi
Published: May 2024

The impact of posture and sex on cardiovascular control during rhythmic handgrip (RHG) exercise is unknown. We show that increases in muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) during RHG are partly mediated by a reduction in sympathetic baroreflex gain. In addition, males demonstrate larger increases in total MSNA during upright RHG than females. These data indicate that the baroreflex partly mediates increases in MSNA during RHG and that males have a greater sympathetic vasoconstrictor reserve than females.
Nurse Manager’s Responsibilities in Creating Supportive Working Conditions Post Implementation of Everyday Coping: A Hermeneutic Research Study of District Nurses’ Experiences
Authors: Hauan Marianne , Kvigne Kari , Alteren Johanne
Published: May 2024

Aim. To gain knowledge about how district nurses experience changes in working conditions and discuss nursing manager’s responsibility in facilitating working conditions for district nurses following the implementation of everyday coping. Background. To overcome the challenges related to the sustainability of the healthcare sector, everyday coping was implemented in district nursing. The implementation was set by the government and implemented by the municipality. The nursing manager has an overall responsibility to facilitate working conditions so that everyday coping can be applied into district nursing practice. Method. This descriptive and interpretative study involved 19 interviews and 19 observations on 10 nurses. Kvale and Brinkmann’s three levels of understanding were employed in the analysis. Results. Three categories were established based on the results of the data analyses: (i) time and space are not considered, (ii) crossfire of conflicting expectations, and (iii) nursing manager’s commitment to everyday coping. Conclusion. The working conditions of district nurses are not adapted for them to work according to the everyday coping mindset. The nursing manager has a key role in supporting nurses and addressing challenges the nurses meet in their daily work, where everyday coping is implemented. The study highlights the importance for healthcare managers, at various levels in the healthcare sector, to be conscious of the district nursing practice, its complexity, and quality of health services when implementing change. This knowledge is important when planning future healthcare and nursing practice.
Early On-Treatment Assessment of T Cells, Cytokines, and Tumor DNA with Adaptively Dosed Nivolumab + Ipilimumab: Final Results from the Phase 2 ADAPT-IT Study
Authors: Smithy James W. , Kalvin Hannah L. , Ehrich Fiona D. , Shah Ronak , Adamow Matthew , Raber Vladislav , Maher Collen A. , Kleman Jenna , McIntyre Deborah A.G. , Shoushtari Alexander N. , Betof Warner Allison , Callahan Margaret K. , Momtaz Parisa , Eton Omar , Nair Suresh , Wolchok Jedd D. , Chapman Paul B. , Berger Michael F. , Panageas Katherine S. , Postow Michael A.
Published: May 2024

Purpose:

The Adaptively Dosed ImmunoTherapy Trial (ADAPT-IT;NCT03122522) investigated adaptive ipilimumab discontinuation in melanoma based on early radiographic assessment. Initial findings indicated similar effectiveness compared with conventional nivolumab-ipilimumab (nivo-ipi). Exploratory biomarker analyses and final clinical results are now reported.

Patients and Methods:

Patients with unresectable melanoma received two doses of nivo-ipi. Radiographic assessment at Week 6 informed continuation of ipilimumab before nivolumab maintenance. The primary endpoint was overall response rate at Week 12. Plasma was assayed for circulating tumor DNA and 10 cytokines using a multiplex immunoassay. Flow cytometry of peripheral blood mononuclear cells was performed with an 11-color panel.

Results:

Among the treated patients, expansion of proliferating T-cell populations was observed in responders and nonresponders. Baseline IL6 levels were low in patients achieving an objective radiographic response (median 1.30 vs. 2.86 pg/mL; P = 0.025). High baseline IL6 levels were associated with short progression-free survival [PFS; HR = 1.24, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.01–1.52; P = 0.041]. At Week 6, patients with response had lower average tumor variant allele fractions than nonresponders (median 0.000 vs. 0.019; P = 0.014). Greater increases in average variant allele fractions from baseline to Week 6 correlated with short PFS (HR = 1.11, 95% CI, 1.01–1.21; P = 0.023). Week 12 overall response rate was 47% (95% CI, 35%–59%) with a median follow-up of 34 months among survivors. Median PFS was 21 months (95% CI, 10–not reached); 76% of responses (95% CI, 64%–91%) persisted at 36 months.

Conclusions:

Adaptively dosed nivo-ipi responses are durable and resemble historical data for conventional nivo-ipi. Baseline IL6 and circulating tumor DNA changes during treatment warrant further study as biomarkers of nivo-ipi response.
Improvement of Tumor Neoantigen Detection by High-Field Asymmetric Waveform Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Meng Wei , Takeuchi Yoshiko , Ward Jeffrey P. , Sultan Hussein , Arthur Cora D. , Mardis Elaine R. , Artyomov Maxim N. , Lichti Cheryl F. , Schreiber Robert D.
Published: May 2024

Cancer neoantigens have been shown to elicit cancer-specific T-cell responses and have garnered much attention for their roles in both spontaneous and therapeutically induced antitumor responses. Mass spectrometry (MS) profiling of tumor immunopeptidomes has been used, in part, to identify MHC-bound mutant neoantigen ligands. However, under standard conditions, MS-based detection of such rare but clinically relevant neoantigens is relatively insensitive, requiring 300 million cells or more. Here, to quantitatively define the minimum detectable amounts of therapeutically relevant MHC-I and MHC-II neoantigen peptides, we analyzed different dilutions of immunopeptidomes isolated from the well-characterized T3 mouse methylcholanthrene (MCA)-induced cell line by MS. Using either data-dependent acquisition or parallel reaction monitoring (PRM), we established the minimum amount of material required to detect the major T3 neoantigens in the presence or absence of high field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry (FAIMS). This analysis yielded a 14-fold enhancement of sensitivity in detecting the major T3 MHC-I neoantigen (mLama4) with FAIMS-PRM compared with PRM without FAIMS, allowing ex vivo detection of this neoantigen from an individual 100 mg T3 tumor. These findings were then extended to two other independent MCA-sarcoma lines (1956 and F244). This study demonstrates that FAIMS substantially increases the sensitivity of MS-based characterization of validated neoantigens from tumors.
TABLE 1 from Perceived Appropriateness of Assessing for Health-related Socioeconomic Risks Among Adult Patients with Cancer
Authors: Vu Milkie , Boyd Kelly , De Marchis Emilia H. , Garnache Bridgette G. , Gottlieb Laura M. , Gross Cary P. , Lee Nita K. , Lindau Stacy Tessler , Mun Sophia , Winslow Victoria A. , Makelarski Jennifer A.
Published: May 2024

Sociodemographic and health care factors in relation to having ≥1 HRSRs among a sample of patients with cancer
Supplementary Table S3 from Pharmacologic Targeting of Histone H3K27 Acetylation/BRD4-dependent Induction of ALDH1A3 for Early-phase Drug Tolerance of Gastric Cancer
Authors: Lee Jin , Mashima Tetsuo , Kawata Naomi , Yamamoto Noriko , Morino Shun , Inaba Saori , Nakamura Ayane , Kumagai Koshi , Wakatsuki Takeru , Takeuchi Kengo , Yamaguchi Kensei , Seimiya Hiroyuki
Published: May 2024

Results of secondary screening for compounds that suppress 5-FU-induced GFP expression in ALDH1A3-GFP cells
Current Knowledge on Nail Involvement in Autoimmune Bullous Disorders
Authors: Vollono Laura , Iorizzo Matilde , Richert Bertrand
Published: May 2024

Background: There are few studies, mainly case reports, on the involvement of the nail unit in autoimmune bullous disorders. Summary: Nail involvement in autoimmune bullous disorders is a significant clinical phenomenon, marked by a range of manifestations, most often not presenting with blisters like on the skin but rather with alterations of the nail unit such as paronychia, onychomadesis, or onycholysis. This involvement is particularly notable due to the unique immunological features of the nail unit, including the expression of various antigens and the presence of Langerhans cells. Conditions like pemphigus vulgaris, bullous pemphigoid, epidermolysis bullosa acquisita, linear IgA disease, and bullous systemic lupus erythematosus can lead to nail abnormalities. The prevalence of nail manifestations varies according to the disorder, and diagnosis often relies on histopathological and immunofluorescence testing. Nail involvement correlates with disease severity and duration, sometimes serving as a herald sign. Further research is needed to guide therapeutic approaches for nail involvement in autoimmune bullous diseases. Key Messages: Nail involvement in autoimmune bullous nail disorders may be confusing as there are almost never bullae. One should keep the diagnosis in mind when facing an atypical paronychia.
A Novel NDUFV2 Variant in an Asymptomatic Adolescent Girl with Progressive Cavitating Leukoencephalopathy
Authors: Caliskan Emine , Sager Safiye Gunes , Ayaz Akif , Teralı Kerem , Gunbey Hediye Pinar
Published: May 2024

Introduction: Pathogenic variants in several genes encoding components of the mitochondrial respiratory chain have been linked to various clinical phenotypes such as progressive cavitating leukoencephalopathy (PCL). The association between PCL, previously linked to numerous gene mutations in the literature, and the NDUFV2 gene mutations has emerged as a recent and noteworthy discovery. PCL is generally diagnosed in symptomatic patients during the early years of life, mostly in infancy. Case Presentation: In a previously healthy 12-year-old Turkish girl, a computed tomography scan taken for minor head trauma incidentally revealed suspicious hypodense areas in the periventricular white matter. Subsequently, a magnetic resonance imaging evaluation was performed. There was no history of motor regression, irritability, or seizures up to the age of 12. The case exhibited normal neurological and cranial nerve examinations. Magnetic resonance imaging detected bilateral periventricular T2/FLAIR hyperintensities with cystic areas suggestive of PCL. Whole-exome sequencing revealed the presence of a homozygous p.R222C missense variant in the NDUFV2 gene. Over a 6-year follow-up period, the patient remained asymptomatic, and there were no discernible changes in the magnetic resonance imaging findings. Conclusion: This case underscores the association between a potentially causal variant at the NDUFV2 locus and PCL. It is worth noting that this novel variation in PCL can not only manifest with symptoms in the infantile period but also remain asymptomatic into adolescence.
Retinal Focal Nodular Gliosis (Vasoproliferative Tumors) Have Varied Clinical Courses Requiring Tailored Management: A Case Series
Authors: Ie Amanda , Sagoo Mandeep S. , MacLaren Robert E. , Cehajic-Kapetanovic Jasmina
Published: May 2024

Introduction: Retinal focal nodular gliosis (FNG), also known as vasoproliferative tumors (VPTs), are rare, benign vascular tumors associated with exudation with no current consensus on management. Herein, we describe the varied clinical course and management of 3 patients with retinal FNG, one of whom is associated with retinitis pigmentosa. Case Presentations: Case 1 is a 76-year-old female who presented with reduced vision and distortion secondary to a vitreous hemorrhage and epiretinal membrane (ERM) as complications of a known small peripheral retinal FNG. She underwent vitrectomy for the hemorrhage to relieve vascular traction and the ERM peel, and the tumor was kept under observation. Case 2 is a 24-year-old female with genetically uncharacterized retinitis pigmentosa-like phenotype who presented with gradual loss of central vision in one eye due to cystoid macular oedema (CMO). She was found to have two peripheral retinal areas of FNG located inferonasally. Tumors were treated with cryotherapy and adjuvant intraocular steroid implant to control the CMO. Case 3 is a 28-year-old female with retinitis pigmentosa secondary to genetically confirmed variant in CRB1 gene who presented with intractable right eye CMO and localized inferior serous retinal detachment secondary to a large inferotemporal FNG. Her left eye has no light perception vision due to previous extensive serous retinal detachment and anterior segment ischemia. The right eye tumor was managed with multiple rounds of cryotherapy and laser therapy to control the serous detachment. Despite this, the condition progressed and was ultimately treated with plaque brachytherapy. Unfortunately, this resulted in extensive retinal inflammation causing annular tractional retinal detachment which was treated with combined pars plana vitrectomy and scleral buckle. Conclusion: We characterized the retinal phenotype of 3 patients with retinal FNG (VPTs) and found them to have varied clinical courses requiring tailored surgical management. The case associated with retinitis pigmentosa had a known pathogenic variant in Crumbs homolog-1 (CRB1) gene affecting retinal structure and exhibited a more severe clinical course. It is therefore important for patients with retinal dystrophies to undergo thorough peripheral examinations and detect FNG early as they may require prompt, aggressive treatment.
Influence of Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms on Caregiver Burden for Different Types of Dementia: Clinical Experience in Lima, Peru
Authors: Montesinos Rosa , Custodio Belen , Malaga Marco , Chambergo-Michilot Diego , Verastegui-Aranda Graciet , Agüero Katherine , Alejos-Zirena Juan , Andamayo-Villalba Luis , Seminario G. Wendy , Custodio Nilton
Published: May 2024

Introduction: People caring for patients with dementia are prone to suffering from burden. Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) may have an impact on caregiver burden. In Latin American countries, there is a lack of research on caregiver burden. We aimed to determine which BPSD have the greatest impact on caregiver burden among Peruvian patients with dementia and to compare the effects of BPSD on caregiver burden across different types of dementia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 231 patients living with Alzheimer’s dementia (AD), behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and vascular dementia (VD) and their caregivers who attended a Peruvian memory clinic. BPSD were assessed with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI). Caregiver burden was assessed with the Zarit Burden Inventory. We used analysis of variance to compare the AD, bvFTD, DLB, and VD groups. Correlations between Zarit Burden Inventory and NPI subscale scores were assessed with Spearman’s correlation. Results: DLB caregivers had significantly higher levels of burden than the other patient groups (p < 0.05) and higher total NPI scores than caregivers for other patient groups (p < 0.05). bvFTD caregivers had significantly higher total NPI scores than AD and VD caregivers (p < 0.05). Hallucinations, aberrant motor behavior, and apathy were the symptoms most significantly correlated with caregiver burden in those caring for DLB, bvFTD, and AD patients, respectively. Conclusion: Neuropsychiatric symptoms are higher in DLB caregivers. Hallucinations, aberrant motor behavior, and apathy are the main symptoms correlated with burden.
Waste management through a waste bank based on entrepreneurial readiness in Ngalang Village
Authors: Mulasari Surahma Asti , Tentama Fatwa , Kusuma Desta Rizki , Sulistyawati Sulistyawati , Sukesi Tri Wahyuni
Published: May 2024

This research describes entrepreneurial readiness in the waste bank community at Ngalang Village, Gunungkidul Regency. This study is qualitative phenomenological research. This study's respondents were six administrators and members of the waste bank community in Ngalang Village, Gedangsari, Gunungkidul. Respondents were selected using a purposive sampling technique with the characteristics of the respondents: administrators and members of the Ngalang Village waste bank, do not have a permanent job, have an active status, and have been involved for at least one year. The data analysis employed in this research is content analysis. The results of the study show that the entrepreneurial readiness of the waste bank community in Ngalang Village has the skills needed in business, is courageous in dealing with and anticipating business failures, has a social network community that supports business activities, can see business opportunities, and prepare business development plans. In addition, in the waste bank community, they can prepare physically, mentally, and spiritually, have strong personalities, are willing to develop their skills, prepare for business activity, and prepare themselves for marketing the products. This entrepreneurial readiness will eventually become the principal capital in starting a business in the waste bank community.
Relationship between age, occupation, education, and parity with the chronic energy deficiency among pregnant women
Authors: Auranissa Aliefia , Zuhairini Yenni , Nurdiawan Windi
Published: May 2024

Maternal and child health quality depends on maternal nutrition during pregnancy. Chronic energy deficiency (CED), a malnutrition condition common in pregnant women, increases the risk of the mother experiencing postpartum hemorrhage and the fetus experiencing intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). The prevalence of CED risk among pregnant women in Sukabumi City, West Java, Indonesia is unstable and has not significantly decreased. This study aimed to determine the relationship between age, occupation, education, and parity with the risk of CED among pregnant women in Sukabumi City. An analytical observational study with a case-control approach using cluster sampling was conducted on 126 pregnant women with and without CED risk, respectively. The population for this study was pregnant women who checked at the primary health center in Sukabumi City in 2021. Data were collected from maternity health record and analyzed using Chi-square. The results showed that age had a significant relationship (p=0.000). In contrast, occupation (p=0.162), education (p=0.127), and parity (p=0.313) did not have a significant relationship with the risk of CED among pregnant women in Sukabumi City. Age was associated with the risk of CED among pregnant women in Sukabumi City.
Expectant mothers' social media emotional support-seeking behavior
Authors: Ofori Philomina Pomaah , Henaku Thomas , Asamoah Vered
Published: May 2024

In developing countries, the use of digital media for health information by expectant mothers is a relatively new phenomenon, in contrast to developed countries. This study explores whether emotional support and satisfaction are linked and how they affect the use of social media for healthcare information. A non-experimental survey design was employed in this study. Expectant mothers were surveyed in five hospitals in Ghana's capital from May to August 2022 using a questionnaire. After reviewing and cleaning the data, 580 usable responses were obtained. The collected data were analyzed using SmartPLS 4 structural equation modeling. The findings of the study indicate that expectant mothers' decision to adopt digital media for health information is influenced by emotional support on social media (ESPSM) and satisfaction with social media (SATSM). Furthermore, satisfaction with social media partially mediated the effect between ESPSM and social media health information usage (SMHIU). These findings highlight the importance of emotional support and satisfaction with social media platforms in promoting digital health information usage. In particular, emotional support plays a crucial role for women, especially during pregnancy. These discoveries provide valuable insights for healthcare professionals on how best to assist expectant mothers.
Analysis data spatial for nutrition programs: a review using geographic information system
Authors: Utomo Bedjo , Triwiyanto Triwiyanto , Luthfiyah Sari , Setyobudi Sugeng Iwan
Published: May 2024

Nutritional problems are public health problems that are still found in developing countries, one of the prevention efforts requires nutritional data information. Geographic information systems (GIS) is an information system application that can analyze spatial data, such as population distribution, regional boundaries, and access to health centers. This study aims to examine the use of spatial data analysis with GIS in monitoring nutrition programs. The methods used in data retrieval use scientific database searches such as PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar as well as VOSviewer application with Keywords such as "spatial data analysis", "Geographic Information System", "Nutrition program", and design and implementation. The results of this study state that the GiS has a broad impact on the dissemination of nutritional status information, especially in areas with nutritional vulnerability, GIS spatial analysis can help understand the factors that contribute to malnutrition, as well as environmental factors that influence the success of nutrition programs. The results of the study concluded that priority areas of nutrition program intervention on the use of Geographic Information Systems can be used to make decisions and analyze spatial data to reduce the burden of disease in these areas. Furthermore, this review further enhances the understanding of the use of GiS for nutrition program interventions in improving the success of nutrition programs.
Psychometric assessment of patients with congestive heart failure by using hospital anxiety and depression scale
Authors: Nadhrati Surura Hedya , Al Bukhari Al Bukhari , Bellari Putri Dizi , Khairul Fikri Handy , Maulida Ulfa Neily
Published: May 2024

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a progressive health problem that has increased morbidity and mortality. However, studies on validating measures of anxiety and depression symptoms of CHF patients are still limited. The observational study enrolled 53 CHF patients who visited the Internal Medicine Department of Subulussalam General Hospital, Aceh, Indonesia. By using the total sampling method, the sample inclusion criteria were patients who were diagnosed with CHF and never consumed antidepressants before the diagnosis. Diagnosis data of CHF and its classification were obtained from clinical findings by an internist and evaluation of chest X-ray imaging with CTR>50%. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used in this study to show the prevalence of patients with depression and anxiety symptoms in Aceh, Indonesia. This finding might be valuable to Indonesian public policy in the context of health services.