bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Weight Gain and the Risk of Ovarian Cancer in BRCA1 and BRCA2 Mutation Carriers
Authors: Kim Shana J. , Lubinski Jan , Huzarski Tomasz , Møller Pål , Armel Susan , Karlan Beth Y. , Senter Leigha , Eisen Andrea , Foulkes William D. , Singer Christian F. , Tung Nadine , Bordeleau Louise , Neuhausen Susan L. , Olopade Olufunmilayo I. , Eng Charis , Weitzel Jeffrey N. , Fruscio Robert , Narod Steven A. , Kotsopoulos Joanne
Published: August 2021

Background:

Weight gain and other anthropometric measures on the risk of ovarian cancer for women with BRCA mutations are not known. We conducted a prospective analysis of weight change since age 18, height, body mass index (BMI) at age 18, and current BMI and the risk of developing ovarian cancer among BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers.

Methods:

In this prospective cohort study, height, weight, and weight at age 18 were collected at study enrollment. Weight was updated biennially. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for ovarian cancer.

Results:

This study followed 4,340 women prospectively. There were 121 incident cases of ovarian cancer. Weight gain of more than 20 kg since age 18 was associated with a 2-fold increased risk of ovarian cancer, compared with women who maintained a stable weight (HR, 2.00; 95% CI, 1.13–3.54; P = 0.02). Current BMI of 26.5 kg/m2 or greater was associated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer in BRCA1 mutation carriers, compared with those with a BMI less than 20.8 kg/m2 (Q4 vs. Q1 HR, 2.13; 95% CI, 1.04–4.36; P = 0.04). There were no significant associations between height or BMI at age 18 and risk of ovarian cancer.

Conclusions:

Adult weight gain is a risk factor for ovarian cancer in women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation.

Impact:

These findings emphasize the importance of maintaining a healthy body weight throughout adulthood in women at high risk for ovarian cancer.
Intraindividual Long-term Immune Marker Stability in Plasma Samples Collected in Median 9.4 Years Apart in 304 Adult Cancer-free Individuals
Authors: Späth Florentin , Wu Wendy Yi-Ying , Krop Esmeralda J.M. , Bergdahl Ingvar A. , Wibom Carl , Vermeulen Roel
Published: August 2021

Background:

Changes in immune marker levels in the blood could be used to improve the early detection of tumor-associated inflammatory processes. To increase predictiveness and utility in cancer detection, intraindividual long-term stability in cancer-free individuals is critical for biomarker candidates as to facilitate the detection of deviation from the norm.

Methods:

We assessed intraindividual long-term stability for 19 immune markers (IL10, IL13, TNFα, CXCL13, MCP-3, MIP-1α, MIP-1β, fractalkine, VEGF, FGF-2, TGFα, sIL2Rα, sIL6R, sVEGF-R2, sTNF-R1, sTNF-R2, sCD23, sCD27, and sCD30) in 304 cancer-free individuals. Repeated blood samples were collected up to 20 years apart. Intraindividual reproducibility was assessed by calculating intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) using a linear mixed model.

Results:

ICCs indicated fair to good reproducibility (ICCs ≥ 0.40 and < 0.75) for 17 of 19 investigated immune markers, including IL10, IL13, TNFα, CXCL13, MCP-3, MIP-1α, MIP-1β, fractalkine, VEGF, FGF-2, TGFα, sIL2Rα, sIL6R, sTNF-R1, sTNF-R2, sCD27, and sCD30. Reproducibility was strong (ICC ≥ 0.75) for sCD23, while reproducibility was poor (ICC < 0.40) for sVEGF-R2. Using a more stringent criterion for reproducibility (ICC ≥ 0.55), we observed either acceptable or better reproducibility for IL10, IL13, CXCL13, MCP-3, MIP-1α, MIP-1β, VEGF, FGF-2, sTNF-R1, sCD23, sCD27, and sCD30.

Conclusions:

IL10, IL13, CXCL13, MCP-3, MIP-1α, MIP-1β, VEGF, FGF-2, sTNF-R1, sCD23, sCD27, and sCD30 displayed ICCs consistent with intraindividual long-term stability in cancer-free individuals.

Impact:

Our data support using these markers in prospective longitudinal studies seeking early cancer detection biomarkers.
Phase 2 Trial of Oncolytic H-1 Parvovirus Therapy Shows Safety and Signs of Immune System Activation in Patients With Metastatic Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Hajda Jacek , Leuchs Barbara , Angelova Assia L. , Frehtman Veronika , Rommelaere Jean , Mertens Mieke , Pilz Maximilian , Kieser Meinhard , Krebs Ottheinz , Dahm Michael , Huber Bernard , Engeland Christine E. , Mavratzas Athanasios , Hohmann Nicolas , Schreiber Jutta , Jäger Dirk , Halama Niels , Sedlaczek Oliver , Gaida Matthias M. , Daniel Volker , Springfeld Christoph , Ungerechts Guy
Published: August 2021

Purpose:

To investigate the safety, clinical efficacy, virus pharmacokinetics, shedding, and immune response after administration of an oncolytic parvovirus (H-1PV, ParvOryx) to patients with metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) refractory to first-line therapy.

Patients and Methods:

This is a noncontrolled, single-arm, open-label, dose-escalating, single-center clinical trial. Seven patients with PDAC and at least one liver metastasis were included. ParvOryx was administered intravenously on 4 consecutive days and as an intralesional injection, 6 to 13 days thereafter. Altogether, three escalating dose levels were investigated. In addition, gemcitabine treatment was initiated on day 28.

Results:

ParvOryx showed excellent tolerability with no dose-limiting toxicities. One patient had a confirmed partial response and one patient revealed an unconfirmed partial response according to RECIST criteria. Both patients showed remarkably long surivial of 326 and 555 days, respectively. Investigation of pharmacokinetics and virus shedding revealed dose dependency with no excretion of active virus particles in saliva or urine and very limited excretion in feces. H-1PV nucleic acids were detected in tumor samples of four patients. All patients showed T-cell responses to viral proteins. An interesting immunologic pattern developed in tumor tissues and in blood of both patients with partial response suggesting immune activation after administration of ParvOryx.

Conclusions:

The trial met all primary objectives, revealed no environmental risks, and indicated favorable immune modulation after administration of ParvOryx. It can be considered a good basis for further systematic clinical development alone or in combination with immunomodulatory compounds.
Quantification of Translocation-Specific ctDNA Provides an Integrating Parameter for Early Assessment of Treatment Response and Risk Stratification in Ewing Sarcoma
Authors: Krumbholz Manuela , Eiblwieser Johanna , Ranft Andreas , Zierk Jakob , Schmidkonz Christian , Stütz Adrian M , Peneder Peter , Tomazou Eleni M. , Agaimy Abbas , Bäuerle Tobias , Hartmann Wolfgang , Dirksen Uta , Metzler Markus
Published: August 2021

Purpose:

We evaluated the predictive and prognostic value of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in patients with Ewing sarcoma (EWS) treated in the EWING2008 trial.

Experimental Design:

Plasma samples from 102 patients with EWS enrolled in the EWING2008 trial were obtained before and during induction chemotherapy. Genomic EWSR1 fusion sequence spanning primers and probes were used for highly specific and sensitive quantification of the levels of ctDNA by digital droplet PCR. ctDNA levels were correlated to established clinical risk factors and outcome parameters.

Results:

Pretreatment ctDNA copy numbers were correlated with event-free and overall survival. The reduction in ctDNA levels below the detection limit was observed in most cases after only two blocks of vincristine, ifosfamide, doxorubicin, and etoposide (VIDE) induction chemotherapy. The persistence of ctDNA after two VIDE blocks was a strong predictor of poor outcomes. ctDNA levels correlated well with most established clinical risk factors; an inverse correlation was found only for the histologic response to induction therapy. ctDNA levels did not provide simple representations of tumor volume, but integrated information from various tumor characteristics represented an independent EWS tumor marker with predictive and prognostic value.

Conclusions:

ctDNA copy number in the plasma of patients with EWS is a quantifiable parameter for early risk stratification and can be used as a dynamic noninvasive biomarker for early prediction of treatment response and outcome of patients.
A Cross-Sectional Study of Blood Donors’ Psychological Characteristics over 8 Weeks
Authors: Esefeld Max , Sümnig Ariane , Alpen Ulf , Grabe Hans Jörgen , Greinacher Andreas
Published: August 2021

Background: Previous studies suggest that blood donation impacts blood donors’ psychological state, with either positive or negative effects, such as feeling more energetic or more exhausted. It has not yet been described how long these effects last. Materials and Methods: This prospective cohort study consisted of a qualitative and a quantitative part: (1) Psychological characteristics which changed after blood donation were identified by structured interviews of regular whole blood donors (n = 42). Based on this, a questionnaire addressing 7 psychological dimensions was established. (2) The psychological state of 100 blood donors was assessed after blood donation by applying the questionnaire 15–30 min before and during donation, as well as 15–30 min, 6 h, 24 h, 72 h, 1 week, and 8 weeks after donation. The resulting changes were summarized to a score. Furthermore, potential correlations of the score with pre-donation blood pressure, hemoglobin, or body mass index were calculated. Results: Seven items were identified which changed in at least 25% of blood donors (mood, concentration, satisfaction, resilience, spirit of initiative, physical well-being, energy level). In the 100 blood donors, the well-being score increased (positive effects, n = 23), showed minor changes (n = 53), or decreased (negative effects, n = 24). The positive effects lasted for about 1 week and the negative effects for 3 days. Conclusion: While the frequency of psychological effects following blood donation identified by our study was comparable to others, the changes of the psychological state in our donors were traceable for a longer period than previously acknowledged.
Evaluation of the Postnatal Effects Induced by Diazinon on the Growth of the Mice Offspring and the Development of Their Cerebellar Cortex
Authors: Hashem Heba R.
Published: August 2021

Diazinon (DZN) is a commonly used organophosphorus pesticide. Exposure to the residuals of DZN may lead to toxic effects. The current work was performed to clarify the possible physical variations and cellular changes in the developing cerebellar cortex of mice offspring after administration of DZN to their pregnant mothers. 27 adult males and 54 adult females were housed for mating. In the morning, vaginal smears were done to detect vaginal plug. Pregnant mice were divided into 3 groups: GI (control), GII (DZN), and GIII (sham control). Their offspring were subdivided into 3 subgroups (a) at birth, (b) on postnatal day 7 (PD7), and (c) on postnatal day 14 (PD14). At the end of the experiment, fetal crown-rump length and weight were measured. The cerebellar cortex was extracted, and samples were prepared for tissue homogenate, light and electron microscopic examination, morphometric and statistical studies. DZN treatment induced a statistically significant difference in pups’ crown-rump length and weight associated with a highly statistically significant decrease in acetylcholinesterase enzyme level. A histopathological degenerative change was observed in the cerebellum of GII. Postnatally, a separation between cerebellar layers occurred along with shrunken cells leading to multiple enfolding and vacuolated matrix. At PD14, pericellular halos and hemorrhage between the pia matter and external granular layer were noticed. Ultrastructural examination revealed dilated rough endoplasmic reticulum, swollen mitochondria, and shrunken hyperchromatic nuclei. Moreover, morphometric studies detected a statistically significant increase in external granular layer thickness and a statistical decrease in Purkinje cell numbers. These findings demonstrated that prenatal administration of DZN to pregnant mice adversely influenced the developing cerebellum of the offspring and leads to neurodegenerative changes.
Contribuições da teoria da aceleração social do tempo para os estudos em jornalismo
Authors: Prior Hélder , Teruel Caio
Published: August 2021

O artigo busca refletir a respeito das contribuições teóricas do sociólogo alemão Hartmut Rosa sobre a aceleração social do tempo para o campo do jornalismo. Assim, o pensamento aqui exposto parte das hipóteses de que existe em curso uma acelera-ção da produção jornalística que está em dessincronização com a capacidade receptiva dos leitores; e de que a exponencial produ-ção informacional fragmenta o sentido dos fatos e facilita a de-sinformação. Em um primeiro momento, apresenta-se a teoria da aceleração temporal de Rosa e, em seguida, articula-se os pontos de contato possíveis com a comunicação jornalística e as catego-rias histórico-analíticas.
A “múmia” e o “coronel”: recepção nas redes sociais de Marina Silva e Ciro Gomes
Authors: Cunha Glauce , Doretto Juliana
Published: August 2021

O objetivo deste artigo é compreender como Marina Silva é percebida por sua audiência nas redes sociais, enquanto figura pública e mulher negra de origem pobre, no cenário político brasileiro, dominado por homens brancos. Para isso, por meio de um estudo de recepção, levantaram-se os comentários de uma postagem sua no Twitter, no dia 22 de maio de 2020, a fim de os comparar a comentários de um post realizado no mesmo dia e na mesma rede social por Ciro Gomes. Analisá-la comparativamente a Ciro Gomes, um político de características semelhantes às dela (extensa vida pública, viés ideológico parecido, participação em eleições presidenciais), é uma forma de compreender como o gênero pode impactar ou não os discursos dos sujeitos que interagem com produções midiáticas de políticos brasileiros. Como resultados, percebe-se que Marina foi mais atacada do que Ciro, com destaque à sua aparência física.
Desengaveta, porque menos é demais: moralismo e vergonha nas narrativas sobre consumo consciente na TV
Authors: Siqueira Denise da Costa Oliveira , Ventura Jéssica Baptista dos Santos
Published: August 2021

Consumo consciente tem sido pauta bastante explorada por produtos midiáticos na atualidade, gerando um campo de embates e narrativas conflitantes permeado por afetos. Neste artigo, procuramos refletir sobre a construção das emoções, em especial do sentimento de vergonha, e o discurso moralista em programas de televisão que abordam a temática do consumo consciente e sustentável. Para isso, recorremos a um olhar sobre dois programas brasileiros veiculados em canais por assinatura: Desengaveta, transmitido pelo canal GNT, do grupo Globosat, e Menos é Demais, do canal americano Discovery Home & Health. Instiga-nos a questão sobre que interfaces os discursos moralista e emocional assumem e promovem nesses programas orientados por pautas de consumo consciente. Como recorte, analisamos dois episódios de cada programa que tratam do consumo de roupas e acessórios. Para a fundamentação teórica, recorremos a leituras dos campos da comunicação, sociologia e antropologia das emoções.
Potencial gerador e maturidade térmica dos folhelhos da Formação Barreirinha, borda sul da Bacia do Amazonas, Brasil
Authors: Góes Vitoria Costa Meirelles , Costa Alexandre Barreto , Cerqueira José Roberto , Abreu Neila Caldas , Silva Ayana Souza da , Miranda Flávia Lima e Cima , Queiroz Antônio Fernando de Souza , Ribeiro Hélio Jorge Portugal Severiano
Published: August 2021

Este trabalho tem como objetivo avaliar o potencial gerador e o efeito da intrusiva ígnea básica na maturidade térmica das amostras com base no estudo de geoquímica orgânica e palinologia. Foram estudadas 15 amostras de rocha coletadas em um afloramento da Formação Barreirinha, borda sul da Bacia do Amazonas. Nesse afloramento foi observada uma soleira de basalto que pode ter influenciado os dados geoquímicos das amostras localizadas no topo do perfil. Os teores de Carbono orgânico total (COT; 0,04–2,06%) e os resultados da pirólise Rock-Eval indicam a presença de querogênio predominantemente dos tipos II e III, potencial gerador de hidrocarbonetos (S2; 0,04–3,00 mg HC/g rocha) variando de pobre a médio, baixa concentração de hidrocarbonetos livres (S1; 0,01–0,25 mg HC/g rocha) e uma variação na maturidade termal (Tmáx: 359–605°C). A razão aquático-terrestre (RAT; 0,08–1,16) indica a predominância de deposição de matéria orgânica algálica, e as razões dos biomarcadores saturados [Hopanos/esteranos; gamacerano/(gamacerano + C30 hopano); TTP/(TTP + DIA); e esteranos C27-C28-C29] indicam um paleoambiente marinho com contribuição variável de componentes terrestres, devido as oscilações do nivel do mar ocorridas durante o Devoniano Superior. A razão entre os isoprenóides Pristano e Fitano (P/F:  ,6–7,1) apontam ambiente sub-óxico. Os resultados da cromatografia gasosa e das razões de biomarcadores saturados dos extratos orgânicos [Ts/(Ts + Tm); C29 αββ/(αββ + ααα); C29 S/(C29 S + C29R)] indicam a variação na maturidade térmica ao longo do afloramento, e sugerem a geração e migração de óleo e gás, e/ou a degradação termal de alguns biomarcadores saturados.
Microbial Diversity and Abundance of
Parabacteroides
Mediate the Associations Between Higher Intake of Flavonoid-Rich Foods and Lower Blood Pressure
Authors: Jennings Amy , Koch Manja , Bang Corinna , Franke Andre , Lieb Wolfgang , Cassidy Aedín
Published: August 2021

We assessed, for the first time, to what extent the composition of the gut microbiome might explain the cross-sectional association of habitual flavonoid and flavonoid-rich food intake with systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) in a community-based sample (N=904) from Northern Germany. Gut microbiome composition was sequenced from 16S ribosomal RNA genes. Higher total flavonoid intakes and specifically the polymer subclass were associated with lower systolic BP (SBP; β T3-T1: −2.9% [95% CI, −5.1 to −0.7],
P
=0.01 and −3.7% [95% CI, −5.4 to −1.0],
P
=0.01). In food-based analyses, a higher intake of berries (SBP, β Q4-Q1: −2.9% [95% CI, −5.2 to −0.6],
P
=0.01; pulse pressure, −5.5% [95% CI, −9.6 to −1.2],
P
=0.01) and red wine (SBP, β Q4-Q1: −2.6% [95% CI, −4.8 to −0.3],
P
=0.03; pulse pressure, −6.1% [95% CI, −10.1 to −2.0],
P
<0.01) were associated with lower SBP and pulse pressure. There were no associations with diastolic BP. In food-based analyses, higher intakes of anthocyanin-rich berries and red wine were associated with higher alpha diversity (β Q4-Q1: 0.03 [95% CI, 0.0–0.1],
P
=0.04 and 0.1 [95% CI, 0.03–0.1],
P
<0.01). Higher intakes of berries and apples/pears were associated with a lower abundance of
Parabacteroides
(β Q4-Q1: −0.2 [95% CI, −0.4 to −0.1],
P
<0.01, Q=0.07 and −0.3 [95% CI, −0.4 to −0.1],
P
< 0.01,
Q
=0.04). Structural equation modeling of these novel data suggests that microbial factors explained 15.2% to the association between flavonoid-rich foods and clinically relevant lower SBP. Further research should focus on interindividual variability in the gut microbiome in mediating the cardiovascular effects of flavonoid-rich foods.
Credibility of scientific information on social media: Variation by platform, genre and presence of formal credibility cues
Authors: Boothby Clara , Murray Dakota , Waggy Anna Polovick , Tsou Andrew , Sugimoto Cassidy R.
Published: August 2021

Responding to calls to take a more active role in communicating their research findings, scientists are increasingly using open online platforms, such as Twitter, to engage in science communication or to publicize their work. Given the ease with which misinformation spreads on these platforms, it is important for scientists to present their findings in a manner that appears credible. To examine the extent to which the online presentation of science information relates to its perceived credibility, we designed and conducted two surveys on Amazon’s Mechanical Turk. In the first survey, participants rated the credibility of science information on Twitter compared with the same information in other media, and in the second, participants rated the credibility of tweets with modified characteristics: presence of an image, text sentiment, and the number of likes/retweets. We find that similar information about scientific findings is perceived as less credible when presented on Twitter compared to other platforms, and that perceived credibility increases when presented with recognizable features of a scientific article. On a platform as widely distrusted as Twitter, use of these features may allow researchers who regularly use Twitter for research-related networking and communication to present their findings in the most credible formats.
Identifying constitutive articles of cumulative dissertation theses by bilingual text similarity. Evaluation of similarity methods on a new short text task
Authors: Donner Paul
Published: August 2021

Cumulative dissertations are doctoral theses comprised of multiple published articles. For studies of publication activity and citation impact of early career researchers, it is important to identify these articles and link them to their associated theses. Using a new benchmark data set, this paper reports on experiments of measuring the bilingual textual similarity between, on the one hand, titles and keywords of doctoral theses, and, on the other hand, articles’ titles and abstracts. The tested methods are cosine similarity and L1 distance in the Vector Space Model (VSM) as baselines, the language-indifferent methods Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA) and trigram similarity, and the language-aware methods fastText and Random Indexing (RI). LSA and RI, two supervised methods, were trained on a purposively collected bilingual scientific parallel text corpus. The results show that the VSM baselines and the RI method perform best but that the VSM method is unsuitable for cross-language similarity due to its inherent monolingual bias.
A new euptychiine butterfly species from south Brazil and taxonomic rearrangements for Taydebis Freitas, 2013 and Hermeuptychia Forster, 1964 (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Satyrinae)
Authors: ZACCA THAMARA , CASAGRANDE MIRNA M. , MIELKE OLAF H. H. , HUERTAS BLANCA , FREITAS ANDRÉ V. L. , MARÍN MARIO A. , ESPELAND MARIANNE , WILLMOTT KEITH R.
Published: August 2021

A new species of Taydebis Freitas, 2003 from south Brazil is described using comparative morphology and species distributions. Also, based on morphology, we transfer Neonympha melobosis Capronnier, 1874 (formerly placed in Paryphthimoides Forster, 1964) to Taydebis, and recognize Euptychia peculiaris Butler, 1874 as its junior synonym (syn. nov.). Furthermore, the monotypic Prenda Freitas & Mielke, 2011 is herein treated as junior synonym of Taydebis based on morphology, molecular and ecological evidence. Species of Taydebis are endemic and restricted to south Brazil, and now comprises three species: Taydebis guria Zacca, Casagrande & Mielke sp. nov., T. melobosis comb. nov. and T. clarissa Freitas & Mielke comb. nov. To continue clarifying Euptychiina taxonomy, Euptychia undulata Butler, 1867 (also formerly placed in Paryphthimoides) is transferred to Hermeuptychia Forster, 1964, and we provide additional information on its taxonomy, morphology, and distribution. Diagnoses, illustrations, and distributional maps are provided for all taxa except T. clarissa comb. nov.
Examining the Differential Impact of Recessions and Recovery across Race and Gender for Working- versus Professional-Class Workers
Authors: Biu Ofronama , Famighetti Christopher , Hamilton Darrick
Published: August 2021

We investigate how wages and occupation sorting vary by race, gender, and class during recessions. We performed repeated Kitagawa-Blinder-Oaxaca decompositions of the Black-White wage gap from 1988 to 2020. Black professional-class workers’ wages are more unstable and take a more substantial hit during recessions. Black workers see a lower return to their labor market characteristics during recessions, and this is pronounced for the professional class. Using an occupational crowding methodology, we find that Black women are overrepresented in essential work and roles with high physical proximity to others and receive the lowest wages. White men are crowded out of riskier work but, within these categories, dominate higher-paying roles. Black workers earn less in professional riskier work than in working-class roles, while the reverse is true for White workers. We find that class status does not protect Black workers to the same extent as White workers, especially during recessions.
Disparate Recoveries: Wealth, Race, and the Working Class after the Great Recession
Authors: Addo Fenaba R. , Darity William A.
Published: August 2021

What does it mean to be working class in a society of extreme racial wealth inequality? Using data from the Survey of Consumer Finances, we investigate the wealth holdings of Black, Latinx, and white working-class households during the post–Great Recession (pre–COVID-19) period that spanned 2010 to 2019. We then explore the relationship between working-class and middle-class attainment using a wealth-based metric. We find that, in terms of their net worth, fewer Black working-class households benefitted from the economic recovery than white working-class households. Among white households, the working class saw the greatest increase in wealth in both absolute and relative terms. Working-class households were less likely to be middle class as defined by their wealth holdings, and Black and Latinx households were also less likely to be middle class. For Black households, racial identity is a stronger predictor of wealth attainment than occupational sector.
The “Oceanic Feeling” and Confrontation with Death
Authors: Chessick Richard D.
Published: August 2021

Freud’s explanation of Rolland’s “oceanic feeling” is reconsidered in the light of similar phenomena that occur in the face of impending death, such as the experiences described by Socrates in Plato’s Phaedo, and the aesthetic and transformational experiences described by Christopher Bollas. These phenomena are included in what Karl Jaspers calls “ciphers.” Other examples are presented to indicate the need to consider such phenomena in human psychology, phenomena that have been neglected in psychoanalysis due to the profound but arbitrary influence of Freud’s analysis of the “oceanic feeling,” an analysis based on the outmoded rigid assumptions of classical nineteenth-century science.
Outcome of Eustachian Tube Balloon Dilation in Children: A Systematic Review
Authors: Saniasiaya Jeyasakthy , Kulasegarah Jeyanthi , Narayanan Prepageran
Published: August 2021

Objective:

Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) is a chronic entity that has been historically managed with adenoidectomy and ventilation tube insertion. Recently, balloon dilation of the eustachian tube has shown promising results in recalcitrant eustachian tube dysfunction. We reviewed the literature to determine the outcome of eustachian tube balloon dilation in children.

Methods:

A literature search was conducted for the period from 1990 to 2020 by searching several databases over a 1-month period (January 2021) according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews for Interventions. Primary outcome was defined as the success of the intervention determined by the resolution of symptoms, and secondary outcome was determined by revisions surgery and presence of complications.

Results:

Only 7 articles were identified based on our objectives and selection criteria. All studies included are retrospective cohort case series (Level IV) and 1 cohort of matched controls (Level III). A total of 284 patients were included in this review, with a mean age of 7.8 years. A total of 463 balloon dilation were performed either bilaterally or unilaterally. The most common finding of ETD is middle ear effusion in 5 studies. Balloon dilation of eustachian tube was second-line treatment in 6 studies and first-line treatment in 1 study. Improvement of symptoms was identified in all studies through various assessments performed. Revision surgery was performed in 1 study with no major complications reported.

Conclusions:

Balloon dilation of the eustachian tube may be considered as an alternative procedure following failed standard treatment in children. The quality of evidence is inadequate to recommend widespread use of the technique until a better-quality study has been completed. Future randomized controlled studies with a large sample size are warranted to determine the efficacy of this procedure amongst children.
Role-Play . . . Take 1 . . . Action: An Experiential Activity for Marketing Students
Authors: Koul Surabhi , Jasrotia Sahil Singh
Published: August 2021

Understanding the need to revamp the traditional pedagogies, the current research aims at using a contemporary teaching pedagogy for a classical concept of “consumer decision-making.” The article uses role-play activity as an experiential tool and provides empirical evidence to the current study. Role-play seems to offer a practical and engaging platform for faculties that can help stimulate learning. With the blend of real-time situations, role-play can serve as a useful tool to fulfill the marketing course’s many learning objectives. Instructors can further use the activity set up in the study on marketing courses in teaching consumer behavior.
How to choose tools and programs that are worth the investment
Authors: Hollands Fiona , Kushner Anna
Published: August 2021

Making evidence-based decisions in schools seems like an impossible task when hundreds of activities are available, the evidence base fails to address most of them, and budget deadlines are immovable. In addition, different stakeholders hold different views on what it means for a program, strategy, or intervention to “work.” Fiona Hollands and Anna Kushner describe a 10-step decision-making framework developed in collaboration with practicing education decision makers to tackle these kinds of complex decisions. It is based on cost-utility analysis, which addresses two main questions: What resources are required to implement a program, and how useful or satisfying is each program to stakeholders?
Career Confidential: Teacher wants to derive joy from her work again
Authors: Fagell Phyllis L.
Published: August 2021

In this advice column, Phyllis Fagell gives career and workplace advice to educators. This month, a teacher who has always loved her job dreads returning to school.
Backtalk: School boards and superintendents should work in concert
Authors: White Rachel S. , Lineburg Mark Y.
Published: August 2021

In response to a column by Joshua Starr about how superintendents act as buffers between the school district and the community, Rachel S. White and Mark Lineburg suggest that school board members must also serve a buffering function. They encourage school board members and superintendents to work in concert when making decisions and communicating those decisions to the community. Specifically, they stress the importance of centering students in their decision making and of creating a shared language about the decisions they have made.
Musicking as Liturgical Speech Acts: An Examination of Contemporary Worship Music Practices
Authors: Benjamins Laura
Published: August 2021

This article examines the genre of Contemporary Worship Music (CWM) within worship contexts in terms of its formative and purposeful nature. In CWM settings, the worship leader plays a particular role in the selection and facilitation of CWM repertoire to be led by praise bands. Through the leader's consideration of the message of the CWM lyrics, and the relational nature of CWM practices, a worship leader's pedagogical decisions are integral to contributing to a space of dialogue for worship musicians. Drawing on previous literature addressing liturgical language in worship, I analyze the CWM context as a particular case where liturgical language shapes musicians’ spiritual formation. This examination of CWM practices includes an analysis of musicians’ engagement in relational musicking and meeting through I-Thou encounters. I therefore explore both the need for worship leaders to consider the multitudinous theological implications of their actions, as well as the way musicians are shaped and formed intimately through their musical engagement with CWM.
Color-matching model of digital rotor spinning viscose mélange yarn based on the Kubelka–Munk theory
Authors: Yang Ruihua , He Chuang , Pan Bo , Wang Zhuo
Published: August 2021

The color-matching model is conducive to expanding the scope of application of colorful fabrics and can speed up the achievement of intelligent production. To solve the problem in which the existing color-matching system of intelligent colored spun yarn cannot be applied to the digital rotor-spinning products of dope dyed viscose fiber, 66 types of mélange yarn were spun with a digital rotor-spinning frame using red, yellow, and blue dope dyed viscose fibers at a ratio gradient of 10%. Furthermore, the knitted fabric samples were produced using a circular machine. Meanwhile, a Datacolor 650 spectrophotometer was used for color testing, and the experimental results were recorded. Based on the color-matching model of the Kubelka–Munk theory, a color-matching model is built based on the experimental results. In addition, the accuracy of the model was analyzed and verified using the least-squares and relative value methods. The results show that, compared with the relative value method, the color-matching model constructed using the absorption coefficient K value and scattering coefficient S value calculated based on the least-squares approach is more accurate. The error between the predicted ratio of the test sample and the actual ratio was only 0.0979, the average color difference was only 0.465, and there were no visible differences between the predicted color of the sample and the actual color.
Bearing fault diagnosis based on kernel independent component analysis and antlion optimization
Authors: Zhong Hong , Liu Jingxing , Wang Liangmo , Ding Yang , Qian Yahui
Published: August 2021

Fault diagnosis of gearboxes based on vibration signal processing is challenging, as vibration signals collected by acceleration sensors are typically a nonlinear mixture of unknown signals. Furthermore, the number of source signals is usually larger than that of sensors because of the practical limitation on sensor positions. Hence, the fault characterization is actually a nonlinear underdetermined blind source separation (NUBSS) problem. In this paper, a novel NUBSS algorithm based on kernel independent component analysis (KICA) and antlion optimization (ALO) is proposed to address the technical challenge. The mathematical model demonstrates the nonlinear mixing of source signals in the underdetermined cases. Ensemble empirical mode decomposition is used as a preprocessing tool to decompose the observed signals into a set of intrinsic mode functions that suffers from the problem of redundant components. The correlation coefficient is utilized to eliminate the redundant components. An adaptive threshold singular value decomposition method is proposed to estimate the number of source signals. Then a whitening process is carried out to transform the overdetermined blind source separation (BSS) into determined BSS, which can be solved by the KICA method. However, the reasonable selection of parameters in KICA limits its application to some extent. Therefore, ALO and Fisher’s linear discriminant analysis are adopted to further enhance the accuracy of the KICA method. The separation performance of the proposed method is assessed through simulation. The numerical results show that the proposed method can accurately estimate the number of source signals and attains a higher separation quality in tackling nonlinear mixed signals when compared with the existing methods. Finally, the inner ring fault experiment is conducted to preliminarily validate the practicability of the proposed method in bearing fault diagnosis.
Granular Cell Tumor in Auditory Meatus: A Case Report
Authors: Lili Le , Fei Huang , Hui He , Liyong Qian
Published: August 2021

Granular cell tumor (GCT) is a rare benign soft tissue neoplasm that develops primarily in the skin and subcutaneous tissue of the head and neck, frequently in the tongue, but has not been observed in the auditory meatus. These tumors generally present as slow-growing nodules with few unique clinical or radiological features, and so must be confirmed by pathological examination. Here, we present the case of a 62-year-old female with right hearing loss and benign GCT in the right auditory meatus initially misdiagnosed as cholesteatoma.
Evaluation of Acoustic Reflex Thresholds in COVID-19 Patients With Taste Disorders
Authors: Resuli Ali Seyed , Salviz Mehdi , Oktem Fatih
Published: August 2021

Objective:

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, can result in persistent loss of taste and smell. This study was performed to assess acoustic reflex threshold (ART) in patients with taste disorders caused by SARS-CoV-2.

Material and Methods:

This retrospective study enrolled 11 patients (9 men, 2 women; average age = 22.3 years) with a history of COVID-19 and had complaints of taste disorder and sensitivity to loud sounds. The control group consisted of 13 healthy participants (10 men, 3 women; average age = 23.4 years). Anamnesis, neuro-otological, ear, nose and throat, and eye examinations, as well as a taste test, pure tone audiometry, speech discrimination test, and impedance audiometry were performed in all participants.

Results:

All participants in the study group had a negative taste test result. In addition, ART values were significantly higher in the study group than the control group at all frequencies.

Conclusions:

SARS-CoV-2 could be a neurotropic virus that can cause facial nerve neuropathy.
‘Access necessitates being seen’: Queer visibility and intersectional embodiment within the health information practices of queer community leaders
Authors: Wagner Travis L , Kitzie Vanessa L
Published: August 2021

Navigating healthcare infrastructures is particularly challenging for queer-identifying individuals, with significant barriers emerging around stigma and practitioner ignorance. Further intersecting, historically marginalised identities such as one’s race, age or ability exacerbate such engagement with healthcare, particularly the access to and use of reliable and appropriate health information. We explore the salience of one’s queer identity relative to other embodied identities when navigating health information and care for themselves and their communities. Thirty semi-structured interviews with queer community leaders from South Carolina inform our discussion of the role one’s queer visibility plays relational to the visibility of other identities. We find that leaders and their communities navigate these intersectional visibilities through unique and iterative approaches to health information seeking, sharing and use predicated upon anti-queer, racist, ableist and misogynistic sentiments. Findings can inform queer-inclusive, intersectionally informed interventions by health and information professionals such as non-profit advocacy organisations and medical librarians.
Nervous System Sampling for General Toxicity and Neurotoxicity Studies in the Laboratory Minipig With Emphasis on the Göttingen Minipig
Authors: Pardo Ingrid D. , Manno Rosa A. , Capobianco Raffaella , Sargeant Aaron M. , Morrison James P. , Bolon Brad , Garman Robert H.
Published: August 2021

The use of minipigs as an alternative nonclinical species has increased in the last 20 years. The Society of Toxicologic Pathology (STP) has produced generic “best practice” recommendations for nervous system sampling in nonrodents during general toxicity studies ( Toxicol Pathol 41[7]: 1028–1048, 2013), but their adaptation to the minipig has not been attempted. Here, we describe 2 trimming schemes suitable for evaluating the unique neuroanatomic features of the minipig brain in nonclinical toxicity studies. The first scheme is intended for general toxicity studies (Tier 1) to screen agents with unknown or no anticipated neurotoxic potential; this approach using 7 coronal hemisections accords with the published STP “best practice” recommendations. The second trimming scheme for neurotoxicity studies (Tier 2) uses 14 coronal hemisections and 2 full coronal sections to investigate toxicants where the nervous system is a suspected or known target organ. Collection of spinal cord, ganglia (somatic and autonomic), and nerves from minipigs during nonclinical studies should follow published STP “best practice” recommendations for sampling the central (CNS, Toxicol Pathol 41[7]: 1028–1048, 2013) and peripheral (PNS, Toxicol Pathol 46[4]: 372–402, 2018) nervous systems.
Clinical efficacy of an enhanced recovery after surgery protocol in patients undergoing robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy
Authors: Cao Jie , Gu Jie , Wang Yan , Guo Xianjuan , Gao Xu , Lu Xiaoying
Published: August 2021

Objective

To evaluate the application of an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol in patients undergoing robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP).

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 136 patients who underwent RALP between August 2017 and June 2018 as the control group and a prospective analysis of 106 patients who underwent RALP between January 2019 and January 2020 as the ERAS group. ERAS focused on preoperative education, nutritional intervention, electrolyte solution intake, restrictive fluid infusion, body warming, no indwelling central venous catheter, use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), early mobilization, and eating recovery.

Results

The times from RALP to the first intake of clear liquid; first ambulation; first defecation; first fluid, semi-liquid, and general diet; drain removal; and length of hospital stay (LOS) were significantly shorter, and operative time, fluid infusion within 24 hours, postoperative day (POD) 1 albumin, POD 1 hemoglobin, and POD 2 drainage were significantly higher in the ERAS group. Five patients (3.8%) in the ERAS group developed postoperative complications (urine leakage, n = 4; intestinal obstruction, n = 1), while 1 patient (0.7%) in the control group developed intestinal obstruction.

Conclusions

ERAS effectively accelerated patient rehabilitation and reduced the LOS for patients undergoing RALP.
Transmitting Desire: An Experiment on a Novel Measure of Gun Desirability in a Pandemic
Authors: Sola Justin Lucas
Published: August 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic and protests have marked an unprecedented increase in U.S. gun sales. But America has long been an outlier; the stockpile of private guns climbed to almost 300 million in 2017. Scholars use multiple theories to explain why gun sales have tripled since the early 2000s, and why disruptions like the pandemic might cause gun sales. However, scholars have difficulty evaluating these theories with existing retrospective estimates of gun sales and other measures, limiting their ability to test theory or suggest policy changes. This study uses the known increase in gun sales during the COVID-19 pandemic to introduce and experimentally validate a novel measure of gun desirability. With a sample of 4,240 U.S. residents, this project demonstrates that gun desirability is a valid measure of inclination toward gun ownership, and that a pandemic video vignette significantly increases overall gun desirability relative to a control video vignette. These results serve as a foundation for future scholarship to (1) discern gun desirability trends, (2) evaluate theorized causes of gun desirability, and (3) consider interventions on those conditions that arouse desire for gun ownership.
The Impact of Radiologist Screening Mammogram Reading Volume on Performance in the Ontario Breast Screening Program
Authors: Walker Meghan J. , Hartman Krystal , Majpruz Vicky , Leung Yvonne W. , Fienberg Samantha , Rabeneck Linda , Chiarelli Anna M.
Published: August 2021

Purpose:

Although some studies have shown increasing radiologists’ mammography volumes improves performance, there is a lack of evidence specific to digital mammography and breast screening program performance targets. This study evaluates the relationship between digital screening volume and meeting performance targets.

Methods:

This retrospective cohort study included 493 radiologists in the Ontario Breast Screening Program who interpreted 1,762,173 screening mammograms in participants ages 50-90 between 2014 and 2016. Associations between annual screening volume and meeting performance targets for abnormal call rate, positive predictive value (PPV), invasive cancer detection rate (CDR), sensitivity, and specificity were modeled using mixed-effects multivariate logistic regression.

Results:

Most radiologists read 500-999 (36.7%) or 1,000-1,999 (31.0%) screens annually, and 18.5% read ≥2,000. Radiologists who read ≥2,000 annually were more likely to meet abnormal call rate (OR = 3.85; 95% CI: 1.17-12.61), PPV (OR = 5.36; 95% CI: 2.53-11.34), invasive CDR (OR = 4.14; 95% CI: 1.50-11.46), and specificity (OR = 4.07; 95% CI: 1.89-8.79) targets versus those who read 100-499 screens. Radiologists reading 1,000-1,999 screens annually were more likely to meet PPV (OR = 2.32; 95% CI: 1.22-4.40), invasive CDR (OR = 3.36; 95% CI: 1.49-7.59) and specificity (OR = 2.00; 95% CI: 1.04-3.84) targets versus those who read 100-499 screens. No significant differences were observed for sensitivity.

Conclusions:

Annual reading volume requirements of 1,000 in Canada are supported as screening volume above 1,000 was strongly associated with achieving performance targets for nearly all measures. Increasing the minimum volume to 2,000 may further reduce the potential limitations of screening due to false positives, leading to improvements in overall breast screening program quality.
Organising Against Precarity: The Life of a South African Labour Broker Worker
Authors: Runciman Carin , Hlungwani Khongelani
Published: August 2021

This article presents Khongelani Hlungwani’s experiences of working as a labour broker worker and his struggle to become a permanent worker in Gauteng, South Africa. His account provides a lens through which to understand the shopfloor divisions between permanent and labour broker workers. These divisions are, as Hlungwani’s account demonstrates, compounded by a trade union movement that largely sidelines the interests of precarious workers in favour of permanent workers. This has led many workers, like Hlungwani, to be distrustful of trade unions. Thus, when new labour rights were introduced in 2015, which provided an impetus for labour broker workers to organise, many, like Hlungwani, chose to do so outside of trade unions. The article demonstrates how it was possible, in the South African context, to utilise the institutional power of new labour rights to build associational power outside of trade unions. The article provides insight into both the strength and the fragility of these forms of organising through an account of the strike that Hlungwani participated in in solidarity with unionised workers at his workplace.