bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Construction and Reliability and Validity Test of Home Care Assessment Scale for Elderly Patients with Chronic Diseases Based on Intelligent Medical Care
Authors: Han Jianghong , Li Dan , Guo Cuiping , Wang Jing , Xue Songmei
Published: July 2022

The integration of IT with the health field has been the usual, and the introduction of AI technology in the health field will be the current mainstream in the future. General search engines can only perform superficial keyword searches, making it difficult to meet in-depth medical needs. The aging of the population is intensifying, and medical resources are in short supply. The application of remote intelligent medical care is an inevitable move. The aging of the population will lead to a reduction in the labor force, and low-end industries will face the problem of transformation and upgrading. Corporate competition has intensified, and involution has become the norm. However, chronic diseases are not contagious, but the treatment cycle is long. The purpose of this paper is to study the construction and reliability and validity of the home care assessment scale for elderly patients with chronic diseases based on tele-intelligent medical care, so as to help more patients overcome the troubles of chronic diseases. The full name of chronic disease is chronic noncommunicable disease, which does not refer to a specific disease, but to a class of onset insidious, long course of disease and the disease does not heal. It lacks definitive evidence of an infectious biological etiology. A general term for diseases with complex etiologies and some not yet fully recognized diseases. By analyzing the application requirements of intelligent medical real-time monitoring, this paper expounds the transmission function of the system. The experimental data in this paper showed that there were 15 cases of poor nursing care caused by noncompliance with doctor’s orders, accounting for 19%, indicating that patients had poor healthcare awareness and lacked necessary nursing knowledge.
Formal Security Analysis and Improvement Based on LonTalk Authentication Protocol
Authors: Feng Tao , Wu Yi
Published: July 2022

Security analysis of security protocol can be used to ensure communication security in the network. The process of security protocol analysis using the formal analysis method is simple and standardized, which is a research hotspot in the field of information security. In this study, a formal analysis method based on colored Petri net theory and Dolev-Yao attacker model is adopted to analyze LonTalk authentication protocol, and three types of attackable vulnerabilities including replay, tamper, and spoofing are found in LonTalk authentication protocol; thus, a secure LonTalk-SA authentication protocol is proposed. The LonTalk-SA authentication protocol was added with a trusted third-party server, which authenticates the identity of the sender and receiver and generates session keys through XOR operations on random numbers. The formal analysis of the new scheme shows that the new scheme can effectively resist three types of attacks, provide bidirectional authentication of communication nodes, and ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and authentication of messages during transmission, thus improving the security of protocols.
ZSTK474 Sensitizes Glioblastoma to Temozolomide by Blocking Homologous Recombination Repair
Authors: Jiao Wenhui , Zhu Shan , Shao Jingrong , Zhang Xiaoliang , Xu Yanglu , Zhang Yixuan , Wang Ran , Zhong Yuxu , Kong Dexin
Published: July 2022

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary malignant brain tumor in adults. Temozolomide (TMZ) is used as the standard chemotherapeutic agent for GBM but with limited success, and treatment failure is mainly due to tumor resistance. One of the leading causes of TMZ resistance is the upregulation of the DNA repair mechanism. Therefore, targeting the DNA damage response (DDR) is proposed to be an effective strategy to sensitize tumor cells to TMZ. In the present study, we demonstrated that the combined use of the PI3K inhibitor ZSTK474 and TMZ showed synergetic anticancer effects on human GBM cells in vitro and in vivo. The combination treatment led to significantly increased cell apoptosis and DNA double strand breaks (DSBs). In addition, a mechanistic study indicated that TMZ enhanced the homologous recombination (HR) repair efficiency in GBM cells, while ZSTK474 impaired HR repair by blocking the phosphorylation of ATM and the expression of BRCA1/2 and Rad51, thereby sensitizing GBM cells to TMZ. Moreover, TMZ activated the PI3K signaling pathway through upregulation of the PI3K catalytic subunits p110α and p110β and the phosphorylation of Akt. Meanwhile, ZSTK474 blocked the activity of the PI3K/Akt pathway. Taken together, our findings suggested that the combination of ZSTK474 and TMZ might be a potential therapeutic option for GBM.
Recognise and Acknowledge Us: Views of Traditional Birth Attendants on Collaboration with Midwives for Maternal Health Care Services
Authors: Musie Maurine Rofhiwa , Mulaudzi Mavis Fhumulani , Anokwuru Rafiat , Bhana-Pema Varshika
Published: July 2022

Background. Traditional birth attendants have since ancient time provided care to pregnant women. As such, the collaboration between midwives and traditional birth attendant (TBAs) can be an essential effort towards the reduction of the maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity rate especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This paper argues that the collaboration between traditional and formal health systems expands the reach and improves outcomes of community health care. The study is aimed at exploring the traditional birth attendant’s views on collaboration with midwives for maternal health care services at selected rural communities in South Africa (SA). Methods. The study was conducted in two rural communities in Tshwane and Johannesburg metropolitan districts from 15 June to 31 October 2021. The study followed the qualitative explorative and descriptive research design. The sampling technique was nonprobability purposive, and snowballing technique was also used to sample the key informants who are the traditional birth attendants also known as traditional healers and who provide maternal health care services in the respective communities. The access to these participants was through the gatekeepers, the Traditional Health Organisation Council (THO) council. Data collection was through semistructured in-depth interviews. Data were analysed thematically through the eight steps of Tesch. Results. Five main themes were identified which included the recognition of traditional birth attendants as enablers of collaboration, the envisaged value of the collaboration, processes required to foster collaboration, repositioning for new roles, and barriers to collaboration. Conclusion. The TBAs are ready to collaborate with the formal health care system, and all they require is for their services to maternal health care to be recognised and acknowledged.
[Retracted] The New Media Environment Presents Challenges and Opportunities for Music Education in Higher Education
Authors: Xu Yunzhang
Published: July 2022

Educational reform is essential. The revolution of multimedia technology and network technology is having a profound impact on the traditional teaching system, teaching methods, and training content. The learner‐centered online learning model is rapidly developing. Research shows that, based on new media concepts and technology applications, music teaching platforms can be created and researched through limited forms of music teaching in colleges and universities and new media platforms. The survey results of the practice and role of new media in the process of assisting music teaching in colleges and universities show that most students have a positive attitude towards the new media teaching assistant method in public music courses in colleges and universities and are very interested in this method. Students’ aesthetic, analytical, expressive, and collaborative abilities are also enhanced at all levels. The average score of the test class was 8.8 points higher than that of the control class, and the average score was 10.78% higher. The results show that the application of new media in college music teaching is effective.
A Spatially Resolved Mechanistic Growth Law for Cancer Drug Development Predicting Tumor Growing Fractions
Authors: Nasim Adam , Yates James , Derks Gianne , Dunlop Carina
Published: July 2022

Mathematical models used in preclinical drug discovery tend to be empirical growth laws. Such models are well suited to fitting the data available, mostly longitudinal studies of tumor volume; however, they typically have little connection with the underlying physiologic processes. This lack of a mechanistic underpinning restricts their flexibility and potentially inhibits their translation across studies including from animal to human. Here we present a mathematical model describing tumor growth for the evaluation of single-agent cytotoxic compounds that is based on mechanistic principles. The model can predict spatial distributions of cell subpopulations and account for spatial drug distribution effects within tumors. Importantly, we demonstrate that the model can be reduced to a growth law similar in form to the ones currently implemented in pharmaceutical drug development for preclinical trials so that it can integrated into the current workflow. We validate this approach for both cell-derived xenograft and patient-derived xenograft (PDX) data. This shows that our theoretical model fits as well as the best performing and most widely used models. However, in addition, the model is also able to accurately predict the observed growing fraction of tumours. Our work opens up current preclinical modeling studies to also incorporating spatially resolved and multimodal data without significant added complexity and creates the opportunity to improve translation and tumor response predictions.

Significance:

This theoretical model has the same mathematical structure as that currently used for drug development. However, its mechanistic basis enables prediction of growing fraction and spatial variations in drug distribution.
A Study of Familial Amyloid Polyneuropathy Induced by the TTR Val30Leu Mutation in China
Authors: He Sha , Gou Dongyun , Yuan Mengwei , Guo Jihong , Lv Xiujuan , Liu Ziqian , Ma Xiaowei , Han Yancong
Published: July 2022

Introduction: Familial amyloid polyneuropathy is currently prevalent worldwide as the transthyretin (TTR) Val30Met mutation, and there are other types of mutations. The purpose of this study was to understand the clinical manifestations, electrophysiological characteristics, and outcomes of hormone-related therapy in patients with the TTR Val30Leu mutation in China. Methods: Clinical data were collected from 9 members of a family with the TTR Val30Leu mutation in China, and blood samples of 7 members of the family were sequenced. The electrophysiological examinations of 4 of them were collected and analysed. Results: A total of 7 people had the TTR gene c.148G>T missense mutation and the TTR protein Val30Leu mutation in this family, and the positive members all had similar symptoms, such as limb paraesthesia and gastrointestinal symptoms. In addition, electrophysiological examination showed abnormal nerve conduction velocity in all 4 patients. Conclusions: The clinical manifestations of this mutation involve mainly limb sensory or motor disorders or gastrointestinal symptoms or both, and the electrophysiological examination shows neurogenic damage.
Minichromosome Maintenance 4 Is Associated with Cancer Stemness and Poor Survival of Patients with Gastric Cancer
Authors: Katsuya Narutaka , Ishikawa Akira , Kido Aya , Fukui Takafumi , Kobayashi Go , Sekino Yohei , Uraoka Naohiro , Babasaki Takashi , Yasui Wataru , Sentani Kazuhiro , Oue Naohide
Published: July 2022

Introduction: Gastric cancer (GC) is a leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. This study focused on minichromosome maintenance 4 (MCM4), a DNA helicase component that functions in DNA replication. Using spheroid colony formation, having a colony rich in cancer stem cells, this study aimed to investigate the clinicopathological importance of MCM4. Methods: We examined MCM4 expression using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis in 10 and 113 GC cases, respectively. MCM4 function in GC was also investigated by RNA interference in GC cell lines. Results: In qRT-PCR and IHC analysis, high MCM4 expression was found in 60% and 83% of GC cases, respectively. MCM4-positive GC cases were significantly associated with higher T grade and tumor stage. Additionally, high MCM4 expression was significantly associated with poor prognosis and was an independent prognostic factor in multivariate analysis. MCM4 was significantly coexpressed with CD133, matrix metalloproteinase 7 (MMP7), epidermal growth factor (EGFR), and mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (cMET). In GC cell lines, MCM4 knockdown affected cell growth and protein kinase B (Akt), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), and EGFR pathways. Conclusion: These results indicate that MCM4 expression could be a key regulator in GC progression and is pivotal in treating GC.
Cinnamon Infusion Reduces Satiety and Increases Energy Intake: A Randomized Crossover Trial
Authors: Soares Ana Paula da Costa , de Faria Natália Cristina , Graciano Guilherme Fonseca , dos Santos Ana Luiza Soares , Valenzuela Virginia Del Carmen , Toulson Davisson Correia Maria Isabel , Cosenza Gustavo Pereira , Anastácio Lucilene Rezende
Published: July 2022

Background/Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the intake of a single dose of cinnamon infusion on energy metabolism, appetite responses, and food intake in healthy individuals. Methods: This was an open randomized crossover clinical trial, with a minimum washout of 7 days, in which two standardized breakfasts were served randomly: one with cinnamon infusion (2 g, Cinnamomum sp.) and one with water (control). The study included 21 healthy volunteers. Energy expenditure (EE), diet-induced thermogenesis (DIT), respiratory quotient (RQ), substrate oxidation, and appetite responses were evaluated, as well as prospective food intake. Results: Ingestion of cinnamon infusion did not alter EE, DIT, RQ, or substrate oxidation. The incremental area under the curve for hunger, satiety, and desire to eat did not differ between the treatment with cinnamon infusion and water; however, there was a reduction in the feeling of satiety (p = 0.021) compared to the control treatment. The energy consumption of the first meal after treatment was higher (p = 0.05) in the treatment with cinnamon infusion than in the control treatment. Regarding macronutrients or food intake throughout the day, there was no difference between treatments. Conclusions: Although it did not affect energy metabolism, consuming a single dose of cinnamon infusion promoted less feeling of satiety and increased energy intake in the first meal after treatment. The study protocol was registered at the Brazilian Clinical Trials Registry Platform (RBR-5ftg3z).
Teaching Tooth Wear Diagnosis, Risk Assessment, and Treatment Decisions Applying Inverted Classroom Combined with Case Presentation Model
Authors: Carvalho Joana Christina , Brabant Alain , Hara Anderson Takeo , Kanaan Mireille
Published: July 2022

This study explored the application of a model for teaching tooth wear diagnosis, risk assessment, and treatment decisions to undergraduates at the UCLouvain, Belgium, based on an inverted classroom combined with case presentations. The aim was to explain its implementation and assess improvement in learning, engagement, and satisfaction. The hypothesis tested was that this model would enhance students’ performance. This controlled clinical trial included 29 dental students in the test group and 30 in the control group. All students received instructions and pre-class material for reading via e-mail 2 weeks prior to class time (T0). The test group included students attending the class time (attendance was not obligatory). The control group consisted of students only attending the preclinical training (attendance was obligatory). Both groups assessed three case presentations with no, moderate, and severe erosive tooth wear. The test group assessed the cases at the beginning of the class time (T1). One week later, at the beginning of the preclinical training, the students of the control group assessed the case presentations (T2). In parallel, to measure the contribution of the class time to students’ performance, the test group reassessed the cases (T2). This was followed by discussion of each case in which the lecturer presented the benchmark assessments. Students’ perception of their learning experience was recorded. The generalized linear mixed regression model showed that for the overall assessments of cases, students in the control group were significantly less likely to agree with the benchmark than students in the test group (OR = 0.62; p = 0.006). Students’ satisfaction was higher in the test group than in the control group but only significantly regarding the quality of the cases presentations (Fisher test p < 0.01). The class time contributed significantly to students’ improvement in learning in the test group (liner mixed model; p < 0.01). In conclusion, the model applied improved significantly in performance, learning, and to some extent satisfaction. However, the motivation strategy applied resulted in only half of the students adhering/engaging to the complete interactive model of teaching. Further motivation strategies should be implemented to make the complete model more widely accepted by students.
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Incident Hypertension in Multi-Racial/Ethnic Women: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation
Authors: Ding Ning , Karvonen-Gutierrez Carrie A. , Mukherjee Bhramar , Calafat Antonia M. , Harlow Siobán D. , Park Sung Kyun
Published: July 2022

Background:

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are ubiquitous synthetic chemicals that may disrupt blood pressure controls; however, human evidence to support this hypothesis is scant. We examined the association between serum concentrations of PFAS and risks of developing hypertension.

Methods:

This study included 1058 midlife women initially free of hypertension from the multiracial and multiethnic SWAN (Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation) with annual follow-up visits between 1999 and 2017. Hypertension was defined as blood pressure ≥140 mm Hg systolic or ≥90 mm Hg diastolic or receiving antihypertensive treatment. Cox proportional hazards models were utilized to calculate hazard ratios and 95% CIs. Quantile g-computation was implemented to evaluate the joint effect of PFAS mixtures.

Results:

During 11 722 person-years of follow-up, 470 participants developed incident hypertension (40.1 cases per 1000 person-years). Compared with the lowest tertile, women in the highest tertile of baseline serum concentrations had adjusted hazard ratios of 1.42 (95% CI, 1.19–1.68) for perfluorooctane sulfonate (
P
trend=0.01), 1.47 (95% CI, 1.24–1.75) for linear perfluorooctanoate (
P
trend=0.01), and 1.42 (95% CI, 1.19–1.70) for 2-(N-ethyl-perfluorooctane sulfonamido) acetate (
P
trend=0.01). No significant associations were observed for perfluorononanoate and perfluorohexane sulfonate. In the mixture analysis, women in the highest tertile of overall PFAS concentrations had a hazard ratio of 1.71 (95% CI, 1.15–2.54;
P
trend=0.008), compared with those in the lowest tertile.

Conclusions:

Several PFAS showed positive associations with incident hypertension. These findings suggest that PFAS might be an underappreciated contributing factor to women’s cardiovascular disease risk.
Age and Blood Pressure Contribute to Aortic Cell and Tissue Stiffness Through Distinct Mechanisms
Authors: Ma Ben , Melton Elaina , Wiener Robert , Zhou Ning , Wu Wenqian , Lai Lo , Wang Charles , Costa Kevin D. , Qiu Hongyu
Published: July 2022

Background:

Aortic stiffening is strongly associated with both aging and hypertension, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We hypothesized that aging-induced aortic stiffness is mediated by a mechanism differing from hypertension.

Methods:

We conducted comprehensive in vivo and in vitro experiments using multiple rat models to dissect the different mechanisms of aortic stiffening mediated by aging and hypertension.

Results:

A time-course study in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) normotensive rats showed more pronounced aging-associated aortic stiffening in SHR versus WKY. Angiotensin II–induced hypertension was associated with more significant aortic stiffening in older versus young WKY rats. Hypertension aggravated aging effects on aortic wall thickness and extracellular matrix content, indicating combinational effects of aging and hypertension on aortic stiffening. Intrinsic stiffness of isolated aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) increased with age in WKY rats, although no significant difference between older SHR and older WKY VSMCs was observed in 2-dimensional culture, reconstituted 3-dimensional tissues were stiffer for older SHR versus older WKY. A selective inhibitor that reduced hypertension-mediated aortic stiffening did not decrease age-related stiffening in aortic VSMCs and aortic wall. Integrin β1 and SM22 (smooth muscle–specific SM22 protein) expression were negligibly changed in WKY VSMCs during aging but were markedly increased by hypertension in older versus young WKY VSMCs. A notable shift of filamin isoforms from B to A was detected in older WKY VSMCs.

Conclusions:

Our results indicate distinct mechanisms mediating aging-associated aortic VSMC and vessel stiffness, providing new insights into aortic stiffening and the pathogenesis of hypertension in the elderly.
Evolving Concepts in Endothelial Pathobiology of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Authors: Cober Nicholas D. , VandenBroek M. Martin , Ormiston Mark L. , Stewart Duncan J.
Published: July 2022

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a deadly disease, characterized by increased vascular resistance, pulmonary arteriolar loss, and occlusive arterial remodeling, leading to eventual right heart failure. Evidence increasingly points to the pulmonary endothelium as a central actor in PAH. Endothelial cell apoptosis can result directly in distal lung arteriolar pruning and indirectly in the formation of complex and occlusive arterial lesions, reflecting an imbalance between endothelial injury and repair in the development and progression of PAH. Many of the mutations implicated in PAH are in genes, which are predominantly, or solely, expressed in endothelial cells, and the endothelium is a major target for therapeutic interventions to restore BMP signaling. We explore how arterial pruning can promote the emergence of occlusive arterial remodeling mediated by ongoing endothelial injury secondary to hemodynamic perturbation and pathological increases in luminal shear stress. The emerging role of endothelial cell senescence is discussed in the transition from reversible to irreversible arterial remodeling in advanced PAH, and we review the sometimes conflicting evidence that female sex hormones can both protect or promote vascular changes in disease. Finally, we explore the contribution of the endothelium to metabolic changes and the altered inflammatory and immune state in the PAH lung, focusing on the role of excessive TGFβ signaling. Given the complexity of the endothelial pathobiology of PAH, we anticipate that emerging technologies that allow the study of molecular events at a single cell level will provide answers to many of the questions raised in this review.
Lipidomic Signatures of Dairy Consumption and Associated Changes in Blood Pressure and Other Cardiovascular Risk Factors Among Chinese Adults
Authors: Yun Huan , Sun Liang , Wu Qingqing , Luo Yaogan , Qi Qibin , Li Huaixing , Gu Weiqiong , Wang Jiqiu , Ning Guang , Zeng Rong , Zong Geng , Lin Xu
Published: July 2022

Background:

Omics data may provide a unique opportunity to discover dairy-related biomarkers and their linked cardiovascular health.

Methods:

Dairy-related lipidomic signatures were discovered in baseline data from a Chinese cohort study (n=2140) and replicated in another Chinese study (n=212). Dairy intake was estimated by a validated food-frequency questionnaire. Lipidomics was profiled by high-coverage liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Associations of dairy-related lipids with 6-year changes in cardiovascular risk factors were examined in the discovery cohort, and their causalities were analyzed by 2-sample Mendelian randomization using available genome-wide summary data.

Results:

Of 350 lipid metabolites, 4 sphingomyelins, namely sphingomyelin (OH) C32:2, sphingomyelin C32:1, sphingomyelin (2OH) C30:2, and sphingomyelin (OH) C38:2, were identified and replicated to be positively associated with total dairy consumption (β=0.130 to 0.148;
P
<1.43×10
−4
), but not or weakly with nondairy food items. The score of 4 sphingomyelins showed inverse associations with 6-year changes in systolic (−2.68 [95% CI, −4.92 to −0.43];
P
=0.019), diastolic blood pressures (−1.86 [95% CI, −3.12 to −0.61];
P
=0.004), and fasting glucose (−0.25 [95% CI, −0.41 to −0.08];
P
=0.003). Mendelian randomization analyses further revealed that genetically inferred sphingomyelin (OH) C32:2 was inversely associated with systolic (−0.57 [95% CI, −0.85 to −0.28];
P
=9.16×10
−5
) and diastolic blood pressures (−0.39 [95% CI, −0.59 to −0.20];
P
=7.09×10
−5
).

Conclusions:

The beneficial effects of dairy products on cardiovascular health might be mediated through specific sphingomyelins among Chinese with overall low dairy consumption.
Markers of Focal and Diffuse Nonischemic Myocardial Fibrosis Are Associated With Adverse Cardiac Remodeling and Prognosis in Patients With Hypertension: The REMODEL Study
Authors: Iyer Nithin R. , Le Thu-Thao , Kui Michelle S.L. , Tang Hak-Chiaw , Chin Chee-Tang , Phua Soon-Kieng , Bryant Jennifer A. , Pua Chee-Jian , Ang Briana , Toh Desiree-Faye , Aw Tar-Choon , Lee Chi-Hang , Cook Stuart A. , Ugander Martin , Chin Calvin W.L.
Published: July 2022

Background:

The prognostic significance of focal and diffuse myocardial fibrosis in patients with cardiovascular risk factors is unclear.

Methods:

REMODEL (Response of the Myocardium to Hypertrophic Conditions in the Adult Population) is an observational cohort of asymptomatic patients with essential hypertension. All participants underwent cardiovascular magnetic resonance to assess for myocardial fibrosis: nonischemic late gadolinium enhancement (LGE), native myocardial T1, postcontrast myocardial T1, extracellular volume fraction including/excluding LGE regions, interstitial volume (extracellular volume×myocardial volume), and interstitial/myocyte ratio. Primary outcome was a composite of first occurrence acute coronary syndrome, heart failure hospitalization, strokes, and cardiovascular mortality. Patients were recruited from February 2016 and followed until June 2021.

Results:

Of the 786 patients with hypertension (58±11 years; 39% women; systolic blood pressure, 130±14 mm Hg), 145 (18%) had nonischemic LGE. Patients with nonischemic LGE were more likely to be men, have diabetes, be current smokers, and have higher blood pressure (
P
<0.05 for all). Compared with those without LGE, patients with nonischemic LGE had greater left ventricular mass (66±22 versus 49±9 g/m
2
;
P
<0.001), worse multidirectional strain (
P
<0.001 for all measures), and elevated circulating markers of myocardial wall stress and myocardial injury, adjusted for potential confounders. Twenty-four patients had primary outcome over 39 (30–50) months of follow-up. Of all the cardiovascular magnetic resonance markers of myocardial fibrosis assessed, only nonischemic LGE (hazard ratio, 6.69 [95% CI, 2.54–17.60];
P
<0.001) and indexed interstitial volume (hazard ratio, 1.11 [95% CI, 1.04–1.19];
P
=0.002) demonstrated independent association with primary outcome.

Conclusions:

In patients with hypertension, myocardial fibrosis on cardiovascular magnetic resonance is associated with adverse cardiac remodeling and outcomes.
Effects of Ramipril on Biomarkers of Endothelial Dysfunction and Inflammation in Hypertensive Children on Maintenance Hemodialysis: the SEARCH Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial
Authors: Ateya Areej Mohamed , El Hakim Ihab , Shahin Sara Mahmoud , El Borolossy Radwa , Kreutz Reinhold , Sabri Nagwa Ali
Published: July 2022

Background:

Hypertension, endothelial dysfunction, and inflammation are associated with increased cardiovascular mortality in end-stage kidney disease. We evaluated the effects of ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibition on biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction and inflammation in hypertensive children with end-stage kidney disease on maintenance hemodialysis.

Methods:

In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 135 (72 males/63 females) children and adolescents (age 7–15 years) were randomly assigned to treatment with either 2.5 mg once daily ramipril (n=68) or placebo (n=67) for 16 weeks. Primary outcome were the serum concentrations of asymmetrical dimethylarginine, a marker of endothelial dysfunction and hs-CRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein), a marker of inflammation. Changes in IL-6 (interleukin-6), TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor-alpha), systolic (S), and diastolic (D) blood pressure were secondary outcomes. Change in potassium levels and incidence of hyperkalemia were among the safety parameters.

Results:

Ramipril, but not placebo, significantly reduced serum levels of asymmetrical dimethylarginine (−79.6%;
P
<0.001), hs-CRP (−46.5%;
P
<0.001), IL-6 (−27.1%;
P
<0.001), and TNF-α (−51.7%;
P
<0.001). Systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure were significantly lowered in both groups with a greater reduction in children receiving ramipril (median between-group differences −12.0 [95% CI −18.0 to −9.5] and −9.0 [95% CI −12.0 to −4.5];
P
<0.001, respectively). Changes in asymmetrical dimethylarginine, hs-CRP, IL-6, or TNF-α in the ramipril group did not significantly correlate with blood pressure reductions. No severe cases of hyperkalemia or other serious treatment-associated adverse events were observed.

Conclusions:

Ramipril improves biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction and inflammation in hypertensive children on maintenance hemodialysis in addition to its efficacious and safe potential to lower blood pressure.

Registration:

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique identifier: NCT04582097.
Intervention and the Responsibility to Protect: Past, Present, and Futures
Authors: Peak Thomas , Laderman Charlie , Jacob Cecilia
Published: July 2022

This short article introduces the Special Issue on Intervention and the Responsibility to Protect. The purpose of this special issue is to prompt a conversation across historical and contemporary approaches, with a global perspective, to the question of intervention. It considers how the past informs the present and reflects on multiple ‘futures’ of intervention in the context of R2P.
Crossmodal Correspondence between Music and Ambient Color Is Mediated by Emotion
Authors: Hauck Pia , von Castell Christoph , Hecht Heiko
Published: July 2022

The quality of a concert hall primarily depends on its acoustics. But does visual input also have an impact on musical enjoyment? Does the color of ambient lighting modulate the perceived music quality? And are certain colors perceived to fit better than others with a given music piece? To address these questions, we performed three within-subjects experiments. We carried out two pretests to select four music pieces differing in tonality and genre, and 14 lighting conditions of varying hue, brightness, and saturation. In the main experiment, we applied a fully crossed repeated-measures design. Under each of the four lighting conditions, participants rated the musical variables ‘Harmonic’, ‘Powerful’, ‘Gloomy’, ‘Lively’ and overall liking of the music pieces, as well as the perceived fit of music and lighting. Subsequently, participants evaluated music and lighting separately by rating the same variables as before, as well as their emotional impact (valence, arousal, dominance). We found that music and lighting being similarly rated in terms of valence and arousal in the unimodal conditions were judged to match better when presented together. Accordingly, tonal (atonal) music was rated to fit better with weakly saturated (highly saturated) colors. Moreover, some characteristics of the lighting were carried over to music. That is, just as red lighting was rated as more powerful than green and blue lighting, music was evaluated to be more powerful under red compared to green and blue lighting. We conclude that listening to music is a multisensory process enriched by impressions from the visual domain.
Choosing a Catholic Primary School: Tracing Lived Catholicism Among Young Parents
Authors: Elshof Toke
Published: July 2022

In Catholic education, three partners collaborate in the education of the next generation: parents, school and church. Since Vatican ii, this cooperation is focused on an integral education that comprises the whole human being, that takes shape in an evangelically inspired school climate which partakes in the mission of the church. Post-conciliar documents of the Congregation of Catholic Education recognise the fading of parental participation, relating this decline to secularisation within multiple worldwide societal developments. In the congregational texts however, the parental voice is barely heard. This article provides insight into that space. Based on qualitive research among parents with children attending Catholic primary schools in the strongly secularised Netherlands, it clarifies the challenges that young parents meet, how these affect the perspectives of Catholic and non-Catholic parents on Catholic education and how the parental religious and secularised backgrounds influence their vision on Catholic-educational partnership.
Who is right? A Lived Catholicism Study of the Mass-Going of Catholic Teenagers
Authors: Baigent Avril
Published: July 2022

Lived Catholicism proposes a new way to study being Catholic. Through a focus on individual experiences and practices, it seeks to unpack ‘what sorts of people those who are baptised Catholic are becoming through their ordinary practices’.1 Although many studies of Catholicism tell us what Catholics practice and believe, far fewer tell us why. This study of the Lived Catholicism of teenagers in the UK will explore what motivates them to go to Mass, how the Mass going relates to their wider Catholicity, and the surprising gaps that emerge. Connecting these experiences to those of previous generations shows how the methods of Lived Catholicism can begin to answer questions not previously asked.
Blending Catholicism with Chi, Chakras and Crystals
Authors: Kieran Patricia M. , Mullally Aiveen
Published: July 2022

This article presents the findings of a two-year research project investigating four hundred third-level Initial Teacher Education (ite) students’ perceptions of the religiously unaffiliated in Ireland. The research was undertaken in two Third Level Catholic colleges of education in the Republic of Ireland (roi). A brief overview of some contemporary cultural, educational and ecclesial factors impacting on participants’ lived experiences and perceptions of Catholicism is provided. Irish society is changing rapidly and the religiously unaffiliated are the fastest growing belief group in the 2016 Census (cso 2016). A major part of the research focuses on the religious or belief affiliation of the sample group. It explores how participants’ personal religious and convictional perspectives impact on their own lives as well as their understandings of their future professional roles as educators in Ireland’s primary school system. Drawing on the research survey and interview data the article explores participants’ belief fluidity which blends belief in Roman Catholicism with belief in crystals, chakras, reincarnation, gods, and magic among others. The researchers analyses what these findings might reveal about lived Catholicism in the contemporary Irish context.
Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Usage of the Concepts of Children of God and imago Dei as a Theological Foundation of Equality, Human Dignity and Human Rights
Authors: Haspel Michael
Published: July 2022

Martin Luther King, Jr. employs different theological concepts to substantiate equality and dignity of all human beings. Among these, the metaphors “children of God” and “image of God” feature prominently. While the children of God-concept is used widely in the African American religious and theological tradition, the occurrences of imago Dei are rather scarce in the generation of King and his teachers. This article reconstructs the usage of the concept of children of God – which is used in the New Testament context and thus often in orthodox Protestantism exclusively – as an inclusive universal anthropological concept in the Black religious tradition and its reception as well as adaptation in King’s own work. With regard to the theologoumenon of image of God, we will see that King starts to apply it differently beginning in the early 1960s, now explicitly using it as a foundation of human dignity and worth, and respectively, human rights. In many interpretations of King’s writings, it is overlooked that the usage of the imago Dei-concept was not at all common at this time. Sometimes the metaphor is retrojected in parts of King’s work, where it is not employed as a foundation of dignity. It is also not totally clear why King alters his theological argument at this time, but it is very likely that it is related to his exchange with George Kelsey and Abraham Heschel, who both employ the term as the basis for equality and dignity during this period. This development in King’s theology is an important step forward since in mainstream Protestant theology this development does not take place until one or two decades later.
Dazbogosoma mokoshae, a new cavernicolous species of the previously monospecific genus Dazbogosoma Makarov & Ćurčić, 2012, from Serbia (Diplopoda: Chordeumatida: Anthroleucosomatidae)
Authors: ŠEVIĆ MIRKO , ANTIĆ DRAGAN , STOJANOVIĆ DALIBOR , MAKAROV SLOBODAN
Published: July 2022

A new troglobiotic species, Dazbogosoma mokoshae sp. nov., is described from a cave in the eastern Serbia. This is the second species from the previously monospecific genus Dazbogosoma Makarov & Ćurčić, 2012. An updated diagnosis of the genus, as well as a diagnosis, detailed description, illustrations and in situ photographs of a new species, based on both males and females, are presented. The distribution and relationships within the “Bulgarosoma” complex comprising D. mokoshae sp. nov. are briefly discussed.
Replacement names for Beckius Dechambre, 1992 and Syrictes Prell, 1936, and validation of Neoryctes Arrow, 1908 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae)
Authors: ALLSOPP PETER G.
Published: July 2022

The names of three genera of Dynastinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) are reviewed. The New Guinea genus Beckius Dechambre, 1992 (Dynastini) is preoccupied, and Debeckius Allsopp, new replacement name, is proposed. This results in Debeckius beccarii beccarii (Gestro, 1876), new combination, Debeckius beccarii koletta (Voirin, 1978), new combination, and Debeckius beccarii ryusuii (Nagai, 2006), new combination. The African genus Syrictes Prell, 1936 (Phileurini) is preoccupied, and Kirprellius Allsopp, new combination, is proposed. This results in Kirprellius curvicornus (Endrődi, 1977), new combination, Kirprellius dentatus (Prell, 1912), new combination, Kirprellius marceaui (Bouyer, 2020), new combination, Kirprellius rugulosus (Dupuis, 2013), new combination, and Kirprellius syrichtus (Fabricius, 1775), new combination. “Neoryctes Sclater, 1891” (Mammalia) is shown to be an invalid name and Neoryctes Arrow, 1908 (Pentodontini) remains the valid name for a dynastine genus from the Galápagos Islands, and Notoryctes Stirling, 1891 remains valid for the Australian marsupial moles.
Convolutional Neural Networks Based Classifier for Diabetic Retinopathy
Authors: Kishore Kumar A. , Udhayakumar A. , Kalaiselvi K.
Published: July 2022

Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) is a consequence of diabetes which causes damage to the retinal blood vessel networks. In most diabetics, this is a major vision-threatening problem. Color fundus pictures are used to diagnose DR, which requires competent doctors to determine lesions presence.
The job of detecting DR in an automated manner is difficult. In terms of automated illness identification, feature extraction is quite useful. In the current setting, Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) outperforms prior handcrafted feature-based image classification approaches in terms of
image classification efficiency. This paper introduces CNN structure for extracting characteristics from retinal fundus pictures in order to develop the accuracy of classification. This proposed method, the output features of CNN are employed as input to many classifiers of machine learning.
Using images from the MESSIDOR datasets, this method is tested under Random Tree, Hoeffiding Tree and Random Forest classifiers. Accuracy, False Positive Rate (FPR), Precision, Recall, F-1 score, specificity and Kappa-score for used classifiers are compared to find out the efficiency of the
classifier. For the MESSIDOR datasets, the suggested feature extraction approach combined with the Random forest classifier surpasses all other classifiers which gains 88% and 0.7288 of average accuracy and Kappa-score (k-score) respectively.
An Effective Framework for the Classification of Retinopathy Grade and Risk of Macular Edema for Diabetic Retinopathy Images
Authors: Balasuganya B. , Chinnasamy A. , Sheela D.
Published: July 2022

It is well know that for a diabetic patient, Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) is a speedy spreading infection which results in total loss of vision. Hence for diabetic patient, prior DR identification is important issue to protect eyes furthermore supportive for opportune treatment. The DR
identification should be possible physically and could likewise distinguished consequently. In previous framework, assessment of fundus pictures of retina for checking the phonological variety in Micro Aneurysms (MA), exudates, hemorrhages, macula and veins is a drawn-out and lavish errand.
However in the robotized framework, picture handling strategies can be utilized for before DR identification. Here, a framework for DR discovery is proposed. To start with, the information picture is pre-prepared utilizing crossover CLAHE and circular average filter round normal channel and
veins are extricated by Coye Filter. A short time later, picture is exposed to irregularities division, where division of MA, hemorrhages, exudates, and neovascularization are conveyed. Almost 36 distinct highlights are removed from sectioned pictures. A half breed salp swarm-feline multitude
advancement (CSO) calculation is used for choosing the appropriate highlights. At last, an arrangement is conveyed by changed RNN-LSTM. Three orders are conveyed, (I) Classification of kind of retinopathy, (ii) Classification of evaluation of retinopathy, (iii) Risk of Macular Edema (ME).
The order correctness’s got are: 99.73% for kind of DR, 95.6% for NPDR grade and 99.4% for NPDR Macular Edema Risk, 92.3% for PDR Macular Edema Risk. Our simulation results reveals that with Decision Tree (DT) and Random Forest (RF) Algorithm, this framework provides better results in
terms of accuracy of affectability and explicitness and Precision.
An Operative Acute Brain Tumor Recognition by Jointure Inward Unswerving Probabilistic Neural Network Classifier
Authors: Anitha V.
Published: July 2022

Brain tumors have to be predicted earlier to avoid the risk of being mortal. For an effective detection an adaptive segmentation with two-tier tumors region extraction is needed. This framework offers preprocessing to avoid noise occurrence by fusing median and wiener filter also utilizes
adaptive pillar C-means algorithm for obtaining the essential feature set thus the processing time is reduced. Thus the attained essential feature sets are then classified by means of unswerving PNN (Probabilistic Neural network) classifier where classification is done twice initially to classify
whether benign or malignant, Sub sequently to classify different sorts of brain tumor such as Astrocytoma, Meningioma, Glioblastoma and Medulloblastoma. Since the non-linearity of PNN due to distance factor consumes more computation time which is tackled by intruding the radial basis function
resulted in LS-SVM (Least Square-Support Vector Machine) as a distance factor which is linear one. Thus computation time is further reduced.
Post-Communist Junctures, the Left, and Illiberalism: Theory with Evidence from Central and Eastern Europe
Authors: Binev Binio S.
Published: July 2022

While many post-communist European party systems have experienced the rise of anti-establishment parties, not all have been equally vulnerable to challengers attacking both cultural and economic liberalism. This article borrows insights from scholarship on Latin American politics and develops a critical juncture approach to understanding the linkages between economic liberalization and political illiberalism in 15 post-communist democracies during the 1990-2020 period. It argues that contingent political dynamics during post-communist junctures shaped ensuing legacies by conditioning the long-term programmatic positions and variable electoral performance of “traditional” leftist parties. This path-dependent process culminated in variable electoral viability of illiberal parties with incentives for ideological differentiation and organizational capacities to adopt those economic positions that were most likely to be electorally rewarded. By focusing on variable incentives, resources, and constraints, the article challenges previous scholarship and advances and tests a novel theoretical framework based on a probabilistic approach to critical juncture analysis.
Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Programs (HVIPs): Making a Case for Qualitative Evaluation Designs
Authors: Ranjan Sheetal , Neudecker Christine H. , Strange Catherine Clare , Wojcik Michelle L. T. , Shah Aakash , Solhkhah Ramon
Published: July 2022

Hospital-based violence intervention programs (HVIPs) are multidisciplinary programs that use a health/public health approach to violence intervention by intervening with victims of violence at the time of injury and leveraging hospital- and community-based resources to address the underlying risk factors for violence. Much of the evidence for the impacts of HVIPs comes from qualitative research, yet there are few reviews of the efficacy of these approaches, and none that focus specifically on the HVIP context. This paper fills this gap by reviewing the common qualitative elements of published HVIP evaluations, and discusses their strengths, challenges, and relative applicability for researchers and practitioners alike. It then sets forth a research agenda, making a case for further (and more varied) qualitative HVIP evaluation research.