bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Japan’s ODA to Developing Countries in the Health Sector: Overall Trend and Future Prospects
Authors: Pires de Campos Rodrigo , Kawai Saori
Published: October 2022

This chapter identifies the overall trends in Japan’s official development assistance (ODA) policies for the health sector in developing countries from 1990 to 2020 and its future post-COVID-19 prospects. Since the end of the Cold War, watershed events have repeatedly changed the landscape of international cooperation in the health sector. Like other international aid donors, Japan has devised priorities and strategies for ODA based on a set of international and domestic factors in a constantly changing world. Numerous studies on Japan’s ODA have examined international and domestic factors that impact the formulation of the country’s aid policy. This chapter aims to add to those studies by combining recent debates on international cooperation and foreign aid, the right to health, and world health system reforms to explore and analyze Japan’s ODA for health in developing countries. The guiding research questions were as follows: What were the major trends in Japan’s ODA policies in the health sector from 1990 to 2020? Which international health debates and international cooperation factors exerted influence on those trends? What are the prospects of Japan’s ODA given the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts? The research relied on primary sources, specifically Japan’s ODA official documents and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) ODA quantitative databases, as well as secondary sources, such as academic literature on international cooperation and foreign aid for health. Our preliminary findings revealed that Japan’s ODA in the health sector from 1990 to 2020 centered on two main axes: infectious diseases and maternal and child health, both of which are oriented toward strengthening the healthcare system. Given this goal, it seems relevant to consider that Japan’s health system is based on the assumption of the need to provide universal health coverage, a concept currently supported by the World Health Organization (WHO), in contrast to the universal health system, and that the implications of this choice on Japan’s ODA and developing countries’ health policies are yet to be fully understood. The COVID-19 pandemic has put substantial pressure on health systems globally and international cooperation for health; thus, it has the potential to affect and even change Japan’s ODA for the health sector in developing countries.
Brazilian Workers in Japan and Public Policies for Promoting Their Social Integration with a Focus on Basic Education for Children
Authors: Yamazaki Keiichi , Bugarin Mauricio
Published: October 2022

The main objective of this research is to find an efficient way to improve the educational environment for the children of Brazilian residents in Japan. The secondary objective is to identify a better way to improve the social and economic positions of these residents through further integration into Japanese society. We believe that the potential for them to become a vital bridge between the two countries in the near future is significant, but that potential is not yet being tapped sufficiently. Therefore, the goal of this analysis is more than simply improving working and living conditions, but of promoting career development in Japanese society. To that end, educational background is highly important, especially education and acquisition of the Japanese language beginning in primary school is of utmost importance. For this reason, our paper focuses on the basic education (especially Japanese language education) of Brazilian children in Japan. We conclude that the style of “afterschool” is most efficient as well as socially equitable. We propose a public policy to be adopted by the Japanese government to induce Brazilian families to adopt the hybrid afterschool education system.
Conclusion: Structuring Brazil–Japan Cooperation from Complementarity to Shared Value
Authors: Hamaguchi Nobuaki , Ramos Danielly
Published: October 2022

This chapter summarizes findings and arguments of previous chapters. We conclude that Brazil–Japan cooperation has a strategic relevance in general, global, and bilateral context. The cooperation will be motivated by economic complementarity, human bonds, and mutual interests in exploiting shared value.
Entanglement entropy and modular Hamiltonian of free fermion with deformations on a torus
Authors: He Song , Liu Zhang-Cheng , Sun Yuan
Published: October 2022

Abstract

In this work, we perturbatively calculate the modular Hamiltonian to obtain the entanglement entropy in a free fermion theory on a torus with three typical deformations, e.g., $$ T\overline{T} $$
T

T
¯

deformation, local bilinear operator deformation, and mass deformation. For $$ T\overline{T} $$
T

T
¯

deformation, we find that the leading order correction of entanglement entropy is proportional to the expectation value of the undeformed modular Hamiltonian. As a check, in the high/low-temperature limit, the entanglement entropy coincides with that obtained by the replica trick in the literature. Following the same perturbative strategy, we obtain the entanglement entropy of the free fermion vacuum state up to second-order by inserting a local bilinear operator deformation in a moving mirror setting. In the uniformly accelerated mirror, the first-order and second-order correction of entanglement entropy vanishes in the late time limit. For mass deformation, we derive the entanglement entropy up to first-order deformation and comment on the second-order correction.
p73 is required for vessel integrity controlling endothelial junctional dynamics through Angiomotin
Authors: Maeso-Alonso Laura , Alonso-Olivares Hugo , Martínez-García Nicole , López-Ferreras Lorena , Villoch-Fernández Javier , Puente-Santamaría Laura , Colas-Algora Natalia , Fernández-Corona Alfonso , Lorenzo-Marcos María Elena , Jiménez Benilde , Holmgren Lars , Wilhelm Margareta , Millan Jaime , del Peso Luis , Claesson-Welsh Lena , Marques Margarita M. , Marin Maria C.
Published: October 2022

Preservation of blood vessel integrity, which is critical for normal physiology and organ function, is controlled at multiple levels, including endothelial junctions. However, the mechanism that controls the adequate assembly of endothelial cell junctions is not fully defined. Here, we uncover TAp73 transcription factor as a vascular architect that orchestrates transcriptional programs involved in cell junction establishment and developmental blood vessel morphogenesis and identify Angiomotin (AMOT) as a TAp73 direct transcriptional target. Knockdown of p73 in endothelial cells not only results in decreased Angiomotin expression and localization at intercellular junctions, but also affects its downstream function regarding Yes-associated protein (YAP) cytoplasmic sequestration upon cell–cell contact. Analysis of adherens junctional morphology after p73-knockdown in human endothelial cells revealed striking alterations, particularly a sharp increase in serrated junctions and actin bundles appearing as stress fibers, both features associated with enhanced barrier permeability. In turn, stabilization of Angiomotin levels rescued those junctional defects, confirming that TAp73 controls endothelial junction dynamics, at least in part, through the regulation of Angiomotin. The observed defects in monolayer integrity were linked to hyperpermeability and reduced transendothelial electric resistance. Moreover, p73-knockout retinas showed a defective sprout morphology coupled with hemorrhages, highlighting the physiological relevance of p73 regulation in the maintenance of vessel integrity in vivo. We propose a new model in which TAp73 acts as a vascular architect integrating transcriptional programs that will impinge with Angiomotin/YAP signaling to maintain junctional dynamics and integrity, while balancing endothelial cell rearrangements in angiogenic vessels.
Global warming and urbanization
Authors: Helbling Marc , Meierrieks Daniel
Published: October 2022

Analyzing 118 countries between 1960 and 2016, we find that higher temperatures correlate with higher urbanization rates in the long run, where this relationship is much more pronounced than any short-term linkage. The long-run relationship between global warming and urbanization is also conditional upon country-specific conditions. This long-run association is especially relevant in poorer and more agriculture-dependent countries with an urban bias as well as in initially non-urban countries in hotter climate zones. We also provide suggestive evidence that warming contributes to losses in agricultural productivity and to pro-urban shifts in public goods provision and that the global warming-urbanization nexus is partly mediated through these channels. Consequently, we argue that the estimated long-run relationship between temperature and urbanization partly captures the potential impact of increasing temperatures on urbanization via a rural push (by impairing agriculture) and an urban pull (via an increased demand for public goods primarily supplied in cities).
The influence of age and health status for outcomes after mid-urethral sling surgery—a nationwide register study
Authors: Gyhagen Julia , Åkervall Sigvard , Larsudd-Kåverud Jennie , Molin Mattias , Milsom Ian , Wagg Adrian , Gyhagen Maria
Published: October 2022

Introduction and hypothesis

The efficacy of mid-urethral sling (MUS) surgery in older women and women with a significant disease burden is limited. We aimed to determine the influence of chronological age and physical status (assessed by the American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status, ASA) classification on outcomes.

Methods

Cure rate, change in frequency of lower urinary tract symptoms, satisfaction, impact, and adverse events after MUS surgery were assessed in 5200 women aged 55–94 years with MUS surgery (2010–2017). Data were analysed by multivariate logistic regression and Mantel-Haenszel chi-square statistics.

Results

The cure rate was 64.2% (95% CI, 60.0–68.4) in the ≥ 75-year cohort compared to 88.5% (95% CI, 87.1–89.8) in the 55–64-year cohort (trend p < 0.0001). The estimated probability of cure, improvement, and satisfaction with the procedure decreased by aOR10yr = 0.51 for cure to aOR10yr = 0.59 for satisfaction (all p < 0.0001). Women with a significant health burden (ASA class 3–4) had lower cure rates and satisfaction than those without (65.5% vs. 83.7%, p < 0.0001 and 65.7% vs. 80.6%, p < 0.0001). Older age was more likely to be associated with de novo urgency (p = 0.0022) and nocturia ≥ 2 (p < 0.0001). Adverse events, readmission, and 30-day mortality rates were low. Women, irrespective of age, were equally satisfied if they experienced a decrease of at least one step in leakage frequency.

Conclusions

Even if MUS surgery in older women and those with ASA class 3–4 was associated with a lower cure rate and less satisfactory outcome, a majority were satisfied provided they experienced a reduction of incontinence episodes.
Domain Evolution of Vertebrate Blood Coagulation Cascade Proteins
Authors: Coban Abdulbaki , Bornberg-Bauer Erich , Kemena Carsten
Published: October 2022

Vertebrate blood coagulation is controlled by a cascade containing more than 20 proteins. The cascade proteins are found in the blood in their zymogen forms and when the cascade is triggered by tissue damage, zymogens are activated and in turn activate their downstream proteins by serine protease activity. In this study, we examined proteomes of 21 chordates, of which 18 are vertebrates, to reveal the modular evolution of the blood coagulation cascade. Additionally, two Arthropoda species were used to compare domain arrangements of the proteins belonging to the hemolymph clotting and the blood coagulation cascades. Within the vertebrate coagulation protein set, almost half of the studied proteins are shared with jawless vertebrates. Domain similarity analyses revealed that there are multiple possible evolutionary trajectories for each coagulation protein. During the evolution of higher vertebrate clades, gene and genome duplications led to the formation of other coagulation cascade proteins.
Live attenuated VZV vaccination induces antitumor immunity in ATLL patients
Authors: Jo Tatsuro , Kubota-Koketsu Ritsuko , Kaneko Yohei , Sakai Takahiro , Noguchi Kazuhiro , Irie Sadaharu , Matsuo Masatoshi , Taguchi Jun , Abe Kuniko , Shigematsu Kazuto
Published: October 2022

Adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) is a CD4-positive peripheral T cell lymphoma caused by human T cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1). Although ATLL is quite difficult to be cured, up-regulation of cellular immunity such as HTLV-1 Tax-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) has been proved to be important to obtain long-term survival. At present, no efficacious method to activate ATLL-specific cellular immunity is available. This study aimed to investigate whether live attenuated varicella-zoster virus (VZV) vaccination to ATLL can activate HTLV-1 Tax-specific cellular immune response. A total of 3 indolent- and 3 aggressive-type ATLL patients were enrolled. All aggressive-type patients had the VZV vaccination after completing anti-ATLL treatment including mogamulizumab, which is a monoclonal antibody for C–C chemokine receptor 4 antigen, plus combination chemotherapy, whereas all indolent-type patients had the VZV vaccination without any antitumor treatment. Cellular immune responses including Tax-specific CTLs were analyzed at several time points of pre- and post-VZV vaccination. After the VZV vaccination, a moderate increase in 1 of 3 indolent-type patients and obvious increase in all 3 aggressive-type patients in Tax-specific CTLs percentage were observed. The increase in the cell-mediated immunity against VZV was observed in all indolent- and aggressive-type patients after VZV vaccination. To conclude, VZV vaccination to aggressive-type ATLL patients after mogamulizumab plus chemotherapy led to the up-regulation of HTLV-1 Tax-specific CTLs without any adverse event. Suppression of regulatory T lymphocytes by mogamulizumab may have contributed to increase tumor immunity in aggressive-type ATLL patients. Japan Registry of Clinical Trials number, jRCTs051180107.
Thyroid‐Stimulating Hormone, Age, and Tumor Size are Risk Factors for Progression During Active Surveillance of Low‐Risk Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma in Adults
Authors: Ito Yasuhiro , Miyauchi Akira , Fujishima Makoto , Noda Takuya , Sano Tsutomu , Sasaki Takahiro , Kishi Taketoshi , Nakamura Tomohiko
Published: October 2022

Background

Active surveillance (AS) of low‐risk papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) was initiated at Kuma Hospital in 1993 and is gradually spreading worldwide. We assessed the effect of thyroid‐stimulating hormone (TSH) levels on PTMC enlargement in patients on AS.

Methods

We enrolled 2705 patients with cytologically diagnosed PTMC who had undergone AS between January 2005 and July 2019. Patients with Graves disease were excluded. The median AS period was 5.5 years (range 1.0–15.7 years). Tumor enlargement was defined as a size increase ≥3 mm. Chi‐square test, Kaplan–Meier method, log‐rank test, Cox proportional hazard, and logistic regression were used to compare variables.

Results

Ninety‐two patients (3.4%) experienced tumor enlargement; the 5‐, 10‐, and 15‐year enlargement rates were 3.0%, 5.5%, and 6.2%, respectively. Young age (<40 years, p < 0.001), large tumor size (≥9 mm, p = 0.017), and high detailed TSH score (≥3, higher than the lower normal limit, p = 0.011) were significant factors relating to tumor enlargement in the multivariate analysis. In a subset of patients aged <40 years, a low detailed TSH score (<3) was an independent factor against tumor enlargement (p = 0.039). Only 22 patients (0.8%) experienced novel lymph node metastasis; the 5‐, 10‐, and 15‐year node metastasis rates were very low, at 0.9%, 1.1%, and 1.1%, respectively.

Conclusions

Young patients with PTMC are more likely to experience tumor growth. Mild TSH suppression to achieve a low normal range may prevent carcinoma enlargement; however, prospective studies are needed to draw more reliable conclusions.
The pattern of epistaxis recurrence in patients taking prophylactic acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) from a 10 year cohort
Authors: Stanković Petar , Hoch Stephan , Rudhart Stefan , Stojković Stefan , Wilhelm Thomas
Published: October 2022

Objectives

Epistaxis is the most common otolaryngological emergency and one-third of epistaxis patients regularly take low-dose acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) for the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The shift in contemporary guidelines identifies little benefit of ASA intake in patients who have not previously had an infarction. Existing evidence confirms ASA intake as a factor for severe epistaxis, while the evidence concerning its impact on recurrence is ambiguous. There are no available studies which justify the administration of these drugs nor are there any studies correlating the effects of these drugs to the SCORE2 CVD risk stratifying scale.

Study design

A retrospective analysis of all admitted epistaxis patients in a tertiary academic hospital for the 10 year period 2011 to 2021.

Methods

Patient data were analysed using the hospital information software. A recurrence was defined as an epistaxis episode requiring hospital readmittance for at least one night. Patients taking anticoagulants were excluded (N = 421).

Results

444 patients were included: 246 were taking ASA and 198 were not (NoASA). ASA patients had more frequent recurrence in general (p = 0.03), more recurrences per patient (p = 0.002), and more changes in bleeding localisation (p = 0.04). Recurrence in the ASA group was associated with lower haemoglobin values (HR 0.62, p < 0.0001), while surgery (HR 6.83, p < 0.0001) was associated with recurrence in the NoASA group. ASA patients had a statistically significant (r 0.33, p = 0.032) correlation between the total number of epistaxis recurrences and SCORE2. The indication for drug intake was highly questionable in as much as 40% of ASA patients. Follow-up time was 5.27 years.

Conclusions

Epistaxis patients taking prophylactic ASA are significantly more burdened by recurrence, because they have more frequent recurrences, a greater number of recurrences per patient, and more changes in bleeding localisations when compared to control patients. The drug indication is questionable in up to 40% of ASA patients, exposing them unnecessarily to recurrence.

Level of evidence

4.
Development of summer skiing days in Austrian glacier ski areas in the first two decades of the twenty-first century
Authors: Mayer Marius , Abegg Bruno
Published: October 2022

Summer skiing on glaciers is a leisure activity highly dependent on natural factors like weather and glacier conditions. While the literature agrees that climate change is shaping the fate of summer skiing, longer time series covering both the supply and demand side of glacier/summer skiing, and research that combines natural and non-natural factors affecting the summer ski market are missing. To close this research gap, we conducted a detailed supply-side analysis of nine Austrian glacier ski areas focusing on the number of operating days (in the summer half-year, as well as for meteorological and astronomical summer ski definitions), show how these numbers evolve over time, test how they correlate with meteorological and glaciological data using time-series regression models on a yearly and monthly basis, and highlight how managerial decisions come into play when trying to explain the summer ski supply’s decline. Between 2002 and 2019, summer ski operating days in Austrian glacier ski areas declined by 48.3% in the summer half-year, 65.2% in the meteorological, and 62.3% in the astronomical summer parallel to rising mean temperatures and shrinking glaciers. This decrease is strongest in June to September and weakest in May and October but in two glacier ski areas, the operating days in the summer season remain constant or are even on the rise. This is in line with model results indicating that meteorological and glaciological data only explain parts of the variance of the decline trends. Operators’ agency, strategies, and decisions play an important role underlining that global warming is not monocausally determining summer ski operation.
Auto diagnostic system for detecting solitary and juxtapleural pulmonary nodules in computed tomography images using machine learning
Authors: Karrar Ayat , Mabrouk Mai S. , Abdel Wahed Manal , Sayed Ahmed Y.
Published: October 2022

Lung cancer is one of the most serious cancers in the world with the minimum survival rate after the diagnosis as it appears in Computed Tomography scans. Lung nodules may be isolated from (solitary) or attached to (juxtapleural) other structures such as blood vessels or the pleura. Diagnosis of lung nodules according to their location increases the survival rate as it achieves diagnostic and therapeutic quality assurance. In this paper, a Computer Aided Diagnosis (CADx) system is proposed to classify solitary nodules and juxtapleural nodules inside the lungs. Two main auto-diagnostic schemes of supervised learning for lung nodules classification are achieved. In the first scheme, (bounding box + Maximum intensity projection) and (Thresholding + K-means clustering) segmentation approaches are proposed then first- and second-order features are extracted. Fisher score ranking is also used in the first scheme as a feature selection method. The higher five, ten, and fifteen ranks of the feature set are selected. In the first scheme, Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier is used. In the second scheme, the same segmentation approaches are used with Deep Convolutional neural networks (DCNN) which is a successful tool for deep learning classification. Because of the limited data sample and imbalanced data, tenfold cross-validation and random oversampling are used for the two schemes. For diagnosis of the solitary nodule, the first scheme with SVM achieved the highest accuracy and sensitivity 91.4% and 89.3%, respectively, with radial basis function and applying the (Thresholding + Kmeans clustering) segmentation approach and the higher 15 ranks of the feature set. In the second scheme, DCNN achieved the highest accuracy and sensitivity 96% and 95%, respectively, to detect the solitary nodule when applying the bounding box and maximum intensity projection segmentation approach. Receiver operating characteristic curve is used to evaluate the classifier’s performance. The max. AUC = 90.3% is achieved with DCNN classifier for detecting solitary nodules. This CAD system acts as a second opinion for the radiologist to help in the early diagnosis of lung cancer. The accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of scheme I (SVM) and scheme II (DCNN) showed promising results in comparison to other published studies.
Identification of spatial patterns with maximum association between power of resting state neural oscillations and trait anxiety
Authors: Vidaurre Carmen , Nikulin Vadim V. , Herrojo Ruiz Maria
Published: October 2022

Anxiety affects approximately 5–10% of the adult population worldwide, placing a large burden on the health systems. Despite its omnipresence and impact on mental and physical health, most of the individuals affected by anxiety do not receive appropriate treatment. Current research in the field of psychiatry emphasizes the need to identify and validate biological markers relevant to this condition. Neurophysiological preclinical studies are a prominent approach to determine brain rhythms that can be reliable markers of key features of anxiety. However, while neuroimaging research consistently implicated prefrontal cortex and subcortical structures, such as amygdala and hippocampus, in anxiety, there is still a lack of consensus on the underlying neurophysiological processes contributing to this condition. Methods allowing non-invasive recording and assessment of cortical processing may provide an opportunity to help identify anxiety signatures that could be used as intervention targets. In this study, we apply Source-Power Comodulation (SPoC) to electroencephalography (EEG) recordings in a sample of participants with different levels of trait anxiety. SPoC was developed to find spatial filters and patterns whose power comodulates with an external variable in individual participants. The obtained patterns can be interpreted neurophysiologically. Here, we extend the use of SPoC to a multi-subject setting and test its validity using simulated data with a realistic head model. Next, we apply our SPoC framework to resting state EEG of 43 human participants for whom trait anxiety scores were available. SPoC inter-subject analysis of narrow frequency band data reveals neurophysiologically meaningful spatial patterns in the theta band (4–7 Hz) that are negatively correlated with anxiety. The outcome is specific to the theta band and not observed in the alpha (8–12 Hz) or beta (13–30 Hz) frequency range. The theta-band spatial pattern is primarily localised to the superior frontal gyrus. We discuss the relevance of our spatial pattern results for the search of biomarkers for anxiety and their application in neurofeedback studies.
Evaluating the COVID-19 impacts on the construction and demolition waste management and resource recovery industry: experience from the Australian built environment sector
Authors: Shooshtarian Salman , Caldera Savindi , Maqsood Tayyab , Ryley Tim
Published: October 2022

The COVID-19 crisis has brought unprecedented challenges to many sectors, including the built environment. The construction and demolition (C&D) waste management and recovery industry is an essential service provider to this sector. Like other industries, this industry has been affected by the pandemic in many ways. However, in Australia, this impact has not been thoroughly investigated. This study, therefore, explores COVID-19 impacts on the Australian C&D waste recovery and construction industry as the major waste consumer and generator. To achieve this aim, a literature review and a series of semi-structured interviews were conducted with 27 participants representing five stakeholder groups (government, construction, waste recovery, material supplying and consultancy) across five Australian states. The research findings established that there is a critical need for leveraging digital technologies, developing business contingency plans, creating coalitions between government and industry, and diversifying supply chains to reduce supply chain risks. This study also uncovered a range of targeted responses and recommendations to manage pandemic-induced disruptions and improve the circular economy in the industry. Our findings can immediately assist industrial practitioners and government decision-makers in managing the impacts of COVID-19 on the waste recovery activities in C&D waste and other waste streams.

Graphical abstract
Scorched earth tactics of the “Islamic State” after its loss of territory: intentional burning of farmland in Iraq and Syria
Authors: Jaafar Hadi , Sujud Lara , Woertz Eckart
Published: October 2022

Recent literature shows increasing interest in analyzing causes of what was referred to as “unusual” fires in Iraq and Syria in 2019. Here, we examine the causes of uncontrolled and irregular fires within farmlands in parts of the two countries in 2019–2020 and quantify their extent spatiotemporally using a combination of medium and coarse-resolution satellite imagery, land cover, precipitation, temperature data, and multiple sources of armed violence data. Our analysis reveals the extent of the deliberate arson of farmland in Iraq and Northeast Syria in 2019–2020. In comparison, only a few fires of farmland were observed in 2007–2013 in Iraq, and Al-Hassakeh, Syria, that became a stronghold of the Islamic State (IS) in 2013. In 2014–2017, we find evidence for increased farmland fires in various locations that closely tracked the military withdrawal of IS between 2015/2016 and 2017 when it lost most of its territory. We find that although the burned area in wheat-producing regions of Iraq (Ninewa and Kirkuk) and Syria have recently increased, the increase in the percentage burned area of agricultural lands in Iraq’s Ninewa and Kirkuk was not unprecedented. MODIS overestimates burned areas when in low fire activity while it underestimates it when fire activity is high, compared to a Landsat–Sentinel-2 combination. A significant positive relationship (r = 0.83) exists between the number of IS-related incidents and the percent burned agricultural area during 2019, which raises questions about the future strategy of the IS terror group and its use and targeting of the water-food complex.
The Economic Value of Coastal Amenities: Evidence from Beach Capitalization Effects in Peer-to-Peer Markets
Authors: Boto-García David , Leoni Veronica
Published: October 2022

Coastal amenities are public goods that represent an important attraction for tourism activities. This paper studies the capitalization effects of beach characteristics using hedonic pricing methods. We examine the implicit economic value of several beach characteristics like sand type, width, longitude, accessibility, or frontage in the Airbnb rental market. Using data for 16,663 Airbnb listings located in 67 municipalities of the Balearic Islands (Spain) during the summer of 2016, together with detailed information about the attributes of 263 beaches, our modelling approach considers interaction terms between the beach amenities and distance to the closest beach. Controlling for a set of listings’ structural characteristics, host attributes and municipality fixed effects, we find that Airbnb guests attach economic value to beach length, the presence of vegetation, the type of coastal frontage and beach accessibility and exclusivity. However, there is no evidence of capitalization effects associated with beach width or the type of sand.
Emerging systemic treatment options in meningioma
Authors: Mair Maximilian J. , Berghoff Anna S. , Brastianos Priscilla K. , Preusser Matthias
Published: October 2022

Purpose

Meningiomas are the most frequently diagnosed intracranial neoplasms. Usually, they are treated by surgical resection in curative intent. Radiotherapy and stereotactic radiosurgery are commonly applied in the adjuvant setting in newly diagnosed atypical (CNS WHO grade 2), and anaplastic (CNS WHO grade 3) meningioma, especially if gross total resection is not feasible, and in recurrent cases. Conversely, the evidence for pharmacotherapy in meningioma is scarce.

Methods

The available literature of systemic treatment in meningioma was screened using PubMed, and ongoing clinical trials were explored using ClinicalTrials.gov.

Results

Classical cytotoxic agents, somatostatin analogs, and antihormone treatments have shown only limited efficacy. In contrast, tyrosine kinase inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies, especially those targeting angiogenic signaling such as sunitinib and bevacizumab, have shown promising antitumoral activity in small phase 2 trials. Moreover, results of recent landmark studies on (epi-)genetic alterations in meningioma revealed potential therapeutic targets which are currently under investigation. These include inhibitors of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), focal adhesion kinase (FAK), cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK), phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K), sonic hedgehog signaling, and histone deacetylases. In addition, clinical trials evaluating immune checkpoint inhibitors such as ipilimumab, nivolumab, pembrolizumab and avelumab are currently being conducted and early results suggest clinically meaningful responses in a subset of patients.

Conclusions

There is a paucity of high-level evidence on systemic treatment options in meningioma. However, interesting novel treatment targets have been identified in the last decade. Positive signals of anti-angiogenic agents, genomically targeted agents and immunotherapy in early phase trials should be confirmed in large prospective controlled trials.
On being stuck: the pandemic crisis as affective stasis
Authors: Bernhardt Fabian , Slaby Jan
Published: October 2022

The Covid-19 pandemic put forth a new kind of affective exhaustion. Being forced to stay at home, diminish social interactions and reduce the scale of their everyday mobility, many people experienced boredom, sluggishness, and existential immobility. While state-imposed pandemic policies changed rapidly, everyday life remained strangely unmoving. A sense of being stuck unfurled―as if not only social life, but time itself had come to a halt. At the same time, there was a latent sense of tension and increased aggressiveness which became manifest not only in protests and riots, but also in the texture of everyday life. In this contribution, we argue that both of these states―the feeling of being stuck, and the feeling that this putative tranquility is nothing but the calm before a storm―can be conceptualized as affective stasis. Through a rearticulation of the ancient concept of stasis, we show that these two at first glance incongruous affective conditions are intricately entangled. In Ancient Greek, the term stasis meant “stand, standing, stance”. Being used in a wide variety of contexts―politics, navigation, sports, rhetoric, medicine, and others―stasis took on different meanings which can be semantically organized around two opposite poles: one is the total absence of motion, and the other is an event of radical and often violent social and political change. Drawing on affect theory, phenomenology, and ancient Greek semantics, we propose affective stasis as a novel conceptual framework for political phenomenology.
The effect of psychosocial interventions on depression, anxiety, and quality of life in hemodialysis patients: a systematic review and a meta-analysis
Authors: Barello Serena , Anderson Gloria , Acampora Marta , Bosio Caterina , Guida Elena , Irace Vincenzo , Guastoni Carlo Maria , Bertani Barbara , Graffigna Guendalina
Published: October 2022

Purpose

Hemodialysis has become a standard therapy for adults with end-stage renal diseases. Adults undergoing hemodialysis have to cope with unique psychological issues that make their care journey particularly fatiguing. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to summarize and evaluate the effects of psychosocial interventions on the reduction of anxiety and depression in adults with HDs.

Methods

We included randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies that measure change in depression, anxiety, and quality of life.

Results

We identify three categories of psychosocial interventions delivered to adults undergoing hemodialysis. Based on our analysis, there was a medium effect of psychosocial intervention on depression (SMD − 0.85, 95%CI − 1.17; − 0.52, I2 = 80%, p < 0.01) and anxiety (SMD − 0.99, 95%CI − 1.65; − 0.33, I2 = 88%, p < 0.01) in adults undergoing hemodialysis.

Conclusions

Psychosocial interventions, such as psychological support or relaxation-based therapy, seems all to reduce depression and anxiety in adults undergoing HD. Preliminary evidence suggests that there may be a benefit of psychosocial interventions on the quality of life for adults undergoing HD.
Prospective multicentre randomized double-blind placebo-controlled parallel group study on the efficacy and tolerability of StroVac® in patients with recurrent symptomatic uncomplicated bacterial urinary tract infections
Authors: Nestler S. , Peschel C. , Horstmann A. H. , Vahlensieck W. , Fabry W. , Neisius A.
Published: October 2022

Purpose

To evaluate efficacy and safety of vaccination with StroVac compared to placebo in patients with recurrent urinary tract infections (rUTI).

Material and methods

We performed a prospective, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study in patients with uncomplicated rUTI. Patients received three single intramuscular injections with StroVac every two weeks. Primary endpoint was the number of bacterial urinary tract infections (UTI) over 13.5 months after randomization and adjusted by the respective “baseline” value when comparing verum and placebo group. Secondary endpoints were the number of patients with non-recurrence, time to first recurrence, frequency of recurrences, and patients' self-assessment of quality of life using a validated questionnaire.

Results

376 patients were randomized to both groups between January 2012 and March 2015. Mean age was 44.4 years. Patients were mainly female (98.4%). In the StroVac group (n = 188), the number of UTIs was reduced from 5.5 to 1.2, in the placebo group (n = 188) from 5.4 to 1.3 (p = 0.63). In patients with ≥ 7 UTIs prior to study inclusion, StroVac was statistically significantly superior to placebo (p = 0.048). However, in all other secondary endpoints, no statistical differences between the two groups could be seen (all p > 0.3).

Conclusion

StroVac reduced the number of clinically relevant UTIs like in former studies but did not show statistically significant better results than the chosen placebo. Most likely, that was due to a, since confirmed, prophylactic effect of the chosen placebo itself. Therefore, placebo-controlled and double-blinded studies using a different ineffective placebo preparation are needed to determine the importance of StroVac in prophylaxis of rUTI.
Functional nanoemulsion and nanocomposite microparticles as an anticolorectal cancer and antimicrobial agent: applied in yogurt
Authors: Hashim Ayat F. , Abd-Rabou Ahmed A. , El-Sayed Hoda S.
Published: October 2022

Great concern for human health has led the food industry to focus on functional products. Microparticles based on nanoemulsions (M1) and nanocomposites (M2) were developed to deliver vital agents against colorectal cancer and microbial infection. The functional microparticles were prepared by coating extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), probiotics, and fig leaves extract with sodium alginate (SA) and whey protein concentrate (WPC) using the freeze drying technique. The antimicrobial, cytotoxic, apoptotic, encapsulation efficiency (EE %), release rate, and antioxidant activity were investigated. The yogurt was loaded with microparticles and evaluated microbiology, chemically, and sensory during storage. The results showed that the size of nanoemulsion and nanocomposite was between 476.1 and 517.7 nm, while the zeta potentials were −30.1 and −34.5 mV, respectively. M2 microparticles recorded the lowest IC50 values against human colorectal cancerous Caco-2 and HCT 116 cell lines: 1.10 μg/mL and 15.34 μg/mL, respectively. The inhibition zones were between 11 to 20 and 9 to 18 mm for M1 and M2, respectively. The highest EE% was 89.20% for EVOO and 91.34% for probiotics in M2 microparticles. The induction period of the EVOO from M1 and M2 microparticles was 15.37 h and 13.09 h, respectively. The antioxidant activity was between 78 and 65.8% for M1 and M2 microparticles, respectively. The probiotics in yogurt with microparticles were more than un-coated cells, and the taste of these samples was acceptable during storage. This study suggests that microencapsulation could be considered an interesting therapeutic tool when EVOO and probiotics are used in functional food.
Occurrence of extrapulmonary tuberculosis is associated with geographical origin: spatial characteristics of the Frankfurt TB cohort 2013–2018
Authors: Wetzstein Nils , Drummer Alena-Pauline , Bockey Annabelle , Herrmann Eva , Küpper-Tetzel Claus Philippe , Graf Christiana , Koch Benjamin , Goetsch Udo , Vehreschild Maria J. G. T. , Guglielmetti Lorenzo , Lange Berit , Wichelhaus Thomas A. , Stephan Christoph
Published: October 2022

Introduction

Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by M. tuberculosis complex (MTB) and pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) is its classical manifestation. However, in some regions of the world, extrapulmonary TB (EPTB) seems to be more frequent.

Methods

We performed a retrospective cohort study of all TB patients treated at University Hospital Frankfurt, Germany, for the time period 2013–2018. Patient charts were reviewed and demographic, clinical, and microbiological data recorded. Patients were subdivided according to their geographic origins.

Results

Of the 378 included patients, 309 were born outside Germany (81.7%). Three WHO regions were significantly associated with the occurrence of isolated EPTB: the South-East Asian Region (OR 3.37, CI 1.74–6.66, p < 0.001), the African Region (2.20, CI 1.25–3.90, p = 0.006), and the Eastern Mediterranean Region (OR 3.18, CI 1.78–5.76, p < 0.001). On a country level, seven countries of origin could be demonstrated to be significantly associated with the occurrence of isolated EPTB: India (OR 5.58, CI 2.30–14.20, p < 0.001), Nepal (OR 12.75, CI 1.73–259.28, p = 0.027), Afghanistan (OR 3.64, CI 1.14–11.98, p = 0.029), Pakistan (OR 3.64, CI 1.14–11.98, p = 0.029), Eritrea (OR 3.32, CI 1.52–7.47, p = 0.003), Somalia (OR 7.08, CI 2.77–19.43, p < 0.001), and Turkey (OR 9.56, CI 2.52–47.19, p = 0.002).

Conclusion

Geographical origin is a predictor for the occurrence of extrapulmonary TB. This might be linked to a delay in diagnosis in these patients, as well as specific responsible impairments of the host’s immune system, possible virulence factors of MTB, and relevant comorbidities.
Predictors of Worsening Erectile Function in Men with Functional Erections Early After Radical Prostatectomy
Authors: Salter Carolyn A. , Tin Amy L. , Bernie Helen L. , Nascimento Bruno , Katz Darren J. , Benfante Nicole E. , Carlsson Sigrid V. , Mulhall John P.
Published: October 2022

Background

Prior studies suggest that men with good erectile function shortly after radical prostatectomy (RP) can subsequently have worsened erectile function.

Aim

To determine the prevalence and predictors of early erectile function recovery post-RP and of worsening erectile function after initial erectile function recovery.

Methods

We retrospectively queried our institutional database. Men who underwent RP during 2008–2017 and who completed the International Index of Erectile Function erectile function domain both pre-RP and serially post-RP, constituted the population. Functional erections were defined as International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF)-6 erectile function domain scores ≥24. We analyzed factors predicting functional erections at 3 months post-RP as well as factors predicting a decrease in functional erections between 3 and 6 months, defined as ≥2-point drop in the erectile function domain. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify predictors of early erectile function recovery and also of subsequent decline.

Outcomes

Erectile function recovery rates at 3 months post-RP and predictive factors; rates of erectile function decline between 3-6 months and associated predictors.

Results

Eligible patients comprised 1,655 men with median age of 62 (IQR 57, 67) years. Bilateral nerve-sparing (NS) surgery was performed in 71% of men, unilateral NS in 19%, and no NS in 10%. Of this population, 224 men (14%; 95% CI 12%, 15%) had functional erections at 3 months post-RP. On multivariable analysis, significant predictors of early erectile function recovery included: younger age (OR 0.93, P < .001), higher baseline erectile function domain score (OR 1.14, P < .001) and bilateral NS (OR 3.81, P = .002). The presence of diabetes (OR 0.43, P = .028) and a former smoking history (OR 0.63, P = .008; reference group: never smoker) was associated with the erectile dysfunction at 3 months post-RP. Of the men with early functional erections, 41% (95% CI 33%, 48%) had a ≥ 2-point decline in erectile function between 3 and 6 months. No factors were identified as predictors for this decline.

Clinical Implications

Only a small proportion of men have functional erections at 3 months post-RP and a notable number of them will experience a decline in erectile function between 3 and 6 months.

Strengths and Limitations

Strengths: large patient population and the use of validated questionnaire. Limitations: single-center retrospective study.

Conclusion

A minority of men had functional erections 3 months post-RP, about half of whom had a decline in erectile function by month 6. We recommend appropriately counseling post-RP patients on the risk of such a decline in erectile function.
Internet Cable Reveals the Source of Underwater Vibrations
Authors: Sidik Saima
Published: October 2022

A novel use of an existing fiber-optic cable off the coast of Spain has clued scientists in to how seismic noise is generated in the ocean.
CRISPR-based kinome-screening revealed MINK1 as a druggable player to rewire 5FU-resistance in OSCC through AKT/MDM2/p53 axis
Authors: Mohanty Sibasish , Mohapatra Pallavi , Shriwas Omprakash , Ansari Shamima Azma , Priyadarshini Manashi , Priyadarsini Swatismita , Rath Rachna , Sultania Mahesh , Das Majumdar Saroj Kumar , Swain Rajeeb K. , Dash Rupesh
Published: October 2022

Cisplatin, 5FU and docetaxel (TPF) are the most common chemotherapy regimen used for advanced OSCC. However, many cancer patients experience relapse, continued tumor growth, and spread due to drug resistance, which leads to treatment failure and metastatic disease. Here, using a CRISPR/Cas9 based kinome knockout screening, Misshapen-like kinase 1 (MINK1) is identified as an important mediator of 5FU resistance in OSCC. Analysis of clinical samples demonstrated significantly higher MINK1 expression in the tumor tissues of chemotherapy non-responders as compared to chemotherapy responders. The nude mice and zebrafish xenograft experiments indicate that knocking out MINK1 restores 5FU mediated cell death in chemoresistant OSCC. An antibody based phosphorylation array screen revealed MINK1 as a negative regulator of p53. Mechanistically, MINK1 modulates AKT phosphorylation at Ser473, which enables p-MDM2 (Ser 166) mediated degradation of p53. We also identified lestaurtinib as a potent inhibitor of MINK1 kinase activity. The patient derived TPF resistant cell based xenograft data suggest that lestaurtinib restores 5FU sensitivity and facilitates a significant reduction of tumor burden. Overall, our study suggests that MINK1 is a major driver of 5FU resistance in OSCC. The novel combination of MINK1 inhibitor lestaurtinib and 5FU needs further clinical investigation in advanced OSCC.
Role of AI and digital pathology for colorectal immuno-oncology
Authors: Bilal Mohsin , Nimir Mohammed , Snead David , Taylor Graham S. , Rajpoot Nasir
Published: October 2022

Immunotherapy deals with therapeutic interventions to arrest the progression of tumours using the immune system. These include checkpoint inhibitors, T-cell manipulation, cytokines, oncolytic viruses and tumour vaccines. In this paper, we present a survey of the latest developments on immunotherapy in colorectal cancer (CRC) and the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in this context. Among these, microsatellite instability (MSI) is perhaps the most popular IO biomarker globally. We first discuss the MSI status of tumours, its implications for patient management, and its relationship to immune response. In recent years, several aspiring studies have used AI to predict the MSI status of patients from digital whole-slide images (WSIs) of routine diagnostic slides. We present a survey of AI literature on the prediction of MSI and tumour mutation burden from digitised WSIs of haematoxylin and eosin-stained diagnostic slides. We discuss AI approaches in detail and elaborate their contributions, limitations and key takeaways to drive future research. We further expand this survey to other IO-related biomarkers like immune cell infiltrates and alternate data modalities like immunohistochemistry and gene expression. Finally, we underline possible future directions in immunotherapy for CRC and promise of AI to accelerate this exploration for patient benefits.