bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
3. Revisiting Definitions and Challenges of Intangible Cultural Heritage
Authors: Shahamati Sepideh , Khaleghi Ayda , Norouzi Sasan
Published: April 2024

Sepideh Shahamati, Ayda Khaleghi and Sasan Norouzi consider the case of the Iranian city of Mashhad. In the last decade, this city—and more precisely, its centre—has undergone different urban transformations, which have had a considerable impact on both its built and cultural heritage. The case of Mashhad’s historic centre recalls the importance of reconceptualising intangible cultural heritage in decision-making processes and the challenges of its preservation in the twenty-first century, especially in the case of cities which were built and have developed according to spiritual and religious values.
4. Promoting the Role of Egyptian Museums in Nurturing and Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage
Authors: Khairy Heba
Published: April 2024

Heba Khairy analyses the museums of Egypt, a country renowned for its tangible and intangible heritage. Certainly, artefacts have been preserved in Egyptian museums since the twentieth century, but, to date, museum practice has been overwhelmingly concerned with tangible heritage, to the neglect of its intangible counterpart. As such, this research seeks to uncover viable solutions for the incorporation and development of intangible heritage in Egyptian museums. This is achieved by providing a conceptual prototype that will allow practitioners to safeguard and develop intangible cultural heritage, particularly in terms of living memory and communal identities.
An Exploration into Written Orality
Authors: Thomas Frank A.
Published: April 2024

This article grapples with the quest for “written orality,” that is, the orality of the preacher's voice in writing and developing the written text of the sermon that more easily translates into the oral voice in the delivery of the sermon. In close discussion with Carl Hoefler in his classic work, Creative Preaching and Oral Writing, I develop five characteristics of written orality in sermons: imagination, the dramatic/active voice, authentic conversation, person-centered writing, and revisions that include the body.
2023 Black Theology and Leadership Institute: The Neoliberal Homiletic
Authors: Latimore David G.
Published: April 2024

This article delves into the intersection of race, economic ideology, and Christian identity formation within the context of Black preaching to articulate what is referred to as the “neoliberal homiletic.” The neoliberal homiletic refers to the uncritical adoption of economic, ideological concepts within preaching practices, leading to a reshaping of theological goals and individual identity as examined in the context of the Black church. Preaching influenced by economic ideas constructs a Christian identity that aligns with market values and reinforces economic systems of oppression. Despite these challenges, a hopeful path forward is found in a return to historical traditions of Black preaching, which emphasize community solidarity, resistance to oppression, and a theological preference for the poor. Reclaiming these traditions can empower the Black church to address the socio-economic challenges faced by marginalized communities and counteract the pervasive influence of economism.
Relational Durkheim: Homo Duplex as the Foundation of a Formalist Cultural Sociology
Authors: Puetz Kyle
Published: April 2024

I propose that the sociology of Émile Durkheim can serve as a useful foundation for a formalist cultural sociology. Durkheim’s homo duplex model of human cognition directs analytic attention to the relative balance of opportunities that the moral integration of society as a system of representations affords for establishing moral unity with others, on one hand, and realizing personal autonomy, on the other. This apriority, like Simmel’s forms, operates independently of any specific representational contents to produce outcomes related to solidarity, well-being, affect, and existential security. Accordingly, Durkheim provides conceptual resources for a hypothetico-deductive research program that promotes the development of testable hypotheses grounded in intuitions about how individuals phenomenologically experience formal properties of belief networks or other systems of social ideation.
Singing truth to power: Transformative (gender) justice, musical spatialities and creative performance in periods of transition from violence
Authors: Martín de Almagro María , Anctil Avoine Priscyll , Miranda Montero Yira
Published: April 2024

Feminist security studies have demonstrated that transitional justice processes worldwide have largely fallen short in providing actual transformative justice for women and that many gendered war experiences remain largely unaccounted for. Through an activist-academic collaboration and mobilizing feminist scholarship on war, embodiment and emotions together with literature on transitional justice and the arts, this article argues that women’s collective artistic resistance can foster deeper cultural and structural changes in transitional justice settings. By delving into the case of the women’s music collective Enkelé in Colombia, the article examines the creative possibilities afforded by music and choreography to document and testify to an enduring culture of violence and their role in probing the effectiveness of post–peace agreement transitional justice. We contend that paying attention to musical performances is key because these can express new visions of justice that are not constrained by the limits of what is possible and feasible in formal transitional justice mechanisms and can offer corporeal connectivity able to bring together communities fractured by war and armed conflict and to give visibility to knowledges and practices of memory and healing of marginalized communities.
Experimental study on an enhanced integral force feedback controller for active damping
Authors: Qiao Minna , Liu Luhua , Cai Bosong , Wang Peigen , Zhao Guoying
Published: April 2024

In this paper, an enhanced integral force feedback controller is proposed for implementing active damping. Compared with the classical integral force feedback, the pure integrator is replaced with a combination of a first-order low-pass filter and a proportional term. The control performance of the proposed controller is examined on a single-degree-of-freedom host system. In order to better understand the physics behind, a full equivalent mechanical model is derived. It is found that the first-order low-pass filter is mechanically equivalent to a spring and a damper connected in parallel. The proportional term mechanically represents a spring which is connected in series with the inherent actuator spring. The optimal control parameters are numerically obtained with the ℋ∞ optimisation criterion. The analysis shows that the optimal feedback gain can be practically taken the same as that of the classical integral force feedback controller in the sense that the difference between the resultant control performance is negligible. The numerical study is also experimentally validated. The obtained results are found to correspond well with the theoretical developments.
Out-of-Home Care Experiences and Their Influence on the Journey to Adulthood: Insights From Care Leavers in Israel
Authors: Sulimani-Aidan Yafit , Kovach Ilay
Published: April 2024

In the current qualitative study we explored care leavers’ perceptions of the influence of their out-of-home placement experiences in shaping their lives during the transition to adulthood. Forty-seven care leavers aged 18 to 29, who had been in residential care facilities or foster care, participated in semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis revealed two major themes – (1) participants’ perception of care as an environment that fostered self-improvement and the development of skills including interpersonal skills, and (2) care as a place of belonging and regaining of trust and self-worth – and five sub-themes. In the discussion we address the role of out-of-home placements in relation to life course theory and the developmental tasks of emerging adulthood. Implications for practice include the importance of engaging youth who are in care with future-oriented activities that enhance their readiness for young adulthood.
The Problem with Authoritarian Populists
Authors: Francois Patrick , Bidner Chris
Published: April 2024

We assume that even though voters prefer the policies of their favoured leader they value democracy more greatly. This means that voters on both sides of a polarised policy divide would be willing to sacrifice their preferred policy if it would mean preserving democracy. However voters on one side are unsure whether voters on the other side share this commitment to democracy. We show that in such a situation an autocratic populist leader can act in ways that will undermine opposing voters beliefs that the leader’s supporters continue to value democracy. If these beliefs become pessimistic enough, a self-reinforcing cycle of mutual suspicion between voters on opposing sides leads to the inexorable demise of democracy and its replacement by autocratic rule. Understanding this, an elected leader who aspires to rule via non-democratic means may follow such autocratic populist policies in order to entrench their rule.

JEL Classifications: D72, P16, P17, P48
Analyzing urban scaling laws in the United States over 115 years
Authors: Burghardt Keith , Uhl Johannes H , Lerman Kristina , Leyk Stefan
Published: April 2024

The scaling relations between city attributes and population are emergent and ubiquitous aspects of urban growth. Quantifying these relations and understanding their theoretical foundation, however, is difficult due to the challenge of defining city boundaries and a lack of historical data to study city dynamics over time and space. To address this issue, we analyze scaling between city infrastructure and population across 857 metropolitan areas in the conterminous United States over an unprecedented 115 years (1900–2015) using dasymetrically refined historical population estimates, historical urban road network models, and multi-temporal settlement data to define dynamic city boundaries. We demonstrate that urban scaling exponents closely match theoretical models over a century. Despite some close quantitative agreement with theory, the empirical scaling relations unexpectedly vary across regions. Our analysis of scaling coefficients, meanwhile, reveals that contemporary cities use more developed land and kilometers of road than cities of similar population in 1900, which has serious implications for urban development and impacts on the local environment. Overall, our results provide a new way to study urban systems based on novel, geohistorical data.
Regression Method for Rail Fastener Tightness Based on Center-Line Projection Distance Feature and Neural Network
Authors: Wang Yuanhang , Liu Duxin , Guo Sheng , Wu Yifan , Liu Jing , Li Wei , Wang Hongjie
Published: April 2024

In the railway system, fasteners have the functions of damping, maintaining the track distance, and adjusting the track level. Therefore, routine maintenance and inspection of fasteners are important to ensure the safe operation of track lines. Currently, assessment methods for fastener tightness include manual observation, acoustic wave detection, and image detection. There are limitations such as low accuracy and efficiency, easy interference and misjudgment, and a lack of accurate, stable, and fast detection methods. Aiming at the small deformation characteristics and large elastic change of fasteners from full loosening to full tightening, this study proposes high-precision surface-structured light technology for fastener detection and fastener deformation feature extraction based on the center-line projection distance and a fastener tightness regression method based on neural networks. First, the method uses a 3D camera to obtain a fastener point cloud and then segments the elastic rod area based on the iterative closest point algorithm registration. Principal component analysis is used to calculate the normal vector of the segmented elastic rod surface and extract the point on the centerline of the elastic rod. The point is projected onto the upper surface of the bolt to calculate the projection distance. Subsequently, the mapping relationship between the projection distance sequence and fastener tightness is established, and the influence of each parameter on the fastener tightness prediction is analyzed. Finally, by setting up a fastener detection scene in the track experimental base, collecting data, and completing the algorithm verification, the results showed that the deviation between the fastener tightness regression value obtained after the algorithm processing and the actual measured value RMSE was 0.2196 mm, which significantly improved the effect compared with other tightness detection methods, and realized an effective fastener tightness regression.
Combined therapy of dabrafenib and an anti-HER2 antibody–drug conjugate for advanced BRAF-mutant melanoma
Authors: Li Weisong , Zheng Chao , Xu Xi , Xia Yujie , Zhang Kai , Huang Ao , Zhang Xinyu , Zheng Yong , Chen Guofang , Zhang Shuyong
Published: April 2024

Background

Melanoma is the most lethal skin cancer characterized by its high metastatic potential. In the past decade, targeted and immunotherapy have brought revolutionary survival benefits to patients with advanced and metastatic melanoma, but these treatment responses are also heterogeneous and/or do not achieve durable responses. Therefore, novel therapeutic strategies for improving outcomes remain an unmet clinical need. The aim of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic potential and underlying molecular mechanisms of RC48, a novel HER2-target antibody drug conjugate, either alone or in combination with dabrafenib, a V600-mutant BRAF inhibitor, for the treatment of advanced BRAF-mutant cutaneous melanoma.

Methods

We evaluated the therapeutic efficacy of RC48, alone or in combination with dabrafenib, in BRAF-mutant cutaneous melanoma cell lines and cell-derived xenograft (CDX) models. We also conducted signaling pathways analysis and global mRNA sequencing to explore mechanisms underlying the synergistic effect of the combination therapy.

Results

Our results revealed the expression of membrane-localized HER2 in melanoma cells. RC48 effectively targeted and inhibited the growth of HER2-positive human melanoma cell lines and corresponding CDX models. When used RC48 and dabrafenib synergically induced tumor regression together in human BRAF-mutant melanoma cell lines and CDX models. Mechanically, our results demonstrated that the combination therapy induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest while suppressing cell motility in vitro. Furthermore, global RNA sequencing analysis demonstrated that the combination treatment led to the downregulation of several key signaling pathways, including the PI3K-AKT pathway, MAPK pathway, AMPK pathway, and FOXO pathway.

Conclusion

These findings establish a preclinical foundation for the combined use of an anti-HER2 drug conjugate and a BRAF inhibitor in the treatment of BRAF-mutant cutaneous melanoma.
Cold-stress induced metabolomic and transcriptomic changes in leaves of three mango varieties with different cold tolerance
Authors: Kong Yu , Hou Xianbin , Liu Zhenglu , Li Yufeng
Published: April 2024

Background

Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is grown in Hainan, Guangdong, Yunnan, Sichuan, and Fujian provinces and Guanxi autonomous region of China. However, trees growing in these areas suffer severe cold stress during winter, which affects the yield. To this regard, data on global metabolome and transcriptome profiles of leaves are limited. Here, we used combined metabolome and transcriptome analyses of leaves of three mango cultivars with different cold stress tolerance, i.e. Jinhuang (J)—tolerant, Tainung (T) and Guiremang No. 82 (G)—susceptible, after 24 (LF), 48 (MF) and 72 (HF) hours of cold.

Results

A total of 1,323 metabolites belonging to 12 compound classes were detected. Of these, amino acids and derivatives, nucleotides and derivatives, and lipids accumulated in higher quantities after cold stress exposure in the three cultivars. Notably, Jinhuang leaves showed increasing accumulation trends of flavonoids, terpenoids, lignans and coumarins, and alkaloids with exposure time. Among the phytohormones, jasmonic acid and abscisic acid levels decreased, while N6-isopentenyladenine increased with cold stress time. Transcriptome analysis led to the identification of 22,526 differentially expressed genes. Many genes enriched in photosynthesis, antenna proteins, flavonoid, terpenoid (di- and sesquiterpenoids) and alkaloid biosynthesis pathways were upregulated in Jihuang leaves. Moreover, expression changes related to phytohormones, MAPK (including calcium and H2O2), and the ICE-CBF-COR signalling cascade indicate involvement of these pathways in cold stress responses.

Conclusion

Cold stress tolerance in mango leaves is associated with regulation of primary and secondary metabolite biosynthesis pathways. Jasmonic acid, abscisic acid, and cytokinins are potential regulators of cold stress responses in mango leaves.
The association of access to green space with low mental distress and general health in older adults: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Lyshol Heidi , Johansen Rune
Published: April 2024

Background

Access to green space is considered beneficial to mental and physical health, though the causal pathways are not completely clear. Accordingly, the objective of this study was to examine how access to green space was associated with low mental distress and general health among older adults.

Methods

The data in our study stems from a survey from three Norwegian counties in 2015-16, n = 2937. The main exposure variable was self-reported access to green space, and the outcome variables were self-reported mental distress and general health. Logistic regression adjusted for sex, age, education, physical activity, functional disability, access to cultural/sports facilities and economic security was performed to assess the association between the exposure variable and the outcome variables.

Results

Access to green space was associated with both higher odds of low mental distress (Odds Ratio = 3.85**, 95% CI 2.04–6.02) and good general health (OR = 8.20**, 95%CI 5.88–11.49) compared to no access. In models adjusted for sex, age, and education, the ORs were only slightly changed (OR = 4.03**, 95%CI 2.52–6.45) and (OR = 7.91**, 95%CI 5.63–11.13). However, adjusting for general health with low mental distress as outcome, the association was no longer statistically significant; (OR = 1.28 95%CI 0.74–2.21). Adjusting for low mental distress with general health as outcome, the association remained statistically significant; (OR = 3.43** 95%CI 2.34–5.03).

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that the association between access to green space and mental health may be mediated by general health. This implies that studies of associations between access to green space and mental health must take general health into consideration.
Square-stepping exercise in older inpatients in early geriatric rehabilitation. A randomized controlled pilot study
Authors: Fränzel Katja , Koschate Jessica , Freiberger Ellen , Shigematsu Ryosuke , Zieschang Tania , Tietgen Svenja
Published: April 2024

Background

Preservation of mobility and fall prevention have a high priority in geriatric rehabilitation. Square-Stepping Exercise (SSE) as an evaluated and standardized program has been proven to be an effective training for older people in the community setting to reduce falls and improve subjectively perceived health status. This randomized controlled trial (RCT), for the first time, examines SSE in the context of inpatient early geriatric rehabilitation compared to conventional physiotherapy (cPT).

Methods

Data were collected in a general hospital in the department of acute geriatric care at admission and discharge. Fifty-eight inpatients were randomized to control (CG, n = 29) or intervention groups (IG, n = 29). CG received usual care with cPT five days per week during their hospital stay. For the IG SSE replaced cPT for at least six sessions, alternating with cPT. Physical function was measured with the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) and Timed “Up & Go” (TUG). Gait speed was measured over a distance of 10 m. In a subgroup (n = 17) spatiotemporal gait parameters were analyzed via a GAITRite® system.

Results

Both the SPPB total score improved significantly (p =  < 0.001) from baseline to discharge in both groups, as did the TUG (p < 0.001). In the SPPB Chair Rise both groups improved with a significant group difference in favor of the IG (p = 0.031). For both groups gait characteristics improved: Gait speed (p =  < 0.001), walk ratio (p = 0.011), step length (p =  < 0.001), stride length (p =  < 0.001) and double support (p = 0.009). For step length at maximum gait speed (p = 0.054) and stride length at maximum gait speed (p = 0.060) a trend in favor of the IG was visible.

Conclusions

SSE in combination with a reduced number of sessions of cPT is as effective as cPT for inpatients in early geriatric rehabilitation to increase physical function and gait characteristics. In the Chair Rise test SSE appears to be superior. These results highlight that SSE is effective, and may serve as an additional component for cPT for older adults requiring geriatric acute care.

Trial Registration

DRKS00026191.
Quality of palliative and end-of-life care: a quantitative study of temporal trends and differences according to illness trajectories in Quebec (Canada)
Authors: Duhoux Arnaud , Allard Emilie , Hamel Denis , Sasseville Martin , Dumaine Sarah , Gabet Morgane , Guertin Marie-Hélène
Published: April 2024

Background

Our aim was to assess temporal trends and compare quality indicators related to Palliative and End-of-Life Care (PEoLC) experienced by people dying of cancer (trajectory I), organ-failure (Trajectory II), and frailty/dementia (trajectory III) in Quebec (Canada) between 2002 and 2016.

Methods

This descriptive population-based study focused on the last month of life of decedents who, based on the principal cause of death, would have been likely to benefit from palliative care. Five PEoLC indicators were assessed: home deaths (1), deaths in acute care beds with no PEoLC services (2), at least one Emergency Room (ER) visit in the last 14 days of life (3), ER visits on the day of death (4) and at least one Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission in the last month of life (5). Data were obtained from Quebec’s Integrated Chronic Disease Surveillance System (QICDSS).

Results

The annual percentage of home deaths increased slightly between 2002 and 2016 in Quebec, rising from 7.7 to 9.1%, while the percentage of death during a hospitalization in acute care without palliative care decreased from 39.6% in 2002 to 21.4% in 2016. Patients with organ failure were more likely to visit the ER on the day of death (20.9%) than patients dying of cancer and dementia/frailty with percentages of 12.0% and 6.4% respectively. Similar discrepancies were observed for ICU visits in the last month and ER visits in the last 14 days.

Conclusion

PEoLC indicators showed more aggressiveness of care for patients with organ failure and highlight the need for more equitable access to quality PEoLC between malignant and non-malignant illness trajectories. These results underline the challenges of providing timely and optimal PEoLC.
The mediating role of cardiac patients’ perception of nursing care on the relationship between kinesiophobia, anxiety and depression in rural hospitals: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Atta Mohamed Hussein Ramadan , Elsayed Shimmaa Mohamed , Shurafi Sharaf Omar Al , Eweida Rasha Salah
Published: April 2024

Background

Kinesiophobia could act as a significant barrier against physical activity following cardiac procedures worsening cardiovascular health problems and potentially leading to conditions like hospital-acquired anxiety and depression among patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Nurses are the vanguard health care team who can aid patients in taking proactive steps to overcome fear of movement following cardiac procedures.

Aim

The overarching aim is to investigate the relationship between kinesiophobia, anxiety and depression, and patients’ perception of nursing care.

Method

A descriptive correlational research design in two rural hospitals, conducted at cardiac intensive care units of Kafr Eldawar Hospital and Damanhur Medical National Institute. Data were collected from 265 nurses, using the following patient-reported outcome measures, the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Person-Centered Critical Care Nursing Questionnaire (PCCNP) and the patients’ demographic and clinical profile.

Result

A significant negative correlation was found between HADS and PCCNP (r: -0.510, p < 0.001) however, Kinesiophobia was significantly and positively correlated (r: 0.271, p < 0.001). A direct effect of PCCNP in the presence of the mediator was found to be not statistically significant (-0.015, CR = 0.302, p = 0.763). Nonetheless, PCCNP indirectly affects kinesiophobia through HADS (p=-0.099).

Implication for nursing practice

Customizing individualized cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs based on the emotional experience of cardiac patients will be conducive to rehabilitation and prognosis for patients, thereby lessening the physical burden and improving their quality of life.
Maternal vitamin D status and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus in twin pregnancies: a longitudinal twin pregnancies birth cohort study
Authors: Li Da-yan , Wang Lan , Li Li , Zhou Shuwei , Tan Jiangyun , Tang Chunyan , Liao Qianqian , Liu Ting , Wen Li , Qi Hong-bo
Published: April 2024

Background

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common complication of pregnancy, with significant short-term and long-term implications for both mothers and their offspring. Previous studies have indicated the potential benefits of vitamin D in reducing the risk of GDM, yet little is known about this association in twin pregnancies. This study aimed to investigate maternal vitamin D status in the second trimester and examine its association with the risk of GDM in twin pregnancies.

Methods

We conducted a prospective cohort study based on data from the Chongqing Longitudinal Twin Study (LoTiS). Peripheral blood serum was collected from the mothers in the second trimester to measure 25(OH)D concentrations. GDM was diagnosed at 23–26 weeks of gestation using a 75-g 2-h oral glucose tolerance test. We used multivariable logistic regression analyses to examine the correlations between vitamin D status and the risk of GDM.

Results

Of the total participants, 93 (29.9%) women were diagnosed with GDM. The mean serum 25(OH)D concentration in the second trimester was 31.1 ± 11.2 ng/mL, and the rate of vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency were 23.5% and 18.7%, respectively. Compared to women with a 25(OH)D concentration < 30 ng/mL, those with a 25(OH)D concentration ≥ 30 ng/mL had a significantly lower risk of GDM (RR 0.61; 95% CI: 0.43, 0.86), especially those who were overweight before pregnancy (RR 0.32; 95% CI: 0.16, 0.64). The restricted cubic splines model showed an inverted J-shaped relationship between vitamin D concentrations and GDM risk.

Conclusions

The risk of GDM was significantly reduced in twin pregnant women with vitamin D concentrations ≥ 30 ng/mL in the second trimester.

Trial registration

ChiCTR-OOC-16,008,203. Retrospectively registered on 1 April 2016.
Association between obstructive sleep apnea and visceral adiposity index and lipid accumulation product: NHANES 2015–2018
Authors: Zhou Tingfeng , Chen Shihao , Mao Jiesheng , Zhu Pei , Yu Xinru , Lin Renyu
Published: April 2024

Background

Obesity refers to a significant contributor to the development of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Early prediction of OSA usually leads to better treatment outcomes, and this study aims to employ novel metabolic markers, visceral adiposity index (VAI), and lipid accumulation product (LAP) to evaluate the relationship to OSA.

Methods

The data used in the current cross-sectional investigation are from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), which was carried out between 2015 and 2018. To examine the correlation between LAP and VAI levels and OSA, multivariate logistic regression analysis was adopted. In addition, various analytical methods were applied, including subgroup analysis, smooth curve fitting, and threshold effect analysis.

Results

Among totally 3932 participants, 1934 were included in the OSA group. The median (Q1-Q3) values of LAP and VAI for the participants were 40.25 (21.51–68.26) and 1.27 (0.75–2.21), respectively. Logistic regression studies indicated a positive correlation between LAP, VAI, and OSA risk after adjusting for potential confounding variables. Subgroup analysis revealed a stronger correlation between LAP, VAI levels, and OSA among individuals aged < 60 years. Through smooth curve fitting, specific saturation effects of LAP, VAI, and BMD were identified, with inflection points at 65.684 and 0.428, respectively.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that elevated levels of LAP and VAI increase the risk of OSA, suggesting their potential as predictive markers for OSA and advocating for dietary and exercise interventions to mitigate OSA risk in individuals with high LAP and VAI levels.
The therapeutic effect of radiotherapy combined with systemic therapy compared to radiotherapy alone in patients with simple brain metastasis after first-line treatment of limited-stage small cell lung cancer: a retrospective study
Authors: Gao Xinyu , Liu Tingting , Fan Min , Sun Hongfu , Zhou Shixuan , Zhou Yuxin , Zhu Haolin , Zhang Ru , Li Zhanyuan , Huang Wei
Published: April 2024

Purpose

We aimed to compare the therapeutic effect of radiotherapy (RT) plus systemic therapy (ST) with RT alone in patients with simple brain metastasis (BM) after first-line treatment of limited-stage small cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC).

Methods

The patients were treated at a single center from January 2011 to January 2022. BM only without metastases to other organs was defined as simple BM. The eligible patients were divided into RT alone (monotherapy arm) and RT plus ST (combined therapy arm). Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards analyses were used to examine factors associated with increased risk of extracranial progression. After 1:1 propensity score matching analysis, two groups were compared for extracranial progression-free survival (ePFS), PFS, overall survival (OS), and intracranial PFS (iPFS).

Results

133 patients were identified and 100 were analyzed (monotherapy arm: n = 50, combined therapy arm: n = 50). The ePFS of the combined therapy was significantly longer than that of the monotherapy, with a median ePFS of 13.2 months (95% CI, 6.6–19.8) in combined therapy and 8.2 months (95% CI, 5.7–10.7) in monotherapy (P = 0.04). There were no statistically significant differences in PFS (P = 0.057), OS (P = 0.309), or iPFS (P = 0.448). Multifactorial analysis showed that combined therapy was independently associated with better ePFS compared with monotherapy (HR = 0.617, P = 0.034); more than 5 BMs were associated with worse ePFS compared with 1–5 BMs (HR = 1.808, P = 0.012).

Conclusions

Compared with RT alone, combined therapy improves ePFS in patients with simple BM after first-line treatment of LS-SCLC. Combined therapy and 1–5 BMs reduce the risk of extracranial recurrence.
Automatic measurement of lower limb alignment in portable devices based on deep learning for knee osteoarthritis
Authors: Yang Jianfeng , Ren Peng , Xin Peng , Wang Yiming , Ma Yonglei , Liu Wei , Wang Yu , Wang Yan , Zhang Guoqiang
Published: April 2024

Background

For knee osteoarthritis patients, analyzing alignment of lower limbs is essential for therapy, which is currently measured from standing long-leg radiographs of anteroposterior X-ray (LLR) manually. To address the time wasting, poor reproducibility and inconvenience of use caused by existing methods, we present an automated measurement model in portable devices for assessing knee alignment from LLRs.

Method

We created a model and trained it with 837 conforming LLRs, and tested it using 204 LLRs without duplicates in a portable device. Both manual and model measurements were conducted independently, then we recorded knee alignment parameters such as Hip knee ankle angle (HKA), Joint line convergence angle (JCLA), Anatomical mechanical angle (AMA), mechanical Lateral distal femoral angle (mLDFA), mechanical Medial proximal tibial angle (mMPTA), and the time required. We evaluated the model’s performance compared with manual results in various metrics.

Result

In both the validation and test sets, the average mean radial errors were 2.778 and 2.447 (P<0.05). The test results for native knee joints showed that 92.22%, 79.38%, 87.94%, 79.82%, and 80.16% of the joints reached angle deviation<1° for HKA, JCLA, AMA, mLDFA, and mMPTA. Additionally, for joints with prostheses, 90.14%, 93.66%, 86.62%, 83.80%, and 85.92% of the joints reached that. The Chi-square test did not reveal any significant differences between the manual and model measurements in subgroups (P>0.05). Furthermore, the Bland-Altman 95% limits of agreement were less than ± 2° for HKA, JCLA, AMA, and mLDFA, and slightly more than ± 2 degrees for mMPTA.

Conclusion

The automatic measurement tool can assess the alignment of lower limbs in portable devices for knee osteoarthritis patients. The results are reliable, reproducible, and time-saving.
Amino-7,8-dihydro-4H-chromenone derivatives as potential inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase for Alzheimer’s disease management; in vitro and in silico study
Authors: Asadipour Ali , Pourshojaei Yaghoub , Mansouri Moein , Mahdavizadeh Elham , Irajie Cambyz , Mottaghipisheh Javad , Faghih-Mirzaei Ehsan , Mahdavi Mohammad , Iraji Aida
Published: April 2024

In this article, we present the design and synthesis of amino-7,8-dihydro-4H-chromenone derivatives as possible inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) for the management of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The target compounds were evaluated against AChE and BChE in vitro, and 4k exhibited good potency against BChE (IC50 = 0.65 ± 0.13 µM) compared with donepezil used as a positive control. Kinetic studies revealed that compound 4k exhibited a competitive-type inhibition with a Ki value of 0.55 µM. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations further supported the rationality of our design strategy, as 4k showed promising binding interactions with the active sites of BChE. Overall, our findings highlight the potential of amino-7,8-dihydro-4H-chromenone derivatives as promising candidates for developing novel therapeutics targeting cholinesterase in managing AD.
Laboratory evaluation of the contact irritancy of a clothianidin solo formulation vs. clothianidin-deltamethrin mixture formulations for indoor residual spraying against pyrethroid-resistant Anopheles gambiae sensu lato
Authors: Syme Thomas , N’dombidjé Boris , Odjo Aicha , Gbegbo Martial , Todjinou Damien , Ngufor Corine
Published: April 2024

Background

Clothianidin-based indoor residual spraying (IRS) formulations have become available for malaria control as either solo formulations of clothianidin or a mixture of clothianidin with the pyrethroid deltamethrin. While both formulations have been successfully used for malaria control, studies investigating the effect of the pyrethroid in IRS mixtures may help improve our understanding for development of future IRS products. It has been speculated that the irritant effect of the pyrethroid in the mixture formulation may result in shorter mosquito contact times with the treated walls potentially leading to a lower impact.

Methods

We compared contact irritancy expressed as the number of mosquito take-offs from cement surfaces treated with an IRS formulation containing clothianidin alone (SumiShield® 50WG) to clothianidin-deltamethrin mixture IRS formulations against pyrethroid-resistantAnopheles gambiaesensu lato under controlled laboratory conditions using a modified version of the World Health Organisation cone bioassay. To control for the pyrethroid, comparison was made with a deltamethrin-only formulation. Both commercial and generic non-commercial mixture formulations of clothianidin and deltamethrin were tested.

Results

The clothianidin solo formulation did not show significant contact irritancy relative to the untreated control (3.5 take-offs vs. 3.1 take-offs,p = 0.614) while all deltamethrin-containing IRS induced significant irritant effects. The number of take-offs compared to the clothianidin solo formulation (3.5) was significantly higher with the commercial clothianidin-deltamethrin mixture (6.1,p = 0.001), generic clothianidin-deltamethrin mixture (7.0,p < 0.001), and deltamethrin-only (8.2,p < 0.001) formulations. The commercial clothianidin-deltamethrin mixture induced similar contact irritancy as the generic clothianidin-deltamethrin mixture (6.1 take-offs vs. 7.0 take-offs,p = 0.263) and deltamethrin-only IRS (6.1 take-offs vs. 8.2,p = 0.071), showing that the irritant effect in the mixture was attributable to its deltamethrin component.

Conclusions

This study provides evidence that the enhanced contact irritancy of the pyrethroid in clothianidin-deltamethrin IRS mixtures can shorten mosquito contact times with treated walls compared to the clothianidin solo formulation. Further trials are needed to directly compare the efficacy of these formulation types under field conditions and establish the impact of this enhanced contact irritancy on the performance of IRS mixture formulations containing pyrethroids.

Graphical Abstract
Additive interaction between birth asphyxia and febrile seizures on autism spectrum disorder: a population-based study
Authors: Mao Yi , Lin Xindi , Wu Yuhan , Lu Jiayi , Shen Jiayao , Zhong Shaogen , Jin Xingming , Ma Jun
Published: April 2024

Background

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a pervasive neurodevelopmental disorder that can significantly impact an individual’s ability to socially integrate and adapt. It’s crucial to identify key factors associated with ASD. Recent studies link both birth asphyxia (BA) and febrile seizures (FS) separately to higher ASD prevalence. However, investigations into the interplay of BA and FS and its relationship with ASD are yet to be conducted. The present study mainly focuses on exploring the interactive effect between BA and FS in the context of ASD.

Methods

Utilizing a multi-stage stratified cluster sampling, we initially recruited 84,934 Shanghai children aged 3–12 years old from June 2014 to June 2015, ultimately including 74,251 post-exclusion criteria. A logistic regression model was conducted to estimate the interaction effect after controlling for pertinent covariates. The attributable proportion (AP), the relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI), the synergy index (SI), and multiplicative-scale interaction were computed to determine the interaction effect.

Results

Among a total of 74,251 children, 192 (0.26%) were diagnosed with ASD. The adjusted odds ratio for ASD in children with BA alone was 3.82 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.42–6.02), for FS alone 3.06 (95%CI 1.48–6.31), and for comorbid BA and FS 21.18 (95%CI 9.10–49.30), versus children without BA or FS. The additive interaction between BA and FS showed statistical significance (P < 0.001), whereas the multiplicative interaction was statistically insignificant (P > 0.05).

Limitations

This study can only demonstrate the relationship between the interaction of BA and FS with ASD but cannot prove causation. Animal brain experimentation is necessary to unravel its neural mechanisms. A larger sample size, ongoing monitoring, and detailed FS classification are needed for confirming BA-FS interaction in ASD.

Conclusion

In this extensive cross-sectional study, both BA and FS were significantly linked to ASD. The coexistence of these factors was associated with an additive increase in ASD prevalence, surpassing the cumulative risk of each individual factor.
Anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive pulmonary inflammatory myofibroblastic tumour: a case report
Authors: Tong Daniel , Chisholm Julia , Madden Brendan , Ahmed Merina
Published: April 2024

Background

Pulmonary inflammatory myofibroblastic tumour (IMT) is a rare condition that usually presents in young individuals and is associated with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-translocation.

Case presentation

We report a case of an 18-year-old Caucasian man with ALK-translocated pulmonary IMT treated with multimodality therapy. The patient presented with breathlessness and was found to have a collapsed left lung. Further investigations revealed an ALK-translocated pulmonary IMT. This is usually treated with an ALK-inhibitor but patient declined after discussing potential side-effects and had repeated rigid bronchoscopic interventions for local disease control. Due to persistent local recurrence, patient received radical external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) with pulse steroids, and one year later started on Ibuprofen, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent (NSAID). Following multimodality treatment, he developed a complete response. He remains treatment-free for the past seven years. Eleven years on from his diagnosis, he remains in remission with a ECOG performance status of zero.

Conclusions

Achieving long-term local control in pulmonary IMT can be challenging. Multimodality treatment is sometimes needed but the overall outlook remains good.
A comprehensive study on Milne-type inequalities with tempered fractional integrals
Authors: Haider Wali , Budak Hüseyin , Shehzadi Asia , Hezenci Fatih , Chen Haibo
Published: April 2024

In the framework of tempered fractional integrals, we obtain a fundamental identity for differentiable convex functions. By employing this identity, we derive several modifications of fractional Milne inequalities, providing novel extensions to the domain of tempered fractional integrals. The research comprehensively examines significant functional classes, including convex functions, bounded functions, Lipschitzian functions, and functions of bounded variation.
Can Arthrogenic Muscle Inhibition Exist in Peroneal Muscles Among People with Chronic Ankle Instability? A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Dong Shiyu , Liu Yanhao , Liu Ziyin , Shen Peixin , Sun Hao , Zhang Ping , Fong Daniel T.P. , Song Qipeng
Published: April 2024

Background

Ankle sprains lead to an unexplained reduction of ankle eversion strength, and arthrogenic muscle inhibition (AMI) in peroneal muscles is considered one of the underlying causes. This study aimed to observe the presence of AMI in peroneal muscles among people with chronic ankle instability (CAI).

Methods

Sixty-three people with CAI and another sixty-three without CAI conducted maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) and superimposed burst (SIB) tests during ankle eversion, then fifteen people with CAI and fifteen without CAI were randomly invited to repeat the same tests to calculate the test-retest reliability. Electrical stimulation was applied to the peroneal muscles while the participants were performing MVIC, and the central activation ratio (CAR) was obtained by dividing MVIC torque by the sum of MVIC and SIB torques, representing the degree of AMI.

Results

The intra-class correlation coefficients were 0.77 (0.45–0.92) and 0.92 (0.79–0.97) for the affected and unaffected limbs among people with CAI, and 0.97 (0.91–0.99) and 0.93 (0.82–0.97) for the controlled affected and unaffected limbs among people without CAI; Significant group × limb interaction was detected in the peroneal CAR (p = 0.008). The CARs were lower among people with CAI in the affected and unaffected limbs, compared with those without CAI (affected limb = 82.54 ± 9.46%, controlled affected limb = 94.64 ± 6.37%, p < 0.001; unaffected limb = 89.21 ± 8.04%, controlled unaffected limb = 94.93 ± 6.01%, p = 0.016). The CARs in the affected limbs were lower than those in the unaffected limbs among people with CAI (p = 0.023). No differences between limbs were found for CAR in the people without CAI (p = 0.10).

Conclusions

Bilateral AMI of peroneal muscles is observed among people with CAI. Their affected limbs have higher levels of AMI than the unaffected limbs.
Potential risk of gestational diabetes mellitus in females undergoing in vitro fertilization: a pilot study
Authors: Ghanem Yehia Moustafa , El Kassar Yasser , Magdy May Mohamed , Amara Mohamed , Amin Noha Gaber
Published: April 2024

Background

Most of the cases of hyperglycemia during pregnancy are attributed to gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) (75–90%). Women diagnosed with GDM are at an increased risk for complications during pregnancy and delivery. This observational prospective study aimed to investigate the potential risk of GDM among Egyptian females following in vitro fertilization (IVF) pregnancies compared to spontaneous pregnancies (SC).

Methods

This prospective cohort study included normoglycemic females without any history of dysglycemia before this conception. Subjects were divided according to the type of conception into two age and BMI-matched groups: (IVF group): 55 pregnant females conceived by IVF, and (SC group) spontaneous pregnancy: 55 pregnant females conceived spontaneously. A one-step oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed at gestational weeks 20 and 28 for all study subjects.

Results

The incidence of GDM was statistically significantly higher in the IVF group compared to the spontaneous pregnancy (SC) group (20 and 5.5%, respectively), p = 0.022 at week 28. On comparing the incidence of GDM on early screening at week 20 in both groups, the incidence of GDM in the IVF group was significantly higher (16.4%) compared to (3.6%) in the spontaneous pregnancy (SC) group, p = 0.026.

Conclusions

IVF may have an increased potential risk for GDM. Moreover, the diagnosis of GDM may occur early (week 20), highlighting the need for precise and early screening for GDM in IVF pregnancies.