bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identification of the Shared Gene Signatures between Autism Spectrum Disorder and Epilepsy via Bioinformatic Analysis
Authors: Xu Yuexia , Wang Yifeng , He Baomei , Yao Yuhui , Cai Qianqian , Wu Lihui
Published: December 2022

Purpose. To identify gene signatures that are shared by autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and epilepsy (EP) and explore the potential molecular mechanism of the two diseases using WGCNA analysis. Additionally, to verify the effects of the shared molecular mechanism on ADHD, which is another neurological comorbidity. Methods. We screened the crosstalk genes between ASD and EP based on WGCNA and differential expression analysis from GEO and DisGeNET database and analyzed the function of the genes’ enrichment by GO and KEGG analyses. Then, with combination of multiple datasets and multiple bioinformatic analysis methods, the shared gene signatures were identified. Moreover, we explored whether the shared gene signature had influence on the other neurological disorder like ADHD by analyzing the difference of the relative genes’ expression based on bioinformatic analysis and molecular experiment. Results. By comprehensive bioinformatic analysis for multiple datasets, we found that abnormal immune response and abnormal lipid metabolic pathway played important roles in coincidence of ASD and EP. Base on the results of WGCNA, we got the hub genes in ASD and EP. In attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) animal model, we also found a significant difference of gene expression related to sulfatide metabolism, indicating that the abnormal sphingolipid metabolism was common in multiple neurological disorders. Conclusion. This study reveals shared gene signatures between ASD and EP and identifies abnormal sphingolipid metabolism as an important participant in the development of ASD, EP, and ADHD.
Hydrogen Sulfide Creates a Favorable Immune Microenvironment for Colon Cancer
Authors: Yue Taohua , Li Jichang , Zhu Jing , Zuo Shuai , Wang Xin , Liu Yucun , Liu Jia , Liu Xiaoyun , Wang Pengyuan , Chen Shanwen
Published: December 2022

Immunotherapy can elicit robust anticancer responses in the clinic. However, a large proportion of patients with colorectal cancer do not benefit from treatment. Although previous studies have shown that hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is involved in colorectal cancer development and immune escape, further insights into the mechanisms and related molecules are needed to identify approaches to reverse the tumor-supportive functions of H2S. Here, we observed significantly increased H2S levels in colorectal cancer tissues. Decreasing H2S levels by using CBS+/− mice or feeding mice a sulfur amino acid-restricted diet (SARD) led to a marked decrease in differentiated CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Tregs and an increase in the CD8+ T-cell/Treg ratio. Endogenous or exogenous H2S depletion enhanced the efficacy of anti–PD-L1 and anti–CTLA4 treatment. H2S promoted Treg activation through the persulfidation of ENO1 at cysteine 119. Furthermore, H2S inhibited the migration of CD8+ T cells by increasing the expression of AAK-1 via ELK4 persulfidation at cysteine 25. Overall, reducing H2S levels engenders a favorable immune microenvironment in colorectal cancer by decreasing the persulfidation of ENO1 in Tregs and ELK4 in CD8+ T cells. SARD represents a potential dietary approach to promote responses to immunotherapies in colorectal cancer.

Significance:

H2S depletion increases the CD8+ T-cell/Treg ratio and enhances the efficacy of anti–PD-L1 and anti–CTLA4 treatment in colon cancer, identifying H2S as an anticancer immunotherapy target.
Unintended Consequences of Antibiotic Therapy on the Microbiome Delivers a Gut Punch in Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Hawkins Shannon M. , Nephew Kenneth P.
Published: December 2022

While the early use of antibiotics during chemotherapy may be lifesaving, antibiotic therapy is associated with worse outcomes in patients with ovarian cancer during platinum chemotherapy. The study by Chambers and colleagues in this issue of Cancer Research provides mechanistic insights into how disrupting the gut microbiome with broad-spectrum antibiotics negatively influences the survival of patients with ovarian cancer and highlights the impact of the gut microbiome on tumor progression and response to therapy. Treatment of ovarian cancer models with a broad-spectrum antibiotic cocktail (ABX, vancomycin, neomycin sulfate, metronidazole, ampicillin) changed the gut microbiome and increased tumor growth and development of cisplatin resistance. Stem cells, reported to drive resistance to chemotherapy and disease recurrence in ovarian cancer, were enriched as a surprising consequence of ABX-induced microbiome disruption. Immune-competent and immune-deficient mice revealed that ABX treatment enhanced the cisplatin-induced stemness and provided evidence for immune surveillance of ovarian cancer stem cells through the gut microbiome. Two gut-derived metabolites, indole-3-propionic acid and indoxyl sulfate, suppressed by ABX treatment and reestablished with cecal microbial transplantation colonization of ABX-treated mice, were identified as potential effectors connecting the gut microbiome to ovarian cancer growth. This clinically relevant study opens new therapeutic opportunities for patients—one aimed at interventions to increase platinum sensitivity and another aimed at preventing the potential adverse effects of broad-spectrum antibiotic treatment. Both represent paradigm changes to standard care.

See related article by Chambers et al., p. 4654
Olfactory Training Impacts Olfactory Dysfunction Induced by COVID-19: A Pilot Study
Authors: Bérubé Simon , Demers Claudia , Bussière Nicholas , Cloutier Frank , Pek Valérie , Chen Angela , Bolduc-Bégin Josiane , Frasnelli Johannes
Published: December 2022

Introduction: Olfactory dysfunction is one of the main symptoms of COVID-19 and may last beyond resolution of the infection. The most promising intervention for post-viral olfactory dysfunction is olfactory training (OT), which involves exposing the olfactory system to a range of odors daily. This approach is thought of promoting the regeneration of olfactory receptor cells, but its effectiveness in patients with post-COVID-19 olfactory dysfunction has yet to be confirmed. Methods: This double-blind randomized pilot study compared the effectiveness of OT versus placebo in the treatment of post-COVID-19 olfactory dysfunction. Twenty-five participants were recruited in each group. OT protocol consisted of sniffing 4 scents (rose, orange, clove, and eucalyptus) for 5 min twice daily for 12 weeks. Olfactory function was assessed before and after the training using (1) a validated odor identification test (UPSIT-40) and (2) a 10-point visual analog scale; we further assessed the presence of (3) parosmia. Results: While we did not observe any effect of OT on olfactory test scores, we observed a significant improvement of subjective olfactory function in the intervention group, while no such effect was observed in the placebo group. Finally, the frequency of parosmia was significantly lower in the intervention group. Conclusions: This study highlights an increase in subjective but not objective olfactory function when performing OT for 12 weeks. Further, parosmia seems to be positively affected by OT. These results may serve as a starting point for larger scale studies to assess the efficacy of OT for treatment of post-COVID-19 olfactory dysfunction.
Necroadministración y juventudes: aniquilamiento penitenciario documentado por medios hemerográficos en El Salvador
Authors: Ernesto-González Ricardo Carlos , Nateras-Domínguez Alfredo
Published: December 2022

(analytical)Acts of institutional violence in El Salvador have involved annihilations, executions, confinements and precarization of the lives of young people who identify as members of groups such as the Mara Salvatrucha and the Barrio 18 gang. However, the crudest examples of this state-sponsored violencehave occurred in penitentiary spaces where the so called necroadministration approach is used in allinstitutional mechanisms. with the goal of elucidating its continuum in the consolidation of necropolicies by the State, we carry out a documentary review of mediate coverage regarding the declaration of the State of Exception and aggravation of human rights violations in prisons in El Salvador. The analysis of these media reports is articulated with categories including necropolitics, social oblivion- abandonment and festival of violence.
Keywords: Necropolitics; youth; Mara Salvatrucha; Barrio 18.
Sobre o simbolismo na arte: uma interpretação com base em Hegel
Authors: Torrecilha Gustavo de Azevedo
Published: December 2022

O artigo tem por objetivo propor uma investigação acerca do simbolismo na estética de Hegel para além apenas do âmbito da Forma de arte simbólica. Para isso, são mobilizadas tanto questões da dialética hegeliana em um sentido mais universal, como a questão da Aufhebung, quanto questões dos Cursos de estética que permitem enxergar a possibilidade de conservação dessa característica simbólica da arte mesmo depois de superado seu momento predominante na história. O simbolismo, por mais que seja a característica predominante da arte no contexto da Forma de arte simbólica, ainda assim permanece como uma característica residual nos contextos das Formas de arte clássica e romântica em decorrência da própria natureza da arte e das limitações da sensibilidade em comparação com a espiritualidade, a qual, por mais que exposta no sensível, deve ser interiorizada para o espírito. Não obstante, o sensível permanece como um elemento fundamental da arte, de modo que, mesmo se reconhecendo essa amplitude maior do espírito em relação à sua aparência sensível, não se pode negar o seu papel no que diz respeito à fruição estética.
O Künstlerroman e a artista em (de)formação em Ao farol, de Virginia Woolf (1927)
Authors: Grecca Gabriela Bruschini
Published: December 2022

O artigo versa sobre o romance Ao farol, de Virginia Woolf, no que tange à trajetória da personagem-artista Lily Briscoe e seus possíveis diálogos com o Künstlerroman. O “romance de artista” será explorado ao longo da análise não como um programa narrativo que se encerra em uma fantasmagoria tipologizante de seu significado, mas como forma romanesca que pode oferecer chaves de leituras críticas para a trajetória de Lily. Busco explorar a hipótese interpretativa: a personagem-artista, que passa todo o romance em conflito para concluir a pintura, somente consegue um desfecho para superar este drama não somente quando termina o quadro, mas também quando atravessa os princípios que norteavam a aprendizagem estética para alcançar o reconhecimento. Sua narrativa desembocará no fim da busca por um legado para sua obra artística, focalizando a própria autorrealização, nas palavras de Adorno (2003), encerrando-se na dissolução subjetivista, tão cara ao romance do século XX. Em outras palavras, Lily completa sua narrativa de artista com um subjetivismo completamente hipostasiado, no lugar de guiar-se por qualquer experiência emancipadora que a ênfase em sua própria Bildung poderia lhe proporcionar. O trauma do pós-Primeira Guerra a tornará aderente e regulada (no sentido de Regulierung) pelas instituições.
Direct Simulation of the Surface Manifestation of Internal Gravity Waves with a Wave–Current Interaction Model
Authors: Yue Liangyi , Hao Xuanting , Shen Lian , Fringer Oliver B.
Published: December 2022

Internal solitary waves in the ocean are characterized by the surface roughness signature of smooth and rough bands that are observable in synthetic aperture radar satellite imagery, which is caused by the interaction between surface gravity waves and internal wave–induced surface currents. In this work, we study the surface signature of an internal wave packet in deep water over a large range of spatial scales using an improved wave–current interaction model that supports a moving surface current corresponding to a propagating internal gravity wave. After validating the model by comparison to previously published numerical results by Hao and Shen, we investigate a realistic case based on a recent comprehensive field campaign conducted by Lenain and Pizzo. Distinct surface manifestation caused by internal waves can be directly observed from the surface waves and the associated surface wave steepness. Consistent with observations, the surface is relatively rough where the internal wave–induced surface current is convergent (∂U/∂x < 0), while it is relatively smooth where the surface current is divergent (∂U/∂x > 0). The spatial modulation of the surface wave spectrum is rapid as a function of along-propagation distance, showing a remarkable redistribution of energy under the influence of the propagating internal wave packet. The directional wavenumber spectra computed in the smooth and rough regions show that the directional properties of the surface wave spectra are also rapidly modulated through strong wave–current interactions. Good agreement is found between the model results and the field observations, demonstrating the robustness of the present model in studying the impact of internal waves on surface gravity waves.

Significance Statement

The purpose of this study is to better understand the physical processes leading to the bands of rough and smooth surface waves arising from internal gravity waves. The surface manifestation of internal gravity waves allows them to be measured remotely via surface imagery, which can provide insight into their nonlinear behavior and sources and fate and which can ultimately inform the local stratification for assimilation into larger-scale models. Our results highlight the application of wave–current interaction models to the study of the interaction of surface waves with internal gravity waves and indicate strong modulation of the surface wave spectra over relatively short time scales despite the long time scales associated with the internal wave propagation.
Pendulum or Progress? Tax Consultants in the Crisis of Legitimacy
Authors: Ötsch Silke
Published: December 2022

After a series of scandals, the focus is now shifting to tax professionals who have received little attention so far. The paper examines how tax professionals justify their professional activities in the legitimacy crisis of tax planning. Professions have a systemic role and combine commercial interest with social benefit. In the crisis, professionals need to re-legitimize themselves by addressing core societal values in order to secure the benefits associated with professional status. Building on problem-centered qualitative interviews with 45 tax professionals from Germany, Liechtenstein, and Austria with different business models, I show that these tax professionals justify their activities in the crisis via three ideal-typical norms: selective liberal values and counterattacks, elitist shaping, and the benefits for the business location. Most professionals hope for a pendulum movement as a rollback of regulation.
Assessing the Extent of Rural Development in Punjab
Authors: Singh Jagmohan , Kumar Gulshan
Published: December 2022

Rural development is widely acclaimed as a tool for economic development of any region by the policy makers. Being a multi-level and multi-faceted process, the actual status of rural development is insuperable to assess through the individual scrutiny of either one or a few development indicators. Therefore, the present study endeavours to reckon district level rural development and its disparities in Punjab through the formulation of a composite rural development index (RDI) encompassing four dimensions, namely rural economy, rural social transformation, rural health and education and rural infrastructure at five points in time, that is, 1981, 1991, 2001, 2011 and 2018 based on 29 development indicators. The findings of the study revealed a lopsided picture of rural development with a concentration of frontrunner districts mainly in the Doaba belt, while mediocre and laggard categories are dominated by the districts of the Malwa belt. Further, reduction in the level of inter-district disparities in rural development has also been observed over the study period. It is suggested that mediocre as well as laggard districts should be prioritised in resource allocation to curtail the extent of rural development disparities in the state.

JEL Codes: C38, H54, O10, R10
Whose Good Death? Valuation and Standardization as Mechanisms of Inequality in Hospitals
Authors: Hauschildt Katrina E.
Published: December 2022

Although most clinicians have come to perceive invasive life-sustaining treatments as overly aggressive at the end of life, some of the public and greater proportions of some socially disadvantaged groups have not. Drawing on 1,500+ hours of observation in four intensive care units and 69 interviews with physicians and patients’ family members, I find inequality occurs through two mechanisms complementary to the cultural health capital and fundamental causes explanations prevalent in existing health disparities literature: in valuation, as the attitudes and values of the socially disadvantaged are challenged and ignored, and in standardization, as the outcomes preferred by less advantaged groups are defined as inappropriate and made harder to obtain by the informal and formal practices and policies of racialized organizations. I argue inequality is produced in part because wealthier and White elites shape institutional preferences and practices and, therefore, institutions and clinical standards to reflect their cultural tastes.
Micro-foundations of the commercial peace: The effect of net exports on Ukrainian attitudes towards war with Russia
Authors: Beesley Celeste , Cooper Scott
Published: December 2022

Most studies of the ‘commercial peace’ hypothesis – that trade increases the opportunity costs of war, making it less likely – assume the state has a unified interest with respect to trade. However, it is well-established that trade creates economic winners and losers within a country. Loss of export markets due to conflict imposes significant costs on local economies, but disruption of imports is often less costly, and potentially even beneficial. We posit that opposition to conflict should correlate with subnational variation in the degree to which trade represents benefits or losses for groups and individuals within the polity. Examining public opinion data from Ukraine in 2014–15, early in its long-term conflict with Russia, we disaggregate by province and find that, the greater the importance of regional net exports to Russia, the less likely citizens are to support fighting against Russia and the more they are willing to accept costly compromises to end the conflict. We demonstrate the robustness of these findings using two separate surveys.
The Sociology of Futurelessness
Authors: Tutton Richard
Published: December 2022

This article contributes to ‘sociologies of the future’ by discussing the concept of ‘futurelessness’. I provide a conceptual elaboration of what is meant by ‘futurelessness’, beginning with its use in the psychological literature of the 1980s concerned with the effect of a constant threat of nuclear war. I argue that this concept is of value to ongoing sociological debates about the relationship between imagined futures, power and social change. I further discuss the extent to which ‘futurelessness’ is a particular mode of relating to and feeling about the future that is characteristic of contemporary European societies. I discuss how this ‘futurelessness’ must be understood in relation to political and cultural developments of the past 50 years and consider its significance for sociological debates about contemporary futurity.
Study on decolorization of methylene blue with a kind of electrolytic active water
Authors: Zhu Ruoying , Shen Yuru , Zhao Jin , Shi Guigang , Liu Jianyong , Cao Junping
Published: December 2022

Electrolytic active water was prepared by electrolytic treatment of sodium chloride aqueous solution using a self-made device. In order to investigate the properties of electrolytic active water , the pH value, available chlorine contents and decolorization ability on methylene blue solution were tested and compared with that of sodium hypochlorite aqueous solution. Experimental results showed that the electrolytic active water has higher oxidation capacity and decolorization efficiency for methylene blue compared with sodium hypochlorite solution, implying maybe other reactive oxygen species components besides hypochlorite existed in the electrolytic active water. The electrolytic active water was stable under long-term storage, and mechanical force with oxidation activity did not decrease. In addition, the decolorization kinetics of methylene blue in the electrolytic active water was explored, and it was found that, in general, the decolorization reaction of methylene blue in electrolytic active water was consistent with the first-order reaction kinetics model, but when the pH value of electrolytic active water solution was weakly alkaline or neutral, the decolorization reaction of methylene blue was closer to the second-order reaction kinetics model.
Union purpose and power: Regulating the fissured workplace
Authors: Rudman Alison , Ellem Bradon
Published: December 2022

Notwithstanding long membership decline and fresh threats in workplaces, there is evidence that unions can still exercise power even in the unlikely setting of fissured workplaces. The question is: in what particular ways do unions exercise power and for what purpose? This study of union success in a fissured supply chain argues that, to answer this question, considerations of union power must be tied more explicitly to strategic choices, union purpose, and to how conditions are regulated. In so doing, it challenges the argument in ‘power resources theory’ that power is chiefly measured between actors, and suggests that there is a necessary prior step: considering the power resources available to a specific actor. Similarly, it undermines the idea that power needs to be transformed to be effective and instead suggests that it is only through the interplay of power resources available to unions that any individual power becomes effective.
The Collective Candidate Experience: Theory and Business Unit Consequences
Authors: McFarland Lynn A. , Ployhart Robert E. , Shepherd William J. , Ward Melanie M.
Published: December 2022

Questions about whether candidate perceptions of recruitment and selection practices “matter” have been raised for decades. This study tackles such questions by developing a new theoretical framework to understand the business unit-level emergence and consequences of the collective candidate experience, defined as “ Applicants’ aggregate overall cognitive and affective perceptions based on multiple interactions with a business unit over the course of the entire recruitment and selection process.” A theoretical framework is introduced that integrates signaling theory with research from marketing, recruitment, and applicant reactions to propose that the collective candidate experience construct emerges from interactions in unit-specific social, structural, and physical contexts. The construct is further expected to influence new hire outcomes and business unit outcomes. We then test the theorized consequences of the collective candidate experience in a multi-unit quick service restaurant organization. The collective candidate experience is positively associated with collective new hire engagement, which in turn is associated with collective new hire turnover intentions, collective turnover, and collective customer satisfaction. Additional supporting evidence and preliminary measures are provided in online appendices. Overall, this study complements and extends prior research and directs new research by offering a theoretical framework.
The Application of Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Galactography in Patients With Pathologic Nipple Discharge
Authors: Wang Yongmei , Pu Yongzhu , Yin Mei , Wang Yawen , Zhao Song , Wang Jianli , Ma Rong
Published: December 2022

Twenty patients with pathologic nipple discharge underwent conventional galactography and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) galactography. Images were reviewed for detection of suspicious lesions. Lesion localization information from CEUS galactography was recorded. We included 25 lesions from the 20 included patients. The pathological results revealed 13 intraductal papillomas. The detective rates of intraductal papilloma by conventional galactography and CEUS galactography were 92.31% and 100%, respectively. All the preoperative localizations of lesions from CEUS galactography were in accordance with the surgical detections. CEUS galactography is a highly effective tool for the detection of intraductal breast lesions, and it could provide accurate lesion localization information for an optimal surgical design.
Introduction to the Special Issue Dedicated to Diversity, Equity, and Social Justice in Special Education Technology
Authors: Hollingshead Aleksandra , McMahon Don
Published: December 2022

Editorial Introduction to the Special Issue Dedicated to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access.
Impact of health-related internet use on disease management behavior of chronic patients: Mediating role of perceived credibility of online information
Authors: Soroya Saira Hanif , Nazir Mariam , Faiola Anthony
Published: December 2022

During the last two decades, Internet use has increased in all parts of the world. Although, the trend of actively using the Internet for seeking health-related information was already on the rise, it accelerated soon after the COVID-19 pandemic. Along with the increased use of the Internet for health decisions, serious concerns have been raised due to fake or misinformation. This study aims to determine the impact of Internet use for gathering health-related information on the disease management behavior of patients and to identify the mediating role of perceived credibility of online information. The study surveyed 200 chronic disease patients with diabetes and hypertension from the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Islamabad, Pakistan. It is concluded that overall health-related Internet use has a positive impact on the disease management behavior of chronic disease patients. The study further confirms the mediating role of the perceived credibility of online information. Patients who are frequent users of the Internet for health information, who perceive online information more credible, reported better disease management behavior as compared to the less frequent users and those who perceive online information less credible.
Effect of extracorporeal shock wave therapy on pain and function in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review with meta-analysis and grade recommendations
Authors: Silva AC , Almeida VS , Veras PM , Carnaúba FRN , Filho JE , Garcia MAC , Fonseca DS
Published: December 2022

Objective

To investigate extracorporeal shock wave therapy effect on knee osteoarthritis compared to a sham or kinesiotherapy by a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

Data Sources

The search was performed in: Cochrane Library, PubMed, PEDro, Web of Science, EMBASE, Scopus, LILACS, and Scielo.

Review methods

We performed the online search until October, 2022. The following terms were used (Osteoarthritis) AND (“knee joint”) AND (“Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy”). Eligibility criteria: (1) randomized clinical trials; (2) effects comparison of shockwave therapy to a sham or kinesiotherapy in individuals with knee osteoarthritis; (3) pain and physical function as outcome variables. Risk of bias assessed using the PEDro scale. PROSPERO registration (CRD42021235597).

Results

We identified 4217 studies, and 12 were included in the qualitative synthesis and the meta-analysis, totaling 403 individuals submitted to the intervention and 331 control individuals. Compared to sham, shockwave was favored in short-term for the function outcome (SMD = −1.93; 95%CI: [−2.77; −1.09]; I² = 83%; P < 0.01). For the pain outcome, the shockwave was favored in the short (MD = −2.05; 95%CI: [−2.59; −1.51]; I² = 84%; P < 0.01), medium (MD = −3.46; 95%CI: [−4.03; −2.89]; I² = 0%; P < 0.01) and long-term (MD = −2.01; 95%CI: [−3.36; −0.65]; I² = 98%; P < 0.01). The association with kinesiotherapy was favored in the short term for the function outcome (SMD = -1.88; 95%CI: [−2.98; −0.78]; I² = 94%; P < 0.01) and favored for the pain outcome in the short (MD = −1.44; 95%CI: [−1.81; −1.07]; I² = 37%; P = 0.14), medium (MD = −1,31; 95%CI: [−1.76; −0,85]; I² = 0%; P = 0.41), and long terms (MD = −1.63; 95%CI: [−1.73; −1.52]; I² = 0%; P = 0.43).

Conclusion

Shockwave therapy may improve functionality in patients with knee osteoarthritis in the short term and pain in all follow-up moments, compared with sham. When associated to kinesiotherapy, it may improve function in the short term and pain in all follow-up time points, although improvement in pain may not be clinically significant.
Comparison of the onset and offset times of two available formulations of rocuronium bromide in an animal model
Authors: Speedy Louise M , O’Beirn Sean , Hopgood Gary , Harvey Martyn G , Cave Grant
Published: December 2022

Rocuronium bromide is a neuromuscular blocker in widespread use in anaesthesia, emergency and intensive care. Reports of reduced efficacy of a new different formulation of rocuronium bromide were submitted to Medsafe, the New Zealand Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Authority, in 2020. Given the requirement for rapid and predictable paralysis for patient safety the efficacy of the two available formulations of rocuronium bromide was investigated in an animal model. After ethics committee approval, 19 rats were anaesthetised and paralysis, defined as loss of tibialis anterior flexion on direct electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve, was assessed by mechanomyography in response to ED90 doses of rocuronium.

Paralysis was observed at a median of 12 seconds for the new different formulation: A, Hameln Pharma (interquartile range (IQR) 6–106 seconds) and 28 seconds for formulation B: Pfizer (IQR 12–68 seconds) P = 0.48. Offset of paralysis was observed after 293 seconds for formulation A (IQR 250–372 seconds) and 241 seconds for formulation B (IQR 220–263 seconds). While the differences observed were substantial, they were not statistically significant. Moreover, the direction of observed difference was towards a shorter median onset and longer offset for the newer formulation, a finding in the opposite direction to the initial clinical concern.

Relevance to the clinical situation is indeterminate given the study was stopped at low numbers for futility and limitations around the clinical applicability of animal pharmacokinetics and dynamics. Nevertheless our findings provide some reassurance that the newly available different formulation of this critical use medication does not exhibit a substantial increase in time to onset.
Perioperative outcomes in intermediate and high-risk patients after major surgery following introduction of a dedicated perioperative medicine team: A single centre cohort study
Authors: Nicholson Jonathan J , Reilly Jennifer , Shulman Mark A , Ferguson Marissa , Burke Justin A , Lehane Daragh N , Liaw Chen-Mei , Mahoney Adam , Stark Peter , Myles Paul S
Published: December 2022

Intermediate and high-risk patients undergoing surgery are often managed on a surgical ward in the absence of haemodynamic or ventilatory support requirements necessitating intensive care unit or high dependency unit admission. We describe a model of care for the multidisciplinary management of selected postoperative patients and the epidemiology of patients managed using this model at a tertiary Australian hospital.

Of 25,139 patients undergoing inpatient surgery at our institution over a two-year period, 506 (2%) were referred to the Perioperative Medicine team. The median age of patients referred was 74 years; 85% had an American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status ≥3, and 44% underwent emergency surgery. Major complication or death within 30 days was 44.2% (213/482). The most common complications, as defined by the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program were transfusion within 72 h (17.4%), pneumonia/aspiration pneumonitis (11.3%), and acute renal failure (10.6%); median time to Medical Emergency Team call was 146 (interquartile range 77–279) h.

Sixty-six percent of referred patients (280/423) required an intervention during their time under the service. This high incidence indicates that this population of patients merits closer attention, including routine measurement and reporting of postoperative outcomes to monitor and improve quality of care at our institution as part of an integrated perioperative service. We believe that with so much current focus on perioperative medicine, it is important we translate this to clinical care by evolving traditional models of management into more innovative strategies to meet the complex demands of today’s surgical patients.
A mechanical equivalence similitude method for dynamic responses of high-speed train middle vehicles in a collision
Authors: Lu Sisi , Wang Pan , Ni Weitao , Yan Kaibo , Chen Zhaowei
Published: December 2022

Predicting the dynamic behavior of train collisions using similitude theory is a valuable design tool. However, several limitations and difficulties persist when designing a similar train model. This study proposes a mechanical equivalence similitude method when a train crashes into a rigid obstacle longitudinally, which can be used to establish similitude laws and predict the dynamic responses of a full-scale high-speed train middle vehicle. This method includes impact force equivalence (IFE) and finite-element stiffness equivalence (FESE). The aim is to overcome the insufficient accuracy of establishing a similar train model using traditional similitude methods. First, the similitude laws of the end energy absorber and the vehicle body were deduced. Subsequently, the 1/8th equivalent similar middle vehicle model of the high-speed train was established. The IFE method was employed to design a 1/8th equivalent similar model of the end energy absorber. Based on the FESE method, a 1/8th equivalent similar model of the middle vehicle body was built. Finally, the accuracy and effectiveness of a similar train model were validated through numerical simulations and tests. Comparing the results of the prototype, the errors of the dynamic responses were less than 4%, indicating that the mechanical response equivalence similitude method is effective for constructing a similar train model.
Economic Contagion and the Repercussion on Remittances: Evidence from Low and Middle-Income Economies
Authors: Agyeman Fredrick Oteng , Dapaah Malcom Frimpong , Sampene Agyemang Kwasi , Monto Abdul Razak , Kedjanyi Emmanuel Adu Gyamfi
Published: December 2022

The outbreak of the coronavirus disease in 2019 (COVID-19) wreaked havoc on the social, psychological, economic, and political buoyancy of all economic activities worldwide. The economic challenges caused by the interruption in worldwide economic activities significantly impacted remittances flow to low- and middle-income economies (LMIEs). This study used the past, present, and predicted remittances data of migration dynamics within countries to analyse the economic impact on remittances. Remittances to most LMIEs plunged during the pandemic intense period; however, the decline was temporary as the flows increased due to countrywide policies and individuals’ emergent needs. The trend of economic contagion is fundamentally unique in that even the primary source of remittance sending nations have been greatly impacted. The global nature of this pandemic raises numerous questions, including whether the decline in remittances will continue for a short term or will last for an extended period to stagnate LMIEs. This current study’s results reveal that while remittances flow to key recipient nations declined between 2019 and 2020, there has not been a sharp decrease and most of the nations were on the path of recovery in 2021. This study proposes that policymakers support remittances flow on a higher growth trend in successive years based on Sustainable Development Goals to attain global inclusive development. This research further recommends the adoption of higher technology transfer of remittances of migrant workers within the emerging and low- and middle-income economies.
Early Clinical Outcomes and Complications of Transfibular Total Ankle Arthroplasty: The Australian Experience
Authors: Clugston Ellery , Ektas Nalan , Scholes Corey , Symes Michael , Wilton Alex , Wines Andrew , Mittal Rajat
Published: December 2022

Background:

We report the short-term outcomes of a retrospective cohort of Trabecular Metal total ankle arthroplasties (TAAs) via a transfibular approach from a single, nondesigner surgeon in Australia.

Methods:

This was a retrospective cohort study. Demographic, clinical, and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) were collected. The primary outcome was the Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS), and secondary outcomes included patient satisfaction, the EuroQol-5 Dimension (EQ5D), and complications including revision rates.

Results:

Between 2016 and 2019, 84 trabecular metal prostheses were implanted in 84 patients. Mean age (SD) at time of surgery was 68 (7.8) years, and 46 (55%) were male. Mean follow-up (SD) was 26.1 (13) months. There were significant ( P < .001) improvements in the FAOS in the subscales of pain (47.9 to 79.1), activities of daily living (59.5 to 83.7), and quality of life (25.5 to 60.2) and EQ-5D (0.55 to 0.75) ( P < .001), and overall satisfaction was 69.6%. The commonest complications were wound infection or breakdown (11.9%, n=10), fibular nonunion (3.5%), plate irritation (3.5%), and tibial nerve neuropathy (3.5%). There were no thromboembolic complications. Implant survivorship was 100%, with Trabecular Metal components retained in all patients. Two patients developed deep infection, with 1 requiring debridement and polyethylene exchange. No patients experienced implant loosening.

Conclusion:

Our results demonstrate that the trabecular metal survival rates are comparable with other total ankle implants in the Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Replacement Registry and as published in other international literature. Overall patient satisfaction was high, as were PROMs. However, the data highlight potential complications uniquely associated with this implant. The authors believe that these figures support TAA via a transfibular approach as a viable option in the treatment of ankle arthritis.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV, retrospective cohort study.
Genetics and Molecular Biology of Memory Suppression
Authors: Noyes Nathaniel C. , Davis Ronald L.
Published: December 2022

The brain is designed not only with molecules and cellular processes that help to form memories but also with molecules and cellular processes that suppress the formation and retention of memory. The latter processes are critical for an efficient memory management system, given the vast amount of information that each person experiences in their daily activities and that most of this information becomes irrelevant with time. Thus, efficiency dictates that the brain should have processes for selecting the most critical information for storage and suppressing the irrelevant or forgetting it later should it escape the initial filters. Such memory suppressor molecules and processes are revealed by genetic or pharmacologic insults that lead to enhanced memory expression. We review here the predominant memory suppressor molecules and processes that have recently been discovered. They are diverse, as expected, because the brain is complex and employs many different strategies and mechanisms to form memories. They include the gene-repressive actions of small noncoding RNAs, repressors of protein synthesis, cAMP-mediated gene expression pathways, inter- and intracellular signaling pathways for normal forgetting, and others. A deep understanding of memory suppressor molecules and processes is necessary to fully comprehend how the brain forms, stabilizes, and retrieves memories and to reveal how brain disorders disrupt memory.
MiR-197-3p inhibits the malignant progression of atherosclerosis by targeting WDR5
Authors: Yang Kai , Yu Chunjun , Ruan Lin , Hu Shengpeng , Zhu Wenjie , Xia Feng
Published: December 2022

Background

The aberrantly increased proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) was critically associated with atherosclerosis (AS) progression. MiR-197-3p has been confirmed to regulate various biological processes, such as tumorigenesis; however, whether miR-197-3p is involved with the pathological development of AS remains largely unknown.

Methods

The serum levels of miR-197-3p in AS patients and healthy donors were determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. The transfection efficacies of miR-197-3p mimic or inhibitor in VSMCs were evaluated by PCR assay. The effects of miR-197-3p on VSMC proliferation and migration were determined by EdU cell proliferation and Traswell migration assays. Western blotting was conducted to evaluate the effect of miR-197-3p on WDR5 expression in VSMCs.

Results

In the present study, we found that the expression of miR-197-3p was decreased in the serum of AS patients compared to healthy donors. Overexpression of miR-197-3p inhibited the proliferation and migration of VSMCs, while silencing miR-197-3p showed opposite effects. Mechanistical study revealed that WD Repeat Domain 5 (WDR5) was a target of miR-197-3p. Moreover, miR-197-3p was downregulated in VSMCs upon IL6 treatment and inhibited IL6-induced proliferation and migration in VSMCs.

Conclusions

These findings indicate that miR-197-3p could serve as a promising diagnostic marker for AS and that targeting IL6/miR-197-3p/WDR5 axis might be a potential approach to treat AS.
Clinical Features Associated with ‘Normal Range’ Fibrin D-Dimer Levels in Atrial Fibrillation Patients with Left Atrial Thrombus
Authors: Bai Ying , Luo Si-Qing , Liu Si-Tong , Gong Ling , Zhong Peng , Wang Zhen-Zhou , Lip Gregory YH , Zou Yi-Xi , Guo Wei-Hua
Published: December 2022

Background

Left atrial thrombus (LAT) often complicates with atrial fibrillation (AF). The evidence whether fibrin D-dimer levels could be used as a predictive biomarker for LAT is contradictory. This study firstly investigated the relationship between ‘normal range’ D-dimer and prevalent LAT. Second, we explored factors contributing to normal D-dimer levels in the presence of LAT.

Methods

We studied 244 AF patients with LAT (mean age: 59.9 years, SD:11.7; 53.3% female): of these, 103 (42.2%) had normal D-dimer, 25 (10.2%) had atrial thrombus exclusion score (ATE score) of 0 19 (16.7%) males had CHA2DS2-VASc score of 0, 21(16.2%) females had CHA2DS2-VASc score of 1 and 16 had overlapped ATE score of 0 and CHA2DS2-VASc score of 0 (N = 8 if male) or CHA2DS2-VASc score of 1(N = 8 if female). Using multivariate binary analysis, larger left atrial diameter (LAD; adjusted OR: 1.06, 1.03−1.10, p = 0.001) were associated with increased D-dimer. Patients with high body mass index (BMI), hypertension history and previous anticoagulation were more likely to show normal range D-dimer levels in the presence of LAT.

Conclusions

A high prevalence (42.2%) of ‘normal range’ D-dimer levels was found in AF patients with LAT, especially in those with hypertension, high BMI and prior anticoagulation. D-dimer levels of those patients with larger LAD were more likely to be increased.
“I Know It’s Hard to Believe, But the Monster Who Abused Me is My Mother:” Experiences of Being Sexually Abused as a Child by a Female
Authors: Gewirtz-Meydan Ateret , Afnan Attrash-Najjar , Lassri Dana , Katz Carmit
Published: December 2022

In the present study we sought to shed light on the experience of adults who were sexually abused by females. Narratives in the current study were chosen from a large set of narratives ( n = 505) that were submitted to the Israeli Independent Public Inquiry on CSA. Twenty-eight ( n = 28) narratives of adults who experienced CSA committed by females were included in the study and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Two main themes were identified: (1) adults who as children experienced CSA committed by females, and (2) personal, interpersonal, and social constructions of the abuse. Most of the narratives included intrafamilial abuse, with half of the participants reporting that their mother was the one who committed the CSA, which often occurred during daily routine activities, with the main abuse scene being the shower/bathroom. Participants described various abuse experiences including the experience of powerlessness, “standing together,” and captivity. Finally, participants discussed how social constructions of gender impacted how they understood and experienced the abuse. Child sexual abuse committed by females was described by the participants as having serious consequences for their lives. Participants shared how perceived gender roles and social scripts have an important role in casting doubt on the existence and reliability of CSA experiences committed by females. Findings from the current study help to identify key characteristics of sexual abuse that was conducted by females, and suggests social mechanisms that may help explain why perpetration by females is understood and treated differently than perpetration by males.
Investigations on the shelf life of rainbow trout fillets covered by quinoa biofilms enriched with different essential oils (Nigella sativa and Mentha piperita)
Authors: Güler Kübra , Yanık Telat , Alak Gonca
Published: December 2022

Having no adverse effects on the consumer's health, causing zero or minimal damage to the environment, and maintaining the nutritional quality of the product are too important criteria for food packaging materials. Edible biofilm packaging techniques are successful to meet many of these features. To strengthen this claim, rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss) fillets were coated with an edible film solution (obtained from quinoa starch), which attracted a lot of attention in terms of nutritional value. The prepared biofilm solutions were applied in four different groups (control, quinoa, quinoa + black seed oil, and quinoa + mint oil) and stored in refrigerator conditions (4 ± 1 °C) for 15 days. Microbiological (total aerobic mesophilic bacteria, psychrophilic bacteria, Pseudomonas, lactic acid bacteria, and Enterobacteriaceae) and chemical analyses (TBARS, TVB-N, pH) were performed on certain days of storage. At the end of the study, it was stated that coating fish fillets with edible quinoa, which was enriched by black cumin and mint essential oils, had positive chemical and microbiological results. The highest value for pH was 7.03 ± 0.09 obtained in the control group. It was found that black seed oil has antimicrobial specifications via slowing the microorganism development and prolongs the storage time. The TVB-N value was below the consumable limit value (25 mg/100 g) in the treatment groups and the TBARS value was lowest (1.62 ± 0.21 μmolMA/kg) in the black seed oil group. Consequently, it is suggested that black seed oil may be used on trout fillets to prolong storage time.