bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comorbidity of Cervical Spondylogenic Myelopathy and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: When Electromyography Makes the Difference in Diagnosis
Authors: Torrieri Maria Claudia , Monticelli Matteo , Vasta Rosario , Cofano Fabio , Ajello Marco , Canosa Antonio , Penner Federica , Marengo Nicola , Manera Umberto , Calvo Andrea , Chiò Adriano , Garbossa Diego , Moglia Cristina
Published: December 2020

Cervical spondylogenic myelopathy (CSM) represents a common differential diagnosis for spinal onset Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Identifying occurrence of ALS in patients with CSM may be challenging. We evaluated the accuracy of Awaji criteria in the diagnosis of ALS in a cohort of patients with CSM. We screened all patients attending Turin ALS Center during the 2006–2018 period. We selected only patients for whom cervical cord MRI showed radiological signs of CSM. All patients underwent electromyography (EMG), and Awaji criteria were used for diagnosis of clinically probable ALS. All patients were followed up clinically for at least 6 months, and ALS diagnosis was eventually confirmed according to El-Escorial revised criteria, based on disease progression. Of 2,059 patients screened, in 42 cases, MRI showed signs of CSM; CSM incidence and prevalence risks were 0.16 and 2.04%, respectively. Based on clinical progression, 72.7% of patients were diagnosed as CSM and 27.3% as CSM + ALS. At EMG 6 (18.2%) patients fulfilled the criteria for ALS, 5 of them (83.3%) during clinical follow-up were diagnosed as clinical definite ALS + CSM. Accuracy of Awaji criteria in diagnosing ALS was good (AUC = 0.757, p = 0.03). Sensitivity and specificity of Awaji criteria were, respectively, 55.6 and 95.8%. Positive predictive value was 83.3%, while negative predictive value was 85.2%. CSM-ALS comorbidity is a relatively common problem in clinical practice. To better choose patients who could benefit from surgery, EMG should be performed in CSM patients, due to its good accuracy in recognizing ALS.
Central Ang II (Angiotensin II)-Mediated Sympathoexcitation
Authors: Sharma Neeru M. , Haibara Andréa S. , Katsurada Kenichi , Nandi Shyam S. , Liu Xuefei , Zheng Hong , Patel Kaushik P.
Published: December 2020

Central infusion of Ang II (angiotensin II) has been associated with increased sympathetic outflow resulting in neurogenic hypertension. In the present study, we appraised whether the chronic increase in central Ang II activates the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) resulting in elevated sympathetic tone and altered baro- and chemoreflexes. Further, we evaluated the contribution of HIF-1α (hypoxia-inducible factor-1α), a transcription factor involved in enhancing the expression of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors and thus glutamatergic-mediated sympathetic tone from the PVN. Ang II infusion (20 ng/minute, intracerebroventricular, 14 days) increased mean arterial pressure (126±9 versus 84±4 mm Hg), cardiac sympathetic tone (96±7 versus 75±6 bpm), and decreased cardiac parasympathetic tone (16±2 versus 36±3 versus bpm) compared with saline-infused controls in conscious rats. The Ang II-infused group also showed an impaired baroreflex control of heart rate (−1.50±0.1 versus −2.50±0.3 bpm/mm Hg), potentiation of the chemoreflex pressor response (53±7 versus 30±7 mm Hg) and increased number of FosB-labeled cells (53±3 versus 19±4) in the PVN. Concomitant with the activation of the PVN, there was an increased expression of HIF-1α and N-Methyl-D-Aspartate-type1 receptors in the PVN. Further, Ang II-infusion showed increased renal sympathetic nerve activity (20.5±2.3% versus 6.4±1.9% of Max) and 3-fold enhanced renal sympathetic nerve activity responses to microinjection of N-methyl-D-aspartate (200 pmol) into the PVN of anesthetized rats. Further, silencing of HIF-1α in NG108 cells abrogated the expression of N-methyl-D-aspartate-N-methyl-D-aspartate-type1 induced by Ang II. Taken together, our studies suggest a novel Ang II-HIF-1α-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-mediated activation of preautonomic neurons in the PVN, resulting in increased sympathetic outflow and alterations in baro- and chemoreflexes.
Pallas and a Female Pyrrhic Dance for Athena in Attica
Authors: Valdés Guía Miriam
Published: December 2020

In Attica, Pallas was a giant apparently related to the sanctuary of Athena at Pallene. Pallene recalled the eponymous Chalcidian region and thus echoed the myth of the Gigantomachy. In some versions, Athena performed the Pyrrhic dance after defeating the giants. In other versions, however, Pallas was also a Titan, the father of Athena and another young woman. This maiden was the alter ego of the goddess and died at the hands of Athena in an hoplomachia. In this paper, I explore the possibility that some representations of a female Pyrrhic dance relating to Athena on red-figure vases may reflect a ritual in fifth-century Athens. This ritual was presumably associated with the Pallenian sanctuary where the Gigantomachy was evoked and a mimêsis of the goddess in arms seems to have taken place.
Animals and Beauties: Zoomorphic Inscriptions of a Modern Gender Hierarchy
Authors: Edwards Louise
Published: December 2020

At the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, along with myriad other foundational changes taking place in China, attitudes to the role and significance of women and animals were also changing. This evolution is apparent in the artistic realm where both had featured in imperial-era Chinese art for centuries and continued to appear in the new Republic after 1911. This article examines animals and their paired depiction with women within one genre of art – the Baimei tu (One hundred beauties) – as it evolved from the late 1800s until the end of the 1910s. An examination of the works of leading commercial artists of this form reveals the importance of animals in the creation of a gendered modernity for China’s Republic – one that established a clear hierarchy of men over women. This article argues that the species-ist othering of animals was integral to the othering of women in the early Republican world of commercial art. It contributes to the literature on human-animal studies that shows the links between species-ism and sexism through the identical processes of variously othering animals and women. Identifying animals and women as special and different, reinforces a species hierarchy that places humans above other animals and a sex hierarchy that places men above women.
Materialität und Spiritualität im altisraelitischen Opferkult: Religionsgeschichtliche Abstraktionsprozesse
Authors: Dietrich Jan
Published: December 2020

In the ancient near East, including ancient Israel, the material value of sacrifice was held in high esteem. In the sacrificial system of Leviticus 1-5, however, we find modes of abstraction from the material value of offerings which have parallels to the invention of money in ancient Greece. Here, money as an accepted medium of exchange, was invented with the value of the coin not totally dependent on its metal weight. While in ancient Greece this form of abstraction developed in the economic sphere, in ancient Israel it developed in the religious sphere and paved the way to regard prayers or confessions of faith as equivalent substitutions of material sacrifice.
Proverbs 21:1 and Ancient Near Eastern Hydrology
Authors: Keefer Arthur Jan
Published: December 2020

Proverbs 21:1 says that “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it to all whom he will.” The reference to “stream(s) of water” (פלגי־מים) is largely assumed to have a Palestinian agricultural background, and suggestions that the phrase bears any relation to foreign irrigation practices remain undeveloped. I argue, first, that these streams are artificial irrigation waterways and, second, that they connote royal ideologies which were linked to the hydrological procedures of Egypt and Mesopotamia. Most of all, their association with kingship in Prov 21:1 bears a deliberate relation to the Exodus Narrative. Based on a fresh look at written, iconographic, geographical, and archeological evidence from the wider ancient Near Eastern world, this article brings new interpretive insights to Prov 21:1 in several areas: its geographical background, its meaning, its origin, and its connection with other portions of the Hebrew Bible.
Creating the Coloured Other in South Africa in Light of the “Jewish Question” in Germany
Authors: Walters Handri , van der Waal C.S. (Kees)
Published: December 2020

This article offers a response to Warren Goldstein’s analysis of the racialisation of the “Jewish Question.” By analysing the role of Scripture, Afrikaner nationalism and racial science in the production of apartheid, we argue that the insights shared by Goldstein as related to the “Jewish Question” sparks a fertile reflection on the “Coloured Question” in South Africa. While the outcomes differed, the correlations are to be found in the processes of othering that preceded and accompanied them. We explore the entangled nature of theology, biology, and politics in the racialisation, and subsequent othering, of the coloured category (where resonances with the Jewish example are to be found). By illustrating the similarities and differences between the “Jewish Question” and the “Coloured Question,” what is offered here is a piece to think with as the process of othering finds new targets in an increasingly polarised world.
A Theological Statement on the Coronavirus Pandemic
Authors: Pityana N. Barney
Published: December 2020

This Statement is a response to the challenge that the church and Christian communities around the world face as a result of the spread of the coronavirus pandemic and the regulations that have been imposed in order to control the spread of infections. The paper starts off by explaining that pandemics may be a challenge and an opportunity to the faith. Special attention is paid to the coronavirus pandemic, its origins, the effect on public health systems around the world, and its impact on the socio-economic livelihoods; the role of medical health scientists and the breakdown and disruption of communities, the economic arrangements of states. It also raises questions about the possibility of a new world order that seeks a more equal, compassionate and humane world. On that basis, the paper raises some pertinent theological questions that arise for the church and for faith communities. It explores and examines theological questions that arise out of a world that is broken and suffering, beset by devastation and yet called to live the faith responsibly and truthfully. The questions that arise are pre-eminently about God and the meaning of the divine and how God manifests Good during dark times. The paper raises some of the dilemmas that traditional faith practices are confronted by the pandemic especially in areas like worship, the sacraments and understanding the value of technology in the practice of the faith. Finally, the paper explores implications for the life of the church, especially in the moral life of the Christian community and the dilemmas posed by public ethics.
Human Rights Treaties and the Law of State Succession in the Event of Secession
Authors: el-Khoury Naiade
Published: December 2020

International practice indicates a tendency that the obligations under human rights treaties continue under the law of State succession. The successor State is thus bound to respect the rights previously granted under a human rights treaty to the inhabitants of a territory it has assumed responsibility for. However, the successor State is not automatically party to the human rights treaty which its predecessor was a party to. As such, the continuity of human rights obligations has not occurred ipso iure. Yet, States have acquiesced to the jurisprudence of the Human Rights Committee and accepted their human rights obligations retroactively upon the ratification of the human rights treaties.
Giat: A community-based periodical for Koto Gadang society
Authors: Sudarmoko
Published: December 2020

This paper discusses the contents and roles of the bulletin Giat (June 1953 to December 1957), a community-based periodical published in Jakarta by a Koto Gadang foundation to support development in Koto Gadang, West Sumatra. Giat played a role as a communication medium linking people from Koto Gadang who lived outside their home area (rantau) to their original villages. In describing and analysing the bulletin, I explore its content and focus on its collecting of funds for the clean water pipeline project in Koto Gadang and on its distribution of information, especially information about Minangkabau customary law, culture, literature, and the women’s movement. The bulletin also facilitated the sharing of family news among people from Koto Gadang in the village and the rantau. Giat became a medium for maintaining interpersonal connections and accommodated initiatives to develop the village. It is shown that, as a community-based publication, Giat played a role in developing village infrastructure as well as its social and cultural fields.
The Factors Regulating the Use of the Hebrew-Aramaic Component in Judeo-Spanish
Authors: Schwarzwald Ora (Rodrigue)
Published: December 2020

This article focuses on the quantitative and qualitative weight of the Hebrew-Aramaic (HA) component in Judeo-Spanish (JS) by examining three characteristics of language usage: 1. linguistic features of HA words: morphological—nouns vs. other categories (e.g., mazál ‘luck.N’ vs. maxamá ‘because of.PREP’); semantic—HA words and phrases related to Jewish religious concepts as opposed to other HA words and phrases (e.g., rošaná ‘New Year’ vs. xavér ‘friend, partner’), and syntactic. 2. The HA inventory in JS: which sources and texts produced HA words and expressions used in JS (e.g., the Passover Haggadah)? 3. The actual distribution of the HA component as it appears in various sociolinguistic circumstances and literary texts (e.g., male vs. female, spoken vs. written, Halakhic vs. non-Halakhic). These characteristics suggest a hierarchy of factors that influence the quantity and quality of the HA component in JS.
Translation in a Multilingual Context: The Mixture of Sanskrit and Tamil Languages in Medieval South Indian Śrīvaiṣṇava Religious Tradition
Authors: Akeyipapornchai Manasicha
Published: December 2020

In this paper, I investigate South Asian multilinguality by focusing on the medieval South Indian Śrīvaiṣṇava religious tradition (originated in the tenth century CE), which employ Sanskrit, Tamil, and Maṇipravāḷa, a hybrid language comprising both Sanskrit and Tamil, in their composition. Through the lens of translation and hybridity, I propose to complicate the recent scholarship on the Sanskrit and vernacular languages (e.g., Pollock and interlocutors) and also respond to the scholarly call for research that addresses the distinctive history of South Asian multilinguality. In particular, it explores the use of multiple linguistic media by one of the most significant Śrīvaiṣṇava theologians, Vedāntadeśika (c. 1268–1369 CE), in his Rahasyatrayasāra. The Rahasyatrayasāra which deals with soteriological and ritual aspects of the Śrīvaiṣṇavas was composed in Maṇipravāḷa and furnished with Sanskrit and Tamil opening and concluding verses. Through the investigation of the Maṇipravāḷa content in relation to the verses in the Rahasyatrayasāra, I argue that Maṇipravāḷa can be considered translation as it brings the Sanskrit and Tamil streams of the tradition together into a single context that can accommodate both. For a multilingual community like the Śrīvaiṣṇavas, Maṇipravāḷa, which represents translation into a hybrid, makes possible the collective religious identity.
Hinduizing Nepal’s Hindus: Making Modern Hinduism in Medieval Nepal
Authors: Birkenholtz Jessica Vantine
Published: December 2020

This article examines Nepal’s Svasthānīvratakathā (SVK) text as a lens to explore the shift from the heterogeneity of Newar and Parbatiyā Hindu ideology and identity in premodern Nepal toward a singular, hegemonic form of Hinduism in modern Nepal. The SVK originated in the sixteenth century as a Newar folk legend and is today the most often read and heard Hindu devotional text in Nepal. Beginning in the eighteenth century, the text began to incorporate normative Sanskritic narratives and gradually transformed into an expansive Purāṇa text. These narratives expanded the SVK’s geographical, temporal, and ideological parameters in a manner that articulated, promulgated, and reinforced the emergence of a broader—but simultaneously narrower, Brahmanical—‘Hindu’ identity that became increasingly important in modern Nepal as its rulers cast Nepal as the ‘pure Hindu land.’ The SVK’s Puranicization demonstrates the ways in which the tradition privileged Nepali Hindu-ness over sectarian or ethnic affiliations to create a shared Nepali tradition among Newar and Parbatiyā Hindus and broadcast an emergent Nepali Hindu identity vis-à-vis Indian Hindu identity.
Advertisement call of two threatened red-bellied-toads, Melanophryniscus cambaraensis and M. macrogranulosus (Anura: Bufonidae), from the Atlantic Rainforest, southern Brazil
Authors: CAORSI VALENTINA , BORDIGNON DEBORA WOLFF , MÁRQUEZ RAFAEL , BORGES-MARTINS MÁRCIO
Published: December 2020

In anuran amphibians, acoustic signals are fundamental mechanisms of mate recognition and mate choice, which makes frog calls a fundamental tool for anuran taxonomy. In this work, we describe the advertisement call of two species for the genus Melanophryniscus, M. cambaraensis and M. macrogranulosus and use the descriptions to try to solve a taxonomic problem between them. We collected data after heavy rains in three different sample sites in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, between 2012 and 2013. The advertisement call of both species is composed of two segments. It always begins with part A (about 0.44–6 seconds) composed of single modulated pulses separated by long time intervals. It is followed by part B, a long train of unmodulated pulses with short time intervals, lasting from 9 to 32.2 seconds. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) indicated some variation between temporal parameters of the two species, but Multivariate Analysis of Variance showed no significant differences. Within-individual Coefficient of Variation (CV) showed only two static parameters: pulse rate and peak frequency, both in the part B of the call. Despite intra-male variation in some acoustic parameters, it is not possible to differentiate between M. cambaraensis and M. macrogranulosus species only using bioacoustics.
Classification of Wintertime Atmospheric Teleconnection Patterns in the Northern Hemisphere
Authors: Kim Minju , Yoo Changhyun , Sung Mi-Kyung , Lee Sukyoung
Published: December 2020

Energetics of the major atmospheric teleconnection patterns of the Northern Hemisphere winter are examined to investigate the role of baroclinic and barotropic energy conversions in their growth. Based on characteristics of the energetics and the horizontal structures, the patterns are classified into three general types: meridional dipole (D-type), wave (W-type), and hybrid (H-type). The primary energy conversion term that differentiates these patterns is the baroclinic energy conversion of the available potential energy from the climatology to the eddy field associated with the teleconnections. For this conversion term, D-type patterns exhibit the comparable conversion of potential energy via the eddy heat flux across the climatological thermal gradient in both the zonal and meridional directions. In contrast, baroclinic conversion for W-type patterns occurs primarily in the meridional direction, while H-type patterns exhibit a structure that combines the characteristics of the other two pattern types. An important secondary factor is barotropic conversion from the climatology to the eddy field, which takes place mainly in the regions where the climatological shear is strong. For the D-type patterns, conversion occurs on the flank of the climatological jet exit, while it occurs at the center of the jet exit for the W-type patterns. Last, for all the patterns, synoptic-time-scale eddies make a negative contribution via the baroclinic process, but a positive contribution via the barotropic process. Damping by diabatic heating weakens the temperature anomalies associated with the patterns.
Anisotropic mechanical behaviour of calendered nonwoven fabrics: Strain-rate dependency
Authors: Cucumazzo V , Demirci E , Pourdeyhimi B , Silberschmidt VV
Published: December 2020

Calendered nonwovens, formed by polymeric fibres, are three-phase heterogeneous materials, comprising a fibrous matrix, bond-areas and interface regions. As a result, two main factors of anisotropy can be identified. The first one is ascribable to a random fibrous microstructure, with the second one related to orientation of a bond pattern. This paper focuses on the first type of anisotropy in thin and thick nonwovens under uniaxial tensile loading. Individual and combined effects of anisotropy and strain rate were studied by conducting uniaxial tensile tests in various loading directions (0°, 30°, 45°, 60° and 90° with regard to the main fabric’s direction) and strain rate (0.01, 0.1 and 0.5 s−1). Fabrics exhibited an initial linear elastic response, followed by nonlinear strain hardening up to necking and final softening. The studied allowed assessment of the extent the effects of loading direction (anisotropy), planar density and strain rate on the mechanical response of the calendered fabrics. The evidence supported the conclusion that anisotropy is the most crucial factor, also delineating the balance between the fabric’s load-bearing capacity and extension level along various directions. The strain rate produced a marked effect on the fibre’s response, with increased stress at higher strain rate while this effect in the fabric was small. The results demonstrated the differences of the mechanical behaviour of fabrics from that of their constituent fibres.
The targeted inhibition of prostate cancer by iron-based nanoparticles based on bioinformatics
Authors: Xiao Feng , Liu Jiayu , Zheng Yongbo , Quan Zhen , Sun Wei , Fan Yao , Luo Chunli , Li Hailiang , Wu Xiaohou
Published: December 2020

Prostate cancer is an epithelial malignant tumor of the prostate, and it is one of the malignant tumors with a high incidence of urogenital system in men. The local treatment of prostate cancer is mainly radical resection and radical radiotherapy, but they are not applicable to advanced prostate cancer. Systemic therapy mainly includes targeted therapy and immunotherapy which could cause many complications, and will affect the prognosis and quality of life of patients. It is urgent to find new treatments for prostate cancer. Bioinformatics offers hope for us to find reliable therapeutic targets. Bioinformatics can use the tumor informations in database and analyze them to screen out the best differentially expressed genes. Using the selected differentially expressed genes as targets, a gene interference plasmid was designed, and the constructed plasmid was used for targeted gene therapy. There are some problems about gene therapy that need to be solved, such as how to transfer genes to target cells is also an important challenge. Due to their large molecular weight and hydrophilic nature, they cannot enter cells through passive diffusion mechanisms. Here we synthesized a DNA carrier used surface modified iron based nanoparticles, and used it to load plasmid including ShRNA which can inhibit the expression of oncogene SLC4A4 selected by bioinformatics’ method. After that we use this iron based nanoparticles/plasmid DNA nanocomposite to treat prostate cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. The target gene SLC4A4 we had selected using bioinformatics had a strong effect on the proliferation of prostate cells; Our nanocomposite could inhibit the expression of SLC4A4 effectively, it had strong inhibitory effects on prostate cancer cells both in vivo and in vitro, and can be used as a potential method for prostate cancer treatment.
A functional coating to enhance antibacterial and bioactivity properties of titanium implants and its performance in vitro
Authors: Doymus Burcu , Kerem Gizem , Yazgan Karatas Ayten , Kok Fatma Nese , Önder Sakip
Published: December 2020

Bacterial infections and lack of osseointegration may negatively affect the success of titanium (Ti) implants. In the present study, a functional coating composed of chitosan (CS) microspheres and nano hydroxyapatite (nHA) was prepared to obtain antimicrobial Ti implants with enhanced bioactivity. First, the chitosan microspheres were fixed to Ti surfaces activated by alkali and heat treatment, then nHA coatings were precipitated onto these surfaces. Ciprofloxacin was loaded into the microspheres using two different procedures; encapsulation and diffusion. Scanning electron microscopy micrographs of the modified Ti surfaces showed that the coating was successfully deposited onto the Ti surfaces and stable for 30 days in PBS. The drug was completely released from free microspheres loaded by encapsulation in 21 days whereas only 89% release was observed after immobilization. The burst release also decreased from ca. 55% to ca. 35%. The release was further reduced following the nHA precipitation. The modified Ti surfaces showed antimicrobial activity based on the bacterial time-kill assay using S. aureus, but the efficiency was affected by both nHA precipitation and drug loading strategy. Highest antimicrobial activity was seen in the samples without nHA layer, and when the drug was loaded by diffusion. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analyses revealed that nHA on the surface enhanced HA growth in simulated body fluid for 3 weeks, showing increased osseointegration potential. Therefore, the proposed coating may be used to prevent Ti implant failure originated from bacterial infection and/or low bioactivity.
Nivolumab for the salvage treatment of desperate germ cell tumor: A case report
Authors: Aksun MS , Ucgul E , Sahin TK , Guven DC , Aksoy S
Published: December 2020

Introduction

Testicular germ cell tumors (GCT) are the most common tumor in young men. Their distinctive feature is the exceptional response to platin based combination chemotherapy.Since the prognosis is poor in relapsed and refractory patients, the immune checkpoint inhibitors are candidate agents in these patients although clinical trials are mostly lacking. Herein, we describe a patient with a refractory nonseminomatous GCT using nivolumab as a last resort therapy and provided long term response without any significant toxicity.

Case report

A 41-year-old male presented with the complaint of flank pain eleven years ago. The patient underwent a retroperitoneal lymph node excision and pathology reported as the mixed germ cell tumor. There were no mass in the testicles and the patient was diagnosed with a primary retroperitoneal GCT. Since the disease has progressed under multiple lines of chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation, treatment was started with nivolumab.

Management and outcome

The patient started to treatment with nivolumab 3 mg/kg two weekly as a last resort treatment. The nivolumab was continued and the patient's response to this treatment is ongoing and has been stable for 13 months.

Discussion

There are limited treatment options in platinum-refractory germ cell tumors. Recently, immune checkpoint inhibitors tried in this setting with some success in especially non-seminomatous GCTs. We see a good response and prolonged benefit with the use of nivolumab in our patient. Further research including prospective studies on the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors in platinum-resistant testicular cancer can further delineate the role of immunotherapy.
Evaluating the quality and safety of the BreastScreen remote radiology assessment model of service delivery in Australia
Authors: Lindsay Daniel , Bates Nicole , Callander Emily , Johnston Karen , Carlisle Karen , Smith Deb , Evans Rebecca , Larkins Sarah
Published: December 2020

Introduction

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australian women. Given the diverse geography and populations within Australia, the ability to offer a telemedicine-supported breast screening and assessment service may increase access. The aim of this study was to assess clinical outcomes of a telemedicine-based remote radiology assessment service delivery model for detecting breast cancer in regional Australian women compared to the traditional radiologist onsite model.

Methods

This study was a pre–post intervention study using de-identified administrative data. Data were collected from seven sites across three health jurisdictions within Australia. There were a total of 21,117 assessment visits, with 10,508 (49.8%) pre- and 10,609 (50.2%) post-remote model implementation. Of the 10,609 post-remote model visits, 3,904 (36.8%) were under the remote model. The main outcome was cancer detection, split into any cancer, any invasive cancer or any small invasive cancer. Timeliness of assessment was also examined.

Results

After adjusting for multiple factors, there were no statistically significant differences in cancer detection rates between the remote and onsite models (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.02, 95% CI 0.86–1.19, n.s.). Implementing the remote assessment model had statistically significant positive effects on the timeliness of assessment (AOR = 0.68, 95% CI 0.59–0.77, p < 0.001).

Discussion

This study found the remote model delivers safe and high-quality assessment services, with equivalent rates of cancer detection and improved timeliness of assessment when compared to the traditional onsite model. Careful monitoring and ongoing evaluation of any health-service model is important for ongoing safety, efficiency and acceptability.
Social work, emotion management and the transformation of the welfare state
Authors: Turtiainen Jussi , Anttila Erkko , Väänänen Ari
Published: December 2020

Drawing from the sociological and organizational scholarship of emotion management in human service work, our historical analysis elaborates on how external pressures and efficiency requirements jeopardize employees’ ability to carry out emotional labour in the public sector. Building on the Finnish social workers’ accounts published in a professional trade paper in 1975–2009, the article provides an insight into the emotional challenges and dissonances of interactive work.

Findings

The article suggests that social workers’ emotional job requirements are deeply embedded in and influenced by the broader social context and changes in the welfare state. The article indicates how workers’ emotion management underwent changes and readjustments from the heyday of the expansive welfare state of the mid-1970s, through the severe economic recession of the 1990s, and was bound by the ideological reform of the Finnish welfare policy in the 1990s and 2000s.

Applications

Historical prospect to emotion management shows social workers, social work students and the academic community how employees’ emotion management has been gradually recognized as a crucial element of relational client work over the decades, but also how workers’ emotional job requirements and demeanours are intertwined with broader societal changes. Second, emotion management research provides a solid framework to elaborate emotional and ethical dissonances which are embedded in social work more profoundly.
Herstory of Graphic Design: Elaine Lustig Cohen
Authors: Moltrup Megan
Published: December 2020

The Cary Graphic Arts Collection in Rochester, New York, manages the Graphic Design Archive of the Rochester Institute of Technology which features more than 35 collections documenting the work of many 20th-century Modernist graphic designers. Among these is the work of Elaine Lustig Cohen (1927–2016), a relatively unknown designer from New York City. Upon her marriage to the well-known designer Alvin Lustig, Elaine unknowingly started out on her path as a designer. She seamlessly transitioned from office manager to artist, but it took decades for her to receive recognition for her work. In an attempt to situate Elaine Lustig Cohen and her body of work within graphic design history and to give her body of work greater attention, I researched, handled, and disseminated knowledge of her work and her collection. Specifically, I examined and organized her collection at the Cary Graphic Arts Collection and went on to co-curate an exhibition chronicling her career as part of my capstone of my undergraduate degree in museum studies. I wanted to look at this collection in relation to the bigger picture of women in design and to the relationship between the representation of women in the history of graphic design textbooks and the availability of their work in archives.
Collections Assessment in Libraries, Archives, and Museums: The Challenges and Advantages of Universal Condition Assessment Tools and Language
Authors: Teper Jennifer Hain
Published: December 2020

Condition assessments have long been a tool for preservation professionals to develop collections care practices and establish treatment priorities. Although collections vary greatly among libraries, archives, and museums (LAMs), similarities exist in our approaches and recommendations for storage, handling, exhibit, and treatment prioritization. In addition, few institutions exist whose collection strictly contains a single format of material—almost all LAMs hold some variety of materials. To date, however, our approaches to assessment have been siloed into our respective areas, with tools available for each collecting area or object type. This article examines the history of condition assessments, reviews existing tools and efforts, and argues the value of building more unified efforts in condition assessment tools to better merge LAM vocabularies and preservation efforts. This article further serves as a call to action to develop cross-disciplinary applications to help professionals more effectively administer collections care and evaluate preservation priorities of mixed collections.
Documenting the Black Lives Matter Movement in Baltimore through Contemporary Collecting: An Initiative of the National Museum of African American History and Culture
Authors: Salahu-Din Deborah Tulani
Published: December 2020

Immediately following the social unrest in Baltimore, Maryland, in 2015, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) in Washington, D.C., began acquiring artifacts and archival materials associated with the city’s social protest and civic engagement activities. This article provides an overview of that collecting initiative, which involved coordination among curatorial staff to determine what, where, and how much to collect. Moreover, the acquisitions were informed by adherence to a guiding principle that connects objects to the human experience. Exploring the purpose and guiding principle of the Museum’s initiative and its collecting rationale and strategy, this article illustrates some practical considerations and reliable approaches to “rapid response” collecting. NMAAHC acquired contemporary objects in response to a crisis or current event involving extreme tension and strife. The bulk of these objects is intended for use in exhibitions in the distant, rather than the immediate, future. The article also includes a list of recommendations for acquiring materials associated with contemporary, sometimes intensely debated, social, and political issues. Information detailed in this article can contribute to the development of a sustained working model that rests on sound acquisition principles, policies, and practices among museums and museum organizations.
Opioid use in pregnancy: An emerging health crisis
Authors: Zipursky Jonathan , Juurlink David N
Published: December 2020

Opioid use in pregnancy has increased in parallel to the opioid crisis observed in the general population. Rising rates of peripartum opioid use pose a significant public health concern for both mothers and their children. Pregnancy also represents a unique opportunity for healthcare providers to screen women for opioid use disorder and engage them in appropriate care. In the present review, we describe patterns of opioid use in pregnancy and how this relates to maternal and neonatal health outcomes. We also examine screening for and treatment of opioid use disorder in pregnancy, neonatal outcomes following maternal opioid use, and breastfeeding recommendations for women taking opioids postpartum.
Embodiment in knots of sense-making between learning physical and virtual configurations
Authors: Impedovo Maria Antonietta , Gadille Martine
Published: December 2020

The purpose of this study was to explore the implications of students’ and teacher’s creative configuration in the physical and virtual world. This analysis will be performed in a secondary school. Adopting a socio-material perspective, this paper focuses on embodiment configuration features for sense-making via new technology mediation. The context of this study was a secondary school who were adopting an immersive 3 D virtual world in different teaching and learning subjects. Selected episodes from video-recordings of two types of sessions mediated by a virtual world – online and in the classroom – were analysed. The analytical framework of this paper draws on the complex and creative configurations of the body in both the physical and virtual setting. Our results highlight the creative ways in which the arrangement of teacher and student bodies acted as a mediational instrument between real and virtual settings.
Variant in NHLRC2 leads to increased hnRNP C2 in developing neurons and the hippocampus of a mouse model of FINCA disease
Authors: Hiltunen Anniina E. , Kangas Salla M. , Ohlmeier Steffen , Pietilä Ilkka , Hiltunen Jori , Tanila Heikki , McKerlie Colin , Govindan Subashika , Tuominen Hannu , Kaarteenaho Riitta , Hallman Mikko , Uusimaa Johanna , Hinttala Reetta
Published: December 2020

Background

FINCA disease is a pediatric cerebropulmonary disease caused by variants in the NHL repeat-containing 2 (NHLRC2) gene. Neurological symptoms are among the first manifestations of FINCA disease, but the consequences of NHLRC2 deficiency in the central nervous system are currently unexplored.

Methods

The orthologous mouse gene is essential for development, and its complete loss leads to early embryonic lethality. In the current study, we used CRISPR/Cas9 to generate an Nhlrc2 knockin (KI) mouse line, harboring the FINCA patient missense mutation (c.442G > T, p.Asp148Tyr). A FINCA mouse model, resembling the compound heterozygote genotype of FINCA patients, was obtained by crossing the KI and Nhlrc2 knockout mouse lines. To reveal NHLRC2-interacting proteins in developing neurons, we compared cortical neuronal precursor cells of E13.5 FINCA and wild-type mouse embryos by two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis.

Results

Despite the significant decrease in NHLRC2, the mice did not develop severe early onset multiorgan disease in either sex. We discovered 19 altered proteins in FINCA neuronal precursor cells; several of which are involved in vesicular transport pathways and actin dynamics which have been previously reported in other cell types including human to have an association with dysfunctional NHLRC2. Interestingly, isoform C2 of hnRNP C1/C2 was significantly increased in both developing neurons and the hippocampus of adult female FINCA mice, connecting NHLRC2 dysfunction with accumulation of RNA binding protein.

Conclusions

We describe here the first NHLRC2-deficient mouse model to overcome embryonic lethality, enabling further studies on predisposing and causative mechanisms behind FINCA disease. Our novel findings suggest that disrupted RNA metabolism may contribute to the neurodegeneration observed in FINCA patients.
High-expression of ROCK1 modulates the apoptosis of lens epithelial cells in age-related cataracts by targeting p53 gene
Authors: Hu Shanshan , Su Dongmei , Sun Lei , Wang Zhongying , Guan Lina , Liu Shanhe , Zhao Baowen , Liu Yong , Shi Cuige , Yu Jianbo , Ma Xu
Published: December 2020

Background

Age-related cataract (ARC) is a serious visual impairment disease, and its pathogenesis is unclear. This article aims to investigate the role of ROCK1 in the apoptosis of lens epithelial cells (LECs) in age-related cataracts.

Methods

We collect anterior capsule samples from normal people, patients with age-related cataracts, young mice and naturally aging cataract mice. The oxidative stress-induced apoptosis model was constructed by cultivating HLE-B3 cells with H2O2. MTT, Hoechst 33342, and TUNEL assay were performed to explore proliferation and apoptosis. HE assay was used to observe cell morphology. The gene and protein expression were assessed by quantitative real-time PCR, western blot, immunofluorescence, and immunohistochemical staining.

Result

The results from the clinic and mice experiments showed that the numbers of lens epithelial cells from cataract individuals were less than the control individuals. In vitro, the apoptotic cells were increased in lens epithelial cells under H2O2 treatment. The ROCK1 protein level increased in the lens epithelial cells from age-related cataract patients and the old mice, respectively. Meanwhile, the up-regulation of the ROCK1 gene was associated with H2O2-induced HLE-B3 cells apoptosis. MTT and apoptosis assay showed ROCK1 was necessary in mediating H2O2-induced lens epithelial cells apoptosis through ROCK1 over-expression and knockdown experiment, respectively. Further investigation showed that p53 protein levels had been increased during ROCK1-mediated apoptosis in response to H2O2. Besides, ROCK1 phosphorylated p53 at ser15 to up-regulate its protein level.

Conclusions

This study established the novel association of ROCK1/p53 signaling with lens epithelial cells apoptosis and age-related cataract genesis.
Identification of an RNA binding protein-related gene signature in hepatocellular carcinoma patients
Authors: Wang Li , Zhou Na , Qu Jialin , Jiang Man , Zhang Xiaochun
Published: December 2020

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignant primary cancer with high mortality. Previous studies have demonstrated that RNA binding proteins (RBPs) are involved in the biological processes of cancers, including hepatocellular cancer.

Methods

In this study, we aimed to identify the clinical value of RNA-binding proteins for hepatocellular carcinoma. We obtained gene expression and clinical data of hepatocellular carcinoma patients from the TCGA and ICGC databases. The prognostic value of RBP-related genes in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and their function were studied by comprehensive bioinformatics analyses. The gene signature of SMG5, EZH2, FBLL1, ZNF239, and IGF2BP3 was generated by univariate and multivariate Cox regression and LASSO regression analyses. We built and verified a prognostic nomogram based on RBP-related genes. The gene signature was validated by the ICGC database. The expression of RBP-related genes was validated by the Oncomine database, the Human Protein Atlas and Kaplan–Meier plotter.

Result

Most RBP-related genes were significantly different in cancer and normal tissues. The survival of patients in the different groups was significantly different. The gene signature showed good performance for predicting the survival of HCC patients by having a better area under the receiver operating characteristic curve than other clinicopathological parameters.

Conclusion

Gene signatures based on RNA-binding proteins can be independent risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma patients.
Escape from X chromosome inactivation and female bias of autoimmune diseases
Authors: Mousavi Mohammad Javad , Mahmoudi Mahdi , Ghotloo Somayeh
Published: December 2020

Generally, autoimmune diseases are more prevalent in females than males. Various predisposing factors, including female sex hormones, X chromosome genes, and the microbiome have been implicated in the female bias of autoimmune diseases. During embryogenesis, one of the X chromosomes in the females is transcriptionally inactivated, in a process called X chromosome inactivation (XCI). This equalizes the impact of two X chromosomes in the females. However, some genes escape from XCI, providing a basis for the dual expression dosage of the given gene in the females. In the present review, the contribution of the escape genes to the female bias of autoimmune diseases will be discussed.
A scoping review of worldwide studies evaluating the effects of prehospital time on trauma outcomes
Authors: Bedard Alexander F. , Mata Lina V. , Dymond Chelsea , Moreira Fabio , Dixon Julia , Schauer Steven G. , Ginde Adit A. , Bebarta Vikhyat , Moore Ernest E. , Mould-Millman Nee-Kofi
Published: December 2020

Background

Annually, over 1 billion people sustain traumatic injuries, resulting in over 900,000 deaths in Africa and 6 million deaths globally. Timely response, intervention, and transportation in the prehospital setting reduce morbidity and mortality of trauma victims. Our objective was to describe the existing literature evaluating trauma morbidity and mortality outcomes as a function of prehospital care time to identify gaps in literature and inform future investigation.

Main body

We performed a scoping review of published literature in MEDLINE. Results were limited to English language publications from 2009 to 2020. Included articles reported trauma outcomes and prehospital time. We excluded case reports, reviews, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, comments, editorials, letters, and conference proceedings. In total, 808 articles were identified for title and abstract review. Of those, 96 articles met all inclusion criteria and were fully reviewed. Higher quality studies used data derived from trauma registries. There was a paucity of literature from studies in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), with only 3 (3%) of articles explicitly including African populations. Mortality was an outcome measure in 93% of articles, predominantly defined as “in-hospital mortality” as opposed to mortality within a specified time frame. Prehospital time was most commonly assessed as crude time from EMS dispatch to arrival at a tertiary trauma center. Few studies evaluated physiologic morbidity outcomes such as multi-organ failure.

Conclusion

The existing literature disproportionately represents high-income settings and most commonly assessed in-hospital mortality as a function of crude prehospital time. Future studies should focus on how specific prehospital intervals impact morbidity outcomes (e.g., organ failure) and mortality at earlier time points (e.g., 3 or 7 days) to better reflect the effect of early prehospital resuscitation and transport. Trauma registries may be a tool to facilitate such research and may promote higher quality investigations in Africa and LMICs.