bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chemical activation of ABA signaling in grapevine through the iSB09 and AMF4 ABA receptor agonists enhances water use efficiency
Authors: Bono Mar , Ferrer‐Gallego Raul , Pou Alicia , Rivera‐Moreno Maria , Benavente Juan L. , Mayordomo Cristian , Deis Leonor , Carbonell‐Bejerano Pablo , Pizzio Gaston A. , Navarro‐Payá David , Matus José Tomás , Martinez‐Zapater Jose Miguel , Albert Armando , Intrigliolo Diego S. , Rodriguez Pedro L.
Published: November 2024

Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) is the world's third most valuable horticultural crop, and the current environmental scenario is massively shifting the grape cultivation landscape. The increase in heatwaves and drought episodes alter fruit ripening, compromise grape yield and vine survival, intensifying the pressure on using limited water resources. ABA is a key phytohormone that reduces canopy transpiration and helps plants to cope with water deficit. However, the exogenous application of ABA is impractical because it suffers fast catabolism, and UV‐induced isomerization abolishes its bioactivity. Consequently, there is an emerging field for developing molecules that act as ABA receptor agonists and modulate ABA signaling but have a longer half‐life. We have explored the foliar application of the iSB09 and AMF4 agonists in the two grapevine cultivars cv. ‘Bobal’ and ‘Tempranillo’ to induce an ABA‐like response to facilitate plant adaptation to drought. The results indicate that iSB09 and AMF4 act through the VviPYL1‐like, VviPYL4‐like, and VviPYL8‐like ABA receptors to trigger stomatal closure, reduce plant transpiration, and increase water use efficiency. Structural and bioinformatic analysis of VviPYL1 in complex with ABA or these agonists revealed key structural determinants for efficient ligand binding, providing a mechanistic framework to understand receptor activation by the ligands. Physiological analyses further demonstrated that iSB09 has a more sustained effect on reducing transpiration than ABA, and agonist spraying of grapevine leaves protected PSII during drought stress. These findings offer innovative approaches to strengthen the vine's response to water stress and reduce plant consumptive water use under limited soil water conditions.
Higgs bundles in the Hitchin section over non‐compact hyperbolic surfaces
Authors: Li Qiongling , Mochizuki Takuro
Published: November 2024

Let be an arbitrary non‐compact hyperbolic Riemann surface, that is, not the complex plane or punctured plane. Let be , or . We show that, on a Higgs bundle in the ‐Hitchin section over , there always exists a harmonic metric satisfying certain nice properties. Moreover, when the Higgs field has bounded spectral curve with respect to the complete hyperbolic metric on , such a harmonic metric is unique. As a result, we obtain a new proof of the existence and uniqueness of a harmonic metric for Higgs bundles in the ‐Hitchin section over a compact hyperbolic Riemann surface. Moreover, we show an existence result of harmonic metrics for a more general family of Higgs bundles that admit a full holomorphic filtration.
Thermal Characteristics and Dryer Performance Analysis of Double Pass Solar Collector Powered by Copper and Iron Oxide
Authors: Venkatesh R. , Venkatasubramanian R. , Singh Pradeep Kumar , Mayiladuthurai Vaidyanathan Ishwarya , Deshwal Deepti , Bhimeshwar Reddy S. D. V. V. S. , Soudagar Manzoore Elahi M. , Al Obaid Sami , Alharbi Sulaiman Ali
Published: November 2024

Solar renewable energy is prospective for various engineering applications including heat exchanger and air dryer applications. The drying of agricultural products is influenced by the weather, which can limit their dryness on cloudy days and reduce drying efficiency, often necessitating additional measures to complete the drying process. This research aims to enrich the functional characteristics of a double-pass solar collector configured with a dryer unit for drying agriculture products, namely, potato chips, banana chips, and red chilies. The solar collector features a hybrid black paint coating prepared by mixing copper oxide (CuO) and iron oxide (Fe3O4) via a spray pyrolysis route with 0.3 µm thickness. The effect of hybrid coating on air temperature, energy input, thermal efficiency, drying rate, moisture ratio, and exergy efficiency of the solar-coupled dryer was estimated and compared with non-coating conditions. The result of hybrid nano-enhanced coating shows superior thermal performance and dryer performance than other coating conditions. The peak air temperature, energy input, and average efficiency are about 66.5 °C, 359.7 W, and 69.7%, respectively. Furthermore, the red chilies show a better average drying rate, moisture ratio, and exergy efficiency of about 0.81 kg/h, 0.39, and 8.4%, respectively.
Numerical Investigations on Minimization of Convective Heat Losses From Hemispherical Cavity Receiver Using Air Curtain
Authors: Sandeep Raj R. , Dinesh N. , Vikram T. Srihari
Published: November 2024

In the present work, numerical investigations are carried out to study the effect of placing an air curtain at the aperture of the hemispherical cavity receiver of solar parabolic dish collector system to reduce convective heat losses. The effect of parameters like jet angle, jet velocity, cavity inclination, and surface temperature on convective heat loss is considered. The effect of jet angle and velocity plays an important role in controlling the heat losses from the receiver. At jet angle of −20 deg, air impinges inside the receiver surface thus diluting hot air inside the receiver. However, for jet angle of 0 deg and 20 deg, jet controls air escaping out of the receiver. There lies optimum jet velocity which can sustain hot air from leaving receiver. This study shows that using an air curtain for the hemispherical cavity receiver minimizes the convective heat losses up to 45% at optimum jet conditions. The convective heat loss is minimum (192 W) for the jet velocity of 2.5 m/s and jet angle of 20 deg which implies that the best containment effect from the air curtain can be obtained at this condition. Further, an artificial neural network model is formulated to predict the heat losses from the receiver for a range of functional parameters based on numerical simulations.
Tailoring the Tribomechanical and Corrosion Behavior of Reverse Pulse Deposited Ni–Co–P Coating Through Cobalt Content Modulation
Authors: Chakraborti Anurag , Das Suman Kalyan , Sahoo Prasanta
Published: November 2024

This study explores the influence of cobalt content on the tribomechanical and corrosion properties of Ni–Co–P coatings deposited through reverse pulse electroplating. The ratio of Co salt concentration to the total Ni and Co salt concentration was varied in the electrolyte to achieve different Co levels within relatively low cobalt (≤36 wt%) regime. X-ray diffraction revealed crystallite sizes of 1–3 nm in the deposited layers suggesting a mixture of amorphous and nanocrystalline structure. Critical loads in scratch adhesion tests are found to be in between 10.5 N and 15.1 N implying adequate adhesive bonding between the deposits and the substrates. Microhardness and pin-on-disc tribo test results demonstrate a positive correlation between Co content and both hardness and wear resistance of the coatings. However, incorporating small amounts of Co (≤6.2 wt%) exhibited minimal impact on these properties. Interestingly, corrosion resistance in saline medium peaked at the second-highest Co level (26.2 wt% of Co), followed by a decrease with further increase of Co. These findings indicate an optimal Co concentration for achieving a balance between wear resistance and corrosion protection in Ni–Co–P coatings.
An Extended Operational Modal Analysis Method Enabling the Separation of Whirling Direction Information in Rotating Machinery (Full Operational Modal Analysis Method)
Authors: Goto Daiki , Inoue Tsuyoshi , Kimura Shogo , Heya Akira , Nakamura Shinsaku , Watanabe Yusuke
Published: November 2024

Operational modal analysis (OMA) has recently been applied to the condition monitoring of rotating machinery. Conventional OMA is based on a one-dimensional signal. The natural modes of a rotating machinery can be classified into two types: a forward whirling mode and a backward whirling mode. Although the magnitudes of the natural frequencies of these two modes are separated by the gyroscopic effect, they can become close to each other and difficult to distinguish. This characteristic may make it difficult to apply conventional OMA based on a one-dimensional signal to rotating machinery. To monitor and diagnose the rotating machinery in the operating condition with high precision, it is necessary to develop the OMA method that can separate this information of the forward and backward whirling modes and can accurately estimate the vibration characteristics of each mode. However, only one previous report has addressed the application of OMA to rotating machinery with the capability of separating whirling direction information, and this approach requires an excitation signal. In this study, a novel OMA method, referred to as full OMA, has been developed, which is capable of separating forward and backward whirling direction information without the need for an excitation signal. To achieve this, signal data in both the x and y directions are acquired, and their autocorrelation and cross-correlation functions are calculated and combined as complex numbers. Spectral analysis of these functions yields a pseudo–full frequency response function (FRF), from which modal parameters for each whirling direction can be estimated. The validity and usefulness of the proposed full OMA method have been confirmed through both theoretical analysis and experimental validation. This full OMA method enables the accurate estimation of vibration characteristics for each whirling direction, even when the forward and backward natural frequencies are in close proximity. Consequently, the proposed full OMA method is highly effective for monitoring and diagnosing rotating machinery.
Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Receptor Mutations Associated with Human Disease: Insights into Receptor Function and Dysfunction
Authors: Arige Vikas , MacLean David M. , Yule David I.
Published: November 2024

Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors (IP3Rs) are ubiquitous intracellular Ca2+ release channels. Their activation, subcellular localization, abundance, and regulation play major roles in defining the spatiotemporal characteristics of intracellular Ca2+ signals, which are in turn fundamental to the appropriate activation of effectors that control a myriad of cellular events. Over the past decade, ∼100 mutations in ITPRs associated with human diseases have been documented. Mutations have been detailed in all three IP3R subtypes and all functional domains of the protein, resulting in both gain and loss of receptor function. IP3R mutations are associated with a diverse array of pathology including spinocerebellar ataxia, peripheral neuropathy, immunopathy, anhidrosis, hyperparathyroidism, and squamous cell carcinoma. This review focuses on how studying the altered activity of these mutations provides information relating to IP3R structure and function, the physiology underpinned by specific IP3R subtypes, and the pathological consequences of dysregulated Ca2+ signaling in human disease.
Figure S5 from Spatial Context of Immune Checkpoints as Predictors of Overall Survival in Patients with Resectable Colorectal Cancer Independent of Standard Tumor–Node–Metastasis Stages
Authors: Kong Hao , Yang Qingxin , Wu Chunwei , Wu Xiangji , Yan Xinrui , Huang Li-Bin , Chen Lu , Zhou Zong-Guang , Wang Ping , Jiang Hong
Published: November 2024

Pearson correlation of screened factors
Figure 2 from Spatial Context of Immune Checkpoints as Predictors of Overall Survival in Patients with Resectable Colorectal Cancer Independent of Standard Tumor–Node–Metastasis Stages
Authors: Kong Hao , Yang Qingxin , Wu Chunwei , Wu Xiangji , Yan Xinrui , Huang Li-Bin , Chen Lu , Zhou Zong-Guang , Wang Ping , Jiang Hong
Published: November 2024

Spatial heterogeneity of the immune microenvironment correlates with patient prognosis in human colorectal cancer. A, Representative images of defined seven cell types (CD8+PD-1+TIM-3+, CD8+PD-1+TIM-3−, CD8+PD-1−TIM-3−, CD8−PD-1+TIM-3+, CD8+PD-1−TIM-3+, CD8−PD-1+TIM-3−, and CD8−PD-1−TIM-3+). B, Combination of the distance map and cell subtype map showed spatial infiltration patterns. Criteria of spatial division of the tumor: i.t. (within 10 μm to the tumor cell), proximal (10–30 μm to the tumor cell), and distal (more than 30 μm to the tumor cell). C, Representative image of microenvironment regions and different infiltration patterns of three-marker–defined CD8+ T cells. D, Hierarchical clustering of all quantified immune cells and their spatial phenotypes. Heatmap represents z-score–normalized data; red color represents expression above the mean, blue color represents expression below the mean, and white color represents the mean. E, Representative image and spatial state of three subtypes: cluster 1, high-infiltrated; cluster 2, medium-infiltrated; and cluster 3, low-infiltrated, characterized by infiltration of CTLs; blue color represents cells at a distance of 0 μm from the tumor cells, and yellow color represents cells at a distance of 30 μm from the tumor cells. F, K–M curve (log-rank test) survival plots depict the OS in the unsupervised clusters. DAPI,x; mid, medium.
Altered Blood Oxygen Level-Dependent Signal Stability in the Brain of Patients with Major Depressive Disorder Undergoing Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Authors: Zheng Hao , Fan Siyu , Pang Xiaonan , Wei Qiang , Wu Yue , Tian Yanghua , Wang Kai
Published: November 2024

Introduction: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common, relapse-prone psychiatric disorder with unknown pathogenesis. Previous studies on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging of MDD have mostly focused on the spontaneous activity of blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signals; however, a few studies have investigated BOLD signal stability. Methods: We conducted a resting-state functional study in 42 patients with MDD and 42 healthy controls (HC) matched for age and sex. This included the BOLD signal stability, resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) analysis, correlation analysis, and support vector machine (SVM) analysis. Results: The BOLD signal stability of the left fusiform gyrus, right inferior temporal gyrus, right temporal pole superior temporal gyrus, and left thalamus was significantly lower in the MDD group compared to the HC group. Further RSFC analysis revealed that the connectivity between right inferior temporal gyrus and both left inferior temporal gyrus and left supramarginal gyrus was significantly reduced in the MDD group. Additionally, the RSFC levels of left thalamus and right thalamus were decreased. Combining BOLD signal stability and RSFC, the SVM-based classification model achieved an accuracy of 80.95% (sensitivity: 78.57%; specificity: 83.33%; receiver-operating characteristic area under the curve: 0.8793). Conclusion: The integration of the BOLD signal stability index and RSFC index demonstrates a robust capability to differentiate between individuals with MDD and HC subjects. We tentatively believe that a combination of the BOLD signal stability index and RSFC can be used to diagnose MDD.
Novel Protocol for the Use of Advanced Hybrid Closed-Loop System in Adolescents Engaged in Contact Sports
Authors: Gawrecki Andrzej , Chrzanowski Jędrzej , Michalak Arkadiusz , Fendler Wojciech , Cohen Ohad , Szadkowska Agnieszka
Published: November 2024

Introduction: Managing exercise remains challenging for adolescent athletes with type 1 diabetes (T1D), especially in contact sports. Even the use of hybrid closed loops can cause problems due to the need to disconnect the pump during some training or competitions. This study evaluated the efficacy of a novel protocol for the use of an advanced hybrid closed-loop system in adolescent football players with T1D during a sports camp. Methods: Eleven boys aged 14.9 years (25–75th percentile: 14–15.5), with a diabetes duration of 5.7 years (5.2–7) and regular training schedules in junior football leagues, participated in the study. They started AHCL (MiniMed780G, Medtronic) therapy a month before a week-long sports camp and were observed during the sports camp and the preceding week. Daily camp activities included two 1.5-h training sessions. Protocol included a 90-min temporary target of 150 mg/dL before and insulin pump disconnection during training. Physical activity was tracked using wGT3X-BT Actigraph monitors. Results: The camp provided conditions of demanding physical activity (6.6 [6–6.9] h/day of moderate-to-vigorous intensity). After starting AHCL, the average participant time spent in the target glucose range (70–180 mg/dL) was 79.34 ± 8.46%, and no significant change was observed during the camp (mean difference +0.79 ± 8.24%, p = 0.7581). Median glucose levels dropped by 10.91 ± 12.08 mg/dL (p = 0.0134), and time in the tight target range increased by 11.41 ± 11.60% (p = 0.0008) without increasing the time below range (<70 mg/dL) or glycemic variability. During the camp, daily insulin dose and basal/bolus ratio remained comparable with baseline, but the relative amount of automated bolus insulin decreased by 14.24 ± 4.65% (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: The predefined regimen, including a temporary target before and disconnection of AHCL during football training, was safe and may provide satisfactory glucose control in active adolescents with T1D. This protocol could be adapted for use in other intensive contact sports.
Immunological Approaches in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders: A Historical Overview
Authors: Müller Norbert
Published: November 2024

Background: For over 130 years, scientists have been suggesting that infection and inflammation may play a role in psychosis and other psychiatric disorders. First attempts to treat psychosis by immune-modulating therapies were made early in the last century; however, after the development of antipsychotics in the 1950s, scientific interest shifted away from immunological aspects of psychiatric disorders to the involvement of catecholamines, in particular dopamine, in psychosis. Summary: Antipsychotic treatment was not as successful as expected, so the 1990s saw renewed interest in inflammation and psychoneuroimmunological research in schizophrenia and beyond. In parallel, advances in immunological research methods allowed immunological and inflammatory mechanisms to be studied in more detail. Key Messages: Clinical studies and meta-analyses have demonstrated positive effects of anti-inflammatory treatment in certain patients with psychiatric disorders. More research is needed to elucidate exactly how immunological mechanisms result in disease pathophysiology, with the aim to improve anti-inflammatory and personalized treatments.
North Korea in the Twilight of Communism: Ideological Transformation and International Relations during the Cold War's Final Decade
Authors: Stock Thomas
Published: November 2024

The 1980s were a time of considerable ideological transformations in North Korea and the Soviet Union. North Korean leaders revived orthodox Marxism-Leninism, whereas the opposite was true in the Soviet Union, as Mikhail Gorbachev ushered in a fundamental reassessment of Marxism-Leninism that led to the downfall of ideological orthodoxy. Previous scholarship has barely explored this revival and the impact of Soviet ideological changes on North Korea. Drawing on newly released archival evidence and North Korean party publications, this article explores these interrelated and often contradictory phenomena. North Korea's revival of Marxism-Leninism, far from being superficial, was profound and strategically designed to link North Korean foreign policy much more closely with state ideology. The reoriented North Korean policy actively reached out to the Communist world to attain economic and diplomatic superiority vis-à-vis South Korea. Soviet ideological changes under Gorbachev threatened to undermine the DPRK's foreign policy goals and new ideological commitments, thus resulting in sharp ideological disagreements and ultimately the end of North Korea's Marxist-Leninist renaissance.
Sex-typed or Androgynous: Gender Representations in One Sentence Is Ten Thousand Sentences and The Blind Assassin
Authors: Shirazi Mozhgan , Hadaegh Bahee
Published: November 2024

Although the gender landscape has been experiencing a significant amount of change and flexibility in many parts of the world over the past few decades, societal messages regarding gender roles and expectations can still remain conventional. It is likely that such a perplexing paradox becomes reinforced while portraying male or female characters in fiction. Inspired by Sandra Bem’s gender schema theory introduced in 1981, this research aims to examine gender representations in the protagonists of two novels, namely The Blind Assassin and One Sentence Is Ten Thousand Sentences. Iris Chase and Yung Baishun (Wu Moxi) are analyzed according to a modified version of The Bem Sex-Role Inventory (BRSI) to see whether they’re sex-typed (masculine or feminine) or androgynous. The results calculated in an “androgyny ratio” (AR) indicate that while Atwood’s character is marked as feminine, Yung Baishun is characterized as androgynous according to BRSI.
Providence Community: Building Vulnerable Community to Overcome the Cycle of Violence
Authors: Panuntun Daniel Fajar , Alakaman Marlen Tineke , Sembiring Raharja
Published: November 2024

Is it possible to overcome the inclination of a victim of violence to become a perpetrator? The objective of the article is to present a conceptual framework for a community that has the potential to interfere with the continuing cycle of violence in situations where the victim transitions into the perpetrator. We can address these inquiries by discussing providence Theology, vulnerable communities, trauma survivors, and the act of remembering to establish connections between these three aspects. Providence Theology embodies the Christian community as a person’s providence capable of imagining the past, remembering the future, and enacting the present as a vulnerable community. Ultimately, we designate the concept as the vulnerable providence community by linking the imagination of past events with remembering God’s future providence to enact the present and break out from the cycle of violence.
Diabolus in Machina? Complex Digital Systems Interpreted through Early Modern Demonology
Authors: Wiesenfeldt Gerhard , Sinanan Jolynna
Published: November 2024

Based on the characterisation of complex technology as inherently magical, we interpret the engagement with digital systems within the framework of medieval and early modern demonological thought. By presenting a historicising argument that demonic understandings are inherent to the navigation of technological systems, we provide an ontological approach to the debate on the intentionality of technology. In the demonological vision of technology, we engage in digital systems beyond our control, producing moral dilemmas stemming from our inability to clearly discern good and evil demons – the invisible control of our digital lives and the irresponsible transgression of our expertise in decision making. Our trust in the digital systems we engage with, but do not control, is based on faith in the benevolence of demons. We argue that the attribution of intentionality to complex digital systems is unavoidable, even though it may be misguided. Using the epistemological framework of demonology enables us to better understand the consequences and functions of such attributions. This in turn provides a new perspective on the morality and agency of technological systems.
No Home Field Advantage: Themes in Journalistic Coverage of Western Visitors to Qatar for the 2022 World Cup
Authors: Moore Rick Clifton
Published: November 2024

This study expands upon research examining how journalists describe the cultural clashes between Islam and “the West.” Much of the recent scholarship in this area has focused on how media represent Muslim immigration to European and North American countries. In contrast, this investigation analyzes media portrayals of Islam within the framework of Western tourists visiting Qatar for the fifa World Cup. Using qualitative analysis, I examine three themes Western journalists used in describing conflicts presumed to occur when Western soccer fans visit a Muslim-majority country. While the themes might suggest a continued vision of a clash of civilizations, there was little in the news reports that suggested blatant Islamophobia. In fact, the findings hint that the modern West might sometimes treat the Muslim faith in a way that does not reveal open hostility, but subtly chips away at some of the distinctiveness of the religion.
TWEAK/Fn14 disrupts Th17/Treg balance and aggravates conjunctivitis by inhibiting the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway in allergic conjunctivitis mice
Authors: Yang Yang , Zhang Yuezhi , Fu Jingfan , Yin Xiaolong
Published: November 2024

Background

Allergic conjunctivitis (AC) affects people’s daily life and work, especially the health of children. Although there are few relevant studies, Th17/Treg imbalance plays an important role in AC development. The aim of this study was to elucidate the effect of TWEAK/Fn14 on AC and Th17/Treg balance.

Methods

Ovalbumin induced AC mouse model was utilized to observe the mechanism of TWEAK/Fn14 in vivo. Conjunctivitis was evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin staining, toluidine blue staining and AC clinical score. Flow cytometry was used to measure Th17 and Treg cell ratios. The level of Th17/Treg balance related factors and Nrf2/HO-1 signal was detected by ELISA, WB, qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry.

Results

In the AC state, disruption of Th17/Treg cell balance, increased TWEAK/Fn14 signaling level and conjunctival inflammation were observed. After TWEAK knockdown, Th17 cell differentiation was inhibited, Treg cell differentiation was promoted, and AC symptoms were alleviated in AC mice. Moreover, TWEAK knockdown caused an enhancement of the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway in the AC models. Treatment with Nrf2 inhibitor reversed these changes induced by TWEAK knockdown. Therefore, TWEAK/Fn14 regulated the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway to affect Th17/Treg cell balance and conjunctivitis in AC mouse models.

Conclusion

In summary, TWEAK/Fn14 caused Th17/Treg imbalance by inhibiting Nrf2/HO-1 pathway, which might be one potential mechanism of the exacerbation of AC.
Bridging knowledge gaps: impact of remedial classes on first-year medical students in biochemistry – a cross-sectional study
Authors: Hegde Shreelaxmi V. , Shetty Prajna P. , Senthilkumar Monikaa , Kandimalla Ramesh , Bernhardt Grisilda Vidya , Pinto Janita R.T. , Mahadevan Renukadevi , Kotian Shashidhar M. , Rashmi K.S.
Published: November 2024

Background

Remedial teaching is a tailored educational approach dedicated to enhancing the academic performance of students facing challenges within the curriculum. By identifying and addressing specific learning difficulties, it provides essential support and guidance to bring students closer to expected standards while preventing future setbacks. We hypothesize that underperforming medical students who receive daily, tailored remediation will demonstrate significant improvement in their formative and summative assessment scores in biochemistry.

Methods

A cross-sectional mixed-method study was conducted on 56 underperforming first-year medical undergraduates to assess the effect of targeted remediation on formative and summative assessments in Biochemistry. Training sessions included various remediation techniques over six months. Post-remediation feedback was collected to gather insights into students’ attitudes, perceptions, and the effectiveness of the methods in improving their understanding of the subject. Logistic regression analysis was employed to determine the most effective remediation for student performance. Benefits and weaknesses of remedial training approaches for future application as perceived by the students were derived through deductive thematic analysis of their feedback.

Results

The mean marks, evaluated out of a maximum of 100, showed improvement from 29.86 ± 7.71 to 71.48 ± 10.19, with statistical significance (p < 0.001). From the students’ perspective, the most effective remediation method was grade incentives in formative assessments (odds ratio 6.19). Five major themes were identified: perceived barriers prior to remediation, positive outcomes and behavioral changes observed after remediation, and strengths and areas for improvement in remediation.

Conclusions

The study concludes that identifying underperformers in the early stages of the medical curriculum and providing them with tailored remediation can enhance their performance in exams. Grade incentives in formative assessments, mind maps, quizzes, quick revisions, and assignments were beneficial remedial tools. Targeted remediation proved advantageous for students in improving their academic skills, exam preparation, time management, and attitudes towards the subject.
Enhancing therapeutic reasoning: key insights and recommendations for education in prescribing
Authors: Hartjes Mariëlle G. , Richir Milan C. , Cazaubon Yoann , Donker Erik M. , van Leeuwen Ellen , Likic Robert , Pers Yves-Marie , Piët Joost D. , De Ponti Fabrizio , Raasch Walter , van Rosse Floor , Rychlícková Jitka , Sanz Emilio J. , Schwaninger Markus , Wallerstedt Susanna M. , de Vries Theo P. G. M. , van Agtmael Michiel A. , Tichelaar Jelle ,   On behalf of the EACPT Education Working group
Published: November 2024

Background

Despite efforts to improve undergraduate clinical pharmacology & therapeutics (CPT) education, prescribing errors are still made regularly. To improve CPT education and daily prescribing, it is crucial to understand how therapeutic reasoning works. Therefore, the aim of this study was to gain insight into the therapeutic reasoning process.

Methods

A narrative literature review has been performed for literature on cognitive psychology and diagnostic and therapeutic reasoning.

Results

Based on these insights, The European Model of Therapeutic Reasoning has been developed, building upon earlier models and insights from cognitive psychology. In this model, it can be assumed that when a diagnosis is made, a primary, automatic response as to what to prescribe arises based on pattern recognition via therapy scripts (type 1 thinking). At some point, this response may be evaluated by the reflective mind (using metacognition). If it is found to be incorrect or incomplete, an alternative response must be formulated through a slower, more analytical and deliberative process, known as type 2 thinking. Metacognition monitors the reasoning process and helps a person to form new therapy scripts after they have chosen an effective therapy. Experienced physicians have more and richer therapy scripts, mostly based on experience and enabling conditions, instead of textbook knowledge, and therefore their type 1 response is more often correct.

Conclusion

Because of the important role of metacognition in therapeutic reasoning, more attention should be paid to metacognition in CPT education. Both trainees and teachers should be aware of the possibility to monitor and influence these cognitive processes. Further research is required to investigate the applicability of these insights and the adaptability of educational approaches to therapeutic reasoning.
The use of patient-reported outcome measures to improve patient-related outcomes – a systematic review
Authors: Bonsel Joshua M. , Itiola Ademola J. , Huberts Anouk S. , Bonsel Gouke J. , Penton Hannah
Published: November 2024

Background

Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) provide invaluable information on patients’ health outcomes and can be used to improve patient-related outcomes at the individual, organizational and policy levels. This systematic review aimed to a) identify contemporary applications and synthesize all evidence on the use of PROMs in these contexts and b) to determine characteristics of interventions associated with increased effectiveness.

Methods

Five databases were searched for studies providing quantitative evidence of the impact of PROM interventions. Any study design was permitted. An overall benefit (worsening) in outcome was defined as a statistically significant improvement (deterioration) in either a PROM, patient-reported experience measure or clinical outcome. Study quality was assessed using the Effective Public Healthcare Panacea Project’s Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies. A narrative synthesis was conducted.

Results

Seventy-six studies of the 11,121 articles identified met the inclusion criteria. At the individual level, 10 (43%) of 23 studies that fed back PROMs to the patient or healthcare provider showed an improvement in outcome. This percentage increased in studies which used PROMs to monitor disease symptoms and linked these to care-pathways: 17 (68%) of 25 studies using this mechanism showed an improvement. Ten (71%) of 14 studies using PROMs to screen for disease found a benefit. The monitoring and screening approach was most effective using PROMs covering cancer-related, depression and gastro-intestinal symptoms. Three studies found that the mere collection of PROMs resulted in improved outcomes. Another three studies used PROMs in decision aids and found improved decision quality.

At the organizational/policy level, none of the 4 studies that used PROMs for benchmarking found a benefit. The three studies that used PROMs for in-depth performance analyses and 1 study in a plan-do-study-act (PDCA) cycle found an improvement in outcome.

Studies employing disease-specific PROMs tended to observe improved outcomes more often. There are concerns regarding the validity of findings, as studies varied from weak to moderate quality.

Conclusions

The use of PROMs at the individual level has matured considerably. Monitoring/screening applications seem promising particularly for diseases for which treatment algorithms rely on the experienced symptom burden by patients. Organizational/policy-level application is in its infancy, and performance evaluation via in-depth analyses and PDCA-cycles may be useful. The findings of this review may aid stakeholders in the development and implementation of PROM-interventions which truly impact patient outcomes.
Insights from the 2023 International Veterinary Immunology Symposium: global perspectives at Kruger National Park
Authors: Capozzo Alejandra V. , Corripio-Miyar Yolanda , Lemmer Yolandy
Published: November 2024

The 13th International Veterinary Immunology Symposium (IVIS) was initially due to take place in August 2022, but as many things in our lives, the COVID-19 pandemic that hit the world two years prior, forced the organising committee to postpone the meeting until November 2023. As it is tradition, the veterinary immunology symposium was organised as a satellite meeting of the IUIS International Congress of Immunology, which in 2023 took place in Cape Town, and it is where veterinary immunologists from all over the world get together to discuss advances and challenges in the field of animal health. The 2023 International Veterinary Immunology Symposium (IVIS) was held from November 17th to 21st at Kruger National Park, Skukuza, South Africa. This was the first time the symposium was hosted on the African continent. This event gathered 210 veterinary professionals and scientists from 38 countries to discuss the latest advancements and challenges in veterinary immunology. A highlight of the event was that over 70% of the delegates were first-time attendees, contributing to the symposium’s global reach. The symposium featured a series of 83 oral presentations and 104 poster presentations, including topics relating to protective immunity, vaccine strategies, important disease targets, and methodological advancements in veterinary immunology. Workshops provided hands-on experiences and discussions on new technologies such as next-generation sequencing and vaccine development strategies against bacterial infections. The symposium also provided opportunities for networking and engagements with leaders in the field, set against the backdrop of one of Africa’s most iconic game reserves, enhancing the experience with a unique blend of professional exchange and natural beauty.
A multilevel analysis of student and school characteristics associated with 15-year-olds’ reading performances: a Southeast Asian perspective
Authors: Darmawan I Gusti Ngurah , Dharmapatni Anak Agung Sagung Sri Kencana
Published: November 2024

This paper explores student and school level factors associated with 15-year-old students’ reading performance in five Southeast Asian (SEA) countries. It investigates predictors of reading performance, including student gender, economic, social, and cultural status (ESCS), social well-being, and experiences of bullying at the student level. It also explores the school sector, school climate and the proportion of socioeconomically disadvantaged students at the school. Using Hierarchical Linear Modelling (HLM), this study identifies significant relationships between these student-level factors and learning outcomes, illustrating the complex associations that shape academic success. The findings align with prior research, highlighting disparities in reading skills between genders and the negative association of bullying with academic performance. Additionally, the study emphasizes the positive association of ESCS and social well-being on reading achievements, underlining the importance of socioeconomic status and socio-emotional wellbeing in students’ learning success. The associations with school level factors vary across Southeast Asia.
Integration of nanobiosensors into organ-on-chip systems for monitoring viral infections
Authors: Zhang Jiande , Kim Min-Hyeok , Lee Seulgi , Park Sungsu
Published: November 2024

The integration of nanobiosensors into organ-on-chip (OoC) models offers a promising advancement in the study of viral infections and therapeutic development. Conventional research methods for studying viral infection, such as two-dimensional cell cultures and animal models, face challenges in replicating the complex and dynamic nature of human tissues. In contrast, OoC systems provide more accurate, physiologically relevant models for investigating viral infections, disease mechanisms, and host responses. Nanobiosensors, with their miniaturized designs and enhanced sensitivity, enable real-time, continuous, in situ monitoring of key biomarkers, such as cytokines and proteins within these systems. This review highlights the need for integrating nanobiosensors into OoC systems to advance virological research and improve therapeutic outcomes. Although there is extensive literature on biosensors for viral infection detection and OoC models for replicating infections, real integration of biosensors into OoCs for continuous monitoring remains unachieved. We discuss the advantages of nanobiosensor integration for real-time tracking of critical biomarkers within OoC models, key biosensor technologies, and current OoC systems relevant to viral infection studies. Additionally, we address the main technical challenges and propose solutions for successful integration. This review aims to guide the development of biosensor-integrated OoCs, paving the way for precise diagnostics and personalized treatments in virological research.

Graphical Abstract
Contested future-making in containment: temporalities, infrastructures and agency
Authors: Scharrer Tabea , Lambert Laura , Millar Stefan , Pekşen Mert , Laakkonen Ville
Published: November 2024

Containment, as a way of restricting mobilities, ranges from physical infrastructures to diffused control practices in everyday life. Alongside their physical, social, and political dimensions, such restrictions also engender various temporal borders and experiences of time particular to situations of containment. A prolific field of research has identified waiting and hope as strategies for both enforcing and surpassing containment. In response, anthropological research on future-making has highlighted a more diverse set of contextual and emergent practices that derive from imagining and realising migrants’ futures. Yet, in contrast to waiting, migrants’ future-making practices have seldom been related to containment. Besides containment informing future-making, migrants and control actors also manipulate time as they plan or experiment with futures to overcome or reinforce containment. Carrying elusive promises of a better future, containment infrastructures can also motivate migrants to stay put and accommodate restrictions to their mobility. This paper addresses how such different relational, often conflicting, practices of envisioning and realising migrant futures contribute to or subvert different types of containment. Building on empirical studies from Turkey, Niger and Kenya we suggest future-making as a relational, practice-oriented and contextual approach suited to trace the negotiation of migrant futures between migrants, control actors, and infrastructures in situations of spatiotemporal containment. We give special attention to resettlement as a form of containment due to its ability to limit mobility through promises of future mobility and its role in negotiating migrant futures. This article serves as a theoretical introduction into the emerging research field of contested future-making in containment and to the corresponding paper cluster.
Clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential is associated with increased risk of immune checkpoint inhibitor myocarditis in a prospective study of a cardio-oncology cohort
Authors: Jaber Chehayeb Rachel , Singh Jaiveer , Matute-Martinez Carlos , Chen Nathan W. , Guajardo Ana Ferrigno , Lin Derrick , Jayakrishnan Ritujith , Christofides Anthos , Leveille Etienne , Im Yunju , Biancon Giulia , VanOudenhove Jennifer , Ibrahim Eiman , Ardasheva Anastasias , Jha Alokkumar , Hwa John , Halene Stephanie , Kwan Jennifer M.
Published: November 2024

Background

Clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) has been shown to increase all-cause mortality and risk of cardiomyopathy in patients with solid malignancies. CHIP has also been shown to increase T cell activation in heart failure patients. It is unclear whether CHIP can affect the risk of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) myocarditis in patients with cancer treated with immunotherapy.

Methods

We enrolled patients with solid tumors in a prospective study, determined CHIP status at time of enrollment through blood whole exome sequencing, and assessed incidence of ICI myocarditis from time of enrollment through December 1st, 2023. We performed a competing risk cox regression to evaluate the role of CHIP in ICI myocarditis, accounting for patient demographics, cardiac comorbidities, cardiotoxic cancer therapy, and dual ICI use in our covariates. We also generated cumulative incidence curves using subdistribution hazards to evaluate development of ICI myocarditis stratified by CHIP vs no CHIP. Chart review was performed to evaluate patient co-morbidities, lab values, imaging findings and outcomes.

Results

Among the 88 patients receiving ICI therapy, average age was 67 ± 14 years, of which 50% harbored CHIP variants. Among all comorbidities, including diabetes, heart failure and obstructive coronary artery disease, only coronary artery calcifications were significantly increased in patients with CHIP. There were no statistically significant differences in cancer therapy or cardiovascular drugs between patients with and without CHIP. Among examined outcomes, patients with CHIP had a statistically higher rate of ICI myocarditis (overall: 57%, CHIP: 73% (32/44), no CHIP: 41% (18/44), p = 0.003) and death (CHIP: 60%, no CHIP 31%, p = 0.011). In a multivariate competing risk analysis, CHIP status doubled the risk of developing ICI myocarditis, similar to the risk of dual ICI use (CHIP status HR 2.74, 95% CI: 1.44–5.22, p = 0.002 vs dual ICI use HR 2.39, 95% CI: 1.11–5.14, p = 0.026).

Conclusions

This study is the first to show that CHIP independently increases risk of ICI myocarditis, with implications for risk stratification of patients prior to ICI initiation and frequency of cardiac monitoring.
Delaying treatment for peritonitis could be related to longer hospitalization in patients on peritoneal dialysis
Authors: Koshitori Yusaku , Takai Nami , Isomura Yoshihito , Hiramatsu Tetsuaki , Suzuki Yasuhiro , Kim Hangsoo , Fukui Sosuke , Mizuno Masashi
Published: November 2024

Background

When peritoneal dialysis (PD)-related peritonitis occurs in PD patients, diagnostic and therapeutic approaches should be started as soon as possible. However, medical attention may be delayed in patients experiencing minimal symptoms with cloudy PD fluid (PDF). This study investigated differences between the first and later episodes of peritonitis and relationships between interval from peritonitis onset to attending hospital and both duration of hospitalization and medical expenses.

Methods

We retrospectively investigated 36 patients with multiple episodes of PD-related peritonitis among 125 patients receiving PD therapy from January 2016 during a 6-year period at a single center.

Results

In 50 episodes of PD-related peritonitis among outpatients, median interval from recognition of cloudy PDF to hospital visit was 4.0 h (interquartile range [IQR] 2.0–12.0 h). With the first episode of peritonitis, the median interval was 8.5 h (IQR 3.6–18.0 h), improving to 2.0 h (IQR2.0–3.3 h) with second and subsequent episodes of peritonitis after patients were provided with education in PD-related issues. Median duration of hospitalization associated with PD-related peritonitis was 16.0 days (IQR 14–22 days) when the interval to hospital visit was < 6 h, significantly shorter than the 20 days (IQR 16–39 days) when the interval from the patient recognizing peritonitis to hospital visit was ≥ 6 h.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that delaying the hospital visit might lead to longer duration of hospitalization, suggesting that effective educational approaches might be warranted to change behaviors during initial peritonitis.