bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nectin-2 Expression on Malignant Plasma Cells Is Associated with Better Response to TIGIT Blockade in Multiple Myeloma
Authors: Lozano Ester , Mena Mari-Pau , Díaz Tania , Martin-Antonio Beatriz , León Sheila , Rodríguez-Lobato Luis-Gerardo , Oliver-Caldés Aina , Cibeira Maria Teresa , Bladé Joan , Prat Aleix , Rosiñol Laura , Fernández de Larrea Carlos
Published: June 2020

Purpose:

T-cell immunoreceptor with Ig and ITIM domain (TIGIT) blockade could represent an alternative therapeutic option to release the immune response in patients with multiple myeloma. Here we analyzed the expression of TIGIT and its ligands poliovirus receptor (PVR) and nectin-2 in the bone marrow (BM) of patients with monoclonal gammopathies and the efficacy of TIGIT blockade activating antimyeloma immunity.

Experimental Design:

Expression levels of TIGIT and its ligands were characterized by flow cytometry and ELISA. TIGIT blockade was analyzed in in vitro functional assays with peripheral T cells. BM cells were studied with NanoString technology, real-time PCR, and ex vivo patient BM cell models.

Results:

TIGIT and its ligands are highly expressed in the BM of patients with multiple myeloma, suggesting that may play a role in restraining immune activation. TIGIT blockade depleted FoxP3+ Tregs while increasing proliferation of IFNγ-producing CD4+ T cells from patients with multiple myeloma. PVR ligation inhibited CD8+ T-cell signaling and cell proliferation which could be overcome with anti-TIGIT mAb. However, BM cells showed a remarkable heterogeneity in immune signature. Accordingly, functional ex vivo BM assays revealed that only some patients respond to checkpoint blockade. Thus, response to TIGIT blockade correlated with low frequency of TIGIT+ cells and high nectin-2 expression on malignant plasma cells.

Conclusions:

TIGIT blockade efficiently reinvigorated peripheral T cells from patients with multiple myeloma. However, in the BM, the efficacy of blocking anti-TIGIT mAb to achieve tumor cell death may depend on the expression of TIGIT and nectin-2, becoming potential predictive biomarkers for identifying patients who may benefit from TIGIT blockade.
EUS-Guided Gallbladder Drainage Using an Improved Self-Expandable Covered Metal Stent with Anti-Stent Migration System (with Video)
Authors: Ogura Takeshi , Nishioka Nobu , Yamada Masanori , Yamada Tadahiro , Higuchi Kazuhide
Published: June 2020

Background: Recently, lumen-apposing metal stents (LAMS) have been developed as novel devices for not only endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided pancreatic fluid drainage but also for EUS-guided gallbladder drainage (GBD). Although LAMS might be clinically impactful, these stents have not yet become available as EUS-GBD stents in all countries, including Japan. Instead, improved metal stents (NEO stents) have become available. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the feasibility and safety of EUS-GBD using the improved metal stent with an anti-stent migration system for acute cholecystitis (AC). Method: The gallbladder was punctured using a 19-G needle, and a 0.025-inch guidewire was inserted into the gallbladder. After fistula dilation, stent deployment was performed from the gallbladder to the duodenum. Finally, a plastic 7-Fr pigtail stent was placed to prevent stent migration. Result: EUS-GBD using NEO stents with the anti-stent migration system was attempted in 12 consecutive patients with AC as a complication of other conditions. EUS-GBD was successfully performed in all patients without any adverse events, and clinical success was achieved in all patients. Median procedure time was 19.0 min (range, 19–24 min). In 4 patients, stent removal was successfully performed after 3 months. Stent migration during follow-up (median, 189 days) was not seen in any of the patients. Conclusion: Although this study has several limitations such as small number of patients and short follow-up period, the results show that NEO stents might be suitable as EUS-GBD stents in selected patients. Our results should be validated by a larger prospective, randomized study.
Beta-Arrestin 2 Is Required for Dopamine Receptor Type 2 Inhibitory Effects on AKT Phosphorylation and Cell Proliferation in Pituitary Tumors
Authors: Mangili Federica , Giardino Elena , Treppiedi Donatella , Barbieri Anna Maria , Catalano Rosa , Locatelli Marco , Lania Andrea Gerardo , Spada Anna , Arosio Maura , Mantovani Giovanna , Peverelli Erika
Published: June 2020

Dopamine receptor type 2 (DRD2) agonists are the first-choice treatment for prolactin-secreting pituitary tumors but are poorly effective in nonfunctioning pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (NF-PitNETs). DRD2 reduces AKT phosphorylation in lactotrophs, but no data are available in NF-PitNETs. DRD2 effects on AKT are mediated by a β-arrestin 2-dependent mechanism in mouse striatum. The aim of this study was to investigate DRD2 effects on AKT phosphorylation and cell proliferation in human primary cultured NF-PitNET cells and in rat tumoral lactotroph cells MMQ, and to test β-arrestin 2 involvement. We found that the DRD2 agonist BIM53097 induced a reduction of the p-AKT/total-AKT ratio in MMQ (–32.8 ± 17.6%, p < 0.001 vs. basal) and in a subset (n = 15/41, 36.6%) of NF-PitNETs (subgroup 1). In the remaining NF-PitNETs (subgroup 2), BIM53097 induced an increase in p-AKT. The ability of BIM53097 to reduce p-AKT correlated with its antimitotic effect, since the majority of subgroup 1 NF-PitNETs was responsive to BIM53097, and nearly all subgroup 2 NF-PitNETs were resistant. β-Arrestin 2 was expressed in MMQ and in 80% of subgroup 1 NF-PitNETs, whereas it was undetectable in 77% of subgroup 2 NF-PitNETs. In MMQ, β-arrestin 2 silencing prevented DRD2 inhibitory effects on p-AKT and cell proliferation. Accordingly, β-arrestin 2 transfection in subgroup 2 NF-PitNETs conferred to BIM53097 the ability to inhibit both p-AKT and cell growth. In conclusion, we demonstrated that β-arrestin 2 is required for DRD2 inhibitory effects on AKT phosphorylation and cell proliferation in MMQ and NF-PitNETs, paving the way for a potential role of β-arrestin 2 as a biomarker predicting NF-PitNETs’ responsiveness to treatment with dopamine agonists.
Long-Term Results after Surgical Resection of Peritoneal Metastasis from Neuroendocrine Tumors
Authors: Benhaim Léonor , Faron Matthieu , Hadoux Julien , Gelli Maximiliano , Sourrouille Isabelle , Burtin Pascal , Honoré Charles , Malka David , Leboulleux Sophie , Ducreux Michel , Scoazec Jean-Yves , Goere Diane , Baudin Eric
Published: June 2020

Introduction: Peritoneal metastases from neuroendocrine tumors are associated with a bad prognosis. The objective of our study was to evaluate whether surgical resection could lead to prolonged survival in selected patients. This survival was compared to that of patients operated for liver metastasis. Methods: From our prospectively maintained database we included 88 patients who underwent the complete resection of peritoneal and/or liver metastasis between January 1995 and December 2016 in Gustave-Roussy. Three resection groups were compared: peritoneal metastasis alone, liver metastasis alone, and the combined resection of liver and peritoneal metastases. Results: The median peritoneal cancer index was 10 in the peritoneal group and 11 in the peritoneal + liver group. The 5-year overall survival was 81% (60–100) in the peritoneal group compared to 78% (65.2–92.8) in the liver group, and 72% (58.7–89.7) in the peritoneal + liver group (p = 0.71). The 3-year disease-free survival reached 26.9% (16.1–45.1) in the liver group, 12.5% (2.3–68.2) in the peritoneal group, and 32.4% (19.9–52.6) in the combined liver + peritoneal group (p = 0.45). In the univariate analysis, the prognosis factors for a longer survival were: small bowel primary tumor origin, low preoperative chromogranin A level, and tumor grade ≤1. Conclusion: Despite a high recurrence rate, long-term overall survival can be achieved after the resection of peritoneal metastasis in selected patients. This survival is comparable to that of patients operated for liver metastasis only. Surgery should stand as a standard treatment for peritoneal metastases in patients with resectable disease.
Predictors of Immediate Remission after Surgery in Cushing’s Disease Patients: A Large Retrospective Study from a Single Center
Authors: Dai Congxin , Fan Yanghua , Liu Xiaohai , Bao Xinjie , Yao Yong , Wang Renzhi , Feng Ming
Published: June 2020

Objective: Transsphenoidal surgery (TSS) is the first-line treatment of patients with Cushing’s disease (CD). However, biochemical remission rates after TSS for CD vary from 59 to 95%, and the predictors of surgical outcomes remain unclear. The aim of this study was to identify the predictors of early outcomes in patients with CD treated with TSS. Methods: The clinical features and outcomes of CD patients who underwent TSS between February 2000 and September 2019 at the Peking Union Medical College Hospital were collected from medical records and analyzed. Uni- and multivariate odds ratio (OR) analyses were performed to identify the predictors of early outcomes in patients with CD. Results: A total of 1,045 patients were included. The median age at TSS was 34.0 years (IQR 26.0–45.0), with a female:male ratio of 4.2:1 (844/201). The median duration of symptoms was 46.0 months (IQR 24.0–72.0). After surgery, the overall postoperative immediate remission rate was 73.3%, and 26.7% of patients had persistent hypercortisolism. Univariate analysis demonstrated that the number of operations was correlated with a lower immediate remission rate (OR 0.393, 95% CI 0.266–0.580, p = 0.000), as was tumor size (OR 0.462, 95% CI 0.334–0.639, p = 0.000), the duration of disease (OR 0.996, 95% CI 0.993–0.999, p = 0.003), and preoperative ACTH concentration (0.998, 95% CI 0.996–0.999, p = 0.003). Cavernous sinus invasion has also been identified as an important factor associated with a lower immediate remission rate (OR 0.275, 95% CI 0.166–0.456, p = 0.000). No correlations were detected between the immediate outcomes and age, gender, BMI, the combination of a low- and high-dose dexamethasone suppression test, preoperative morning serum cortisol level, or 24-h urinary free cortisol level (all p > 0.05). The results of multivariate analysis were similar to those of univariate analysis. Preoperative ACTH ≤67.35 ng/L predicted remission with 60.9% sensitivity and 49.5% specificity (AUC 0.553; p = 0.008). A cutoff of ≤64.5 months for disease duration predicted immediate remission with 40.5% sensitivity and 71.0% specificity (AUC 0.552; p = 0.01). Conclusion: Early outcomes of TSS in CD patients can be predicted by factors including the number of operations, duration of disease, tumor invasion, tumor size, and preoperative ACTH concentration. These predictors can be used to improve the perioperative management of CD patients.
Tachykinin Signaling Is Required for Induction of the Preovulatory Luteinizing Hormone Surge and Normal Luteinizing Hormone Pulses
Authors: León Silvia , Fergani Chrysanthi , Talbi Rajae , Maguire Caroline A. , Gerutshang Achi , Seminara Stephanie B. , Navarro Victor M.
Published: June 2020

Tachykinins (neurokinin A [NKA], neurokinin B [NKB], and substance P [SP]) are important components of the neuroendocrine control of reproduction by direct stimulation of Kiss1 neurons to control GnRH pulsatility, which is essential for reproduction. Despite this role of tachykinins in successful reproduction, knockout (KO) mice for Tac1 (NKA/SP) and Tac2 (NKB) genes are fertile, resembling the phenotype of human patients bearing NKB signaling mutations, who often reverse their hypogonadal phenotype. This suggests the existence of compensatory mechanisms among the different tachykinin ligand-receptor systems to maintain reproduction in the absence of one of them. In order to test this hypothesis, we generated complete tachykinin-deficient mice (Tac1/Tac2KO). Male mice displayed delayed puberty onset and decreased luteinizing hormone (LH) pulsatility (frequency and amplitude of LH pulses) but preserved fertility. However, females did not show signs of puberty onset (first estrus) within 45 days after vaginal opening, they displayed a low frequency (but normal amplitude) of LH pulses, and 80% of them remained infertile. Further evaluation identified a complete absence of the preovulatory LH surge in Tac1/Tac2KO females as well as in wild-type females treated with NKB or SP receptor antagonists. These data confirmed a fundamental role of tachykinins in the timing of puberty onset and LH pulsatility and uncovered a role of tachykinin signaling in facilitation of the preovulatory LH surge. Overall, these findings indicate that tachykinin signaling plays a dominant role in the control of ovulation, with potential implications as a pathogenic mechanism and a therapeutic target to improve reproductive outcomes in women with ovulation impairments.
GRK5 Controls SAP97-Dependent Cardiotoxic β
1
Adrenergic Receptor-CaMKII Signaling in Heart Failure
Authors: Xu Bing , Li Minghui , Wang Ying , Zhao Meimi , Morotti Stefano , Shi Qian , Wang Qingtong , Barbagallo Federica , Teoh Jian-Peng , Reddy Gopireddy R. , Bayne Elizabeth F. , Liu Yongming , Shen Ao , Puglisi Jose L. , Ge Ying , Li Ji , Grandi Eleonora , Nieves-Cintron Madeline , Xiang Yang K.
Published: June 2020

Rationale:

Cardiotoxic β
1
adrenergic receptor (β
1
AR)-CaMKII (calmodulin-dependent kinase II) signaling is a major and critical feature associated with development of heart failure. SAP97 (synapse-associated protein 97) is a multifunctional scaffold protein that binds directly to the C-terminus of β
1
AR and organizes a receptor signalosome.

Objective:

We aim to elucidate the dynamics of β
1
AR-SAP97 signalosome and its potential role in chronic cardiotoxic β
1
AR-CaMKII signaling that contributes to development of heart failure.

Methods and Results:

The integrity of cardiac β
1
AR-SAP97 complex was examined in heart failure. Cardiac-specific deletion of SAP97 was developed to examine β
1
AR signaling in aging mice, after chronic adrenergic stimulation, and in pressure overload hypertrophic heart failure. We show that the β
1
AR-SAP97 signaling complex is reduced in heart failure. Cardiac-specific deletion of SAP97 yields an aging-dependent cardiomyopathy and exacerbates cardiac dysfunction induced by chronic adrenergic stimulation and pressure overload, which are associated with elevated CaMKII activity. Loss of SAP97 promotes PKA (protein kinase A)-dependent association of β
1
AR with arrestin2 and CaMKII and turns on an Epac (exchange protein directly activated by cAMP)-dependent activation of CaMKII, which drives detrimental functional and structural remodeling in myocardium. Moreover, we have identified that GRK5 (G-protein receptor kinase-5) is necessary to promote agonist-induced dissociation of SAP97 from β
1
AR. Cardiac deletion of GRK5 prevents adrenergic-induced dissociation of β
1
AR-SAP97 complex and increases in CaMKII activity in hearts.

Conclusions:

These data reveal a critical role of SAP97 in maintaining the integrity of cardiac β
1
AR signaling and a detrimental cardiac GRK5-CaMKII axis that can be potentially targeted in heart failure therapy.

Graphical Abstract:

A graphical abstract is available for this article.
Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Decrease Aortic Valve Disease Through the Resolvin E1 and ChemR23 Axis
Authors: Artiach Gonzalo , Carracedo Miguel , Plunde Oscar , Wheelock Craig E. , Thul Silke , Sjövall Peter , Franco-Cereceda Anders , Laguna-Fernandez Andres , Arnardottir Hildur , Bäck Magnus
Published: June 2020

Background:

Aortic valve stenosis (AVS), which is the most common valvular heart disease, causes a progressive narrowing of the aortic valve as a consequence of thickening and calcification of the aortic valve leaflets. The beneficial effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) in cardiovascular prevention have recently been demonstrated in a large randomized, controlled trial. In addition, n-3 PUFAs serve as the substrate for the synthesis of specialized proresolving mediators, which are known by their potent beneficial anti-inflammatory, proresolving, and tissue-modifying properties in cardiovascular disease. However, the effects of n-3 PUFA and specialized proresolving mediators on AVS have not yet been determined. The aim of this study was to identify the role of n-3 PUFA–derived specialized proresolving mediators in relation to the development of AVS.

Methods:

Lipidomic and transcriptomic analyses were performed in human tricuspid aortic valves. Apoe
−/−
mice and wire injury in C57BL/6J mice were used as models for mechanistic studies.

Results:

We found that n-3 PUFA incorporation into human stenotic aortic valves was higher in noncalcified regions compared with calcified regions. Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry–based lipid mediator lipidomics identified that the n-3 PUFA–derived specialized proresolving mediator resolvin E1 was dysregulated in calcified regions and acted as a calcification inhibitor. Apoe
−/−
mice expressing the
Caenorhabditis elegans
Fat-1 transgene (Fat-1
tg
×Apoe
−/−
), which enables the endogenous synthesis of n-3 PUFA and increased valvular n-3 PUFA content, exhibited reduced valve calcification, lower aortic valve leaflet area, increased M2 macrophage polarization, and improved echocardiographic parameters. Finally, abrogation of the resolvin E1 receptor ChemR23 enhanced disease progression, and the beneficial effects of Fat-1
tg
were abolished in the absence of ChemR23.

Conclusions:

n-3 PUFA-derived resolvin E1 and its receptor ChemR23 emerge as a key axis in the inhibition of AVS progression and may represent a novel potential therapeutic opportunity to be evaluated in patients with AVS.
Peristenotic Collateral Circulation in Atherosclerotic Renovascular Disease
Authors: Afarideh Mohsen , Zhang Xin , Ferguson Christopher M. , Glockner James F. , Lerman Amir , Textor Stephen C. , Lerman Lilach O.
Published: June 2020

The significance of peristenotic collateral circulation (PCC) development around a stenotic renal artery is unknown. We tested the hypothesis that PCC is linked to loss of kidney function and recovery potential in patients with atherosclerotic renovascular disease (ARVD). Thirty-four patients with ARVD were assigned to medical-therapy with or without revascularization based on clinical indications. The PCC was visualized using multidetector computed tomography and defined relative to segmental arteries in patients with essential hypertension. PCC number before and 3 months after treatment was correlated with various renal parameters. Thirty-four stenotic kidneys from 30 patients were analyzed. PCC number correlated inversely with kidney volume. ARVD–stenotic kidneys with baseline PCC (collateral ARVD [C-ARVD], n=13) associated with elevated 24-hour urine protein and stenotic kidney vein level of tumor necrosis factor-α, lower single-kidney volume and blood flow, and greater hypoxia than in stenotic kidneys with no PCC (no collateral ARVD [NC-ARVD], n=17). Revascularization (but not medical-therapy alone) improved stenotic kidney function and reduced inflammation in both NC-ARVD and C-ARVD. In C-ARVD, revascularization also increased stenotic kidney volume, blood flow, and oxygenation to levels comparable to NC-ARVD, and induced PCC regression. However, revascularization improved systolic blood pressure, plasma renin activity, and filtration fraction only in NC-ARVD. Therefore, patients with C-ARVD have greater kidney dysfunction, atrophy, hypoxia, and inflammation compared with patients with NC-ARVD, suggesting that PCC does not effectively protect the stenotic kidney in ARVD. Renal artery revascularization improved in C-ARVD stenotic kidney function, but not hypertension or renin-angiotensin system activation. These observations may help direct management of patients with ARVD.
Single-Nucleus RNA Sequencing of the Hypothalamic Arcuate Nucleus of C57BL/6J Mice After Prolonged Diet-Induced Obesity
Authors: Deng Guorui , Morselli Lisa L. , Wagner Valerie A. , Balapattabi Kirthikaa , Sapouckey Sarah A. , Knudtson Kevin L. , Rahmouni Kamal , Cui Huxing , Sigmund Curt D. , Kwitek Anne E. , Grobe Justin L.
Published: June 2020

Prolonged obesity is associated with blunted feeding and thermogenic autonomic responses to leptin, but cardiovascular responses to leptin are maintained. This state of selective leptin resistance is, therefore, proposed to contribute to the pathogenesis and maintenance of obesity-associated hypertension. Cells of the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus detect leptin, and although the cellular and molecular mechanisms remain unclear, altered arcuate nucleus biology is hypothesized to contribute to selective leptin resistance. Male C57BL/6J mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) or chow from 8 to 18 weeks of age, as this paradigm models selective leptin resistance. Nuclei were then isolated from arcuate nucleus for single-nucleus RNA sequencing. HFD caused expected gains in adiposity and circulating leptin. Twenty-three unique cell-type clusters were identified, and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis was used to explore changes in gene expression patterns due to chronic HFD within each cluster. Notably, gene expression signatures related to leptin signaling exhibited suppression predominantly in neurons identified as the Agouti-related peptide (
Agrp
) subtype. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis results were also consistent with alterations in CREB (cAMP response element-binding protein) signaling in
Agrp
neurons after HFD, and reduced phosphorylated CREB was confirmed in arcuate nucleus after prolonged HFD by capillary electrophoresis-based Western blotting. These findings support the concept that prolonged HFD-induced obesity is associated with selective changes in
Agrp
neuron biology, possibly secondary to altered CREB signaling.
Status-Seeking and Nation-Building: The “Piedmont Principle” Revisited
Authors: Paci Simone , Sambanis Nicholas , Wohlforth William C.
Published: June 2020

The pursuit of status on the international stage through participation in the Crimean War was critical to Italy’s drive toward unification. Piedmont’s Prime Minster Count Camillo di Cavour’s entry into the wartime alliance with France and Great Britain was a major component in his nation-building project, which Italy’s enhanced status after the war brought to fruition. Primary sources highlight the nexus between status competition at the international level and domestic political outcomes. Similar processes can explain the success and failure of other nation-building enterprises.
Active Existential in Lithuanian: Remarks on Burzio’s Generalization
Authors: Šereikaitė Milena
Published: June 2020

Evidence from the Lithuanian active existential construction shows that Lithuanian has a type of VoiceP that assigns structural accusative case in the absence of a syntactically projected implicit argument in Spec,VoiceP. This construction violates Burzio’s (1986) Generalization and its later versions (e.g., Marantz 1991, Kratzer 1994, 1996, Woolford 2003, McFadden 2004, Legate 2014). This article offers a revised version of Burzio’s Generalization by proposing that while accusative case must be assigned by a thematic Voice, the assignment of accusative case by Voice may vary independently from the selection of a specifier.
20. Participatory Approaches in Critical Migration Research
Authors: Sprung Annette
Published: June 2020

In ‘Participatory Approaches in Critical Migration Research: The Example of an Austrian Documentary Film’ (Ch20), Annette Sprung looks critically at the construction of the migrant in adult educationand considers the researcher’s role in reproducing or challenging problematic categories. The research project is multi-layered. Its focus is the collaborative production of a documentary film featuring migrant adult educators, but the process is then subject to group reflection, the filmmakers questioned to determine their sense of ‘othering’ the film’s subjects. Together these processes made visible aspects affecting diversity that are hard to capture in more generalized investigations
Using a Simple Water Balance Framework to Quantify the Impact of Soil Moisture Initialization on Subseasonal Evapotranspiration and Air Temperature Forecasts
Authors: Koster Randal D. , Schubert Siegfried D. , DeAngelis Anthony M. , Molod Andrea M. , Mahanama Sarith P.
Published: June 2020

Past studies have shown that accurate soil moisture initialization can contribute significant skill to near-surface air temperature (T2M) forecasts at subseasonal leads. The mechanisms by which soil moisture contributes such skill are examined here with a simple water balance–based model that captures the essence of soil moisture behavior in a state-of-the-art subseasonal-to-seasonal (S2S) forecasting system. The simple model successfully transforms initial soil moisture contents into average “forecast” evapotranspiration (ET) values at 16–30-day lead that agree well, during summer, with the values forecast by the full NASA GEOS S2S system, indicating that soil moisture initialization dominates over forecast meteorological conditions in determining ET fluxes at subseasonal leads. When the simple model’s ET anomalies are interpreted in terms of T2M anomalies, a similar conclusion is reached for T2M: soil moisture initialization explains much (about 50% in the eastern half of the continental United States) of the T2M anomaly values produced by the full GEOS S2S system at 16–30-day lead, and the T2M forecasts produced by the simple model capture about one-half of the skill attained by the full system. The simple model’s framework is particularly conducive to an analysis of uncertainty in forecasts. Drier soils are generally found to induce larger uncertainty in ET (and thus T2M) forecasts, a result linked to the functional form relating ET to soil moisture in the simple model and verified by an analysis of the ensemble spreads within the forecasts produced by the full GEOS S2S system.
Using the Health Belief Model to Explore the Impact of Environmental Empathy on Behavioral Intentions to Protect Ocean Health
Authors: Kim Sojung Claire , Cooke Sandra L.
Published: June 2020

We examine psychological mediating mechanisms to promote ocean health among the U.S. public. Ocean acidification (OA) was chosen as the focus, as experts consider it as important as climate change with the same cause of humanity’s excessive carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, but it is lesser known. Empathy is a multi-dimensional concept that includes cognitive and emotional aspects. Previous literature argues that environmental empathy can facilitate positive behaviors. We tested the hypothesis that empathy affects beliefs and behavioral intentions regarding ocean health using the Health Belief Model. We found that higher empathy toward ocean health led to higher perceived susceptibility and severity from OA, greater perceived benefits of CO2 emissions reduction, greater perceived barriers, and keener attention to the media. Beliefs and media attention positively influenced behavioral intentions (e.g., willingness to buy a fuel efficient car). Theoretical and practical implications regarding audience targeting and intervention design are discussed.
Evaluation of a Pharmacist-Driven Procalcitonin Protocol for Lower Respiratory Tract Infections Using a Clinical Decision Support System
Authors: Teehan Alyssa , Burke Christopher , Minson Quentin
Published: June 2020

Purpose: Procalcitonin (PCT) may be an effective biomarker in the management of lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) when combined with antimicrobial stewardship support. We assessed the impact of a PCT protocol with clinical pharmacy support for LRTI using a clinical decision support system (CDSS) for monitoring. Methods: This was a single-center retrospective cohort study conducted at a large, nonteaching hospital in Nashville, TN. All patients who met eligibility requirements and were initiated on the PCT protocol for a suspected LRTI between February and March 2018 were included and matched to historical control patients from 2016 to 2017 on a 1:1 basis based on antibiotics, indication, and time of year. Results: During this 2-month period, a total of 126 patients met eligibility requirements for inclusion in the PCT group and were matched to historical control patients. Patients in the PCT group received decreased median antibiotic days of therapy (DOT) compared to controls (11 vs 14, P = .004). There was no change in median length of stay (LOS) between groups. The acceptance rate for patient-specific antibiotic de-escalation recommendations from the clinical pharmacist was 62.5%. Conclusion: PCT protocols that utilize clinical pharmacist interpretation and a CDSS may be an effective intervention of the antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) for decreasing antibiotic DOT for LRTI.
Guidelines for Leading a Safe Medication Error Reporting Culture
Authors: Moureaud Charlotte , Hertig John B. , Weber Robert J.
Published: June 2020

Background: A safe medication error reporting culture is one that promotes, fosters, and rewards the reporting of errors and events across the spectrum of harm (none to significant harm). For this culture to develop, leaders must key department cultural norms. These cultural norms include making employees feel psychologically safe to report errors, and to establish a culture of error review and follow-up that complies with best practices. Objective: This article reviews how pharmacy leaders can establish this environment by describing (1) setting an appropriate vision for safety as a priority; (2) establishing and actively supporting the concept of psychological safety; and (3) implementing medication error review that support an effective safety culture. Finally, the article discusses a case where the relationships between psychological safety, safety culture, and reporting culture are described. Methods: This article reviews the literature and authors’ experiences in designing a safety culture for a pharmacy department. Concluson: A safe reporting culture requires leaders to be humble, engage their staff in dialogue, objectively measure culture, consistently provide feedback, and empower its people. Employing these leadership traits with best practices can improve overall medication safety and the quality of patient-centered pharmacy services.
A test of the democratic peacekeeping hypothesis: Coups, democracy, and foreign military deployments
Authors: Levin Jamie , MacKay Joseph , Jamison Anne Spencer , Nasirzadeh Abouzar , Sealey Anthony
Published: June 2020

While peacekeeping’s effects on receiving states have been studied at length, its effects on sending states have only begun to be explored. This article examines the effects of contributing peacekeepers abroad on democracy at home. Recent qualitative research has divergent findings: some find peacekeeping contributes to democratization among sending states, while others find peacekeeping entrenches illiberal or autocratic rule. To adjudicate, we build on recent quantitative work focused specifically on the incidence of coups. We ask whether sending peacekeepers abroad increases the risk of military intervention in politics at home. Drawing on selectorate theory, we expect the effect of peacekeeping on coup risk to vary by regime type. Peacekeeping brings with it new resources which can be distributed as private goods. In autocracies, often developing states where UN peacekeeping remuneration exceeds per-soldier costs, deployment produces a windfall for militaries. Emboldened by new resources, which can be distributed as private goods among the selectorate, and fearing the loss of them in the future, they may act to depose the incumbent regime. In contrast, peacekeeping will have little effect in developed democracies, which have high per-troop costs, comparatively large selectorates, and low ex-ante coup risk. Anocracies, which typically have growing selectorates, and may face distinctive international pressures to democratize, will likely experience reduced coup risk. We test these claims with data covering peacekeeping deployments, regime type, and coup risk since the end of the Cold War. Our findings confirm our theoretical expectations. These findings have implications both for how we understand the impact of participation in peacekeeping – particularly among those countries that contribute troops disproportionately in the post-Cold War era – and for the potential international determinants of domestic autocracy.
Characteristics of Students With Disabilities Who Do and Do Not Receive Transition Services
Authors: Mello Maria P. , Burke Meghan M. , Taylor Julie Lounds , Urbano Richard , Hodapp Robert M.
Published: June 2020

As transition services foster better post-school outcomes, all students with disabilities should be receiving these services as they traverse their final high school years. Using a national, web-based parent survey, we examined the frequency and correlates of the receipt of transition services for 189 students with disabilities. Parents reported their children’s age, functioning level, maladaptive behavior, and number of services received. Only 54% of the child of the participants received transition services. Students with higher (vs. lower) levels of adaptive skills were less likely to receive transition services. Students with more services on average and who were older were more likely to receive transition services. Implications are discussed for increasing the implementation of transition services for all students with disabilities and increasing parent knowledge of transition services and transition planning.
Nurturing the Capital Within: A Qualitative Investigation of Black Women and Girls in STEM Summer Programs
Authors: Lane Tonisha B. , Id-Deen Lateefah
Published: June 2020

Using Yosso’s community cultural wealth as a theoretical lens, we sought to understand how science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) summer programs cultivated the interest and participation of Black women and girls in these disciplines. The study drew primarily from the interviews of 14 Black women and girls from two case studies investigating the experiences of students of color in summer STEM programs. Findings revealed the programs were influential in enhancing participants’ existing aspirational, social, and familial capital garnered through inter- and intrapersonal attributes. We also advance the term program families to describe a distinctive fictive kinship fostered through participation in these programs.
Physical Violence During Mandatory Psychiatric Treatment: Prevalence and Patient Characteristics
Authors: Verstegen Nienke , de Vogel Vivienne , Huitema Anneloes , Didden Robert , Nijman Henk
Published: June 2020

This study explores variables that predict physical violence in 614 (forensic) psychiatric inpatients. All violent incidents that occurred in a Dutch forensic psychiatric hospital between 2014 and 2019 ( N = 3,713) were coded with the Modified Overt Aggression Scale+ based on daily hospital reports and patients’ medical records. Binary logistic regression analyses examined which patient variables could differentiate between patients with and without physical violence during treatment and between patients with single and multiple incidents of physical violence. Variables included in the analyses were gender, legal status, borderline personality disorder, antisocial personality disorder, schizophrenia spectrum disorder, psychopathy (Psychopathy Checklist–Revised [PCL-R] score), self-harm during treatment, impulsivity, intellectual disability, and length of stay. A clear association was found between self-harm and inpatient physical violence on all outcome measures and in all analyses. Adequate monitoring of self-harm is advised as a strategy to early identify patients with a high risk to threaten ward safety.
Parenting Together: Understanding the Shared Context of Positive Parenting Among Low-Income Black Families
Authors: McWayne Christine M. , Mattis Jacqueline S. , Li Lok-Wah
Published: June 2020

This study examined the relations between family demographics and positive parenting dimensions among urban-residing, low-income, Black caregiving dyads. Participants were 100 co-caregivers affiliated with a Head Start program and reporting on 50 preschool-aged children. Given that the parenting context for the caregiver pairs was not independent, multilevel dyadic analysis was employed to determine demographic predictors of positive parenting dimensions as measured by the emically derived Black Parenting Strengths in Context scale. Findings illuminated associations between combinations of adult/child characteristics (e.g., nativity, parental employment status, child gender) and the five dimensions of positive parenting measured (i.e., Fostering Connectedness; Racial and Cultural Pride; Involvement at School; Religious and Spiritual Practices; Behavioral Responsiveness and Guidance). Findings suggest implications for future research and theory involving Black family life—specifically the need to examine parenting by considering the combined effects of individual and shared family characteristics—and for designing parent support efforts that recognize family roles and heritages, and that leverage the strengths of and heterogeneity among the multiple caregivers in the lives of young children.
Feedforward control for underactuated bipedal walking on compliant continuous steps with varying height
Authors: Yao Daojin , Wu Yao , He Jie , Zhou Jiangchen , Xiao Xiaohui
Published: June 2020

This study develops a feedforward control strategy based on the motion state of center-of-mass (CoM) of a robot for underactuated biped robot stable walking on compliant continuous steps with a known varying height. First, considering ground deformation, a compliant contact model is employed to characterize foot-ground interaction, and a robot–step coupling dynamic model of sagittal and lateral planes are established through decoupling modelling. Second, based on the gait characteristics of human variable-step walking, a feedforward control strategy based on the motion state of CoM is proposed. Varying height step is equivalent to varying slope, an equivalent slope angle and a desired step length can be calculated for each step according to their height. Underactuated bipedal walking control is decoupled into sagittal and lateral master-slave control. The velocity of robot CoM is considered as a system output. It is controlled through the displacement of CoM in a single walking cycle, and thus walking is stabilized. By the proposed method, the walking system is modelled as a polynomial with definite number of degrees and the controlled input is derived through a simple inverse operation on it. Its effectiveness is validated through simulations in an environment with a step varying height of less than 0.032 m. Simulation results show that the proposed method can improve the tracking performance of robot CoM velocity on varying height steps, as compared to a hybrid zero dynamic (HZD)-based controller.
Sliding mode control revisited
Authors: Bahraini Masoud , Yazdanpanah Mohammad Javad , Vakili Shokufeh , Jahed-Motlagh Mohammad Reza
Published: June 2020

Controller design for nonlinear systems in its general form is complicated and an open problem. Finding a solution to this problem becomes more complicated when unwanted terms, such as disturbance, are taken into account. To provide a robust design for a subclass of nonlinear systems, sliding mode controllers (SMCs) are used. These controllers have a systematic design procedure and can reject bounded disturbances and at the same time guarantee stability. The guaranteed stability is achieved by separating system states into two parts and assuming that the input to state stability (ISS) condition holds for internal dynamics. This condition restricts the applicability of the SMC and limits the system performance when the controller is designed based on that. In order to remove this restriction and improve the performance, the ISS condition has been relaxed in this study. The relaxation is performed by redesigning SMCs based on suggested Lyapunov functions. The proposed idea insures global asymptotic stability of the closed loop system and is used to revise different well-known SMCs such as conventional SMC, terminal SMC, non-singular terminal SMC, integral SMC, super-twisting SMC, and super-twisting integral SMC. Comparisons between conventional and revised versions are made using simulation to demonstrate excellence of the revisited controllers.
Digitalisation and precarious work practices in alternative economies: Work organisation and work relations in e-cab services
Authors: Sharma Padmini
Published: June 2020

The emergence of the gig economy is mostly an alternative to the core service economy, which is gradually being transformed in spatial and temporal dimensions. It is not work in the gig economy, per se, that is problematic, but the way in which it is organised or structured is creating ruptures across several dimensions. This article seeks to explore the work organisation and work relations practised in these gig economies. In particular, it provides empirical findings on work practices in e-cab services so as to highlight the growing precariousness, in both economic and social contexts, among the service providers.
Primary Nasopharyngeal Tuberculosis: A Case Report Focused on Nasopharyngoscopic Features and CT Findings
Authors: Min Hyun Jin , Kim Kyung Soo
Published: June 2020

Primary nasopharyngeal tuberculosis, defined as an isolated tuberculosis infection of the nasopharynx without systemic or pulmonary disease, is rare, even in areas endemic for tuberculosis. It is challenging for ENT specialists to diagnose primary nasopharyngeal tuberculosis at an early stage. In this report, we describe a new case of primary nasopharyngeal tuberculosis, focusing on its nasopharyngoscopic features and radiological findings that can help the understanding and aid in accurate diagnosis of this unusual disease entity. Our experience suggests that although primary nasopharyngeal tuberculosis is a relatively rare disease, it must be included in the differential diagnosis of various nasopharyngeal lesions, particularly in patients with unusual nasopharyngoscopic and computed tomography findings.
Globalizing the Scientific Bandwagon: Trajectories of Precision Medicine in China and Brazil
Authors: Au Larry , da Silva Renan Gonçalves Leonel
Published: June 2020

Precision medicine (PM) is emerging as a scientific bandwagon within the contemporary biomedical sciences in the United States. PM brings together concepts and tools from genomics and bioinformatics to develop better diagnostics and therapies based on individualized information. Developing countries like China and Brazil have also begun pursuing PM projects, motivated by a desire to claim genomic sovereignty over its population. In spite of commonalities, institutional arrangements produced by the history of genomics research in China and Brazil are ushering PM along different trajectories. In the Chinese case, we identify a strong state-backed push for PM combined with a dynamic network of international academic and private actors along the lines of networked technonationalism that has made large-scale, speculative PM projects possible. The Brazilian case is characterized by an institutional void at the federal level in which PM is driven by domestic academic actors in universities in the regional level, resulting in smaller scale, needs-driven PM projects. Through these cases, this paper shows how a scientific bandwagon adapts to national histories and institutions. Through this peripheral translation of the scientific bandwagon, the global infrastructure of biomedical knowledge has the potential to be transformed.
Utilization of a Deep Learning Algorithm for Microscope-Based Fatty Vacuole Quantification in a Fatty Liver Model in Mice
Authors: Ramot Yuval , Zandani Gil , Madar Zecharia , Deshmukh Sanket , Nyska Abraham
Published: June 2020

Quantification of fatty vacuoles in the liver, with differentiation from lumina of liver blood vessels and bile ducts, is an example where the traditional semiquantitative pathology assessment can be enhanced with artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms. Using glass slides of mice liver as a model for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, a deep learning AI algorithm was developed. This algorithm uses a segmentation framework for vacuole quantification and can be deployed to analyze live histopathology fields during the microscope-based pathology assessment. We compared the manual semiquantitative microscope-based assessment with the quantitative output of the deep learning algorithm. The deep learning algorithm was able to recognize and quantify the percent of fatty vacuoles, exhibiting a strong and significant correlation ( r = 0.87, P < .001) between the semiquantitative and quantitative assessment methods. The use of deep learning algorithms for difficult quantifications within the microscope-based pathology assessment can help improve outputs of toxicologic pathology workflows.
Mindfulness Predicts Psycho-behavioral Improvement after Breast Cancer Diagnosis: Influence of Childhood Adversity
Authors: Janusek Linda Witek , Tell Dina , Mathews Herbert L.
Published: June 2020

Mindfulness-based interventions provide psychological benefit after breast cancer diagnosis. The aims of this study were to determine whether within-person change in facets of mindfulness predict psycho-behavioral improvements in women with breast cancer, and to assess the influence of childhood adversity on those improvements. Women randomized to the mindfulness arm of a larger trial were evaluated. Psychometric instruments and the Five Facets of Mindfulness Questionnaire were completed pre-, mid-, at completion, one, and six months post program. A subsample completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Hierarchical linear modeling revealed that significant change in nonjudgment and nonreactivity to inner experience were associated with more rapid decrease in stress, depressive symptoms, fatigue, sleep disturbance, and more rapid increase in quality of life. For women with greater exposure to childhood adversity, a greater increase in nonreactivity to inner experience significantly associated with greater improvements in stress, depressive symptoms, and quality of life.
Path Analysis Testing the Development of Personality and Psychological Well-being Model
Authors: Yeh Pi-Ming , Waters Gavin
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this study was to test the development of personality and psychological well-being model. This was a cross-sectional, descriptive design. The 448 participants were recruited from older adults living in a Midwest community in the United States. After Institution of Research Board approval, the trained researchers explained this study to older adults who lived in the community. After agreeing to participate, they signed an informed consent form. The structured questionnaires were used to perform data collection. Path analysis was used to examine this model. SPSS 23 version was employed to examine the instruments’ reliabilities and descriptive data. In this model, family interaction and spiritual well-being had significant influences on personality, which had a significant influence on selecting coping strategies. Using different coping strategies influenced on the outcome variables (e.g., psychological well-being and suicidal ideation). The family interaction and spiritual well-being played a critical role on the outcome variables.