bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Popular Culture
Authors: Ahmed Maaheen
Published: May 2024

The beginning of the twentieth century was witness to a booming – and lucrative – children’s press: for girls, the bourgeois and enormously successful La Semaine de Suzette with its iconic art nouveau masthead was launched by Henri Gautier in 1905, its cheaper and chief competitor, Fillette began in 1909 by the much vilified and successful Offenstadt press. While the First World War disrupted publishing rhythms, many magazines survived with the picture story and comics occupying a privileged place in children’s magazines. This chapter focuses on children’s periodicals to highlight the roles played by long-running comics characters such as Bécassine (La Semaine de Suzette) and Lili (Fillette) in accompanying their young readers through the war. The characters incarnate the balance – sometimes ignored, sometimes carefully maintained, depending on the publisher – between entertainment, education and, during wartime, propaganda. These dynamics are discernible in other stories in the magazines. They also seep into the paratexts, ranging from letters to games and advertisements, calls to participate in the war effort, all of which offer a rich source of insight into the interaction between consumerism and affect, the latter heightened, the former more constrained and targeted, during wartime.
Prisoner-of-War Camp Journals
Authors: Schwan Anne
Published: May 2024

This chapter analyses the content and form of prisoner-of-war camp journals during the First World War. After a brief introduction to some examples from different national contexts, the chapter turns to a case study of Stobsiade, a prisoner-of-war camp publication produced by German internees in Scotland. The chapter argues that such papers, travelling between nations, served a paradoxical function, reasserting the internees’ connection to their home nation while capturing the prisoners’ odd positioning in between cultures. Paying particular attention to the role of poetry and reading, the chapter shows that journals such as Stobsiade promoted patriotic sentiments while also challenging narrowly nationalistic frames of reference. The chapter ends by problematising the notion of prisoner-of-war camp journals as a genre, demonstrating how a nuanced approach to this textual form also enables us to add new layers to theoretical discussions in contemporary critical prison studies.
Conscription and Turkey’s Changing Socio-political Structures
Authors: Çaltekın Demet Asli
Published: May 2024

Chapter 1 examines the militarisation of society and provides the sociological background to the conscription system in Turkey. It first examines the historical role of the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) in politics and everyday life to understand the roots of the problem at a national level. The chapter scrutinises the institutionalised power of the military, its role in shaping society through soft means, and the cultural and social practices viewing the military as a sacred institution. The chapter then reconsiders civil–military relations in light of the socio-political changes and mainly argues that despite the decreasing role of the TAF at the institutional level and the fact that society’s perceptions have changed, militarism is still omnipresent in contemporary Turkey.
Evolution by Means of Stylistic Suppression
Authors: Purnama Ari
Published: May 2024

This chapter launches into the historical stylistics of Indonesian cinema, tracing the evolution of visual style in the three periods of Indonesian cinema history: the Colonial Era, the Sukarno Era, and Suharto Era. The chapter does so by showcasing the continuity and changes of visual style in Indonesian cinema pertaining to the three stylistic devices that have become more salient in contemporary Indonesian cinematic aesthetics: lighting, production design and camera movement.
Introduction: Defining, theorising and approaching Japanese film, fashion and modernity
Authors: Barnett Lois J. E.
Published: May 2024

This chapter introduces the subject of Western-style garments in the Japanese context. It explains reasoning for selecting the timescale of 1923-1939 due to its situation between two specific events which triggered significant changes in the Japanese cinema: the 1923 Great Kantō Earthquake and the 1939 Film Law. The chapter introduces the theoretical framework and interdisciplinary approach, discussing debates on the relationship between fashion, modernity and identity. It introduces Toby Slade and Elizabeth Wilson’s understanding of the relationship between fashion and modernity in both European and Japanese contexts. It discusses this in conflation with Iwamoto Kenji and Mitsuyo Wada-Marciano’s approaches to the Japanese cinema of the 1920s and 1930s and Leo Charney and Vanessa R. Schwarz and Miriam Bratu Hansen’s discussions of the effects of the cinematic space and mechanism on spectators. It describes how fashion items onscreen can be interpreted as signifiers in accordance with Saussurean semiotics and relates this to discussion of the interaction between the modern cinematic space, the spectator and the fashion items themselves. It references gender- and consumption- focused work by Mary Ann Doane and Laura Mulvey in order to provide an introduction to the theoretical framework which informs the rest of the book.
Argentine Gothic-Noir Fusion in The Black Vampire
Authors: Harrison Osvaldo Di Paolo , Olmedo Nadina
Published: May 2024

Gothic-noir fusion in the context of national tensions over notions of civilisation vs. barbarism in Argentina of the 1950s ground Osvaldo Di Paolo Harrison and Nadina Olmedo’s reading of Román Viñoly Barreto’s El vampiro negro (The Black Vampire, 1953). Generally considered a remake of Fritz Lang’s M (1931), The Black Vampire combines psychological horror with the detective film to provide a problematic moral guide to national norms of citizenship.
On the Virtue of Grief
Authors: Bristol Michael
Published: May 2024

This chapter focuses on representations of grief in Richard II, arguing that the play opens up and recommends the capacity to mourn as a virtuous activity. Grief itself is not ‘a task to be completed’ but rather a hermeneutic accumulation of regrets and grievances whose virtue lies in challenging any fantasies we might harbour about self-determination. To grieve is to experience the magnanimity or greatness of soul that loss and regret can breed in those who bear it with care, making the expression of grief one of our most powerful means of putting ourselves into relation with one another.
A Tender Experience: Aesthetics of Death in DeLillo’s Fiction
Authors: Boxall Peter
Published: May 2024

In End Zone (1972), Gary Harkness and his friends play a game of ‘Bang, you’re dead’, in which ‘your hand assumes the shape of a gun and you fire at anyone who passes’. Gary ‘died well’, he tells us, and so ‘was killed quite often’. It’s a silly game, of course, but Gary says that ‘beneath its bluntness’ he begins to see a ‘compelling intricacy’, to realise that the game ‘possessed gradations, dark joys, a resonance echoing from the most perplexing dreams’. Lying ecstatically dead on the steps of the campus library, Gary finds in simulated death a kind of lifted beauty which takes the game past its limitations, and towards something like death triumphant. The game, Harkness says, has a ‘fragmentary beauty’ which ‘enabled us to pretend that death could be a tender experience’.
This chapter explores how this early folding of death into an intricately patterned game forms one of the seams that runs through DeLillo’s oeuvre, arguing that DeLillo’s fiction has consistently, obsessively explored the possibility that literature can make of death a tender experience.
DeLillo’s Photo Opportunity
Authors: Gehlawat Monika
Published: May 2024

Examining the novels White Noise, Mao II , and Falling Man, this chapter studies DeLillo’s use of photography as a visual motif for dramatising how contemporary subjects understand the reality they participate in and construct. Via Ariella Azoulay, Roland Barthes, Susan Sontag, and others, it highlights DeLillo’s conception of the photograph as a nexus of intersubjective activity, incorporating those who are the subject of the photograph, the viewer of those pictures, the photographer herself, and the context for the photographic encounter in its production and reception. Dynamics of power arise out of what we consider a static image, explaining why, for DeLillo, the photograph is never merely indexical or ontological, but rather the site for the negotiation of cultural, symbolic, economic and political regimes. DeLillo shows that photography, precisely through its rampant availability and use, offers a kind of specular vision of contemporary America, at once reflecting conditions of crisis and, in re-presenting them, suggesting binding relational influences that can transform intersubjective experience. In what this chapter considers to be an ekphrastic gesture, DeLillo uses literature to dramatise the affect of photography, the lies it tells, and which by telling, he reveals.
Smart responsive in situ hydrogel systems applied in bone tissue engineering
Authors: Wu Shunli , Gai Tingting , Chen Jie , Chen Xiguang , Chen Weikai
Published: May 2024

The repair of irregular bone tissue suffers severe clinical problems due to the scarcity of an appropriate therapeutic carrier that can match dynamic and complex bone damage. Fortunately, stimuli-responsive in situ hydrogel systems that are triggered by a special microenvironment could be an ideal method of regenerating bone tissue because of the injectability, in situ gelatin, and spatiotemporally tunable drug release. Herein, we introduce the two main stimulus-response approaches, exogenous and endogenous, to forming in situ hydrogels in bone tissue engineering. First, we summarize specific and distinct responses to an extensive range of external stimuli (e.g., ultraviolet, near-infrared, ultrasound, etc.) to form in situ hydrogels created from biocompatible materials modified by various functional groups or hybrid functional nanoparticles. Furthermore, “smart” hydrogels, which respond to endogenous physiological or environmental stimuli (e.g., temperature, pH, enzyme, etc.), can achieve in situ gelation by one injection in vivo without additional intervention. Moreover, the mild chemistry response-mediated in situ hydrogel systems also offer fascinating prospects in bone tissue engineering, such as a Diels–Alder, Michael addition, thiol-Michael addition, and Schiff reactions, etc. The recent developments and challenges of various smart in situ hydrogels and their application to drug administration and bone tissue engineering are discussed in this review. It is anticipated that advanced strategies and innovative ideas of in situ hydrogels will be exploited in the clinical field and increase the quality of life for patients with bone damage.
Performance based concrete quality assessment with gas permeability testing on site
Authors: Ptacek Lisa , Strauss Alfred , Grba Damjan , Sattler Fabian , Macha Makrini , Kosta Angeliki , Marchtrenker Stefan , Boisits Philip , Manninger Tanja , Krispel Stefan , Kleiser Michael , Hausenberger Rainer , Torrent Roberto
Published: May 2024

In terms of sustainability and durability, performance-based design is becoming increasingly important for the quality assessment of concrete structures. Up to now, prescriptive approaches for concrete composition and processing and the determination of concrete strength on cast samples have primarily been used as quality assurance. As this does not take into account the quality and pore structure of the as-built concrete cover, which has a significant influence on durability as a protective zone against penetrating media, the conventional approach to quality control is not representative for this zone. In particular, the permeability of the concrete cover, which is largely dependent on the pore structure, is responsible for the ability of aggressive substances from the environment to ingress into the concrete and, depending on its quality, determines damage processes in the reinforced concrete, such as carbonation. For this reason, investigations to gas permeability on real structures are presented here, which include the possibilities and limitations of measuring and evaluating gas permeability as a durability indicator. Long-term observation was carried out on concrete walls of a motorway construction site, from a young concrete age of 14 days to a higher age of max. 800 days, in order to determine changes in the material structure of the surface area and to analyse their influence on the gas permeability. The concrete walls were treated in advance during hydration up to an age of 7 days with different curing times and types in order to simulate good, medium and poor concrete surfaces. Clear differences in the quality of the concrete cover could already be determined by means of gas permeability. The influence of the surface structure, the effect of the environment and the long-term development of the concrete structure on the permeability are also addressed in this work.
Assessing the relationship between levator palpebrae superioris and thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy using the Dixon-T2WI sequence
Authors: Liu Dan , Duan Yongbo , Huang Kai , Song Cheng , Ouyang Yufeng , Lin Xiaoxin , Shen Jie , Chen Haixiong
Published: May 2024

Background

The current clinical practice lacks sufficient objective indicators for evaluating thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO). This study aims to quantitatively assess TAO by evaluating levator palpebrae superioris (LPS) using Dixon-T2WI.

Methods

The retrospective study included 231 eyes (119 patients) in the TAO group and 78 eyes (39 volunteers) in the normal group. Dixon-T2WI provided data on maximum thickness of LPS (LPS_T) and signal intensity ratio (LPS_SIR) between the muscle and ipsilateral brain white matter. TAO diagnosis and assessment of its activity and severity were quantitatively determined using LPS_T and LPS_SIR.

Results

In the TAO group, LPS_T and LPS_SIR were higher than those in the normal group (p < 2.2e-16). The upper lid retraction (ULR) ≥ 2 mm group exhibited higher LPS_T and LPS_SIR compared to the ULR < 2 mm and normal groups. Optimal diagnostic performance was achieved with an AUC of 0.91 for LPS_T (cutoff: 1.505 mm) and 0.81 for LPS_SIR (cutoff: 1.170). LPS_T (p = 2.8e-07) and LPS_SIR (p = 3.9e-12) in the active phase were higher than in the inactive phase. LPS_T and LPS_SIR showed differences among the mild, moderate-to-severe, and sight-threatening groups (p < 0.05). ROC showed an AUC of 0.70 for LPS_T (cutoff: 2.095 mm) in judging the active phase, and 0.78 for LPS_SIR (cutoff: 1.129). For judging the moderate-to-severe and above, AUC was 0.76 for LPS_T (cutoff: 2.095 mm) and 0.78 for LPS_SIR (cutoff: 1.197).

Conclusion

The maximum thickness and SIR of LPS provide imaging indicators for assisting in the diagnosis and quantitative evaluation of TAO.
Correlation of cardiometabolic index and sarcopenia with cardiometabolic multimorbidity in middle-aged and older adult: a prospective study
Authors: He Ling , Lin Chuyang , Tu Yansong , Yang Yazhi , Lin Ming , Tu Huaijun , Li Jian
Published: May 2024

Background

Research has demonstrated that sarcopenia and visceral obesity are significant risk factors for chronic disease in middle-aged and older adults. However, the relationship between sarcopenia, the cardiac metabolic index (CMI), a novel measure of visceral obesity, and cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CMM) remains unclear. In this study, data from the China Longitudinal Study of Health and Retirement (CHARLS) were analyzed to investigate the association between sarcopenia and CMI with CMM in the middle-aged and older adult population.

Methods

The study included 4,959 participants aged 45 and over. Sarcopenia was defined using the criteria of the Asian Sarcopenia Working Group 2019. CMM is defined as having two or more of the following conditions: physician-diagnosed heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and/or hypertension. CMI was calculated using the formula: CMI = (TG/HDL-C) × WHtR. To explore the association between CMI and sarcopenia and CMM, cox proportional risk regression models were used.

Results

The median age of all participants was 57 years, with 47.1% being male. Over the 8-year follow-up, 1,362 individuals developed CMM. The incidence of CMM was 8.7/1,000 person-years in the group without sarcopenia or high CMI, 17.37/1,000 person-years in those with high CMI, 14.22/1,000 person-years in the sarcopenia group, and 22.34/1,000 person-years in the group with both conditions. After adjusting for covariates, the group with both sarcopenia and high CMI had a significantly increased risk of CMM (HR 2.48, 95% CI 1.12-5.51) and heart disease (HR 2.04, 95% CI 1.05-3.98). Among those over 65 years, sarcopenia was discovered to be associated with an increased risk of CMM [HR (95% CI: 4.83 (1.22, 19.06)]. The risk of CMM was further increased to 7.31-fold (95% CI:1.72, 31.15) when combined with high CMI.

Conclusions

The combination of sarcopenia and high CMI is associated with an increased risk of developing CMM. Early identification and intervention of sarcopenia and CMI not only enable the development of targeted therapeutic strategies but also provide potential opportunities to reduce the morbidity and mortality of CMM.
Effectiveness of resistance training in modulating inflammatory biomarkers among Asian patients with sarcopenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Xue Jingxian , Han Xi , Zheng Yan , Zhang Qiuxia , Kong Lingyu
Published: May 2024

Objective

Given the high incidence of sarcopenia among Asians, it is imperative to identify appropriate intervention methods. The International Clinical Practice Guidelines for Sarcopenia, developed by the International Conference on Sarcopenia and Frailty Research (ICFSR) task force, recommends resistance training (RT) as a primary treatment for managing sarcopenia. Inflammatory biomarkers serve as indicators of sarcopenia. However, there is currently insufficient conclusive evidence regarding the effectiveness of RT in modulating inflammatory biomarker levels among Asian participants with sarcopenia.

Data sources

Four databases were utilized for this study until October 9, 2023. This study focused on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that examined the effects of RT on interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), C-reactive protein (CRP), and interleukin-10 (IL-10) about sarcopenia. This study has been registered in the PROSPERO database (CRD42024501855).

Results

The meta-analysis included six studies from Asians involving 278 participants. The results showed a significant decrease in RT for IL-6 (weighted mean difference (WMD) = -0.73, 95% confidence interval (CI) = -1.02 to -0.44; n=5). However, no significant differences were found for TNF-α (WMD = -1.00, 95% CI = -2.47 to 0.46; n=5), CRP (WMD = -0.45, 95% CI = -1.14 to 0.23; n=3), and IL-10 (WMD = 0.13, 95% CI = -3.99 to 4.25; n=2). Subgroup analysis revealed that factors including gender selection, intervention methods, frequency, period, and duration could have a particular effect on the part of inflammatory biomarkers.

Conclusion

RT has been shown to reduce part of the level of inflammatory markers, specifically IL-6, in Asian sarcopenia participants. However, other inflammatory factors, such as TNF-α, CRP, and IL-10, did not show significant changes. Further research should confirm the impact of RT on these indicators and explore the potential effects of various factors on different inflammatory markers, such as diet, body composition, and medications.

Systematic Review Registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=501855, identifier CRD42024501855.
A descriptive review of next-generation insecticide-treated bed nets for malaria control
Authors: Böhmert Antonia L. , Logan Rhiannon A. E. , Portwood Natalie M. , Hartke Juliane , Ingham Victoria A.
Published: May 2024

To date, insecticide-treated bed nets are the most effective tool in preventing malaria-related morbidity and mortality. All distributed bed nets contain pyrethroid insecticides; however, widespread resistance to this class in the malaria vectors,Anophelesspp., has led to the development of dual active ingredient bed nets, termed ‘next-generation bed nets’. These nets combine pyrethroids with a second chemistry, aimed at countering pyrethroid resistance. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently issued recommendations for three classes of next-generation bed nets. In this review, we report on key indicators across Africa for each net type. The results underscore a substantial variation in key indicators across Africa when comparing next-generation bed nets to traditional pyrethroid-only nets. Nevertheless, dual active ingredient bed nets generally outperform pyrethroid-only nets in a various settings. The results show that new nets are a formidable tool in malaria control, with superior performance compared to traditional pyrethroid-only nets. The variability in outcomes across Africa underscores the need for a region-specific approach, fostering a targeted and adaptive strategy for the deployment of these next-generation interventions.
Genomic and phenotypic characterization of 26 novel marine bacterial strains with relevant biogeochemical roles and widespread presence across the global ocean
Authors: Rey-Velasco Xavier , Lucena Teresa , Belda Ana , Gasol Josep M. , Sánchez Olga , Arahal David R. , Pujalte María J.
Published: May 2024

Prokaryotes dominate global oceans and shape biogeochemical cycles, yet most taxa remain uncultured and uncharacterized as of today. Here we present the characterization of 26 novel marine bacterial strains from a large isolate collection obtained from Blanes Bay (NW Mediterranean) microcosm experiments made in the four seasons. Morphological, cultural, biochemical, physiological, nutritional, genomic, and phylogenomic analyses were used to characterize and phylogenetically place the novel isolates. The strains represent 23 novel bacterial species and six novel genera: three novel species pertaining to class Alphaproteobacteria (families Rhodobacteraceae and Sphingomonadaceae), six novel species and three new genera from class Gammaproteobacteria (families Algiphilaceae, Salinispheraceae, and Alteromonadaceae), 13 novel species and three novel genera from class Bacteroidia (family Flavobacteriaceae), and one new species from class Rhodothermia (family Rubricoccaceae). The bacteria described here have potentially relevant roles in the cycles of carbon (e.g., carbon fixation or energy production via proteorhodopsin), nitrogen (e.g., denitrification or use of urea), sulfur (oxidation of sulfur compounds), phosphorus (acquisition and use of different forms of phosphorus and remodeling of membrane phospholipids), and hydrogen (oxidation of hydrogen to obtain energy). We mapped the genomes of the presented strains to the Tara Oceans metagenomes to reveal that these strains were globally distributed, with those of the family Flavobacteriaceae being the most widespread and abundant, while Rhodothermia being the rarest and most localized. While molecular-only approaches are also important, our study stresses the importance of culturing as a powerful tool to further understand the functioning of marine bacterial communities.
Identification of the inhibition mechanism of carbonic anhydrase II by fructooligosaccharides
Authors: Mu Yue , Meng Qingyang , Fan Xinyi , Xi Shuyun , Xiong Zhongli , Wang Yihua , Huang Yanling , Liu Zhen
Published: May 2024

Polygonatum sibiricum (P. sibiricum), recognized as a precious nourishing Chinese traditional medicine, exhibits the pharmacological effect of anti-aging. In this work, we proposed a novel mechanism underlying this effect related to the less studied bioactive compounds fructooligosaccharides in P. sibiricum (PFOS) to identify the inhibition effect of the small glycosyl molecules on the age-related zinc metalloprotease carbonic anhydrase II (CA II). Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation were used to investigate the structural and energetic properties of the complex systems consisting of the CA II enzyme and two possible structures of PFOS molecules (PFOS-A and PFOS-B). The binding affinity of PFOS-A (−7.27 ± 1.02 kcal/mol) and PFOS-B (−8.09 ± 1.75 kcal/mol) shows the spontaneity of the binding process and the stability of the combination in the solvent. Based on the residue energy decomposition and nonbonded interactions analysis, the C-, D- and G-sheet fragments of the CA II were found to be crucial in binding process. Van der Waals interactions form on the hydrophobic surface of CAII mainly with 131PHE and 135VAL, while hydrogen bonds form on the hydrophilic surface mainly with 67ASN and 92GLN. The binding of PFOS results in the blocking of the zinc ions pocket and then inhibiting its catalytic activity, the stability of which has been further demonstrated by free energy landscape. These findings provide evidence of the effective inhibition of PFOS to CA II enzyme, which leads to a novel direction for exploring the mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine focused on small molecule fructooligosaccharides.
Protein quality, nutrition and health
Authors: Calvez Juliane , Azzout-Marniche Dalila , Tomé Daniel
Published: May 2024

Dietary proteins are energy macronutrients providing nitrogen, amino acids (AA), and energy. AAs are the main nitrogen-containing compounds in the body and are the precursors for the synthesis of body proteins and of several other AA-derived molecules. Among the 20 AAs included in protein sequence, 9 are classified as “nutritionally essential” or “indispensable” AA (IAA) because they cannot be synthesized in the body and must be provided by the diet. IAAs are limiting components for protein synthesis. An adequate intake of protein is required to support growth, maintenance, body functions, health and survival. Official definition of protein requirement is based on nitrogen balance. Protein quality is related to the capacity of protein to provide an adequate quantity of nitrogen and of each of the 9 IAAs for the different physiological situations in humans. Protein source is considered high quality for humans when the protein is readily digested, simultaneously providing an adequate quantity of nitrogen and of each of the 9 IAAs to maintain an adequate metabolic AA pool. The most accurate assessment of protein quality of foods for humans is through metabolic studies that measure nitrogen balance. The protein quality score is the ratio of the content of each IAA in the food and in a reference profile. This score corresponds to the calculated composition of a protein which, when meeting protein requirements, simultaneously meets the requirements of each of the 9 IAAs. AA scores as predictors of protein quality must be adjusted for protein and AA availability.
Case report: Difficult diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: two case reports and a literature review
Authors: Liu Zhenghua , Cai Dali , Su Nan
Published: May 2024

Background

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) is a relatively infrequent infection encountered during hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT). The identification of MTB following HSCT remains a complex task, with delayed detection and misdiagnosis potentially resulting in unfavorable outcomes. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) represents a novel, highly sensitive, and rapid diagnostic tool in clinical settings for discerning intricate infections and detecting exceedingly rare pathogens

Methods

With the aid of mNGS, we diagnosed MTB in the lymph nodes and lungs of two patients with hematological diseases following allogeneic peripheral blood hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Both patients presented with a fever, localized symptoms, and clinical signs. Following inconclusive results from routine tests, impractical biopsy procedures, and unsuccessful responses to empirical treatments, mNGS was employed as a final recourse, revealing DNA fragments of MTB in blood samples.

Results

The diagnoses were ultimately confirmed in conjunction with additional clinical evidence. The application of mNGS in MTB cases after allogeneic HSCT has rarely been reported. The mNGS technique can provide a prompt and highly sensitive indication leading to the definitive diagnosis of MTB in complex post-transplant scenarios.
Effect of different treatment modalities on the prognosis of patients with stage IIIC cervical cancer
Authors: Su Xiaoman , Huang Jiazhen , Wang Ning
Published: May 2024

Objective

To compare the effects of different treatments on the prognosis of patients with stage IIIC cervical cancer and to identify the main influencing factors to predict the outcomes of patients.

Methods

In this study, a total of 1763 patients with stage IIIC cervical cancer from 2010-2015 were retrospectively analyzed, and these patients were divided into the radical radiotherapy ± chemotherapy group (877 patients) and the radical surgery + radiotherapy ± chemotherapy group (886 patients) according to the treatment methods. The survival differences between the two groups were compared using the Kaplan-Meier method. Unifactorial and multifactorial COX analyses screened the clinical factors affecting the prognosis. The nomogram was constructed, and the accuracy of the line graph was verified using the C-index, calibration, and ROC (receiver operator characteristic curve, ROC).

Results

Age, race, T-stage, pathologic type, mass size, whether or not they underwent surgery, and whether or not they received radiotherapy were independent factors affecting Overall Survival (OS). For all patients with TxN1M0 in cervical cancer stage IIIC, radical synchronized radiotherapy was better than the radical surgery group (p<0.0001). After comparing the tumor size breakdown, it could be found that in the T1N1M0, T2N1M0, and T3N1M0 groups, none of the OS in the surgical group achieved an improvement in OS compared with that in the non-surgical group (p>0.05).

Conclusion

In patients with stage IIIC cervical cancer, OS did not improve in the radical surgery group compared with the radical simultaneous radiotherapy group. And surgery did not benefit patients’ survival regardless of tumor size.
Global burden of disease study analysis of thyroid cancer burden across 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2019
Authors: Dou Zhili , Shi Yanyan , Jia Jinzhu
Published: May 2024

Background

The purpose of this study is to assess the burden of thyroid cancer over the course of 30 years in 204 countries and territories.

Methods

Data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2019 database was analyzed to extract information on prevalence, deaths, DALYs(disability-adjusted life-years), YLL(years of life los), YLD(years lived with disability), and their corresponding age-standardized rates at global, regional, and national levels. The primary focus of the study was to examine trends in thyroid cancer from 1990 to 2019, specifically looking at the Estimated Annual Percentage Change (EAPC) for ASPR, ASDR, and ASDR. Additionally, the study investigated the relationship between cancer burden and the Socio-Demographic Index (SDI).

Results

Globally, there will be approximately 18.3 million thyroid cancer (TC) cases in 2019; China and the USA are projected to be the most significant with 310,327 and 220,711 cases (16.17 and 14.82 cases per 100,000 people, respectively).Over the period from 1990 to 2019, age-standardized prevalence rates exhibited a global rise, whereas deaths and DALYs saw a decrease(EAPC:1.63, –0.15- –0.14, respectively). Significantly, the age-standardized prevalence rate increased in 21 GBD regions, affecting 195 out of 204 countries or territories. Over the studied period, thyroid cancer cases, deaths, and DALYs were consistently higher among females than males. Furthermore, a higher Socio-demographic Index was associated with increased age-standardized prevalence rates.
Safety assessment of tranexamic acid: real-world adverse event analysis from the FAERS database
Authors: Tian Ningsheng , Sun Yuxin , Liu Yingying , Jin Jie , Chen Shuai , Han Huawei , Zhang Ying , Li Zhiwei
Published: May 2024

Background

In recent years, with the continuous expansion of the application scope of Tranexamic acid (TXA), its usage has surged. Despite numerous studies demonstrating its powerful efficacy, concerns regarding its adverse reactions persist, necessitating comprehensive safety assessment. This study analyzed real-world data from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to investigate TXA-related adverse events, aiming to elucidate its safety and optimize patient treatment.

Methods

The adverse drug event data concerning TXA from 2004 Q1 to 2023 Q3 were collected. Following data standardization, a variety of signal quantification techniques, including the reporting odds ratios, proportional reporting ratios, Bayesian confidence propagation neural network, and empirical Bayes geometric mean were used for analysis.

Results

After analyzing 16,692,026 adverse event reports, a total of 1,574 cases of adverse events related to TXA were identified, spanning 23 system organ classes and 307 preferred terms. In addition to the common thrombosis-related Vascular disorders (n = 386) and Cardiac disorders (n = 377), adverse reactions in the Nervous system disorders category were also observed (n = 785), including Myoclonus (n = 70), Status epilepticus (n = 43), and Myoclonic epilepsy (n = 17). Furthermore, this study uncovered adverse effects such as Renal cortical necrosis, Hepatic cyst rupture, and Vascular stent stenosis, which were not previously mentioned in the instructions. Although these occurred infrequently, they exhibited high signal strength. Both Retinal artery occlusion and Vascular stent thrombosis disorder were frequent and exhibited high signal strength as well. It is worth noting that 78 cases of adverse reactions were caused by confusion between incorrect product administration.

Conclusion

Our research suggests that TXA has some adverse reactions that are being overlooked. As a cornerstone medication in hemorrhage treatment, it’s crucial to monitor, identify, and address these adverse reactions effectively.
Natural elicitors enhanced suberin polyphenolic accumulation in wounded potato tuber tissues
Authors: Dogramaci Munevver , Sarkar Dipayan , Finger Fernando L. , Shetty Kalidas , Fugate Karen K.
Published: May 2024

Introduction

Unintended wounding or bruising during harvest or postharvest handling leads to significant tuber loss and imposes economic burden to potato industry. Therefore, finding effective strategies to mitigate wound-related tuber losses is very important from industry perspectives. Formation of protective barrier through accumulation of suberin polyphenolics (SPP) is a natural and initial response of potato tuber tissues to wounding.

Materials and methods

In this study, efficacy of two natural elicitors, such as chitosan oligosaccharide (COS 0.125 g L-1) and cranberry pomace residue (Nutri-Cran 0.125 g L-1) was investigated using a mechanically wounded tuber tissue model and by histological determination of SPP formation in five agronomically relevant and red-skin potato cultivars (Chieftain, Dakota Rose, Dakota Ruby, Red LaSoda, Red Norland). Furthermore, the potential role of stress protective metabolic regulation involving phenolic metabolites, proline, and antioxidant enzymes in tuber WH processes were also investigated during 0-9 days after wounding.

Results and discussion

Exogenous treatments of both COS and Nutri-Cran resulted into enhanced SPP formation in wounded surface, but the impact was more rapid with Nutri-Cran treatment in select cultivars. Greater contents of total soluble phenolic, ferulic acid, chlorogenic acid, total antioxidant activity, and superoxide dismutase activity were also observed in elicitor treated tuber tissues at different time points after wounding. Nutri-Cran treatment also reduced the activity of succinate dehydrogenase in Red Norland and Dakota Ruby at 3 d, indicating a suppression in respiration rate. Collectively, these results suggest that Nutri-Cran can be potentially utilized as an effective WH treatment to potato tubers for minimizing wound-related losses.
“Finding my voice again” - women’s experiences of psychological therapy in perinatal secondary care settings: a qualitative study
Authors: O’Brien Jayne , Gregg Lynsey , Wittkowski Anja
Published: May 2024

Introduction

Although women often experience mental health comorbidities in the perinatal period, the evidence-base for psychological therapy across diagnostic boundaries in the perinatal period remains limited. As there is a need to understand experiences of therapy, irrespective of diagnosis, to inform intervention provision, the aims of this study were to explore women’s experiences of psychological therapy for perinatal mental health difficulties and to identify the mechanisms that women attributed to the most significant therapeutic change for themselves and/or the mother-infant relationship.

Method

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 women who received therapy within specialist perinatal community mental health settings in the Northwest of England, the UK. Interview data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.

Results

One overarching theme entitled participant life stories were at the heart of therapy was identified alongside three other main themes: 1.) We’re in this together – therapeutic bond and establishing a coherent sense of self, 2.) Surfing the urge to ‘fix’ feelings – Sitting with emotions improved regulation and 3.) Seeing myself in a new light – Shifting self-blame to self-compassion enhanced self-efficacy. Theme 1 consisted of three subthemes. Participants described the quality of the therapeutic relationship as the fundamental foundation to (re)connecting with their needs, values and boundaries, which improved their sense of agency, self-esteem, therapeutic engagement and self-understanding. Shifting emotional avoidance to emotional engagement improved their self-regulation. Considering alternative factors that could have contributed to their experiences helped them to defuse self-blame and enhance self-compassion. Finally, changes in their mental health led to positive relational changes in their relationship with their infant and improved communication with partners.

Discussion

Sensitivity, engagement and responsivity experienced in the therapist-woman relationship was reported to be mirrored in the mother-infant relationship. Developing a coherent sense of self and self-regulation skills both appeared to heighten women’s self-compassion and empathy for their infants, which also seemed to improve their ability to tolerate uncertainty and mixed emotions within themselves and their infants. The mechanisms of change in the perinatal period are important to consider at a stakeholder, therapist and service management level to parsimoniously and best meet the needs of women and the mother-infant relationship.
Placebo effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on negative symptoms and cognition in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Wang Mingqi , Lu Shensen , Hao Lu , Xia Yifei , Shi Zhenchun , Su Lei
Published: May 2024

Background

Negative symptoms and cognitive impairments are highly frequent in schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD), associated with adverse functional outcomes and quality of life. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been considered a promising therapeutic option in SSD. However, placebo effects of rTMS on these symptoms remained unclear.

Objective

To investigate placebo effects of rTMS on alleviating negative symptoms and cognitive impairment in patients with SSD and to explore potential moderators.

Methods

We systematically searched five electronic databases up to 15 July 2023. Randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trials investigating effects of rTMS on negative symptoms or cognition in patients with SSD were included. The pooled placebo effect sizes, represented by Hedges’ g, were estimated using the random-effects model. Potential moderators were explored through subgroup analysis and meta-regression.

Results

Forty-four randomized controlled trials with 961 patients (mean age 37.53 years; 28.1% female) in the sham group were included. Significant low-to-moderate pooled placebo effect sizes were observed for negative symptoms (g=0.44, p<0.001), memory (g=0.31, p=0.010), executive function (g=0.35, p<0.001), working memory (g=0.26, p=0.004), and processing speed (g=0.36, p=0.004). Subgroup analysis indicated that placebo effects were affected by sham stimulation methods, rTMS targeting approaches, and stimulation frequency.

Conclusions

Placebo effects of rTMS on negative symptoms and cognition in patients with SSD are significant in a small-to-moderate magnitude, which might be mediated by rTMS parameters. Our findings will provide new insights for practitioners to further optimize and establish standardized rTMS protocols for future RCTs tackling cardinal symptoms in SSD.

Systematic Review Registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD42023390138.
Suicidal behavior and associated factors among holy water users at Northwest, Ethiopia, 2023: an institution based cross-sectional study
Authors: Kassahun Gedefaw Tegegne , Addis Fikir , Mossie Tilahun Belete , Belete Habte , Munie Birhanu Mengist
Published: May 2024

Background

Suicide is a serious cause of mortality that affects families, communities, and the entire country. Because of a lack of national systematic reporting for cause-specific mortality, a high level of stigma, and religious non-acceptance, suicidal behavior is an under-reported and concealed cause of death in the majority of low- and middle-income countries.

Objective

The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of suicidal behavior and associated factors among holy water users at the Andassa Saint George Monastery, 2023.

Methods

An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted at the Andassa Saint George Monastery from 5 April to 5 May 2023. A systematic random sampling method was utilized to select 423 study participants and the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire—Revised was used to assess suicidal behavior. The data were gathered using the epicollect5 software with a face-to-face interview method then exported to SPSS-25 for analysis. A binary logistic regression model was used and all variables in a bivariate analysis with a p-value of less than 0.25 were entered into a multivariable logistic regression model, and statistical significance was declared at a p-value of less than 0.05.

Results

The prevalence of suicidal behavior among holy water users was 9.7% (95% CI: 7.1–12.4). Being female [2.632 (1.206–5.748)], living alone [2.52 (1.06–5.97)], and having depression [3.03 (1.32–6.99)], epilepsy [3.82 (1.28–11.40)], and diabetes mellitus [3.37 (1.229–9.25)] were significantly associated with suicidal behavior.

Conclusion

In this study, almost 1 in 10 had engaged in suicidal behavior in their lifetime. Several risk factors for suicidal behavior were identified, including being female, living alone, and having diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, and depression.
Exploring the relationship between smoking and poor sleep quality: a cross-sectional study using NHANES
Authors: Sun Haoxiong , Li Sijia
Published: May 2024

Introduction

Sleeping disorders is a high prevalent disorder, and although previous research has suggested a link between smoking and sleep disorders, there is a lack of large-scale, nationally representative studies examining this association across multiple sleep outcomes and exploring dose-response relationships.

Methods

This study used data from 30,269 participants from the NHANES database (2007–2020). Weighted logistic regression models were used to assess the associations between smoking status (non-smoker, light smoker, moderate smoker, and heavy smoker) and various sleep outcomes, including insufficient sleep duration, reported sleep problems, snoring, snorting, or stopping breathing during sleep, and daytime sleepiness. Dose-response relationships were explored using restricted cubic splines.

Results

Compared to non-smokers, heavy smokers had significantly higher odds of experiencing insufficient sleep duration with OR 1.732 (95% CI 1.528–1.963, P <0.001), reported sleep problems with OR 1.990 (95% CI 1.766–2.243, P <0.001), occasional or frequent snoring with OR 1.908 (95% CI 1.164–3.128, P = 0.03), and occasional or frequent snorting or stopping breathing during sleep with OR 1.863 (95% CI 1.183–2.936, P = 0.022), while results for sometimes, often or almost always being overly sleepy during the day with OR 1.257 (95% CI 0.872–1.810, P = 0.115) are not significant. A trend of positive correlation was observed between smoking and all sleep disorder outcomes (P for trend < 0.05). Dose-response analyses revealed that the odds of these sleep outcomes increased with higher smoking levels.

Conclusion

Smoking is significantly associated with various sleep disorders, and a dose-response relationship exists between smoking levels and the odds of experiencing these sleep problems. These findings underscore the importance of addressing smoking as a modifiable risk factor for poor sleep health and suggest that reducing smoking, even if complete cessation is not achieved, may have positive effects on sleep outcomes.
Applications of a vacuum-actuated multi-material hybrid soft gripper: lessons learnt from RoboSoft manipulation challenge
Authors: Dontu Saikrishna , Kanhere Elgar , Stalin Thileepan , Dharmawan Audelia Gumarus , Hegde Chidanand , Su Jiangtao , Chen Xiaodong , Magdassi Shlomo , Soh Gim Song , Valdivia Y. Alvarado Pablo
Published: May 2024

Soft grippers are garnering increasing attention for their adeptness in conforming to diverse objects, particularly delicate items, without warranting precise force control. This attribute proves especially beneficial in unstructured environments and dynamic tasks such as food handling. Human hands, owing to their elevated dexterity and precise motor control, exhibit the ability to delicately manipulate complex food items, such as small or fragile objects, by dynamically adjusting their grasping configurations. Furthermore, with their rich sensory receptors and hand-eye coordination that provide valuable information involving the texture and form factor, real-time adjustments to avoid damage or spill during food handling appear seamless. Despite numerous endeavors to replicate these capabilities through robotic solutions involving soft grippers, matching human performance remains a formidable engineering challenge. Robotic competitions serve as an invaluable platform for pushing the boundaries of manipulation capabilities, simultaneously offering insights into the adoption of these solutions across diverse domains, including food handling. Serving as a proxy for the future transition of robotic solutions from the laboratory to the market, these competitions simulate real-world challenges. Since 2021, our research group has actively participated in RoboSoft competitions, securing victories in the Manipulation track in 2022 and 2023. Our success was propelled by the utilization of a modified iteration of our Retractable Nails Soft Gripper (RNSG), tailored to meet the specific requirements of each task. The integration of sensors and collaborative manipulators further enhanced the gripper’s performance, facilitating the seamless execution of complex grasping tasks associated with food handling. This article encapsulates the experiential insights gained during the application of our highly versatile soft gripper in these competition environments.