bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Early Plays
Authors: Cannon Harris Susan
Published: July 2023

This chapter examines Yeats’s initial turn toward drama through his theatrical collaborations with women. Through his work with Laura Armstrong, Maud Gonne, and Florence Farr, Yeats discovered theatre as a practice that would enable him to pursue one of his most cherished and burning desires: the transcendence of individual subjectivity through shared consciousness. This chapter argues that Yeats first turned toward drama in order to experience a kind of collaboration that was not available to him through literary societies like the Rhymers’ Club. It shows how the persistent recurrence of desire between women in Yeats’s earliest plays—from his first play, Vivien and Time, in 1884 to The Land of Heart’s Desire ten years later—is an expression of the transformative effect of these theatrical collaborations.
Yeats’s Visionary Poetics
Authors: Mann Neil
Published: July 2023

Faced with W. B. Yeats’s interest in the occult and involvement with magical orders, many readers react with something like the incomprehension summed up by W. H. Auden as ‘mediums, spells, the Mysterious Orient—how embarrassing’. Yeats’s esoteric interests may be tolerated for the artistry and the art they fertilized, but are often otherwise viewed askance. The system that emerged in the automatic script and that Yeats outlined in A Vision was vital to his creative impetus, and Yeats was poet enough to avoid using it in ways that created an obstacle to readers. The exoteric form of the work of art is accessible to all and communicates through understandable words and imagery, though the esoteric rationale or skeleton underlies it and provides further levels of meaning. Yeats seeks to explore the ‘one history, and that the soul’s’, and, wherever the map comes from, its usefulness lies in reflecting something of the soul that can speak to any reader and that reflects human experience.
Male engagement in family planning: the role of faith leaders in urban West Africa
Authors: Hylkema Renske , Ilozumba Onaedo
Published: July 2023

Sustainable Development Goal 3 aims to improve access to modern contraceptives and inform and educate people on family planning (FP). However, contraceptive use among women of reproductive age in West Africa is low at approximately 20%. One related factor is the limited engagement of males in FP decision-making. Addressing this issue requires a multiplicity of approaches, including the engagement of faith leaders. Faith leaders are often trusted by their congregants and could be an avenue to promoting male involvement in FP. In this report, we discuss the role of faith leaders in two West African countries, Nigeria and Ghana. We conducted 11 in-depth interviews with faith leaders in Nigeria and Ghana. Our exploratory findings indicate that faith leaders seem to have adequate knowledge and a positive perspective on male engagement and FP. In addition, the relationship of trust faith leaders maintain with their congregants is valuable in educating or counselling congregants on male engagement and FP.
‘All American boys’ in the time of George Floyd: how multicultural literature can address racism’s effect on community health
Authors: Forney Solana , Mackie Joanna F
Published: July 2023

Multicultural Literature is an educational tool that has been increasingly used in adolescent education to help understand the impact of police brutality. Limited research is available on the impact of multicultural literature and its ability to educate themselves on the effects experienced by communities affected by police brutality. Through the implementation of multicultural literature, people would be exposed to both the experiences of the individuals getting assaulted and the community that is affected once an incident occurs. When reading these stories, they are emotionally connected to the stories, which have been proven to show a deeper understanding of the topic. This article will analyze a specific book, ‘All American Boys’, and its potential impact on community health through fostering empathy and giving a deeper understanding of community impact in a heavily monitored community. As more books that introduce topics like this get restricted from students, it is necessary to analyze the potential benefits multicultural literature can bring to adolescents both through reading comprehension and human connection.
Study on the mechanism of PM2.5 affecting Th1/Th2 immune imbalance through the notch signaling pathway in asthmatic mice
Authors: Wu Ji-rong , He Zheng , Bao Hai-rong , Zeng Xiao-li , Liu Xiao-ju
Published: July 2023

Some research has shown that PM2.5 causes Th1/Th2 immune imbalance and aggravates asthma. However, the exact mechanism of PM2.5 causing aggravation of asthma remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether exposure to PM2.5 exacerbates Th1/Th2 immune imbalance through the Notch signaling pathway. Eight-week-old SPF female BALF/c mice were sensitized by ovalbumin to establish an asthma mouse model. PM2.5 exposure was carried out by aerosol inhalation of PM2.5 (510 μg/m3) after each provocation. The lung function of mice was measured and Splenic T lymphocyte subsets were detected. Notch signaling pathway was tested. The levels of interferon (IFN)-γ and interleukin (IL)-4 in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were determined. The results showed that the expression of the mRNA and protein of Notch1 and Hes1 in the asthma group were significantly higher than those in healthy controls. The levels of IL-4 were also remarkably high; while the levels of IFN-γ were remarkably low in serum and BALF, the Th1% and Th1/Th2 ratios were significantly lower, and Th2% was significantly higher in the asthma group than in the healthy controls. PM2.5 promoted further activation of the Notch signaling pathway and aggravated Th1/Th2 immune imbalance in asthmatic mice. γ-secretase inhibitor can partially inhibit the activation of the Notch signaling pathway and alleviate aggravation of immune imbalance. In conclusion, the asthmatic mice had a Th1/Th2 immune imbalance and an overactivated Notch signaling pathway. PM2.5 further aggravated Th1/Th2 immune imbalance by activating the Notch signaling pathway.
The multifaceted impact of structured training program on persons with Parkinson disease and their adult caregiver: A protocol for a systematic review
Authors: Gopala Krishna Pillai Sharmila , Mohd Nordin Nor Azlin , Mohamed Ibrahim Norlinah
Published: July 2023

Background:

Training caregivers and persons with Parkinson Disease (PwPD) is crucial to provide them with adequate knowledge and care skills in preparation for the Parkinson disease (PD) progression. This review will systematically evaluate the effect of structured training programs on the mobility and quality of life (QoL) of PwPD. In addition, the effect of such training programs on the QoL, burden of caregiving, and knowledge of PD among adult caregivers of PwPD will also be evaluated.

Methods:

Systematic and comprehensive search of relevant studies will be conducted using electronic databases such as Cochrane Library, EBSCOhost, PubMed, SCOPUS, and Web of Science. The title, abstract, keywords, and full texts will be screened for eligibility. Studies to be selected are randomized controlled trials (RCT) from inception until April 2023. Studies based on structured PD training either in the form of training, education, program, multidisciplinary approach, or self-management targeted at both PwPD and their adult caregivers will be selected. Only full-text articles available in the English language will be included. Full-text articles will be inspected by 2 independent reviewers to produce the final set of articles that meet the eligibility criteria. A third reviewer will be engaged if no consensus is achieved between the first and second reviewers. Version 2 of the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials (RoB 2) will be used to evaluate the quality of papers and inform the risk of bias.

Results:

This review will provide an outlook on the effects of structured PD training programs on mobility and QoL of PwPD. In addition, it will provide insight into the effects of such training on the caregivers’ burden, knowledge of PD, and QoL.

Conclusion:

This review findings may help clinicians and researchers to understand the effect of structured and comprehensive PD training programs for PwPD and their adult caregiver.
Bone metastases with “false negative” findings on 18F-FDG PET/CT in patients with angiosarcoma: A case series with literature review
Authors: Ariga Akane , Matsumoto Seiichi , Tanizawa Taisuke , Hayakawa Keiko , Minami Yusuke , Saito Masanori , Kurosawa Norio , Yamashita Kyoko , Terauchi Takashi , Ae Keisuke
Published: July 2023

Rationale:

Fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) is considered a reliable and indispensable imaging method when evaluating distant metastases and clinical staging of angiosarcomas. Here, we report 2 cases of angiosarcoma with bone metastases with “false negative” findings on 18F-FDG PET/CT.

Patient concerns:

Case 1, a 39-year-old woman, who had undergone mastectomy for primary angiosarcoma 2 years prior, presented with a 5-month history of right coxalgia. Case 2 was a 37-year-old woman, who had undergone mastectomy for primary angiosarcoma 4 months prior. During postoperative follow-up, multiple bone lesions were detected on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Diagnoses:

Based on the histopathological findings, both cases were diagnosed with bone metastases of angiosarcoma. Although MRI showed multiple bone metastatic lesions, 18F-FDG PET/CT showed no uptake or osteolytic destruction in both cases.

Interventions:

Weekly paclitaxel was initiated as a salvage chemotherapy in both cases.

Outcomes:

No uptake or osteolytic lesions were observed on 18F-FDG PET/CT, despite multiple bone metastases detected on MRI.

Lessons:

False-negative findings on 18F-FDG PET/CT should be considered when evaluating bone metastases of angiosarcoma. Even with negative findings on 18F-FDG PET/CT, open biopsy should be performed if MRI indicates bone metastases.
The impact of acupuncture combined with acupoint catgut embedding on simple obesity: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Gao Ping , Xu Xueliang , Zhou Mingze , Cui Jiarui , Yi Ting , Zhu Tianmin
Published: July 2023

Background:

Obesity is a widespread chronic metabolic disease that significantly impairs quality of life. Studies have demonstrated the efficacy of both acupuncture and acupoint catgut embedding (ACE) in the management of obesity. However, the superiority of acupuncture combined with ACE over acupuncture alone remains a subject of controversy. This study aims to elucidate this controversy and provide robust clinical evidence.

Methods:

A comprehensive search of relevant literature from the initiation to July 2022 was carried out in 8 databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane database, Web of Science, CBM Database, CNKI, Wan-fang Database, and VIP Database). We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that investigated the treatment of simple obesity using acupuncture paired with ACE, with acupuncture alone as the control group. The pooled outcomes included body mass index (BMI), body weight (BW), %BF, waist circumference (WC), hip circumferences (HC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), therapeutic effective rate (TER), and adverse events. Two independent reviewers performed screening (using EndNote X9) and quality assessment (using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool) for the included studies. with the software RevMan 5.3 was used to perform pooling of effect sizes. The certainty of the evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE).

Results:

A total of 20 trials involving 15 datasets (1616 participants) were included. The findings demonstrated significant improvements in outcome measures when acupuncture was combined with ACE, compared with acupuncture alone (BMI: MD = −1.49 kg/m2, 95% confidence interval [CI] = −1.93 to −1.04, P < .01; BW: MD = −2.38, 95% CI = −3.86 to −0.89, P < .01; %BF: MD = −2.19, 95% CI = −3.23 to −1.15, P < .01; WC: MD = −2.01, 95% CI = −3.66 to −0.35, P < .05; HC: MD = −0.83, 95% CI = −1.64 to −0.02, P < .05; WHR: MD = −0.02, 95% CI = −0.03 to −0.01, P < .01; TER: OR = 2.68, 95% CI = 1.93–3.74, P < .01). Adverse effects were reported in 4 studies.

Conclusion subsections:

The results of this meta-analysis indicate that acupuncture combined with ACE is superior to acupuncture alone in the treatment of obesity, which is supported by the subgroup analysis. The assessment of efficacy may have been influenced by variations in study quality, potentially amplifying the observed effects. RCTs with larger sample sizes and improved methodological quality are needed to enhance the validity of the findings.
Mechanism of morusin on breast cancer via network pharmacology and in vitro experiments
Authors: Li Hangzhen , Xiao Jianlei , Li Xue , Huang Qian , Liu Qingfeng , Zhang Qing
Published: July 2023

Background:

This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of morusin on breast cancer and decode its underlying molecular mechanism using network pharmacology and in vitro techniques.

Methods:

Swiss Target Prediction and PharMmapper were applied to screen morusin targets. The targets of human breast cancer were obtained from the GeneCards database, and the overlapping targets were screened. A protein-protein interaction network was constructed based on the overlapping targets by String and Cytoscape. Performed Gene Ontology enrichment as well as Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis on the shared targets of the drug and disease using the David database. Additionally, performed molecular docking using PyMoL and AutoDock software. Finally, the impact of morusin on breast cancer was demonstrated by cell experiments and western blot.

Results:

A total of 101 target genes were obtained through screening including ESR1, EGFR, ALB, CTNNB1, AKT1, and so on. Based on the annotation of Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis, the anticancer properties of morusin are linked to apoptosis, migration, and PI3K-AKT signaling pathways. Molecular docking showed an interaction between morusin and PIK3CA, AKT1. In vitro data demonstrated that morusin causes apoptosis and inhibits cell migration. Morusin also increased the expression of cleaved-PARP while decreasing the expression of p-PI3K and p-AKT.

Conclusion:

Through network pharmacology analysis and in vitro experiments, this study showed that morusin promotes apoptosis and inhibits migration by modulating the PI3K-AKT axis. Morusin plays a key role in the treatment of breast cancer.
Abdominal compartment syndrome caused by severe acute gastric distension in a patient with COVID-19: A case report
Authors: Park Ki Bum , Nho Woo Young
Published: July 2023

Rationale:

The clinical manifestation of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) ranges from asymptomatic to critical. The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is involved in the early stages of the disease and is recognized as an important entry site for the virus. Consequently, GI manifestations are common in patients with COVID-19; however, the GI presentation of COVID-19 in relation to bowel dilatation has rarely been reported. Here, we report a case of acute severe gastric distension resulting in aortic compression and abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) in a patient with COVID-19.

Patient concerns:

A 72-year-old male presented to the emergency department (ED) with severe abdominal distension. The patient had been confirmed to have COVID-19 5 days prior to the visit.

Diagnoses:

Computed tomography revealed critical abdominal distension with severe gastric dilatation, accompanied by compression of the abdominal aorta and distal thrombosis formation.

Interventions:

Intravenous fluid resuscitation and support with inotropic agents were initiated immediately, and a large amount of gastric content was evacuated via a nasogastric (NG) tube.

Outcome:

Finally, the patient was discharged after 12 days of admission without obvious complications.

Lessons:

ACS is critical, which can be caused by a severe degree of acute gastric distension (AGD). Evacuation of the intraluminal contents is the most efficient management strategy. Prognosis is poor, and most previous studies of the transition from AGD to ACS have reported unfavorable outcomes.
Venovenous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Initiation for Pediatric Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome With Cardiovascular Instability is Associated With an Immediate and Sustained Decrease in Vasoactive-Inotropic Scores
Authors: Chilcote Daniel , Sriram Anant , Slovis Julia , Morgan Ryan W. , Schaubel Douglas E. , Connelly James , Berg Robert A. , Keim Garrett , Yehya Nadir , Kilbaugh Todd , Himebauch Adam S.
Published: July 2023

OBJECTIVE:

To determine the association of venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) initiation with changes in vasoactive-inotropic scores (VISs) in children with pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome (PARDS) and cardiovascular instability.

DESIGN:

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING:

Single academic pediatric ECMO center.

PATIENTS:

Children (1 mo to 18 yr) treated with VV-ECMO (2009–2019) for PARDS with need for vasopressor or inotropic support at ECMO initiation.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS:

Arterial blood gas values, VIS, mean airway pressure (mPaw), and oxygen saturation (Spo
2) values were recorded hourly relative to the start of ECMO flow for 24 hours pre-VV-ECMO and post-VV-ECMO cannulation. A sharp kink discontinuity regression analysis clustered by patient tested the difference in VISs and regression line slopes immediately surrounding cannulation. Thirty-two patients met inclusion criteria: median age 6.6 years (interquartile range [IQR] 1.5–11.7), 22% immunocompromised, and 75% had pneumonia or sepsis as the cause of PARDS. Pre-ECMO characteristics included: median oxygenation index 45 (IQR 35–58), mPaw 32 cm H2
o (IQR 30–34), 97% on inhaled nitric oxide, and 81% on an advanced mode of ventilation. Median VIS immediately before VV-ECMO cannulation was 13 (IQR 8–25) with an overall increasing VIS trajectory over the hours before cannulation. VISs decreased and the slope of the regression line reversed immediately surrounding the time of cannulation (robust p < 0.0001). There were pre-ECMO to post-ECMO cannulation decreases in mPaw (32 vs 20 cm H2
o, p < 0.001) and arterial Pco
2 (64.1 vs 50.1 mm Hg, p = 0.007) and increases in arterial pH (7.26 vs 7.38, p = 0.001), arterial base excess (2.5 vs 5.2, p = 0.013), and SpO2 (91% vs 95%, p = 0.013).

CONCLUSIONS:

Initiation of VV-ECMO was associated with an immediate and sustained reduction in VIS in PARDS patients with cardiovascular instability. This VIS reduction was associated with decreased mPaw and reduced respiratory and/or metabolic acidosis as well as improved oxygenation.
Pediatric Dance-Related Injuries Treated in Emergency Departments in the United States, 2000–2020
Authors: Dadoo Sonali , Kistamgari Sandhya , McKenzie Lara B. , Yang Jingzhen , Smith Gary A.
Published: July 2023

Objective

This study investigated the characteristics and trends of children aged 3 to 19 years treated in US emergency departments for dance-related injuries.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System from 2000 through 2020 was conducted.

Results

An estimated 489,119 children received emergency treatment for a dance-related injury, averaging 23,291 children annually, and the rate of injury increased 68.1% during the 21-year study period. Girls accounted for 80.3% and children aged 15 to 19 years accounted for 46.5% of cases. Sprains/strains were the most frequent diagnosis (44.4%), and lower extremities were the most commonly injured body region (56.4%). Compared with other body regions, patients aged 3 to 10 years were more likely to sustain head/neck injuries (odds ratio, 3.94, 95% confidence interval, 3.42–4.52) than 11- to 19-year-olds. Falls and noncontact mechanisms of injury accounted for 35.6% and 32.1% of injuries, respectively. Unstructured dance activity was associated with 30.8% of dance-related injuries overall and 67.0% among children aged 3 to 5 years. Ballet/pointe dancers frequently sustained lower extremity sprains/strains (39.2%). Compared with other dance types, break dancing was more commonly associated with injuries to an upper extremity than other body regions (odds ratio, 4.76, 95% confidence interval, 3.66–6.19).

Conclusions

The rate of pediatric dance-related injuries treated in US emergency departments is increasing. Unstructured dance activity was an important source of dance-related injury, especially among children aged 3 to 5 years. The injury diagnosis and body region injured varied by child age and type of dance. Additional targeted prevention efforts should be implemented that address the injury characteristics of dancer subgroups.
Genome-based reclassification of Bacillus acidicola, Bacillus pervagus and the genera Heyndrickxia, Margalitia and Weizmannia
Authors: Narsing Rao Manik Prabhu , Banerjee Aparna , Liu Guo-Hong , Thamchaipenet Arinthip
Published: July 2023

In the present study, the taxonomic positions of

Bacillus acidicola

,

Bacillus pervagus

and members of the genera

Heyndrickxia

,

Margalitia

and

Weizmannia

were evaluated. The 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity between

Bacillus acidicola

DSM 14745T,

Bacillus pervagus

DSM 23947T and members of the genera

Heyndrickxia

and

Margalitia

were above the cut-off level (>95 %) for genus delineation. Amino acid identity (AAI) values and the results of phylogenomic analysis suggested that

B. acidicola

and the members of the genera

Heyndrickxia

,

Margalitia

and

Weizmannia

belong to the same genus. Furthermore, the AAI and phylogenomic results also differentiate

B. pervagus

from

B. acidicola

and the members of the genera

Heyndrickxia

,

Margalitia

and

Weizmannia

. Based on the results, we propose to transfer

Bacillus acidicola

,

Margalitia

and

Weizmannia

to the genus

Heyndrickxia

. We also propose the reclassification of

B. pervagus

into a new genus Oikeobacillus gen. nov., with the type species Oikeobacillus pervagus comb. nov.
Pain reflects the informational value of nociceptive inputs
Authors: Coll Michel-Pierre , Walden Zoey , Bourgoin Pierre-Alexandre , Taylor Véronique , Rainville Pierre , Robert Manon , Nguyen Dang Khoa , Jolicoeur Pierre , Roy Mathieu
Published: July 2023

Pain perception and its modulation are fundamental to human learning and adaptive behavior. This study investigated the hypothesis that pain perception is tied to pain’s learning function. Thirty-one participants performed a threat conditioning task where certain cues were associated with a possibility of receiving a painful electric shock. The cues that signalled potential pain or safety were regularly changed, requiring participants to continually establish new associations. Using computational models, we quantified participants’ pain expectations and prediction errors throughout the task and assessed their relationship with pain perception and electrophysiological responses. Our findings suggest that subjective pain perception increases with prediction error, that is when pain was unexpected. Prediction errors were also related to physiological nociceptive responses, including the amplitude of the nociceptive flexion reflex and EEG markers of cortical nociceptive processing (N2-P2 evoked potential and gamma-band power). Additionally, higher pain expectations were related to increased late event-related potential responses and alpha/beta decreases in amplitude during cue presentation. These results further strengthen the idea of a crucial link between pain and learning and suggest that understanding the influence of learning mechanisms in pain modulation could help us understand when and why pain perception is modulated in health and disease.
sNucConv: A bulk RNA-seq deconvolution method trained on single-nucleus RNA-seq data to estimate cell-type composition of human subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissues
Authors: Sorek Gil , Haim Yulia , Chalifa-Caspi Vered , Lazarescu Or , Ziv Maya , Hagemann Tobias , Nono Nankam Pamela Arielle , Blüher Matthias , Liberty Idit F. , Dukhno Oleg , Kukeev Ivan , Yeger-Lotem Esti , Rudich Assaf , Levin Liron
Published: July 2023

Deconvolution algorithms rely on single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) data applied onto bulk RNA-sequencing (bulk RNA-seq) to extract information on the cell-types composition and proportions comprising a certain tissue. Adipose tissues’ cellular composition exhibits enormous plasticity in response to weight changes and high variance at different anatomical locations (depots). However, adipocytes – the functionally unique cell type of adipose tissue, are not amenable to scRNA-seq, a challenge recently met by applying single-nucleus RNA-sequencing (snRNA-seq). Here we aimed to develop a deconvolution method to estimate the cellular composition of human visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissues (hVAT and hSAT, respectively) using snRNA-seq to assess the true cell-type proportions. To correlate deconvolution-estimated cell-type proportions to true (snRNA-seq -derived) proportions, we analyzed seven hVAT and 5 hSAT samples by both bulk RNA-seq and snRNA-seq. snRNA-seq uncovered 15 distinct cell types in hVAT and 13 in hSAT. Deconvolution tools – SCDC, MuSiC, and Scaden exhibited low performance in estimating cell-type proportions (median |R|= 0.12 for estimated vs. true correlations). Notably, estimation accuracy somewhat improved by decreasing the number of cell-types groups, which nevertheless remained low (|R|<0.42). We therefore developedsNuConv, a novel method that employs Scaden, a deep-learning tool, trained using snRNA-seq - based data corrected by i. snRNA-seq/bulk RNA-seq highly-correlated genes, ii. corrected estimated cell-type proportions based on individual cell-type regression models. Applying sNuConv on our bulk RNA-seq data resulted in cell-type proportion estimation accuracy with median R=0.93 (range:0.76–0.97) for hVAT, and median R=0.95 (range:0.92–0.98) for hSAT. The resulting model was depot-specific, reflecting depot-differences in gene expression patterns. Thus, we present sNuConv, a novel, AI-based, method to deduce the cellular landscape of hVAT and hSAT from bulk RNA-seq data, providing proof-of-concept for producing validated deconvolution algorithms for tissues un-amenable to single-cell RNA sequencing.
An In-Silico Testbed for Fast and Accurate MR Labeling of Orthopaedic Implants
Authors: Noetscher Gregory M , Serano Peter J. , Horner Marc , Prokop Alexander , Hanson Jonathan , Fujimoto Kyoko , Brown James E. , Nazarian Ara , Ackerman Jerome , Makaroff Sergey N
Published: July 2023

Abstract

One limitation on the ability to monitor health in older adults using Magnetic Resonance (MR) imaging is the presence of implants, where the prevalence of implantable devices (orthopedic, cardiac, neuromodulation) increases in the population, as does the pervasiveness of conditions requiring MRI studies for diagnosis (musculoskeletal diseases, infections, or cancer). The present study describes a novel multiphysics implant modeling testbed using the following approaches with two examples:

-

anin-silicohuman model based on the widely available Visible Human Project (VHP) cryo-section dataset;

-

a finite element method (FEM) modeling software workbench from Ansys (Electronics Desktop/Mechanical) to model MR radio frequency (RF) coils and the temperature rise modeling in heterogeneous media.

Thein-silicoVHP Female model (250 parts with an additional 40 components specifically characterizing embedded implants and resultant surrounding tissues) corresponds to a 60-year-old female with a body mass index (BMI) of 36. The testbed includes the FEM-compatiblein-silicohuman model, an implant embedding procedure, a generic parameterizable MRI RF birdcage two-port coil model, a workflow for computing heat sources on the implant surface and in adjacent tissues, and a thermal FEM solver directly linked to the MR coil simulator to determine implant heating based on an MR imaging study protocol. The primary target is MR labeling of large orthopaedic implants. The testbed has very recently been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a medical device development tool (MDDT) for 1.5 T orthopaedic implant examinations.
Virtual perturbations to assess explainability of deep-learning based cell fate predictors
Authors: Soelistyo Christopher J. , Charras Guillaume , Lowe Alan R.
Published: July 2023

Explainable deep learning holds significant promise in extracting scientific insights from experimental observations. This is especially so in the field of bio-imaging, where the raw data is often voluminous, yet extremely variable and difficult to study. However, one persistent challenge in deep learning assisted scientific discovery is that the workings of artificial neural networks are often difficult to interpret. Here we present a simple technique for investigating the behaviour of trained neural networks: virtual perturbation. By making precise and systematic alterations to input data or internal representations thereof, we are able to discover causal relationships in the outputs of a deep learning model, and by extension, in the underlying phenomenon itself. As an exemplar, we use our recently described deep-learning based cell fate prediction model. We trained the network to predict the fate of less fit cells in an experimental model of mechanical cell competition. By applying virtual perturbation to the trained network, we discover causal relationships between a cell’s environment and eventual fate. We compare these with known properties of the biological system under investigation to demonstrate that the model faithfully captures insights previously established by experimental research.
Influence of gastronomic motivations, satisfaction and experiences on loyalty towards a destination
Authors: Moral-Cuadra Salvador , Martín Juan Carlos , Román Concepción , López-Guzmán Tomás
Published: July 2023

Purpose

The main objective of this research is to establish an integrated model of gastronomy tourism to help some of the main public and private stakeholders design strategies to improve tourists' gastronomic experience and satisfaction, taking gastronomic motivations as a starting point. Furthermore, the difference between destination satisfaction and gastronomic satisfaction has been established in order to determine the degree to which each one influences loyalty towards the destination.

Design/methodology/approach

After detailing the theoretical framework for the development of the hypotheses, the study was carried out using a quantitative methodology based on structural equation modelling (SEM). The final sample consisted of 710 tourists who visited Córdoba, Spain – a world heritage city of international renown.

Findings

Results indicate that gastronomic motivations, gastronomic experience and destination satisfaction have a direct influence on loyalty towards a destination. Also, destination satisfaction is found to play a mediating role in the relationship between gastronomic experience and loyalty towards the destination. Differences between destination and gastronomic satisfaction have been evidenced. For fostering a tourist's loyalty towards a destination, gastronomic satisfaction alone is not enough; other elements inherent to the destination itself are necessary for full loyalty, whether attitudinal or behavioural.

Originality/value

Correctly identifying tourist motivations can help managers of Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) to develop tailored marketing and communication campaigns that boost return visits to the destination or recommendations to family and friends. DMOs need to be aware that DMOs cannot overlook elements such as safety, hospitality or destination cleanliness at the expense of gastronomic satisfaction.
Navigating COVID-19: unraveling supply chain disruptions through best-worst method and fuzzy TOPSIS
Authors: Ali Irfan , Charles Vincent , Modibbo Umar Muhammad , Gherman Tatiana , Gupta Srikant
Published: July 2023

Purpose

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant disruptions to global supply chains (SCs), affecting the production, distribution, and transportation of goods and services. To mitigate these disruptions, it is essential to identify the barriers that have impeded the seamless operation of SCs. This study identifies these barriers and assesses their impact on supply chain network (SCN).

Design/methodology/approach

To determine the relative importance of different barriers and rank the affected industries, a hybrid approach was employed, combining the best-worst method (BWM) and the technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution (TOPSIS). To accommodate the inherent uncertainties associated with the pandemic, a triangular fuzzy TOPSIS was used to represent the linguistic variable ratings provided by decision-makers.

Findings

The study found that the airlines and hospitality industry was the most affected by the barriers, accounting for 46% of the total, followed by the healthcare industry (23%), the manufacturing industry (19%), and finally the consumer and retail industry (17%).

Research limitations/implications

This study is limited to the four critical industries and nine identified barriers. Other industries and barriers may have different weights and rankings. Nevertheless, the findings offer valuable insights for decision-makers in SC management, aiding them in mitigating the impact of COVID-19 on their operations and enhancing their resilience against future disruptions.

Originality/value

This study enhances understanding of COVID-19’s impact on SCN and provides a framework for assessing disruptions using multi-criteria decision-making processes. The hybrid approach of BWM and TOPSIS in a fuzzy environment is unique and offers potential applicability in various evaluation contexts.
Evaluation of field labor and management productivity in the USA construction industry
Authors: Jahanger Qais K. , Trejo David , Louis Joseph
Published: July 2023

Purpose

The health of an economy is heavily dependent on the productivity of the economy's major industries including construction. While most macro-measures of productivity in the USA construction industry indicate a decline, corresponding studies at the individual task level indicate an increase in productivity. Therefore, this paper aims to identify areas where productivity challenges exist and thus provide recommendations for improvement in the construction industry.

Design/methodology/approach

A model that relates the way construction projects are executed with the sources of data that inform productivity analyses is developed and presented. This effort/value-flow model informs the data analysis that is performed to determine productivity trends for management and field labor. Further analysis for field labor productivity using field data and management productivity was separately conducted. Management productivity was particularly difficult to gauge, resulting in the use of surrogate measures.

Findings

It was observed that while both field labor and management productivities at the industry level have been decreasing, the decrease in management productivity was five times that of field labor productivity. A similar trend was observed for management productivity at the project level.

Originality/value

The primary contribution of this paper to the body of knowledge and industry is the introduction of a holistic analysis of USA construction productivity. Recommendations to improve management productivity include the use of technology, especially project management software.
Family firms and product recalls: an event study for the US automobile industry
Authors: Martins António Miguel , Pires Cesaltina Pacheco
Published: July 2023

Purpose

This study explores whether the unique organizational form of family firms helps to mitigate the negative effects caused by the announcement of product recalls.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use an event study, for a sample of 2,576 product recalls in the United States (US) automobile industry, between January 2010 and June 2021.

Findings

The authors found that stock market's reaction to a product recall announcement is less negative for family firms. This superior performance is partially driven by the family firms' long-term investment horizons and higher strategic emphasis on product quality. However, the relationship between family ownership and cumulative abnormal returns around product recall announcements is nonlinear as the impact of family ownership starts by being positive but becomes negative for higher levels of family ownership. The authors also find that family firm's chief executive officer (CEO) and managerial ownership influence positively the stock market reaction to product recall announcements.

Practical implications

This work has several implications for family firms' management as well as for investors and financial analysts. First, as higher managerial ownership is associated with a greater emphasis on product quality, decreasing stock market losses when a product recall occurs, family firms should consider increasing equity-based compensation. Second, as there seems to exist an optimal proportion of family ownership, family firms should consider the risks of increasing too much their ownership share. Third, investors and financial analysts can use the results in the study to help them in their investment and trading decisions in the stock market.

Originality/value

The authors extend the knowledge of product recalls by studying the under-researched role of the flexible, internally focused culture of family businesses on the stock market reaction to product recalls.
Managing workuniverses with workers and robots: the implications of digital-driven spatiotemporal dynamics for HRM
Authors: Peng Hongxia
Published: July 2023

Purpose

The increasing presence of traditional or new forms of robots at work demonstrates how the copresence of workers and robots might reframe work and workplaces and consequently arouse new human resource management (HRM) questions regarding how to manage the spatiotemporal change of work in organizations. Based on a spatiotemporal perspective, this conceptual article examines the implication of new spatiotemporal dynamics of work, which are generated by the interaction between workers and traditional or new forms of robots that are driven by advanced digital technologies, for HRM.

Design/methodology/approach

The article begins by carrying out a selective review focusing on the studies that enhanced the comprehension of the digital-driven spatiotemporal dynamics of work. It then presents a spatiotemporal framework from which it examines the implications of digital-driven spatiotemporal work boundaries for HRM. The article ends by underscoring the theoretical and empirical importance of taking more interest in new spatiotemporal forms of work for developing the HRM of the future.

Findings

By developing the notion of workuniverses, which denotes the spatiotemporal boundaries generated by the act of working through the interaction between workers and different forms of robots, this research first develops a theoretical framework that discerns three forms of spatiotemporal dynamics forming workuniverses at different levels and two spatiotemporal arrays for managing the spatiotemporal change of work in organizations. The HRM questions and ethical concerns generated by the formation of workuniverses are then revealed through four focuses: the management ethics in workuniverses, individuals' spatiotemporal well-being, collective spatiotemporal coordination and spatiotemporal change management in workuniverses.

Originality/value

This research provides an original perspective, which is the spatiotemporal perspective, to examine the new spatiotemporal dynamics that form workuniverses and the HRM questions and concerns generated by the increasing interaction between workers and different forms of digital-driven robots.
Forensic examination of the hand
Authors: Hackman Lucina , Black Sue
Published: July 2023

Using anatomical feature comparison to consider potential matches from hand images to identify or eliminate suspects in an investigation, commonly relating to those involved in the production of images of child sexual abuse, is an emerging forensic methodology that has become increasingly utilized by police forces within the United Kingdom. This article gives an overview of the development of a process that is based on an understanding of anatomical variation and shows how new approaches can be introduced to forensic investigations. It describes the rationale that led to the development of the investigative methodology within the United Kingdom, and how it is implemented to ensure that comparisons and the subsequent reports are both methodologically sound and admissible in any of the courts within the UK legal jurisdictions.
The Berlin puzzle: Why European solidarity prevailed in the adoption of the Corona recovery fund
Authors: WAAS LARA , RITTBERGER BERTHOLD
Published: July 2023

In light of the German government's long‐held preference against EU‐wide fiscal burden‐sharing, a hallmark of the Euro crisis, its support for an EU‐wide debt‐instrument during the COVID‐19 pandemic constitutes a dramatic policy U‐turn. To make sense of the ‘Berlin puzzle’, we develop a theoretical mechanism that explores why an initially reluctant German government heeded to the call for transnational fiscal solidarity: First, to avoid a ‘common bad’ of a large‐scale economic contraction, proposals for an EU‐wide fiscal response became a political imperative. Second, the successful framing of the crisis as ‘nobody's fault’ rendered the call for European solidarity as the dominant standard of legitimacy to which all governments subscribed. Third, governments whose preferences were not aligned with this standard faced mounting normative pressure and isolation. As a result, governments changed their positions, but not their preferences. We probe this mechanism by carrying out a process‐tracing analysis of the German government's fiscal policy U‐turn in the crucial months preceding the adoption of the Next Generation EU (NGEU) recovery plan in July 2020. The paper contributes to the growing literature on fiscal burden‐sharing in the EU by demonstrating when and how member states can change their stance on transnational fiscal burden‐sharing.
Population pharmacokinetics of polymyxin B in patients with liver dysfunction
Authors: Li Xueyong , Cheng Yu , Chen Bo , Chen Yiying , Huang Yingbin , Zhang Bingqing , Que Wancai , Liu Maobai , Zhang Hui , Qiu Hongqiang
Published: July 2023

Aims

Polymyxin B (PMB) is widely used to treat infections caused by multidrug‐resistant Gram‐negative pathogens. Currently, the pharmacokinetic data of PMB in patients with liver dysfunction are limited. This study aimed to develop a population pharmacokinetic (PopPK) model of PMB in patients with liver dysfunction and identify the factors affecting PMB pharmacokinetics.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective pharmacokinetic study involving 136 adults with different levels of liver function. Nonlinear mixed effects modelling was used to develop a PopPK model of PMB. Monte Carlo simulation was used to design PMB dosage schedules across various liver and renal functions.

Results

PMB pharmacokinetic analyses included 401 steady‐state concentrations in 136 adult patients. A one‐compartment pharmacokinetic model with first‐order absorption and elimination was used to describe the data. The typical population value of PMB clearance was 2.43 L/h and the volume of distribution was 23.11 L. This study revealed that creatinine clearance (CrCL) and Child–Pugh class were significantly associated with PMB pharmacokinetic parameters; however, clinically relevant variations of dose‐normalized drug exposure were not significant. For patients with a minimum inhibitory concentration of ≤0.5 mg/L, the appropriate dose was 40–75 mg/12‐h. When the dose exceeded 100 mg/12‐h, the risk of nephrotoxicity increased significantly.

Conclusions

This study provided PMB pharmacokinetic information for patients with liver dysfunction. Patients with renal and liver dysfunctions may not require an initial dose adjustment. Rather than PopPK‐guided dose adjustment, therapeutic drug monitoring of PMB plays a more direct role in optimizing dosing regimens based on its therapeutic window.
An intelligent hierarchical residual attention learning‐based conjoined twin neural network for Alzheimer's stage detection and prediction
Authors: Shankar Venkatesh Gauri , Sisodia Dilip Singh , Chandrakar Preeti
Published: July 2023

Alzheimer's disorder (AD) causes permanent impairment in the brain's memory of the cellular system, leading to the initiation of dementia. Earlier detection of Alzheimer's disease in the initial stages is challenging for researchers. Deep learning and machine learning‐based techniques can help resolve many issues associated with brain imaging exploration. Brain MR Images (Brain‐MRI) are used to detect Alzheimer's in computable research work. To correctly categorize the stages of Alzheimer's disease, discriminative features need to be extracted from the MR images. Recently, many studies have used deep learning methods for the early detection of this disorder. However, overfitting degrades the deep learning method's performance because the dataset's selection images are smaller and imbalanced. Some studies could not reach more discriminative and effectual attention‐aware features for Alzheimer's stage classification to increase the model performance. In this paper, we develop a novel hierarchical residual attention learning‐inspired multistage conjoined twin network (HRAL‐CTNN) to classify the stages of Alzheimer's. We used augmentation approaches to scale insufficient and imbalanced data. The HRAL‐CTNN is efficiently overcoming the issues of not obtaining efficient attention‐aware and generative features for Alzheimer's stage classification. The proposed model solved the problem of redundant features by extracting attentive discriminant features, and scaling imbalance data by data augmentation, after that training and validation using HRAL‐CTNN. The execution of this proposed work has been performed on the ADNI MRI dataset. This work achieved outstanding accuracy of 99.97  0.01% and F1 score of 99.30  0.02% for Alzheimer's stage classification. This model proposed by our group outperformed the existing related studies in terms of the model's performance score.
1063. Lathyrus oleraceus Lam.: Leguminosae
Authors: Rix Martyn , Nesbitt Mark , King Christabel
Published: July 2023

A wild relative of the garden pea, formerly called Pisum sativum L., but now included in the genus Lathyrus, is illustrated, and its relationship to cultivated peas is discussed. Recent studies of the DNA of Pisum and Lathyrus have led to the change of name for this common species.