bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Escultura, diseño y juego: educando en igualdad a partir de los espacios sostenibles de la contrasexualidad
Authors: Parral Víctor
Published: December 2024

Este artículo presenta una escultura contemporánea diseñada en 2015, Els espais invertits de Ciborga, concebida como objeto sostenible y de diseño y como espacio igualitario al mismo tiempo. Esta pieza, totalmente necesaria en una sociedad violenta, machista, homófoba, dependiente del plástico y por ello insostenible, se inspira en la deconstrucción contrasexual de un espacio sexual denominado cabina con glory holes. La idea del artículo es mostrar esta escultura como un mueble educativo, más sostenible y de dinamización intelectual y corporal que además fomenta la igualdad y contribuye a mejorar, al menos 9 de los 17 objetivos de desarrollo sostenible de la Agenda 2030 (de las Naciones Unidas) tales como aquellos relacionados con el bienestar, la salud, la educación, la igualdad de género, la reducción de las desigualdades, la sostenibilidad, el clima, la producción, el consumo responsable y el establecimiento de alianzas.
La imagen metafórica como evaluación de una experiencia relacional desde el Arte Contemporáneo y el juego performativo
Authors: Abad Javier , Ruiz de Velasco Ángeles
Published: December 2024

A través de las posibilidades socioeducativas y la transversalidad que ofrece el Arte Contemporáneo en el ámbito de la Educación Superior, se proponen nuevos contextos de aprendizaje y relación para significar, integrar y tomar conciencia del sentido de las buenas prácticas y la formación transdisciplinar de docentes que favorezca el desarrollo de competencias para la vida y una interpretación holística del entorno. Así, tras la experiencia compartida desde las “artes vivas”, se genera un cambio de apreciación y valoración del Arte Contemporáneo como estado de encuentro (Bourriaud, 2006) y también de la visión de métodos, contenidos y narrativas que desarrollan el pensamiento crítico y creativo del que emerge la dimensión relacional como verdadera protagonista de la acción-formación-transformación que subyace como propuesta de innovación docente.
Y, tras la experiencia lúdica compartida, se propone una evaluación basada en la imagen como mediadora metafórica para el encuentro en la textualidad que expande los significados de la vivencia pues la visualidad actúa como “detonadora” de definiciones y concepciones, procesos y conceptos o conclusiones y argumentos basados en la transferencia y sentido que ofrece la imagen en sus aspectos denotativos y connotativos ya que se basan en los acontecimientos, deseos, creencias y valores de la comunidad educativa participante en esta investigación y que finaliza ofreciendo diferentes reflexiones basadas en la construcción de la alteridad a través de la metáfora relacional.
Social Policy and resolution of the social conflicts in Spanish Conservative Political Philosophy of the 19th Century
Authors: Podolskiy Vadim Andreevich
Published: December 2024

The article analyses of the ideas of the Spanish conservatives in the sphere of social policy. The "social question" related to the precarious material situation of industrial workers, in Spain, as in other European countries, manifested itself along with a number of other conflicts related to dynastic disputes, government forms, local and economic restrictions. Of all the conflicts, the Spanish conservatives considered the "social question" to be the most serious, since they saw in it the largest threat to property and public order. Conservatives criticized socialism as an attempt to solve the "social question" through a complete change in the relations of property and power. Conservatives also disagreed with laissez-faire liberalism, which opposed any state intervention in the economy. The political and philosophical heritage of Balmes, Cortes, Bravo Murillo and Canovas del Castillo as the most famous Spanish conservatives of the 19th century was analysed. The article studies justification of possible social policy measures in the works and public speeches of these thinkers. Conservatives believed that inequality was inherent and that material inequality was inevitable. Spanish conservatives believed that religious charity and corporate support were the means to alleviate the discontent of the least well-off and to mitigate social conflicts. According to conservatives, state social support should only be used in cases where charity or corporate assistance was insufficient. Conservative political philosophy influenced the nature and content of social laws in Spain. The social policy system that emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries reflected conservative values that were later developed in corporate social security mechanisms in the mid-20th century and still influence a number of aspects of the Spanish welfare state.
Phase selection mechanism and eutectic growth kinetics of refractory Nb81.7Si17.3Hf alloy under electrostatic levitation condition
Authors: WAN Zixuan , HU Liang , JIN Yingjie , WEI Bingbo ,   School of Physical Science and Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, China
Published: December 2024

The phase selection mechanism and eutectic growth kinetics of Nb81.7Si17.3Hf alloy are investigated by electrostatic levitation technique. The maximum undercooling of this alloy reaches 404 K (0.19TL). By analyzing the cooling curves, its hypercooling limit is obtained to be 527 K (0.24TL). A critical undercooling of 194 K is determined for the transition of solidification path. Below this undercooling threshold, (Nb) phase firstly nucleates and grows into primary dendrites, resulting in the enrichment of Si and Hf in the residual melt, which is conducive to the formation of the (Nb)+αNb5Si3 eutectics. Therefore, (Nb)+αNb5Si3 lamellar eutectics form in interdendritic space. With the increase of undercooling, the growth velocity of primary (Nb) dendritic follows a power function, while the eutectic growth velocity increases slowly. The maximum values of (Nb) dendritic reaches 89.4 mm/s. A modified LKT/BCT model is used to calculate the growth velocity of (Nb) dendrites. The results are in good agreement with the experimental values, indicating that after the LKT model is modified slightly, it can be used to describe the rapid dendrite growth behavior of the (Nb) phase in the Nb81.7Si17.3Hf alloy melt. Meanwhile, the lamellar spacing of (Nb)+αNb5Si3 eutectics notably decreases to 360 nm at 194 K undercooling. Above the critical threshold, the primary (Nb) dendrites disappear, whereas (Nb) phase and Nb3Si phase nucleate independently in the undercooled liquid and grow into anomalous eutectics. The growth velocity of anomalous eutectic exhibits a power function relationship with the increase of undercooling, with a maximum value of 115.9 mm/s. The interphase spacing of (Nb)+Nb3Si anomalous eutectics is larger than that of (Nb)+αNb5Si3 lamellar eutectics. Owing to the formation of nanosized eutectics and the increase of volume fraction of (Nb) phase, the alloy fracture toughness at 194 K reaches 21.9 MPa·m1/2, which is 3.4 times as large as that under small undercooling condition.
Telomere length sensitive regulation of interleukin receptor 1 type 1 (IL1R1) by the shelterin protein TRF2 modulates immune signalling in the tumour microenvironment
Authors: Mukherjee Ananda Kishore , Dutta Subhajit , Singh Ankita , Sharma Shalu , Roy Shuvra Shekhar , Sengupta Antara , Chatterjee Megha , Vinayagamurthy Soujanya , Bagri Sulochana , Khanna Divya , Verma Meenakshi , Soni Dristhi , Budharaja Anshul , Bhisade Sagar Kailasrao , Anand Vivek , Perwez Ahmad , George Nija , Faruq Mohammed , Gupta Ishaan , Sabarinathan Radhakrishnan , Chowdhury Shantanu
Published: December 2024

Telomeres are crucial for cancer progression. Immune signalling in the tumour microenvironment has been shown to be very important in cancer prognosis. However, the mechanisms by which telomeres might affect tumour immune response remain poorly understood. Here, we observed that interleukin-1 signalling is telomere-length dependent in cancer cells. Mechanistically, non-telomeric TRF2 (telomeric repeat binding factor 2) binding at the IL-1-receptor type-1 (IL1R1) promoter was found to be affected by telomere length. Enhanced TRF2 binding at the IL1R1 promoter in cells with short telomeres directly recruited the histone-acetyl-transferase (HAT) p300, and consequent H3K27 acetylation activated IL1R1. This altered NF-kappa B signalling and affected downstream cytokines like IL6, IL8, and TNF. Further, IL1R1 expression was telomere-sensitive in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) clinical samples. Infiltration of tumour-associated macrophages (TAM) was also sensitive to the length of tumour cell telomeres and highly correlated with IL1R1 expression. The use of both IL1 Receptor antagonist (IL1RA) and IL1R1 targeting ligands could abrogate M2 macrophage infiltration in TNBC tumour organoids. In summary, using TNBC cancer tissue (>90 patients), tumour-derived organoids, cancer cells, and xenograft tumours with either long or short telomeres, we uncovered a heretofore undeciphered function of telomeres in modulating IL1 signalling and tumour immunity.
Learning enhances behaviorally relevant representations in apical dendrites
Authors: Benezra Sam E , Patel Kripa B , Perez Campos Citlali , Hillman Elizabeth MC , Bruno Randy M
Published: December 2024

Learning alters cortical representations and improves perception. Apical tuft dendrites in cortical layer 1, which are unique in their connectivity and biophysical properties, may be a key site of learning-induced plasticity. We used both two-photon and SCAPE microscopy to longitudinally track tuft-wide calcium spikes in apical dendrites of layer 5 pyramidal neurons in barrel cortex as mice learned a tactile behavior. Mice were trained to discriminate two orthogonal directions of whisker stimulation. Reinforcement learning, but not repeated stimulus exposure, enhanced tuft selectivity for both directions equally, even though only one was associated with reward. Selective tufts emerged from initially unresponsive or low-selectivity populations. Animal movement and choice did not account for changes in stimulus selectivity. Enhanced selectivity persisted even after rewards were removed and animals ceased performing the task. We conclude that learning produces long-lasting realignment of apical dendrite tuft responses to behaviorally relevant dimensions of a task.
Recent Advancements in CT Detectors: A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Shaji Amal , Fidha AF , Kumari Swati , Dabholkar Amita Digambar , Gaonkar Omkar Uttam
Published: December 2024

The Computed Tomography (CT) scanners are widely used in the diagnostic and therapeutic medical fields due to their quick scanning times, excellent spatial resolution and widespread availability. The X-ray detector is essential for creating images and has a significant impact on radiation dose and image quality. All current commercial scanners use solid-state detectors and are comparable to third-generation technology. Detector characteristics include efficiency, stability, response time and afterglow. CT scanners have been used since 1971, and in the intervening decades, the technology has advanced tremendously. Notable developments in detector technologies have improved image quality and decreased radiation doses. The EMI head scanner was first equipped with Sodium Iodide (NaI) detectors, which necessitated long scan periods and a water bath to control detector saturation. These designs were improved upon by later generations, which offered quicker scanning speeds and better image quality. While the fourth generation of scanners used a stationary ring of detectors to drastically reduce scan durations, the thirdgeneration scanners introduced fan beams and rotation-rotation action. The sixth generation, called dual-source CT, allowed for dual-energy imaging using two X-ray tubes. The fifth generation, called electron-beam CT, produced X-rays using an electron beam. The seventh generation replaced traditional X-ray film with Flat-panel Detectors (FPD), which improved imaging. CT detector advancements include gemstone, stellar, photon counting, and NanoPanel prism detectors. The gemstone scintillator material is produced by General Electric Healthcare (GEHC). The Photon-counting Detector (PCD) is a new CT detector technology that uses a direct conversion X-ray detector to record X-ray photon energies. The stellar detector is based on Siemens Healthineers, and the NanoPanel prism detector is based on Philips. The present article discusses the recent trends in CT detector technology.
Oguchi's Disease With Mizuo-Nakamura Phenomenon
Authors: Goel Sugandha , Das Debmalya , Kumar Saurabh , Roy Rupak , Das Sudipta , Nigam Eesh
Published: December 2024

Oguchi's disease is an unusual form of congenital stationary night blindness with autosomal recessive inheritance. Mizuo-Nakamura phenomenon is classical of Oguchi's disease. Full-field electroretinogram shows absent rod response and essentially normal cone-mediated response. The mixed rod–cone response has a negative configuration with relatively well-preserved oscillatory potentials. It recovers to a near normal level after a long period of dark adaptation. We herein report a case of Oguchi's disease with Mizuo-Nakamura phenomenon.
Modeling of Safety Training, Behaviour and Performance in Selected Oil and Gas Companies: A Case Study of the Niger Delta
Authors: Onofeghara Caleb O. , Nwaogazie Ify L. , Ugbebor John N.
Published: December 2024

The aim of this study is to model the safety training, safety behavior and safety performance in selected oil and gas companies in Niger delta. Safety training was segregated into teaching and practical safety trainings. Safety behavior was captured using safety compliance and safety participation while safety performance is taken as accident occurrence. The study adopted inferential research design. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to sample five companies from the study area while Taro Yamane sample size formula was used to estimate 400 samples from the study population. Structured questionnaire, designed based on 5-point Likert scale, was used for data collection; Pearson correlation, regression and t-test were used for the analyses. The Pearson coefficient of the correlation analysis results revealed that the relationship between Teaching-based Safety Training and Practical-based Safety Training was the strongest (PC = 0.818), followed by the relationship with safety compliance (PC = 0.305) and lagging safety performance (PC = 0.174) while safety participation has the weakest correlation with teaching-based safety training (PC= 0.003). It was concluded that safety training has significant impact on safety behavior and safety performance. The t-test established that there is no significant difference between teaching-based and practical-based safety trainings in the sampled oil and gas firms in Niger-Delta. Teaching-based safety training has positive but insignificant impact on reduction of accident occurrence while practical-based safety training has positive and significant impact on reduction of accident occurrence. It is recommended that management of oil and gas firms should utilize complete safety training package in order to enhance both safety behavior and safety performance of their workers.
Assessment of Objectivity Levels of News on Social Media Platforms
Authors: Azubuike Chieme , Christopher Justice Njoku, , Chinwendu Nwankwo Doris
Published: December 2024

The study assessed objectivity levels of news on social media platforms. The study’s objectives were among others to examine the objectivity level of news on social media platforms. The study adopted the Social Responsibility Theory as its theoretical anchor. The survey research design was adopted as the research methodology and well-structured questionnaire was the instrument of data collection. The population of the study was residents of Rivers State and a sample size of 385 was derived for the study using the Sample Size Table from The Research Advisors (2006). The multistage sampling technique was used to reach the respondents for the study. The research found that the level of objectivity of social media news reports are low, that the consumers hold negative perceptions when it comes to news reports on social media and that while attaining absolute objectivity in the media may be difficult, it is however achievable only if the news disseminators shy away from prejudices, personal feelings and ambitions. He must be able to keep his biases in check. Thus, the study among others recommends that the federal government in collaboration with the Ministry of Information should propose a ‘social media use bill’ to the National Assembly to enact a social media law that would clearly outline the dos and don’ts is for social media users. Also, traditional media with online presence must guard their reputation and credibility, through fairness, truthfulness, accuracy and objectivity in disseminating information to the public.
Piriformospora indica Suppresses Natural Incidence and Severity of Black Leaf Mold of Tomato Incited by Pseudocercospora fuligena Over Strobilurin and Triazole Fungicides with Enhanced Growth and Yield
Authors: Raj K. S. Austin , Sam Saru Sara , Sharmila A. Mary , Heera G. , Anuradha T. , Paul Ambily , Radhakrishnan N.V. , Johnson Joy Michal
Published: December 2024

Aim: To study the effect of Piriformospora indica-root colonisation and spraying of azoxystrobin, pyraclostrobin (strobilurins), propiconazole and tebuconazole (triazoles) fungicides for the management of black leaf mold of tomato.
Study Design: Completely randomized design for lab; Randomized block design for field studies.
Place and Duration of Study:  College of Agriculture (Kerala Agricultural University), Vellayani and Coconut Reserarch Station, Balaramapuram, Thiruvananthapuram during 2022-2024.
Methodology: In vitro evaluation of strobilurin and triazole fungicides against Pseudocercospora fuligena was done by poisoned food technique. Field evaluation of P. indica-colonized plants var. Vellayani Vijai was performed to assess the incidence and severity of black leaf mold of tomato over systemic fungicides.
Results: The strobilurin fungicides partially and the triazoles completely inhibited the mycelial growth of the pathogen. P. fuligena was completely inhibited at 100 ppm of triazole fungicides, but at least 25 per cent growth was observed in strobilurin fungicides even at 1000 ppm. P. indica significantly reduced the natural incidence and severity of black leaf mold disease at 45 DAT and it extended to the entire crop period in the field condition. The disease incidence was 15.00 per cent in the P. indica-colonised plants; whereas it ranged from 28.12 to 31.85 per cent in the systemic fungicides sprayed plants; and in control plants, it was significantly high with 47.50 per cent. Similarly, the disease severity was least (PDI: 7.99) in the P. indica-colonised plants at 45 DAT.  But the disease severity in the fungicides alone sprayed plants were 15.89 to 18.96; whereas in control plants, the severity was 40.83. Moreover, P. indica enhanced plant height, early flowering, fruit setting, flowers, fruits and average yield over control and systemic fungicides sprayed plants.
Conclusion: P. indica confers tolerance to black leaf mold disease over the strobilurin and triazole fungicides apart from the enhanced crop yield.
Evaluation of Saudi Arabian Pharmacists' Awareness and Expertise about Ledipasvir Sofosbuvir
Authors: Alrwilli Shuaa Rakan
Published: December 2024

Introduction: Ledipasvir/sofosbuvir is a fixed-dose combination of two antiviral drugs with different mechanisms of action. It is used to treat chronic hepatitis C genotype 1 infection in adults as a fixed-dose combination tablet containing 90 mg ledipasvir and 400 mg sofosbuvir.
Objective of the Study: To assess and evaluate the actual knowledge of pharmacists in Saudi Arabia about different aspects regarding ledipasvir sofosbuvir combination.
Method: Cross sectional survey was conducted from November 2022 to November 2023. A total of 180 pharmacists participated in the study. The inclusion criteria are to be a licensed and currently practicing pharmacist or clinical pharmacist and exclusion criteria is being pharmacist technician or pharmacist aid. Data collection was carried out using a questionnaire, especially designed for this study. The questionnaire was divided into 2 parts. Data were analyzed using excel Categorical variables using frequency distribution and percentages.
Results: In this study 34 % of pharmacists were community pharmacists while 50% were hospital pharmacists. Males accounted for 52% of pharmacists. Highest proportion (58%) of the participants were in the age group (25 to 30 years) and majority (72%) had one to five years of practice years. The average of good knowledge about indications, dosage and administration of ledipasvir-sofosbuvir equal 57%. The average of good knowledge about drug interactions of Ledipasvir-sofosbuvir equal 54%. The average of good knowledge about drug interactions of Ledipasvir-sofosbuvir equal 58%. The overall average of good knowledge (correct answers) of all pharmacists included in the study regarding ledipasvir-sofosbuvir equal 56%.
Conclusion: As a conclusion, large proportion of the study sample lack adequate knowledge in certain important aspects of ledipasvir sofosbuvir which is an FDA approved interferon-free regimen for patients with chronic HCV. This might negatively affect the role of pharmacists in patient counseling and education.
Asymmetric Addition and Cycloaddition Reactions with Ylidene‐Five‐Membered Heterocycles
Authors: Torán Ricardo , Miguélez Rubén , Sanz‐Marco Amparo , Vila Carlos , Pedro José R. , Blay Gonzalo
Published: October 2021

Five‐membered heterocycles bearing an exocyclic double bond have been successfully used as substrates in asymmetric addition and cycloaddition reactions. Ylidene‐heterocycles are attractive substrates due to their high functionalization and the presence of an electrophilic conjugated exocyclic double bound that can participate in nucleophilic addition reactions as well as cycloaddition reactions, which may be triggered by the formation of aromatic intermediates or products in many cases. During the last decades, catalytic methodologies have been developed using ylidene‐heterocycles as substrates in order to synthesize useful optically active heterocyclic derivatives. 4‐Ylidene‐pyrazol‐5‐ones, isoxazolin‐5‐ones, 2,3‐dioxopyrrolidines, rhodanines, oxazolidindiones, Erlenmeyer‐Ploch azlactones and 5‐ylidene‐thiazolones have been successfully used as substrates in asymmetric reactions. This review collects the powerful research in asymmetric addition and cycloaddition reactions where ylidene‐five‐membered heterocycles have been used.

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The hidden dangers of SARS‐CoV‐2 testing …
Authors: Correia Catarina J. A. , Almeida Nuno , Barreto Lagchar , Figueiredo Pedro N.
Published: October 2021

A foreign body can be intentionally or accidentally ingested. Timing of endoscopy relies on foreign body shape and size, location in gastrointestinal tract, patient's clinical conditions, occurrence of symptoms or onset of complications. In this short case, we present a middle age woman, who accidentally swallowed a portion of a nasopharyngeal swab half‐broken during a diagnostic test for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2). Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was promptly performed to prevent the swab from crossing the pylorus leading to serious complications and, therefore, risk of surgical intervention. The broken nasopharyngeal swab was detected in the gastric body, and immediately removed with a foreign body forceps. Our hospital performs many nasopharyngeal swabs and to our knowledge, this is only the second reported swab ingestion during SARS‐CoV‐2 test.
Bodies and bureaucracy: The demise of the body snatchers in 19th century Britain
Authors: Philp Janet
Published: October 2021

As European anatomical teaching developed in the middle ages, anatomists found themselves balanced between the educational and judicial systems. Dissection was associated with the final stages of legal prosecutions and the supply of bodies was severely limited. Driven by increasing student demand for dissection, anatomists found themselves pushed to explore alternative routes for body supply. This led to association with the developing profession of grave robber, body snatchers, and even murderers. Keen to protect themselves from increasing vulnerability to legal prosecution, the eminent anatomists of the United Kingdom pushed for government legislation to provide a supply of cadaveric material for education. This article looks at the development of the Anatomy legislation in the United Kingdom in 1832. By highlighting three events in the early 1800s, it demonstrates that the development of the legislation was for addressing the concerns of the anatomists rather than any ethical concerns about the cadaveric supply. The poorest in society were used to develop the medical understanding of the more wealthy before, during, and after the introduction of the legislation. The first event made the anatomists criminal liable for body supply while the latter two events linked anatomists with murderers. The increasing demand for legislation to provide a supply of cadaveric material released the anatomists from the financial burden of dealing with grave robbers while still allowing dissection tables to be supplied with the poorest in society.
Einführung des Eurocodes 8 in der Schweiz
Authors: Wenk Thomas
Published: October 2021

In der Schweiz erfolgte die Einführung des Eurocodes 8 in drei Phasen. Die erste Phase umfasst seit 2003 eine Neufassung der SIA‐Tragwerksnormen abgestimmt auf die Eurocodes, wobei die Erdbebenbestimmungen in die übrigen Tragwerksnormen integriert wurden. In der zweiten Phase wurden ab 2005 alle sechs Teile des Eurocodes 8 als Schweizer Normen zusammen mit einem Nationalen Vorwort publiziert. Auf die Festlegung nationaler Parameter in einem Nationalen Anhang wurde vorerst verzichtet. Diese müssen projektbezogen festgelegt werden, abgestimmt auf die SIA‐Tragwerksnormen. In der dritten Phase wurde für den Teil 1 (Allgemeine Regeln und Hochbauten) sowie für den Teil 2 (Brücken) des Eurocodes 8 je ein Nationaler Anhang erstellt und 2019 publiziert. Bei den übrigen vier Teilen des Eurocodes 8, die Spezialbauwerke und bestehende Bauten betreffen, wurde auf einen Nationalen Anhang definitiv verzichtet. Der Beitrag erläutert den Hintergrund des dreiphasigen Vorgehens und dessen Akzeptanz in der Praxis. Ein besonderer Fokus wird auf die Erdbebenzonenkarte und deren Abstimmung entlang der Grenzen zu den Nachbarländern gelegt. Den Abschluss bildet ein Ausblick auf die geplante Einführung der Eurocodes der zweiten Generation (EC2G), die ab 2025 beginnen wird.
Severe Acute Hepatitis in a COVID‐19 patient: A Case Report
Authors: Dehghani Shakiba , Teimouri Azam
Published: October 2021

Liver enzymes abnormalities are one of the reported presentations of coronavirus infection mostly in hospitalized patients. It is important that physicians take all the possible causes of acute hepatitis in consideration when dealing with abnormal liver enzymes in a patient with COVID‐19 infection to reduce the risk of overlooking the underlying disease. Hereby, we reported case of a 39‐year‐Old man who presented with severe acute hepatitis and was infected with COVID‐19, hepatitis A and herpes simplex virus simultaneously.
Motor performance after treatment of pilocytic astrocytoma in the posterior fossa in childhood
Authors: Kristiansen Ingela , Frykberg Gunilla E. , Höglund Anette , Sondell Annette , Strömberg Bo , Frisk Per
Published: October 2021

Background

Pilocytic astrocytoma is the most common brain tumour type in childhood located in the posterior fossa, and treated mainly with surgery. These tumours have low mortality, but knowledge concerning its long‐term outcome is sparse.

Aims

The aim was to investigate if patients treated for pilocytic astrocytoma in the posterior fossa had motor complications, including balance, motor and process skills.

Methods and Results

This descriptive single‐centre study includes eight children and 12 adults, treated for pilocytic astrocytoma as children. Motor performance was investigated with Bruininks–Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, Second Edition, and dynamic balance with the mini‐balance evaluation systems test. Physiological cost index, six‐minute walk test, hand grip strength and assessment of motor and process skills were also evaluated. Ten patients reported motor difficulties, mainly from the upper limbs. The motor performance test showed results within normal limits except for manual dexterity, which was significantly below mean (p = .008). In the dynamic balance test patients had significantly lower results compared with controls (p = .036). Physiological cost index, six‐minute walk tests and hand grip strength showed results within normal limits. In the Assessment of Motor and Process Skills, patients over 16 years had significantly lower results compared with test norms for motor activities of daily living (ADL) and 30% of all patients scored below the cut‐off level for difficulties with motor skills.

Conclusions

Motor performance for patients treated for pilocytic astrocytoma in the posterior fossa in childhood is satisfactory but some patients display difficulties with balance, manual dexterity and ADL motor skills. Thus, it is important to identify those in need of motor follow‐up and training.
Eating expectancies and hedonic hunger among individuals with bulimia‐spectrum eating disorders who plan binge‐eating episodes
Authors: Parker Megan N. , Wilkinson Megan L. , Hunt Rowan A. , Ortiz Alessandra , Manasse Stephanie M. , Juarascio Adrienne S.
Published: October 2021

Objective

Binge planning (BP; i.e., preparatory thoughts and actions to facilitate future binge‐eating episodes) is hypothesized to distract individuals from negative affect and increase the salience of food. Thus, individuals who engage in BP may report greater positive eating expectancies (i.e., beliefs about the outcomes of eating) and hedonic hunger (i.e., desire to eat for pleasure), as BP may increase the likelihood of obtaining these expected outcomes; but empirical tests of this possibility are needed.

Method

Prior to starting treatment, adults (N = 86) with bulimia‐spectrum eating disorders were assessed for engagement in BP and self‐reported on eating expectancies and hedonic hunger.

Results

Twenty‐nine participants (33.7%) reported planning at least one binge‐eating episode in the previous 28 days. Compared to individuals who did not report BP, individuals who reported BP had greater expectancies that eating would alleviate negative affect (t = −2.54, p = .013) and boredom (U = 503.50, p = .006). Groups did not differ on levels of hedonic hunger (t = −1.68, p = .096).

Discussion

These findings suggest that BP status is linked to expectancies that eating will reduce negative affect. However, more data are needed to determine the temporal relationships among eating expectancies, hedonic hunger and BP.

Trial registration numbers

NCT02716831, NCT03673540
Performance as Methodology: Embodied Archives and Fabulation
Authors: gurudev siri
Published: October 2021

The discipline of anthropology is one of the foundational stones for performance studies, to the extent that it provided one of our most common methodologies for research: ethnography. However, in this essay, I am interested in what anthropology can learn from performance studies methodologically, namely, looking at performance as a valuable research method, especially for an intersectional feminist practice. Following Saidiya Hartman's scholarship, and Tavia Nyong'o's and Consuelo Pabón's readings of Gilles Deleuze, I use the concept of fabulation to explore and interpret the potency of performance as methodology. Through an analysis of a performance piece by the Ensemble Kashmir Theatre Akademi (EKTA), I argue that performance offers the possibility to enact a register of the past (based on an embodied archive) at the same time that it has the potential to produce ephemeral visions of a future of liberation. In the end, I argue that moving beyond looking and writing about embodied practices, which anthropologists have done extensively, toward the purposeful creation of performance in the context of anthropological research can serve as a fruitful tool to practice feminist positionality.
Petrogenesis of microgranitoid enclaves and their host granites: The example of Late Cretaceous Guyong pluton in Tengchong Block, SW China
Authors: Sun Zhuanrong , Dong Guochen , Ketchaya Yanick Blaise , Pan Yanning , Wang Weiqing , Xu Ling , Guo Jianheng , Wang Zhongbao , Fu Bin
Published: October 2021

Granitoids and their hosted microgranitoid enclaves (MEs) can provide crucial information in understanding the evolution of granitoids and continental crustal growth. The Guyong pluton in central Tengchong Block is mainly composed of monzogranites and abundant coeval MEs (76 Ma). This study reports their petrological, geochemical, and Sr–Nd, zircon U–Pb, and Lu–Hf–O isotopic features to shed light on their petrogenesis and the evolution of the Neo‐Tethys. The Guyong MEs have low SiO2 (56.88–69.61 wt%) and high MgO (1.04–3.91 wt%) contents. They have typical igneous textures and are characterized by similar mineral assemblages, chondrite‐normalized rare earth element diagrams, and Sr–Nd and zircon Hf–O isotopic compositions (εHf(t) of −9.0 to −2.3, δ18O of 6.57–8.07) with their host monzogranites, indicating that they are cognate. The acicular apatite and fine‐grained texture and geochemical characteristics suggest that the MEs were generated in a rapid cooling and crystallization process at the margin of magma conduit. The Guyong monzogranites have high SiO2 contents (70.79–74.24 wt%) and low MgO contents (0.24–0.78 wt%). They are calc‐alkalic and weakly peraluminous and show characteristics of I‐type granites. The geochemical and isotopic compositions of the Guyong monzogranites and MEs suggest that they were produced by partial melting of the metasedimentary and meta‐igneous rocks from the Proterozoic Gaoligong metamorphic complex. The Late Cretaceous magmatism in the central Tengchong Block is correlated with the northward subduction of the Neo‐Tethys.
Effect of polyphenols on mixing properties and solvent retention of wheat flour doughs
Authors: Koh Bong‐Kyung , Kongraksawech Teepakorn , Ross Andrew S
Published: October 2021

BACKGROUND

The effect of polyphenol addition on dough mixing properties and flour functionality was examined using flours from different wheat varieties.

RESULTS

Both the mixograph and farinograph experiments showed that polyphenol addition affected dough stability and optimum mixing time. These effects were most apparent in hard wheat flour with the addition of catechin. Water absorption was dependent on wheat variety (P < 0.0001) but not on the addition of polyphenols (P = 0.54). Except for the 5 g kg−1sodium carbonate solvent retention capacity (SRC), SRC values of the flours were dependent on wheat variety but not on polyphenol addition. However, 5 g kg−1sodium carbonate SRC was significantly increased by the addition of caffeic acid and catechin. Since sodium carbonate SRC is associated with damaged starch levels, further investigations are needed to see how polyphenols influence either the absorption of a sodium carbonate solution or the starch itself.

CONCLUSION

Polyphenol addition affected dough stability and optimum mixing time. Addition of catechin to hard wheat flour was most effective. Water absorption and SRC values except for 5 g kg−1sodium carbonate solvent were affected by the wheat variety, but not by polyphenol addition. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.
Preoperative SARS‐CoV‐2 Screening Fails to Detect Viral Particles Prior to Airway Surgery
Authors: Osterbauer Beth , Yalamanchili Ronica , Hochstim Christian , Ge Marshall , Dien Bard Jennifer , Ference Elisabeth H. , Gomez Gabriel
Published: October 2021

Objectives/Hypothesis

Children have higher rates of asymptomatic SARS‐CoV‐2 infections or milder courses of infection, and their carrier status may potentially impact viral transmission to those providing them care. The aim of this study is to compare the existing COVID‐19 preoperative screening protocols to the detection of SARS‐CoV‐2 viral particles in surgical samples.

Study Design

Cross‐sectional study.

Methods

We conducted a prospective study with consecutive convenience sampling of children undergoing adenoidectomy between January and April 2021. Total nucleic acid was extracted from adenoid tissue and real‐time reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction was conducted to test for the presence of SARS‐CoV‐2 viral particles. Univariate logistic regression was used to summarize the effect size of variables of interest on the odds of having SARS‐CoV‐2 positive adenoid tissue.

Results

Forty adenoid samples were collected and 11 (27.5%) had a positive SARS‐CoV‐2 reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction. Patients with positive adenoids were older (11.8 vs. 7.9 years, odds ratio: 1.3, P = .01) and more likely to have had a positive nasopharyngeal swab in the previous 90 days (4/11 or 36% vs. 0).

Conclusion

These data are the first report on the presence of SARS‐CoV‐2 particles in pediatric adenoidectomy specimens, with a high percentage of patients showing evidence of viral particles within the adenoid. This finding calls in to question the utility of preoperative COVID screening protocols which have yet to be rigorously validated in asymptomatic patients and have the potential to delay patients' surgical care.

Level of Evidence

3 Laryngoscope, 132:1665–1667, 2022
Predictive value of difficult airway identifiers for intubation‐related complications in the emergency department
Authors: Calamari Kevin , Politano Stephen , Brannan Zachary , Rygalski Chandler , Matrka Laura
Published: October 2021

Objectives

The Airway Alert banner at our institution alerts physicians to patients with the potential for a difficult intubation. Difficult airway guidelines can reduce intubation complications in the operating room, but little research has been done in the emergency department (ED). We hypothesize that patients meeting criteria for the banner will have a more difficult intubation and increased complications.

Methods

Patients greater than 18 years old who presented to the ED for any complaint and required intubation were reviewed from January 2015 to January 2020 and divided into those meeting criteria for a difficult airway (“criteria cohort”) and those who did not (“non‐criteria cohort”). Past medical history and details of the intubation were collected.

Results

The mean number of attempts for intubation was 1.60 in the criteria cohort and 1.36 in the non‐criteria cohort (P > .05). The mean grade of view was 1.73 and 1.39, respectively (P < .05). The average size of endotracheal tube was 7.50 and 7.74 in the criteria and non‐criteria cohorts (P < .05). The use of adjuncts was 28.6% and 12.5%, respectively (P < .01). The average number of intubation attempts and complication rate did not differ significantly.

Conclusions

Intubations in patients meeting criteria for the banner are associated with a more difficult view, use of smaller endotracheal tube, and increased use of adjuncts, but not with a significantly higher rate of complications or attempts. Physicians should prepare with additional endotracheal tube sizes, adjuncts, and a plan for secondary strategies in these patients.

Level of Evidence

2b.
Mittag‐Leffler stabilization for coupled fractional reaction‐diffusion neural networks subject to boundary matched disturbance
Authors: Cai Rui‐Yang , Kou Chun‐Hai
Published: October 2021

In this paper, we study the boundary stabilization for a class of neural networks with non‐identical nodes described by the fractional Orr‐Sommerfeld (OS) equation cascaded with the fractional Squire equation and fractional ordinary differential equations (ODEs), in which the disturbances flow to the control end of both the OS equation and the Squire equation. By applying the Backstepping transform, the diffusion subsystems in the considered neural networks are decoupled, while only the ODEs are still cascaded with the diffusion terms through the Neumann interconnection. By the active disturbance rejection control (ADRC) approach, two auxiliary systems are constructed to compensate each disturbance by an estimator without high gain. Finally, a boundary feedback control law is designed to achieve the Mittag‐Leffler stability of the neural networks in the closed‐loop.
High‐frequency stability estimates for a partial data inverse problem
Authors: Choudhury Anupam Pal , Krishnan Venkateswaran P.
Published: October 2021

In this article, high‐frequency stability estimates for the determination of the potential in the Schrödinger equation are studied when the boundary measurements are made on slightly more than half the boundary. The estimates reflect the increasing stability property with growing frequency.
Technical Note: Field size analysis of patient‐specific quality assurance in scanned carbon ion radiotherapy
Authors: Deng Yu , Wang Qianxia , Huang Zhijie
Published: October 2021

Purpose

To evaluate the dose difference between measurement and double Gaussian beam model prediction according to the field size and correct the measurements in patient‐specific quality assurance (QA).

Methods

The field size dependence of the dose was evaluated with volumes of 20 × 20 × 80 mm3, 40 × 40 × 80 mm3, 60 × 60 × 80 mm3, and 80 × 80 × 80 mm3 of 1 Gy uniform dose at three depths. Additional two 80 × 80 × 80 mm3 volumes of nonuniform fields were created: one high‐dose field was given 1 Gy at the central 40 × 40 mm2 and 0.5 Gy in its surrounding, and the other low‐dose field was given 0.5 Gy in the middle and 1 Gy at the periphery. The dose in the center of the spread‐out Bragg peak (SOBP) was measured in a water phantom and compared with the treatment planning system (TPS) predication. A field factor based on the two‐dimensional (2D) dose distribution was proposed to estimate the field size. The field factor was first evaluated against the dose difference in the square fields, and then used to analyze and correct the patient‐specific QA results.

Results

TPS overestimated dose for fields smaller than 80 × 80 mm2. A practically positive correlation was observed between the measured dose and the field factor. In the patient‐specific QA, measured doses were lower than the TPS predication as they were calculated a relatively small field factor. The corrected dose differences were no longer field factor dependent.

Conclusions

Using the proposed field factor, we have shown that all the measurements with a large dose deviation were due to the small‐sized field. It is clinically relevant to take into consideration the field size in the QA analysis as long as the double Gaussian beam model being used for the dose calculation. Correction to the measurement can be made based on the field factor.
Pathological and normal variability of foot bones in osteological collections from Catalonia (Spain) and Lazio (Italy)
Authors: Saldías Eduardo , Isidro Albert , Martínez‐Labarga Cristina , Coppa Alfredo , Rubini Mauro , Vila Bernardo , Malgosa Assumpció
Published: October 2021

A wide number of factors can affect the structure of the bones in the foot. In bioarchaeology, few studies about foot anomalies include population comparisons and changes across time. We aimed to identify normal and pathological variability that affected the foot in the recent history of West Mediterranean populations. Thus, we analyzed change in occurrence of rare variants, pathological lesions, entheseal morphology, and their probable causes. We studied 518 pairs of skeletonized feet dated from the 2nd–20th centuries CE, from Catalonia (Spain) and the region of Lazio (Italy). Moreover, a Neolithic series from Oman has been analyzed for contrast. We found that calcaneal spur, hypertrophic peroneal trochlea of calcaneus, periosteal reaction of talar neck, alteration of articular surface to lateral cuneiform, displaced talar neck to medial plane, osteophytes in cuneiform‐navicular joint, fused phalanges, and forefoot eburnation showed significant differences among countries. Contrasting by countries and dates, we noticed an increase in the frequencies of these variables from Spain over the centuries. Conversely, there are no temporal differences among the Italian series. The period encompassing the 10th–19th centuries CE demonstrated the highest differences between countries. Lifestyle, occupations, footwear, and geography could be the origin of variability.
Peptides and peptidomimetics as therapeutic agents for Covid‐19
Authors: Dahal Achyut , Sonju Jafrin Jobayer , Kousoulas Konstantin G. , Jois Seetharama D.
Published: October 2021

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus‐2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) Covid‐19 pandemic has caused high morbidity and mortality rates worldwide. Virus entry into cells can be blocked using several strategies, including inhibition of protein‐protein interactions (PPIs) between the viral spike glycoprotein and cellular receptors, as well as blocking of spike protein conformational changes that are required for cleavage/activation and fusogenicity. The spike‐mediated viral attachment and entry into cells via fusion of the viral envelope with cellular membranes involve PPIs mediated by short peptide fragments exhibiting particular secondary structures. Thus, peptides that can inhibit these PPIs may be used as potential antiviral agents preventing virus entry and spread. This review is focused on peptides and peptidomimetics as PPI modulators and protease inhibitors against SARS‐CoV‐2.
Progress in methodologies and quality‐control strategies in protein cross‐linking mass spectrometry
Authors: Yugandhar Kumar , Zhao Qiuye , Gupta Shobhita , Xiong Dapeng , Yu Haiyuan
Published: October 2021

Deciphering the interaction networks and structural dynamics of proteins is pivotal to better understanding their biological functions. Cross‐linking mass spectrometry (XL‐MS) is a powerful and increasingly popular technology that provides information about protein‐protein interactions and their structural constraints for individual proteins and multiprotein complexes on a proteome‐scale. In this review, we first assess the coverage and depth of the XL‐MS technique by utilizing publicly available datasets. We then delve into the progress in XL‐MS experimental and computational methodologies and examine different quality‐control strategies reported in the literature. Finally, we discuss the progress in XL‐MS applications along with the scope for future improvements.
Avoided deconfinement in Randall-Sundrum models
Authors: Agrawal Prateek , Nee Michael
Published: October 2021

Abstract

We study first order phase transitions in Randall-Sundrum models in the early universe dual to confinement in large-N gauge theories. The transition rate to the confined phase is suppressed by a factor exp(−N2), and may not complete for N » 1, instead leading to an eternally inflating phase. To avoid this fate, the resulting constraint on N makes the RS effective field theory only marginally under control. We present a mechanism where the IR brane remains stabilized at very high temperature, so that the theory stays in the confined phase at all times after inflation and reheating. We call this mechanism avoided deconfinement. The mechanism involves adding new scalar fields on the IR brane which provide a stablilizing contribution to the radion potential at finite temperature, in a spirit similar to Weinberg’s symmetry non-restoration mechanism. Avoided deconfinement allows for a viable cosmology for theories with parametrically large N. Early universe cosmological phenomena such as WIMP freeze-out, axion abundance, baryogenesis, phase transitions, and gravitational wave signatures are qualitatively modified.