bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Imaging pheochromocytoma in small animals: preclinical models to improve diagnosis and treatment
Authors: Mohr Hermine , Foscarini Alessia , Steiger Katja , Ballke Simone , Rischpler Christoph , Schilling Franz , Pellegata Natalia S.
Published: December 2021

Pheochromocytomas (PCCs) and paragangliomas (PGLs), together referred to as PPGLs, are rare chromaffin cell-derived tumors. They require timely diagnosis as this is the only way to achieve a cure through surgery and because of the potentially serious cardiovascular complications and sometimes life-threatening comorbidities that can occur if left untreated. The biochemical diagnosis of PPGLs has improved over the last decades, and the knowledge of the underlying genetics has dramatically increased. In addition to conventional anatomical imaging by CT and MRI for PPGL detection, new functional imaging modalities have emerged as very useful for patient surveillance and stratification for therapy. The availability of validated and predictive animal models of cancer is essential for translating molecular, imaging and therapy response findings from the bench to the bedside. This is especially true for rare tumors, such as PPGLs, for which access to large cohorts of patients is limited. There are few animal models of PPGLs that have been instrumental in refining imaging modalities for early tumor detection, as well as in identifying and evaluating novel imaging tracers holding promise for the detection and/or treatment of human PPGLs. The in vivo PPGL models mainly include xenografts/allografts generated by engrafting rat or mouse cell lines, as no representative human cell line is available. In addition, there is a model of endogenous PCCs (i.e., MENX rats) that was characterized in our laboratory. In this review, we will summarize the contribution that various representative models of PPGL have given to the visualization of these tumors in vivo and we present an example of a tracer first evaluated in MENX rats, and then translated to the detection of these tumors in human patients. In addition, we will illustrate briefly the potential of ex vivo biological imaging of intact adrenal glands in MENX rats.
Sertraline as a new potential anthelmintic against Haemonchus contortus: toxicity, efficacy, and biotransformation
Authors: Zajíčková Markéta , Prchal Lukáš , Navrátilová Martina , Vodvárková Nikola , Matoušková Petra , Vokřál Ivan , Nguyen Linh Thuy , Skálová Lenka
Published: December 2021

Haemonchus contortus is a parasitic nematode of ruminants which causes significant losses to many farmers worldwide. Since the drugs currently in use for the treatment of haemonchosis are losing their effectiveness due to the drug-resistance of this nematode, a new or repurposed drug is highly needed. As the antipsychotic drug sertraline (SRT) has been shown to be effective against the parasitic nematodes Trichuris muris, Ancylostoma caninum and Schistosoma mansoni, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the possible effect of SRT on H. contortus. The potential hepatotoxicity of SRT was tested in sheep, a common H. contortus host. In addition, the main metabolic pathways of SRT in H. contortus and the ovine liver were identified. While no effect of SRT on H. contortus egg hatching was observed, SRT was found to significantly decrease the viability of H. contortus adults in drug-sensitive and resistant strains, with its effect comparable to the commonly used anthelmintics levamisole and monepantel. Moreover, SRT in anthelmintically active concentrations showed no toxicity to the ovine liver. Biotransformation of SRT in H. contortus was weak, with most of the drug remaining unmetabolized. Production of the main metabolite hydroxy-SRT did not differ significantly between strains. Other minor metabolites such as SRT-O-glucoside, dihydroxy-SRT, and SRT-ketone were also identified in H. contorts adults. Compared to H. contortus, the ovine liver metabolized SRT more extensively, mainly via desmethylation and glucuronidation. In conclusion, the potency of SRT against H. contortus was proven, and it should be tested further toward possible repurposing.
Prototheca spp. induce an inflammatory response via mtROS-mediated activation of NF-κB and NLRP3 inflammasome pathways in bovine mammary epithelial cell cultures
Authors: Zhao Wenpeng , He Fumeng , Barkema Herman W. , Xu Siyu , Gao Jian , Liu Gang , Deng Zhaoju , Shahid Muhammad , Shi Yuxiang , Kastelic John P. , Han Bo
Published: December 2021

Emergence of bovine mastitis caused by Prototheca algae is the impetus to better understand these infections. Both P. bovis and P. ciferrii belong to Prototheca algae, but they differ in their pathogenicity to induce inflammatory responses. The objective was to characterize and compare pathogenesis of inflammatory responses in bMECs induced by P. bovis versus P. ciferrii. Mitochondrial ultrastructure, activity and mtROS in bMECs were assessed with transmission electron microscopy and laser scanning confocal microscopy. Cytokines, including TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-18, were measured by ELISA and real-time PCR, whereas expressions of various proteins in the NF-κB and NLRP3 inflammasome pathways were detected with immunofluorescence or Western blot. Infection with P. bovis or P. ciferrii damaged mitochondria, including dissolution and vacuolation of cristae, and decreased mitochondrial activity, with P. bovis being more pathogenic and causing greater destruction. There were increases in NADPH production and mtROS accumulation in infected bMECs, with P. bovis causing greater increases and also inducing higher cytokine concentrations. Expressions of NF-κB-p65, p-NF-κB-p65, IκBα and p-IκBα proteins in the NF-κB pathway, as well as NLRP3, Pro Caspase1, Caspase1 p20, ASC, Pro IL-1β, and IL-1β proteins in the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway, were significantly higher in P. bovis-infected bMECs. However, mito-TEMPO significantly inhibited production of cytokines and decreased expression of proteins in NF-κB and NLRP3 inflammasome pathways in bMECs infected with either P. bovis or P. ciferrii. In conclusion, P. bovis or P. ciferrii infections induced inflammatory responses in bMECs, with increased mtROS in damaged mitochondria and activated NF-κB and NLRP3 inflammasome pathways, with P. bovis causing a more severe reaction.
Soluble amyloid-beta isoforms predict downstream Alzheimer’s disease pathology
Authors: Povala Guilherme , Bellaver Bruna , De Bastiani Marco Antônio , Brum Wagner S. , Ferreira Pamela C. L. , Bieger Andrei , Pascoal Tharick A. , Benedet Andrea L. , Souza Diogo O. , Araujo Ricardo M. , Zatt Bruno , Rosa-Neto Pedro , Zimmer Eduardo R. ,   for the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Published: December 2021

Background

Changes in soluble amyloid-beta (Aβ) levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are detectable at early preclinical stages of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, whether Aβ levels can predict downstream AD pathological features in cognitively unimpaired (CU) individuals remains unclear. With this in mind, we aimed at investigating whether a combination of soluble Aβ isoforms can predict tau pathology (T+) and neurodegeneration (N+) positivity.

Methods

We used CSF measurements of three soluble Aβ peptides (Aβ1﻿–38, Aβ1﻿–40and Aβ1﻿–42) in CU individuals (n = 318) as input features in machine learning (ML) models aiming at predicting T+ and N+. Input data was used for building 2046 tuned predictive ML models with a nested cross-validation technique. Additionally, proteomics data was employed to investigate the functional enrichment of biological processes altered in T+ and N+ individuals.

Results

Our findings indicate that Aβ isoforms can predict T+ and N+ with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.929 and 0.936, respectively. Additionally, proteomics analysis identified 17 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in individuals wrongly classified by our ML model. More specifically, enrichment analysis of gene ontology biological processes revealed an upregulation in myelinization and glucose metabolism-related processes in CU individuals wrongly predicted as T+. A significant enrichment of DEPs in pathways including biosynthesis of amino acids, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, carbon metabolism, cell adhesion molecules and prion disease was also observed.

Conclusions

Our results demonstrate that, by applying a refined ML analysis, a combination of Aβ isoforms can predict T+ and N+ with a high AUC. CSF proteomics analysis highlighted a promising group of proteins that can be further explored for improving T+ and N+ prediction.
Security-driven distributed platforms for intellectual property resource provision - a case study of TSITE IP
Authors: Wang Yang
Published: December 2021

In the information age, with the vigorous development of big data and artificial intelligence, intellectual property protection is an essential part of the current scientific and technological development. Intellectual property related data grows in a geometric progression, so the demand for IP data storage space is also increasing day by day. With the rise of cloud computing technology, intellectual property data distributed platforms based on cloud storage have also been produced one after another. Because the biggest feature of cloud storage is that storage is a service, it puts forward higher requirements for the intellectual property service industry. Firstly, it introduces the domestic intellectual property cloud platform services from the perspectives of government support, state-owned enterprises and private enterprises; Secondly, four typical distributed platforms provided by commercial resources are selected to introduce their operation modes, focusing on the problems faced by domestic intellectual property service modes; Secondly, it compares and discusses the current situation of domestic intellectual property distributed platforms; Then, aiming at the current domestic intellectual property service mode, taking tsite as an example, this paper puts forward the design and construction strategy of intellectual property protection, intellectual property operation service distributed platform and operation service mode under the background of information age.
Loss of hexokinase 1 sensitizes ovarian cancer to high-dose metformin
Authors: Šimčíková Daniela , Gardáš Dominik , Hložková Kateřina , Hruda Martin , Žáček Petr , Rob Lukáš , Heneberg Petr
Published: December 2021

Background

Hexokinases (HKs) are well-studied enzymes catalyzing the first step of glycolysis. However, non-canonical regulatory roles of HKs are still incompletely understood. Here, we hypothesized that HKs comprise one of the missing links between high-dose metformin and the inhibition of the respiratory chain in cancer.

Methods

We tested the isoenzyme-specific regulatory roles of HKs in ovarian cancer cells by examining the effects of the deletions of HK1 and HK2 in TOV-112D ovarian adenocarcinoma cells. We reverted these effects by re-introducing wild-type HK1 and HK2, and we compared the HK1 revertant with the knock-in of catalytically dead HK1 p.D656A. We subjected these cells to a battery of metabolic and proliferation assays and targeted GC×GC-MS metabolomics.

Results

We found that the HK1 depletion (but not the HK2 depletion) sensitized ovarian cancer cells to high-dose metformin during glucose starvation. We confirmed that this newly uncovered role of HK1 is glycolysis-independent by the introduction of the catalytically dead HK1. The expression of catalytically dead HK1 stimulated similar changes in levels of TCA intermediates, aspartate and cysteine, and in glutamate as were induced by the HK2 deletion. In contrast, HK1 deletion increased the levels of branched amino acids; this effect was completely eliminated by the expression of catalytically dead HK1. Furthermore, HK1 revertants but not HK2 revertants caused a strong increase of NADPH/NADP ratios independently on the presence of glucose or metformin. The HK1 deletion (but not HK2 deletion) suppressed the growth of xenotransplanted ovarian cancer cells and nearly abolished the tumor growth when the mice were fed the glucose-free diet.

Conclusions

We provided the evidence that HK1 is involved in the so far unknown glycolysis-independent HK1–metformin axis and influences metabolism even in glucose-free conditions.
A standard enteral formula versus an iso-caloric lower carbohydrate/high fat enteral formula in the hospital management of adolescent and young adults admitted with anorexia nervosa: a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Parker Elizabeth Kumiko , Flood Victoria , Halaki Mark , Wearne Christine , Anderson Gail , Gomes Linette , Clarke Simon , Wilson Frances , Russell Janice , Frig Elizabeth , Kohn Michael
Published: December 2021

Background

The nutritional rehabilitation of malnourished patients hospitalised with anorexia nervosa is essential. The provision of adequate nutrition must occur, while simultaneously, minimising the risk of refeeding complications, such as electrolyte, metabolic, and organ dysfunction. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of an iso-caloric lower carbohydrate/high fat enteral formula (28% carbohydrate, 56% fat) against a standard enteral formula (54% carbohydrate, 29% fat).

Methods

Patients (aged 15–25 years) hospitalised with anorexia nervosa were recruited into this double blinded randomised controlled trial. An interim analysis was completed at midpoint, when 24 participants, mean age 17.5 years (± 1.1), had been randomly allocated to lower carbohydrate/high fat (n = 14) or standard (n = 10) feeds.

Results

At baseline, there was no significant difference in degree of malnutrition, medical instability, history of purging or serum phosphate levels between the two treatment arms. A significantly lower rate of hypophosphatemia developed in patients who received the lower carbohydrate/high fat formula compared to standard formula (5/14 vs 9/10,p = 0.013). The serum phosphate level decreased in both feeds, however it decreased to a larger extent in the standard feed compared to the lower carbohydrate/high fat feed (standard feed 1.11 ± 0.13 mmol/L at baseline vs 0.88 ± 0.12 mmol/L at week 1; lower carbohydrate/high fat feed 1.18 ± 0.19 mmol/L at baseline vs 1.06 ± 0.15 mmol/L at week 1). Overall, serum phosphate levels were significantly higher in the lower carbohydrate/high fat feed compared with standard feed treatment arm at Week 1 (1.06 ± 0.15 mmol/L vs 0.88 ± 0.12 mmol/L,p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in weight gain, number of days to reach medical stability, incidence of hypoglycaemia, or hospital length of stay.

Conclusions

The results of this study indicate that enteral nutrition provided to hospitalised malnourished young people with anorexia nervosa using a lower carbohydrate/high fat formula (28% carbohydrate, 56% fat) seems to provide protection from hypophosphatemia in the first week compared to when using a standard enteral formula. Further research may be required to confirm this finding in other malnourished populations.

Trial Registration: ANZCTR, ACTRN12617000342314. Registered 3 March 2017,http://anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?ACTRN=12617000342314
Application and prospects of single cell sequencing in tumors
Authors: Huang Ruo Han , Wang Le Xin , He Jing , Gao Wen
Published: December 2021

Cancer is an intricate disease with inherent intra-tumor heterogeneity at the cellular level because of genetic changes and environmental differences. Cellular heterogeneity exists even within the same tumor type. Small deviations in a genome or transcriptome can lead to significant differences in function. Conventional bulk population sequencing, which produces admixed populations of cells, can only provide an average expression signal for one cell population, ignoring differences between individual cells. Important advances in sequencing have been made in recent years. Single cell sequencing starts in a single cell, thereby increasing our capability to characterize intratumor heterogeneity. This technology has been used to analyze genetic variation, specific metabolic activity, and evolutionary processes in tumors, which may help us understand tumor occurrence and development and improve our understanding of the tumor microenvironment. In addition, it provides a theoretical basis for the development of clinical treatments, especially for personalized medicine. In this article, we briefly introduce Single cell sequencing technology, summarize the application of Single cell sequencing to study the tumor microenvironment, as well as its therapeutic application in different clinical procedures.
Estimating the movements of terrestrial animal populations using broad-scale occurrence data
Authors: Supp Sarah R. , Bohrer Gil , Fieberg John , La Sorte Frank A.
Published: December 2021

As human and automated sensor networks collect increasingly massive volumes of animal observations, new opportunities have arisen to use these data to infer or track species movements. Sources of broad scale occurrence datasets include crowdsourced databases, such as eBird and iNaturalist, weather surveillance radars, and passive automated sensors including acoustic monitoring units and camera trap networks. Such data resources represent static observations, typically at the species level, at a given location. Nonetheless, by combining multiple observations across many locations and times it is possible to infer spatially continuous population-level movements. Population-level movement characterizes the aggregated movement of individuals comprising a population, such as range contractions, expansions, climate tracking, or migration, that can result from physical, behavioral, or demographic processes. A desire to model population movements from such forms of occurrence data has led to an evolving field that has created new analytical and statistical approaches that can account for spatial and temporal sampling bias in the observations. The insights generated from the growth of population-level movement research can complement the insights from focal tracking studies, and elucidate mechanisms driving changes in population distributions at potentially larger spatial and temporal scales. This review will summarize current broad-scale occurrence datasets, discuss the latest approaches for utilizing them in population-level movement analyses, and highlight studies where such analyses have provided ecological insights. We outline the conceptual approaches and common methodological steps to infer movements from spatially distributed occurrence data that currently exist for terrestrial animals, though similar approaches may be applicable to plants, freshwater, or marine organisms.
Teachers’ adoption of an open and interactive e-book for teaching K-12 students Artificial Intelligence: a mixed methods inquiry
Authors: Zhang Xiangling , Tlili Ahmed , Shubeck Keith , Hu Xiangen , Huang Ronghuai , Zhu Lixin
Published: December 2021

With the rapid development of information technology, e-books have become convenient for students to improve their learning performance, especially when learning complicated concepts. However, research showed that acceptance of e-books by teachers is fragmented, due to several factors including the e-book design. Therefore, this study combined the potential positive impacts of openness and interaction on learning to design an open and interactive e-book for teaching K-12 students AI. It then applied a mixed method to investigate the factors that affect teachers’ acceptance of this open and interactive e-book based on the technology acceptance model (TAM) and interviews. The obtained results showed that teachers’ intention to continue using this e-book is significantly influenced by their perceived usefulness and attitude towards this e-book. Additionally, both the interactive and openness features were very helpful for teachers in using this e-book in their teaching plans. However, some of them raised several concerns like the interactive coding platform should be personalized based on students’ age. The findings of this study could help different stakeholders (e.g., instructional designers, teachers, policymakers) in facilitating the design and adoption of open and interactive e-books.
Self-protecting motivation, indexed by self-threat, modifies retrieval-induced-forgetting and confidence in employment decision bias against out-group targets
Authors: Liu Shaohang , Kent Christopher , Briscoe Josie
Published: December 2021

Human memory is malleable by both social and motivational factors and holds information relevant to workplace decisions. Retrieval-induced forgetting (RIF) describes a phenomenon where retrieval practice impairs subsequent memory for related (unpracticed) information. We report two RIF experiments. Chinese participants received a mild self-threat manipulation (Experiment 2) or not (Experiment 1) before an ethnicity-RIF task that involved practicing negative traits of either in-group (Chinese) or an out-group (Japanese) target. After a subsequent memory test, participants selected their preferred applicant for employment. RIF scores correspond to forgetting of unpracticed positive traits of one target (Rp−) relative to the recall of practiced negative traits of the other target (Rp+). Enhanced forgetting of positive traits was found in both experiments for both targets. Across experiments, a significant target by threat interaction showed that target ethnicity modified RIF (an ethnicity-RIF effect). Inducing a self-protecting motivation enhanced RIF effects for the out-group (Japanese) target. In a subsequent employment decision, there was a strong bias to select the in-group target, with the confidence in these decisions being associated with RIF scores. This study suggests that rehearsing negative traits of minority applicants can affect metacognitive aspects of employment decisions, possibly by shaping the schemas available to the majority (in-group) employer. To disrupt systemic racism, recruitment practices should aim to offset a human motivation to protect one-self, when exposed to a relatively mild threat to self-esteem. Discussing the negative traits of minority applicants is a critical, and sensitive, aspect of decision-making that warrants careful practice. These data suggest that recruiting individuals should be reminded of their personal strengths in this context, not their vulnerabilities, to secure their decision-making for fairer recruitment practice.
Development, psychometric evaluation and cognitive debriefing of the rheumatoid arthritis symptom and impact questionnaire (RASIQ)
Authors: Becker Brandon , Bracher Marguerite , Chauhan Deven , Rendas-Baum Regina , Lin Xiaochen , Raymond Kimberly , O’Connor Meaghan , Kosinski Mark
Published: December 2021

Background

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease often associated with persistent pain. There is a need for a patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) that is rooted in the patient experience and psychometrically validated. We describe the development of the Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptom and Impact Questionnaire (RASIQ), a novel PROM with potential to record key symptoms and impacts of RA with a 24-h recall period.

Results

A literature review identified RA concepts that patients considered most important to their disease experience, including pain, fatigue, joint swelling and stiffness. From this, an initial item pool (33 items; 27 related to symptoms, 6 related to impacts) was developed with a recall period of 24 h. Two rheumatologists evaluated each item’s relevance, and the second version of the RASIQ was refined (29 items; 21 related to symptoms, 8 related to impacts). Next, three rounds of cognitive debriefing interviews were conducted with patients with RA (n = 15 overall). The RASIQ was revised to remove items deemed irrelevant or redundant, leaving 16 items measuring symptoms (joint pain, energy/tiredness, joint stiffness) and impacts (rest, sleep). A parallel series of semi-structured concept elicitation interviews (n = 30) facilitated the design of a conceptual model of RA symptoms, impacts and treatment experiences. Post-hoc comparison of the model with RASIQ revealed that all items selected were among the most important and relevant symptoms and impacts for patients. A final round of cognitive debriefing interviews (n = 12) confirmed that the final 16-item RASIQ was relevant and easy to understand, with no further changes recommended. Psychometric evaluation using data from two Phase II RA clinical trials confirmed a 3-factor structure, as well as the reliability and validity of the scale scores, and the ability of RASIQ to detect changes in symptoms and impacts when administered at specific study timepoints, using a 24-h recall period.

Conclusions

RASIQ is a novel, 16-item PROM developed with substantial patient input. Results from concept elicitation, cognitive debriefing, and psychometric evaluation confirmed the validity of the instrument, which has the potential to measure symptoms and impacts through a 24-h recall period and complement existing disease activity instruments with longer recall periods.
Impact of COVID-19 pandemic in natural course of Moyamoya Angiopathy: an experience from tertiary-care-center in India
Authors: Das Shambaditya , Ray Biman Kanti , Ghosh Ritwik , Sengupta Samya , Pandit Alak , Dubey Souvik
Published: December 2021

Background

COVID-19 mediated immune dysregulation and cytokine storm can precipitate and aggravate Moyamoya angiopathy (MMA), influencing its disease course. This index study was undertaken to prospectively evaluate the status of neurological symptoms of MMA in relation to COVID-19 affection.

Methodology and results

Follow-up MMA patients of institute’s Stroke-clinic were telephonically interview from 24th March to 30th September, 2020. The first call familiarized them with COVID-19 symptoms and neurological manifestations of MMA, followed by monthly-calls with predesigned questionnaire. Patients with suggestion of COVID-19 underwent nasopharyngeal-swab-testing for COVID-19 Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) positive cases were subjected to antibody levels for COVID-19 Enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) 8–12 weeks after recovery. During symptomatic phase till 14 days of asymptomatic, they were contacted daily/alternate day. Any new onset/worsening of neurological symptoms were noted. The baseline clinico-radiological details were obtained from stroke-clinic registery. Subsequently, all data were analyzed and compared using descriptive statistics. Seventy four of 104 MMA patients could be contacted and enrolled. The mean age, time since last follow-up and compliance to previously prescribed medication were 23.5 ± 16.1 years, 9.2 ± 1.7 months and 90.5% (n = 67), respectively. Aggravation/new onset neurological symptom were seen in 64.3% (n = 9) of COVID-19 positive MMA (n = 14), of which 8 were seen among the 11 pediatric COVID-19 positive MMA [(Transient ischemic attacks) TIA-4, TIA with headache-1, seizure-2, stroke causing mortality-1].

Conclusion

COVID-19 infection can potentiate MMA causing significant morbidity and mortality, especially in children. Providing optimal care for severe diseases (such as MMA) in developing countries during pandemic remains a challenge.
Genital pyoderma gangrenosum revealing Behçet’s disease: a case report
Authors: Chicha Hassina , Taharboucht Said , Tiboune Nacera , Touati Nadia , Chibane Ahcene
Published: December 2021

Background

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a rare and chronic neutrophilic dermatosis. It is clinically characterized by aseptic ulcerations preferentially located in the lower limbs. Its location in the genital area is unusual and could be a source of diagnostic difficulties. In half of the cases, PG is associated with an underlying disease. The association with Behçet’s disease is exceptional.

Case presentation

We report an original observation of a patient who presented a vulvar PG which revealed a Behçet’s disease.

Conclusion

The distinction between these two pathologies was difficult because of the similarity of the cutaneous-mucous lesions on the one hand, and the absence of histological specificity of these two pathologies on the other hand.
Are African primary physicians suspicious enough? Challenges of multiple myeloma diagnosis in Africa
Authors: Thokerunga Erick , Ntege Christopher , Ahmed Abdullahi Omar
Published: December 2021

Background

Multiple myeloma is a hematological malignancy of plasma cells belonging to a spectrum of monoclonal protein-secreting disorders known as paraproteinemias. It is classically characterized by accumulated plasma cells in the bone marrow, renal insufficiency, hypercalcemia, and bone lesions (CRAB). Despite studies in the USA indicating that the incidence of multiple myeloma is twice as much in Americans of African descent compared to white Americans and those of Asian descent, African countries have some of the lowest incidence rates and prevalence of the cancer. It is generally thought that this is not entirely factual given the paucity of research into the cancer in sub-Saharan Africa, coupled with other diagnostic challenges such as economic hardships, and poor health-seeking behaviors. In this mini review, we explored the state of multiple myeloma diagnosis across sub-Saharan Africa, outlining the challenges to diagnosis and proposing possible solutions.

Main body

Due to the lack of routine checkups in people > 40 years across sub-Saharan Africa, monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM) are often accidentally diagnosed. This is due to a very low awareness of multiple myeloma among primary care clinicians and the general population. Other major challenges to multiple myeloma diagnosis across Africa include a chronic shortage of human resource (pathologists, cytotechnologists, and histotechnologists), and a prohibitive cost of diagnostic services that discourages early diagnosis.

Conclusion

To improve multiple myeloma diagnosis in Africa, a systems approach to thinking among policy makers, philanthropic organizations, and oncologists must be adopted. Governments must invest in health insurance coverage for cancer patients concurrently with heavy investments in human resource training and diagnostic infrastructure scale up. Creative approaches such as digital pathology, online training of clinicians, research and capacity building collaborations among African institutions, European and American institutions, and pharmaceutical companies as seen with other cancers should be explored for multiple myeloma too.
‘You will never be a nurse’: from training applicant to cardiomyopathy expert
Authors: Partridge Jayne
Published: December 2021

Jayne Partridge describes her journey from being rejected from a nursing school to becoming a support nurse for the charity Cardiomyopathy UK during a global crisis.
Exploring prevention and management of secondary health conditions in people with spinal cord injury in South Africa
Authors: Pilusa Sonti , Myezwa Hellen , Potterton Joanne
Published: December 2021

Background/Aims

Preventative care for people with spinal cord injury is neglected, even though secondary health conditions are prevalent among this group. There is limited information on preventative care for secondary health conditions among people with spinal cord injury. This study aimed to explore how people with spinal cord injury prevent and manage secondary health conditions.

Methods

A total of 17 individuals with spinal cord injury attending an outpatients clinic at a public rehabilitation hospital were interviewed face to face. All the interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic content analysis.

Results

The participants used different strategies to prevent and manage secondary health conditions, such as medication, assistive devices, self-management, resilience coping strategies and therapeutic approaches. The participants found prevention of secondary health conditions ‘challenging’ and some of the strategies were ineffective.

Conclusions

Although many strategies are used by people with spinal cord injury to prevent and manage secondary health conditions, the experience is difficult. To minimise the occurrence and the consequence of secondary health conditions among people with spinal cord injury, health professionals must promote and support preventative care for secondary health conditions.
Die Komparativ- und Superlativformen besser/am besten/das Beste als Varianten in modalen Vergleichskonstruktionen
Authors: Höhmann Doris
Published: December 2021

It is well known that linguistic variants play a key role in the acquisition of language skills in the first, second or foreign language as well as in writing and translation processes and in general in communicative interactions. Thus, a major research goal is the systematic investigation of intra- and interlinguistic variation. Due to its complexity, its qualitative-quantitative analysis continues to be a challenging issue, but it seems to become more and more feasible thanks to both the possibility of compiling very large corpora and the availability of high-performing corpus-linguistic tools.

The paper discusses a corpus-linguistic pilot study concerning the use of besser, am besten and das Beste as pragmatic markers in a cross-linguistic perspective. In particular, the analysis focusses on selected superlative and comparative constructions on the left periphery used for expressing advice. The data basis consists mainly of German and Italian comparable very large web corpora and, to a lesser extent, of bilingual sentence pairs drawn from parallel corpora. As will be shown, even restricting the analysis to a very small segment of microvariation, in both languages the modal constructions appear to be characterized by the combination of numerous overlapping and interplaying variants and by different tendencies in language use.
Colour and light: Colour theory and mechanization in Sunday in the Park with George’s Chromolume
Authors: Rubel Jeffrey
Published: December 2021

This article explores how Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Sunday in the Park with George conveys Seurat’s scientific influences, how the show’s Chromolume engages with Seurat and his modernist legacy, and how the 1984 and 2017 Chromolume designs reflect Seurat’s work and legacy. Using original oral history interviews, this article compares the 1984 and 2017 Broadway Chromolume designs to explore how production decisions inform the show’s engagement with pointillism, Seurat and colour theory. By analysing Sunday, this article sets out to provide a case study highlighting how science and technology inform and influence the book, music and theatrical design of a major American musical.
#YouWillBeFound: Participatory fandom, social media marketing and Dear Evan Hansen
Authors: Rush Adam
Published: December 2021

Drawing on studies of fan participation, labour and parasociality, this article explores the continuing diversification of musical theatre fandom via social media and the interactive ways in which productions harness fan engagement. The analysis focuses on Dear Evan Hansen (2016) as a musical that depicts emotionally vulnerable teenagers and exploitative online communication, notions that are also often reflected in how fans interact with the show. Fan-generated content is regularly recycled as marketing material, and even as merchandise, that is used to sell the production. Similarly, the musical’s producers and marketing team frequently invite interaction around the musical’s core mantra, ‘You Will Be Found’. These interactions can benefit fans by potentially eliciting feelings of social inclusion that may be experienced as empowering. However, this practice can also be interpreted as equally as ethically dubious as some of the musical’s narrative content, given that fans are ultimately providing free advertising for a commercial musical.
Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical, TikTok Creators, directed by Lucy Moss (2020)
Authors: Boffone Trevor
Published: December 2021

Review of: Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical, TikTok Creators, directed by Lucy Moss (2020)

Benefit Concert for the Actor’s Fund, TodayTix, 1 January 2021
Bernstein and Robbins: The Early Ballets, Sophie Redfern (2021)
Authors: Gardner Kara Anne
Published: December 2021

Review of: Bernstein and Robbins: The Early Ballets, Sophie Redfern (2021)

Rochester, NY: The University of Rochester Press, 293 pp.,

ISBN 978-1-64825-005-7, h/bk, USD $99.00
Victorians on Broadway: Literature, Adaptation, and the Modern American Musical, Sharon Aronofsky Weltman (2020)
Authors: Kunze Peter C.
Published: December 2021

Review of: Victorians on Broadway: Literature, Adaptation, and the Modern American Musical, Sharon Aronofsky Weltman (2020)

Charlottesville and London: University of Virginia Press, 338 pp.,

ISBN 978-0-81394-431-9, h/bk, USD $75.00
Think-Pair-Share as a Springboard for Study Buddies in a Virtual Environment
Authors: Sembert Philip J. , Vermette Paul J. , Lyman Frank , Bardsley Mary Ellen , Snell Carolyn
Published: December 2021

Many powerful teaching techniques have not yet fully transitioned from face-to-face use to the new remote instructional paradigm forced on teacher educators and teacher candidates during the pandemic. Experiences by candidates and by instructors in this new environment need to be compiled and shared as we head forward into structures and situations. This article describes how one such technique, Think-Pair-Share (Lyman, 1981) inspired assigning Study Buddies in a co-taught graduate level teacher education course, Managing Culturally Responsive Classrooms, in the summer of 2020. Two teacher candidates, two professors and Dr. Frank Lyman, offer insight and suggestions about this practice, its possibilities and its limitations as the course moved from a traditional implementation to a virtual setting.
Tacit knowledge in water management: a case study of Sponge City
Authors: Yao Zeyu , Bell Sarah
Published: December 2021

Sustainable, resilient
urban water management is fundamental to good environmental and public health. As an interdisciplinary task, it faces enormous challenges from project complexity, network dynamics, and the tacit nature of knowledge being communicated between actors involved in design, decisions and delivery. Among others, some critical and persistent challenges to the implementation of sustainable urban water management include the lack of knowledge and expertise, lack of effective communication and collaboration, and lack of shared understanding and context. Using the Chinese Sponge City programme as a case study, this paper draws on the perspectives of Polanyi and Collins to investigate the extent to which knowledge can be used and exchanged between actors. Using Collins’ conceptualisation of the terrain of tacit knowledge, the study identifies the use of relational, somatic, and collective tacit knowledge in the Sponge City pilot project. Structured interviews with 38 people working on a Sponge City pilot project provided data that was rigorously analysed using qualitative thematic analysis. The paper is original in using theories of tacit knowledge to explain barriers and pathways for information and messages being communicated between actors in urban water management. The methods and results provide the groundwork for analysing the access and mobilisation of tacit knowledge in the Sponge City pilot project, with relevance for other complex, interdisciplinary environmental projects and programmes.
Characteristics of Left Handed Materials
Authors: Al-Musawi Thill A. Kadhum , Mahdi Samira Adnan , AL-Asadi Sundus Yaseen Hasan
Published: December 2021

Researchers have been interested in studying so-called Left-Handed Metamaterials LHM, which are artificial materials. These materials have unusual characteristics, like negative permittivity and permeability, and therefore negative index. This paper has been discussed some characteristics of LHM by designing a square split ring resonator SRR and simulating with CST microwave studio (Computer Simulation Technology) to get S-parameters. The broadband frequencies (0-30) GHz were taking to specify the effective range of frequencies to work with, which was found to be between (8- 14) GHz. Then, the parameters of SRR have been varied such as split width on, gap width, metal width, rod width and metal material. The measurements show some of parameters have been affected the values of resonance frequency and the others are not. Also, the negative values of permittivity, permeability, and refractive index have been approved.
Triazole-Anil and Triazol-Azo Reagents (Creation, Spectral Categorization, Scanning Microscopy, Thermal Analysis)
Authors: Jawad Aymen Abdul Rasool , Aljamali Dr. Nagham Mahmood
Published: December 2021

The last decades of this century witnessed a wide interest in three heterogeneous compounds, especially nitrogen atoms, which were represented by triazole rings and their derivatives, whose effects were studied in the widest medical and pharmaceutical journals and as anti-cancer agents and other groups that are characterized by the presence of electronic pairs, which have given greater importance for this reason. In order to increase the effectiveness of any compound, it must include in its composition active groups, donor groups, or electron pairs, and this has been proven by researchers in biochemistry, coordination research, reagent chemistry, reagents, analytical chemistry, estimation of elements and ions in river water and environmental models. Extensive studies have been conducted for the reagents under study to determine their chemical structures through microscopic technical examinations, spectroscopic techniques (Uv-Vis, FT.IR, H.NMR, Mass)–spectra, also Analytical studies like: {Thermal study, TLC–Technique, Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM)} and other physico-chemical measurements.
Developing a model to determine the number of vehicles lane changing on freeways by Brownian motion method
Authors: Afandizadeh Shahriar , Bigdeli Rad Hamid
Published: December 2021

Lane change maneuvers are essential on car trips. Drivers change lanes to follow the desired route to reach their destination or improve their driving condition or level of service. To change lanes, a driver must consider several factors that affect safety. Due to the lack of appropriate data and consequently the lack of appropriate models to determine the number of lane-changes on the road (as an influential factor in accidents), this study attempts to collect proper data in a new way. Thus, the Qazvin-Karaj freeway was selected as the case study. After installing the imaging cameras and performing the image processing, SPSS and Expert Design statistical software were used to model development. The Brownian motion model was also used to construct the driver change lane model. The results showed that logarithmic model number 2 reported a better coefficient of determination than other models with a value of 0.472. Then models 3 and 9 were ranked with R
2 of 0.451 and 0.442, respectively. Also, the Expert Design model with R
2 (0.786) could have a better fit. The value of the response variable (Nch
+ 0.52)0.74 was obtained three-dimensionally against the changes of distance from the front vehicle (Df
) and distance from the rear vehicle (Db
). Variable values of distance from the front car and distance from the rear vehicle have more effective values on the number of lane changes than left and right distance values. The observed and Brownian data had a slight mean difference (0.018), and also, the standard deviation was so small. Also, the correlation in this data pair is 0.912, which is a suitable value and indicates a slight difference between the outputs of the Brownian model and the observations.
Finite element method for stress and strain analysis of FGM hollow cylinder under effect of temperature profiles and inhomogeneity parameter
Authors: Sharma Dinkar , Kaur Ramandeep , Sandhir Munish , Sharma Honey
Published: December 2021

This study represents a numerical analysis of stress and strain in the functionally graded material (FGM) hollow cylinder subjected to two different temperature profiles and inhomogeneity parameter. The thermo-mechanical properties of a cylinder are assumed to vary continuously as power law function along the radial coordinate of a cylinder. Based on equilibrium equation, Hooke's law, stress-strain relationship in the cylinders, and other theories from mechanics second order differential equation is obtained that represents the thermoelastic field in hollow FGM cylinder. To find a numerical solution of governing differential equation, the finite element method (FEM) with standard discretization approach is used. The analysis of numerical results reveals that stress and strain in the FGM cylinder are significantly depend upon variation made in temperature profile and inhomogeneity parameter n. The results show good agreement with results available in the literature. It is shown that thermoelastic characteristics of the FGM cylinder are controlled by controlling the value of the above discussed parameters. Moreover, these results are very useful in various fields of engineering and science as FGM cylinders have a wide range of applications in these fields.
The Paternalistic Turn in Behavioral Law and Economics: A Critique
Authors: Rizzo Mario J.
Published: December 2021

The application of behavioral economics to law and economics has taken a paternalistic turn. Behavioralists believe that the fundamental assumptions regarding individual behavior in standard theory do not reflect reality. If individuals are not “rational” in the standard economic sense, then there will be decisionmaking failures: people cannot be relied upon to make individually optimal decisions and thus to maximize welfare as they see it. This Article is organized as follows. Part One is a prelude and gives context. Part Two discusses the fundamental normative standard in behavioral public policy: true preferences. I then proceed to outline the causes of the divergence between true preferences and actual observed preferences. Part Three analyzes some of the knowledge problems is ascertaining the presence of cognitive and behavioral biases. Part Four presents a case study of the difficulties of behavioral policy analysis in the area of consumer credit. Part Five concludes.
Paradigm of Village Physical Activity During Pandemic
Authors: Ginting Ramadan , Lubis Ade Evriansyah , Nugroho Agung , Mawardinur Mawardinur , Sipayung Dinni Khairiah
Published: December 2021

One of the measures to maintain body immunity in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic is to exercise regularly. The Covid-19 virus was officially declared to have entered Indonesia by the central government since March 2020. The purpose of this research was to find out the differences in the paradigm of physical activity of the residents of Dusun XI, Pond Village, especially those aged 17 years and over, between before the Covid-19 pandemic. 19 and during the Covid-19 pandemic. The research used in the preparation of this scientific article uses quantitative methods which are presented in descriptive form. The paradigm of sports activities for the residents of Dusun XI, Pond Village, which was studied by researchers on a one-week scale, was the intensity of sunbathing, duration of sunbathing, intensity of exercise, duration of exercise, and type of exercise. The research instrument used to measure the physical activity paradigm of residents is the Short-Form version of the Physical Activity Question (PAQ), which is filled out by 50 residents via Google Form. The answers to the questions in the questionnaire which were filled out by the residents of Dusun XI, Pond Village, are the conclusions of this scientific article. The results showed that the paradigm of residents' physical activity that changed after the Covid-19 pandemic was the intensity of sunbathing, the intensity of exercise, and the type of exercise. The Covid-19 pandemic has caused the majority of the residents of Dusun XI of the Pool Village to increase their sunbathing intensity to every day, the majority of the residents of Dusun XI of the Pool Village have decreased their exercise intensity to once a week,