bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Targeting Local Recurrence After Surgery With MRI Imaging for Prostate Cancer in the Setting of Salvage Radiation Therapy
Authors: Renard-Penna Raphaële , Zhang-Yin Jules , Montagne Sarah , Aupin Laurene , Bruguière Eric , Labidi Mouna , Latorzeff Igor , Hennequin Christophe
Published: February 2022

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is being increasingly used for imaging suspected recurrence in prostate cancer therapy. Functional MRI with diffusion and perfusion imaging has the potential to demonstrate local recurrence even at low PSA value. Detection of recurrence can modify the management of postprostatectomy biochemical recurrence. MRI scan acquired before salvage radiotherapy is useful for the localization of recurrent tumors and also in the delineation of the target volume. The objective of this review is to assess the role and potential impact of MRI in targeting local recurrence after surgery for prostate cancer in the setting of salvage radiation therapy.
Comparison of External Beam Radiation Therapy Modalities for Hepatocellular Carcinoma With Macrovascular Invasion: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review
Authors: Wu Guanheng , Huang Guomin , Huang Jianwen , Lu Ligong , Peng Shaojun , Li Yong , Zhao Wei
Published: February 2022

Purpose

We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare external beam radiation therapy modalities for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with macrovascular invasion (MVI).

Methods

Studies were selected from online databases from the date of inception to November 2021. The outcomes of interest were overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR), and local control rate (LCR).

Results

Forty-four studies (n = 3730) were selected from 1050 articles. The pooled 1-year OS were 60.9%, 45.3%, and 44.9 for particle radiotherapy (PRT) group, conventional radiotherapy (CRT), and stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) group, respectively; p = 0.005 and 0.002 for PRT vs. CRT and SBRT, respectively. Both the PRT group and the SBRT group have the advantage over the CRT group in the pooled ORR. The PRT group showed significantly higher than the CRT group (p = 0.007) in LCR. For combination therapy, CRT plus transarterial chemoembolization can prolong survival than CRT alone (p = 0.006 for 1-year OS; p = 0.014 for 2-year OS). Among grade ≥ 3 complications, the most frequent type of toxicity in CRT, SBRT, PRT group was hematological toxicity, hepatotoxicity, dermatological toxicity, respectively.

Conclusions

Among patients with HCC with MVI, the 1-year OS and the 2-year OS were both higher in the PRT group than in the CRT, SBRT groups. The ORR was similar between the PRT and SBRT groups. The combination therapy based on radiotherapy is expectable. PRT is associated with less complications than photon radiotherapy.
A Prospective Cohort Study of the Clinical Predictors of Bacteremia in Under-Five Children With Acute Undifferentiated Fever Attending a Secondary Health Facility in Northwestern Nigeria
Authors: Ogunkunle Taofik Oluwaseun , Adedoyin Timothy Olanrewaju , Ernest Samuel Kolade , Hassan-Hanga Fatimah , Imam Abdulazeez , Olaosebikan Rasaq , Obaro Stephen K.
Published: February 2022

Background

Children with acute febrile illness with no localizing signs often receive antibiotics empirically in most resource-poor settings. However, little is known about the burden of bacteremia in this category of patients, and an appraisal is thus warranted. This will guide clinical practice and promote rational antibiotics use.

Methods

We prospectively followed up 140 under-five children who presented with acute undifferentiated fever at the emergency/outpatient pediatric unit of a secondary healthcare facility. Baseline clinical and laboratory information was obtained and documented in a structured questionnaire. We compared baseline characteristics between participants with bacteremia and those without bacteremia. We further fitted a multivariable logistic regression model to identify factors predictive of bacteremia among the cohort.

Result

The prevalence of bacteremia was 17.1%, andSalmonellaTyphi was the most frequently (40.9%) isolated pathogen. The majority (78.6%) of the study participants were managed as outpatients. The participants who required admission were four times more likely to have bacteremia when compared to those managed as outpatients (AOR 4.08, 95% CI 1.19 to 14.00). There is a four times likelihood of bacteremia (AOR 4.75, 95% CI 1.48 to 15.29) with a fever duration of beyond 7 days. Similarly, participants who were admitted with lethargy were six times more likely to have bacteremia (AOR 6.20, 95% CI 1.15 to 33.44). Other significant predictors were tachypnea and lymphopenia.

Conclusion

Among under-five children with acute undifferentiated fever, longer duration of fever, lethargy, inpatient care, tachypnea, and lymphopenia were the significant predictors of bacteremia.
Irrational Use of Medicine in the Treatment of Presumptive Asthma Among Rural Primary Care Providers in Southwestern China
Authors: Liu Huidi , Li Huibo , Teuwen Dirk E. , Sylvia Sean , Shi Haonan , Rozelle Scott , Yi Hongmei
Published: February 2022

Poor knowledge, scarce resources, and lack of or misaligned incentives have been widely documented as drivers of the irrational use of medicine (IUM), which significantly challenges the efficiency of health systems across the globe. However, there is limited understanding of the influence of each factor on IUM. We used detailed data on provider treatment of presumptive asthma cases in rural China to assess the contributions of provider knowledge, resource constraints, and provider behavior on IUM. This study enrolled 370 village providers from southwest China. All providers responded to a clinical vignette to test their knowledge of how to treat presumptive asthma. Resource constraints (“capacity”) were defined as the availability of the prescribed medicines in vignette. To measure provider behavior (“performance”), a subset of providers (104 of 370) were randomly selected to receive unannounced visits by standardized patients (SPs) who performed of presumptive asthma symptoms described in the vignette. We found that, 54% (201/370) of providers provided the vignette-based patients with prescriptions. Moreover, 67% (70/104) provided prescriptions for the SPs. For the vignette, only 10% of the providers prescribed the correct medicines; 38% prescribed only unnecessary medicines (and did not provide correct medicine); 65% prescribed antibiotics (although antibiotics were not required); and 55% prescribed polypharmacy prescriptions (that is, they prescribed five or more different types of drugs). For the SP visits, the numbers were 12%, 51%, 63%, and 0%, respectively. The lower number of medicines in the SP visits was due, in part, to the injections’ not being allowed based on ethical considerations (in response to the vignette, however, 65% of providers prescribed injections). The difference between provider knowledge and capacity is insignificant, while a significant large gap exists between provider performance and knowledge/capacity (for 11 of 17 indicators). Our analysis indicated that capacity constraints play a minor role in driving IUM compared to provider performance in the treatment of asthma cases in rural China. If similar findings hold for other disease cases, this suggests that policies to reduce the IUM in rural China have largely been unsuccessful, and alternatives for improving aligning provider incentives with appropriate drug use should be explored.
Diallyl Trisulfide Enhances the Survival of Multiterritory Perforator Skin Flaps
Authors: Dong Chengji , Chen Zhuliu , Zhu Linxin , Bsoul Najeeb , Wu Hongqiang , Jiang Jingtao , Chen Xuankuai , Lai Yingying , Yu Gaoxiang , Gu Yanlan , Guo Xiaoshan , Gao Weiyang
Published: February 2022

The multiterritory perforator flap is one of the widest flap patterns used to repair tissue defects. However, flap necrosis of the distal part is still a challenging issue for plastic surgeons. Diallyl trisulfide (DATS) is an efficient ingredient extracted from garlic, exerting many important effects on different diseases. Our experiment aims to reveal whether DATS has a beneficial effect on the survival of perforator flaps and to explore its mechanism of action. The results showed that DATS enhanced angiogenesis and autophagy and reduced cell apoptosis and oxidative stress, thereby improving the survival rate of skin flaps. After co-administration with autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3MA), perforator flap survival was further improved. Mechanistically, we showed that PI3K/Akt and AMPK-HIF-1α signaling pathways in flap were activated under DATS treatment. All in all, DATS promoted the survival of multiterritory perforator flaps via the synergistic regulation of PI3K/Akt and AMPK-HIF-1α signaling pathways, and inhibition of DATS-induced autophagy further improves flap survival.
Indole-3-Carbinol Selectively Prevents Chronic Stress-Induced Depression-but not Anxiety-Like Behaviors via Suppressing Pro-Inflammatory Cytokine Production and Oxido-Nitrosative Stress in the Brain
Authors: Pan Shengying , Ma Yaoying , Yang Rongrong , Lu Xu , You Qingsheng , Ye Ting , Huang Chao
Published: February 2022

Indole-3-carbinol (I3C), a phytochemical enriched in most cruciferous vegetables, has been shown to display various biological activities such as anti-oxidative stress, anti-inflammation, and anti-carcinogenesis. In this study, we investigated the regulatory effect of I3C on chronic stress-induced behavioral abnormalities in mice. Results showed that repeated I3C treatment at the dose of 10, 30, and 60 mg/kg prevented chronic social defeat stress (CSDS)-induced behavioral abnormalities in the tail suspension test, forced swimming test, sucrose preference test, and social interaction test in mice, and did not affect CSDS-induced behavioral abnormalities in the elevated plus maze, light-dark test, and open-field test, suggesting that the I3C treatment selectively prevents the onset of depression- but not anxiety-like behaviors in chronically stressed mice. Further analysis demonstrated that repeated I3C treatment (60 mg/kg, 10 days) prevented CSDS-induced increases in levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) mRNA and protein, but did not affect CSDS-induced decreases in levels of IL-4, IL-10, and Ym-1 mRNA and/or protein in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, suggesting that I3C can selectively prevent chronic stress-induced pro-inflammatory but not anti-inflammatory responses in the brain. Further analysis showed that repeated I3C treatment (60 mg/kg, 10 days) prevented CSDS-induced increases in levels of nitrite and malondialdehyde (MDA), decreases in contents of glutathione (GSH), and decreases in levels of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) protein in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. These results demonstrated that I3C selectively prevents chronic stress-induced depression-like behaviors in mice likely through suppressing neuroinflammation and oxido-nitrosative stress in the brain.
TMT-Based Quantitative Proteomics Analysis Reveals the Panoramic Pharmacological Molecular Mechanism of β-Elemonic Acid Inhibition of Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Xia Yong , Yang Jinfan , Li Chao , Hao Xiaopeng , Fan Huixia , Zhao Yuyang , Tang Jinfu , Wan Xiufu , Lian Sen , Yang Jian
Published: February 2022

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide but has limited available therapeutic methods; therefore, there is a need to develop highly efficient prevention and treatment strategies. Here, we investigated the anti-cancer activity of β-elemonic acid (EA) in CRC in vitro and in vivo. Our results showed that EA inhibited cell proliferation and migration in the CRC cell lines SW480 and HCT116. Moreover, EA significantly suppressed the growth of transplanted colorectal tumors in nude mice. Interestingly, high-throughput tandem mass tag (TMT)-based quantitative proteomics indicated that EA mainly targets tumor mitochondria and attenuates the translation of 54 mitochondrial ribosome proteins, many of which are discovered significantly upregulated in clinical CRC patients. More interestingly, EA at a low concentration (lower than 15 μg/ml) repressed the cell cycle by downregulating CDK1, CDK6, and CDC20, whereas at a high concentration (higher than 15 μg/ml), caused a non-apoptotic cell death—ferroptosis via downregulating ferritin (FTL) and upregulating transferrin (TF), ferroxidase (CP), and acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 (ACSL4). This is the first report on the panoramic molecular mechanism of EA against CRC, which would make great contributions to developing a novel drug for colorectal cancer therapy.
Beyond Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Anti-Phospholipid Syndrome: The Relevance of Complement From Pathogenesis to Pregnancy Outcome in Other Systemic Rheumatologic Diseases
Authors: Cavalli Silvia , Lonati Paola Adele , Gerosa Maria , Caporali Roberto , Cimaz Rolando , Chighizola Cecilia Beatrice
Published: February 2022

Evidence about the relevance of the complement system, a highly conserved constituent of the innate immunity response that orchestrates the elimination of pathogens and the inflammatory processes, has been recently accumulated in many different rheumatologic conditions. In rheumatoid arthritis, complement, mainly the classical pathway, contributes to tissue damage especially in seropositive subjects, with complement activation occurring in the joint. Data about complement pathways in psoriatic arthritis are dated and poorly consistent; among patients with Sjögren syndrome, hypocomplementemia exerts a prognostic role, identifying patients at risk of extra-glandular manifestations. Hints about complement involvement in systemic sclerosis have been recently raised, following the evidence of complement deposition in affected skin and in renal samples from patients with scleroderma renal crisis. In vasculitides, complement plays a dual role: on one hand, stimulation of neutrophils with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) results in the activation of the alternative pathway, on the other, C5a induces translocation of ANCA antigens, favouring the detrimental role of antibodies. Complement deposition in the kidneys identifies patients with more aggressive renal disease; patients with active disease display low serum levels of C3 and C4. Even though in dermatomyositis sC5b-9 deposits are invariably present in affected muscles, data on C3 and C4 fluctuation during disease course are scarce. C3 and C1q serum levels have been explored as potential markers of disease activity in Takayasu arteritis, whereas data in Behçet disease are limited toin vitroobservations. Pregnancies in women with rheumatologic conditions are still burdened by a higher rate of pregnancy complications, thus the early identification of women at risk would be invaluable. A fine-tuning of complement activation is required from a physiological progression of pregnancy, from pre-implantation stages, through placentation to labour. Complement deregulation has been implicated in several pregnancy complications, such as recurrent abortion, eclampsia and premature birth; low complement levels have been shown to reliably identify women at risk of complications. Given its physiologic role in orchestrating pregnancy progression and its involvement as pathogenic effector in several rheumatologic conditions, complement system is an attractive candidate biomarker to stratify the obstetric risk among women with rheumatologic conditions.
Efficient Solution of Emissivity for the Area Blackbody Based on the Multiple Reflection Method
Authors: Xing Jian , Liu Dingyu , Cui Shuanglong
Published: February 2022

At present, the Monte Carlo method is the only method to evaluate the area blackbody emissivity, so it needs to be compared and verified with other calculation methods. In particular, the efficiency of Monte Carlo is low when the micro-cavity structure of the area blackbody is more complex for higher emissivity. An efficient algorithm for calculating emissivity of the area blackbody based on the multiple reflection method was put forward in this article. A multiple reflected light path that radiated into the inner micro-cavity structure of the area blackbody was simulated. The ratio of the outgoing light intensity to the incident light intensity was obtained by setting a threshold of the outgoing light intensity, and then the area blackbody emissivity was calculated. The simulation results showed that, compared with the Monte Carlo method, the results of the emissivity calculation were similar, and calculation efficiency was increased more than 100 times under the same micro-cavity structure. A practical area blackbody was made based on the simulation results from the proposed multiple reflection method, and the emissivity measurement experiments were carried out and compared to the cavity blackbody at the same temperature. The results showed that the emissivity was near one and stable for the NIR (Near Infrared) spectrum range when the temperature was higher than 280°C. Thus, the feasibility of the multiple reflection method for calculating the area blackbody emissivity was verified. The multiple reflection method proposed in this article provided one more design path for developing area blackbodies with more complex micro-cavity structures.
Effects of Dietary Ramie Powder at Various Levels on the Production Performance, Serum Biochemical Indices, Antioxidative Capacity, and Intestinal Development of Laying Hens
Authors: Wang Xin , Liu Yang , Zhao Hao-Han , Wu Yong-Mei , Liu Chun-Jie , Duan Guang-Ying , Wang Yan-Zhou , Liu Tou-Ming , Huang Peng , Li Ying-Hui , Fan Zhi-Yong , Qiu Hua-Jiao , Zhu Si-Yuan , Lin Qian
Published: February 2022

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of ramie (0, 3, 6, and 9%) included in diets on production performance, antioxidative capacity, serum biochemical indices, and intestinal development of laying hens. A total of 432 Lohmann commercial laying hens were randomly allotted to one of four dietary treatments and fed for 6 weeks. The results showed that the inclusion of ramie had no negative effects on laying performance, and increased (quadratic, P < 0.05) the laying rate with the highest value in the 6% ramie group. However, ramie content in the diet up to 9% reduced the apparent metabolic energy, dry matter, and organic matter apparent digestibility of laying hens compared with those in the 3% ramie group. The content of high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) in serum was increased (P < 0.05), but the activity of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) was decreased (P < 0.05) by dietary ramie supplementation. As the dietary ramie level increased, the activity of serum glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) was increased quadratically (P < 0.05). Compared with control, 3% ramie group significantly increased (P < 0.01) liver total superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. Meanwhile, the addition of 3∼6% ramie powder increased (P < 0.05) villus height of jejunum and villus height/crypt depth (V/C) of ileum, which reflected the intestinal promotional effect of ramie powder. In conclusion, ramie in a diet of less than 9% might protect the liver and improve the antioxidative capacity with no detrimental impacts on the laying hens. Moreover, it could promote the intestinal mucosal structure and have a positive impact on the intestine health of the laying hens.
Novel Analysis Method for Beating Cells Videomicroscopy Data: Functional Characterization of Culture Samples
Authors: Béland Jonathan , Duverger James Elber , Comtois Philippe
Published: February 2022

Cell culture of cardiac tissue analog is becoming increasingly interesting for regenerative medicine (cell therapy and tissue engineering) and is widely used for high throughput cardiotoxicity. As a cost-effective approach to rapidly discard new compounds with high toxicity risks, cardiotoxicity evaluation is firstly done in vitro requiring cells/tissue with physiological/pathological characteristics (close to in vivo properties). Studying multicellular electrophysiological and contractile properties is needed to assess drug effects. Techniques favoring process automation which could help in simplifying screening drug candidates are thus of central importance. A lot of effort has been made to ameliorate in vitro models including several in vitro platforms for engineering neonatal rat cardiac tissues. However, most of the initial evaluation is done by studying the rate of activity. In this study, we present new approaches that use the videomicroscopy video of monolayer activity to study contractile properties of beating cells in culture. Two new variables are proposed which are linked to the contraction dynamics and are dependent on the rhythm of activity. Methods for evaluation of regional synchronicity within the image field of view are also presented that can rapidly determine regions with abnormal activity or heterogeneity in contraction dynamics.
Grafting Watermelon Onto Pumpkin Increases Chilling Tolerance by Up Regulating Arginine Decarboxylase to Increase Putrescine Biosynthesis
Authors: Lu Junyang , Cheng Fei , Huang Yuan , Bie Zhilong
Published: February 2022

Low temperature is a major environmental factor that severely impairs plant growth and productivity. Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) is a chilling-sensitive crop. Grafting of watermelon onto pumpkin rootstock is an effective technique to increase the chilling tolerance of watermelon when exposure to short-time chilling stress. However, the mechanism by which pumpkin rootstock increases chilling tolerance remains poorly understood. Under 10°C/5°C (day/night) chilling stress treatment, pumpkin-grafted watermelon seedlings showed higher chilling tolerance than self-grafted watermelon plants with significantly reduced lipid peroxidation and chilling injury (CI) index. Physiological analysis revealed that pumpkin rootstock grafting led to the notable accumulation of putrescine in watermelon seedlings under chilling conditions. Pre-treat foliar with 1 mM D-arginine (inhibitor of arginine decarboxylase, ADC) increased the electrolyte leakage (EL) of pumpkin-grafted watermelon leaves under chilling stress. This result can be ascribed to the decrease in transcript levels of ADC, ornithine decarboxylase, spermidine synthase, and polyamine oxidase genes involved in the synthesis and metabolism of polyamines. Transcriptome analysis showed that pumpkin rootstock improved chilling tolerance in watermelon seedlings by regulating differential gene expression under chilling stress. Pumpkin-grafted seedling reduced the number and expression level of differential genes in watermelon scion under chilling stress. It specifically increased the up-regulated expression of ADC (Cla97C11G210580), a key gene in the polyamine metabolism pathway, and ultimately promoted the accumulation of putrescine. In conclusion, pumpkin rootstock grafting increased the chilling tolerance of watermelon through transcription adjustments, up regulating the expression level of ADC, and promoting the synthesis of putrescine, which ultimately improved the chilling tolerance of pumpkin-grafted watermelon plants.
A New Concept of Work Engagement Theory in Cognitive Engagement, Emotional Engagement, and Physical Engagement
Authors: Huang Stanley Y. B. , Huang Chien-Hsiang , Chang Tai-Wei
Published: February 2022

The concept of work engagement (WE) has aroused the interest of many scholars. However, there has been limited academic research in examining how authentic leadership (AL) can influence WE, which consequently influences organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and task performance (TP). In particular, this study divides WE into cognitive engagement, emotional engagement, and physical engagement to fully reflect the engagement theory. This study introduces three dimensions of WE and tests the theoretical model to validate cognitive engagement, emotional engagement, and physical engagement. Empirical testing using a survey of 151 employees of retail travel agencies in Taiwan revealed that the AL can influence cognitive engagement, emotional engagement, and physical engagement, and also OCB and TP. These analysis results can assist vendors to implement OCB and TP through WE and AL.
Local Demand, Quality of Place, and Urban Tourism Competitiveness
Authors: Weng Jin , Xiao Jiaying , Yu Larry
Published: February 2022

Most studies on tourism destination competitiveness examined the direct relationships of destination attributes and destination competitiveness. Few studies explored the intervening mechanisms between destination attributes and competitiveness. This study selected cities above the “alpha” level in the Globalization and World Cities Research Network rankings as samples to examine the relationship between local demand and urban tourism competitiveness mediated by the quality of place. Results showed that the relationship between urban wealth and tourist arrivals was completely mediated by the quality of place, while the mediating effect was not significant in the relationship between urban wealth and per capita tourism spending, though per capita tourism spending was directly and positively associated with urban wealth. In other words, richer cities had a higher quality of place, and a higher quality of place attracted more tourists but did not increase tourism per capita spending. Furthermore, the study found that there were two opposite influence paths of city size on urban tourism competitiveness. Although urban tourism competitiveness was directly and positively affected by population, the population had a significant negative effect on urban tourism competitiveness mediated by the quality of place. Through the quality of place, we can be aware of the indirect negative effect suppressed by the direct positive effect. This study revealed that the quality of place helped to better understand the competitiveness of urban tourism.
Testing the Insider Trading Anomaly in FTSE-350
Authors: Meng Jinxia , Huang Leping , Lu Zhou
Published: February 2022

In recent studies, numerous anomalies against the weak and semi-strong-forms of efficient market hypothesis (EMH) have been found insignificant after controlling the small-firm effect. We investigate whether the insider trading anomaly, a major anomaly against the strong-form of EMH, can survive after excluding small firms with a novel data set (FTSE-350) and document several new findings. We find a substantially larger number of insider purchases than sales, while the average volume of insider sales is much higher than the average volume of insider purchases. Echoing recent US studies, we find that insider sales generate more abnormal returns than insider purchases do. We find much lower abnormal returns from insider trading than documented in the literature and the associated trading costs, which suggests that the market efficiency of individual stocks may depend on their sizes, and even the strong-form of EMH holds to a larger extent than previously recognized.
Characterizing Unaccompanied Foreign Minors: Educational Level and Length of Stay as Individual Difference Factors That Impact Academic Self-Efficacy
Authors: Olmos-Gómez María del Carmen , Pistón-Rodríguez María Dolores , Chacón-Cuberos Ramón , Romero-Díaz de la Guardia José Javier , Cuevas-Rincón Jesús Manuel , Olmedo-Moreno Eva María
Published: February 2022

The aim of the present study is to analyze individual differences in academic self-efficacy within a population of Unaccompanied Foreign Minors (UFM) from the European cities of Ceuta and Melilla (Spain). Variables describing educational level and length of stay were considered in a sample of 377 individuals being cared for in different youth centers. Of these, 63.4% belonged to the group who had stayed at the center for less than 9 months and 36.6% reported a length of stay of more than 9 months. The age of participants ranged between 8 and 17 years old (M = 14.87 years). Once the quality parameters of the instrument (academic self-efficacy) were elaborated, reliability and validity was confirmed through Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) methodology. Data collection was then initiated. The results overall indicate that 87.6% of those who completed the questionnaire reported a higher level of self-efficacy with regards to working with any classmate, whilst at the same time seeing themselves as capable of achieving good marks. ANOVA results indicated significant differences with respect to educational level and length of stay. In this regard, students who had received professional training and had been at the Center for more than 9 months, were the ones who developed greater academic self-efficacy for spending more time working when tasks were judged to be difficult. The results obtained demonstrate that any intervention will be positive as long as it promotes different institutions to develop strategies that cater to a length of stay of more than 9 months and target education, academic self-efficacy, socialization and strengthening the future workforce. Such interventions can be directed through new European, Spanish or local level policies. It is clear that institutions still have a lot of work left to do.
Gender-Specific Aspects of Teachers Regarding Working Behavior and Early Retirement
Authors: Kreuzfeld Steffi , Seibt Reingard
Published: February 2022

Worldwide, a significant proportion of teachers retires prematurely for health reasons or at their own request. The study examines whether male and female teachers differ in terms of working conditions and coping with high work demands as well as individual factors that promote early retirement. A cross-sectional study was conducted to collect data from 6,109 full-time teachers in high schools (56% women). Weekly working hours from a four-week working time record and psychosocial work stress (effort-reward model, ER ratio) were used as workloads. In addition, emotional exhaustion (Maslach Burnout Inventory) and coping strategies that endangered health were recorded in the form of overcommitment and inability to recover. Also, the teachers gave a prediction and reasons for early retirement and made their own suggestions on how to prevent this. The results show that both workloads and emotional exhaustion are comparable between the genders, but women have a greater tendency than men to overcommit and be unable to recover. As ER ratio and emotional exhaustion increase, the chances for both genders to reach the regular retirement age decrease significantly; for health-endangering coping strategies, the relationship is somewhat weaker. The majority of male and female teachers (79%) indicates excessive workloads as the main reason for leaving the profession early. In order to protect teachers from high workloads, measures at the organizational, social, and individual level are necessary. Proposals for schools and policy makers are critically discussed on the basis of teacher recommendations.
Dissociative Model in Patients With Resistant Schizophrenia
Authors: Panov Georgi
Published: February 2022

Background

Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness in which, despite the growing number of antipsychotics from 30 to 50% of patients remain resistant to treatment. Many resistance factors have been identified. Dissociation as a clinical phenomenon is associated with a loss of integrity between memories and perceptions of reality. Dissociative symptoms have also been found in patients with schizophrenia of varying severity. The established dispersion of the degree of dissociation in patients with schizophrenia gave us reason to look for the connection between the degree of dissociation and resistance to therapy.

Methods

The type of study is correlation analysis. 106 patients with schizophrenia were evaluated. Of these, 45 with resistant schizophrenia and 60 with clinical remission. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) scales were used to assess clinical symptoms. The assessment of dissociative symptoms was made with the scale for dissociative experiences (DES). Statistical methods were used to analyze the differences in results between the two groups of patients.

Results

Patients with resistant schizophrenia have a higher level of dissociation than patients in remission. This difference is significant and demonstrative with more than twice the level of dissociation in patients with resistant schizophrenia.

The level of dissociation measured in patients with resistant schizophrenia is as high as the points on the DES in dissociative personality disorder.

Conclusion

Patients with resistant schizophrenia have a much higher level of dissociation than patients in clinical remission. The established difference between the two groups support to assume that resistance to the administered antipsychotics is associated with the presence of high dissociation in the group of resistant patients. These results give us explanation to think about therapeutic options outside the field of antipsychotic drugs as well as to consider different strategies earlier in the diagnostic process.
Influence of Demographic Factors on Long-Term Trends of Premature Mortality and Burden Due to Liver Cancer: Findings From a Population-Based Study in Shanghai, China, 1973–2019
Authors: Luo Zheng , Zou Yongbin , Xie Jiaxin , Cao Hui , Chen Yichen , Ding Yibo , Li Xiaopan , Deng Yang , Wu Lile
Published: February 2022

Objective

Liver cancer is one of the most common causes of cancer-related death. Understanding how demographic factors influence mortality due to liver cancer is crucial for optimizing disease-control strategies. We aimed to characterize the long-term trends in the mortality and years of life lost (YLL) of liver cancer in Shanghai, China, 1973–2019, and quantitatively analyze the contributions of demographic and non-demographic factors on the mortality of liver cancer.

Methods

Using mortality data from the Mortality Registration System of Pudong New Area, the largest district of Shanghai with a population of permanent resident of 5.68 million, during 1973–2019, we analyzed the temporal trends for the mortality rates and YLL by Joinpoint Regression Program. The difference decomposition method was employed to estimate the increasing mortality rates related to demographic and non-demographic factors.

Results

A total of 21,530 deaths from liver cancer occurred from 1973 to 2019. The crude mortality rates (CMR) and age-standardized mortality rate by Segi's world standard population (ASMRW) of liver cancer were 26.73/105 person-years and 15.72/105 person-years, respectively. The CMR, ASMRW, and YLL rates of liver cancer showed significantly decreasing trends in males, females and the total population from 1973 to 2019, whereas the upward trends in the YLL were seen in males, females and the total population (all P < 0.05). A significant upward trend was observed in the increased CMR caused by demographic factors, but the changing rate caused by non-demographic factors decreased.

Conclusions

The CMR and ASMRW of liver cancer continually decreased although YLL increased during 1973–2019 in Pudong New Area, Shanghai. The demographic factors, especially aging, might be responsible for the increase in the mortality of liver cancer. More effective prevention strategies tailored to liver cancer are needed to further reduce its disease burden in the elderly population.
Can Basic Medical Insurance Reduce Elderly Family Income Inequality in China?
Authors: Pu Xiaohong , Wang Yilong , Zhang Weike , Zeng Ming
Published: February 2022

Basic medical insurance is the critical medical security system to realize common prosperity in China. This study explores the impact of basic medical insurance on elderly family income inequality in China using the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) data in 2018. Our finding shows that basic medical insurance is significantly negatively correlated with elderly family income inequality, indicating basic medical insurance has a positive impact on narrowing the elderly family income inequality. The heterogeneity analysis shows that basic medical insurance has a more significant reduction effect among the eastern elderly and the younger elderly family. The results also suggest that health performance significantly mediates the relationship between basic medical insurance and elderly family income inequality. This study implies that the Chinese government should increase the proportion of basic medical insurance reimbursement and expand the scope of reimbursement for basic medical insurance to realize income fairness among elderly families.
The Effect of Urbanization on Health Care Expenditure: Evidence From China
Authors: Shao Qi , Tao Ran , Luca Magda Mihaela
Published: February 2022

This paper investigates the impact and non-linear effects of urbanization on health care expenditure in China. The results indicate that urbanization in both Eastern and Central regions can significantly increase health care expenditure. But the impact of urbanization is not significant, which is related to the backward economic development level and low urbanization rate in the Western region. Taking population aging into consideration, the results of the panel threshold regression model imply that the positive relationship between urbanization and health care expenditure becomes greater when the level of population aging exceeds 10.72% in the Eastern region and 7.00% in the Western region. Therefore, in the urbanization process, the government should pay attention to the positive effect of urbanization on health care expenditure, provide more financial support for the construction of medical facilities, and expand the coverage of medical services and security for residents, especially for elderly people.
On the Construction of Group Equivariant Non-Expansive Operators via Permutants and Symmetric Functions
Authors: Conti Francesco , Frosini Patrizio , Quercioli Nicola
Published: February 2022

Group Equivariant Operators (GEOs) are a fundamental tool in the research on neural networks, since they make available a new kind of geometric knowledge engineering for deep learning, which can exploit symmetries in artificial intelligence and reduce the number of parameters required in the learning process. In this paper we introduce a new method to build non-linear GEOs and non-linear Group Equivariant Non-Expansive Operators (GENEOs), based on the concepts of symmetric function and permutant. This method is particularly interesting because of the good theoretical properties of GENEOs and the ease of use of permutants to build equivariant operators, compared to the direct use of the equivariance groups we are interested in. In our paper, we prove that the technique we propose works for any symmetric function, and benefits from the approximability of continuous symmetric functions by symmetric polynomials. A possible use in Topological Data Analysis of the GENEOs obtained by this new method is illustrated.
CIRCE: Architectural Patterns for Circular and Trustworthy By-Design IoT Orchestrations
Authors: Papoutsakis Manos , Fysarakis Konstantinos , Michalodimitrakis Emmanouil , Spanoudakis George , Ioannidis Sotiris
Published: February 2022

The adoption of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, applications and services gradually transform our everyday lives. In parallel, the transition from linear to circular economic (CE) models provide an even more fertile ground for novel types of services, and the update and enrichment of legacy ones. To fully realize the potential of the interplay between IoT and CE, the design-time definition of IoT orchestrations with proven circularity properties, and the run-time management of these orchestrations based on said properties, is of paramount importance. Nevertheless, the circularity requirements and associated properties are not only difficult to achieve at the IoT orchestration design and deployment initialization phases, but also hard to prove and maintain at run-time. Motivated by this, this paper presents the CIRCE framework for circular and trustworthy by-design IoT orchestrations. The CIRCE approach leverages concepts from pattern-driven engineering, whereby patterns are used to encode proven dependencies between the Location, Condition, and Availability (LCA) properties of individual smart objects and corresponding properties of orchestrations (compositions) involving them. These are augmented by patterns encoding trustworthiness-related properties, namely Connectivity, Security, Privacy, Dependability, and Interoperability (CSPDI). Thereby, these patterns are used to generate IoT orchestrations with proven LCA and CSPDI properties, as needed, at design time. At runtime, these properties are monitored in real-time, leveraging reasoning engines deployed across system layers, triggering adaptations to return the deployed orchestration to the desired LCA and CSPDI states, when required. Details are provided on the above novel combination of IoT, CE and pattern-based engineering, along with a proposed architecture and implementation approach. Furthermore, an assessment of a proof-of-concept implementation is provided, validating the feasibility of the proposed approach.
Design of Sustainable Biomaterial Composite Adsorbents for Point-of-Use Removal of Lead Ions From Water
Authors: Mohamed Mohamed H. , Udoetok Inimfon A. , Solgi Mostafa , Steiger Bernd G. K. , Zhou Zexian , Wilson Lee D.
Published: February 2022

The uncontrolled release of contaminants into aquatic environments has created the need for improved adsorbent materials for point-of-use (POU) treatment applications to address water security. The goal of this study was to prepare a low-cost sustainable adsorbent material with tailored Pb(II) adsorption properties in aqueous media. Several types of ternary composite adsorbents were prepared that contain chitosan, kaolinite, and a biomass additive (oat hulls or torrefied wheat straw), along with spectral characterization and thermal analysis of the adsorbents. The adsorption properties of the ternary composites with lead nitrate were studied at equilibrium using batch mode and dynamic conditions with a fixed bed column under variable experimental settings [flow rate, bed height, and Pb(II) concentration]. The adsorption capacity at equilibrium in synthetic or tap water was found to depend on the relative composition (wt.%) of additive components in the composite. The optimal composite adsorbent for maximum Pb(II) removal had the following composition (wt.%): chitosan (50%) + kaolinite (10%) + oat hulls (40%). Using this adsorbent, the dynamic adsorption properties with lead nitrate were studied in a fixed bed column at pH 6.5 and 295 K to reveal optimized Pb(II) removal that concur with the results obtained from batch studies. The sustainability of the biocomposite adsorbent was demonstrated with the use of relatively low-cost and locally available materials, whilst achieving favorable Pb(II) adsorption properties. The facile preparation of the optimal biocomposite adsorbent herein is proposed for use as a disposable POU filter media technology for the removal of lead and other multivalent heavy metal cations, including organic contaminants such as cationic dyes and agrochemicals.
Identifying Barriers and Facilitators to the Improvement of Healthcare Delivery and Ethics in Two Cameroonian Neurosurgical Centers
Authors: Ankeambom Tutuwan J. , Motah Mathieu , Ewane Mfouapon , Shlobin Nathan A. , Mbangtang Celestin Bilong , Dada Olaoluwa Ezekiel , Kabulo Kantenga Dieu Merci , Tetinou Francklin , Endalle Geneviève , Kanmounye Ulrick Sidney , Jokonya Luxwell , Esene Ignatius N.
Published: February 2022

Background

Low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) are disproportionately affected by neurosurgical burden of disease. This health inequity causes constraints in decision-making. Neurosurgical ethics helps us to assess the moral acceptability and effectiveness of clinical decisions. We aimed to assess ethical neurosurgical care and its effect on patient satisfaction in Cameroon.

Methods

Two questionnaires hosted on Google Forms were administered among inpatients and staff at two Cameroonian neurosurgery centers. The questionnaires covered the factors influencing health outcomes and ethics. Data were collected from November 11, 2020, to March 11, 2021 and analyzed with SPSS v 26 to generate non-parametric tests with a threshold of significance at 0.05.

Results

Seventy patients and twenty healthcare providers responded to the survey. Most patients faced financial hardship (57.1%; 95% CI = 45.7–68.6%), and felt that this affected the care they received (P= 0.02). Patients noticed changes in the care plan and care delivery attributable to the neurosurgical units' lack of resources. According to the patients and caregivers, these changes happened 31.0–50.0% of the time (42.9%, 95% CI = 5.7–21.4%). The majority of patients were pleased with their involvement in the decision-making process (58.6%; 95% CI = 47.1–70.0%) and felt their autonomy was respected (87.1%; 95% CI = 78.6–94.3%).

Conclusion

Multiple challenges to neurosurgical ethical care were seen in our study. Multimodal interventions based on the four ethical principles discussed are necessary to improve ethical neurosurgical decision-making in this low resource setting.
Analysis of Clinical Characteristics, Treatment, and Prognostic Factors of 106 Breast Cancer Patients With Solitary Pulmonary Nodules
Authors: He Lihong , Wang Xiaorui , Liu Xiaodong , Jia Yongsheng , Zhao Weipeng , Jia Xiaochen , Zhu Yuehong , Meng Wenjing , Tong Zhongsheng
Published: February 2022

Objective

The clinical features of solitary pulmonary nodules (SPN) in breast cancer patients were retrospectively analyzed, and the clinical features of primary lung cancer (PLC) and metastatic pulmonary breast cancer (MBC) in breast cancer patients were compared, and the treatment plan, curative effect and influencing factors were analyzed.

Methods

The clinical data of 106 patients of SPN combined with breast cancer surgery in our hospital from January 2015 to June 2020 were analyzed. There were 65 patients of PLC and 41 patients of MBC. Record the characteristics of the primary breast cancer lesion in our patient, the interval between the initial diagnosis of breast cancer and the appearance of SPN, the previous treatment history of our patient, and the characteristics and surgical method of SPN. The survival status of all patients during the follow-up period was recorded.

Results

The onset age, interval, maximum nodule diameter, ER expression positive rate and radiotherapy history ratio of PLC patients were higher than those of MBC patients, and the lymph node positive rate and triple negative rate were lower than those of MBC patients (P < 0.05). Median survival was 51 months in patients with PLC and 37 months in patients with MBC. The 1, 3, and 5 year overall survival rates in patients with PLC were higher than those in patients with MBC (P < 0.05). Vascular tumor thrombus, SPN type and chemotherapy were all independent factors affecting the prognosis of patients with breast cancer combined with SPN (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

PLC patients and MBC patients have significant differences in pathological characteristics, like the onset age, interval, maximum nodule diameter, ER expression positive rate, radiotherapy history ratio, the lymph node positive rate, and triple negative rate. Septum, vascular tumor thrombus, SPN type, and chemotherapy are all independent factors that affect the curative effect of breast cancer patients with SPN. Based on the nature of SPN, it can provide reference for clinicians to decide the treatment plan, improve patients' quality of life and prolong their survival time.