bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Rare Case of Deceptive Maxillary Ameloblastoma
Authors: Wu Yingjie , Tian Yuan , Niu Xun , Yue Jianxin , Cheng Qing , Sun Haiying , Zhou Liuqing , Zhou Tao
Published: January 2023

Ameloblastoma (AM) is a rare epithelium-derived odontogenic tumor, mostly involving the mandible and less often the maxilla. Most AMs are benign and characterized by indolence and local invasiveness, with a high recurrence rate. Herein, we present a case of maxillary AM in a 42-year-old female suffering from left nasal congestion and facial swelling for almost one month after endoscopic surgery at a local hospital. The mass was completely resected by a transnasal functional endoscopic sinus surgery based on radiographic examination. Subsequently, postsurgical histopathological examinations were conducted, and she was diagnosed with a plexiform AM pattern. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that the tumor was positive for PCK, P63, CK5/6, and CK14 but negative for S100, ER, and Ki67. Based on these findings, the patient was diagnosed with maxillary AM.
Encephalitis lethargica. What is still wrong?
Authors: Di Vito A , Donato A , Bria J , Donato F , Donato G
Published: January 2023

Encephalitis lethargica developed in epidemic from 1919 to 1926 in Europe and throughout the world. From the clinical point of view, the disturbances of consciousness and alertness and the possible outcomes of a postencephalitic Parkinsonism has attracted much attention. For a long time, it was thought that such a disease may still occur sporadically. In this review, the authors examined historical and current pictures of epidemics that may be related to Encephalitis lethargica. The previous Nona and Russian Influenza exhibited frequent neurological symptoms. The Spanish flu, formerly related to Encephalitis lethargica, would appear an epidemic that had its development in a partially overlapping period. The current pandemic linked to COVID-19 sometimes has aspects that can resemble Encephalitis lethargica. Based on historical analysis and the more recent immunological data, it could be suggested that Encephalitis lethargica was an autoimmune encephalitis that arose in a secondary form to the action of a viral agent. It cannot be ruled out that this agent was a coronavirus. From the nosological point of view, the term Encephalitis lethargica should be abolished in designating autoimmune encephalitis pictures that run sporadically.
What Facilitates or Hampers Living at Home With Advanced Dementia Until the End of Life? A Qualitative Study Using Retrospective Interviews Among Family Caregivers, General Practitioners, and Case Managers
Authors: de Jong Loes M. , Francke Anneke L. , Donker Gé , van den Buuse Susanne , van der Heide Iris
Published: January 2023

This study provides insight into circumstances that facilitate or hamper living at home with advanced dementia until the end of life. Interviews were held with 11 bereaved family caregivers, two general practitioners, and nine case managers, related to a total of 12 persons with advanced dementia who had recently died. Persons with dementia who lived at home until the end of life often had family caregivers that received timely support from professionals and their social network. In the cases where the person with dementia could not live at home until the end of life, safety issues, severely challenging behavior, and high care dependency of the person with dementia played key roles. Case management and a continuous process of advance care planning will improve the chance that the end-of-life setting is in accordance with the key values and needs of both the person with dementia and family caregivers.
Exploring the Learning Process and Effectiveness of STEM Education via Learning Behavior Analysis and the Interactive-Constructive- Active-Passive Framework
Authors: Lee Hsin-Yu , Cheng Yu-Ping , Wang Wei-Sheng , Lin Chia-Ju , Huang Yueh-Min
Published: January 2023

Given the inadequacy of assessed outcomes (e.g., final exam) and the importance of evaluating the learning process in STEM education, we use deep learning to develop the STEM learning behavior analysis system (SLBAS) to assess the behavior of learners in STEM education. We map learner behavior to the ICAP (interactive, constructive, active, passive) framework, helping instructors to better understand the learning process of learners. The results show that SLBAS exhibits high accuracy. Moreover, Cohen’s kappa coefficient between expert coding and SLBAS is high enough to support replacing expert coding in the observation method with SLBAS to recognize the learning process of learners during STEM activities. Finally, statistical analysis establishes a correlation between the learning process and learning effectiveness. The results of this study are in line with most previous studies, demonstrating that STEM education differs from traditional teacher-centered courses in that it helps learners to improve the process of knowledge construction with practice and hands-on opportunities rather than simply receiving knowledge passively.
The Impact of Increased Minimum Wage on Child Neglect Varies by Developmental Age of Child
Authors: Ash Marcia J. , Livingston Melvin D. , Komro Kelli , Spencer Rachael A. , Walker Andrew , Woods-Jaeger Briana
Published: January 2023

Children in poverty are at significantly greater risk of experiencing child maltreatment. Family economic security policies, such as minimum wage laws, offer a promising prevention strategy to support low-income families. This study utilized data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, a longitudinal birth cohort study, to examine the effect of changes in state-specific minimum wage laws on maternal self-reported child maltreatment and material hardship as it varies by developmental age of the child. A series of fixed effects models with an interaction between the minimum wage and the age of the focal child were used to estimate if there was variation by developmental period of the impact of minimum wage laws on the following outcome variables: all domains of child maltreatment, maternal work-related stress, reported material hardship, aggravation in parenting, and maternal depression. Results revealed significant effects of increased minimum wage on maternal self-reported child neglect and material hardship when children are 3 years of age, and this relationship became non-significant as children aged. No effect was observed by age for other forms of child maltreatment nor any other outcome variables. Study findings suggest minimum wage laws may have differential effects on child neglect depending on the developmental period in which they are received.
Improving Location Decisions For Charity Retailers: Applying Operations Research and Customer Discovery
Authors: Glackin Caroline E. W. , Adivar Burcu
Published: January 2023

This study provides a novel methodology at the nexus of Customer Discovery and business analytics for critical location decisions charity retailers with circular supply chains face. It integrates spatial network analysis with Customer Discovery and multicriteria decision-making. Traditional analyses are primarily based on customer location but for donated goods applying Customer Discovery and expert judgment and systematic analysis of data prevails. This integration provides an agile approach to producing optimal alternative locations, which can be applied to Habitat for Humanity ReStore, and Goodwill Industries, and similar organizations globally. This cross-disciplinary approach is practical and cost-effective and can increase efficiency, decrease risks, and strengthen organizational buy-in. It categorizes the drivers affecting location decisions and combines the current business model search techniques and an overall analytical framework to create the Expert Knowledge and Evidence-Based Location Methodology (EKELM).
Mechanical characterization of natural and synthetic fibre based penta layered hybrid polymer composite
Authors: Mahesh Vishwas , Mahesh Vinyas , Harursampath Dineshkumar
Published: January 2023

The goal of the current study is to determine how the mechanical performance of hybrid composites is impacted by the fibre composition, layering arrangement and sequencing. Hand-layup approach was used to create four distinct hybrid composites with five lamina comprising varied stacking sequences of jute/coir/carbon fibres. The skin layers only encapsulate bio-fibres orientated horizontally. CJKJC, CKJKC, CJCJC and CKCKC were the stacking sequences, with C, J and K representing carbon fibre mat, jute fibres (unidirectional) and coir fibres (unidirectional). The fibres in the core layer were oriented perpendicular to the enclosing adjacent plies and they may be jute/coir fibres depending on the stacking sequence. Stress vs. strain curves shows that all the proposed composites fail suddenly exhibiting a linear trend except for the sample with a significant concentration of coir fibres. Jute fibre layers added strength and energy-absorbing capability to the composites, whereas coir fibre layers added strain and toughness. It is found from the present study that incorporating the fibres of carbon in the core and skin enhances the mechanical properties compared to its counterparts. The fractography of the proposed composites are studied using scanning electron microscope.
Placing lost intersectional plots in Houellebecq's Anéantir (2022): Race, climate and scandalous textual necropolitics
Authors: Cruickshank Ruth
Published: January 2023

Placed in the context of scandals surrounding Houellebecq's earlier novels, Anéantir (2022) is described as strategically losing its political and other plots to focus on the death of its protagonist. This narrative choice cannot, however, dispense with questions raised by representations of race (universalism, colourism, racialization, Islamophobia); of colonial and postcolonial exploitation (including the Françafrique); and of ‘green-bashing’, anthropocentrism and the elision of differential impacts of climate catastrophe. These questions are considered in terms of necropolitical power over who lives or dies, and precarious lives experienced as ‘slow death’. Fiction is established as always already a form of necropolitics–of textual decisions of life and death. Whilst climate catastrophe is not foregrounded in this predominantly anthropocentric narrative, the ultimate question is whether Houellebecq intends any kind of self-reflexive ‘ecocritique’, or whether the gravest global scandal—of human contributions to climate crisis—is ignored.
Researchers’ perceptions, patterns, motives, and challenges in self-archiving as a function of the discipline
Authors: Hadad Shlomit , Aharony Noa
Published: January 2023

The green open access (OA) model, which offers the most economical approach to comply with open access policies, can increase researchers’ audience and scientific outputs impact by delivering wider and easier access. This study examined researchers’ perceptions from STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) and SSH (social sciences, art and humanities) disciplines in order to reveal the types, patterns, motives, and challenges underlying their articles’ self-archiving in the green route to open-access (repositories and institutional repositories) and ASNs (academic social networks). Interviews were conducted with 20 Israeli academic researchers. Half were from STEM and half from SSH disciplines. Interviews were mapped using a bottom-up thematic analysis and follow-up quantitative comparisons. According to the findings, STEM researchers self-archived pre/post-print versions of their articles to subject-based repositories as a part of their discipline norm resulting from their funding grant requirements and as a way to receive recognition and claim priority. SSH researchers post a link to the printed-published article at the publisher’s website in ASNs, and their goal is greater visibility. In addition, findings indicate a lack of awareness, mostly by SSH researchers, regarding copyright issues and OA repositories. The green OA model provides opportunities for researchers to self-archive their work. However, there are differences between the disciplines regarding where, when, why, and how to self-archive, and what is considered a legitimate mode of green OA. This indicates an urgent need to raise SSH researchers’ awareness of the existence of open subject-based repositories and of the terms of self-archiving from publishers.
The ‘Will of the People’: The Populist Challenge to Democracy in the Name of Popular Sovereignty
Authors: Schmidtke Oliver
Published: January 2023

This article analyses how right-wing populist actors claim to represent the “voice of the people” and express “popular sovereignty” as a mode of challenging the traditional constitutional foundation of liberal democracy. This hypothesis is illustrated by an investigation into the political discourse of the Alternative for Germany considering how this populist actor has developed a political strategy claiming to speak for the “people” in an authentic and immediate fashion. The analysis of this actor's political mobilization shows how the championed direct democratic representation is couched in a sovereigntist discourse that relies on divisive identity markers rather than genuine democratic participation. Drawing on Carl Schmitt's concept of the political, the article interprets right-wing populism as invoking a permanent “state of exception” that employs an emotionally charged friend– enemy distinction whose logic of representing the people has the potential of triggering radical political change as well as undermining the integrity of rule-based democracy.
Therapeutic Effects of Pinus koraiensis on 1-Fluoro-2,4-Dinitrofluorobenzene-induced Contact Dermatitis in Mice
Authors: Kang Yuntae , Oh Seungyeop , Son Yoorae , Yang Wonjin , Kim Soyeon , Lyu Ji-Hyo , Kim Hyungwoo
Published: January 2023

Background

Korean pine nuts (Semen Pinus koraiensis ( P. koraiensis)) have been a valuable ingredient in Korean cuisine since ancient times, and the classical literature on traditional medicine states that pine nuts can moisturize skin.

Aims

To confirm the therapeutic efficacy of the ethanol extract of these pine nuts in an animal contact dermatitis (CD) model.

Materials and Methods

Korean pine nuts were extracted using 70% ethanol, and the crude extract obtained was condensed and lyophilized to produce EEPK (the 70% ethanol extract of P. koraiensis). A DNFB (1-fluoro-2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene)-induced BALB/c mouse model of CD was used to investigate the effects of EEPK on skin symptoms, histopathological abnormalities, and cytokine secretion in inflamed tissues.

Results

EEPK reduced skin color changes, lesion severities, and dorsal skin thickening and inhibited epidermis hyperplasia and immune cell infiltration into inflamed tissues. In addition, EEPK suppressed the productions of tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon-γ, interleukin-6, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 but did not affect body weights or spleen/body weight ratios.

Conclusion

P. koraiensis has potential as a therapeutic agent for CD and as a treatment for inflammatory skin disease management products. Furthermore, the mechanism underlying its therapeutic effects differs from that of corticosteroids.
“You Measure Us and You Depress Us”: Healthism and the Subjective Impact of Body Measurements on Secondary School Students
Authors: Beltrán-Carrillo Vicente J. , Jiménez-Loaisa Alejandro , González-Cutre David , Sierra Ana C. , Valenciano-Valcárcel Javier
Published: January 2023

This study explores adolescents’ subjective experiences when facing body measurements at school, performed to evaluate the effects of a school-based intervention to promote physical activity. Three semi-structured interviews ( n = 3) and two focus groups ( n = 7 and 3) were conducted with adolescents after measuring some variables related to their weight and adiposity. Observational data ( n = 88) collected by the two researchers in charge of the measurements were also obtained. Findings derived from our thematic analysis question the suitability of body measurements as social contexts where the core ideas of healthism emerge. Some adolescents lived body measurements as negative social experiences, promoting body dissatisfaction, social comparison, embarrassment, and simplistic associations between health and body shape, which could hinder their adherence to healthy habits. We emphasize the role of qualitative research when evaluating pre/posttests of school-based intervention studies, not just the interventions themselves, to generate knowledge to improve research protocols and prevent unwanted psychological outcomes in participants.
The Crucial Role of Administrators in Shaping Working Conditions for Teachers of Students With EBD
Authors: Gilmour Allison F. , Sandilos Lia E.
Published: January 2023

School administrators make decisions that directly affect the educational context in which teachers work and students learn. In this commentary, we argue that addressing the burnout of individual special educators without attending to school working conditions may do little to improve teachers’ burnout and the outcomes of students with emotional/behavioral disorders (EBD). We review the literature regarding the importance of working conditions, specifically collegial supports, workload and time pressure, professional development and in-service training, and safety, for teachers’ affect and career decisions, and literature showing how administrators’ choices are related to working conditions. Students with EBD are served within schools, not just by special educators acting independently and alone. Improving implementation of evidence-based practices for students with EBD through addressing teacher burnout requires attention to the broader school system and the ways in which administrators make choices that support or constrain the abilities of the teachers within their schools.
Are Sex Offending Allegations Viewed Differently? Exploring the Effect of Offense Type and Conviction Status on Criminal Stigmatization
Authors: Harper Craig A. , Rumney Philip N. S. , Sackey Deborah A.
Published: January 2023

Attitudes towards individuals with sexual convictions play a major role in the formation of legislative action, including sentencing policies and registration and notification procedures. However, there is little research about stigmatization directed at those who are accused of such offenses prior to conviction. In this work we explored this gap by comparing stigmatization (e.g., a desire for social distance, and negative personality attributions) towards people accused of a range of crimes (sexual, violent, and acquisitive), and whether this was further impacted by whether or not allegations led to a conviction. We recruited 403 community-based participants for a between-subjects experimental survey. We found support for the conclusion that people accused of and convicted for sexual offenses are more heavily stigmatized than allegations related to other crime types, and especially so when allegations involved child victims. Stigmatization took the form of greater levels of support for police-initiated notifications about allegations before conviction, increased desires for social distance, and attributions of negative personality traits. We discuss the theoretical and applied implications of these findings in relation to stigma research and issues related to anonymity for those accused of sexual offenses.
Challenges & Solutions for Recent Advancements in Multi-Drugs Resistance Tuberculosis: A Review
Authors: Yadav Pramod
Published: January 2023

In MDR-TB, mycobacterium is resistant to battlefront drugs like rifampicin and isoniazid. Now it’s an urgent global challenge for treatment & diagnosis because more than 50% of drugs are resistant. Till today's information, 5 reasons are liable for MDR: (1) Errors of physicians/patients in therapy management, (2) Complexity and poor vascularization of granulomatous lesions, which obstruct drug distribution to some sites, leading to resistance development, (3) Intrinsic drug resistance of tubercle bacilli, (4) Formation of non-replicating, drug-tolerant bacilli inside the granulomas, (5) Development of mutations in Mtb genes, which are the foremost important molecular mechanisms of resistance. the most contribution of this work is a brief & clear explanation of things chargeable for resistant development, and recent diagnostic & treatment methods for MDR-TB. This study shall help researchers & scientists to develop replacement rapid diagnostic tools, drugs, and treatment protocols.
A role for pelvic sentinel lymph nodes in lower extremity melanoma?
Authors: Laakkonen Juulia , Kaarela Outi , Tervala Tomi , Nuutinen Henrik
Published: January 2023

Background and objective:

Consensus on management of pelvic sentinel lymph nodes (PSLNs) has not been reached and thus the extent of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) of the groin in melanoma patients varies among centers and surgeons. Lymphatic drainage to PSLNs is often identified in, but the diagnostic and clinical relevance of PSLNs has been debated. Our aim was to determine if the presence of PSLNs affected recurrence or survival rates in patients with melanoma in the lower extremities.

Methods:

This retrospective study consisted of 702 patients with cutaneous melanoma operated between 2005 and 2018. Of these, 134 patients with melanoma in the lower extremities were included in the study. Images of lymphoscintigraphy and SPECT-CT studies were thoroughly observed together with surgery reports to define the status of SLNs.

Results:

Overall, 85 of 134 patients went through SLNB and 28 of them had PSLN identified. Two had their PSLN removed, which led 26 patients with PSLN to be compared to the 57 who did not have PSLN identified. We did not find statistically significant differences in overall recurrence (26.9% versus 28.0%, p = 1.00), regional nodal recurrence (11.5% versus 15.8%, p = 0.67), local or in-transit recurrence (19.2% versus 8.8%, p = 0.17), or distant recurrence rates (15.4% versus 19.3%, p = 0.66). Disease-free survival did not differ between the groups (median 23.0 (IQR 15.0–39.0) versus 19.0 (IQR 10.3–61.8) months, p = 0.82). Likewise, there was no statistically significant difference in melanoma-specific 5-year survival (78.6% versus 87.2%, p = 0.42).

Conclusions:

We did not find more frequent recurrence, shorter disease-free survival, or poorer melanoma-specific survival in patients with drainage to PSLN. Our findings strengthen the evidence that PSLNs should not be routinely biopsied if they are not the first-tier nodes.
Activistic citizenship in nursing homes: co-ownership in the mundane
Authors: Sund Marianne , Hanisch Halvor , Fjetland Kirsten Jaeger
Published: January 2023

The traditional narrative of dementia, focused on cognition as constructive of personhood, has been challenged by person-centred care as well as a rights-based citizenship lens. However, reports of everyday discrimination leading to occupational deprivation and pathologising interpretations of people living with dementia in nursing homes highlight the need for further investigation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the transformative power of mundane and relational enactments of citizenship in nursing homes, exploring the potential of adding an activistic lens of citizenship to our interpretive practices. Through an ethnographic study in Norwegian nursing homes, a narrative analysis of fieldnotes and interview transcripts was conducted. Narratives were interpreted using narrative theory, occupational perspectives and theories of citizenship. Findings reveal a phenomenon of shared ownership between residents and staff, and a vulnerable balance between silence and active social and occupational engagement in the nursing homes. Further, they shed light on how group-based assessments of residents’ abilities or occupational needs may constrain opportunities, and staffs’ options, to facilitate co-ownership. We suggest that a lens of activistic citizenship implies interpreting residents’ behaviours as mundane forms of subtle resistance. A professional and ethical responsibility building on such interpretive practices may turn attention towards structures that constrain residents’ expressions of citizenship.
Negotiations of language(s) and inequalities in transnational family biographies
Authors: Schnitzer Anna
Published: January 2023

Families that live in a new environment after having fled or migrated go through transformation processes that are connected to various challenges and possibilities. The focus of this paper is on negotiations of language policies in family biographies and family language practices, comparing cases of migrant families who arrived to Switzerland in different legal contexts of migration. The article addresses how these transnational families negotiate the meaning of (family) languages against the background of hegemonic language and migration policies. Questions of how these policies are experienced and dealt with and in what ways they do enable or disable possibilities for action are addressed using a qualitative analysis of narrative family interviews and participant observations in transnational families that now live in German-speaking Switzerland. On the basis of the analyses of interview transcriptions and field notes, I show how families deal with experiences of social and educational inequalities in the context of transnational pathways of education and how these are negotiated in the families. Language learning appears not only as an (un)available possibility, but it also requires one to return to the status of a student. At the same time, it is accompanied by a deep struggle for identity and belonging.
Yifei Sanjie Formula or Placebo With Anlotinib as Second-Line or Above Treatment for Metastatic Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: Study Protocol for a Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Randomized Pilot Study
Authors: Chen Wenmin , Lin Jietao , Yang Ting , xin Zhang Ze , Tao Lanting , Xiao Zhiwei , Chen Hanrui , Qi Xiangjun , Sun Lingling , Cao Yang , Lin Lizhu
Published: January 2023

Background:

Anlotinib is used as a third-line treatment for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but has limited clinical benefits and several side effects, such as diarrhea and acneiform skin rash. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is commonly used to treat cancers in China. Chinese herbal medicines may have the potential as adjuvant therapies to reduce toxicity and improve the efficacy of treatments for NSCLC. Given the positive outcomes of basic research, we plan to evaluate whether the addition of the Chinese herbal medicine Yifei Sanjie formula (YFSJF) to anlotinib can improve the progression-free survival (PFS) of advanced NSCLC patients.

Methods:

A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel-group controlled pilot trial will be performed. Forty eligible patients will be randomized in a ratio of 1:1 to the intervention (YFSJF + anlotinib) and control (placebo + anlotinib) groups. Participants will be advised to take 12 mg/day of anlotinib on days 1 to 14 of each 21-day cycle. YFSJF or placebo will be administered (15 g twice daily) during each cycle until progression of disease (PD). The primary outcome will be progression-free survival (PFS), and the secondary outcomes will be overall survival (OS), the objective response rate (ORR), and patient-reported outcomes (PRO). Tumors will be assessed based on RECIST v. 1.1 after every 2 cycles of treatment. The M. D. Anderson Symptom Inventory-Lung Cancer (MDASI-LC) will be used to evaluate PRO at baseline and weekly thereafter until PD.

Discussion:

This will be the first trial to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of TCM combined with anlotinib for the treatment of NSCLC. The results of this randomized controlled trial will fill a gap in the research by showing whether YFSJF combined with anlotinib can improve PFS in NSCLC patients.

Trial Registration:

The study was registered on June 8th, 2021 on Chinese Clinical Registry; registration number ChiCTR2100047143. ( https://www.chictr.org.cn/index.aspx ).

Ethics and Dissemination:

The Ethics Committee of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine approved the study protocol (approval no.: K2020151, 2021/08/19). The study will also be supervised and managed by the Ethics Committee.
Procedural justice and process-based models: Understanding how practitioners utilise Community Protection Notices to regulate anti-social behaviour
Authors: Heap Vicky , Black Alex , Rodgers Zoe
Published: January 2023

Community Protection Notices (CPNs) were created and introduced in England and Wales through the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act (2014). They are used to prevent and/or require specific actions by an individual or organisation, where existing behaviour has ‘a detrimental effect on the quality of life of those in the locality’. A wide range of criminal justice actors can issue Community Protection Notices, and they require a low/no standard of evidence to do so. Breach of a Community Protection Notice results in a Fixed Penalty Notice of £100 or a possible criminal conviction. Using procedural justice theory as an analytical framework, our research is the first to investigate how Community Protection Notices are constructed, evidenced and monitored by the authorising bodies. The findings highlight divergent local practices, which sometimes lack procedural safeguards and adherence to Home Office statutory guidance. We propose 10 empirically based recommendations for policy and legislative changes to Community Protection Notice issuing practices.
Inter-system and inter-unit reliability of Polar Team Pro and WIMU PRO devices during external load measurements indoors
Authors: Rodríguez-Fernández Alejandro , Suárez-Iglesias David , Vaquera Alejandro , Leicht Anthony S , Rodríguez-Marroyo José Antonio
Published: January 2023

The aim was to examine inter-system and inter-unit reliability of both WIMU PRO (UWB) and Polar Team Pro devices in measuring indoor sport-specific movements. Seventeen active and healthy adults (age: 21.4 ± 5.2 years; height 170.3 ± 8.2 cm; body mass: 71.2 ± 4.5 kg) completed one repetition of an indoor team sport circuit (i.e. accelerations, decelerations, change of direction, jumps and arc runs). Participants carried two 10-Hz Polar Team Pro GPS and wore two 20-Hz GPS (UWB) WIMU PRO chest- and back-mounted devices, respectively. Distance (absolute, relative and in different speed thresholds), mean and peak speed, accelerations and decelerations at different intensities and jumps were recorded. A repeated-measures two-way analysis of variance and ICC and CV were utilised. There was a significant ( p ≤ 0.001) main effect of the system for all variables except the total distance, mean speed and distance covered during low- and high-intensity running. There were significant differences ( p < 0.05) between the two Polar Team Pro units for all external load variables except for distance covered during submaximal speed, moderate-intensity accelerations (ACC), and moderate-intensity and total decelerations (DCC). No significant differences ( p > 0.05) between the two WIMU PRO units were detected. Poor inter-system reliability was ascertained, with inter-unit reliability being moderate-excellent for most variables of both systems.
Natalizumab in cerebrospinal fluid and breastmilk of patients with multiple sclerosis
Authors: Callegari Ilaria , Schneider Mika , Aebischer Vera , Voortman Margarete M. , Proschmann Undine , Ziemssen Tjalf , Lindberg Raija , Fischer-Barnicol Bettina , Khalil Michael , Kappos Ludwig , Kuhle Jens , Sanderson Nicholas S.R. , Derfuss Tobias
Published: January 2023

Background:

Natalizumab is a highly effective monoclonal antibody for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS), which can diffuse in different anatomical compartments, including cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and milk.

Objectives:

Starting from incidental detection of natalizumab in the CSF of MS patients, the objective of this study was to develope a flow-cytometry-based assay and apply it to quantify natalizumab in body fluids, including milk collected from nursing patients over 180 days and in patients with neutralizing antibodies against natalizumab.

Methods:

CSF, milk and sera samples from patients with multiple sclerosis were tested by flow-cytometry for binding to a VLA-4 expressing cell line or to a control cell line. A standard curve was prepared by incubating the same cells with natalizumab at 50 μg/ml and serially diluted to 0.005 ng/ml. Binding specificity was confirmed using an anti-natalizumab neutralizing antibody.

Results:

Our assay was sensitive enough to detect natalizumab in CSF, with a lower detection limit of 1.5 ng/ml. Neutralizing antibodies against natalizumab inhibited binding to the cell line. In breastmilk, the peak concentration was observed during the first 2 weeks after infusion and the average concentration over the observation time was 173.3 ng/ml, with a trend toward increased average milk concentration over subsequent administrations.

Conclusion:

Routine use of such an assay would enable a better understanding of the safety of therapeutic antibody administration during pregnancy and lactation.
What is the real power of incumbents? Case study on the Czech Republic
Authors: Chini Jakub , Kvizda Martin , Špetík Ondřej
Published: January 2023

After an introduction of competition due to liberalisation, there is an expectation of lower prices and better quality. However, these overall positive effects could be also driven by the incumbent’s incentive to exclude competition within the liberalised markets. Such a situation occurred on the Prague-Ostrava line where liberalisation brought lower prices and an increase in quality. However, it also brought multiple accusations by both the Czech competition authority and the European Commission of the state-owned incumbent, České dráhy, that it had engaged in predatory pricing. This paper then assesses whether the price decreases within this line were driven by actual competition or by predatory behaviour of České dráhy by analysing the position of České dráhy. The aim of this paper therefore is to assess the real market power of the Czech state incumbent, České dráhy, on the Prague-Ostrava line. To achieve this aim, we used unique data we had gathered from our previous research (such as price development, market shares and customer behaviour). Our results then show that it is unlikely that České dráhy could have acted independently of its competitors and customers, which indicates that it could not have had a dominant position.
Pretreatment findings on magnetic resonance imaging in primary central nervous system lymphoma may predict overall survival duration
Authors: Huntoon Kristin , Makary Mina S , Shah Varun S , Aquino Anthony , Pandya Vijay , Giglio Pierre , Slone H Wayne , Elder J Bradley
Published: January 2023

Background

and purpose: Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) lesions often show avid contrast enhancement on T1-weighted contrast-enhanced MRI sequences. However, several case reports and a clinical study have described PCNSL in patients with no contrast enhancement on MRI. We assessed whether overall survival (OS) time was related to any tumor characteristics (lesion location, volume, and number; contrast enhancement; necrosis; proximity to the subarachnoid space; and edema) on MRI in patients with PCNSL.

Materials and Methods

We retrospectively reviewed records (MRI features, pathology, and survival data) of all patients at our institution with PCNSL who had been seen from, 2007 through 2017, and had undergone pretreatment MRI.

Results

We identified 79 patients (42 men, 37 women) with a mean age at diagnosis of 61.7 ± 10.4 years. The mean OS duration was 44.6 ± 41.7 months. The most common pathological diagnosis (74 patients) was diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. No associations were found between OS time and lesion location, volume, and number; contrast enhancement; necrosis; proximity to the subarachnoid space; or edema. However, a sole patient with non-enhancing PCNSL on MRI was found to have low-grade disease, with prolonged survival (>83 months). Several other patients with leptomeningeal disease had a mean OS time of 80 months. Patients with hemorrhagic lesions had a mean OS of 25.5 months.

Conclusions

The survival time for patients with PCNSL may be longer than previously thought, especially for patients with leptomeningeal seeding and lesions with hemorrhagic components Also, non-enhancing tumors may be less aggressive than enhancing tumors.
The development of BVDU: An odyssey
Authors: De Clercq Erik
Published: January 2023

Brivudin, (( E)-5-(2-bromovinyl)-2’-deoxyuridine (BVDU) can be considered the gold standard for the treatment of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infections, such as herpes zoster (shingles). It is available for clinical use in most European countries (except for the UK) and over the whole world (except for the US and Canada). Besides VZV its activity spectrum also includes various other herpesviruses, such as herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). Its activity against VZV and HSV-1 depends on phosphorylation by the virus-encoded thymidine kinase (TK). In its active form (BVDU TP or BVDU 5’-triphosphate), it can act as both substrate and inhibitor of the viral (i.e., HSV-1) DNA polymerase. It has proven to be effective against herpes zoster, including post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN). It is contra-indicated in patients concomitantly treated by 5-fluorouracil (FU), since its degradation product, ( E)-5-(2-bromovinyl)uracil, is inhibitory to the catabolism of FU, which may enhance the toxicity of the latter. A new compound, the bicyclic nucleoside analogue (BCNA) Cf-1743, has been described, which is a more potent inhibitor of VZV replication than BVDU and which does not interfere with the catabolism of FU. It is applicable orally, as its 5’-valine ester FV-100 (Fermavir), but has not (yet) been marketed for clinical use.
“Paired competition”: A new mechanism for the innovation of urban grassroots governance
Authors: Huang Xiaochun , Zhou Li-An
Published: January 2023

In recent years, the focus of urban grassroots governance in China has experienced a fundamental change in direction from economic growth to public service and social management. Economic growth can be easily quantified, while public service and social management cannot, thus performance evaluation is largely dependent on “impression-based results”. Under such circumstances, a new mechanism of “paired competition” has been put in place to pair superior vertical lines of authority ( tiao) with subordinate horizontal levels of grassroots governments ( kuai) on a voluntary basis. Pairs compete with other pairs in areas of public services and social management. Paired competition can facilitate close cooperation between the tiao side and the kuai side, promote innovation, and generate quick “impression-based results”. However, the mechanism also generates negative incentives, which lead to excessive innovation and the reluctance to adopt good practices on the part of rival pairings. The case study detailed here is that of a “community analysis tool” promoted by the civil affairs bureau of “district A” in a major Chinese city. In addition to examining the organizational and operational logic of “paired competition”, this study also compared “paired competition” with the traditional methods of the “promotion tournament competition” and “special-purpose project system”.
Incidence of Allergic Drug Eruption due to Cotrimoxazole in HIV-Positive Individuals with CD4 ≤200 Cells/ul
Authors: Rosali Irene , Virgayanti Putu Siska , Marta Della Sabrina , Danudirgo Emon Winardi , Hadinata Sisca
Published: January 2023

Allergic drug eruptions (ADE) remain a challenge in people living with HIV (PLWH), requiring more studies to guide clinical approaches. While cotrimoxazole is widely used as prophylaxis in PLWH, relationship between client characteristics toward the occurrence of cotrimoxazole ADEs is still poorly understood.

A retrospective cohort study followed PLWH initiated with antiretroviral therapy (ART) in St. Carolus Hospital between January 2009 to December 2021. ADE occurrence due to cotrimoxazole were tested for significance using Pearson's Chi-square and Fisher's Exact Test (significant outcome measured as p < 0.05) against CD4 levels at very low (0-100 cells/ul) and low (101-200 cells/ul) groups, comorbidities, and retention status.

Cotrimoxazole-related ADEs occurred in 258 (14%) of 1789 subjects with CD4 levels ≤200 cells/ul. Comorbidities of Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and M. tuberculosis infections were found in 11, 4, and 95 subjects respectively. 151 (59%) of ADE group had very low CD4 levels (p value  > 0.05). No significant difference was found in ADE incidence between age groups, genders, CD4 levels, comorbidities, and ART retention.

Cotrimoxazole-induced ADE is unrelated to CD4 levels, and ART retention was not affected. ADE severity ranges from mild to serious manifestations, and close monitoring is crucial to ensure ADEs are treated ART are well-maintained.
MiniGAN: Toward Informative and Uninformative Image Transferring
Authors: Liao Fangjian , Zou Xingxing , Wong Waikeung
Published: January 2023

This article proposes a generative adversarial networks (MiniGAN) to tackle both informative and uninformative image transferring. The generator of MiniGAN is based on the structure of StyleGANv2, in which the encoder and style transform block are proposed to extract the high-level feature maps of the source image and capture the latent representation of the target image, respectively. This information guides the generator for the final image generation. The proposed MiniGAN outperforms other models in style transferring while preserving the color information on the informative images. To test the performance of MiniGAN on the uninformative images, a new data set consisting of 10,000 fashion hand drawings is proposed. Extensive experiments and detailed analysis are presented to demonstrate the performance of MiniGAN.
Forecasting the Impact of the COVID-19 Outbreak on China’s Cotton Exports by Modified Discrete Grey Model with Limited Data
Authors: Li Jian , Wang Yunyi , Li Jun , Jiang Rongfan
Published: January 2023

The sudden outbreak of COVID-19 has created dramatic challenges for public health and textile export trade worldwide. Such abrupt changes are difficult to predict due to the inherently high complexity and nonlinearity, especially with limited data. This article proposes a novel modified discrete grey model with weakening buffer operators, called BODGM (1,1), for forecasting the impact of pandemic-induced uncertainty on the volatility of cotton exports in China under limited samples. First, the Mann–Kendall test examines how pandemic-induced uncertainty affects cotton exports, based on China’s monthly cotton export data from June 2014 to August 2022. Second, buffer operators are employed to weaken the nonlinear trends and correct the tentative predictions of the discrete grey model. Then, the BODGM (1,1) model was validated by comparison with four alternative models. The results indicate that the BODGM (1,1) model was particularly promising for identifying mutational fluctuations in cotton exports and outperformed the GM (1,1), DGM (1,1), ARIMA and linear regression models in fitting and prediction accuracy under volatility and limited data. The BODGM (1,1) model forecast results for China showed that cotton export volume was expected to show signs of recovery over the next 12 months. The findings of this study may provide a basis for formulating trade policies to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on export resources and build their resilience to future pandemics.
Foreign Trade, Human Capital and Economic Growth in India under the Liberalised Trade Regime
Authors: Maitra Biswajit , Chakraborty Moutushi
Published: January 2023

This study revisits trade–growth dynamics in India augmenting the role of human capital for the liberalised trade regime. The autoregressive distributed lag-bounds testing approach finds cointegrating relation of income with the different combinations of export, import, exchange rate, trade openness, education and health dimension of human capital. The long-run and short-run dynamics of such relations confirm that both export and import enhance income growth that testifies export-led and import-led growth premises. Trade openness proves detrimental to growth, while human capital spurs growth. However, the growth gains from the human capital vary across alternative measures of human capital. A battery of diagnostic tests corroborates these inferences robustly. Policy manifestation for trade promotion might be beneficial for higher economic growth in India.

JEL Codes: F43, F13, F14, O24
Modern Slavery in Projects: A Systematic Literature Review and Research Agenda
Authors: Alzoubi Yazan , Locatelli Giorgio , Sainati Tristano
Published: January 2023

It is estimated that 40.3 million individuals are victims of modern slavery, including those exploited in projects. In project studies, there are growing research streams on topics, such as ethics, sustainability and fairness, yet modern slavery is vastly ignored. This article presents a systematic literature review on modern slavery. After summarizing the main forms and consequences of modern slavery, it focuses on construction projects explaining the structural conditions making construction projects prone to modern slavery, the kafala system, and what can be done to address modern slavery. Lastly, the article introduces propositions, a research agenda, and implications for practice.
Prediction of persistent chronic cough in patients with chronic cough using machine learning
Authors: Chen Wansu , Schatz Michael , Zhou Yichen , Xie Fagen , Bali Vishal , Das Amar , Schelfhout Jonathan , Stern Julie A. , Zeiger Robert S.
Published: January 2023

Introduction

The aim of this study was to develop and validate prediction models for risk of persistent chronic cough (PCC) in patients with chronic cough (CC). This was a retrospective cohort study.

Methods

Two retrospective cohorts of patients 18–85 years of age were identified for years 2011–2016: a specialist cohort which included CC patients diagnosed by specialists, and an event cohort which comprised CC patients identified by at least three cough events. A cough event could be a cough diagnosis, dispensing of cough medication or any indication of cough in clinical notes. Model training and validation were conducted using two machine-learning approaches and 400+ features. Sensitivity analyses were also conducted. PCC was defined as a CC diagnosis or any two (specialist cohort) or three (event cohort) cough events in year 2 and again in year 3 after the index date.

Results

8581 and 52 010 patients met the eligibility criteria for the specialist and event cohorts (mean age 60.0 and 55.5 years), respectively. 38.2% and 12.4% of patients in the specialist and event cohorts, respectively, developed PCC. The utilisation-based models were mainly based on baseline healthcare utilisations associated with CC or respiratory diseases, while the diagnosis-based models incorporated traditional parameters including age, asthma, pulmonary fibrosis, obstructive pulmonary disease, gastro-oesophageal reflux, hypertension and bronchiectasis. All final models were parsimonious (five to seven predictors) and moderately accurate (area under the curve: 0.74–0.76 for utilisation-based models and 0.71 for diagnosis-based models).

Conclusions

The application of our risk prediction models may be used to identify high-risk PCC patients at any stage of the clinical testing/evaluation to facilitate decision making.