bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Low peripheral blood derived neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (dNLR) is associated with increased tumor T-cell infiltration and favorable outcomes to first-line pembrolizumab in non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Alessi Joao V , Ricciuti Biagio , Alden Stephanie L , Bertram Arrien A , Lin Jessica J , Sakhi Mustafa , Nishino Mizuki , Vaz Victor R , Lindsay James , Turner Madison M , Pfaff Kathleen , Sharma Bijaya , Felt Kristen D , Rodig Scott J. , Gainor Justin F. , Awad Mark M. 
Published: November 2021

BackgroundAn elevated peripheral blood derived neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (dNLR) is a negative prognostic marker for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) receiving chemotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors. Whether dNLR is also associated with clinical outcomes to first-line pembrolizumab among patients with NSCLC and a programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) Tumor Proportion Score (TPS) of ≥50% is uncertain. How dNLR relates to the tumor immune microenvironment is also unclear.MethodsIn two participating academic centers, we retrospectively analyzed the dNLR (defined as the absolute neutrophil count/white cell count – absolute neutrophil count) prior to initiation of first-line pembrolizumab in patients with metastatic NSCLC and a PD-L1 TPS ≥50% and lacking genomic alterations inEGFRandALK. An unbiased recursive partitioning algorithm was used to investigate an optimal dNLR cut-off with respect to objective response rate (ORR). Multiplexed immunofluorescence for CD8+, FOXP3+, PD-1+, and PD-L1 was performed on a separate cohort of NSCLCs to determine the immunophenotype associated with dNLR.ResultsA total of 221 patients treated with first-line pembrolizumab were included in this study. The optimal dNLR cut-off to differentiate treatment responders from non-responders was 2.6. Compared with patients with a dNLR ≥2.6 (n=97), patients with dNLR <2.6 (n=124) had a significantly higher ORR (52.4% vs 24.7%, p<0.001), a significantly longer median progression-free survival (mPFS 10.4 vs 3.4 months, HR 0.48, 95% CI 0.35 to 0.66, p<0.001), and a significantly longer median overall survival (mOS 36.6 vs 9.8 months, HR 0.34, 95% CI 0.23 to 0.49, p<0.001). After adjusting for age, sex, tobacco use, performance status, histology, serum albumin level, oncogenic driver status, and PD-L1 distribution (50%–89% vs ≥90%), a dNLR <2.6 was confirmed to be an independent predictor of longer mPFS (HR 0.47, 95% CI 0.33 to 0.67, p<0.001) and mOS (HR 0.32, 95% CI 0.21 to 0.49, p<0.001). Among advanced NSCLC samples with a PD-L1 TPS of ≥50%, those with a dNLR <2.6 had significantly higher numbers of tumor-associated CD8+, FOXP3+, PD-1 +immune cells, and PD-1 +CD8+T cells than those with a dNLR ≥2.6.ConclusionsAmong patients with NSCLC and a PD-L1 TPS ≥50%, a low dNLR has a distinct immune tumor microenvironment and more favorable outcomes to first-line pembrolizumab.
Perfusion-guided endovascular super-selective intra-arterial infusion for treatment of malignant brain tumors
Authors: Chen Stephen R , Chen Melissa M , Ene Chibawanye , Lang Frederick F , Kan Peter 
Published: November 2021

BackgroundSurvival for glioblastoma remains very poor despite decades of research, with a 5-year survival of only 5%. The technological improvements that have revolutionized treatment of ischemic stroke and brain aneurysms have great potential in providing more precise and selective delivery of cancer therapeutic agents to brain tumors.MethodsWe describe for the first time the use of perfusion guidance to enhance the precision of endovascular super-selective intra-arterial (ESIA) infusions of mesenchymal stem cells loaded with Delta-24 (MSC-D24) in the treatment of glioblastoma (NCT 03896568).ResultsMRI imaging, which best defines the location of the tumor, is co-registered and fused with the patient’s position using cone beam CT, resulting in optimal vessel selection and confirmation of targeted delivery through volumetric perfusion imaging.ConclusionsThis technique of perfusion guided-ESIA injections (PG-ESIA) enhances our ability to perform targeted super-selective delivery of therapeutic agents for brain tumors.
Five-year changes in objectively measured cardiorespiratory fitness, physical activity, and sedentary time in mid-to-late adulthood
Authors: Dougherty Ryan J. , Lose Sarah R. , Gaitán Julian M. , Mergen Brandon M. , Chin Nathaniel A. , Okonkwo Ozioma C. , Cook Dane B. 
Published: November 2021

This study examined 5-year changes in cardiorespiratory fitness, physical activity, and sedentary time in mid-to-late aged adults. Fifty-seven participants completed baseline and follow-up treadmill exercise tests and physical activity monitoring. We observed a 14% decline in fitness (p < 0.001), 12% decrease in physical activity (p = 0.010), and non-significant increase in sedentary time (p = 0.196). Age was negatively associated with 5-year change in physical activity (r = −0.31; p = 0.02) and this decline was strongest among APOE ε4 carriers (g = −0.75). Novelty: Cardiorespiratory fitness and physical activity significantly declined from mid-to-late adulthood, these findings were most pronounced among older adults and those with genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
The impact of top-quark modelling on the exclusion limits in $$\varvec{t{\bar{t}}}+\text {DM}$$ searches at the LHC
Authors: Hermann J. , Worek M. 
Published: November 2021

AbstractNew Physics searches at the LHC rely very heavily on the precision and accuracy of Standard Model background predictions. Applying the spin-0 s-channel mediator model, we assess the importance of properly modelling such backgrounds in $$t{\bar{t}}$$

t

t

¯

associated Dark Matter production. Specifically, we discuss higher-order corrections and off-shell effects for the two dominant background processes $$t{\bar{t}}$$

t

t

¯

and $$t{\bar{t}}Z$$

t

t

¯

Z

in the presence of extremely exclusive cuts. Exclusion limits are calculated for state-of-the-art NLO full off-shell $$t{\bar{t}}$$

t

t

¯

and $$t{\bar{t}}Z$$

t

t

¯

Z

predictions and compared to those computed with backgrounds in the NWA and / or at LO. We perform the same comparison for several new-physics sensitive observables and evaluate which of them are affected by the top-quark modelling. Additionally, we make suggestions as to which observables should be used to obtain the most stringent limits assuming integrated luminosities of 300 fb$$^{-1}$$

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1

and 3000 fb$$^{-1}$$

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1

.
Pregnancy Outcomes Following the First Frozen Blastocyst Transfer Among Women Aged Less Than 35 Years Old: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Hoang Le , Thang Le Duc , Huong Nguyen Thi Lien , Thuy Nguyen Minh , Anh Vu Thi Mai , Duc Nguyen Thanh , Chi Nguyen Thi Dieu , Dung Tham Chi , Hugues Jean-Noël 
Published: November 2021

Background: Many guidelines have been issued regarding the number of embryos to be transferred after in vitro fertilization (IVF), but patients and clinicians may be reluctant to accept or offer a single embryo transfer due to the expected lower chance of pregnancy or live birth. This study was aimed to provide additional information on cycle outcome according to the number and quality of thawed transferred blastocysts.Methods: A retrospective cohort study was designed to collect the data of 505 patients who performed the first frozen blastocysts transfer at Tam Anh General Hospital from June 2018 to September 2019. One good-quality embryo was transferred for 121 patients (Group 1), two good for 214 patients (Group 2), one good and one poor for 112 patients (Group 3), one good and two poor for 25 patients (Group 4), and one or two poor for 33 patients (Group 5).Results: The pregnancy rate was 71.9%, 74.8%, 69.4%, 84.0%, and 39.4% in Group 1–5, respectively. The multiple pregnancy rate was 36.9%, 16.9%, and 32.0% in Groups 2–4, respectively, higher than Group 1 (4.9%). The live birth rate was 55.6%, 50.9%, and 60.0% in Group 2–4, respectively, but not significantly different from the Group 1 (47.9%).Conclusions: Transferring an additional good or poor embryo, along with a good embryo, does not increase the live birth rate while the incidence of multiple pregnancies rises significantly.
Deep Learning Technology in Pathological Image Analysis of Breast Tissue
Authors: Liu Yanan , Wang Xiaoyan , Li Jingyu , Hao Liguo , Zhao Tianyu , Zou He , Xu Dongbin 
Published: November 2021

To explore the application value of the multilevel pyramid convolutional neural network (MPCNN) model based on convolutional neural network (CNN) in breast histopathology image analysis, in this study, based on CNN algorithm and softmax classifier (SMC), a sparse autoencoder (SAE) is introduced to optimize it. The sliding window method is used to identify cells, and the CNN + SMC pathological image cell detection method is established. Furthermore, the local region active contour (LRAC) is introduced to optimize it and the LRAC fine segmentation model driven by local Gaussian distribution is established. On this basis, the sparse automatic encoder is further introduced to optimize it and the MPCNN model is established. The proposed algorithm is evaluated on the pathological image data set. The results showed that the Acc value, F value, and Re value of pathological cell detection of CNN + SMC algorithm were significantly higher than those of the other two algorithms (

P

< 0.05). The Dice, OL, Sen, and Spe values of pathological image regional segmentation of CNN algorithm were significantly higher than those of the other two algorithms, and the difference was statistically significant (

P

< 0.05). The accuracy, recall, and F-measure of the optimized CNN algorithm for detecting breast histopathological images were 85.25%, 89.27%, and 80.09%, respectively. In the two databases with segmentation standards, the segmentation accuracy of MPCNN is 55%, 73.1%, 78.8%, and 82.1%. In the deep convolution network model, the training time of the MPCNN algorithm is about 80 min. It shows that when the feature dimension is low, the feature map extracted by MPCNN is more effective than the traditional feature extraction method.
O papel da Ancine nas políticas públicas para o audiovisual brasileiro
Authors: Ikeda Marcelo Gil 
Published: November 2021

Este artigo apresenta um amplo panorama das políticas para o setor audiovisual implementadas pela Agência Nacional do Cinema em 20 anos de atividade (2001-2021). Em primeiro lugar, serão analisadas sua criação como uma agência reguladora e as limitações para sua atuação, impostas na lei que a formou. Em seguida, será avaliada a ampliação do escopo da agência sob a gestão de Manoel Rangel, com a aprovação das Leis nº 11.437/06, 12.485/11 e 12.599/12, e serão discutidos os impasses das gestões Leitão-Castro e Braga. Por fim, serão comentados os principais desafios à gestão pública do audiovisual para os próximos anos.
Plano Nacional de Cultura e Desenvolvimento: recuperando o planejamento das políticas culturais
Authors: Carvalho Amanda Salgado e , Oliveira Danilo Júnior de 
Published: November 2021

O presente artigo se debruça sobre a bibliografia e o exercício analítico crítico do conceito de desenvolvimento cultural brasileiro e da própria razão de ser do Estado na condução do planejamento das políticas culturais. Tal incursão é acompanhada do debate da Medida Provisória nº 1.012/2020, que prorrogou a vigência do Plano Nacional de Cultura (PNC) até o ano de 2022. O objetivo é restabelecer a vital importância do PNC na garantia dos direitos culturais, como a diversidade cultural, a cidadania e as identidades culturais, e sobretudo do próprio desenvolvimento cultural. O artigo também pretende analisar criticamente o PNC, realizando breves diagnósticos dos principais entraves à efetiva implementação de políticas culturais coordenadas. Entendemos que tal investigação crítica ultrapassa o território dos estudos culturais e situa-se na análise das problemáticas históricas do Estado brasileiro.
O lírico-ciborgue de Angélica Freitas: googlear para simular
Authors: Souza Luciéle Bernardi de , Souza Luciane Bernardi de 
Published: November 2021

Este trabalho parte de uma reflexão sobre a imbricação entre o humano e a máquina na constituição do fazer literário. A série 3 poemas com auxílio do google, da poeta Angélica Freitas, suscitou a reflexão que será desenvolvida aqui, pois a autora valeu-se de buscas no Google para, ao “transcrever” os resultados de tais pesquisas, problematizar a criação poética via um eu-lírico transmutado em um lírico-ciborgue. Neste trabalho, através da análise dos poemas e tendo em vista a importância da dimensão autoral envolvida, pensamos o fazer literário enquanto uma simulação de discursos presentes em nossa sociedade, uma potência poética que problematiza a criação literária e o lugar político da poesia contemporânea.
Tools and food on heat lamps: pyrocognitive sparks in New Caledonian crows?
Authors: Jacobs Ivo , von Bayern Auguste M.P. , Osvath Mathias 
Published: November 2021

Abstract
Fire has substantially altered the course of human evolution. Cooking kindled brain expansion through improved energy and time budgets. However, little is known about the origins of fire use and its cognitive underpinnings (pyrocognition). Debates on how hominins innovated cooking focus on archaeological findings, but should also be informed by the response of animals towards heat sources. Here, we report six observations on two captive New Caledonian crows (Corvus moneduloides) contacting heat lamps with tools or placing raw food on them. The tools became singed or melted and the food had browned (and was removed). These results suggest that New Caledonian crows can use tools to investigate hot objects, which extends earlier findings that they use tools to examine potential hazards (pericular tool use), and place food on a heat source as play or exploration. Further research on animals will provide novel insights into the pyrocognitive origins of early humans.
FM Stations’ Role in Rural Development: The Case of Northern Ghana
Authors: Andani Mu-azu Iddirisu , Antwi-Boateng Osman 
Published: November 2021

Abstract
Over the past two decades, Ghana’s media landscape has undergone radical transformation, leading to the emergence of hundreds of frequency modulation (FM) stations across the country. These stations have become the country’s most powerful mediums of communication, carrying an array of programs aimed at diverse audiences. With northern Ghana as a case study, this research examines FM stations’ role in rural development, their mode of impact, and their attendant challenges. This is achieved via qualitative methodology; that is, in-depth interviews with station managers and local development stakeholders, supplemented by programming content analysis of ten FM stations. Findings indicate that FM stations in northern Ghana, irrespective of their classification, aid rural development by serving as an endogenous conduit for the transfer of information that promotes community development and empowerment. This is achieved through programming in local dialects, local musical and cultural programs, expert presentations, interactive phone-in sessions, and news presentations. Challenges include the lack of employee professionalism, financial constraints, poor audience research, technical challenges, excessively partisan political coverage, and lack of original programming.
Movers, Motives, and Impact of Illegal Small-Scale Mining: A Case Study in Ghana
Authors: Antwi-Boateng Osman , Akudugu Mamudu 
Published: November 2021

Abstract
This research unravels the agents and driving motivation behind the rise of illegal small-scale mining in Ghana and its impact. This is accomplished via a qualitative study using illegal small-scale mining in the Talensi and Nabdam districts of Ghana as a case study. At the forefront of this phenomenon are rent-seeking elites, whereas structural factors such as rising unemployment and high population growth, as well as opportunistic factors including low barriers to entry, get-rich quick syndrome, and political corruption/weak institutions are fueling it as well. Although there are some economic benefits of illegal small-scale mining, these benefits are undermined by factors associated with the Resource Curse Hypothesis (RCH) or the ‘Paradox of Plenty.’ We argue that most illegal small-scale mining communities are characterized by increased rent-seeking activities by diverse stakeholders particularly the elites, poor investments in human capital development, and weak institutional structures and processes. To sustainably address the illegal small-scale gold mining menace in Ghana, all efforts should be aimed at holistically dealing with the rent-seekers, especially the elites involved, eliminating their motives and removing the conditions that facilitate their involvement.
Cigarette Smoking Behaviors and Beliefs in Persons Living With HIV in Nairobi, Kenya
Authors: Shuter Jonathan , Ojoo Sylvia A , Oduor Patience , Ondire Maureen , Khakali Linda , Achieng Angela O , Masai Tina W , Potts Wendy , Bennett Melanie E , Weinberger Andrea H , Koech Emily , Himelhoch Seth S 
Published: November 2021

Introduction Persons living with HIV (PLWH) use tobacco at higher rates than the general population in both high-income countries and low- and middle-income countries. Tobacco use rates are increasing in sub-Saharan Africa, the home to most of the world’s PLWH. As the reach of antiretroviral therapy (ART) expands and HIV-related morbidity and mortality wanes, tobacco use is emerging as a leading cause of disease and death in PLWH. A better understanding of tobacco use behaviors in various settings will be crucial to designing optimal tobacco control strategies. Methods In late 2019, we enrolled 50 PLWH cigarette smokers from 6 clinical sites in Nairobi, Kenya (4 HIV care clinics and 2 methadone maintenance programs) for one-on-one interviews focusing on their behaviors and beliefs related to tobacco use. Results Fifty PLWH smokers completed the interviews. The mean age was 38.5 ± 9.7 years (range 20-57 years) and 68% were male. All were currently receiving ART. They smoked a mean of 14.9 ± 12.4 cigarettes per day, and 82% reported smoking every day. Only 6% reported dual use of smokeless tobacco products. Nicotine dependence was moderate or high in 74%. More than a third (36%) reported a prior history of tuberculosis. In our sample, use of other substances was common, especially alcohol, marijuana, and methadone. On the motivation to quit scale, 90% were at least in the contemplation stage, but only 2% had ever received behavioral cessation counseling, and only 8% had ever used pharmacotherapy (exclusively nicotine replacement therapy). Participants reported significant concern about developing smoking-related illness, exposing others to secondary smoke, and the financial burden associated with their tobacco use. Measures of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to quit, smoker and abstainer self-concept, and social support yielded encouraging results regarding the possibility of successful quitting. Conclusions Tobacco use is an important health concern in PLWH in Kenya. A more thorough understanding of their tobacco use behaviors and beliefs will provide critical information for providers, public health officials, and policy makers as they redouble their efforts to confront this urgent health challenge.
Maternal and fetal characteristics to predict c-section delivery: A scoring system for pregnant women
Authors: Irwinda Rima , Hiksas Rabbania , Lokeswara Angga Wiratama , Wibowo Noroyono 
Published: November 2021

Introduction: Cesarean section is one of the most common obstetrical interventions that has been performed at an increasing rate globally, due to both medical and non-medical reasons. This study aims to develop a prediction tool for pregnant women potentially needing c-section, such that necessary preparations from the mothers, families, and health providers can be made. Methods: A total of 603 pregnant women were recruited in the first phase of c-section prediction tool development. The association between the maternal and fetal factors on the risk of c-section were analyzed, followed by a stepwise multivariate regression analysis. In the next phase, 61 pregnant women were enrolled for external validation. Discrimination was assessed using area under the curve. The calibration plot was then made and assessed using the Hosmer–Lemeshow test. Results: There were 251 (41.6%) cases of vaginal delivery and 352 (58.4%) of c-section assessed. Multivariate analysis showed that gestational age < 37 wg (OR: 1.66, 95% CI: 1.10–2.51), pre-pregnancy body mass index (underweight) (OR: 0.40, 95% CI: 0.22–0.76), no history of vaginal delivery (OR: 2.66, 95% CI: 1.76–4.02), history of uterine surgery (OR: 8.34, 95% CI: 4.54–15.30), obstetrical complications (OR: 5.61, 95% CI: 3.53–8.90), birthweight ⩾ 3500 g (OR: 4.28, 95% CI: 2.16–8.47), and non-cephalic presentation (OR: 2.74, 95% CI: 1.53–4.89) were independently associated with c-section delivery. Those parameters were included in a 7-item scoring tool, with consecutive predictive scores of 1,–1,2,3,3,2,2,1. The area under the curve result was 0.813 (95% CI: 0.779–0.847), indicating a good predictive ability. The external validation showed AUC: 0.806, 95% CI: 0.694–0.917, Hosmer–Lemeshow test p = 0.666 and calibration plot coefficient of r = 0.939. Conclusion: A total of 7 maternal-fetal factors were found to be strongly associated with c-section delivery, including gestational age < 37, maternal underweight body mass index, previous uterine surgery, obstetrical complications, birthweight ⩾ 3500, history of vaginal delivery, and non-cephalic presentation. Using these factors, a prediction tool was developed and validated with good quality.
Rice Brittle Culm19 Encoding Cellulose Synthase Subunit CESA4 Causes Dominant Brittle Phenotype But has No Distinct Influence on Growth and Grain Yield
Authors: Ma Xiaozhi , Li Chunmei , Huang Rui , Zhang Kuan , Wang Qian , Fu Chongyun , Liu Wuge , Sun Changhui , Wang Pingrong , Wang Feng , Deng Xiaojian 
Published: November 2021

Abstract
Background
Mechanical strength is a crucial agronomic trait in rice (Oryza sativa), and brittle mutants are thought suitable materials to investigate the mechanism of cell wall formation. So far, almost all brittle mutants are recessive, and most of them are defected in multiple morphologies and/or grain yield, limiting their application in hybrid breeding and in rice straw recycling.

Results
We identified a semi-dominant brittle mutant Brittle culm19 (Bc19) isolated from the japonica variety Nipponbare through chemical mutagenesis. The mutant showed the same apparent morphologies and grain yield to the wild type plant except for its weak mechanical strength. Its development of secondary cell wall in sclerenchyma cells was affected, along with reduced contents of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin and sugars in culms and leaves. Positional cloning suggested that the Bc19 gene was allelic to OsCESA4, encoding one of the cellulose synthase A (CESA) catalytic subunits. In this mutant, a C-to-T substitution occurred in the coding sequence of BC19, causing the P507S missense mutation in its encoded product, which was located in the second cytoplasmic region of the OsCESA4 protein. Furthermore, introducing mutant gene Bc19 into the wild-type plant resulted in brittle plants, confirming that the P507S point mutation in OsCESA4 protein was responsible for the semi-dominant brittle phenotype of Bc19 mutant. Reverse correlation was revealed between cellulose contents and expression levels of mutant gene Bc19 among the homozygous mutant, the hybrid F1 plant, and the Bc19 overexpression transgenic plants, implying that gene Bc19 might affect cellulose synthesis in a dosage-dependent manner.

Conclusions
Bc19, a semi-dominant brittle mutant allele of gene OsCESA4, was identified using map-based cloning approach. The mutated protein of Bc19 possessing the P507S missense mutation behaved in a dosage-dependent semi-dominant manner. Unique brittle effect on phenotype and semi-dominant genetic quality of gene Bc19 indicated its potential application in grain-straw dual-purpose hybrid rice breeding.