bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Minimal physicalism as a scale-free substrate for cognition and consciousness
Authors: Fields Chris , Glazebrook James F , Levin Michael 
Published: August 2021

AbstractTheories of consciousness and cognition that assume a neural substrate automatically regard phylogenetically basal, nonneural systems as nonconscious and noncognitive. Here, we advance a scale-free characterization of consciousness and cognition that regards basal systems, including synthetic constructs, as not only informative about the structure and function of experience in more complex systems but also as offering distinct advantages for experimental manipulation. Our “minimal physicalist” approach makes no assumptions beyond those of quantum information theory, and hence is applicable from the molecular scale upwards. We show that standard concepts including integrated information, state broadcasting via small-world networks, and hierarchical Bayesian inference emerge naturally in this setting, and that common phenomena including stigmergic memory, perceptual coarse-graining, and attention switching follow directly from the thermodynamic requirements of classical computation. We show that the self-representation that lies at the heart of human autonoetic awareness can be traced as far back as, and serves the same basic functions as, the stress response in bacteria and other basal systems.
Case Report: Reversal of Integrase Inhibitor– and Tenofovir Alafenamide–Related Weight Gain After Switching Back to Efavirenz/Emtricitabine/Tenofovir DF
Authors: Pohlman F Will , McGee Kara S , McKellar Mehri S 
Published: August 2021

Abstract
We report a case of substantial weight gain in a virologically suppressed patient with HIV after changing his antiretroviral therapy from efavirenz/emtricitabine/tenofovir DF to elvitegravir/cobicistat/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide with subsequent rapid weight loss upon switching back. The role of antiretrovirals in weight gain and loss and patient- and HIV-specific factors are discussed.
Building the BBC-branded NGO: Overseas Development, the World Service, and the Marshall Plan of the Mind, c.1965–99
Authors: Westlake Steve 
Published: August 2021

Abstract
Overseas broadcasting has been an integral part of the BBC’s remit since the creation of its Empire Service in 1932. Throughout its history, the BBC has consistently argued that its services for overseas listeners should not be classified as a form of British propaganda, but instead understood as a fundamentally benevolent undertaking, providing objective, impartial, and trustworthy news and information to hundreds of millions of listeners worldwide. In the post-imperial era, the World Service increasingly depicted itself as not just a ‘global public service broadcaster’, but also as a kind of humanitarian endeavour, an ‘Oxfam of the Mind’ which made a significant contribution to Britain’s wider efforts in the field of overseas development. This article critically evaluates this vision of the BBC World Service as a post-imperial ‘gift to the world’. It outlines how, in the early 1990s, the World Service created the first BBC-branded overseas development NGO, the Marshall Plan of the Mind (MPM), which used both UK government and external philanthropic funding to help promote British commercial and diplomatic interests in post-communist Eastern Europe. MPM is then contextualized in relation to the World Service’s longer (and largely overlooked) history of overseas development work and its relationship with the NGO sector, both before and after the end of the Cold War. By exploring how and why the World Service inserted itself into the NGO sphere, this work contributes to ongoing historical debates regarding the BBC’s relationship with the state and the role(s) that global development NGOs have played in shaping Britain’s post-imperial ‘place in the world’.
A dimension-reduced neural network-assisted approximate Bayesian computation for inverse heat conduction problems
Authors: Zeng Yang 
Published: August 2021

Abstract
Due to the flexibility and feasibility of addressing ill-posed problems, the Bayesian method has been widely used in inverse heat conduction problems (IHCPs). However, in the real science and engineering IHCPs, the likelihood function of the Bayesian method is commonly computationally expensive or analytically unavailable. In this study, in order to circumvent this intractable likelihood function, the approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) is expanded to the IHCPs. In ABC, the high dimensional observations in the intractable likelihood function are equalized by their low dimensional summary statistics. Thus, the performance of the ABC depends on the selection of summary statistics. In this study, a machine learning-based ABC (ML-ABC) is proposed to address the complicated selections of the summary statistics. The Auto-Encoder (AE) is a powerful Machine Learning (ML) framework which can compress the observations into very low dimensional summary statistics with little information loss. In addition, in order to accelerate the calculation of the proposed framework, another neural network (NN) is utilized to construct the mapping between the unknowns and the summary statistics. With this mapping, given arbitrary unknowns, the summary statistics can be obtained efficiently without solving the time-consuming forward problem with numerical method. Furthermore, an adaptive nested sampling method (ANSM) is developed to further improve the efficiency of sampling. The performance of the proposed method is demonstrated with two IHCP cases.
Anaphylaxis and Coronavirus Disease 2019 vaccine: a danger relationship?
Authors: Tanno Luciana Kase , Castells Mariana , Caminati Marco , Senna Gianenrico , Demoly Pascal 
Published: August 2021

Purpose of review
Anaphylactic reactions reported after Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) RNA vaccines were expected to be more frequent in atopic subjects and attributed to its polyethylene glycol component.

Recent findings
Anaphylaxis to SARS-CoV2 RNA vaccines is no more frequent than in any vaccine and direct proofs for the role of its polyethylene glycol component are lacking.

Summary
Vaccines against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are an essential global intervention to control the current pandemic situation. Anaphylactic reactions have rapidly been reported after SARS-CoV2 RNA vaccines. This risk is now measured at 2.5–11/1 000 000 in the context of vaccine safety surveillance programs and only one case was documented to be due to polyethylene glycol. Suggestions for its role are indirect. The COVID-19 vaccination is rolling out vastly and surveillance programs are key to monitor severe adverse reactions, such as anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis due to vaccine is extremely rare and specific cases should receive individualized investigation and care, highlighting the key role of allergists in the vaccination programmes.
Preconception Substance Use and Risk of Unintended Pregnancy: Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System 2016–17
Authors: Shafique Saima , Umer Amna , Innes Kim E. , Rudisill Toni Marie , Fang Wei , Cottrell Lesley 
Published: August 2021

Objective
This study examined the association between preconception substance use and unintended pregnancy in a large, nationally representative sample of women.

Methods
In this cross-sectional study, we used data from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) comprising, 74,543women who had birth during 2016–17. Logistic regression was used to assess the independent association of unintended pregnancy overall and by subtypes to preconception substance use (smoking and other nicotine/tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and use of cannabis, illicit/recreational drugs) and specific medication including prescription opioids, antidepressants and over the counter pain relief.

Results
Overall, 41% of pregnancies were unintended. Nearly 57% of participants reported alcohol consumption during the preconception period, with 32% indicating binge drinking, 17% reported preconception smoking, and 10% cannabis use. Unintended pregnancy was significantly associated with substance use, including smoking (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]:1.5, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.4–1.6); as well as the use of other nicotine/tobacco (AOR:1.4, 95% CI: 1.3–1.5); cannabis (AOR: 1.9, 95% CI: 1.5–2.3); illicit/recreational drugs (AOR:1.7, 95% CI: 1.2–2.4), prescription opioids (AOR:1.4, 95% CI: 1.02–1.9), and prescription antidepressants (AOR 1.8, 95% CI: 1.1–3.0). The likelihood of unintended pregnancy was significantly elevated with heavy smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, and binge drinking. Analyses by unintended pregnancy subtype yielded similar results.

Conclusions
Preconception substance use was significantly and positively associated with unintended pregnancy. Evidence-based interventions are needed addressing substance use behavior and effective contraceptive use to prevent unintended pregnancy and related adverse effects on maternal and child health.
Impact of Hearing Aid Use on Falls and Falls-Related Injury: Results From the Health and Retirement Study
Authors: Riska Kristal M. , Peskoe Sarah B. , Kuchibhatla Maragatha , Gordee Alexander , Pavon Juliessa M. , Kim Se Eun , West Jessica S. , Smith Sherri L. 
Published: August 2021

Objectives:
Falls are considered a significant public health issue and falls risk increases with age. There are many age-related physiologic changes that occur that increase postural instability and the risk for falls (i.e., age-related sensory declines in vision, vestibular, somatosensation, age-related orthopedic changes, and polypharmacy). Hearing loss has been shown to be an independent risk factor for falls. The primary objective of this study was to determine if hearing aid use modified (reduced) the association between self-reported hearing status and falls or falls-related injury. We hypothesized that hearing aid use would reduce the impact of hearing loss on the odds of falling and falls-related injury. If hearing aid users have reduced odds of falling compared with nonhearing aid users, then that would have an important implications for falls prevention healthcare.

Design:
Data were drawn from the 2004-2016 surveys of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). A generalized estimating equation approach was used to fit logistic regression models to determine whether or not hearing aid use modifies the odds of falling and falls injury associated with self-reported hearing status.

Results:
A total of 17,923 individuals were grouped based on a self-reported history of falls. Self-reported hearing status was significantly associated with odds of falling and with falls-related injury when controlling for demographic factors and important health characteristics. Hearing aid use was included as an interaction in the fully-adjusted models and the results showed that there was no difference in the association between hearing aid users and nonusers for either falls or falls-related injury.

Conclusions:
The results of the present study show that when examining self-reported hearing status in a longitudinal sample, hearing aid use does not impact the association between self-reported hearing status and the odds of falls or falls-related injury.
LncRNA AFAP1-AS1/miR-27b-3p/VEGF-C axis modulates stemness characteristics in cervical cancer cells
Authors: Xia Meng , Duan Li-Jun , Lu Bi-Nan , Pang Yu-Zhou , Pang Zong-Ran 
Published: August 2021

Abstract

Background:
Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) actin filament-associated protein 1 antisense RNA 1 (AFAP1-AS1) functions as a competing endogenous RNA to regulate target genes expression by sponging microRNAs (miRs) to play cancer-promoting roles in cancer stem cells. However, the regulatory mechanism of AFAP1-AS1 in cervical cancer (CC) stem cells is unknown. The present study aimed to provide a new therapeutic target for the clinical treatment of CC.

Methods:
Hyaluronic acid receptor cluster of differentiation 44 variant exon 6 (CD44v6)(+) CC cells were isolated by flow cytometry (FCM). Small interfering RNAs of AFAP1-AS1 (siAFAP1-AS1) were transfected into the (CD44v6)(+) cells. The levels of AFAP1-AS1 were measured by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Sphere formation assay, cell cycle analysis, and Western blotting were used to detect the effect of siAFAP1-AS1. RNA pull-down and luciferase reporter assay were used to verify the relationship between miR-27b-3p and AFAP1-AS1 or vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-C.

Results:
CD44v6(+) CC cells had remarkable stemness and a high level of AFAP1-AS1. However, AFAP1-AS1 knockdown with siAFAP1-AS1 suppressed the cell cycle transition of G(1)/S phase and inhibited self-renewal of CD44v6(+) CC cells, the levels of the stemness markers octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (OCT4), osteopontin (OPN), and cluster of differentiation 133 (CD133), and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related proteins Twist1, matrix metalloprotease (MMP)-9, and VEGF-C. In the mechanism study, miR-27b-3p/VEGF-C signaling was demonstrated to be a key downstream of AFAP1-AS1 in the CD44v6(+) CC cells.

Conclusions:
LncRNA AFAP1-AS1 knockdown inhibits the CC cell stemness by upregulating miR-27b-3p to suppress VEGF-C.
A review on management of caesarean scar pregnancy
Authors: Gulino Ferdinando Antonio , Ettore Carla , Ettore Giuseppe 
Published: July 2021

Purpose of review
To review the current literature on management of cesarean scar pregnancy.

Recent findings
Caesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) is a complex pathologic condition, which is strictly related to a previous caesarean section. It is an iatrogenic disorder, that has had an exponential increase over the last few years linked to the parallel increase in the number of caesarean sections. The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) confirmed the presence of surgical, medical, and minimally invasive therapies for caesarean scar pregnancy management but the optimal treatment is not known; the main recommendation is to avoid expectant management of CSP (GRADE 1B). The treatments for Caesarean scar pregnancy are multiple, and they include a surgical management, a medical management and a combination between these two types of treatments. Despite the recommendation of SMFM in this review, we also included some cases of conservative management published in the last months.

Summary
Considering all the different approaches on CSP, the management has to be individualized mainly on gestational age and it has to be discussed by a multidisciplinary team, to choose the safest clinical option.
Intraoperative OCT for the assessment of posterior capsular integrity in pediatric cataract surgery
Authors: Chen Wan , Lin Zhuangling , Zhu Qiaolin , Lin Duoru , Chen Hui , Wang Jinghui , Chen Jingjing , Wang Qiwei , Wu Xianghua , Lin Zhuoling , Lin Xiaoshan , Li Xiaoyan , Li Jing , Lin Haotian , Chen Weirong 
Published: August 2021

Purpose:
To study the morphology of the posterior lens cortex and posterior capsules (PCs) in pediatric patients with posterior lens opacities using intraoperative optical coherence tomography (iOCT).

Setting:
Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.

Design:
Prospective observational study.

Methods:
Pediatric patients with posterior lens opacities were imaged using iOCT during cataract surgery. The morphology of the posterior lens cortex and PC, along with the common patterns to indicate PC integrity, was assessed. Moreover, PC rent during surgery was observed.

Results:
A total of 62 eyes from 53 patients were included. The mean age of patients was 3.8 years. 4 morphological variants of posterior lens opacity were observed: type I (34/62 [54.8%]) with an intact PC; type II (20/62 [32.3%]) with an intact PC, which protruded into the anterior vitreous; type III (3/62 [4.8%]) with a deficient PC and an inability to delineate the PC; and type IV (5/62 [8.1%]) with dense opacity and an inability to characterize the posterior cortex and PC. Phacoemulsification could be performed in types I and II. In types III and IV, manual nucleus removal was performed instead of phacoemulsification. 3 cases (100%) of type III PC dehiscence developed during surgery, whereas no cases developed PC dehiscence of other types.

Conclusions:
The morphology of the PC and posterior lens cortex in pediatric posterior lens opacities could be categorized, and PC integrity could be assessed using iOCT, which was useful to guide surgical strategies and increase safety in pre-existing PC dehiscence in pediatric cataract surgery.
Racial disparities in observers' attention to and estimations of others' pain
Authors: Kissi Ama , Van Ryckeghem Dimitri M.L. , Mende-Siedlecki Peter , Hirsh Adam , Vervoort Tine 
Published: August 2021

Abstract
Research has demonstrated racial disparities in pain care such that Black patients often receive poorer pain care than White patients. Little is known about mechanisms accounting for the emergence of such disparities. The present study had 2 aims. First, we examined whether White observers' attentional processing of pain (using a visual search task [VST] indexing attentional engagement to and attentional disengagement from pain) and estimation of pain experience differed between White vs Black faces. Second, we examined whether these differences were moderated by (1) racially biased beliefs about pain experience and (2) the level of pain expressed by Black vs White faces. Participants consisted of 102 observers (87 females) who performed a VST assessing pain-related attention to White vs Black avatar pain faces. Participants also reported on racially biased beliefs about White vs Black individuals' pain experience and rated the pain intensities expressed by White and Black avatar faces. Results indicated facilitated attentional engagement towards Black (vs White) pain faces. Furthermore, observers who more strongly endorsed the belief that White individuals experience pain more easily than Black individuals had less difficulty disengaging from Black (vs White) pain faces. Regarding pain estimations, observers gave higher pain ratings to Black (vs White) faces expressing high pain and White (vs Black) faces expressing no pain. The current findings attest to the importance of future research into the role of observer attentional processing of sufferers' pain in understanding racial disparities in pain care. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed, and future research directions are outlined.
Quality-of-Care Implications of Antimicrobial Prescription Patterns for Acute Respiratory Tract Infections
Authors: Singh Vansha , Sinvani Liron , Hirsch Bruce , Finuf Kayla , Popplewell Claire , Qiu Michael , Pisano Michele , Kohn Nina , Pekmezaris Renee , Wolf-Klein Gisele 
Published: August 2021

ABSTRACT
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that half of the antibiotic prescriptions for acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) in ambulatory care settings are unnecessary. To better understand the quality-of-care implications of prescription patterns for ARTIs, we conducted a retrospective chart review of outpatient ARTI visits, across a large integrated health system, and examined the association of patient characteristics with receiving antimicrobials, as well as the association between receiving antimicrobials and healthcare utilization (outpatient and emergency department visits). We found that 55.4% of all ARTI outpatients were treated with antimicrobials. There was no association between patient demographics and antimicrobial prescriptions on either the first (p < .0771) or follow-up (p < .6316) visits. A lower comorbidity score was significantly associated with receiving antimicrobials (p < .0022). Patients who received antimicrobials at the first visit had significantly higher number of follow-up visits (p < .005) and more follow-up antimicrobial prescriptions (p < .0066) as compared with patients who did not receive antimicrobials at the first visit. Our results highlight the potential for clinicians to improve quality of care in ARTI management.
Investigating practice-level and individual factors of advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants and their relationship to resilience
Authors: Klein Colleen J. , Weinzimmer Laurence G. , Dalstrom Matthew , Lizer Shannon , Cooling Melinda , Pierce Lisa 
Published: August 2021

ABSTRACT

Background:
Gaps in research persist related to practitioners' resilience, although much has been written about the need for strategies to strengthen personal resilience.

Purpose:
The study's purpose was to examine practice-level (quality of physician relationship, physician presence, and autonomy) and individual factors and how they affect resilience.

Methodology:
An online survey invited advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) and physician assistants (PAs) from four states to participate in a cross-sectional study. Hierarchical ordinary least squares regression was used to test the impact of main effect variables in the context of identified control variables.

Sample:
A sample of 1,138 APRNs and PAs completed the survey questions.

Results:
Findings from the covariate model (model 1) and the main effect model (model 2) show that both models were significant at the p < .01 level, with the adjusted R
2 differing from 0.02 to 0.13, respectively. Regression results show a significant positive association between quality of the physician relationship and APRN/PA resilience (b = 0.09, p < .01). A negative association between the lack of autonomy and higher levels of resilience (b = −0.14, p < .01) was also demonstrated.

Conclusions:
Advanced practice registered nurse/PA resilience is affected by both practice-level and personal factors, suggesting that workplace interventions could increase resilience.

Implications for practice:
Work environments allowing APRNs and PAs to function autonomously and with professional support from physician colleagues are favorable contributors to their resilience. Future studies need to investigate the meaning of physician presence/availability and organizational interventions that extend beyond individual resilience.
How cutting-edge trial design can assess outcomes
Authors: Serpa Neto Ary , Goligher Ewan C. , Hodgson Carol L. 
Published: August 2021

Purpose of review
Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) have come to be accepted as the gold standard for assessing the efficacy and effectiveness of therapeutics and interventions in medicine. In this paper, we aim to describe some evolving concepts associated with the design and conduct of RCTs and outline new approaches aiming to increase efficiency and reduce costs.

Recent findings
A well-powered and performed RCT is usually a study involving several different centers from different geographical areas that enrolls a large number of patients in diverse clinical settings. Altogether, these features increase the generalizability of the study and make the rapid implementation of the findings more likely. However, this does not come without cost. Among several possible alternatives to conventional RCTs, the most important ones are related to the unit of randomization (individual vs. cluster), study design (conventional vs. adaptive), randomization scheme (fixed vs. response-adaptive), data collection (conventional case report forms vs. registry-embedded) and statistical approach (frequentist vs. Bayesian).

Summary
While conventional RCTs remain the gold standard for generating evidence, new trial designs may be considered to reduce sample size and costs while improving trial efficiency and power. However, they raise new challenges for testing feasibility, conduct, ethical oversight and statistical analysis.