Search

Abstract Background Relapsed head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) unrelated to HPV infection carries a poor prognosis. Novel approaches are needed to improve the clinical outcome and prolong survival in this patient population which has poor long-term responses to immune checkpoint blockade. This study evaluated the chemokine receptors CXCR1 and CXCR2 as potential novel targets for the treatment of HPV-negative HNSCC. Methods Expression of IL-8, CXCR1, and CXCR2 was investigated in HNSCC tissues and human cell line models. Inhibition of CXCR1/2 with the clinical stage, small molecule inhibitor, SX-682, was evaluated in vitro and in vivo using human xenografts and murine models of HNSCC, both as a monotherapy and in combination with the taxane chemotherapy, docetaxel. Results High levels of IL-8, CXCR1, and CXCR2 expression were observed in HPV-negative compared to HPV-positive HNSCC tumors or cell lines. Treatment of HPV-negative HNSCC cell lines in vitro with SX-682 sensitized the tumor cells to the cytotoxic activity of docetaxel. In vivo, treatment of HNSCC xenograft models with the combination of SX-682 plus docetaxel led to strong anti-tumor control resulting in tumor cures. This phenomenon was associated with an increase of microRNA-200c and a decreased expression of its target, tubulin beta-3, a protein involved in resistance to microtubule-targeting chemotherapies. In vivo treatment of a murine syngeneic model of HNSCC with SX-682 plus docetaxel led to potent anti-tumor efficacy through a simultaneous decrease in suppressive CXCR2+ polymorphonuclear, myeloid-derived suppressor cells and an increase in cytotoxic CD8+ T cells in the combination therapy treated tumors compared to controls. Conclusions This study reports, for the first time, mechanistic findings through which the combination of CXCR1/2 inhibition and docetaxel chemotherapy exhibits synergy in models of HPV-negative HNSCC. These findings provide rationale for the use of this novel combination approach to treat HPV-negative HNSCC patients and for future combination studies of CXCR1/2 inhibition, docetaxel, and immune-based therapies.

As desordens temporomandibulares abrangem as alterações articulares que ocorrem dentro da articulação temporomandibular, inclusive aquelas que envolvem o deslocamento do disco articular, que resulta em dor e limitação de abertura de boca. A técnica de artrocentese tem se mostrado eficaz em tratar esses sintomas, além de ser uma técnica simples, de baixo custo, e alta previsibilidade. O objetivo deste trabalho é relatar o caso de uma paciente deslocamento anterior do disco sem redução, associada a dor e limitação de abertura de boca, tratada com técnica de artrocentese. Paciente gênero feminino, 28 anos, com padrão facial II, mordida aberta anterior e queixa de “dor e dificuldade em abrir a boca”. Sua abertura de boca inicial era de 20mm, e sua queixa álgica estava entre 7 e 8 na Escala Visual de Dor (EVD). Foi realizada técnica de artrocentese isolada de maneira bilateral, sob anestesia local associada à sedação venosa em centro cirúrgico. Em acompanhamento pós-operatório de três meses, a paciente apresentava abertura de boca em 30mm e sua dor estava próxima de 1 na EVD. Sendo assim, a técnica isolada de artrocentese se mostrou eficaz em tratar os sintomas de dor e limitação de abertura de boca em pacientes com diagnóstico de deslocamento anterior de disco articular sem redução.

Objective: This randomized controlled trial aimed to evaluate the bleaching efficacy and tooth sensitivity (TS) of participants submitted to different application protocols of in-office bleaching with violet light using 6 % hydrogen peroxide (HP) nanoparticulate photocatalyst gel. Materials and methods: Sixty-six participants were randomized and bleached using either a 6 % HP (Nano White, DMC), and/or violet light (Bright Max Whitening, MMOptics), according to the following protocols: 1) only violet light (VIOL); 2) only bleaching gel application (BG) and; 3) combined bleaching gel application + violet light (BG+VIOL). The bleaching efficacy was evaluated with the Vita Easyshade spectrophotometer, Vita Classical and Vita Bleachedguide scales. The risk and intensity of TS were recorded using a 0–10 visual analogue scale (VAS) and a 0–4 numerical scale (NRS). Color change and intensity of TS values were compared using one-way ANOVA and Tukey's test were used. The absolute risk of TS was compared using the Chi-square test (α = 0.05). Results: A significant and higher degree of bleaching was observed in the BG and BG+VIOL groups compared to the VIOL group (p < 0.003). Despite no significant differences in the risk (p > 0.07) and intensity (p > 0.28) of TS among groups, a higher risk of TS was observed in the BG and BG+VIOL groups. Conclusions: Using VIOL reduced the risk of TS but did not improve bleaching. However, BG+VIOL with low-concentration HP nanoparticulate photocatalyst gel achieved equal efficacy and was less likely to cause TS compared to BG.

Parental monitoring (PM) is a key construct in research on children's well-being and healthy development referring to the attention parents pay to their children's activities and whereabouts. However, existing literature suggests that the psychometric properties of its measurement tools are still perfect. For this study, a revised Italian parental monitoring scale (I-PM-R) was developed and validated with data from 835 participants (63% females), aged between 10 and 20 years old. The sample was divided into two sub-samples. One was used for parallel and exploratory factor analyses, and the other was used for confirmatory factor analysis. A total of eight factors were thus identified. The scale exhibited invariance in relation to children's gender and school success, and associations with demographic variables and school performance. The I-PM-R contributes to the need to move toward psychometric quality advances in the measurement of PM.

Background/Objective: Witness’ interviews within a judicial investigation represent a complex procedure because human memory is subjected to suggestions and personal re-elaboration processes. Therefore, it is necessary to use an interview method that guarantees the accuracy of the testimony. Method: This research focused on the development a modified version of the Cognitive Interview based on the use of the five Ws (who, what, where, when and why), commonly used in journalism, which we named the 5Ws-CI. The goal of the present study is to compare this method with two interrogation techniques already present in the literature, the Enhanced Cognitive Interview (ECI) and the Cognitive Interview with the Category Clustering Recall (CCR) and to test the moderating role of Machiavellianism. Seventy-two subjects individually watched a video-clip of a robbery and were randomly assigned to one of the three interview groups (ECI, CCR-CI, or 5Ws-CI) and the veracity condition (truth tellers vs. lie tellers). Results: Subjects in the 5Ws-CI and CCR groups remembered significantly more information than subjects in the ECI condition, without impacting on accuracy. Also, truth tellers reported more details than lie tellers. No significant difference was found between the 5Ws-CI and CI-CCR interview groups. Conclusions: In conclusion, the results indicate that the 5Ws-CI and CCR techniques might be effective methods and outperform the ECI.

In four experiments, we examined whether pairs of truth tellers could be distinguished from pairs of lie tellers by taking advantage of the fact that only pairs of truth tellers can refer to shared events by using brief expressions (high-context communication style). In Experiments 1 and 2, pairs of friends and pairs of strangers pretending to be friends answered (i) questions they likely had expected to be asked (e.g., ‘How did you first meet’?) and (ii) unexpected questions (e.g., ‘First, describe a shared event in a few words. Then elaborate on it’). Pairs were interviewed individually (Experiment 1, N = 134 individuals) or collectively (Experiment 2, N = 130 individuals). Transcripts were coded for the verbal cues details, complications, plausibility, predictability, and overlap (Experiment 1 only) or repetitions (Experiment 2 only). In two lie detection experiments observers read the individual transcripts in Experiment 3 (N = 146) or the collective transcripts in Experiment 4 (N = 138). The verbal cues were more diagnostic of veracity and observers were better at distinguishing between truths and lies in the unexpected than in the expected questions condition, but only when the pair members were interviewed individually.

O objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar o risco metabólico em crianças e adolescentes com diabetes mellitus tipo 1 e sua associação com fatores socioeconômicos, demográficos e do estilo de vida no contexto da pandemia de Covid-19. Estudo do tipo série de casos, com 98 pacientes ambulatoriais atendidos em 2021. O risco metabólico foi avaliado pelo somatório do escore z das variáveis: Índice de Massa Corporal (IMC), glicemia média estimada (GME), colesterol total (CT), HDL-c, LDL-c e triglicerídeos. A amostra foi composta por 81,4% de adolescentes, com 61,0% apresentando tempo de diagnóstico ≥ 3 anos. A maior parte (68,6%) apresentava renda familiar per capita ˂ 1 salário mínimo, 85,6% apresentaram algum grau de insegurança alimentar (IA) e 70,3% receberam algum tipo de benefício durante a pandemia. Quanto à alimentação, 57,6% relataram mudanças na rotina alimentar, tendo como principais causas o confinamento (38,2%) e as dificuldades financeiras (35,3%). Foi evidenciada associação estatisticamente significante entre o risco metabólico e a condição de IA moderada e grave e aqueles que não referiram a prática de atividade física. Por outro lado, não foi encontrada nenhuma correlação entre o risco metabólico e variáveis sociodemográficas, antropométricas, laboratoriais e do estilo de vida, quando ajustadas por estadiamento puberal e condição de IA. Conclui-se que de todas as variáveis avaliadas, a IA e a não prática de atividade física mostraram-se associadas ao risco metabólico nesses pacientes.

The development of vaccines, especially RNA-based, directed against patient-specific tumor neoepitopes is an active and productive area of cancer immunotherapy. Promising clinical results in melanoma and other solid tumor types are emerging. As with all cancer therapy modalities, neoepitope vaccine development and delivery also has some drawbacks, including the level of effort to develop a patient-specific product, accuracy of algorithms to predict neoepitopes, and with the exception of melanoma and some other tumor types, biopsies of metastatic lesions of solid tumors are often not available. We hypothesize that in some circumstances the use of rationally designed combinations of “off-the-shelf” agents may prove an additional path to enable the patient to produce his/her own “neoepitope vaccine” in situ. These combination therapies may consist of agents to activate a tumor-associated T-cell response, potentiate that response, reduce or eliminate immunosuppressive entities in the tumor microenvironment, and/or alter the phenotype of tumor cells to render them more susceptible to immune-mediated lysis. Examples are provided in both preclinical and clinical studies in which combinations of “off-the-shelf” agents lead to the generation of T cells directed against tumor-derived neoepitopes with consequent antitumor activity.

Past research explored the relationship between personality, moral disengagement, and deception and found a general trend showing that the lower people score on the big five personality factors, but the higher they score on moral disengagement and Machiavellianism, the higher their lying tendency. However, a limitation of past research is that it has usually adopted a variable-centred approach, whereas a person-centred approach might describe people in more detail and provide further insight into the relationship between personality and morality. In the present study, we collected data from 316 participants and asked them to fill an on-line questionnaire which included measures on personality, moral disengagement, and lying tendency (perceived lying ability, frequency, negativity and contextuality). The latter was measured via the newly developed Structure of Deception (SoD) scale (Makowski et al., Current Psychology, 2021 (See CR30)). We had to aims. First, to validate an Italian version of the SoD, which showed a good factor structure, gender measurement invariance, and good construct and criterion validity. Second, to explore the association between personal characteristics and lying tendency. Personality and morality scores were combined to obtain subpopulations of participants by a mean of cluster analysis. We obtained four clusters, one of which was marked by high Machiavellianism and moral disengagement but low scores on the personality factors, and one of which showed the opposite trend. The results also showed that cluster membership, and hence personal characteristics, was associated with lying tendency. The person-centred approach can be applied in research on lying. Limitations of the study and future suggestions are also discussed., Author(s): Nicola Palena [sup.1] , Letizia Caso [sup.2] , Lucrezia Cavagnis [sup.1] , Andrea Greco [sup.1] , Aldert Vrij [sup.3] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.33236.37, 0000000106929556, Department of Human and Social [...]

Bounded Model Checking (BMC) is one of the most prominent approaches used as a falsification engine, capable of identifying counterexamples of bounded length, in a scalable and sustainable way. Nevertheless, in the context of a portfolio-based verification suite, BMC can benefit from potential interaction with other engines, exploiting their capabilities and partial results as a form of application-dependant learning. In the past, previous works tackled the issue of using over-approximated state sets generated via Binary Decision Diagrams (BDD) based traversals. In a sense, BDD engines can be considered as external tools, whereas interpolants are directly related to BMC problems. Since interpolants come from Boolean satisfiability (SAT) refutation proofs, their role as a SAT-based learning can be potentially higher. Furthermore, their integration is more tightly linked to the BMC problem at hand. In this paper we aim at improving the efficiency of SAT calls in BMC problems, exploiting interpolation-based invariants computed over different cut points, as additional constraints for BMC problems. We experimentally evaluate costs and benefits of our proposed approach on a set of publicly available model checking problems.

La donazione delle cornee rappresenta l’unico trattamento terapeutico in grado di fornire il recupero visivo ed un miglioramento della sintomatologia dolorosa ad individui con un danno alla vista causato da patologie corneali, determinando un miglioramento della qualità di vita. Oltre ad essere un intervento terapeutico per il ricevente, la donazione rappresenta anche un importante strumento di conforto per le famiglie in lutto e la possibilità di autodeterminazione del defunto. Tuttavia, vi è una discrepanza tra la necessità e la disponibilità di innesti. Le cause di questo importante gap sono dovute soprattutto ad una mancanza di informazione della popolazione e di formazione dei professionisti della salute. L’introduzione di un modello integrato di Procurement è efficace nel migliorare l’intero processo di donazione attraverso l’interazione di un gruppo multidisciplinare formato da medici, infermieri, il team di direzione ospedaliera e la figura, formalmente riconosciuta, di un infermiere esperto in donazione di organi e tessuti.

Beaches are major sites of microbiological pollution. Assessment of the abundance of resistant forms of enteric protozoa on these recreational waters is important for the prevention and management of health risks. Based on sedimentation and flotation methods, this study found that Kribi beach waters concentrate considerable amounts of enteric protozoa, which are potentially pathogenic. They include Coccidia (Cryptosporidium sp. and Cyclospora cayetanensis), Amoebae (Endolimax nana, Entamoeba histolytica and Entamoeba coli) and Flagellates (Giardia intestinalis). In general, seasonal changes and tidal cycles have significantly impacted the spread of these parasites along Kribi beaches. Thus, at all sites surveyed (Mpalla, Ngoyè and Mboamanga), maximum protozoan abundances were recorded at low tide and during the rainy seasons. It should also be noted that at each sampling site, significant correlations were recorded between certain protozoa and certain physico-chemical variables (p < 0.05). At Mboamanga, for example, Cryptosporidium sp. and Endolimax nana were positively correlated during the Short Rainy Season with temperature (r = 0.601, p = 0.044 and r = 0.632, p = 0.042). At Mpalla, a positive and significant correlation was observed during the Short Rainy Season between Entamoeba coli and pH (r = 0.605, p = 0.033). The high concentration of resistant forms of these enteric protozoa at Kribi beaches is a real public health threat for bathers. Therefore, in this tourist town, it is urgent to put in place an effective plan for the collection and sustainable treatment of solid and liquid waste, which are the main sources of contamination.

Digital systems are nowadays ubiquitous and often comprise an extremely high level of complexity. Guaranteeing the correct behavior of such systems has become an ever more pressing need for manufacturers. The correctness of digital systems can be addressed resorting to formal verification techniques, such as model checking. Currently, it is usually impossible to determine a priori the best algorithm to use given a verification task and, thus, portfolio approaches have become the de facto standard in model checking verification suites. This paper describes the most relevant algorithms and techniques, at the foundations of bit-level SAT-based model checking itself.

This study proposes a psychometric validation of the Italian version of the Child–Parent Relationship Scale (CPRS) developed by Pianta in 1992. Based on attachment theory, the scale assesses parents’ relationship perceptions with their own child and comprises three scales: Closeness, Conflict, and Dependency. A sample of 501 parents (188 fathers and 313 mothers) completed 30 items of the Italian version of the Child–Parent Relationship Scale (CPRS-I) online, but only 437 answered 85% of the entire protocol; hence, the analyses only focused on 437 participants. The first analysis of the original theoretical model revealed poor fit, item loadings, and internal consistency. Therefore, a follow-up analysis was conducted. Exploratory and confirmatory analyses with a split sample (EFA = 218; CFA = 219) confirmed the original three-factor structure of the Italian sample, although some items were eliminated. The validity and reliability of the Italian version of the CPRS-I were also verified by correlating the above three factors with measures of adult attachment styles and children’s internalizing and externalizing behaviors. The CPRS-I showed significant correlations with all tested constructs, in line with those found by Driscoll and Pianta for the short form of the scale. Our results confirm that the CPRS-I has the same structure as the original scale; therefore, it can be a useful tool for assessing parents’ perceptions of their relationship with their children. The implications for educational and clinical settings are also discussed.

Background Enzalutamide, a next-generation antiandrogen agent, is approved for the treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). While enzalutamide has been shown to improve time to progression and extend overall survival in men with CRPC, the majority of patients ultimately develop resistance to treatment. Immunotherapy approaches have shown limited clinical benefit in this patient population; understanding resistance mechanisms could help develop novel and more effective treatments for CRPC. One of the mechanisms involved in tumor resistance to various therapeutics is tumor phenotypic plasticity, whereby carcinoma cells acquire mesenchymal features with or without the loss of classical epithelial characteristics. This work investigated a potential link between enzalutamide resistance, tumor phenotypic plasticity, and resistance to immune-mediated lysis in prostate cancer.Methods Models of prostate cancer resistant to enzalutamide were established by long-term exposure of human prostate cancer cell lines to the drug in culture. Tumor cells were evaluated for phenotypic features in vitro and in vivo, as well as for sensitivity to immune effector cell-mediated cytotoxicity.Results Resistance to enzalutamide was associated with gain of mesenchymal tumor features, upregulation of estrogen receptor expression, and significantly reduced tumor susceptibility to natural killer (NK)-mediated lysis, an effect that was associated with decreased tumor/NK cell conjugate formation with enzalutamide-resistant cells. Fulvestrant, a selective estrogen receptor degrader, restored the formation of target/NK cell conjugates and increased susceptibility to NK cell lysis in vitro. In vivo, fulvestrant demonstrated antitumor activity against enzalutamide-resistant cells, an effect that was associated with activation of NK cells.Conclusion NK cells are emerging as a promising therapeutic approach in prostate cancer. Modifying tumor plasticity via blockade of estrogen receptor with fulvestrant may offer an opportunity for immune intervention via NK cell-based approaches in enzalutamide-resistant CRPC.

Polyelectrolyte–drug complexes are interesting alternatives to improve unfavorable drug properties. Vancomycin (VAN) is an antimicrobial used in the treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus pulmonary infections in patients with cystic fibrosis. It is generally administered intravenously with a high incidence of adverse side effects, which could be reduced by intrapulmonary administration. Currently, there are no commercially available inhalable formulations containing VAN. Thus, the present work focuses on the preparation and characterization of an ionic complex between hyaluronic acid (HA) and VAN with potential use in inhalable formulations. A particulate–solid HA-VAN25 complex was obtained by spray drying from an aqueous dispersion. FTIR spectroscopy and thermal analysis confirmed the ionic interaction between HA and VAN, while an amorphous diffraction pattern was observed by X-ray. The powder density, geometric size and morphology showed the suitable aerosolization and aerodynamic performance of the powder, indicating its capability of reaching the deep lung. An in vitro extended-release profile of VAN from the complex was obtained, exceeding 24 h. Microbiological assays against methicillin-resistant and -sensitive reference strains of Staphylococcus aureus showed that VAN preserves its antibacterial efficacy. In conclusion, HA-VAN25 exhibited interesting properties for the development of inhalable formulations with potential efficacy and safety advantages over conventional treatment.

ObjectiveThe aim of the present study was to explore whether there was an interaction effect between such personal aspects and veracity on realism, clarity, and reconstructability of the story.MethodsA total of 158 participants took part in the experiment and were asked to tell a truth and a lie during an interview (veracity condition). They filled in a questionnaire measuring their metamemory performance and their level of functional and dysfunctional impulsivity. A k-means cluster analysis on metamemory and impulsivity was conducted, and three clusters were obtained: controlled-memory inefficient, controlled-memory efficient, and impulsive-average memory.ResultsThe results showed that participants scored higher on all three reality monitoring criteria when telling the truth than when lying. Further, a cluster membership by veracity interaction for realism was also significant, but when telling the truth, there was no difference between clusters in terms of realism used in the explanation. Follow-up analyses showed that, when lying, the level of realism in the story was significantly higher for people belonging to the cluster “impulsive-average memory” than for people belonging to the cluster “controlled-memory efficient”, a result that seems to indicate that people with good memory and can control dysfunctional impulsivity have more difficulties when lying.ConclusionsResearch has shown that realism, clarity, and reconstructability of the story, all part of reality monitoring, can be useful to assess veracity. Generally, truth tellers obtain higher scores on all three variables than liars, but there is some variability across individuals owing to their personal characteristics. Metamemory and impulsivity also play a role in deception. From the implications of the results, the limitations of the study and suggestions for future research are also provided.

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Vitamin, mineral, and metabolic deficiencies occur in the postoperative period of bariatric surgery, in the short and long term, and are worrisome intercurrences. AIMS: To evaluate the association of serum vitamin D levels with the lipid profile in obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery. METHODS: Case series of patients assisted from 2010 to 2018, in a private hospital of medium and high complexity, who underwent bariatric surgery using sleeve gastrectomy or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass techniques, monitored by the same surgeon. Sociodemographic, clinical, laboratory, and anthropometric data were collected preoperatively and at 6, 12, and 24 months after surgery. RESULTS: A total of 156 individuals, mostly female (75.6%) were monitored. The most frequent comorbidities were hepatic steatosis (76.3%) and hypertension (48.27). Regarding preoperative vitamin D levels, only 18.9% of the population had a satisfactory level (≥30 ng/mL). There was a reduction in weight and an improvement in the lipid profile after surgery. Significant correlations were observed between the lipid profile and vitamin D concentration only in the sample submitted to the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass technique: negative correlation between total cholesterol and vitamin D two years after surgery; positive correlation between triglycerides and vitamin D one year after surgery; and negative correlation between high-density lipoprotein and vitamin D two years post-surgery. CONCLUSIONS: It is essential to routinely monitor vitamin D levels and lipid profile pre- and postoperatively in order to avoid damage associated with this vitamin deficiency.

Research shows that lying is a common behaviour, and that verbal cues can be effective for lie detection. However, deception detection is not straightforward as there are several factors at play, such as interpersonal differences and the content of the lie. Consequently, the effectiveness of available cues for deception detection can vary significantly. In a pre-registered study involving 80 participants (a priori sample size analyses were conducted), we instructed participants to either tell the truth or lie about an autobiographical event and an opinion. The participants also completed questionnaires on personality traits and cognitive tasks, resulting in two participant clusters. Surprisingly, when analysing verbal behaviour, truthfulness, cluster memberships, and their interactions were not found to be significant. Only lie content affected verbal cues. Additional, non-pre-registered analyses revealed that liars displayed more micro-expressions than truth tellers, but only when describing their memories and when focusing on the latency time between the investigator’s question and the interviewee’s answer. The results were interpreted in terms of the experimental design, which encouraged only short answers from the interviewees, leaving limited room for verbal content to be effective.

Deception research has shown that analysing verbal content can be effective to distinguish between truths and lies. However, most verbal cues are cues to truthfulness (truth tellers report the cue more than lie tellers), whereas cues to deception (lie tellers report the cue more than truth tellers) are largely absent. The complication approach, measuring complications (cue to truthfulness), common knowledge details (cue to deception), self-handicapping strategies (cue to deception), and the ratio of complications, aims to fill this gap in the literature. The present experiment examined the effectiveness of the complication approach when varying the amount of lying, with an Italian sample. Seventy-eight participants were assigned to one of three different experimental conditions: Truth tellers (telling the truth about the event), embedders (providing a mixture of truthful and false information) and outright lie tellers (providing false information). Participants were interviewed about a past experience concerning an out of the ordinary event. Complications discriminated truth tellers from lie tellers. The absence of significant effects for common knowledge details and self-handicapping strategies, the limitations of the experiment and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Objective: To document the recovery of vascular services in Europe following the first COVID-19 pandemic peak. Methods: An online structured vascular service survey with repeated data entry between 23 March and 9 August 2020 was carried out. Unit level data were collected using repeated questionnaires addressing modifications to vascular services during the first peak (March – May 2020, “period 1”), and then again between May and June (“period 2”) and June and July 2020 (“period 3”). The duration of each period was similar. From 2 June, as reductions in cases began to be reported, centres were first asked if they were in a region still affected by rising cases, or if they had passed the peak of the first wave. These centres were asked additional questions about adaptations made to their standard pathways to permit elective surgery to resume. Results: The impact of the pandemic continued to be felt well after countries’ first peak was thought to have passed in 2020. Aneurysm screening had not returned to normal in 21.7% of centres. Carotid surgery was still offered on a case by case basis in 33.8% of centres, and only 52.9% of centres had returned to their normal aneurysm threshold for surgery. Half of centres (49.4%) believed their management of lower limb ischaemia continued to be negatively affected by the pandemic. Reduced operating theatre capacity continued in 45.5% of centres. Twenty per cent of responding centres documented a backlog of at least 20 aortic repairs. At least one negative swab and 14 days of isolation were the most common strategies used for permitting safe elective surgery to recommence. Conclusion: Centres reported a broad return of services approaching pre-pandemic “normal” by July 2020. Many introduced protocols to manage peri-operative COVID-19 risk. Backlogs in cases were reported for all major vascular surgeries.

Practitioners frequently inform us that variable ‘total details’ is not suitable for lie detection purposes in real life interviews. Practitioners cannot count the number of details in real time and the threshold of details required to classify someone as a truth teller or a lie teller is unknown. The authors started to address these issues by examining three new verbal veracity cues: complications, common knowledge details, and self-handicapping strategies. We present a meta-analysis regarding these three variables and compared the results with ‘total details’. Truth tellers reported more details (d = 0.28 to d = 0.45) and more complications (d = 0.51 to d = 0.62) and fewer common knowledge details (d = -0.40 to d = -0.46) and self-handicapping strategies (d = -0.37 to d = -0.50) than lie tellers. Complications was the best diagnostic veracity cue. The findings were similar for the initial free recall and the second recall in which only new information was examined. Four moderators (scenario, motivation, modality, and interview technique) did not affect the results. As a conclusion, complications in particular appear to be a good veracity indicator but more research is required. We included suggestions for such research.

This large, international dataset contains survey responses from N = 12,570 students from 100 universities in 35 countries, collected in 21 languages. We measured anxieties (statistics, mathematics, test, trait, social interaction, performance, creativity, intolerance of uncertainty, and fear of negative evaluation), self-efficacy, persistence, and the cognitive reflection test, and collected demographics, previous mathematics grades, self-reported and official statistics grades, and statistics module details. Data reuse potential is broad, including testing links between anxieties and statistics/mathematics education factors, and examining instruments’ psychometric properties across different languages and contexts. Data and metadata are stored on the Open Science Framework website [https://osf.io/mhg94/].

The incel community—which is characterized by an anti-feminist misogynistic ideology and has been linked with terrorist attacks—has become an increasing focus of attention among social scientists, policy makers, and professionals involved in preventing radicalization and extremism. In this systematic review we provide an up-to-date account of scientific research on the incel phenomenon. Using PRISMA guidelines, we initially identified 593 records, primarily through online database research. After full screening and duplicate removal, 78 articles remained. We divided the analyzed records into four macro-categorizations, covering theoretical, technological, violent, and personality-related components of the incel ideology. We examined the clinical implications of the analyzed findings, focusing on the potential criminological and pathological consequences related to the incel status—on a personal, interpersonal, and societal basis. Finally, suggestions regarding clinical intervention and future research foci are provided based on the knowledge gaps identified through the review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collagens in the extracellular matrix (ECM) provide a physical barrier to tumor immune infiltration, while also acting as a ligand for immune inhibitory receptors. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is a key contributor to shaping the ECM by stimulating the production and remodeling of collagens. TGF-β activation signatures and collagen-rich environments have both been associated with T cell exclusion and lack of responses to immunotherapy. Here, we describe the effect of targeting collagens that signal through the inhibitory leukocyte-associated immunoglobulin-like receptor-1 (LAIR-1) in combination with blockade of TGF-β and programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1). This approach remodeled the tumor collagenous matrix, enhanced tumor infiltration and activation of CD8+ T cells, and repolarized suppressive macrophage populations, resulting in high cure rates and long-term tumor-specific protection across murine models of colon and mammary carcinoma. The results highlight the advantage of direct targeting of ECM components in combination with immune checkpoint blockade therapy.

Academic self-efficacy beliefs influence students’ academic and career choices, as well as motivational factors and learning strategies promoting effective academic success. Nevertheless, few studies have focused on the academic self-efficacy of university students in comparison to students at other levels. Furthermore, extant measures present several limitations. The first aim of this study was to develop a reliable and valid scale assessing university students’ self-efficacy beliefs in managing academic tasks. The second aim was to investigate differences in academic self-efficacy due to gender, years of enrollment, and student status. The study involved 831 students (age M = 21.09 years; SD = 1.34 years; 66.3% women) enrolled in undergraduate programs. Indicators of academic experiences and performance (i.e., number of exams passed and average exam rating) were collected. A new scale measuring students’ academic self-efficacy beliefs was administered. Results from a preliminary Exploratory Factor Analysis were consistently supported by findings from a Confirmatory Factor Analysis. Multigroup CFA supported the presence of measurement invariance. Analyses revealed that the new scale has eight factors: “Planning Academic Activities,” “Learning Strategies,” “Information Retrieval,” “Working in Groups,” “Management of Relationships with Teachers,” “Managing Lessons,” “Stress Management,” and “Thesis Work.” Self-efficacy dimensions showed significant relations with academic experiences and students’ performance indicators, as well as differences due to gender, years of enrollment, and student status. Findings are discussed in terms of practical implications for the implementation of intervention programs aimed at fostering self-efficacy beliefs and academic success.

We examined the effects of cognitive load on the strategy selection in the forced choice test (FCT) when used to detect hidden crime knowledge. Examinees (N = 120) with and without concealed knowledge from a mock crime were subjected to an FCT either under standard circumstances or cognitive load. Cognitive load was implemented through time pressure. The FCT distinguished examinees with concealed knowledge from those without better than chance in both conditions, but the counterstrategies did not differ between conditions. Further investigation revealed that time pressure did affect examinees' ability to follow their intended counterstrategy to produce randomized test patterns, which constitutes an effective counterstrategy in the FCT. Hence, time pressure lowered the success rate of effective counterstrategies, but not their incident rates. Further disambiguation of various cognitive load manipulations and their effects on strategy selection and execution is needed.

In the past, deception detection research has explored whether there were specific personal characteristics that were related to lying and found that factors such as personality and morality are indeed related to lying. However, past research has usually focused on a variable-centered approach. Yet, a person-centered might be more suitable here as it allows for the study of people in an integrative manner. In this experiment, 673 students completed a questionnaire which included measures of the five factors of personality, the level of moral disengagement, the perceived cognitive load when lying, lying strategies, frequency of lying and the LiES scale, a tool measuring the tendency to tell self-serving, altruistic and vindicative lies. We performed a Latent Profile Analysis to integrate personality, moral disengagement, and perceived cognitive load scores into specific profiles. Then, we related profile membership to lying behavior. We obtained four profiles, and found that extraversion, moral disengagement, and the perceived cognitive load contributed most to profile differences. We also found that lying frequency did not differ across profiles, whereas lying tendency did. In conclusion, our results suggest that several facets of the individual play a joint role in lying behavior, and that adopting a person-centered approach might be a good strategy to explore the role of interpersonal differences in lie detection research.

Purpose, Retrograde recanalizations have gained increasing recognition in complex arterial occlusive disease. Re-entry devices are a well described adjunct for antegrade recanalizations. We present our experience with target balloon-assisted antegrade and retrograde recanalizations using re-entry devices in challenging chronic total occlusions. Materials and Methods: We report data from a retrospective multicenter registry. Eligibility criteria included either antegrade or retrograde use of the OutbackTM or GoBackTM re-entry catheter in combination with a balloon as a target to accomplish wire passage, when conventional antegrade and retrograde recanalization attempts had been unsuccessful. Procedural outcomes included technical success (defined as wire passage though the occlusion and delivery of adjunctive therapy with