DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF THE "QUESTION-SOLUTION-REFLECTION" FRAMEWORK

It is agreed upon in the literature that reflection is a vital part of learning, yet it is seldom focused on in the physics education context. This presentation will summarise three studies into reflective thinking in the physics education multimedia context, and the development of the “question-solution-reflection” framework. According to Dewey (1933) and Rogers (2002), reflection can be thought of containing phases - • An experience, and the spontaneous interpretation of that experience • The articulation of the problem or question that arises out of the experience • The generation of possible explanations for the question • The explanations need to be examined and tested The videos used, and developed for the present studies, followed these phases. In the first video, an experience was shown, and a question was asked. The students wrote down their answers to the question, and then watched the second video, which contained the solutions. The students were prompted to write down if they changed their answers, and the reasons for doing or not doing so. Over 3000 responses to this format have been received as part of the three studies, and we argue that the results show that this framework is effective at promoting reflective thinking. REFERENCES Dewey, J. (1933). How we think. Courier Corporation. Rodgers, C. (2002). Defining reflection: Another look at John Dewey and reflective thinking. Teachers College Record, 104(4), 842-866

Aspirin but not statins is inversely related to gastric cancer with a duration–risk effect: Results from the Stomach Cancer Pooling Project Consortium

Background: Aspirin and statins have been suggested to have potential chemopreventive effects against gastric cancer (GC), although the results of previous studies have been inconsistent. This study therefore aimed to investigate the association between the use of aspirin and statins and GC. Methods: A pooled analysis of seven case-control studies within the Stomach Cancer Pooling Project, including 3220 cases and 9752 controls, was conducted. Two-stage modeling analyses were used to estimate the association between aspirin and statin use and GC after adjusting for potential confounders. Results: The pooled odds ratio (OR) of GC for aspirin users versus nonusers was 0.72 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.54–0.95). The protective effect of aspirin appeared stronger in individuals without a GC family history (OR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.37–0.95), albeit with borderline heterogeneity between those with and without a family history (p =.064). The OR of GC decreased with increasing duration of aspirin use, with an OR of 0.41 (95% CI, 0.18–0.95) for durations of ≥15 years. An inverse, nonsignificant association with the risk of GC was observed for the use of statins alone (OR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.52–1.18). Conclusions: These findings suggest that aspirin use, particularly long-term use, is associated with a reduced risk of GC, whereas a similar association was not observed with statins, possibly because of the low frequency of use. © 2024 The Author(s). Cancer published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Cancer Society."This study was funded by the Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro (Project 21378 to Carlo La Vecchia) and by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research (PNRR per la Missione 4, Componente 2, Investimento1.1.Avviso 104/2022 Finanziato dall'Unione Europea–Next Generation EU Progetto MUR PRIN prot 2022A4WZFC to Stefania Boccia). Nuno Lunet and Samantha Morais are supported by national funds via the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) within the scope of Projects UIDB/04750/2020 and LA/P/0064/2020. Samantha Morais also received funding under the scope of Project “NEON-PC—Neuro-oncological complications of prostate cancer: Longitudinal study of cognitive decline” (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-032358; Reference PTDC/SAU-EPI/32358/2017) funded by Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional via the Operational Program “Competitiveness and Internationalisation,” national funding from the FCT, and EPIUnit–Junior Research–Prog financing (UIDP/04750/2020). This research was supported in part by the Intramural Research Program of the US National Cancer Institute. The authors thank the European Cancer Prevention Organization for providing support for project meetings. Open access publishing facilitated by Universita degli Studi di Bologna, as part of the Wiley - CRUI-CARE agreement.

Identifying the Profile of Helicobacter pylori-Negative Gastric Cancers: A Case-Only Analysis within the Stomach Cancer Pooling (StoP) Project

Background: The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori-negative gastric cancer (HpNGC) can be as low as 1%, when infection is assessed using more sensitive tests or considering the presence of gastric atrophy. HpNGC may share a high-risk profile contributing to the occurrence of cancer in the absence of infection. We estimated the proportion of HpNGC, using different criteria to define infection status, and compared HpNGC and positive cases regarding gastric cancer risk factors. Methods: Cases from 12 studies from the Stomach cancer Pooling (StoP) Project providing data on H. pylori infection status determined by serologic test were included. HpNGC was reclassified as positive (eight studies) when cases presented CagA markers (four studies), gastric atrophy (six studies), or advanced stage at diagnosis (three studies), and were compared with positive cases. A two-stage approach (random-effects models) was used to pool study-specific prevalence and adjusted odds ratios (OR). Results: Among non-cardia cases, the pooled prevalence of HpNGC was 22.4% (n = 166/853) and decreased to 7.0% (n = 55) when considering CagA status; estimates for all criteria were 21.8% (n = 276/1, 325) and 6.6% (n = 97), respectively. HpNGC had a family history of gastric cancer more often [OR = 2.18; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.03-4.61] and were current smokers (OR = 2.16; 95% CI, 0.52-9.02). Conclusion: This study found a low prevalence of HpNGC, who are more likely to have a family history of gastric cancer in first-degree relatives. Impact: Our results support that H. pylori infection is present in most non-cardia gastric cancers, and suggest that HpNGC may have distinct patterns of exposure to other risk factors.S. Morais, B. Peleteiro, N. Araújo, and N. Lunet received national funding from the Foundation for Science and Technology – FCT (Portuguese Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education), under the Unidade de Investigação em Epidemiologia – Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto (EPIUnit; UIDB/04750/2020). S. Morais received funding under the scope of the project “NEON-PC - Neuro-oncological complications of prostate cancer: longitudinal study of cognitive decline” (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-032358; ref. PTDC/SAU-EPI/32358/2017) funded by FEDER through the Operational Program Competitiveness and Internationalization, and national funding from FCT, and the EPIunit – Junior Research – Prog Financing (UIDP/04750/2020). N. Araújo received an individual grant (SFRH/BD/119390/2016) funded by FCT and the ‘Programa Operacional Capital Humano’ (POCH/FSE). C. La Vecchia received funding from the Italian Association for Cancer Research (AIRC, investigator grant no. 21378). All authors received support from the European Cancer Prevention (ECP) Organization for project meetings. All authors thank all MCC-Spain study collaborators (CIBERESP, ISCIII, ISGlobal, ICO, University of Huelva, University of Oviedo, University of Cantabria, University of León, ibs. Granada, Instituto Salud Pública de Navarra, FISABIO, Murcia Regional Health Authority and cols). The costs of publication of this article were defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. This article must therefore be hereby marked advertisement in accordance with 18 U.S.C. Section 1734 solely to indicate this fact

Family history and gastric cancer risk: A pooled investigation in the stomach cancer pooling (STOP) project consortium

Research is still required to establish the relationship between family history (FH) and gastric cancer (GC) in relation to different histological types and anatomical sites. The present work aimed to examine the influence of first-degree FH on the risk of GC, also according to the GC location and histological type, including 5946 cases and 12,776 controls from 17 studies of 11 countries in three continents participating in the Stomach Cancer Pooling (StoP) Project consortium. This analysis confirms the effect of FH on the risk of GC, reporting an approximately doubled risk, and provides further quantification of the risk of GC according to the subsite and histotype. Although there is a clear relationship between family history (FH) and the risk of gastric cancer (GC), quantification is still needed in relation to different histological types and anatomical sites, and in strata of covariates. The objective was to analyze the risk of GC according to first-degree FH in a uniquely large epidemiological consortium of GC. This investigation includes 5946 cases and 12,776 controls from 17 studies of the Stomach Cancer Pooling (StoP) Project consortium. Summary odds ratios (OR) and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by pooling study-specific ORs using fixed-effect model meta-analysis techniques. Stratified analyses were carried out by sex, age, tumor location and histological type, smoking habit, socioeconomic status, alcohol intake and fruit consumption. The pooled OR for GC was 1.84 (95% CI: 1.64-2.04; I2 = 6.1%, P heterogeneity = 0.383) in subjects with vs. those without first-degree relatives with GC. No significant differences were observed among subgroups of sex, age, geographic area or study period. Associations tended to be stronger for non-cardia (OR = 1.82; 95% CI: 1.59-2.05 for subjects with FH) than for cardia GC (OR = 1.38; 95% CI: 0.98-1.77), and for the intestinal (OR = 1.92; 95% CI: 1.62-2.23) than for the diffuse histotype (OR = 1.62; 95% CI: 1.28-1.96). This analysis confirms the effect of FH on the risk of GC, reporting an approximately doubled risk, and provides further quantification of the risk of GC according to the subsite and histotype. Considering these findings, accounting for the presence of FH to carry out correct prevention and diagnosis measures is of the utmost importance

Распределение генов HLA II у больных раком носоглотки, ассоциированным с вирусом Эпштейна–Барр, и другими опухолями ротовой полости в России

Background. It has been proved that for the nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) the etiological agent is the Epstein–Barr virus (EBV). Being an ubiquitous infection, EBV, under certain conditions, is able to display its oncogenic potential. Among a wide range of tumors associated with EBV, the NPC occupies a special place because it is characterized by a geographically and ethnically heterogeneous distribution, suggesting that in the pathogenesis of NPC, in addition to EBV, an important role is played by other factors, such as genetic predisposition to this neoplasm. Among known genetic factors influencing the frequency of NPC development, the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) complex occupies an important place, as it plays a central role in the presentation of viral antigens to the immune system. In Russia, the association of HLA alleles with the risk of EBV associated forms of NPC development and with development of other oral cavity tumors (OOCT), not associated with the virus, has not been studied. In the literature there are contradictory information about HLA genes, which determine the predisposition to the emergence of these tumors, and their role in the initiation and formation an immune response to EBV proteins.Objective: to study the distribution of the of DQA1-, DQB1-, DRB1-HLA class II gene variants associated with respectively the risk or resistance to the development of NPC and OOCT and with a high and low level of antibody response to EBV main proteins. A group of healthy persons served as a control.Materials and methods. Blood samples from 62 patients with NPC, 44 patients with OOCT, and as control, 300 healthy individuals, were used in the study. The blood serum samples of NPC and OOCT patients were tested for the presence of immunoglobulin classes G and A antibodies to capsid and early EBV antigens by indirect immunofluorescence. All serum samples of patients and healthy individuals were genotyped on HLA-DQA1, -DQB1 and -DRB1 by the method of multi-primer amplification by sequence-specific primers by real-time polymerase chain reaction.Results. In NPC patients, an increase in the frequency of HLA-DRB1*08 was found when compared with the frequency of a similar allele in healthy individuals (5.6 % vs 1.8 %; odds ratio (OR) 3.2; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.1–9.1; p = 0.02), and, on the contrary, a lower HLA-DQB1*0301 frequency was detected (16.1 % vs 25.3 %; p <0.05) than in healthy individuals. The data obtained suggest that the HLA-DRB1*08 gene is associated with an increased sensitivity to NPC.In OOCT patients, HLA-DQB1*0502–4 and HLA-DRB1*16 variants were less common than in healthy individuals (1.1 % vs 6.8 %; p <0.05 and 1.1 % vs 6.7 %; OR 0.16; 95 % CI 0.01–1.08; p <0.05, respectively), suggesting that the HLA-DQB1*0301 gene is associated with resistance to NPC, and HLA-DQB1*0502–4 and HLA-DRB1*16 variants – with resistance to OOCT. It is interesting to note the difference in the frequency of HLA-DRB1*13 between NPC and OOCT patients (17.7 % vs 6.8 %; OR 2.9; 95 %CI 1.1–8.6; p <0.05). One can suggest that this difference is related to the proven involvement of EBV in the NPC development. There were no other differences in the frequencies of class II HLA genes between the groups of NPC and OOCT patients. For the first time in Russia the importance of alleles DQA1, DQB1 and DRB1 of the HLA gene for the NPC and OOCT development, malignant tumors, respectively associated and non-associated with EBV, was studied. The results of the investigation completed together with known literature data allow us to conclude that the above alleles of the HLA class II gene can serve as a factor predisposing to the development of NPC in Russia.Conclusion. However, in order to establish a strict association between a specific HLA haplotype and the NPC and OOCT incidence, the information obtained is insufficient due to the complexity and variability of the genetic control of immune responses controlling the tumor process. A comprehensive study of this issue using different immune response genes and populations of different ethnic origins will probably help to elucidate the effect of genetic polymorphism on the risk of NPC and OOCT development in Russia.Введение. Назофарингеальная карцинома (рак носоглотки, РНГ), как известно, строго ассоциирована с вирусом Эпштейна–Барр (ВЭБ). Однако ВЭБ является убиквитарной инфекцией, тогда как РНГ развивается довольно редко и характеризуется географически и этнически неоднородным распространением, что позволяет предположить важную роль других кофакторов в патогенезе РНГ, таких как окружающая среда и генетическая предрасположенность. Среди известных генетических факторов, ассоциированных с РНГ, главный комплекс гистосовместимости (лейкоцитарный антиген человека, human leukocyte antigen (HLA)) занимает важное положение, так как играет ключевую роль в презентации вирусных антигенов иммунной системы. В России изучение ассоциации аллелей HLA с риском развития РНГ, связанного с ВЭБ, не проводилось, а в литературе существуют противоречивые сведения о роли разных HLA-генов как в возникновении и развитии РНГ, так и в инициации и особенностях иммунного ответа к белкам ВЭБ.Цель исследования – изучение распределения вариантов DQA1-, DQB1-, DRB1-генов HLA класса II у больных РНГ и пациентов с другими опухолями полости рта (ДОПР), ассоциированными и не ассоциированными с ВЭБ, в группах с высоким и низким уровнем гуморального иммунного ответа к основным белкам ВЭБ по сравнению с контрольной группой здоровых лиц.Материалы и методы. Всего в исследование вошли 62 больных недифференцированным РНГ и 44 пациента с ДОПР, а также 300 здоровых лиц. Сыворотка крови всех больных была протестирована на наличие антител иммуноглобулинов классов G и А к капсидному и раннему антигенам ВЭБ методом непрямой иммунофлюоресценции. Все образцы генотипированы на HLA-DQA1, -DQB1 и -DRB1 с помощью мультипраймерной амплификации сиквенс-специфическими праймерами методом полимеразной цепной реакции в режиме реального времени.Результаты. Показано увеличение частоты HLA-DRB1*08 у пациентов с РНГ по сравнению с контролем (5,6 % против 1,8 %; отношение шансов (ОШ) 3,2; 95 % доверительный интервал (ДИ) 1,1–9,1; р = 0,02). Возможно, ген HLA-DRB1*08 ассоциирован с повышенной чувствительностью к РНГ. В то же время у пациентов с РНГ была выявлена более низкая, чем в контроле, частота HLA-DQB1*0301 (16,1 % против 25,3 %; р <0,05). Вариант HLA-DQB1*0502–4, наоборот, реже встречался у пациентов с ДОПР, чем в контроле (1,1 % против 6,8 %; р <0,05). Аналогичные наблюдения касаются HLA-DRB1*16, частота которого у пациентов с ДОПР была ниже, чем в контроле (1,1 % против 6,7 %; ОШ 0,16; 95 % ДИ 0,01–1,08; р <0,05), т. е. ген HLA-DQB1*0301 ассоциирован с резистентностью к РНГ, а варианты HLA-DQB1*0502–4 и HLA-DRB1*16 – с резистентностью к ДОПР.Интересен факт обнаружения различий в частоте HLA-DRB1*13 у пациентов с РНГ и ДОПР (17,7 % против 6,8 %; ОШ 2,9; 95 % ДИ 1,1–8,6; р <0,05). Эти различия могут быть связаны с доказанным участием ВЭБ в развитии РНГ. Других различий по частотам генов HLA класса II между группами пациентов с РНГ и ДОПР не выявлено. Впервые в России проведено изучение связи аллелей DQA1, DQB1 и DRB1 гена HLA с развитием назофарингеальной карциномы (РНГ) и ДОПР, ассоциированных и не ассоциированных с ВЭБ.Заключение. Наши исследования в совокупности с уже известными данными позволяют заключить, что имеется определенная связь генов HLA класса II c развитием РНГ, однако для установления строгой ассоциации аллелей HLA класса II с РНГ и другими опухолями области головы и шеи полученных сведений недостаточно из-за сложности и вариабельности генетического контроля иммунных реакций, контролирующих опухолевый процесс

Hydraulic Properties of Karst Groundwater and Its Impacts on Large Structures

A karst environment is a particularly sensitive and risky geological formation for the infrastructure construction from the micro to the mega scale. The hydraulic properties and specific regime of groundwater in karst are, in many cases, the source of catastrophic failures. The most common destructive influence of groundwater is the consequence of: massive turbulent flows; the fast erosion of unconsolidated deposits in caverns and joints; the great kinetic energy of underground flows; propagation of hydraulic pressure at large distances (piston effect); and the enormous hydraulic pressures created in periods of full aquifer saturation, including water-hammer and air-hammer effects due to rapid fluctuation of the water levels. Despite extensive investigations, the destructive impacts are mostly unpredictable in space and time. In many cases these destructive processes take time to become established but final effects appear abruptly, causing considerable damages or failures. The most common consequences of these impacts are subsidence at the urban areas, along the roads and railways, as well as at the bottom of reservoirs; water seepage from reservoirs; break-in of groundwater under high pressure during underground excavation; destruction of surface remediation structures; destruction of tunnel lining; degradation of grout curtains, induced seismicity; decreasing of downstream spring discharges; endangerment of underground species; and the creation of many other unpredictable and unexpected problems. Some dam failures (empty reservoirs) or collapses (entire buildings and factories sinks) were catastrophic. Successful remediation solutions require serious and comprehensive investigations including long period monitoring of groundwater regimes and (in many cases) remedial works during the lifetime of the structure. During construction modifications and adaptations of structures are very common in karst. Persistent, time-consuming and expensive remedial works during the lifetime of the structure are no exception, bu

HLA II genes distribution in Epstein–Barr virus-associated nasopharyngeal carcinoma and other tumors of the oral cavity patients in Russia

Background. It has been proved that for the nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) the etiological agent is the Epstein–Barr virus (EBV). Being an ubiquitous infection, EBV, under certain conditions, is able to display its oncogenic potential. Among a wide range of tumors associated with EBV, the NPC occupies a special place because it is characterized by a geographically and ethnically heterogeneous distribution, suggesting that in the pathogenesis of NPC, in addition to EBV, an important role is played by other factors, such as genetic predisposition to this neoplasm. Among known genetic factors influencing the frequency of NPC development, the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) complex occupies an important place, as it plays a central role in the presentation of viral antigens to the immune system. In Russia, the association of HLA alleles with the risk of EBV associated forms of NPC development and with development of other oral cavity tumors (OOCT), not associated with the virus, has not been studied. In the literature there are contradictory information about HLA genes, which determine the predisposition to the emergence of these tumors, and their role in the initiation and formation an immune response to EBV proteins.Objective: to study the distribution of the of DQA1-, DQB1-, DRB1-HLA class II gene variants associated with respectively the risk or resistance to the development of NPC and OOCT and with a high and low level of antibody response to EBV main proteins. A group of healthy persons served as a control.Materials and methods. Blood samples from 62 patients with NPC, 44 patients with OOCT, and as control, 300 healthy individuals, were used in the study. The blood serum samples of NPC and OOCT patients were tested for the presence of immunoglobulin classes G and A antibodies to capsid and early EBV antigens by indirect immunofluorescence. All serum samples of patients and healthy individuals were genotyped on HLA-DQA1, -DQB1 and -DRB1 by the method of multi-primer amplification by sequence-specific primers by real-time polymerase chain reaction.Results. In NPC patients, an increase in the frequency of HLA-DRB1*08 was found when compared with the frequency of a similar allele in healthy individuals (5.6 % vs 1.8 %; odds ratio (OR) 3.2; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.1–9.1; p = 0.02), and, on the contrary, a lower HLA-DQB1*0301 frequency was detected (16.1 % vs 25.3 %; p <0.05) than in healthy individuals. The data obtained suggest that the HLA-DRB1*08 gene is associated with an increased sensitivity to NPC.In OOCT patients, HLA-DQB1*0502–4 and HLA-DRB1*16 variants were less common than in healthy individuals (1.1 % vs 6.8 %; p <0.05 and 1.1 % vs 6.7 %; OR 0.16; 95 % CI 0.01–1.08; p <0.05, respectively), suggesting that the HLA-DQB1*0301 gene is associated with resistance to NPC, and HLA-DQB1*0502–4 and HLA-DRB1*16 variants – with resistance to OOCT. It is interesting to note the difference in the frequency of HLA-DRB1*13 between NPC and OOCT patients (17.7 % vs 6.8 %; OR 2.9; 95 %CI 1.1–8.6; p <0.05). One can suggest that this difference is related to the proven involvement of EBV in the NPC development. There were no other differences in the frequencies of class II HLA genes between the groups of NPC and OOCT patients. For the first time in Russia the importance of alleles DQA1, DQB1 and DRB1 of the HLA gene for the NPC and OOCT development, malignant tumors, respectively associated and non-associated with EBV, was studied. The results of the investigation completed together with known literature data allow us to conclude that the above alleles of the HLA class II gene can serve as a factor predisposing to the development of NPC in Russia.Conclusion. However, in order to establish a strict association between a specific HLA haplotype and the NPC and OOCT incidence, the information obtained is insufficient due to the complexity and variability of the genetic control of immune responses controlling the tumor process. A comprehensive study of this issue using different immune response genes and populations of different ethnic origins will probably help to elucidate the effect of genetic polymorphism on the risk of NPC and OOCT development in Russia