bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of imaging in the diagnosis, staging, and management of the osteochondral lesions of the talus
Authors: Khan Imran , Ranjit Srinath , Welck Matt , Saifuddin Asif
Published: February 2024

Osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLT) represent an abnormality of the articular cartilage and sub-chondral bone. The abnormality is typically associated with trauma though the exact aetiology remains unknown. Multiple staging systems have been developed to classify the abnormality and management can vary from conservative treatment to different surgical options. Early diagnosis is essential for optimal outcome and all imaging modalities have a role to play in patient management. The aim of this article is to review the pathology, classification, multimodality imaging appearances of OLT, and how the imaging affects patient management.
In-phase and opposed-phase Dixon chemical shift imaging for the assessment of skeletal marrow lesions: comparison of measurements from longitudinal sequences to those from axial sequences
Authors: Saifuddin Asif , Ali Mohamed , Santiago Rodney , Pressney Ian
Published: February 2024

Objective

In-phase and opposed-phase chemical shift imaging (CSI) is a useful technique for assessing skeletal lesions. This study determined the frequency of significant differences in measurements obtained from longitudinal (coronal or sagittal) sequences to those obtained from axial sequences.

Methods

Chemical shift imaging was undertaken in 96 consecutive patients referred from the Musculoskeletal Sarcoma and Spinal Oncology services for assessment of possible bone tumours as part of a standard tumour protocol, which included turbo spin echo and inversion recovery sequences. For spinal lesions, CSI was obtained in the sagittal and axial planes, while for all other sites, it was obtained in the coronal and axial planes.

Results

The study included 49 (51.0%) males and 47 (49.0%) females with mean age 42.4 years (range 2-91 years). In 4 cases, 2 individual lesions were assessed, making a total of 100 lesions. Based on typical imaging features (n = 57) or histology (n = 43), 22 lesions (22%) were classified as non-neoplastic, 44 (44%) as benign neoplasms, 6 (6%) as intermediate-grade neoplasms, and 28 (28%) as malignant neoplasms. A significant discrepancy, wherein a lesion was classified as fat-containing (% SI drop >20%-25%) in the longitudinal plane, while in the axial plane it was classified as fat-replacing (% SI drop <20%-25%), or vice versa, occurred in 9%-14% of cases. However, this discrepancy had no appreciable effect on overall diagnostic accuracy, which was calculated at 79% for the longitudinal plane and 75%-80% for the axial plane.

Conclusions

Significant differences in CSI measurements occur in 9%-14% of cases based on imaging plane, but with no significant effect on diagnostic accuracy.

Advances in knowledge

Radiologists should be aware that CSI measurements in different planes appear to have significant differences in up to 14% of lesions. However, diagnostic accuracy does not seem to be significantly affected.
Hegemony, Common Sense and Good Sense: A Gramscian Study of Policymakers’ Perspectives on Dealing with Poverty in Child Welfare and Protection
Authors: Decoene John William , Van Beveren Laura , Roets Griet , Roose Rudi
Published: February 2024

The existing international research on the prevalence of poverty in Child Welfare and Protection (CWP) services points to a persistent discourse of ‘pedagogicalisation’, meaning that CWP interventions often construct social problems, such as poverty, as emerging from a failing education of families, and leave the social circumstances of the families unchallenged. Although front line practitioners in CWP can exercise professional discretion in dealing with poverty, policy and organisational cultures have a crucial impact on whether their efforts to engage with the lack of adequate societal resources of families remain informal and hidden or are being supported to transform CWP’s dominant approach to poverty. This study applies a Gramscian framework to examine instances of hegemony, common sense and good sense in policymakers’ discourses on CWP and poverty. Based on a qualitative content analysis of semi-structured interviews with n = 16 policymakers of the governmental organisation on CWP in Flanders, we provide insight into the hegemonic discourses of pedagogicalisation in Flemish CWP policy. Nevertheless, our results also provide evidence of counter-narratives. Although embryonic, instances of good sense hold seeds of change based on a recognition of the impact of poverty on families and of CWP’s role to strive for social justice.
Synthesis of diamondoids through hydrogenation of adamantane-annulated arenes
Authors: Toyama Yoshifumi , Yoshihara Takaku , Shudo Hiroki , Ito Hideto , Itami Kenichiro , Yagi Akiko
Published: February 2024

Diamondoids are cage-shaped saturated hydrocarbons whose carbon scaffolds are substructures of diamond. Despite their potential application, the availability of diamondoids has been significantly limited due mainly to the difficulty in synthesis. Herein, we report a new synthetic methodology for diamondoids. It was found that adamantane-annulated arenes, which can be synthesized by our recently developed method, can be transformed to saturated hydrocarbons by catalytic hydrogenation of arene moieties. The thus-obtained hydrocarbons are unnatural diamondoids, which are otherwise difficult toobtaine. The structural analysis and DFT calculation of the reaction mechanism were also performed to initiate exploration of the untapped synthetic chemistry of diamondoids.
Sex-based analysis of NSTEMI processes of care and outcomes by hospital: a nationwide cohort study
Authors: Weight Nicholas , Moledina Saadiq , Kontopantelis Evangelos , Van Spall Harriette , Dafaalla Mohammed , Chieffo Alaide , Iannaccone Mario , Chen Denis , Rashid Muhammad , Mauri-Ferre Josepa , Tamis-Holland Jacqueline E , Mamas Mamas A
Published: February 2024

Background

Contemporary studies demonstrate that non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) processes of care vary according to sex. Little is known regarding variation in practice between geographical areas and centres.

Methods

We identified 305 014 NSTEMI admissions in the United Kingdom (UK) Myocardial Ischaemia National Audit Project (MINAP), 2010–17, including female sex (110 209). Hierarchical, multivariate logistic regression models were fitted, assessing for differences in primary outcomes according to sex. Risk-standardized mortality rates (RSMR) were calculated for individual hospitals to illustrate the correlation with variables of interest. ‘Heat maps’ were plotted to show regional and sex-based variation in the opportunity-based quality indicator score (surrogate for optimal processes of care).

Results

Women presented older (77 years vs. 69 years, P < 0.001) and were more often Caucasian (93% vs. 91%, P < 0.001). Women were less frequently managed with an invasive coronary angiogram (58% vs. 75%, P < 0.001) or percutaneous coronary intervention (35% vs. 49%, P < 0.001). In our hospital-clustered analysis, we show a positive correlation between the RSMR and the increasing proportion of women treated for NSTEMI (R2 = 0.17, P < 0.001). There was a clear negative correlation between the proportion of women who had an optimum OBQI score during their admission and RSMR (R2 = 0.22, P < 0.001), with a weaker correlation in men (R2 = 0.08, P < 0.001). Heat maps according to the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) demonstrate significant regional variation in the OBQI score, with women receiving poorer quality care throughout the UK.

Conclusion

There was a significant variation in the management of patients with NSTEMI according to sex, with widespread geographical variation. Structural changes are required to enable improved care for women.
Interposition of right internal iliac artery free-graft for left coronary artery reimplantation in adults with anomalous left coronary artery originating from the pulmonary artery: case series and long-term results
Authors: Pirk Jan , Kolesar Dushan Michael , Kovac Jozef , Ivak Peter
Published: February 2024

Anomalous left coronary artery originating from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) is an infrequent congenital anomaly. Presentation of this syndrome is rare in adults. Nevertheless, adult patients are at risk of ischaemia, arrhythmias or sudden cardiac death and always require surgical intervention. At our institution, a specific technique of interposition of the right internal iliac artery as a free-graft for left coronary artery reimplantation was used in adult ALCAPA patients. The aim of this report is to determine long-term results and experiences with this surgical technique.
Transcatheter or surgical aortic valve implantation: 10-year outcomes of the NOTION trial
Authors: Thyregod Hans Gustav Hørsted , Jørgensen Troels Højsgaard , Ihlemann Nikolaj , Steinbrüchel Daniel Andreas , Nissen Henrik , Kjeldsen Bo Juel , Petursson Petur , De Backer Ole , Olsen Peter Skov , Søndergaard Lars
Published: February 2024

Background and Aims

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has become a viable treatment option for patients with severe aortic valve stenosis across a broad range of surgical risk. The Nordic Aortic Valve Intervention (NOTION) trial was the first to randomize patients at lower surgical risk to TAVI or surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). The aim of the present study was to report clinical and bioprosthesis outcomes after 10 years.

Methods

The NOTION trial randomized 280 patients to TAVI with the self-expanding CoreValve (Medtronic Inc.) bioprosthesis (n = 145) or SAVR with a bioprosthesis (n = 135). The primary composite outcome was the risk of all-cause mortality, stroke, or myocardial infarction. Bioprosthetic valve dysfunction (BVD) was classified as structural valve deterioration (SVD), non-structural valve dysfunction (NSVD), clinical valve thrombosis, or endocarditis according to Valve Academic Research Consortium-3 criteria. Severe SVD was defined as (i) a transprosthetic gradient of 30 mmHg or more and an increase in transprosthetic gradient of 20 mmHg or more or (ii) severe new intraprosthetic regurgitation. Bioprosthetic valve failure (BVF) was defined as the composite rate of death from a valve-related cause or an unexplained death following the diagnosis of BVD, aortic valve re-intervention, or severe SVD.

Results

Baseline characteristics were similar between TAVI and SAVR: age 79.2 ± 4.9 years and 79.0 ± 4.7 years (P = .7), male 52.6% and 53.8% (P = .8), and Society of Thoracic Surgeons score < 4% of 83.4% and 80.0% (P = .5), respectively. After 10 years, the risk of the composite outcome all-cause mortality, stroke, or myocardial infarction was 65.5% after TAVI and 65.5% after SAVR [hazard ratio (HR) 1.0; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.7–1.3; P = .9], with no difference for each individual outcome. Severe SVD had occurred in 1.5% and 10.0% (HR 0.2; 95% CI 0.04–0.7; P = .02) after TAVI and SAVR, respectively. The cumulative incidence for severe NSVD was 20.5% and 43.0% (P < .001) and for endocarditis 7.2% and 7.4% (P = 1.0) after TAVI and SAVR, respectively. No patients had clinical valve thrombosis. Bioprosthetic valve failure occurred in 9.7% of TAVI and 13.8% of SAVR patients (HR 0.7; 95% CI 0.4–1.5; P = .4).

Conclusions

In patients with severe AS and lower surgical risk randomized to TAVI or SAVR, the risk of major clinical outcomes was not different 10 years after treatment. The risk of severe bioprosthesis SVD was lower after TAVR compared with SAVR, while the risk of BVF was similar.
Potential Role of DNA Methylation as a Driver of Plastic Responses to the Environment Across Cells, Organisms, and Populations
Authors: Bogan Samuel N , Yi Soojin V
Published: February 2024

There is great interest in exploring epigenetic modifications as drivers of adaptive organismal responses to environmental change. Extending this hypothesis to populations, epigenetically driven plasticity could influence phenotypic changes across environments. The canonical model posits that epigenetic modifications alter gene regulation and subsequently impact phenotypes. We first discuss origins of epigenetic variation in nature, which may arise from genetic variation, spontaneous epimutations, epigenetic drift, or variation in epigenetic capacitors. We then review and synthesize literature addressing three facets of the aforementioned model: (i) causal effects of epigenetic modifications on phenotypic plasticity at the organismal level, (ii) divergence of epigenetic patterns in natural populations distributed across environmental gradients, and (iii) the relationship between environmentally induced epigenetic changes and gene expression at the molecular level. We focus on DNA methylation, the most extensively studied epigenetic modification. We find support for environmentally associated epigenetic structure in populations and selection on stable epigenetic variants, and that inhibition of epigenetic enzymes frequently bears causal effects on plasticity. However, there are pervasive confounding issues in the literature. Effects of chromatin-modifying enzymes on phenotype may be independent of epigenetic marks, alternatively resulting from functions and protein interactions extrinsic of epigenetics. Associations between environmentally induced changes in DNA methylation and expression are strong in plants and mammals but notably absent in invertebrates and nonmammalian vertebrates. Given these challenges, we describe emerging approaches to better investigate how epigenetic modifications affect gene regulation, phenotypic plasticity, and divergence among populations.
Putting the Catholics back in: the ‘rise of Arminianism’ reconsidered
Authors: Marshalek Kathryn
Published: February 2024

This article places the ‘rise of Arminianism’ in the context of changing state policies towards English Catholics at the European dynastic conjuncture of the early 1620s. Through an examination of theological conferences held across 1622–3, it is suggested that both Arminianism and the controversy it engendered were competitive responses from within the Church of England to counter a reversionary Catholic interest. These conferences provided the immediate context for Richard Montague’s tracts of 1624–5, the response to which is considered in terms of conflicting conceptualizations of the character of the Church of England and its relationship to the Church of Rome.
Pathways controlling neurotoxicity and proteostasis in mitochondrial complex I deficiency
Authors: Nithianandam Vanitha , Sarkar Souvarish , Feany Mel B
Published: February 2024

Neuromuscular disorders caused by dysfunction of the mitochondrial respiratory chain are common, severe and untreatable. We recovered a number of mitochondrial genes, including electron transport chain components, in a large forward genetic screen for mutations causing age-related neurodegeneration in the context of proteostasis dysfunction. We created a model of complex I deficiency in the Drosophila retina to probe the role of protein degradation abnormalities in mitochondrial encephalomyopathies. Using our genetic model, we found that complex I deficiency regulates both the ubiquitin/proteasome and autophagy/lysosome arms of the proteostasis machinery. We further performed an in vivo kinome screen to uncover new and potentially druggable mechanisms contributing to complex I related neurodegeneration and proteostasis failure. Reduction of RIOK kinases and the innate immune signaling kinase pelle prevented neurodegeneration in complex I deficiency animals. Genetically targeting oxidative stress, but not RIOK1 or pelle knockdown, normalized proteostasis markers. Our findings outline distinct pathways controlling neurodegeneration and protein degradation in complex I deficiency and introduce an experimentally facile model in which to study these debilitating and currently treatment-refractory disorders.
An in-situ image enhancement method for the detection of marine organisms by remotely operated vehicles
Authors: Ouyang Wenjia , Wei Yanhui , Hou Tongtong , Liu Junnan
Published: February 2024

With the assistance of the visual system, remote operated vehicles (ROVs) can replace frogmen to achieve safer and more efficient capturing of marine organisms. However, the selective absorption and scattering of light lead to a decrease in the visual quality of underwater images, which hinders ROV operators from observing the operating environment. Unfortunately, most image enhancement methods only focus on image color correction rather than perceptual enhancement, which in turn prevents the object detector from quickly locating the target. Therefore, a visual-enhanced and detection-friendly underwater image enhancement method is needed. In this paper, an underwater image enhancement method called in-situ enhancement is proposed to improve the semantic information of the visual hierarchy based on current scene information in multiple stages. Mapping the underwater image to its dual space allows the enhancement equation to be applied to severely degraded underwater scenes. Moreover, it is also a detection-friendly method and has good generalization in both visual quality improvement and object detection. The experimental results show that in different underwater datasets, the in-situ enhancement effectively improves the visual quality of underwater images, and its enhanced results train different object detectors with high detection accuracy.
Environmental and exergoeconomic analysis of a low-carbon polygeneration process based on biomass energy, a geothermal source and a high-temperature fuel cell
Authors: Luo Feng , Taghavi Mohammad
Published: February 2024

By combining renewable energy resources, we can expect higher efficiency from energy systems, which in turn can facilitate their commercialization. In addition, fuel cells are among the clean devices that provide superior performance with zero environmental pollution. Fuel cells can improve the stability of the energy conversion system by storing energy. This paper introduces and analyzes a polygeneration system driven by a biomass fuel and a geothermal source. The system consists of a high-temperature fuel cell coupled with a gasification cycle. In addition, a triple-flash geothermal cycle, a refrigeration unit, and a proton-exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer are used in the bottoming cycle. Accordingly, power, hydrogen, and cooling and heating capacities are considered as products of the system. Energy, exergy, environmental and economic analyses have been applied to evaluate the system. Besides that, the optimal working conditions of the system based on two decision-making methods have been identified. According to the findings, the outputs of power and hydrogen from the polygeneration system were equal to 3880.8 kW and 0.356 kg/h. Also, cooling and heating capacities of 2168.1 and 1534.5 kW can be obtained. Accordingly, the system will be 33.16% and 60.39% efficient in terms of energy and exergy. Further, the total emitted CO2 and product unit cost are 57.75 kg/GJ and 5.802$/GJ. According to the TOPSIS decision-making method, more optimal environmental and cost findings can be achieved than using the LINMAP method.
Dense-YOLOv7: improved real-time insulator detection framework based on YOLOv7
Authors: Yang Zhengqiang , Xie Ruonan , Liu Linyue , Li Ning
Published: February 2024

Due to various mechanical and electrical stresses caused by changes in environmental and power load conditions, insulators may fail, resulting in serious economic losses. Manual cleaning of insulators is subject to weather and environmental constraints and poses significant safety risks. Traditional insulator detection methods have problems such as slow detection speed and poor robustness. Therefore, this paper proposes a real-time insulator detection algorithm based on the improved YOLOv7. First, in order to effectively streamline the number of parameters, Dense-YOLOv7 adopts the dense connection concept of DenseNet to design DenseBlock. Second, replacing the loss function with Focal Loss to solve the problem of unbalanced matching of foreground and background sample quantities has improved the detection accuracy of the model. Finally, to address the issue of PReLU and LeakyReLU activation functions being insensitive to spatial information, the activation function is replaced with FReLU to improve the robustness of the model. The experimental dataset used in this paper is a combination of the Chinese Power Transmission Line Insulator Dataset (CPTLID) and our own dataset. The experimental results show that the improved algorithm in this paper has only 44.23 M parameters and a detection speed of 44.87 FPS, which is 4.8% less than that of YOLOv7 and 8.14% quicker than that of YOLOv7. Experimental results show that Dense-YOLOv7 can significantly streamline the model parameter size while maintaining high accuracy and effectively improve the detection speed, which can meet the application requirements of real-time insulator detection.
Characteristics of the Sexual Networks of Men Who Have Sex With Men in Montréal, Toronto, and Vancouver: Insights from Canada's 2022 Mpox Outbreak
Authors: Xiu Fanyu , Flores Anato Jorge Luis , Cox Joseph , Grace Daniel , Hart Trevor A , Skakoon-Sparling Shayna , Dvorakova Milada , Knight Jesse , Wang Linwei , Gatalo Oliver , Campbell Evan , Zhang Terri , Sbihi Hind , Irvine Michael A , Mishra Sharmistha , Maheu-Giroux Mathieu
Published: February 2024

Background

The 2022–2023 global mpox outbreak disproportionately affected gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBM). We investigated differences in GBM's sexual partner distributions across Canada's 3 largest cities and over time, and how they shaped transmission.

Methods

The Engage Cohort Study (2017–2023) recruited GBM via respondent-driven sampling in Montréal, Toronto, and Vancouver (n = 2449). We compared reported sexual partner distributions across cities and periods: before COVID-19 (2017–2019), pandemic (2020–2021), and after lifting of restrictions (2021–2023). We used Bayesian regression and poststratification to model partner distributions. We estimated mpox's basic reproduction number (R0) using a risk-stratified compartmental model.

Results

Pre–COVID-19 pandemic distributions were comparable: fitted average partners (past 6 months) were 10.4 (95% credible interval: 9.4–11.5) in Montréal, 13.1 (11.3–15.1) in Toronto, and 10.7 (9.5–12.1) in Vancouver. Sexual activity decreased during the pandemic and increased after lifting of restrictions, but remained below prepandemic levels. Based on reported cases, we estimated R0 of 2.4 to 2.7 and similar cumulative incidences (0.7%–0.9%) across cities.

Conclusions

Similar sexual partner distributions may explain comparable R0 and cumulative incidence across cities. With potential for further recovery in sexual activity, mpox vaccination and surveillance strategies should be maintained.
Communities of Practice in World Politics: Advancing a Research Agenda
Authors: Adler Emanuel , Bremberg Niklas , Sondarjee Maïka
Published: February 2024

This special forum focuses on international communities of practice (CoP) as a concept and an object of inquiry in International Relations (IR). The Introduction discusses the concept’s origins and how it has entered the field of IR. It addresses why and how CoPs matter to IR scholars by looking at how structure, agency, processes, institutions, and knowledge manifest themselves in communities. This special forum’s main contributions are: (1) capturing the political and economic effects of shared knowledge creation and diffusion through practices; (2) identifying the sources of knowledge production and learning, as well as the normative and political contestation within and between CoPs; (3) studying the social processes that originate at the boundaries between CoPs; (4) examining how people and processes generate, transform, and communicate knowledge; and (5) exploring how CoPs cultivate global governance’s norms, values, and practices from the bottom up. The Introduction also helps distinguish CoP from other relational concepts in IR such as networks, fields, regimes, and epistemic or security communities. It ends by way of situating the contributions to the special forum and outlining a research agenda on CoPs in world politics.
Uncertain Readiness: Process Design and Complexity Management in Peace Negotiations
Authors: Arévalo Julián
Published: February 2024

The reasons behind the development and outcomes of peace negotiations remain a subject of debate among scholars and practitioners. Structural conflict conditions of the conflict are often emphasized as key explanatory variables. However, this approach often neglects the actual intricacies of peace talks once they are in place and, instead, correlates negotiation outcomes with variables that are not actively part of them. Drawing on conflict resolution theory and the theory of complexity, the article proposes a theory for understanding the dynamics of peace negotiations. The main argument is that in a complex environment like one of peace talks, decisions on process design can be a key determinant of the effort devoted by the parties, and thus, of the negotiations unfolding. One contribution of this approach is the recognition of the potential of a negotiation to transform the relationship between the parties from one of conflict to one of cooperation in a joint effort to work toward a negotiated solution, provided that the complexity of the negotiation and the uncertainties associated to it are properly managed. Negotiation process design can provide some of the tools to do so. Similarly, this approach makes it possible to understand the existence of negotiations in which the parties are interested in keeping the dialogue open, regardless of some conditions of the conflict, for instance, alleged lack of ripeness. As an example, the paper studies the case of the Colombian government's parallel peace negotiations with the FARC and the ELN in the period 2010–2018, which shows the possible role of process design variables in the different paths of these two negotiations.
Perspectives of community-based organizations on digital health equity interventions: a key informant interview study
Authors: Kim Katherine K , Backonja Uba
Published: February 2024

Background

Health and healthcare are increasingly dependent on internet and digital solutions. Medically underserved communities that experience health disparities are often those who are burdened by digital disparities. While digital equity and digital health equity are national priorities, there is limited evidence about how community-based organizations (CBOs) consider and develop interventions.

Methods

We conducted key informant interviews in 2022 purposively recruiting from health and welfare organizations engaged in digital equity work. Nineteen individuals from 13 organizations serving rural and/or urban communities from the local to national level participated in semi-structured interviews via Zoom regarding their perspectives on digital health equity interventions. Directed content analysis of verbatim interview transcripts was conducted to identify themes.

Results

Themes emerged at individual, organizational, and societal levels. Individual level themes included potential benefits from digital health equity, internet access challenges, and the need for access to devices and digital literacy. Organizational level themes included leveraging community assets, promising organizational practices and challenges. For the societal level, the shifting complexity of the digital equity ecosystem, policy issues, and data for needs assessment and evaluation were described. Several example case studies describing these themes were provided.

Discussion and conclusion

Digital health equity interventions are complex, multi-level endeavors. Clear elucidation of the individual, organizational, and societal level factors that may impact digital health equity interventions are necessary to understanding if and how CBOs participate in such initiatives. This study presents unique perspectives directly from CBOs driving programs in this new arena of digital health equity.
Critical insecurities? The European Union’s strategy for a stable supply of minerals
Authors: Crochet Victor , Zhou Weihuan
Published: February 2024

The green transition is creating exponential needs for critical minerals. As demand currently exceeds supply for many of these minerals, governments worldwide are devising strategies to secure stable procurements of the minerals they lack as well as to ensure that they reap the benefits of their own natural wealth. The European Union (EU) is in a difficult position in this regard due to limited domestic reserves and, thus, serves as an ideal case study to explore developments in international economic law on this issue. Internally, the EU has been reforming its financing mechanisms, developing risk management tools, and enhancing recycling. Externally, the EU has been using international trade tools to focus on access to supply rather than traditional market access issues while also developing new investment rules to open doors and protect its foreign investors in extractive industries. Both internal and external actions are being coordinated with allies through new cooperative mechanisms. However, challenges abound. These strategies will face resistance from resource-abundant economies in view of their growing demand for policy space to protect their own mineral sector. Such strategies are also inherently competitive and, hence, might lead to growing tensions among resource-seeking economies themselves.
Effectiveness of opioid switching for dyspnea and its predictors in cancer patients: a single-center retrospective observational study
Authors: Yamamoto Yoshihiro , Tanaka Shion , Matsuura Katsuhiko , Yamamoto Seiji , Urano Kimihiko , Okita Junya , Kato Eisuke , Odagiri Takuya , Deguchi Yuko
Published: February 2024

Background

Morphine is the most used opioid for dyspnea, but other opioids such as oxycodone and fentanyl are increasingly used, and opioid switching to these is sometimes undertaken. No studies have verified the effectiveness of opioid switching for relief of dyspnea. We retrospectively investigated the effectiveness of opioid switching for dyspnea and its predictors.

Methods

All patients with opioid switching for dyspnea during hospitalization at Komaki City Hospital from January 2019 to August 2022 were included. Opioid switching was defined as a change to another opioid, and the assessment period for evaluating the effectiveness and adverse events of opioid switching was set as 1 week. Patients with Numeric Rating Scale or Japanese version of the Support Team Assessment Schedule reduction for dyspnea of at least 1, or with clear improvement based on medical records, were considered valid. Mitigating factors for dyspnea were identified using logistic regression analysis.

Results

Of the 976 patients with opioid switching, 57 patients had opioid switching for relief of dyspnea. Of these, opioid switching was effective in 21 patients (36.8%). In a multivariate analysis, older patients (odds ratio: 5.52, 95% CI: 1.50–20.20, P < 0.01), short prognosis for post-opioid switching (odds ratio: 0.20, 95% CI: 0.04–0.87, P = 0.03) and cachexia (odds ratio: 0.12, 95% CI: 0.02–0.64, P < 0.01) were significantly associated with opioid switching effects for dyspnea. There were no serious adverse events after opioid switching.

Conclusion

This study indicates that opioid switching for dyspnea may have some effect. Furthermore, opioid switching for dyspnea may be more effective in older patients and less effective in terminally ill patients or in those with cachexia.
Mirtazapine versus megestrol acetate in treatment of anorexia-cachexia in advanced cancer patients: a randomized, double-blind trial
Authors: Chowdhury Iftekhar Hossain , Rahman Md Sayedur , Chowdhury Md Najmul Kabir , Afroze Yeasmin Jahan , Tabassum Masuma , Marnush Muhammad , Zerin Nusrat
Published: February 2024

Objective

Cancer-related anorexia-cachexia comprises one of the most common syndromes of advanced cancer patients. The management of cancer-related anorexia-cachexia is a great challenge in clinical practice. There are no definite practice guidelines yet for the prevention and treatment of cancer-related anorexia-cachexia. This study is considered to find out whether there is any role of mirtazapine in the improvement of anorexia in cancer patients.

Methods

A total of 80 cancer-anorexia patients were enrolled. Patients in the trial arm received the standard chemotherapy medication plus one tablet of mirtazapine 15 mg daily at night orally for 8 weeks starting from the day of an initial assessment. The control arm received the standard chemotherapy medication plus one tablet of megestrol acetate 160 mg daily orally for 8 weeks starting from the day of an initial assessment. Each patient was assessed by validated versions of Functional Assessment of Anorexia/Cachexia Therapy Anorexia/Cachexia Sub Scale v 4 questionnaires.

Results

After 4 and 8 weeks each patient was evaluated again using the Functional Assessment of Anorexia/Cachexia Therapy Anorexia/Cachexia Sub Scale tool. The quality of life of each patient was assessed by European Organization for Research and Treatment QLQ-C30 v 3.0. After 4 to 8 weeks of treatment, the Functional Assessment of Anorexia/Cachexia Therapy Anorexia/Cachexia Sub Scale score in cancer anorexia patients in the mirtazapine improved anorexia significantly. However, the improvement after 4 to 8 weeks was not statistically significant when it was compared with the megestrol acetate (P > 0.05).

Conclusions

Therefore, the findings of this study reveal that mirtazapine might be a potential alternative to megestrol acetate, as it has shown potential efficacy as like as megestrol acetate.
Using PIT tags to infer bat reproductive status and parturition date: busy nights during lactation
Authors: Fontaine Amélie , Simard Anouk , Simard Valérie , Broders Hugh G , Elliott Kyle H
Published: February 2024

Passive integrated transponders (PIT tags) can aid in the collection of important demographic data for species for which other methods, such as GPS technology, are not suitable. PIT tags can be particularly suitable to monitor small and cryptic species like bats and permit inference on their behavioral ecology. Literature for several species of bats states that females change their nightly activity patterns—going out and in of the roost only once per night during gestation compared to several times during lactation. Hence, we tested whether PIT tag detection patterns could be used to infer reproductive status and parturition date of female bats. From 2017 to 2021, we recorded detections of PIT-tagged little brown (Myotis lucifugus) and northern long-eared bats (M. septentrionalis) at the entrance of 2 maternity roosts in Québec and Newfoundland, Canada. We also used the maternity roost in Québec as a case study to further evaluate the potential of this method to link behavior and demography and investigated factors affecting parturition date. We were able to infer reproductive status for 63% to 97% of tagged individuals detected during both the gestation and the lactation periods, and parturition date for 61% to 95% of reproductive individuals, depending on the year and roost. Early spring arrival at the roost and warm spring mean temperature at night were associated with earlier parturition dates. Herein, we highlight that PIT tag systems may be useful to detect changes in activity patterns of female bats and infer individual reproductive parameters, which is on the long-term less stressful for bats and easier for researchers. We demonstrate that this approach is useful to investigate intrinsic and extrinsic factors of reproductive parameters, improving our understanding of bat population dynamics resulting in more informed population management decisions.
Preference for group-based social hierarchy and the reluctance to accept women as equals in law enforcement
Authors: Davis Jill A , Hassan Shahidul
Published: February 2024

While many public organizations have made notable strides to improve the representation of women at all ranks, women remain severely underrepresented in law enforcement organizations. Research shows that a critical barrier to women’s integration into law enforcement is the common perception among policemen that women are unsuited for police work. This study draws on Social Dominance Theory (SDT) to illuminate the values and beliefs underlying policemen’s negative perceptions. Using multi-wave survey data and Ordinary Least Squares Regression analyses, we examine the association between social dominance orientation (SDO), an individual difference variable that captures preference for group-based social hierarchy, and officers’ assessment of women’s suitability for law enforcement. In line with existing evidence, our analyses show that compared to policewomen, policemen report significantly more negative assessments of women’s suitability for law enforcement. We also find that higher SDO officers report more negative assessments of women in law enforcement, and officers’ diversity value partially mediates this relationship. These novel findings suggest that officers who desire to protect existing power dynamics are more likely to resist organizational diversity efforts and hold more negative views about women’s suitability for law enforcement.
Understanding the impacts of chronic pain on autistic adolescents and effective pain management: a reflexive thematic analysis adolescent–maternal dyadic study
Authors: Jordan Abbie , Parchment Amelia , Gauntlett-Gilbert Jeremy , Jones Abigail , Donaghy Bethany , Wainwright Elaine , Connell Hannah , Walden Joseline , Moore David J
Published: February 2024

Objective

Sensory elements are core features in chronic pain and autism, yet knowledge of the pain experience in autistic adolescents is limited. Little is known regarding how autistic adolescents experience chronic pain, manage their pain and perceive psychological treatment for their chronic pain.

Methods

Ten autistic adolescents (6 female, 3 male, and 1 self-identified as agender) with chronic pain and their mothers (n = 10) participated in semistructured interviews concerning their perceptions of living with chronic pain. Participants were recruited from U.K. pain management services. According to preference, interviews were conducted individually (n = 10) or dyadically (n = 10 participants across 5 dyads). Data were analyzed using inductive reflexive thematic analysis.

Results

Two themes were generated. Theme 1, “overstimulated and striving for control” described how adolescents’ experience of heightened sensitivity enhanced adolescents’ levels of anxiety and subsequent pain, illustrating a reciprocal relationship between anxiety, pain, and sensory elements. Theme 2, “not everyone fits the mold” captured how autistic adolescents positioned themselves as distinct from others due to the unique nature of being autistic and living with pain. This sense of difference negatively impacted adolescents’ ability to engage with and benefit from the standard treatment for chronic pain.

Conclusions

Findings suggest that autistic adolescents living with pain experience pain and face barriers to effective pain treatment. Our results identify the need for educational resources to facilitate clinicians to better understand the experience of autistic adolescents living with pain. In turn, such understanding may improve treatment and outcomes in this population.
Understanding poetry using natural language processing tools: a survey
Authors: De Sisto Mirella , Hernández-Lorenzo Laura , De la Rosa Javier , Ros Salvador , González-Blanco Elena
Published: February 2024

Analyzing poetry with automatic tools has great potential for improving verse-related research. Over the last few decades, this field has expanded notably and a large number of tools aiming at analyzing various aspects of poetry have been developed. However, the concrete connection between these tools and traditional scholars investigating poetry and metrics is often missing. The purpose of this article is to bridge this gap by providing a comprehensive survey of the automatic poetry analysis tools available for European languages. The tools are described and classified according to the language for which they are primarily developed, and to their functionalities and purpose. Particular attention is given to those that have open-source code or provide an online version with the same functionality. Combining more traditional research with these tools has clear advantages: it provides the opportunity to address theoretical questions with the support of large amounts of data; also, it allows for the development of new and diversified approaches.
Novel Method for the Preparation of Lamellas From Porous and Brittle Materials for In Situ TEM Heating/Biasing
Authors: Zorro Fátima , Carbo-Argibay Enrique , Ferreira Paulo J
Published: February 2024

A novel method for the preparation of lamellas made from porous and brittle compressed green powder using a focused ion beam (FIB) is described. One of the main purposes for the development of this methodology is to use this type of samples in micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) chips for in situ transmission electron microscopy heating/biasing experiments, concomitant with maintaining the mechanical integrity and the absence of contamination of samples. This is accomplished through a modification of the standard FIB procedure for the preparation of lamellas, the adaptation of conventional chips, as well as the specific transfer of the lamella onto the chips. This method is versatile enough to be implemented in most commercially available FIB systems and MEMS chips.
The Potential of Subsampling and Inpainting for Fast Low-Dose Cryo FIB-SEM Imaging
Authors: Nicholls Daniel , Kobylynska Maryna , Broad Zoë , Wells Jack , Robinson Alex , McGrouther Damien , Moshtaghpour Amirafshar , Kirkland Angus I , Fleck Roland A , Browning Nigel D
Published: February 2024

Traditional image acquisition for cryo focused ion-beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) tomography often sees thousands of images being captured over a period of many hours, with immense data sets being produced. When imaging beam sensitive materials, these images are often compromised by additional constraints related to beam damage and the devitrification of the material during imaging, which renders data acquisition both costly and unreliable. Subsampling and inpainting are proposed as solutions for both of these aspects, allowing fast and low-dose imaging to take place in the Focused ion-beam scanning electron microscopy FIB-SEM without an appreciable loss in image quality. In this work, experimental data are presented which validate subsampling and inpainting as a useful tool for convenient and reliable data acquisition in a FIB-SEM, with new methods of handling three-dimensional data being employed in the context of dictionary learning and inpainting algorithms using a newly developed microscope control software and data recovery algorithm.
Nanocurcumin: A Promising Therapeutic Candidate for Experimental Trichinellosis
Authors: Abdel-Hakeem Sara Salah , Abdel-Samiee Mahmoud Abdel-Zaher , Youssef Mohamed Salah Eldin , Abd-Elsadek Shimaa Hamdi , Abd-Elrahman Salwa Mahmoud , Abdel-Hakeem Sally Salah
Published: February 2024

In our pursuit of an alternative drug against Trichinella spiralis, we assessed the effectiveness of nanocurcumin in alleviating pathogenesis, parasitological factors, MMP-9 levels, and its expression in the enteral and parenteral phases of infection. The nanocurcumin particles, with a spherical shape and a size of 100 ± 20 nm, were used in the study. Eighty mice were divided into four groups: the control group, the untreated infected group, the nanocurcumin-treated group, and the albendazole-treated group. The nanocurcumin-treated group exhibited a statistically significant increase in the percentage of lymphocytes, along with a reduction in neutrophils, monocytes, and eosinophils compared to the untreated, infected group. Both the nanocurcumin (87.2 and 97.3%) and the albendazole-treated groups (99.8 and 98.2%) showed a significant reduction in the mean number of intestinal worms and encysted larvae, respectively. The treated groups exhibited normal intestinal villi, suppression of the inflammatory process, and fewer instances of degenerated larvae in the diaphragm and muscle compared to the untreated, infected group. Immunohistochemistry and ELISA analyses revealed a significant downregulation of MMP-9 levels in the intestines and muscles of the treated groups. Our data demonstrate that nanocurcumin contains highly versatile molecules capable of modulating biological activity against inflammation and its pathway markers.
GHOST commissioning science results – II: a very metal-poor star witnessing the early galactic assembly
Authors: Sestito Federico , Hayes Christian R , Venn Kim A , Jensen Jaclyn , McConnachie Alan W , Pazder John , Waller Fletcher , Ardern-Arentsen Anke , Jablonka Pascale , Martin Nicolas F , Matsuno Tadafumi , Navarro Julio F , Starkenburg Else , Vitali Sara , Bassett John , Berg Trystyn A M , Diaz Ruben , Edgar Michael L , Firpo Veronica , Gomez-Jimenez Manuel , Kalari Venu , Lambert Sam , Lawrence Jon , Robertson Gordon , Ruiz-Carmona Roque , Salinas Ricardo , Sebo Kim M , Venkatesan Sudharshan
Published: February 2024

This study focuses on Pristine$\_180956.78$−294759.8 (hereafter P180956, [Fe/H] = −1.95 ± 0.02), a star selected from the Pristine Inner Galaxy Survey (PIGS), and followed-up with the recently commissioned Gemini High-resolution Optical SpecTrograph (GHOST) at the Gemini South telescope. The GHOST spectrograph’s high efficiency in the blue spectral region (3700−4800 Å) enables the detection of elemental tracers of early supernovae (e.g. Al, Mn, Sr, and Eu). The star exhibits chemical signatures resembling those found in ultrafaint dwarf (UFD) systems, characterized by very low abundances of neutron-capture elements (Sr, Ba, and Eu), which are uncommon among stars in the Milky Way halo. Our analysis suggests that P180956 bears the chemical imprints of a small number (2 or 4) of low-mass hypernovae ($\sim 10{-}15{\rm \, M_\odot }$), which are needed to mostly reproduce the abundance pattern of the light-elements (e.g. [Si, Ti/Mg, Ca] ∼0.6), and one fast-rotating intermediate-mass supernova ($\sim 300{\rm \, km \ s^{-1}}$, $\sim 80{-}120{\rm \, M_\odot }$), which is the main channel contributing to the high [Sr/Ba] (∼+1.2). The small pericentric ($\sim 0.7{\rm \, kpc}$) and apocentric ($\sim 13{\rm \, kpc}$) distances and its orbit confined to the plane ($\lesssim 2{\rm \, kpc}$) indicate that this star was likely accreted during the early Galactic assembly phase. Its chemo-dynamical properties suggest that P180956 formed in a system similar to a UFD galaxy accreted either alone, as one of the low-mass building blocks of the proto-Galaxy, or as a satellite of Gaia–Sausage–Enceladus. The combination of Gemini’s large aperture with GHOST’s high efficiency and broad spectral coverage makes this new spectrograph one of the leading instruments for near-field cosmology investigations.