bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Selective SERCA2a activator as a candidate for chronic heart failure therapy
Authors: Arici Martina , Hsu Shih-Che , Ferrandi Mara , Barassi Paolo , Ronchi Carlotta , Torre Eleonora , Luraghi Andrea , Chang Gwo-Jyh , Ferrari Patrizia , Bianchi Giuseppe , Peri Francesco , Zaza Antonio , Rocchetti Marcella
Published: January 2024

Background

The sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ ATPase (SERCA2a) depression substantially contributes to diastolic dysfunction in heart failure (HF), suggesting that SERCA2a stimulation may be a mechanism-based HF therapy. Istaroxime is a drug endowed with both a SERCA2a stimulatory activity and a Na+/K+ pump inhibitory activity for acute HF treatment. Its main metabolite PST3093 shows a more favorable therapeutic profile as compared to the parent drug, but it is still unsuitable for chronic usage. Novel PST3093 derivatives have been recently developed for oral (chronic) HF treatment; compound 8 was selected among them and here characterized.

Methods

Effects of compound 8 were evaluated in a context of SERCA2a depression, by using streptozotocin-treated rats, a well-known model of diastolic dysfunction. The impact of SERCA2a stimulation by compound 8 was assessed at the cellular level ad in vivo, following i.v. infusion (acute effects) or oral administration (chronic effects).

Results

As expected from SERCA2a stimulation, compound 8 induced SR Ca2+ compartmentalization in STZ myocytes. In-vivo echocardiographic analysis during i.v. infusion and after repeated oral administration of compound 8, detected a significant improvement of diastolic function. Moreover, compound 8 did not affect electrical activity of healthy guinea-pig myocytes, in line with the absence of off-target effects. Finally, compound 8 was well tolerated in mice with no evidence of acute toxicity.

Conclusions

The pharmacological evaluation of compound 8 indicates that it may be a safe and selective drug for a mechanism-based treatment of chronic HF by restoring SERCA2a activity.

Graphical Abstract
Mothers’ experiences and perceptions of breastfeeding peer support: a qualitative systematic review
Authors: Yang Yuanyuan , Liu Huijuan , Cui Xiaoyi , Meng Jingwen
Published: January 2024

Background

The global issue of low breastfeeding rates has been widely reported. Quantitative studies have shown the positive effects of peer support on breastfeeding. However, the experiences of mothers who receive breastfeeding peer support have been found to vary. To date, no systematic qualitative summary has been conducted to document the impact of peer support, nor to provide advice for its implementation from the perspective of breastfeeding mothers. This review aims to systematically synthesize qualitative findings on mothers’ experiences of breastfeeding peer support to provide evidence for optimizing peer support services and ultimately enhancing their role in promoting breastfeeding.

Methods

PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Ovid, Web of Science, CINAHL, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), WanFang Datebase, VIP Database and Chinese Biomedical Database (CBM) were searched from the inception of each database until January 2023, to collect qualitative studies and mixed methods studies that included qualitative findings on mothers’ experiences with breastfeeding peer support. The Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI-QARI) was used to extract data and evaluate the quality of the included articles. The meta-integration method was used to explain and integrate the research findings. The review process was carried out by two authors independently, and the disagreements were resolved through consensus.

Results

A total of 15 articles were included in the study, consisting of 13 qualitative studies and 2 mixed methods studies. The analysis identified four integrated themes: (1) obtaining psycho-emotional support; (2) acquiring knowledge and skills; (3) expectations for breastfeeding peer support; and (4) feeding perceptions and behavior change. It should be noted that the articles reviewed are in English and mostly originate from developed countries or regions. Therefore, the generalizability of the integrated findings to underdeveloped regions or non-English speaking countries may be limited.

Conclusion

Mothers perceived that peer support had a positive impact on breastfeeding. To improve the effectiveness of peer support in promoting breastfeeding, it is important to consider the individual needs of each mother. It is recommended that peer support services should be standardized in the future, including the accreditation, training, supervision, and management of peer supporters.
Evolution of radiation-induced temporal lobe injury after intensity-modulated radiation therapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a large cohort retrospective study
Authors: Hou Jing , He Yun , Li Handong , Ai Zhaodong , Lu Qiang , Zeng Biao , Xie Chuanmiao , Yu Xiaoping
Published: January 2024

Background

Previous studies have demonstrated conflicting findings regarding the initial MRI patterns of radiotherapy-induced temporal lobe injury (RTLI) and the evolution of different RTLI patterns. The aim of this study was to evaluate the initial MRI pattern and evolution of RTLI in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) by means of a large cohort study.

Methods

Data of patients with RTLI were retrospectively collected from two hospitals between January 2011 and December 2021. The injured lobes were categorized into three patterns based on initial MRI patterns: isolated white matter lesions (WMLs), isolated contrast-enhanced lesions (CELs), and combined WMLs and CELs. The latency period, MRI appearances, and temporal changes in WMLs and CELs were evaluated.

Results

A total of 913 RTLI patients with 1092 injured lobes were included in this study. The numbers of isolated WMLs, isolated CELs, and combined WMLs and CELs identified at the first MRI detection were 7 (0.6%), 172 (15.8%), and 913 (83.6%), respectively. The evolution of bilateral RTLI was different in the same patient, and that of unilateral RTLI combined with WMLs and CELs also may occur asynchronously. The time intervals from the initial MRI detection of isolated WMLs, isolated CELs, combined WMLs and CELs to the last negative MRI scan were 8.6, 8.9 and 11.0 months, respectively. A significant difference was observed in the time intervals between the three patterns (H = 14.287, P = 0.001). And the time interval was identified as an independent factor influencing the initial MRI pattern of RTLI after Poisson regression (P = 0.002).

Conclusion

Both WMLs and CELs could be the initial and only MRI abnormalities in patients with RTLI. This study is of great significance in accurately diagnosing RTLI early and providing timely treatment options. Additionally, it provides clinical evidence for guidelines on NPC, emphasizing the importance of regular follow-up of NPC patients.
Comparative effectiveness and safety of intravenous methylprednisolone and tacrolimus monotherapy in ocular myasthenia gravis with unsatisfactory prednisone responses: a retrospective study
Authors: Zhang Kai-Yue , Duan Wei-Wei , Luo Yue-Bei , Li Yi , Hu Jue , Yang Huan
Published: January 2024

Background

Oral prednisone has been recognized as the first-line therapy for the treatment of ocular myasthenia gravis (OMG). However, its long-term use is complicated by numerous adverse effects and is ineffective for some OMG patients in reaching remission. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of intravenous methylprednisolone (IVMP) and tacrolimus monotherapy for OMG patients with unsatisfactory responses to conventional prednisone therapy.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed 57 OMG patients who had not achieved satisfactory improvement after prednisone therapy and thereby received IVMP or tacrolimus monotherapy for at least 6 months. Ocular symptoms were evaluated by the ocular-quantitative MG (QMG) score at each time point. A ≥ 2-point fall in ocular QMG score was defined as the cut-off point to indicate clinical improvement. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with the efficacy of IVMP at discharge. Adverse events were recorded.

Results

Both IVMP and tacrolimus monotherapy demonstrated significant clinical efficacy, with no statistical differences observed at the study endpoint. The proportions of patients who reached the cut-off point for efficacy evaluation were higher in the IVMP group than in the tacrolimus group (1, 3, and 6 months: 51.7% (15/29) vs 12.0% (3/25), p = 0.002; 69.0% (20/29) vs 40.0% (10/25), p = 0.033; 69.0% (20/29) vs 46.4% (13/28), p = 0.085, respectively). Multivariate logistics analysis showed that high ocular QMG scores at baseline indicated favourable responses to IVMP treatment (OR = 1.781; 95% CI 1.066–2.975; p = 0.028). All the adverse events were transient and tolerable.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that both IVMP and tacrolimus monotherapy hold promise as viable treatment options for OMG patients with unsatisfactory responses to oral prednisone. The study supports the safety and effectiveness of both therapies, with IVMP exhibiting faster improvement and favourable efficacy in patients with high ocular QMG scores.
Sex-specific differences in intestinal microbiota associated with cardiovascular diseases
Authors: Garcia-Fernandez Helena , Arenas-de Larriva Antonio P. , Lopez-Moreno Javier , Gutierrez-Mariscal Francisco M. , Romero-Cabrera Juan L. , Molina-Abril Helena , Torres-Peña Jose D. , Rodriguez-Cano Diego , Malagon Maria M. , Ordovas Jose M. , Delgado-Lista Javier , Perez-Martinez Pablo , Lopez-Miranda Jose , Camargo Antonio
Published: January 2024

Background

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD), including coronary heart disease (CHD), display a higher prevalence in men than women. This study aims to evaluate the variations in the intestinal microbiota between men and women afflicted with CHD and delineate these against a non-CVD control group for each sex.

Methods

Our research was conducted in the framework of the CORDIOPREV study, a clinical trial which involved 837 men and 165 women with CHD. We contrasted our findings with a reference group of 375 individuals (270 men, 105 women) without CVD. The intestinal microbiota was examined through 16S metagenomics on the Illumina MiSeq platform and the data processed with Quiime2 software.

Results

Our results showed a sex-specific variation (beta diversity) in the intestinal microbiota, while alpha-biodiversity remained consistent across both sexes. Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) analysis revealed sex-centric alterations in the intestinal microbiota linked to CVD. Moreover, using random forest (RF) methodology, we identified seven bacterial taxa—g_UBA1819 (Ruminococcaceae), g_Bilophila, g_Subdoligranulum, g_Phascolarctobacterium, f_Barnesiellaceae, g_Ruminococcus, and an unknown genus from the Ruminococcaceae family (Ruminococcaceae incertae sedis)—as key discriminators between men and women diagnosed with CHD. The same taxa also emerged as critical discriminators between CHD-afflicted and non-CVD individuals, when analyzed separately by sex.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest a sex-specific dysbiosis in the intestinal microbiota linked to CHD, potentially contributing to the sex disparity observed in CVD incidence.

Trial registration Clinical Trials.gov.Identifier NCT00924937.

Graphical Abstract
Sex differences for clinical correlates of substantia nigra neuron loss in people with Lewy body pathology
Authors: Bayram Ece , Coughlin David G. , Rajmohan Ravi , Litvan Irene
Published: January 2024

Background

Lewy body dementia (LBD) phenotype is associated with the presence and degree of Lewy body, Alzheimer’s pathologies, and substantia nigra neuron loss. Nigral neuron loss is associated with parkinsonism in LBD, and females with LBD are less likely than males to have parkinsonism. As sex differences were reported for clinical correlates of Lewy body and Alzheimer’s pathologies, we aimed to investigate whether there are also sex differences for correlates of nigral neuron loss.

Methods

Data were obtained from the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center for females (n = 159) and males (n = 263) with brainstem, limbic, and neocortical Lewy body pathology. Sex differences for the nigral neuron loss’ association with Lewy body pathology staging and core clinical LBD features (cognitive fluctuations, visual hallucinations, rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder, parkinsonism) during follow-up were analyzed with generalized linear models adjusting for age and Alzheimer’s pathology staging. Whether any of the core clinical features at the time of dementia onset can predict underlying nigral neuron loss for females and males were also analyzed with generalized linear models.

Results

Compared to males, females died older and had higher levels of Braak tau staging, but had similar levels of Lewy body pathology staging and nigral neuron loss. Females were less likely than males to have a clinical Lewy body disease diagnosis during follow-up. More advanced Lewy body pathology staging was associated with more nigral neuron loss, more so for males than females. More nigral neuron loss was associated with parkinsonism and clinical LBD diagnosis during follow-up, more so for males than females. Across the subgroup with dementia (40 females, 58 males), core LBD features at first visit with dementia were not associated with nigral neuron loss.

Conclusions

Nigral neuron loss’ association with Lewy body pathology staging and core LBD features can differ by sex. Compared to males, females with Lewy body pathology have a higher risk of underdiagnosis. There is a need to elucidate the mechanisms underlying sex differences for pathology and clinicopathological correlations to advance diagnostic and therapeutic efforts in LBD.
A contribution to the French validation of the clinical anxiety scale amongst health care workers in Switzerland
Authors: Apostolova Yana , Stamm Elisabeth , Cilla Francesco , Durst Anne-Véronique , Büla Christophe , D’Amelio Patrizia
Published: January 2024

Background

Anxiety disorders are frequent but remain often underdiagnosed and undertreated. Hence, valid screening instruments are needed to enhance the diagnostic process. The Clinical Anxiety Scale (CAS) is a 25-item anxiety screening tool derived from the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A). However, this scale is not available in French. The General anxiety disorder − 7 (GAD-7) scale, which has been validated in French, is a 7-item instrument with good psychometric properties. This study contributes to the validation of an adapted French version of the CAS, using the GAD-7 as the reference.

Methods

A forward-backward English-French-English translation of the CAS was performed according to standard practice. The French versions of the CAS and GAD-7 were completed by 127 French speaking healthcare professionals. CAS internal consistency was assessed using Crohnbach’s alpha, and test-retest reliability was tested after 15 days in a subsample of 30 subjects. Convergent validity with GAD-7 was assessed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Test-retest reliability was explored using one-way random effects model to calculate the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC).

Results

French CAS showed excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha 0.97), high convergent validity with GAD-7 (Pearson’s R 0.81, p < 0.001), and very good test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.97, 95% CI 0.93–0.98).

Conclusion

The proposed French version of the CAS showed high reliability and validity that need to be further investigated in different populations.
Analysis of the adsorption mechanism of phosphoric acid-modified bamboo charcoal for chlorogenic acid based on density functional theory
Authors: Zheng Wenxi , Zhang Sheng , Deng Jing
Published: January 2024

Background

Bamboo charcoal has garnered wide recognition as an adsorbent owing to its stability and availability. Phosphoric acid modification contributes to forming specific functional groups on the surface of bamboo charcoal, culminating in the augmentation of its adsorption capabilities.

Results

The modification process in this study involved impregnating the bamboo charcoal in a 45% mass fraction of phosphoric acid solution with a 1:10 ratio (bamboo charcoal powder to phosphoric acid), followed by activation at a temperature of 500 °C for a duration of 1.5 h. The modification resulted in the formation of hydroxyl, carboxyl, and phosphate groups on the surface of the bamboo charcoal. Furthermore, the specific surface area of the modified bamboo charcoal surged from 4.91 m2/g to 115.18 m2/g, the average aperture decreased from 7.15 nm to 1.99 nm, and the pore volume escalated by 6.5 times. On this basis, a comparison in the adsorption capability for chlorogenic acid, a natural small-molecule active ingredient, was drawn before and after the modification of bamboo charcoal. The results indicate that the modified bamboo charcoal showcases an impressive 46.8-fold increase in its adsorption capacity when juxtaposed with the unmodified bamboo charcoal. Through the calculations based on density functional theory (DFT), the addition of functional groups on the surface of the modified bamboo charcoal module allows for the formation of hydrogen bonds with the chlorogenic acid module, with the highest binding energy reaching − 57.59 kJ/mol.

Conclusion

As evidenced by the adsorption kinetic studies, the curve of modified bamboo charcoal for chlorogenic acid abides by a first-order kinetic equation. Additionally, adsorption thermodynamic studies reveal that the curve of modified bamboo charcoal for chlorogenic acid conforms to the Boltzmann equation. These results shed light on the mechanism of selectively adsorbing specific constituents using phosphoric acid-modified bamboo charcoal, thereby providing a solid theoretical foundation for the application of bamboo charcoal.

Graphical Abstract
An investigation into the motivation and attitudes of Japanese students toward learning English: A case of elementary and junior high school students
Authors: Kirkpatrick Robert , Kirkpatrick Junko , Derakhshan Ali
Published: January 2024

Given the importance of academic motivation, numerous inquiries have scrutinized the antecedents of this psycho-emotional variable in various educational environments. Nonetheless, the role of students’ attitudes in their academic motivation has remained elusive. Put simply, it is unclear whether students’ attitudes can make positive changes in their learning motivation. To bridge this gap, the present investigation explored Japanese students’ attitudes towards learning English. The research also examined the interplay between attitudes and academic motivation from Japanese students’ perspectives. In doing so, a closed-ended survey was given to 417 elementary and high school students. Following that, some interview sessions were conducted with a sample of elementary and high school teachers. The study outcomes disclosed that almost all participants had positive attitudes toward learning English. The results also demonstrated that Japanese students perceived personal attitudes to be highly influential in learning motivation. The outcomes of the present research may enrich the existing literature on the association between personal attitudes and learning motivation. The outcomes of this investigation may be beneficial and illuminating for school principals and language teachers. The findings would notably expand their knowledge about the predictors of academic motivation in language education environments.
iMN041 is an immunotherapeutic and an effective treatment in mouse xenograft models of pancreatic cancer, renal cancer and triple negative breast cancer
Authors: Daifuku Richard , Zhang Yu , Wang Jingjing , Gu Qingyang
Published: January 2024

Background

iMN013 (5-aza-2',2'-difluorodeoxycytidine), a DNA methyl transferase inhibitor and ribonucleotide reductase inhibitor, and its prodrug iMN041 (3',5'-di-trimethylsilyl-2',2'-difluro-5- azadeoxycytidine), have been shown to be active in mouse xenograft models of hematogenous and solid tumors. In a xenograft of non-small cell lung cancer (NCI-H460), iMN041 treated mice demonstrated a marked inflammatory response upon analysis of tumor histology, which was hypothesized to be mediated by upregulation of natural killer (NK) cells. This study aimed to characterize the antitumor immune responses generated by iMN041 and test the efficacy iMN041 in solid tumors with poor prognosis.

Methods

In the Renca syngeneic mouse model, tumors were harvested following two doses of iMN041 or vehicle control, and analyzed by fluorescent-activated cell sorting for an antitumor immune response. iMN041 was also tested for tumor growth inhibition and animal survival for up to 42 days in xenograft models of pancreatic, renal, and triple negative breast cancer.

Results

Tumors from mice implanted with the Renca cell line and treated with iMN041 demonstrated an increase in granzyme B in NK (p = 0.024) and NKT cells (p = 0.004), an increase in the ratios of CD8-T to regulatory T cells (Treg) (p = 0.0026) and CD4-T to Treg cells (p = 0.022) and a decrease in myeloid-derived suppressor cells (p = 0.040), compared to vehicle controls. A significant decrease in MAGE-A positive tumor cells in treated mice, concordant with a proportional decrease in all live tumor cells, suggests that these cells are one of the main targets of the activated immune system. Xenograft models of the triple negative breast cancer cell line DU4475, renal cancer cell lines 786-O and Caki-1, and pancreatic cancer cell lines CFPAC-1 and SW1990, demonstrated significantly lower tumor volumes, and, where there were a sufficient number of events, significantly improved survival in treated mice compared to vehicle control mice.

Conclusions

In mouse cancer models, iMN041 is an effective treatment for solid tumors mediated in part through a unique antitumor immune response.
Detection of epileptic seizure in EEG signals using machine learning and deep learning techniques
Authors: Kunekar Pankaj , Gupta Mukesh Kumar , Gaur Pramod
Published: January 2024

Around 50 million individuals worldwide suffer from epilepsy, a chronic, non-communicable brain disorder. Several screening methods, including electroencephalography, have been proposed to identify epileptic episodes. EEG data, which are frequently utilised to enhance epilepsy analysis, offer essential information on the electrical processes of the brain. Prior to the emergence of deep learning (DL), feature extraction was accomplished by standard machine learning techniques. As a result, they were only as good as the people who made the features by hand. But with DL, both feature extraction and classification are fully automated. These methods have significantly advanced several fields of medicine, including the diagnosis of epilepsy. In this paper, the works focused on automated epileptic seizure detection using ML and DL techniques are presented as well as their comparative analysis is done. The UCI-Epileptic Seizure Recognition dataset is used for training and validation. Some of the conventional ML and DL algorithms are used with a proposed model which uses long short-term memory (LSTM) to find the best approach. Post that comparative analysis is performed on these algorithms to find the best approach for epileptic seizure detection. As a result, the proposed model LSTM gives a validation accuracy of 97% giving the most appropriate and precise result as compared to other mentioned algorithms used in this study.
Toward real-time fracture detection on image logs using deep convolutional neural network YOLOv5
Authors: Azizzadeh Mehmandost Olya Behnia , Mohebian Reza , Bagheri Hassan , Mahdavi Hezaveh Arzhan , Khan Mohammadi Abolfazl
Published: January 2024

Fractures in reservoirs have a profound impact on hydrocarbon production operations. The more accurately fractures can be detected, the better the exploration and production processes can be optimized. Therefore, fracture detection is an essential step in understanding the reservoir’s behavior and the stability of the wellbore. The conventional method for detecting fractures is image logging, which captures images of the borehole and fractures. However, the interpretation of these images is a laborious and subjective process that can lead to errors, inaccuracies, and inconsistencies, even when aided by software. Automating this process is essential for expediting operations, minimizing errors, and increasing efficiency. Although there have been some attempts to automate fracture detection, this paper takes a novel approach by proposing the use of YOLOv5 as a deep-learning (DL) tool to detect fractures automatically. YOLOv5 is unique in that it excels at speed, training, and detection while maintaining high accuracy in fracture detection. We observe that YOLOv5 can detect fractures in near real time with a high mean average precision of 98.2, requiring significantly less training than other DL algorithms. Furthermore, our approach overcomes the shortcomings of other fracture detection methods. Our method has many potential benefits, including reducing manual interpretation errors, decreasing the time required for fracture detection, and improving fracture detection accuracy. Our approach can be used in various reservoir engineering applications, such as hydraulic fracturing design, wellbore stability analysis, and reservoir simulation. By using this technique, the efficiency and accuracy of hydrocarbon exploration and production can be significantly improved.
Efficacy, Safety, Pharmacokinetics, and Immunogenicity of DRL-Trastuzumab Versus Herceptin in Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2–Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Reddy Naveen , Reddy Pramod , Ranpura Ankit , Maharaj Narendra , Arora Rajendersingh , Mamillapalli Gopichand , Adhav Aditya Shirish , Diwan Ashok Kumar , Manikhas Alexey , Krasnozhon Dmitriy
Published: January 2024

PURPOSE

Dr Reddy's Laboratories Trastuzumab (DRL_TZ) is a biosimilar to Herceptin under development. The present study was conducted to evaluate efficacy, safety, pharmacokinetics (PKs), and immunogenicity of DRL_TZ in comparison with the reference medicinal product (RMP) along with concomitant weekly paclitaxel in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)–positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC).

METHODS

This was a randomized, double-blind study in female patients with HER2-positive MBC, randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either DRL_TZ or the RMP, that is, an innovator product sourced from the European region, along with additional chemotherapy, as first-line treatment for up to 24 weeks. The primary end point was the best overall response rate (ORR) as per RECIST 1.1 criteria. Progression-free survival rate at 6 months (PFS6), safety, immunogenicity, and PK parameters were assessed as secondary end points.

RESULTS

A total of 164 patients were randomly assigned to receive either DRL_TZ or the RMP. Best ORR in the per-protocol population was comparable, 91.9% (93.3% CI, 83.2 to 96.3) versus 82.1% (93.3% CI, 72.0 to 89.1) in DRL_TZ and RMP arms, respectively; the difference between the arms was 9.8% with a 93.3% CI of –1.3 to 20.8. The PFS6 rate, safety, PK profile, and antidrug antibody incidence were comparable. An additional 44 patients were recruited in the postrandomization phase, in an open-label manner, and started on DRL_TZ to generate more data on efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity. The additional data with DRL_TZ, when pooled, were similar to the RMP data.

CONCLUSION

DRL_TZ was found to have similar efficacy and comparable safety, PK, and immunogenicity profiles as the RMP.
Bodies of Evidence: Judges and Surgeons at the Crime Scene in Early Modern France
Authors: Dauge-Roth Katherine
Published: January 2024

Early modern judicial procedure privileged the reading of bodily signs at every stage of investigation. In cases of violent crime, careful reading of the victim's body was essential to reconstituting the events of a crime and determining its gravity and appropriate punishment. Drawing on judicial and surgical treatises, this essay examines the important contributions of medical professionals to the adjudication of cases of violent crime in seventeenth-century France. It reveals how surgeons, with their hands-on, sensory approach to medical practice and expertise in wounds, became particularly effective partners for judges in deciphering corporeal clues, performing visual judgment that had direct bearing on the determination of guilt or innocence. As their role as court examiners became formalized, surgeons built their professional authority in the domain of forensic medicine, codifying and publicizing their sensory methods through the creation of a new medical genre: manuals for surgeons reporting for the courts.
ECG of the month
Authors: Bloe Charles
Published: January 2024

In this issue’s ECG of the month, Charles Bloe presents the case of a 62-year-old man who mentioned experiencing heart palpitations while attending a GP consultation for urinary symptoms.
Modern Understanding of the Lotus Samādhi
Authors: Lee Byungwook
Published: January 2024

In this article, I will introduce the contents of the Lotus Samādhi and illuminate it from a modern perspective. The Lotus Samādhi consists of 10 items. However, the important part can be said to be the correct insight of reality at the end of the 10 items. This correct insight of reality refers to the idea of emptiness, and from the viewpoint of repentance, it can be said to be great repentance and adorned repentance. However, the 10 items of the Lotus Samādhi are not fixed and unchanging, but can be flexibly approached. Nine items exist for the tenth item, and can be flexibly added or subtracted as needed. When attempting to reconstruct the Lotus Samādhi as practice method for modern people, it is necessary to pay attention to Thich Nhat Hanh's practice method and Mahasi Vipassana. In Thich Nhat Hanh's practice method, it is necessary to accept the viewpoint that daily life is practice, and in Mahasi Vipassana, it is necessary to accept that it presents contents that can be easily accepted by anyone. And I approaches the Lotus Samādhi from the viewpoint of meditation. Its contents include ethical practice, mental health, and escape from unconscious dynamics.
A study on participation experiences of Seon(禪) Buddhism meditation program beginners: focusing on abyssal meditation
Authors: Yeom Joongseob
Published: January 2024

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore the process and experience of abyssal meditation based on Zen meditation for beginners in Seon(禪) Buddhism meditation. Method: This study conducted unstructured interviews with 40 people who first encountered Seon(禪) Buddhism meditation, and then analyzed them using a qualitative research method by consensus. Results: As a result of the analysis of this study, 6 categories and 25 subcategories were derived, centering on two areas: the first Seon(禪) Buddhism meditation experience of Seon(禪) Buddhism meditation beginners through the Seon(禪) Buddhism meditation program and the change experience through participation in the Seon(禪) Buddhism meditation program of Seon(禪) Buddhism meditation beginners. Looking at the main categories, first, as a result of examining the first Seon(禪) Buddhism meditation experience of Seon(禪) Buddhism meditation beginners, three categories were derived: ‘Abyss experience through first Seon(禪) meditation’, ‘Positive experience through first Seon(禪) Buddhism meditation’, ‘Experience the difficulty of meditation through first Seon(禪) Buddhism meditation’. Second, as a result of examining the experience of change through Seon(禪) Buddhism meditation beginners’ participation in the Seon(禪) Buddhism meditation program, three categories were derived: ‘Changes in Abyss Experience through Seon(禪) Buddhism Meditation’, ‘Changes in Positive Experiences through Seon(禪) Buddhism Meditation’, ‘Changes in Meditation Difficulty Experiences through Seon(禪) Buddhism Meditation’. Conclusion: The results of this study are significant in that they presented the traditional East Asian meditation as an alternative method tailored to modern needs by confirming the effect of Abyssal Meditation based on Seon(禪) Buddhism meditation.
Evaluation of the Pedagogical Impact of the Educational Usage of 3D Printing in Czech Lower Secondary and Grammar Schools
Authors: Malinka Kamil , Vodová Libuše , Jančová Martina , Sobková Lenka , Schindler Vladimír
Published: January 2024

In this article, we discuss the impacts of using 3D printing in education. Our primary goal is to evaluate the pedagogical impact of lessons utilizing 3D printing. We asked one hundred ninety students in four reference schools about the acceptability of existing 3D materials for teaching. Although the results show high attractiveness for the target group, it turned out that the available lessons primarily focus on the acquisition of technical skills and do not use the potential of education in other areas. We, therefore, proposed a concept for creating multidisciplinary teaching lessons that connect the technical part with other educational areas. We show the application of our concept in a newly developed lesson in biology, where we again evaluate its acceptance among the students. The results show that although the multidisciplinary lessons are more complex, they are still acceptable to the students, and, most importantly, they add significant educational value. Finally, we discuss the possibilities of incorporating 3D printing into the teaching curriculum. We also use a selected use case to illustrate the real-world problems we have encountered.
Design of Functional Yogurts with Microencapsulated Biologically Active Compounds
Authors:   Department of Microbiology, University of Food Technologies, Plovdiv, Bulgaria, Tumbarski Yulian , Petkova Nadezhda ,   Department of Organic Chemistry and Inorganic Chemistry, University of Food Technologies, Plovdiv, Bulgaria, Ivanov Ivan ,   Department of Organic Chemistry and Inorganic Chemistry, University of Food Technologies, Plovdiv, Bulgaria, Todorova Mina ,   Department of Organic Chemistry, “Paisii Hilendarski” University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria, Ivanova Petya ,   Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Food Technologies, Plovdiv, Bulgaria, Nikolov Lazar ,   Department of Microbiology, University of Food Technologies, Plovdiv, Bulgaria, Grozeva Neli ,   Department of Biological Sciences, Trakia University, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria, Nikolova Krastena ,   Department of Physics and Biophysics, Medical University – Varna, Varna, Bulgaria
Published: January 2024

The development of functional foods providing health benefits above the basic nutritional needs is of great interest to the food industry. This research aimed to: design functional yogurts with agave inulin and extracts from propolis, rose petals and Spirulina platensis; observe the physicochemical and microbiological changes during storage at 4°C for 21 days; evaluate the sensory characteristics of the new functional products. Three kinds of calcium alginate microcapsules (agave inulin + ethanolic propolis extract; agave inulin + ethanolic propolis extract + rose petals extract; agave inulin + ethanolic propolis extract + Spirulina extract) were prepared and applied in yogurts before the coagulation. During the storage, pH in all experimental groups gradually decreased (reaching values between 3.94 and 4.02 on the 21st day), which corresponded to the increasing titratable acidity (reaching values from 94.17°T to 108.78°T on the 21st day). The application of microcapsules did not affect the coagulation process and number of lactic acid bacteria in yogurts until the end of storage period. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the application of agave inulin, propolis, rose petals and S. platensis extracts in microencapsulated form in traditional Bulgarian yogurt in order to obtain a dairy product with enhanced functional properties. Keywords: Functional foods, Yogurt, Microencapsulation, Propolis, Rose petals, Spirulina platensis
No benefit of the trochanteric stabilizing plate on loss of fracture reduction in AO/OTA 31-A2 trochanteric fractures
Authors: Alm Carl E. , Karlsten Anders , Madsen Jan E. , Nordsletten Lars , Brattgjerd Jan E. , Pripp Are H. , Frihagen Frede , Röhrl Stephan M.
Published: January 2024

Aims

Despite limited clinical scientific backing, an additional trochanteric stabilizing plate (TSP) has been advocated when treating unstable trochanteric fractures with a sliding hip screw (SHS). We aimed to explore whether the TSP would result in less post operative fracture motion, compared to SHS alone.

Methods

Overall, 31 patients with AO/OTA 31-A2 trochanteric fractures were randomized to either a SHS alone or a SHS with an additional TSP. To compare postoperative fracture motion, radiostereometric analysis (RSA) was performed before and after weightbearing, and then at four, eight, 12, 26, and 52 weeks. With the “after weightbearing” images as baseline, we calculated translations and rotations, including shortening and medialization of the femoral shaft.

Results

Similar migration profiles were observed in all directions during the course of healing. At one year, eight patients in the SHS group and 12 patients in the TSP group were available for analysis, finding a clinically non-relevant, and statistically non-significant, difference in total translation of 1 mm (95% confidence interval -4.7 to 2.9) in favour of the TSP group. In line with the migration data, no significant differences in clinical outcomes were found.

Conclusion

The TSP did not influence the course of healing or postoperative fracture motion compared to SHS alone. Based on our results, routine use of the TSP in AO/OTA 31-A2 trochanteric fractures cannot be recommended. The TSP has been shown, in biomechanical studies, to increase stability in sliding hip screw constructs in both unstable and intermediate stable trochanteric fractures, but the clinical evidence is limited. This study showed no advantage of the TSP in unstable (AO 31-A2) fractures in elderly patients when fracture movement was evaluated with radiostereometric analysis.

Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2024;5(1):37–45.
What kind of political agency can foster radical transformation towards ecological sustainability?
Authors: Buch-Hansen Hubert , Carstensen Martin B.
Published: January 2024

What kind of political agency is necessary to foster radical political-economic transformations towards ecological sustainability? Focusing on the radical ecopolitical project of degrowth, this article starts from the observation that a prerequisite for degrowth policies to materialise is political agency that is bold and visionary yet pragmatic; agency that seeks radical change yet does so based on what is already in existence. To capture the nature of the ideal-typical political agent that could exercise this sort of agency, this article builds on scholarship on policy entrepreneurship to develop the concept of the radical bricoleur. It proposes that an important key to ‘radicalising’ the bricoleur lies in putting greater emphasis on Levi-Strauss’ (1966) pre-modern, holistic understanding of what kind of order it is that the bricoleur is seeking to rebuild. Doing so opens the way for redefining the goal of the bricoleur from being the reinstatement of the current capitalist and non-sustainable societal order, to being the reinstatement of an order defined by a logic of balance and harmony between and within humans, as well as humans and nature.
The practice of zero tolerance: emergency placement by child welfare services in Norway
Authors: Aamodt Hilde Anette , Olkowska Alicja
Published: January 2024

The article discusses the emergency placement of children by the Norwegian Child Welfare Services. Nine mothers were interviewed about their experiences of the transfer of care of their children. Several of the mothers had their children removed due to an emergency decision. The article focuses on one of these stories and analyses the way in which emergency placement can be seen as a form of communication and practice. The purpose of this article is to generate knowledge about how the concept of ‘zero tolerance’ is used to legitimise emergency placements and how this practice might cause more harm than benefits for individual children. The article’s analytical perspective is grounded in the systems theory of Niklas Luhmann.
Y-STR Haplotypic Polymorphisms for the Hakka Population in West China and Phylogenic Comparison with Other Chinese Populations
Authors: Liu Meng-Nan , Peng Chang-Xiu , Song Dan-Lu , Jin Hai-Ying , Zheng Xing-Kai , Fan Guang-Yao
Published: January 2024

abstract: The Hakka, who have undergone a series of great migrations, are usually identified with people who speak the Hakka language or share at least same Hakka ancestry. As the largest Hakka dialect island in West China, the Dongshan region was closely linked with the great migration wave of Hakka. However, the paternal genetic profiles of Dongshan Hakka have never been revealed. In the present study, 41 Y-chromosomal short tandem repeat (Y-STR) loci included in the SureID PathFinder Plus Kit were analyzed in 353 unrelated male individuals (171 Hakka and 182 Han) of Sichuan Province, China. By analyzing 166 different haplotypes among Dongshan Hakka and 176 different haplotypes among Sichuan Han males, haplotype diversity was calculated as 0.9997, with a discrimination capacity of 0.9708, for the Hakka population, and 0.9996 and 0.9670 for the Sichuan Han population, respectively. Most of the Y-STR loci were highly informative in both populations except DYS645. The genetic relationships were evaluated by comparing the Hakka population with 11 other groups that are relevant to Hakka migration routes. The results of the multidimensional scaling plot and phylogenetic tree indicate that the Dongshan Hakka population was closely related to Han nationalities from Anhui, Jiangxi, and Fujian Provinces.
Attitude measurement of ultraclose-range spacecraft based on improved YOLOv5s and adaptive Hough circle extraction
Authors: Liu Qi , Tang Xiyu , Huo Ju
Published: January 2024

In order to fulfill the requirements for various operations in space, such as rendezvous, docking, and capturing, there is a pressing need to achieve ultraclose-range spacecraft pose measurement. This paper addresses the challenges of pose measurement under low-light conditions at ultraclose range by introducing a stereovision solution based on target detection and adaptive circle extraction. Initially, an improved target detection algorithm is employed to expedite feature object detection. Subsequently, an adaptive circle extraction algorithm is developed through analysis of camera imaging to surmount challenges related to feature extraction and potential feature loss in the space environment. This approach facilitates swift and accurate measurement of spacecraft at ultraclose range. The results showcase a 66.36% reduction in parameter count for the enhanced target detection algorithm compared with the prevalent YOLOv7_tiny algorithm. Additionally, the adaptive circle extraction algorithm demonstrates an 11.4% increase in cooperative target feature extraction precision compared with existing methods while maintaining requisite detection speed. Simulation experiments indicate that the real-time position measurement error for spacecraft at ultraclose range is less than 0.18 mm, and angle measurement error is less than 0.05°. This presents a viable visual solution for spacecraft pose measurement at ultraclose range in low-light environments.
Improvements and validation of a spatiotemporal speckle correlation model for rolling shutter speckle imaging
Authors: Yi Changyoon , Byun Sangjun , Lee Yujin , Lee Seung Ah
Published: January 2024

Rolling shutter speckle imaging (RSSI) is a single-shot imaging technique that directly measures the temporal dynamics of the scattering media using a low-cost rolling shutter image sensor and vertically elongated speckles. In this paper, we derive and validate a complete spatiotemporal intensity correlation (STIC) model for RSSI, which describes the row-by-row correlation of the dynamic speckles measured with a rolling shutter in the presence of static scattering. Our new model accounts for the finite exposure time of the detector, which can be longer than the sampling interval in RSSI. We derive a comprehensive model that works for all correlation times of rolling shutter measurements. As a result, we can correctly utilize all data points in RSSI, which improves the measurement accuracy and ranges of speckle decorrelation time and dynamic scattering fraction, as demonstrated by phantom experiments. With simulations and experiments, we provide an understanding of the design parameters of RSSI and the measurement range of the speckle dynamics.
Postinhibitory excitation in motoneurons can be facilitated by hyperpolarization-activated inward currents: A simulation study
Authors: Schmid Laura , Klotz Thomas , Röhrle Oliver , Powers Randall K. , Negro Francesco , Yavuz Utku Ş.
Published: January 2024

Postinhibitory excitation is a transient overshoot of a neuron’s baseline firing rate following an inhibitory stimulus and can be observed in vivo in human motoneurons. However, the biophysical origin of this phenomenon is still unknown and both reflex pathways and intrinsic motoneuron properties have been proposed. We hypothesized that postinhibitory excitation in motoneurons can be facilitated by hyperpolarization-activated inward currents (h-currents). Using an electrical circuit model, we investigated how h-currents can modulate the postinhibitory response of motoneurons. Further, we analyzed the spike trains of human motor units from the tibialis anterior muscle during reciprocal inhibition. The simulations revealed that the activation of h-currents by an inhibitory postsynaptic potential can cause a short-term increase in a motoneuron’s firing probability. This result suggests that the neuron can be excited by an inhibitory stimulus. In detail, the modulation of the firing probability depends on the time delay between the inhibitory stimulus and the previous action potential. Further, the postinhibitory excitation’s strength correlates with the inhibitory stimulus’s amplitude and is negatively correlated with the baseline firing rate as well as the level of input noise. Hallmarks of h-current activity, as identified from the modeling study, were found in 50% of the human motor units that showed postinhibitory excitation. This study suggests that h-currents can facilitate postinhibitory excitation and act as a modulatory system to increase motoneuron excitability after a strong inhibition.
The structure and robustness of ecological networks with two interaction types
Authors: Domínguez-García Virginia , Kéfi Sonia
Published: January 2024

Until recently, most ecological network analyses investigating the effects of species’ declines and extinctions have focused on a single type of interaction (e.g. feeding). In nature, however, diverse interactions co-occur, each of them forming a layer of a ‘multilayer’ network. Data including information on multiple interaction types has recently started to emerge, giving us the opportunity to have a first glance at possible commonalities in the structure of these networks. We studied the structural features of 44 tripartite ecological networks from the literature, each composed of two layers of interactions (e.g. herbivory and pollination), and investigated their robustness to species losses. Considering two interactions simultaneously, we found that the robustness of the whole community is a combination of the robustness of the two ecological networks composing it. The way in which the layers of interactions are connected to each other affects the interdependence of their robustness. In many networks, this interdependence is low, suggesting that restoration efforts would not automatically propagate through the whole community. Our results highlight the importance of considering multiple interactions simultaneously to better gauge the robustness of ecological communities to species loss and to more reliably identify key species that are important for the persistence of ecological communities.