bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predicting the compressive strength of additively manufactured PLA‐based orthopedic bone screws: A machine learning framework
Authors: Agarwal Raj , Singh Jaskaran , Gupta Vishal
Published: July 2022

Additive manufacturing (AM) technology is an innovative technique that has shown potential in several surgical innovations such as the fabrication of cost‐effective orthopedic screws. It is imperative that the process parameters used during the fabrication of bone screws determine the strength of the screw to support the load‐bearing fracture sites. In this present work, the application of machine learning (ML) models was leveraged for predicting the compressive strength of additively manufactured orthopedic cortical screws. Different ML models such as k‐nearest neighbors, support vector regression, decision trees, and random forest were compared to offer a robust predictive ML model. During the study, fused deposition modeling based additive manufacturing technology is used to fabricate poly(lactic acid) based cortical screws and compressive strength was monitored using the universal testing machine. The predictive ML models were developed by various independent parameters such as infill percentage, layer height, infill pattern and wall thickness. The adequacy and robustness of different ML models were observed at different error metrics. The error metrics of the random forest model were comparatively lower for testing data with a mean absolute error of 2.06 ± 0.91, root mean square error of 2.37 ± 0.9 and coefficient of determination of 0.96 ± 0.042. The results highlight that the random forest is the most adequate ML model for predicting the compressive strength of additively manufactured cortical screws.
Comment on “Anomalous structural recovery in the near glass transition range in a polymer glass: Data revisited in light of temperature variability in vacuum oven‐based experiments”
Authors: Cangialosi Daniele , Alegría Angel , Colmenero Juan
Published: July 2022

Recent efforts, fostered by a pioneering work by us, have shown the of multiple steps in the recovery of equilibrium of glasses. Jin and McKenna raise concerns regarding the validity of such scenario alleging that the multiple recovery steps would be an artifact arising from poor temperature control in the oven used for isothermal glass equilibration. We critically discuss Jin and McKenna arguments from both the viewpoints of scrutinizing previous literature data and that of the temperature control in the oven. In doing so, we provide compelling arguments that Jin and McKenna conjectures are unjustified and point out the need for efforts to describe glass dynamics significantly below the glass transition temperature, Tg, by accounting for the presence of different relaxation mechanisms active in glass equilibration.
S‐Nitroso‐l‐cysteine and ventilatory drive: A pediatric perspective
Authors: Hubbard Dallin , Tutrow Kaylee , Gaston Benjamin
Published: July 2022

Though endogenous S‐nitroso‐l‐cysteine (l‐CSNO) signaling at the level of the carotid body increases minute ventilation (v̇E), neither the background data nor the potential clinical relevance are well‐understood by pulmonologists in general, or by pediatric pulmonologists in particular. Here, we first review how regulation of the synthesis, activation, transmembrane transport, target interaction, and degradation of l‐CSNO can affect the ventilatory drive. In particular, we review l‐CSNO formation by hemoglobin R to T conformational change and by nitric oxide (NO) synthases (NOS), and the downstream effects on v̇E through interaction with voltage‐gated K+ (Kv) channel proteins and other targets in the peripheral and central nervous systems. We will review how these effects are independent of—and, in fact may be opposite to—those of NO. Next, we will review evidence that specific elements of this pathway may underlie disorders of respiratory control in childhood. Finally, we will review the potential clinical implications of this pathway in the development of respiratory stimulants, with a particular focus on potential pediatric applications.
Comparison of tracheal aspirate and bronchoalveolar lavage samples in the microbiological diagnosis of lower respiratory tract infection in pediatric patients
Authors: Tsukahara Katharine , Johnson Brandy , Klimowich Katelyn , Chiotos Kathleen , Jensen Erik A. , Planet Paul , Phinizy Pelton , Piccione Joseph
Published: July 2022

Background

Bacterial cultures from tracheal aspirates (TA) and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) specimens can be used to assess patients with artificial airways for lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI). TA collection may be advantageous in situations of limited resources or critical illness. Literature comparing these diagnostic modalities in pediatric populations is scarce.

Methods

Single‐center, retrospective analysis of 52 pediatric patients with an artificial airway undergoing evaluation for LRTI. All patients had a TA specimen collected for semiquantitative Gram stain and culture followed by BAL within 48 h. Microbiologic diagnosis of LRTI was defined as a BAL sample with >25% neutrophils and growth of >104 colony‐forming units/ml of one or more bacterial species. The test characteristics of TA were compared with these BAL results as the reference standard. Concordance in microorganism identification was also assessed.

Results

Overall, 24 patients (47%) met criteria for LRTI using BAL as the diagnostic standard. TA samples positive for an isolated organism had poor sensitivity for acute LRTI when compared with BAL, regardless of semiquantitative white blood cell (WBC) count by Gram stain. Using a TA diagnostic threshold of organism growth and at least “moderate” WBC yielded a specificity of 93%. Positive predictive value was highest when an organism was identified by TA. Negative predictive value was >70% for TA samples with no WBC by semiquantitative analysis, with or without growth of an organism. Complete concordance of cultured species was 58% for all patients, with a higher rate seen among those with endotracheal tubes.

Conclusions

The role of cultures obtained by TA remains limited for the diagnosis of acute LRTI as demonstrated by the poor correlation to BAL results within our cohort. Optimal strategies for diagnosing LRTI across patient populations and airway types remain elusive.
Evaluation of unexpected protecting group removal in solid‐phase peptide synthesis: Quantified using continuous flow methods
Authors: Laude Victoire , Nuño Manuel , Moses Roger C. , Guthrie Duncan
Published: July 2022

As peptides gained interest as new drugs in the past years, their synthetic routes had been the subject of review and improvement. Fmoc/tBu‐based solid‐phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) is the most convenient technique, and the implementation in continuous flow has allowed for single‐pass coupling and deprotection reactions. The focus of this research is to evaluate the relationship between undesired solvent‐promoted reactions and final crude purity, by studying volume changes of a variable bed flow reactor through the synthesis. Based on the temperature, typical solvents for SPPS such as dimethylformamide (DMF) or N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone (NMP) can cause unwanted Fmoc removal during wash steps. It was found that for every millilitre of DMF used at 80°C, up to 1 μmol of Fmoc‐protected peptide is deprotected, leading to additional impurities. This effect can, however, be minimised by adding additives such as HOBt, which reduces such unwanted deprotection to just 0.1 μmol/ml.
Effects of licorice root supplementation on liver enzymes, hepatic steatosis, metabolic and oxidative stress parameters in women with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A randomized double‐blind clinical trial
Authors: Rostamizadeh Pouya , Asl Seyed Mohammad Kazem Hosseini , Far Zohreh Ghaem , Ahmadijoo Pegah , Mahmudiono Trias , Bokov Dmitry Olegovich , Alsaikhan Fahad , Jannat Behrooz , Mazloom Zohreh
Published: July 2022

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of licorice root supplementation on liver enzymes, hepatic steatosis, metabolic and oxidative stress parameters in women with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). In this randomized double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial, 60 women with NAFLD were selected and randomly assigned into 2 groups to take 1,000 mg/day powder of licorice root extract or placebo for 12 weeks. In addition, all the patients were advised to follow a weight loss diet and healthy lifestyle. The plasma levels of liver enzymes, glycemic indices, lipid profile, oxidative stress parameters, as well as hepatic steatosis were measured at the beginning and end of the study. Through the 12‐weeks period of supplementation, women who received powder of licorice root experienced a statistically significant improvement in alanine aminotransferase (p < .001), insulin (p = .002), insulin resistance (p = .003), malondialdehyde (p < .001) serum levels, and ultrasonographic findings of liver steatosis (p < .001), compared to the placebo group. In conclusion, licorice root supplementation in addition to gradual weight loss and lifestyle modification is superior to lifestyle modification alone for the treatment of NAFLD.
In vitro characterization of iridoid and phenylethanoid glycosides from Cistanche phelypaea for nutraceutical and pharmacological applications
Authors: Delicato Antonella , Masi Marco , de Lara Francisco , Rubiales Diego , Paolillo Ida , Lucci Valeria , Falco Geppino , Calabrò Viola , Evidente Antonio
Published: July 2022

“Desert hyacinths” are a remarkable group of parasitic plants belonging to genus Cistanche, including more than 20 accepted species typically occurring in deserts or coastal dunes parasitizing roots of shrubs. Several Cistanche species have long been a source of traditional herbal medicine or food, being C. deserticola and C. tubulosa the most used in China. This manuscript reports the isolation and identification of some phenylethanoid and iridoid glycosides, obtained from the hydroalcoholic extract of C. phelypaea collected in Spain. The present study aims to characterize the antioxidant activity of C. phelypaea metabolites in the light of their application in nutraceutical and cosmeceutical industries and the effect of acetoside, the most abundant metabolite in C. phelypaea extract, on human keratinocyte and pluripotent stem cell proliferation and differentiation. Our study demonstrated that acetoside, besides its strong antioxidant potential, can preserve the proliferative potential of human basal keratinocytes and the stemness of mesenchymal progenitors necessary for tissue morphogenesis and renewal. Therefore, acetoside can be of practical relevance for the clinical application of human stem cell cultures in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
Exponential stability of totally positive switched linear systems with both stable and unstable subsystems
Authors: Pan Shiyao , Shao Yuanfu
Published: July 2022

This article discusses the exponential stability of totally positive switched linear systems (TPSLSs) for continuous‐time and discrete‐time cases. By employing the multiple piecewise‐continuous linear copositive Lyapunov function (MPLCLF) and mode‐dependent average dwell time (MDADT) methods, TPSLSs containing both stable and unstable subsystems are firstly considered and two kinds of switching strategies are proposed, which reduce the conservativeness greatly and provide a more relaxed constraints on parameters compared with the previous results. Finally, two examples are given to illustrate the effectiveness of our results.
Stepless shape morphing polymer
Authors: Min Lei , Zhu Min , Lu Hanlun , Li Yao , Fan Longfei , Zhang Mingqiu , Rong Minzhi
Published: July 2022

To change the situation of shape memory polymers (SMPs) that can only remember very few shapes and enable discretional morphing for practical application, the authors report a reversible stepless multiple SMP derived from ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). As the crystals of semi‐crystalline polymers are assembled by those with slightly different melting temperatures, and each type of crystal can remember a single shape, the crystalline region of UHMWPE is allowed to remember plenty of temporary shapes after programming. Changing the temperature of the programmed polymer within the melting/crystallization temperature ranges would lead to releasing/recovery of the memorized temporary shapes. Accordingly, multiple shape memory effects can be easily realized without an elaborate design of material structure and training process in advance as before. The temperature‐dependent adjustability of the analog capacitor and soft lens with embedded programmed UHMWPE as actuators, characterized by the continuous/random/proportional responsivity, further reveals the utilization prospects of the controllable reversible stepless discretionary morphing effect. Moreover, the maximum work density of the programmed UHMWPE is found to be 210 kJ/m3, which is more than 10 times of piezoelectric ceramics, so that it can serve as a proof‐of‐concept mechanical driver for reversibly pumping of ethanediol‐droplet upon heating/cooling.
The effects of occupational licensing reform for nurse practitioners on children's health
Authors: Bhai Moiz , Mitchell David T.
Published: July 2022

We examine how scope of practice reforms that allow nurse practitioners independent practice authority impact children's health. We exploit spatial and temporal variation in independent practice authority to implement a difference‐in‐differences research design using data from the first three waves of the National Survey of Children's Health. We find that these reforms have significant positive impacts on a commonly used and validated measure of children's health: parental evaluation of child health. As a result of this scope of practice reforms, parental evaluations of overall child health improve as parents increasingly rate their child as having Excellent Health. More importantly, we observe these improvements in health are driven primarily by older children and children from lower family income backgrounds. These findings indicate that an expansion in the supply of healthcare through occupational licensing reform can positively influence health outcomes for children. Such findings have important implications for mitigating child health inequality.
The Janus-Face of Contemporary Migration: Perspectives on West African Return Migration and Transnationalism with a Focus on Ghana and Senegal
Authors: Mensah Joseph , Teye Joseph Kofi , Setrana Mary Boatemaa
Published: July 2022

Recently, a burgeoning literature has emerged on the return experience of migrants, with some analysts touting the benefits of return to the socioeconomic development of countries of origin, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. Still, only few studies have examined how return migrants create and sustain transnational connectivity with their countries of destination upon their return to the homeland, and fewer still have analyzed how these dynamics play out in the context of West African migrants. This primarily theoretical paper explores the interconnections between return migration and transnationalism among West African migrants, focusing on the case of Ghanaian and Senegalese migrants. The insistent premise of the paper posits that contemporary migration is essentially Janus-faced, in the sense that migrants are transnational in both their pre- and post-return periods. The paper addresses the following questions: (i) What are the perspectives of Northern countries and supra-national bodies, such as the EU, on return migration, and how do these perspectives compare with those of Southern countries, such as Ghana and Senegal? (ii) How do West African migrants view their own return migration, and to what extent are their emic perspectives different from those of Northern governments and their government in the homeland? (iii) How do West African returnees—specifically, Ghanaian and Senegalese returnees—use their transitional connectivities to facilitate their resettlement and reintegration in the homeland upon their return? Clearly, return migration elicits a number of important questions, into which this Chapter stands to provide useful preliminary prescience in the context of Ghanaian and Senegalese migrants.
It’s a Journey That Only God Knows: Understanding Irregular Migration in Senegal Through a Religious Lens
Authors: Deshingkar Priya , Gueye Doudou Dièye
Published: July 2022

The authors use the lens of religion to understand how migrants from Senegal embarking on high-risk journeys across the Sahara and the Atlantic conceptualise migration, cope with hardship and give meaning to their experiences. The paper aims to provide insights into religious belief systems and their intersection with the process of irregular migration and human smuggling from the impoverished Kolda region of Senegal. The research adds to the scant literature on how migrants draw on their spiritual beliefs in preparing for and enduring harrowing journeys with a high risk of harm and death. Migrants are aware of the risks as they receive information in real time from other migrants and also because many are returne migrants or deportees. But the risks do not deter them as they seek to fulfil their role as good family providers and heed the guidance of Marabout Islamic teachers rather than information campaigns to prevent irregular migration. The study also sheds light on hitherto under-recognised gendered aspects of the infrastructure of migration facilitation in Kolda: while migration is male dominated, women play a critical role in mobilising religious and financial support. The authors conclude that there is a mismatch between the way that migrants take decisions to migrate and the understanding of external agencies that continue efforts to dissuade them through risk information campaigns.
Strategic Leadership from the Social Network Perspective
Authors: Tipurić Darko
Published: July 2022

This chapter explains social networks as an important construct when it comes to strategic leadership. The importance of understanding interactions between strategic leaders, organisational members and other important factors encourages the development of discourse that departs from a static, one-dimensional perspective of leadership. There is a myriad of all kinds of forms of social networks that differ by their main characteristics and levels of structural and relational network embeddedness. It is particularly important to understand the concepts of weak and strong ties in a social network and this chapter provides detailed overview of this important constructs. In addition, this chapter explains the structural hole theory and network-based perspective of strategic leadership, concepts relevant for strategic leadership. Strategic leaders need to get involved in important social networks and delve into their essence in order to better influence others and achieve their intentions and goals. If they are well-connected, they are more likely to have greater power in the network. Good position in the network can guarantee that they will need to invest less effort in getting people on board with the direction and patterns of action that they advocate.
First and second critical exponents for an inhomogeneous Schrödinger equation with combined nonlinearities
Authors: Alotaibi Munirah , Jleli Mohamed , Samet Bessem , Vetro Calogero
Published: July 2022

We study the large-time behavior of solutions for the inhomogeneous nonlinear Schrödinger equation $$\begin{aligned} iu_t+\Delta u=\lambda |u|^p+\mu |\nabla u|^q+w(x),\quad t>0,\, x\in {\mathbb {R}}^N, \end{aligned}$$

i

u
t

+
Δ
u
=

λ
|
u
|

p

+
μ

|
∇
u
|

q

+
w

(
x
)

,

t
>
0
,

x
∈

R

N

,

where $$N\ge 1$$

N
≥
1

, $$p,q>1$$

p
,
q
>
1

, $$\lambda ,\mu \in {\mathbb {C}}$$

λ
,
μ
∈
C

, $$\lambda \ne 0$$

λ
≠
0

, and $$u(0,\cdot ), w\in L^1_{\mathrm{loc}}({\mathbb {R}}^N,{\mathbb {C}})$$

u

(
0
,
·
)

,
w
∈

L
loc
1

(

R

N

,
C
)

. We consider both the cases where $$\mu =0$$

μ
=
0

and $$\mu \ne 0$$

μ
≠
0

, respectively. We establish existence/nonexistence of global weak solutions. In each studied case, we compute the critical exponents in the sense of Fujita, and Lee and Ni. When $$\mu \ne 0$$

μ
≠
0

, we show that the nonlinearity $$|\nabla u|^q$$

|
∇
u
|

q

induces an interesting phenomenon of discontinuity of the Fujita critical exponent.
ConsInstancy: learning instance representations for semi-supervised panoptic segmentation of concrete aggregate particles
Authors: Coenen Max , Schack Tobias , Beyer Dries , Heipke Christian , Haist Michael
Published: July 2022

We present a semi-supervised method for panoptic segmentation based on ConsInstancy regularisation, a novel strategy for semi-supervised learning. It leverages completely unlabelled data by enforcing consistency between predicted instance representations and semantic segmentations during training in order to improve the segmentation performance. To this end, we also propose new types of instance representations that can be predicted by one simple forward path through a fully convolutional network (FCN), delivering a convenient and simple-to-train framework for panoptic segmentation. More specifically, we propose the prediction of a three-dimensional instance orientation map as intermediate representation and two complementary distance transform maps as final representation, providing unique instance representations for a panoptic segmentation. We test our method on two challenging data sets of both, hardened and fresh concrete, the latter being proposed by the authors in this paper demonstrating the effectiveness of our approach, outperforming the results achieved by state-of-the-art methods for semi-supervised segmentation. In particular, we are able to show that by leveraging completely unlabelled data in our semi-supervised approach the achieved overall accuracy (OA) is increased by up to 5% compared to an entirely supervised training using only labelled data. Furthermore, we exceed the OA achieved by state-of-the-art semi-supervised methods by up to 1.5%.
Perspectives from the tech industry: designer Geof Stead on Iteration as a built-in goal of mobile app design
Authors: Stead Geoff , Foster Clare
Published: July 2022

A symposium was held at the Centre for Research in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (CRASSH) at the University of Cambridge on June 12th 2019, ‘Rethinking Repetition in a Digital Age’, at which Geoff Stead, a leading mobile tech designer, was a keynote speaker (https://www.crassh.cam.ac.uk/events/28053). The focus of the Cambridge UK event was on how the potentials of digital technologies—whose harms have received widespread attention—could be redirected for the social good. For Stead, this is precisely what Babbel are doing in their approach to commercial digital language learning. Stead spoke to the idea of reversing our personal relationships to mechanical affordances, and finding empowerment in understanding their designed logics. The transcript of the interview below, made in October 2021, revisits some of the main points he raised at that event.
Endocannabinoid and steroid analysis in infant and adult nails by LC–MS/MS
Authors: Restin Tanja , Byland Nastassja , Voegel Clarissa D. , La Marca-Ghaemmaghami Pearl , Baumgartner Markus R. , Bassler Dirk , Kraemer Thomas , Binz Tina M.
Published: July 2022

A common method to quantify chronic stress is the analysis of stress markers in keratinized matrices such as hair or nail. In this study, we aimed to validate a sensitive liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) method for the combined quantification of steroid hormones and endocannabinoids (eCBs) in the keratinized matrix nail. Furthermore, we aimed to investigate the suitability of the nail matrix for the detection of these stress markers in a pilot study. An LC–MS/MS method was used for the simultaneous identification and quantification of four eCBs (2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), anandamide (AEA), oleoylethanolamide (OEA), palmitoylethanolamide (PEA)) and five steroid hormones (cortisol, cortisone, androstenedione, progesterone, testosterone) in human nails using a surrogate analyte method for each analyte. The method was validated in terms of selectivity, response factor, linearity, limit of quantification (LOQ), precision, accuracy, matrix effect, recovery, robustness, and autosampler stability. Nail samples were extracted for 1 h with methanol following a clean-up with a fully automated supported liquid extraction (SLE). The influence of nail weight on the quantification was investigated by using 0.5–20 mg of nail sample. As a proof of concept, nail samples (N = 57) were analyzed from a cohort representing newborns (1 month old), children (between 1 and 10 years), and adults (up to 43 years). It could be shown that the established workflow using a 1 hour extraction and clean-up by SLE was very robust and resulted in a short sample preparation time. The LC–MS/MS method was successfully validated. Matrix effects with ion enhancement occurred mainly for 2-AG. Sample weights below 5 mg showed variations in quantification for some analytes. Certain analytes such as PEA and progesterone could be accurately quantified at a sample weight lower than 5 mg. This is the first study where steroids and eCBs could be simultaneously detected and quantified in infant and adult nails. These results show that nails may serve as an alternative keratinized matrix (compared to hair) for the retrospective monitoring of cumulative eCB and steroid hormone levels. The combined assessment of eCBs and steroids from nails could provide a new approach to gain new insights into stress exposure in newborns and adults.

Graphical abstract
Equation Satisfiability in Solvable Groups
Authors: Idziak Paweł , Kawałek Piotr , Krzaczkowski Jacek , Weiß Armin
Published: July 2022

The study of the complexity of the equation satisfiability problem in finite groups had been initiated by Goldmann and Russell in (Inf. Comput. 178(1), 253–262, 2002) where they showed that this problem is in for nilpotent groups while it is -complete for non-solvable groups. Since then, several results have appeared showing that the problem can be solved in polynomial time in certain solvable groups G having a nilpotent normal subgroup H with nilpotent factor G/H. This paper shows that such a normal subgroup must exist in each finite group with equation satisfiability solvable in polynomial time, unless the Exponential Time Hypothesis fails.
Optical molecular imaging and theranostics in neurological diseases based on aggregation-induced emission luminogens
Authors: Cen Peili , Zhou Youyou , Cui Chunyi , Wei Yen , Cheng Zhen , Wu Shuizhu , Zhang Hong , Tian Mei
Published: July 2022

Optical molecular imaging and image-guided theranostics benefit from special and specific imaging agents, for which aggregation-induced emission luminogens (AIEgens) have been regarded as good candidates in many biomedical applications. They display a large Stokes shift, high quantum yield, good biocompatibility, and resistance to photobleaching. Neurological diseases are becoming a substantial burden on individuals and society that affect over 50 million people worldwide. It is urgently needed to explore in more detail the brain structure and function, learn more about pathological processes of neurological diseases, and develop more efficient approaches for theranostics. Many AIEgens have been successfully designed, synthesized, and further applied for molecular imaging and image-guided theranostics in neurological diseases such as cerebrovascular disease, neurodegenerative disease, and brain tumor, which help us understand more about the pathophysiological state of brain through noninvasive optical imaging approaches. Herein, we focus on representative AIEgens investigated on brain vasculature imaging and theranostics in neurological diseases including cerebrovascular disease, neurodegenerative disease, and brain tumor. Considering different imaging modalities and various therapeutic functions, AIEgens have great potential to broaden neurological research and meet urgent needs in clinical practice. It will be inspiring to develop more practical and versatile AIEgens as molecular imaging agents for preclinical and clinical use on neurological diseases.
Current Status and Outcomes of Critical Traumatic Brain Injury (GCS = 3–5) in a Developing Country: A Retrospective, Registry‐Based Study
Authors: Borazjani Roham , Ajdari Mohammad Reza , Niakan Amin , Yousefi Omid , Amoozandeh Arsham , Sayadi Mehrab , Khalili Hosseinali
Published: July 2022

Background

Patients sustaining critical TBI [initial Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) ≤ 5] generally have poor outcomes. Little is known about the frequency, mortality rate, and functional outcomes of such patients in Iran.

Methods

In this retrospective, registry‐based cohort study, the demographic and clinicoradiological findings of TBI patients were queried from March 21, 2017, to March 21, 2020. We included TBI patients with initial GCS of 3–5. The functional outcome was assessed using the Glasgow Outcome Score‐extended 6 (GOSE‐6) months after the hospital discharge. Patients were classified as having unfavorable (GOSE‐6 ≤ 4) and favorable (GOSE‐6 > 4) outcomes. Gathered data were compared between groups. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was done to find factors affecting the outcome.

Results

Four hundred ninety‐seven patients (mean age = 37.59 ± 17.89) were enrolled, and 69.2% had unfavorable outcomes. Elderly patients (age ≥ 65 years) were highly overrepresented among the unfavorable group. 48.9% had bilateral fixed dilated pupils (BDFP), who mostly attained unfavorable outcomes. The overall in‐hospital mortality rate was 50.3%. The in‐hospital mortality rate was appalling among elderly patients with BFDP and GCS 3(90%) and GCS 4(100%). Age ≥ 65 years [odds ratio (OR) 3.45, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.19–10.04], and BFDP (OR 4.48, 95% CI 2.60–7.73) increase the odds of unfavorable outcomes according to the regression analysis.

Conclusion

The survival rate and favorable outcomes of critical TBI patients are generally poor. However, we believe that the neurotrauma surgeons should discuss with patients' proxies and explain the clinical conditions and possible outcomes.
Gut instincts in neuroimmunity from the eighteenth to twenty-first centuries
Authors: Nguyen Mytien , Palm Noah W.
Published: July 2022

In the past two decades, work on the microbiota-gut-brain axis has led to a renewed appreciation for the interconnectedness between body systems in both clinical and scientific circles. In the USA alone, millions of adults are burdened with non-communicable chronic diseases whose putative etiologies were previously thought to be restricted to either the gut or brain, such as inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, and autism spectrum disorder. However, the recent explosion of research into the impacts of the gut microbiome on diverse aspects of human health has revealed the potentially critical importance of reciprocal interactions between the gut microbiota, the immune system, and the brain in diverse diseases and disorders. In this review, we revisit the history of gut-brain interactions in science and medicine, which dates back to at least the eighteenth century, and outline how concepts in this field have shifted and evolved across eras. Next, we highlight the modern resurgence of gut-brain axis research, focusing on neuro-immune-microbiota interactions and recent progress towards a mechanistic understanding of the diverse impacts of the microbiome on human health. Finally, we offer a forward-looking perspective on the future of microbiota-gut-brain research, which may eventually reveal new paths towards the treatment of diverse diseases influenced by the complex connections between the microbiota and the brain.
F-actin bending facilitates net actomyosin contraction By inhibiting expansion with plus-end-located myosin motors
Authors: Tam Alexander K. Y. , Mogilner Alex , Oelz Dietmar B.
Published: July 2022

Contraction of actomyosin networks underpins important cellular processes including motility and division. The mechanical origin of actomyosin contraction is not fully-understood. We investigate whether contraction arises on the scale of individual filaments, without needing to invoke network-scale interactions. We derive discrete force-balance and continuum partial differential equations for two symmetric, semi-flexible actin filaments with an attached myosin motor. Assuming the system exists within a homogeneous background material, our method enables computation of the stress tensor, providing a measure of contractility. After deriving the model, we use a combination of asymptotic analysis and numerical solutions to show how F-actin bending facilitates contraction on the scale of two filaments. Rigid filaments exhibit polarity-reversal symmetry as the motor travels from the minus to plus-ends, such that contractile and expansive components cancel. Filament bending induces a geometric asymmetry that brings the filaments closer to parallel as a myosin motor approaches their plus-ends, decreasing the effective spring force opposing motor motion. The reduced spring force enables the motor to move faster close to filament plus-ends, which reduces expansive stress and gives rise to net contraction. Bending-induced geometric asymmetry provides both new understanding of actomyosin contraction mechanics, and a hypothesis that can be tested in experiments.
SafeMove: monitoring seniors with mild cognitive impairments using deep learning and location prediction
Authors: Al-Molegi Abdulrahman , Martínez-Ballesté Antoni
Published: July 2022

Due to society aging, age-related issues such as mild cognitive impairments (MCI) and dementia are attracting the attention of health professionals, scientists and governments. Seniors suffering from such impairments notice a slight deterioration in their cognitive abilities, which may lead to memory loss and behavioural disorders. In consequence, such seniors refrain from doing their everyday outdoor activities. Technology, e.g. smartphones, wearables and artificial intelligence, can provide seniors and their relatives with a variety of monitoring tools. In a nutshell, locations are analysed and, under specific situations, alarms are raised so that caregivers urgently informed. In this context, the discovery and prediction of trajectories and behaviours play a key role in deploying effective monitoring solutions. In this paper, we present a real-time smartphone-based monitoring system, called SafeMove, to discover and predict elderly people behaviours by analyzing outdoor trajectories. This is achieved by firstly analysing the elder’s mobility data previously collected using the proposed model called SpaceTime-Convolutional Neural Network (ST-CNN) in order to predict the most popular locations he/she might visit in the next time. Based on the predicted locations, the elder can be monitored in bounded region. Time and space-related variables, such as the distance traversed, the direction of the movements and the time spent, are analyzed in our abnormal behaviour detection (ABD) model that takes advantage of recurrent neural networks (RNNs). The effectiveness and the efficiency of our system for predicting the next location and detection the abnormal behaviors are evaluated using different datasets comprising real-world GPS trajectories.
The surgical outcomes of fixing ipsilateral femoral neck and shaft fractures: single versus double implants fixation
Authors: Alborno Yahya , Abunimer Abdullah , Abuodeh Yousef , Salameh Motasem , Kayali Hammam , Ahmed Ghalib
Published: July 2022

Background

Combined ipsilateral femoral neck and shaft fractures are rare and present a challenging management dilemma. This study aims to assess the outcome of concomitant fixation of the ipsilateral femoral neck and shaft fracture using single versus dual surgical implants.

Methods

A single-center retrospective analysis of patients who underwent fixation of ipsilateral femoral neck and shaft fractures was performed over a 13-year period. Different techniques were employed to fix the complex injury. Both the reduction and the union time were assessed radiographically.

Results

A total of 36 patients with ipsilateral femoral neck and shaft fractures were retrospectively identified and included in the study. Twenty-four patients (66.6%) were managed with a single cephalomedullary nail, while the remaining cases were treated with two devices. All cases were operated on within an average of 3.7 ± 7.1 days. Eight patients (22.2%) developed postoperative complications. The average follow-up period was 7.3 ± 6.8 months. Although there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups, the femoral neck fractures showed shorter union time in patients treated with one implant compared to patients treated with two implants (3.0 ± 2.3 months vs. 4.2 ± 2.6 months). Another observation was that higher percentages of implant removal/failure and malunion/nonunion were seen in patients who had one implant compared to the two implants group (12.5% vs. 8.3%).

Conclusion

Early surgical fixation of both fractures is associated with good outcome results. No difference in outcome was observed between both groups.
Groundwater-level recovery following closure of open-pit mines
Authors: Bozan Caglar , Wallis Ilka , Cook Peter G. , Dogramaci Shawan
Published: July 2022

Open-pit mining has increased substantially over the past two decades. Many currently operating open-pit mines are facing the end of mine-life over the next few decades and, increasingly, focus is shifting towards mine-closure planning that provides evidence on available closure options under the given geological, hydro(geo)logical and climatic conditions. This study uses synthetic groundwater modelling to build basic process understanding of closure options and how these will determine the formation of pit lakes. This governs the long-term pit lake water quality and how postmining landscapes may be utilised. Simulations show that the recovery time of postmining groundwater levels increases with decreasing aquifer transmissivity. Final postmining water tables are predominantly controlled by the implemented mine closure options and climatic conditions. The most important decision is, thereby, whether to backfill the pit to above the water table or allow a pit lake to develop. Under moderately transmissive aquifer settings, backfilling of pits leads to rapidly rising groundwater levels within the first decade after mining, with water-table recoveries of above 70%. If mine voids remain unfilled, evaporation from the pit lake surface becomes a governing factor in determining whether the unfilled mine pit becomes a terminal sink for groundwater. Lake levels may remain subdued by several 10s of metres in arid to semiarid climates. If surplus surface water can be diverted into open pits, rapid filling can accelerate groundwater recovery of open pits in regions of low permeability. This is a less successful management option in transmissive aquifers.
Integration of model-based recursive partitioning with bias reduction estimation: a case study assessing the impact of Oliver’s four factors on the probability of winning a basketball game
Authors: Migliorati Manlio , Manisera Marica , Zuccolotto Paola
Published: July 2022

In this contribution, we investigate the importance of Oliver’s Four Factors, proposed in the literature to identify a basketball team’s strengths and weaknesses in terms of shooting, turnovers, rebounding and free throws, as success drivers of a basketball game. In order to investigate the role of each factor in the success of a team in a match, we applied the MOdel-Based recursive partitioning (MOB) algorithm to real data concerning 19,138 matches of 16 National Basketball Association (NBA) regular seasons (from 2004–2005 to 2019–2020). MOB, instead of fitting one global Generalized Linear Model (GLM) to all observations, partitions the observations according to selected partitioning variables and estimates several ad hoc local GLMs for subgroups of observations. The manuscript’s aim is twofold: (1) in order to deal with (quasi) separation problems leading to convergence problems in the numerical solution of Maximum Likelihood (ML) estimation in MOB, we propose a methodological extension of GLM-based recursive partitioning from standard ML estimation to bias-reduced (BR) estimation; and (2) we apply the BR-based GLM trees to basketball analytics. The results show models very easy to interpret that can provide useful support to coaching staff’s decisions.
Keeping it under lock and keywords: exploring new ways to open up the web archives with notebooks
Authors: Talboom Leontien , Bell Mark
Published: July 2022

The UK Government Web Archive (UKGWA) has been archiving government websites since 1996 and now holds regular snapshots of over 5000 sites. Currently, this material can be accessed through browsing or a simple keyword search interface on their website and has also been catalogued in The National Archives’ online catalogue, Discovery. However, the scale of the UKGWA exposes the limits of the current search interface, and there is no facility to understand the archive in aggregate. This article seeks to go beyond the simple keyword search by exploring the data sources available, from APIs to web crawling, for computational analysis of the UKGWA. The article is accompanied by two Python Notebooks which present examples of analysis using each data source. Notebooks lower the technical barriers for the reader to explore and interpret the UKGWA as data, while surfacing the challenges around making web material computationally accessible.
Serum copper-to-zinc ratio and risk of incident pneumonia in caucasian men: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Kunutsor Setor K. , Voutilainen Ari , Laukkanen Jari A.
Published: July 2022

Serum copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), essential micronutrients that have important immunomodulatory and antimicrobial properties, are biomarkers of ageing. Serum Cu/Zn-ratio may be a more reliable marker for age-related degenerative conditions compared with serum Cu or Zn alone. We aimed to assess the association between Cu/Zn-ratio and the risk of incident pneumonia in a prospective cohort study. Serum levels of Cu and Zn were measured at baseline using atomic absorption spectrometry in 2503 men aged 42–61 years in the Kuopio Ischemic Heart Disease prospective cohort study. Hazard ratios (HRs) with confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for incident pneumonia using Cox regression models. A total of 599 cases of pneumonia occurred during a median follow-up of 26.1 years. Serum Cu/Zn-ratio and Cu were each linearly associated with incident pneumonia. A unit increase in Cu/Zn-ratio was associated with an increased risk of pneumonia in analysis adjusted for potential confounders including C-reactive protein (HR 1.65; 95% CI 1.17–2.33). The corresponding adjusted HR (95% CI) was 2.04 (1.22–3.40) for serum Cu. The association between serum Zn and pneumonia was curvilinear. Compared to the bottom tertile of Zn, the multivariable adjusted HRs (95% CIs) for incident pneumonia were 0.68 (0.55–0.83) and 0.96 (0.79–1.16) for the middle and top tertiles of Zn, respectively. Further analysis in the same participants showed that Cu/Zn-ratio might be a stronger risk indicator for pneumonia than serum C-reactive protein. In middle-aged and older Finnish men, increased serum Cu/Zn-ratio and Cu concentrations are each linearly associated with an increased risk of incident pneumonia.
Risk of secondary malignancy after radiotherapy for breast cancer: long-term follow-up of Japanese patients with breast cancer
Authors: Okonogi Noriyuki , Karasawa Kumiko , Nitta Yuki , Mori Yasumasa , Murata Kazutoshi , Wakatsuki Masaru , Tsuji Hiroshi
Published: July 2022

Purpose

There have been very few reports of secondary malignancies after breast cancer treatment in Asia, particularly in Japan. This study aimed to evaluate the risk of secondary malignancies after radiotherapy (RT) in Japanese breast cancer patients.

Methods

This single-center retrospective study included patients who underwent RT between July 1961 and September 2006 for postoperative breast cancer. A total of 702 patients with a follow-up period of more than 5 years were analyzed. All malignancies observed at more than 5 years after the start of RT were defined as secondary malignancies. To calculate the relative risk (RR) of secondary malignancies, we applied data from the National Cancer Center in Japan.

Results

The median observation period was 9.7 (interquartile range 7.1–18.2) years. The cumulative person-years of observation were 6879.4. The RR of contralateral breast cancer increased by 1.85-fold (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05–3.26) among patients compared with that among the general population; however, the difference was not significant (p = 0.053). The RR of secondary malignancies other than breast cancer increased by 2.71-fold (95% CI 1.99–3.70, p < 0.001) among the patients compared with the general population. Even when only malignancies detected more than 10 years after RT were defined as secondary malignancies, the RR of secondary malignancies other than breast cancer was 1.91 (95% CI 1.33–2.73, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

The incidence of secondary malignancies after RT may be somewhat higher in Japanese patients with breast cancer than in the general population.
Rye B chromosomes differently influence the expression of A chromosome–encoded genes depending on the host species
Authors: Boudichevskaia Anastassia , Fiebig Anne , Kumke Katrin , Himmelbach Axel , Houben Andreas
Published: July 2022

The B chromosome (B) is a dispensable component of the genome in many species. To evaluate the impact of Bs on the transcriptome of the standard A chromosomes (A), comparative RNA-seq analyses of rye and wheat anthers with and without additional rye Bs were conducted. In both species, 5–6% of the A-derived transcripts across the entire genomes were differentially expressed in the presence of  2Bs. The GO term enrichment analysis revealed that Bs influence A chromosome encoded processes like “gene silencing”; “DNA methylation or demethylation”; “chromatin silencing”; “negative regulation of gene expression, epigenetic”; “post-embryonic development”; and “chromosome organization.” 244 B chromosome responsive A-located genes in + 2B rye and + B wheat shared the same biological function. Positively correlated with the number of Bs, 939 and 1391 B-specific transcripts were identified in + 2B and + 4B wheat samples, respectively. 85% of B-transcripts in + 2B were also found in + 4B transcriptomes. 297 B-specific transcripts were identified in + 2B rye, and 27% were common to the B-derived transcripts identified in + B wheat. Bs encode mobile elements and housekeeping genes, but most B-transcripts were without detectable similarity to known genes. Some of these genes are involved in cell division-related functions like Nuf2 and might indicate their importance in maintaining Bs. The transcriptome analysis provides new insights into the complex interrelationship between standard A chromosomes and supernumerary B chromosomes.