bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Acute climate risks in the financial system: examining the utility of climate model projections
Authors: Pitman A J , Fiedler T , Ranger N , Jakob C , Ridder N , Perkins-Kirkpatrick S , Wood N , Abramowitz G
Published: July 2022

Efforts to assess risks to the financial system associated with climate change are growing. These commonly combine the use of integrated assessment models to obtain possible changes in global mean temperature (GMT) and then use coupled climate models to map those changes onto finer spatial scales to estimate changes in other variables. Other methods use data mined from ‘ensembles of opportunity’ such as the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP). Several challenges with current approaches have been identified. Here, we focus on demonstrating the issues inherent in applying global ‘top-down’ climate scenarios to explore financial risks at geographical scales of relevance to financial institutions (e.g. city-scale). We use data mined from the CMIP to determine the degree to which estimates of GMT can be used to estimate changes in the annual extremes of temperature and rainfall, two compound events (heatwaves and drought, and extreme rain and strong winds), and whether the emission scenario provides insights into the change in the 20, 50 and 100 year return values for temperature and rainfall. We show that GMT provides little insight on how acute risks likely material to the financial sector (‘material extremes’) will change at a city-scale. We conclude that ‘top-down’ approaches are likely to be flawed when applied at a granular scale, and that there are risks in employing the approaches used by, for example, the Network of Central Banks and Supervisors for Greening the Financial System. Most fundamental, uncertainty associated with projections of future climate extremes must be propagated through to estimating risk. We strongly encourage a review of existing top-down approaches before they develop into de facto standards and note that existing approaches that use a ‘bottom-up’ strategy (e.g. catastrophe modelling and storylines) are more likely to enable a robust assessment of material risk.
Fasting triglycerides are positively associated with cardiovascular mortality risk in people with diabetes
Authors: Wang Yutang , Fang Yan , Magliano Dianna J , Charchar Fadi J , Sobey Christopher G , Drummond Grant R , Golledge Jonathan
Published: July 2022

Aims

We investigated the association of fasting triglycerides with cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality.

Methods and results

This cohort study included US adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys from 1988 to 2014. CVD mortality outcomes were ascertained by linkage to the National Death Index records. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of triglycerides for CVD mortality. The cohort included 26 570 adult participants, among which 3978 had diabetes. People with higher triglycerides had a higher prevalence of diabetes at baseline. The cohort was followed up for a mean of 12.0 years with 1492 CVD deaths recorded. A 1-natural-log-unit higher triglyceride was associated with a 30% higher multivariate-adjusted risk of CVD mortality in participants with diabetes (HR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.08–1.56) but not in those without diabetes (HR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.83–1.07). In participants with diabetes, people with high triglycerides (200–499 mg/dL) had a 44% (HR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.12–1.85) higher multivariate-adjusted risk of CVD mortality compared with those with normal triglycerides (<150 mg/dL). The findings remained significant when diabetes was defined by fasting glucose levels alone, or after further adjustment for the use of lipid-lowering medications, or after the exclusion of those who took lipid-lowering medications.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that fasting triglycerides of ≥200 mg/dL are associated with an increased risk of CVD mortality in patients with diabetes but not in those without diabetes. Future clinical trials of new treatments to lower triglycerides should focus on patients with diabetes.
A novel patch-sparing technique for reconstruction of the aortomitral curtain
Authors: Yajima Shin , Sakashita Yuji , Sekiya Naosumi , Sakaguchi Taichi
Published: July 2022

Our goal was to describe a novel technique for reconstructing the aortomitral curtain using autologous tissue. This technique was performed on a patient who required replacement of both the aortic and mitral valves and the aortic root due to recurrent prosthetic valve infection and aortic root abscess. The aortomitral curtain was reconstructed without using any artificial patches. Instead, surrounding autologous tissues were used, including the residual healthy left atrial and aortic basal tissues. This patch-sparing technique may occasionally be feasible to perform and may serve as a secure anchor for subsequent aortic root replacement.
The Universal Right to Legal Capacity—Clearing the Haze
Authors: Opgenhaffen Tim
Published: July 2022

The right to legal capacity (Article 12) is the most contested realization of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). If implemented, it would revolutionize the position of persons with psychosocial disabilities, intellectual disabilities and other cognitive conditions. Yet its implementation has been hindered by conceptual misunderstandings and a lack of distinction between the key questions in the debate. This contribution first demonstrates that advocates and opponents apply ‘substitute decision-making’ and ‘legal capacity’ differently, leading to different expectations. Second, it substantiates that once all the concepts are understood correctly, three distinct questions underpin the interpretation of Article 12 CRPD: (1) What makes a person’s will reliable? (2) What is good support? and (3) How can such a reliable will be diverged from, given other interests? Instead of giving the answers, this contribution brings consistency to the debate and proposes a pathways for a future approach to legal capacity.
The Pace of Life: Metabolic Energy, Biological Time, and Life History
Authors: Brown James H , Burger Joseph R , Hou Chen , Hall Charles A S
Published: July 2022

Synopsis

New biophysical theory and electronic databases raise the prospect of deriving fundamental rules of life, a conceptual framework for how the structures and functions of molecules, cells, and individual organisms give rise to emergent patterns and processes of ecology, evolution, and biodiversity. This framework is very general, applying across taxa of animals from 10–10 g protists to 108 g whales, and across environments from deserts and abyssal depths to rain forests and coral reefs. It has several hallmarks:

(1) Energy is the ultimate limiting resource for organisms and the currency of biological fitness.

(2) Most organisms are nearly equally fit, because in each generation at steady state they transfer an equal quantity of energy (˜22.4 kJ/g) and biomass (˜1 g/g) to surviving offspring. This is the equal fitness paradigm (EFP).

(3) The enormous diversity of life histories is due largely to variation in metabolic rates (e.g., energy uptake and expenditure via assimilation, respiration, and production) and biological times (e.g., generation time). As in standard allometric and metabolic theory, most physiological and life history traits scale approximately as quarter-power functions of body mass, m (rates as ∼m–1/4 and times as ∼m1/4), and as exponential functions of temperature.

(4) Time is the fourth dimension of life. Generation time is the pace of life.

(5) There is, however, considerable variation not accounted for by the above scalings and existing theories. Much of this “unexplained” variation is due to natural selection on life history traits to adapt the biological times of generations to the clock times of geochronological environmental cycles.

(6) Most work on biological scaling and metabolic ecology has focused on respiration rate. The emerging synthesis applies conceptual foundations of energetics and the EFP to shift the focus to production rate and generation time.
How to avoid overestimating the burden of hypertension in epidemiological studies? A new methodology to account for within-person variability of blood pressure
Authors: Olié Valérie , Chatignoux Edouard , Bonaldi Christophe , Grave Clémence , Gabet Amélie , Blacher Jacques
Published: July 2022

Background

Hypertension (HT) is a major modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular and renal diseases. HT is diagnosed as blood pressure (BP) exceeding a certain threshold. Because of the high within-person variability of BP, the estimation of HT in epidemiological studies based on single visit measurements tends to overestimate HT prevalence. Our study aimed to determine the correction factors to correct the bias in the estimation of HT prevalence in epidemiological studies.

Methods

We used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey study in which BP was measured at three visits. A Bayesian hierarchical model was used to estimate the different components of BP variability (between individuals, between visits or between measures) by age and sex. These components allowed us to calculate the correction factors necessary to correct HT prevalence in epidemiological studies with single BP measurement. The method was then applied to data from the French Esteban study in which three standardized BP measurements were performed at a single clinical examination.

Results

The components of BP variability varied with age and sex, with different patterns observed for systolic and diastolic BP. Between-visit and between-individual variations drove BP variability, with between-measure variability being much lower. The uncorrected prevalence of HT in the Esteban study overestimated the burden of HT by 12.6% in the French population, with more than one in five untreated individuals being misclassified. The overestimation was higher in younger adults and women.

Conclusion

Taking into account within-person BP variability in epidemiological studies could avoid a substantial overestimation of the burden of HT.
Safety and Immunogenicity of a Respiratory Syncytial Virus Prefusion F (RSVPreF3) Candidate Vaccine in Older Adults: Phase 1/2 Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Leroux-Roels Isabel , Davis Matthew G , Steenackers Katie , Essink Brandon , Vandermeulen Corinne , Fogarty Charles , Andrews Charles P , Kerwin Edward , David Marie-Pierre , Fissette Laurence , Vanden Abeele Carline , Collete Delphine , de Heusch Magali , Salaun Bruno , De Schrevel Nathalie , Koch Juliane , Verheust Céline , Dezutter Nancy , Struyf Frank , Mesaros Narcisa , Tica Jelena , Hulstrøm Veronica
Published: July 2022

Background

The aim of this study was to investigate safety and immunogenicity of vaccine formulations against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) containing the stabilized prefusion conformation of RSV fusion protein (RSVPreF3).

Methods

This phase 1/2, randomized controlled, observer-blind study enrolled 48 young adults (YAs; aged 18–40 years) and 1005 older adults (OAs; aged 60–80 years) between January and August 2019. Participants were randomized into equally sized groups to receive 2 doses of unadjuvanted (YAs and OAs) or AS01-adjuvanted (OAs) vaccine or placebo 2 months apart. Vaccine safety and immunogenicity were assessed until 1 month (YAs) or 12 months (OAs) after second vaccination.

Results

The RSVPreF3 vaccines boosted humoral (RSVPreF3-specific immunoglobulin G [IgG] and RSV-A neutralizing antibody) responses, which increased in an antigen concentration-dependent manner and were highest after dose 1. Compared to prevaccination, the geometric mean frequencies of polyfunctional CD4+ T cells increased after each dose and were significantly higher in adjuvanted than unadjuvanted vaccinees. Postvaccination immune responses persisted until end of follow-up. Solicited adverse events were mostly mild to moderate and transient. Despite a higher observed reactogenicity of AS01-containing vaccines, no safety concerns were identified for any assessed formulation.

Conclusions

Based on safety and immunogenicity profiles, the AS01E-adjuvanted vaccine containing 120 μg of RSVPreF3 was selected for further clinical development.

Clinical Trials Registration

NCT03814590.
Biological Activity of Insecticides AgainstBradysia ocellarisLarvae (Diptera: Sciaridae): A New Pest of Strawberry Crops
Authors: da Fonseca Duarte Adriane , de Bastos Pazini Juliano , Costa Padilha Aline , Pedro Robe Fagundes João , Lessa Pinto Duarte Juliano , Silva da Cunha Uemerson , Bernardi Daniel
Published: July 2022

Black fungus gnat larvae are one of the primary insect pests in greenhouse and nursery crops, and Bradysia ocellaris (Comstock) (Diptera: Sciaridae) is one common pest species. This pest is difficult to control in Brazil because of the absence of registered insecticides. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of some insecticides on B. ocellaris larvae. We also verified that the insect growth regulator novaluron caused the deformation of B. ocellaris. Of the insecticides evaluated, malationa, and thiamethoxam showed high mortality rate (96 and 86 % respectively). Further, bioassays with acetamiprid (78 %) and novaluron (44 %) showed that the lethal concentrations (LC50) were 19.18 mg a.i.L-1 at 48h to acetamiprid and 1.24 mg a.i.L-1 at 120 h to novaluron. When larvae were fed on potato pieces treated with novaluron, independently of the dose, the mortality rate was 100 %, since no larvae could complete the development cycle. Among all evaluated insecticides, only acetamiprid and novaluron were considered effective tools for control of B. ocellaris larvae under laboratory conditions.
Nonstationary phase-corrected full-waveform inversion with attenuation compensation in viscoacoustic medium
Authors: Li Chao , Liu Guochang , Deng Yong
Published: July 2022

Full-waveform inversion (FWI) acts as an effective technique to estimate subsurface parameter by iteratively reducing the difference between the predictions and the observations. The classic FWI suffers from the problem of converging to the local minimum when the starting model is poor, which is known as the notorious cycle skipping phenomenon. Moreover, due to the anelasticity of the earth, seismic waves always suffer from energy dissipation and phase distortion while their propagation, which leads to an attenuated gradient for FWI, decelerates the convergence rate of the inversion processing. We have proposed a new method referred to as Q-compensated nonstationary phase-corrected FWI (QNPCFWI) to compensate for the attenuation-induced gradient energy loss and the phase mismatch caused by the less-accurate initial velocity model and phase dispersion simultaneously in viscoacoustic medium. We incorporated attenuation compensation mechanism and nonstationary phase correction method for improved inversion efficiency in the case that a poor initial model is used. The main points of this paper can be concluded as follows: (i) we compensate the lost energy for gradient calculation during wave propagation for improved inversion efficiency. (ii) As we know, Q model estimation for real data is challenging and an accurate Q model is hard to get. The proposed QNPCFWI can also work using an approximate Q model. (iii) The proposed method has the ability to mitigate cycle skipping even if the low-frequency components of seismic data are absent. Numerical examples validate the effectiveness and efficiency of our proposed method.
Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) and Associated Pathogens Collected From Domestic Animals and Vegetation in Stann Creek District, Southeastern Belize, Central America
Authors: Polsomboon Nelson Suppaluck , Bourke Brian P , Badr Razan , Tarpey John , Caicedo-Quiroga Laura , Leiva Donovan , Pott Marie , Cruz Alvaro , Chao Chien-Chung , Achee Nicole L , Grieco John P , Jiang Le , Jiang Ju , Farris Christina M , Linton Yvonne-Marie
Published: July 2022

Data on the prevalence and distribution of ticks and tick-borne diseases in Belize are lacking. Ticks (n = 564) collected from dogs, horses, and vegetation in two villages in Stann Creek District in southeastern Belize in 2018, were molecularly identified and screened for tick-borne nonviral human pathogens. The identity of 417 ticks was molecularly confirmed by DNA barcoding as Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille) (66.43%), Amblyomma ovale Koch (15.59%), Dermacentor nitens Neumann (11.51%), Amblyomma sp. ADB0528 (3.6%), and the remainder being small records (2.87%) of Amblyomma coelebs Neumann, Amblyomma imitator Kohls, Amblyomma tapirellum Dunn, Amblyomma auricularium Conil, and Amblyomma maculatum Koch. Individual tick extracts were screened for the presence of Rickettsia spp., Babesia spp., Babesia microti, Borrelia spp., Ehrlichia spp., and Anaplasma spp. using available conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays. Rickettsia parkeri strain Atlantic Rainforest was identified in five specimens of A. ovale, and one other unidentified tick, all collected from dogs. Another unidentified tick—also collected from a dog—tested positive for an undefined but previously detected Ehrlichia sp. With the exception of D. nitens, all eight other tick species identified in this study were collected on dogs, suggesting that dogs could be usefully employed as sentinel animals for tick surveillance in Belize.
An orientation bias in observations of submillimetre galaxies
Authors: Lovell C C , Geach J E , Davé R , Narayanan D , Coppin K E K , Li Q , Franco M , Privon G C
Published: July 2022

Recent high-resolution interferometric images of submillimetre galaxies (SMGs) reveal fascinatingly complex morphologies. This raises a number of questions: how does the relative orientation of a galaxy affect its observed submillimetre emission, and does this result in an ‘orientation bias’ in the selection and analysis of such galaxies in flux-limited cosmological surveys? We investigated these questions using the simba cosmological simulation paired with the dust radiative transfer code powderday. We selected eight simulated SMGs (S850 ≳ 2 mJy) at z = 2, and measured the variance of their ‘observed’ emission over 50 random orientations. Each galaxy exhibits significant scatter in its emission close to the peak of the thermal dust emission, with variation in flux density of up to a factor of 2.7. This results in an appreciable dispersion in the inferred dust temperatures and infrared luminosities (16th–84th percentile ranges of 5 K and 0.1 dex, respectively) and therefore a fundamental uncertainty in derived parameters such as dust mass and star formation rate (∼30 per cent for the latter using simple calibrations). Using a Monte Carlo simulation we also assessed the impact of orientation on flux-limited surveys, finding a bias in the selection of SMGs towards those with face-on orientations, as well as those at lower redshifts. We predict that the orientation bias will affect flux-limited single-dish surveys, most significantly at THz frequencies, and this bias should be taken into account when placing the results of targeted follow-up studies in a statistical context.
Community empowerment and mental wellbeing: longitudinal findings from a survey of people actively involved in the big local place-based initiative in England
Authors: Akhter N , McGowan V J , Halliday E , Popay J , Kasim A , Bambra C
Published: July 2022

Background

Community empowerment initiatives are receiving increased interest as ways of improving health and reducing health inequalities.

Purpose

Longitudinally examine associations between collective control, social-cohesion and mental wellbeing amongst participants in the Big Local community empowerment initiative across 150 disadvantaged areas of England.

Methods

As part of the independent Communities in Control study, we analysed nested cohort survey data on mental wellbeing (Short Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale—SWEMWBS) and perceptions of collective control and social-cohesion. Data were obtained in 2016, 2018 and 2020 for 217 residents involved in the 150 Big Local areas in England. Adjusted linear mixed effect models were utilized to examine changes in SWEMWBS over the three waves. Subgroup analysis by gender and educational level was conducted.

Results

There was a significant 1.46 (0.14, 2.77) unit increase in mental wellbeing score at wave 2 (2018) but not in wave 3 (2020) (0.06 [−1.41, 1.53]). Across all waves, collective control was associated with a significantly higher mental wellbeing score (3.36 [1.51, 5.21]) as was social cohesion (1.09 [0.19, 2.00]). Higher educated participants (1.99 [0.14, 3.84]) and men (2.41 [0.55, 4.28]) experienced significant increases in mental wellbeing in 2018, but lower educated participants and women did not.

Conclusion

Collective control and social cohesion are associated with better mental wellbeing amongst residents engaged with the Big Local initiative. These health benefits were greater amongst men and participants from higher educational backgrounds. This suggests that additional care must be taken in future interventions to ensure that benefits are distributed equally.
The Demographics of School District Secession
Authors: Cooperstock Alexandra
Published: July 2022

School segregation has been a topic of significant sociological research in the United States. Less attention has been devoted to understanding the relationship between school district inequalities and secession, a political tool that forms new boundaries after a formal withdrawal from an existing school district. This paper analyzes the school district secession attempts that have occurred since the year 2000 using national data and builds upon qualitative research and case studies focused on a single region or metropolitan area. Drawing on social closure theory, I explore the community characteristics associated with secession attempts. To do so, I create a measure of social imbalance that leverages the geographic variation between places attempting a secession and the school districts they are nested within. Results indicate that the percentage of residents with a college degree is among the strongest predictors of secession attempts, highlighting the salience of educational attainment at the population-level for selecting into the use of this political tool. Results also indicate that school districts successfully created through secession cleave onto racial and economic divides for both the residential and student populations, driven by secessions located in the South. School district secession processes elucidate the many pathways by which school segregation is produced and perpetuated, including micro-level school and neighborhood selection decisions, jurisdictional restructuring of district boundaries, and the national and state-level legal landscape.
Implementation of Fetal Clinical Exome Sequencing: Comparing Prospective and Retrospective Cohorts
Authors: Marangoni Martina , Smits Guillaume , Ceysens Gilles , Costa Elena , Coulon Robert , Daelemans Caroline , De Coninck Caroline , Derisbourg Sara , Gajewska Kalina , Garofalo Giulia , Gounongbe Caroline , Guizani Meriem , Holoye Anne , Houba Catherine , Makhoul Jean , Norgaard Christian , Regnard Cecile , Romée Stephanie , Soto Jamil , Stagel-Trabbia Aurore , Van Rysselberge Michel , Vercoutere An , Zaytouni Siham , Bouri Sarah , D'Haene Nicky , D'Onle Dominique , Dugauquier Christian , Racu Marie-Lucie , Rocq Laureen , Segers Valérie , Verocq Camille , Avni Ephraim Freddy , Cassart Marie , Massez Anne , Blaumeiser Bettina , Brischoux-Boucher Elise , Bulk Saskia , De Ravel Thomy , Debray Guillaume , Dimitrov Boyan , Janssens Sandra , Keymolen Kathelijn , Laterre Marie , van Berkel Kim , Van Maldergem Lionel , Vandernoot Isabelle , Vilain Catheline , Donner Catherine , Tecco Laura , Thomas Dominique , Désir Julie , Abramowicz Marc , Migeotte Isabelle
Published: July 2022

(Abstracted from Genet Med 2022;24:344–363)

Approximately 2% to 3% of pregnancies are affected by fetal abnormalities, and many of these are detected by ultrasound. After identification of suspected fetal structural anomaly, invasive procedures such as chorionic villus sampling and amniocentesis are offered as a method of prenatal genetic diagnosis.
Postoperative analgesia for complex spinal surgery
Authors: Koh Way Siong , Leslie Kate
Published: July 2022

Purpose of review

Complex spinal surgery is associated with significant postoperative pain. The purpose of this paper is to review recent literature on postoperative pain management in adult and adolescent patients having complex spinal surgery.

Recent findings

We conducted a literature search using the Medline database for relevant publications from 2020 to 2022 on postoperative pain after complex spinal surgery. Although opioids remain the mainstay to manage pain after complex spinal surgery, they are associated with adverse effects. Multimodal analgesia may be used to reduce these adverse effects by combining different drugs targeting different parts of the pain pathway. Recent publications suggest continuous low dose fentanyl or morphine infusion, methadone, intravenous paracetamol and ibuprofen, ketorolac, ketamine, magnesium infusion, lidocaine infusion and dexmedetomidine appear to be effective and safe to manage pain after complex spinal surgery. Regional techniques including bilateral erector spinae block, interfascial plane block and intrathecal morphine also appear to be effective and safe.

Pain management after complex spinal surgery remains challenging. Therefore, further studies are still required to determine the optimal multimodal analgesic regimen for these patients.
Antifibrinolytics in the treatment of traumatic brain injury
Authors: Schober Patrick , Loer Stephan A. , Schwarte Lothar A.
Published: July 2022

Purpose of review

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of trauma-related deaths, and pharmacologic interventions to limit intracranial bleeding should improve outcomes. Tranexamic acid reduces mortality in injured patients with major systemic bleeding, but the effects of antifibrinolytic drugs on outcomes after TBI are less clear. We therefore summarize recent evidence to guide clinicians on when (not) to use antifibrinolytic drugs in TBI patients.

Recent findings

Tranexamic acid is the only antifibrinolytic drug that has been studied in patients with TBI. Several recent studies failed to conclusively demonstrate a benefit on survival or neurologic outcome. A large trial with more than 12 000 patients found no significant effect of tranexamic acid on head-injury related death, all-cause mortality or disability across the overall study population, but observed benefit in patients with mild to moderate TBI. Observational evidence signals potential harm in patients with isolated severe TBI.

Given that the effect of tranexamic acid likely depends on a variety of factors, it is unlikely that a ‘one size fits all’ approach of administering antifibrinolytics to all patients will be helpful. Tranexamic acid should be strongly considered in patients with mild to moderate TBI and should be avoided in isolated severe TBI.
Small noncoding RNAs play superior roles in maintaining hematopoietic stem cell homeostasis
Authors: Wang Hui , Qian Wenchang , Han Yingli , Qian Pengxu
Published: August 2022

The maintenance of the mammalian blood system depends on hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), which are a rare class of adult stem cells with self-renewal and multilineage differentiation capacities. The homeostasis of hematopoietic stem cells is finely tuned by a variety of endogenous and exogenous regulatory factors, and disrupted balance will lead to hematological diseases including leukemia and anemia. Recently, emerging studies have illustrated the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of HSC homeostasis. Particularly, the rapid development of second-generation sequencing technologies has uncovered that many small noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) are highly expressed in HSCs, including snoRNAs, miRNAs, tsRNAs, circular RNAs, etc. In this study, we will summarize the essential roles and regulatory mechanisms of these small ncRNAs in maintaining HSC homeostasis. Overall, this review provides up-to-date information in the regulation of HSC homeostasis by small ncRNAs, which sheds light into the development of therapeutic strategies against hematopoietic malignancies.
Collaborative centralization of gynaecological cancer care
Authors: Moloney Kristen , Rao Archana , Obermair Andreas
Published: July 2022

Purpose of review

To discuss the benefits of centralization of gynaecological cancer care on patients and the healthcare system and how to overcome its barriers.

Recent findings

Evidence demonstrates that adherence to clinical practice management guidelines is more likely; the risk of adverse events is lower; survival is improved; in young women fertility preservation is higher; and cost effectiveness is higher; in systems that employ centralized care for women with gynaecological cancer. Barriers to the uptake of centralized models include knowledge, attitude as well as deficient systems and processes, including a lack of governance and leadership. Collaborative centralization refers to a model that sees both elements (centralization and treatment closer to home) utilized at the patient level that addresses some of the barriers of centralized gynaecological cancer care.

Evidence supports centralized gynaecological cancer care, as it results in reduced risks of adverse events, improved survival and higher fertility rates at lower cost to funders. Collaborative centralization is a process that considers both the value of centralization and collaboration amongst healthcare professionals at primary, secondary and tertiary levels of healthcare to benefit patient outcomes.
Epstein-Barr virus-associated posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorders: new insights in pathogenesis, classification and treatment
Authors: Dierickx Daan , Pociupany Martyna , Natkunam Yaso
Published: July 2022

Purpose of review

Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a serious complication following transplantation from an allogeneic donor. Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) is involved in a substantial number of cases. In this review, we aim to summarize recent knowledge on pathogenesis, classification and treatment of EBV+PTLD.

Recent findings

New insights in the complex oncogenic properties of EBV antigens noncoding Ribonucleic acids (RNAs), especially EBV MicroRNA (miRNAs), have increased our knowledge of the pathogenesis of EBV+PTLD. In addition the potential influence of EBV on the tumor microenvironment is becoming clearer, paving the way for new types of immunotherapy. Currently PTLD is classified according to the World Health Organization classification together with other lymphoproliferative disorders, based on the specific immunosuppression. However, a new framework integrating all types of lymphoproliferative disorders in all different settings of immune deficiency and dysregulation is needed. Although treatment of EBV+and EBV-PTLD was largely similar in the past, EBV-directed therapies are currently increasingly used.

The use of EBV-directed therapies and new agents, based on better understanding of pathogenesis and classification of PTLD, will change the treatment landscape of EBV+PTLD in the next era.
HIV-related lymphomas
Authors: Vaccher Emanuela , Gloghini Annunziata , Carbone Antonino
Published: July 2022

Purpose of review

To summarize the recent evidence on the pathology, current standard of care and recent advances in the treatment of HIV-related lymphomas.

Recent findings

Lymphomas remain a major cause of morbidity and mortality in people living with HIV, even in the era of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). However, treatment outcomes for these malignancies have improved in recent decades, due to full-dose chemotherapy, effective cART and supportive care. Recent advances include the identification of novel driving signaling pathways as promising molecular targets to improve lymphoma outcomes.

Patients with HIV-related lymphomas who receive effective cART should be treated like the general population.
The Effect of Estrogen in the Prevention of Adhesion Reformation After Hysteroscopic Adhesiolysis: A Prospective Randomized Control Trial
Authors: Yang Lingling , Ma Ning , Song Dongmei , Huang Xiaowu , Zhou Qiaoyun , Guo Yan , Xia Enlan , Shi Xiaoyu , Li Tin Chiu
Published: July 2022

(Abstracted from J Minim Invasive Gynecol 2022;29:871–878)

Asherman syndrome occurs when intrauterine adhesions (IUAs) are produced after trauma to the basalis layer of the endometrium (often following endometrial curettage in the gravid uterus). The syndrome may present in affected women as changes in menstruation including secondary amenorrhea, oligomenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, infertility, or recurrent miscarriage.
Risk of Fetal Loss After Chorionic Villus Sampling in Twin Pregnancy Derived From Propensity Score Matching Analysis
Authors: Gil M. M. , Rodríguez-Fernández M. , Elger T. , Akolekar R. , Syngelaki A. , Matallana C. De Paco , Molina F. S. , Arocena M. Gallardo , Chaveeva P. , Persico N. , Accurti V. , Kagan K. O. , Prodan N. , Cruz J. , Nicolaides K. H.
Published: July 2022

(Abstracted from Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2022;59:162–168)

Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) and its procedure-related risk of fetal loss in twin pregnancy have not been investigated in a randomized controlled trial setting. Authors of previous studies have concluded that only investigation of low-risk pregnancies could demonstrate the true effect of CVS.
Ovarian Cancer Incidence and Death in Average-Risk Women Undergoing Bilateral Salpingo-Oophorectomy at Benign Hysterectomy
Authors: Cusimano Maria C. , Ferguson Sarah E. , Moineddin Rahim , Chiu Maria , Aktar Suriya , Liu Ning , Baxter Nancy N.
Published: July 2022

(Abstracted from Am J Obstet Gynecol 2022;226:220.e1–220.e26)

Opportunistic bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO) is the most common major surgery in nonpregnant women to prevent ovarian cancer later in life. Bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy has been shown to reduce the rates of ovarian cancer and death of any cause in women who carry the BRCA1 and BRACA2 pathogenic genes.
Review of the unprecedented impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the occurrence of eating disorders
Authors: Meier Karien , van Hoeken Daphne , Hoek Hans W.
Published: July 2022

Purpose of review

To review the recent literature on the impact of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on incidence and severity of symptoms of eating disorders (EDs).

Recent findings

A worrying increase of EDs in- and outpatients has been reported since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2019/2020. Restrictions implemented during the pandemic to protect populations against COVID-19 increased the risk for onset and for worsening of EDs by disrupting eating and exercise routines, social isolation, lack of support, and limited access to healthcare. Substantial increases since the start of the pandemic have been reported for overall incidence (15%), hospital admissions (48%) and emergency department visits (11%) for EDs, with even higher increases among women and children or adolescents with an ED. During the pandemic, ED patients reported increased severity of ED-specific symptoms and increased anxiety, depression and suicidal ideations and -attempts. Treatments shifted largely toward online methods for continuity of care, despite concerns about the quality of care provided and difficulties in self-monitoring. Our review provides preliminary evidence for a similar effectiveness of online treatment to prepandemic face-to-face treatment. In-person assessment remains essential for detecting EDs and for those requiring medical admission.

Although the ongoing COVID-2019 pandemic affected mental health globally, research shows that it particularly affected individuals with an ED diagnosis or at risk for an ED, especially women, children and adolescents, and those with anorexia nervosa.
Generating Monoclonal Antibodies
Authors: Greenfield Edward A.
Published: August 2022

Antibodies that are produced by hybridomas are known as monoclonal antibodies. Here we introduce methods for generating and screening monoclonal antibodies, including developing the screening procedure and producing hybridomas.
3D deep convolutional neural network segmentation model for precipitate and porosity identification in synchrotron X-ray tomograms
Authors: Gaudez S. , Ben Haj Slama M. , Kaestner A. , Upadhyay M. V.
Published: July 2022

New developments at synchrotron beamlines and the ongoing upgrades of synchrotron facilities allow the possibility to study complex structures with a much better spatial and temporal resolution than ever before. However, the downside is that the data collected are also significantly larger (more than several terabytes) than ever before, and post-processing and analyzing these data is very challenging to perform manually. This issue can be solved by employing automated methods such as machine learning, which show significantly improved performance in data processing and image segmentation than manual methods. In this work, a 3D U-net deep convolutional neural network (DCNN) model with four layers and base-8 characteristic features has been developed to segment precipitates and porosities in synchrotron transmission X-ray micrograms. Transmission X-ray microscopy experiments were conducted on micropillars prepared from additively manufactured 316L steel to evaluate precipitate information. After training the 3D U-net DCNN model, it was used on unseen data and the prediction was compared with manual segmentation. A good agreement was found between both segmentations. An ablation study was performed and revealed that the proposed model showed better statistics than other models with lower numbers of layers and/or characteristic features. The proposed model is able to segment several hundreds of gigabytes of data in a few minutes and could be applied to other materials and tomography techniques. The code and the fitted weights are made available with this paper for any interested researcher to use for their needs (https://github.com/manasvupadhyay/erc-gamma-3D-DCNN).
MgMn4Ga18: a novel three-shell gallium cluster structure
Authors: Pavlyuk Nazar , Dmytriv Grygoriy , Pavlyuk Volodymyr , Chumak Ihor , Indris Sylvio , Schwarz Bjoern , Ehrenberg Helmut
Published: July 2022

The new ternary gallide MgMn4Ga18 (magnesium tetramanganese octadecagallium) was synthesized and its crystal structure determined by means of single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The MgMn4Ga18 structure can be described as that of a three core–shell cluster compound. The Mg atoms are surrounded by 16 adjacent Ga atoms, [MgGa16], and the respective coordination polyhedron is an octadecahedron. This [MgGa16] octadecahedron is encapsulated inside a [Ga32] icohexahedron, which is in turn encapsulated inside a [Ga40] pentacontaoctahedron. As a result, a three core–shell cluster, [MgGa16@Ga32@Ga40], is identified. Electronic structure calculations were performed by means of the TB-LMTO-ASA program and additionally confirm the existence of the core–shell packing of the clusters.
Participant photography for HRD: method, benefits, and ethics
Authors: Hurtienne Matthew W. , Knowles Jennifer , Hurtienne Laura E.
Published: August 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to look at how participant photography can be used in human resource development (HRD) as a research method that is innovative and inclusive. In published work on traditional photo elicitation methods, the participant is shown previously prepared visual images to create knowledge. This can provoke an inaccurate depiction due to the images being previously prepared. Participant photography differs greatly from the traditional photo-elicitation method. In participant photography, the participant is provided with the opportunity to capture their own visual images of the surrounding environment, allowing for data to be captured through their own eyes. More notably, participants voice their own experiences after taking the photographs as a means for providing rich data for researchers.

Design/methodology/approach

Participant photography is an innovative qualitative research method where the research participant is encouraged to document their lived experiences through images taken by the participant. Additionally, the participants take part in individual interviews and group individual sessions to further explain the images.

Findings

The research findings can lead to deeper insight into the research topic and even accommodate potential issues related to literacy and language barriers. By introducing a new qualitative research method to HRD, the lived experiences can be documented and examined in a new, different and arguably more accurate way.

Research limitations/implications

Literature discussing participant photography in HRD is limited. Although this limitation puts constraints on this study, it creates an opportunity to further define how participant photography can be used in HRD. This method offers a means for HRD researchers and practitioners to focus on the voices of participants to improve organizations.

Practical implications

This study addresses how participant photography can be used in the field of HRD by describing the process of participant recruitment, implementation of the method, participant interviews, group discussion and analysis. Specifically, this study focused on the practical application, including the method’s strengths, potential weaknesses and ethical challenges.

Social implications

The method of participant photography has been commonly used in community-based studies, public health projects and medical research projects, yet in ever-changing HRD needs, there are many advantages for the field of HRD to implement this method.

Originality/value

Although the concept of participant photography is still in its infancy in HRD, this study explains how participant photography can be used for both researchers and practitioners to gain a deeper understanding and knowledge of topics related to HRD.
Information management in the facilities domain: investigating practitioner priorities
Authors: Shaw Conor , de Andrade Pereira Flávia , McNally Ciaran , Farghaly Karim , Hartmann Timo , O'Donnell James
Published: July 2022

Purpose

Effective information management can help real estate operators improve asset performance during use, reducing environmental impact. The purpose of this exploratory study is to identify and prioritise key drivers, challenges and opportunities relating to information management, from the point of view of a diverse cohort of facilities practitioners, with the aim of guiding future research direction and contributing to a comprehensive domain understanding.

Design/methodology/approach

Nine interviews are conducted across a broad sample of real estate sectors, the respondents including six facility managers and three data managers. A thematic analysis results in the identification and ranking in terms of importance of 44 emergent themes. These themes are then grouped into abstracted categories for analysis and synthesis.

Findings

This study indicates that systemic rather than technical issues are the greatest barrier to effective information management for facilities practitioners, the interviews providing examples of practical measures which address these challenges, promoting lifecycle thinking. Alignment is also found between the facilities and data management cohorts regarding lifecycle thinking towards both physical assets and information.

Practical implications

This study provides direction for future developments in the facilities sector, suggesting the pursuit to address systemic issues as being both worthwhile and feasible.

Originality/value

The novelty of this study is the ranking and synthesis of practitioner priorities with regard to high-level information management issues which is lacking in the literature, with a focus to-date on case-specific technical integration.
“That’s what techquity is”: youth perceptions of technological and algorithmic bias
Authors: Coenraad Merijke
Published: July 2022

Purpose

Computing technology is becoming ubiquitous within modern society and youth use technology regularly for school, entertainment and socializing. Yet, despite societal belief that computing technology is neutral, the technologies of today’s society are rife with biases that harm and oppress populations that experience marginalization. While previous research has explored children’s values and perceptions of computing technology, few studies have focused on youth conceptualizations of this technological bias and their understandings of how computing technology discriminates against them and their communities. This paper aims to examine youth conceptualizations of inequities in computing technology.

Design/methodology/approach

This study analyzes a series of codesign sessions and artifacts partnering with eight black youth to learn about their conceptualizations of technology bias.

Findings

Without introduction, the youth demonstrated an awareness of visible negative impacts of technology and provided examples of this bias within their lives, but they did not have a formal vocabulary to discuss said bias or knowledge of biased technologies less visible to the naked eye. Once presented with common technological biases, the youth expanded their conceptualizations to include both visible and invisible biases.

Originality/value

This paper builds on the current body of literature around how youth view computing technology and provides a foundation to ground future pedagogical work around technological bias for youth.
A new modified boundary slip model for thrust bearing performance under fluid–thermal–structure interaction regime
Authors: Xiong Cheng , Xu Bo , Jiang Yulong , Lu Xiangyu , Chen Zhenqian
Published: August 2022

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the thermohydrodynamic (THD) and thermoelastohydrodynamic (TEHD) performance of an air-lubricated thrust bearing under different slip conditions, especially the slip length effect.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, a new modified boundary slip model was established to investigate thrust bearing performance. The THD and TEHD bearing characteristic distribution was analyzed with fluid–thermal–structure interaction approach. The effect of the slip length on the bearing performance was studied using various bearing structure parameters.

Findings

The increased slip length changed the classical feature distribution of the film pressure and temperature. The sacrifice of the bearing load capacity effectively compensated for the aerodynamic thermal effect and friction torque under the slip condition. The TEHD model has a lower film pressure and load capacity than the THD model. However, it also has lower film temperature, lower friction torque and smaller Knudsen number (Kn).

Originality/value

The bearing THD and TEHD performances of the modified boundary slip model were compared with those of a traditional no-slip bearing. The results help to guide the selection of the bearing surface materials and processing technology of rotor and foil, so as to fully control the degree of slip and make use of it.