bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
DeepEOR: automated perioperative volumetric assessment of variable grade gliomas using deep learning
Authors: Zanier Olivier , Da Mutten Raffaele , Vieli Moira , Regli Luca , Serra Carlo , Staartjes Victor E.
Published: December 2022

Purpose

Volumetric assessments, such as extent of resection (EOR) or residual tumor volume, are essential criterions in glioma resection surgery. Our goal is to develop and validate segmentation machine learning models for pre- and postoperative magnetic resonance imaging scans, allowing us to assess the percentagewise tumor reduction after intracranial surgery for gliomas.

Methods

For the development of the preoperative segmentation model (U-Net), MRI scans of 1053 patients from the Multimodal Brain Tumor Segmentation Challenge (BraTS) 2021 as well as from patients who underwent surgery at the University Hospital in Zurich were used. Subsequently, the model was evaluated on a holdout set containing 285 images from the same sources. The postoperative model was developed using 72 scans and validated on 45 scans obtained from the BraTS 2015 and Zurich dataset. Performance is evaluated using Dice Similarity score, Jaccard coefficient and Hausdorff 95%.

Results

We were able to achieve an overall mean Dice Similarity Score of 0.59 and 0.29 on the pre- and postoperative holdout sets, respectively. Our algorithm managed to determine correct EOR in 44.1%.

Conclusion

Although our models are not suitable for clinical use at this point, the possible applications are vast, going from automated lesion detection to disease progression evaluation. Precise determination of EOR is a challenging task, but we managed to show that deep learning can provide fast and objective estimates.
Risk factors for primary Sjögren’s Syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Jin Liang , Dai Min , Li Chengyin , Wang Jing , Wu Bin
Published: December 2022

Objectives

The aim of this study was to analyze the risk factors for primary Sjögren’s Syndrome (pSS) by conducting a meta-analysis of observational studies.

Methods

Four electronic databases were searched from inception to August 2022. The search strategy included medical subject headings (MeSH) and text words. Outcomes were calculated and reported as the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI).

Results

Twelve studies consisting of nine case–control and three cohort studies were analyzed. Significant positive relationships between infection, a family history of autoimmune disease in first-degree relatives, negative stressful life events, CGGGG insertion/deletion polymorphisms in the IRF5 gene and the onset of pSS were found, with pooled ORs and 95% CIs of 2.73 (1.93, 3.86), 5.93 (3.34, 10.52), 1.69 (1.27, 2.24) and 2.69 (1.97, 3.66), respectively. In contrast, the results showed that a history of smoking was not associated with the onset of pSS, with a pooled OR and 95% CI of 1.39 (0.76, 2.53). However, a statistically significant negative association between current smoking and pSS was detected, with a pooled OR and 95% CI of 0.4 (0.29, 0.83).

Conclusions

Our research indicated that infection, a family history of autoimmune disease in first-degree relatives, negative stressful life events and CGGGG insertion/deletion polymorphisms in the IRF5 gene might be risk factors for pSS. In contrast, our study demonstrated that a history of smoking was not associated with the onset of pSS, whereas current smoking was negatively associated with pSS onset.

Systematic review registration

We registered this review on INPLASY (https://inplasy.com/ ) under registration number INPLASY202230005.
Veliparib with frontline chemotherapy and as maintenance in Japanese women with ovarian cancer: a subanalysis of efficacy, safety, and antiemetic use in the phase 3 VELIA trial
Authors: Mizuno Mika , Ito Kimihiko , Nakai Hidekatsu , Kato Hidenori , Kamiura Shoji , Ushijima Kimio , Nagao Shoji , Takano Hirokuni , Okadome Masao , Takekuma Munetaka , Tokunaga Hideki , Nagase Satoru , Aoki Daisuke , Coleman Robert L. , Nishimura Yasuko , Ratajczak Christine K. , Hashiba Hideyuki , Xiong Hao , Katsumata Noriyuki , Enomoto Takayuki , Okamoto Aikou
Published: December 2022

Background

The phase 3 VELIA trial evaluated veliparib with carboplatin/paclitaxel and as maintenance in patients with high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma.

Methods

Patients with previously untreated stage III–IV high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma were randomized 1:1:1 to control (placebo with carboplatin/paclitaxel and placebo maintenance), veliparib-combination-only (veliparib with carboplatin/paclitaxel and placebo maintenance), or veliparib-throughout (veliparib with carboplatin/paclitaxel and veliparib maintenance). Randomization stratification factors included geographic region (Japan versus North America or rest of the world). Primary end point was investigator-assessed median progression-free survival. Efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics were evaluated in a subgroup of Japanese patients.

Results

Seventy-eight Japanese patients were randomized to control (n = 23), veliparib-combination-only (n = 30), and veliparib-throughout (n = 25) arms. In the Japanese subgroup, median progression-free survival for veliparib-throughout versus control was 27.4 and 19.1 months (hazard ratio, 0.46; 95% confidence interval, 0.18–1.16; p = 0.1 [not significant]). In the veliparib-throughout arm, grade 3/4 leukopenia, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia rates were higher for Japanese (32%/88%/32%) versus non-Japanese (17%/56%/28%) patients. Grade 3/4 anemia rates were higher in non-Japanese (65%) versus Japanese (48%) patients. Early introduction of olanzapine during veliparib monotherapy maintenance phase may help prevent premature discontinuation of veliparib, via its potent antiemetic efficacy.

Conclusions

Median progression-free survival was numerically longer in Japanese patients in the veliparib-throughout versus control arm, consistent with results in the overall study population. Pharmacokinetics were comparable between Japanese and non-Japanese patients. Data for the subgroup of Japanese patients were not powered to show statistical significance but to guide further investigation.
Co-pyrolysis of sewage sludge and biomass for stabilizing heavy metals and reducing biochar toxicity: A review
Authors: Mohamed Badr A. , Ruan Roger , Bilal Muhammad , Khan Nadeem A. , Awasthi Mukesh Kumar , Amer Mariam A. , Leng Lijian , Hamouda Mohamed A. , Vo Dai‑Viet Nguyen , Li Jian
Published: December 2022

The huge amounts of sewage sludge produced by municipal wastewater treatment plants induce major environmental and economical issues, calling for advanced disposal methods. Traditional methods for sewage sludge disposal increase greenhouse gas emissions and pollution. Moreover, biochar created from sewage sludge often cannot be used directly in soil applications due to elevated levels of heavy metals and other toxic compounds, which alter soil biota and earthworms. This has limited the application of sewage sludge-derived biochar as a fertilizer. Here, we review biomass and sewage sludge co-pyrolysis with a focus on the stabilization of heavy metals and toxicity reduction of the sludge-derived biochar. We observed that co-pyrolyzing sewage sludge with biomass materials reduced heavy metal concentrations and decreased the environmental risk of sludge-derived biochar by up to 93%. Biochar produced from sewage sludge and biomass co-pyrolysis could enhance the reproduction stimulation of soil biota by 20‒98%. Heavy metals immobilization and transformation are controlled by the co-feed material mixing ratio, pyrolysis temperature, and pyrolysis atmosphere.
New ultrasonographic risk assessment of uterine scar dehiscence in pregnancy after cesarean section
Authors: Kawakami Kosuke , Yoshizato Toshiyuki , Kurokawa Yusuke , Okura Naofumi , Ushijima Kimio
Published: December 2022

Purpose

We performed a new ultrasonographic risk assessment of uterine scar dehiscence, which is a potential risk factor for uterine rupture, in pregnancy after cesarean section. We attempted to shed light on the natural course of the change in the lower uterine segment by means of a longitudinal investigation through quantitative and qualitative evaluations.

Methods

This retrospective single-center study involved 31 women with a normal singleton pregnancy delivered by elective cesarean section between 2020 and 2021, with all women showing a “niche” in the lower uterine segments. The lower uterine segments were assessed qualitatively and quantitatively using transvaginal ultrasonography at 16–21, 22–27, and 28–33 weeks of gestation, and subjects were divided into two groups: those with uterine dehiscence (12 women) and those without uterine dehiscence (19 women), depending on the gross findings of the lower uterine segments at cesarean section. Analyses were performed using Wilcoxon’s rank-sum and Mann–Whitney U test with a significance level of P < 0.05.

Results

The lower uterine segments changed from V-shaped to U-shaped to thin as gestation progressed and was more prominent in the uterine dehiscence group, occurring mostly at 22–27 weeks. At 22–27 weeks, the median myometrial thickness in the uterine dehiscence group was lower than in the group without uterine dehiscence (P = 0.0030). Thinning of the lower uterine segments had moved the cephalad at 22–27 and 28–33 weeks in cases with and without uterine dehiscence.

Conclusion

A model of morphological changes in the niche was constructed based on qualitative and quantitative assessments. The morphological changes and actual thinning of the lower uterine segments were prominent in the second trimester in women considered to have uterine scar dehiscence.
Degradation of Plasticised Poly(lactide) Composites with Nanofibrillated Cellulose in Different Hydrothermal Environments
Authors: Wolf M. H. , Gil-Castell O. , Cea J. , Carrasco J. C. , Ribes-Greus A.
Published: December 2022

In this study, bionanocomposite films based on poly(lactide) (PLA) plasticised with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) (7.5 wt%) and reinforced with various contents of nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) (1, 3, 5 wt%) were prepared. The hydrothermal degradation was investigated through immersion in several aqueous environments at temperatures of 8, 23, 58, and 70 °C as a function of time (7, 15, 30, 60, 90 days). The effect of water immersion on the physicochemical properties of the materials was assessed by monitoring the changes in the morphology, thermo-oxidative stability, thermal properties, and molar mass through field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The hydrothermal degradation behaviour was not critically affected regardless of the nanofibrillated cellulose content. All the materials revealed certain integrity towards water immersion and hydrolysis effects at low temperatures (8 and 23 °C). The low hydrothermal degradation may be an advantage for using these PLA biocomposites in contact with water at ambient temperatures and limited exposure times. On the other hand, immersion in water at higher temperatures above the glass transition (58 and 70 °C), leads to a drastic deterioration of the properties of these PLA-based materials, in particular to the reduction of the molar mass and the disintegration into small pieces. This hydrothermal degradation behaviour can be considered a feasible option for the waste management of PLA/PEG/NFC bionanocomposites by deposition in hot aqueous environments.
Extrapolation quadrature from equispaced samples of functions with jumps
Authors: Berrut Jean–Paul , Trummer Manfred R.
Published: December 2022

Based on the Euler–Maclaurin formula, the Romberg quadrature method extrapolates trapezoidal values to improve their accuracy when computing the integral of smooth functions from equispaced samples. It has been known at least since an article of Lyness in 1971 that the Euler–Maclaurin formula may be extended to accommodate functions with jumps. In the present work, we develop an extrapolation method, based on this extended formula, for the quadrature of such discontinuous functions. We illustrate the method with numerical examples, using one as well as several sample vectors.
Overcoming the Domain Gap in Neural Action Representations
Authors: Günel Semih , Aymanns Florian , Honari Sina , Ramdya Pavan , Fua Pascal
Published: December 2022

Relating behavior to brain activity in animals is a fundamental goal in neuroscience, with practical applications in building robust brain-machine interfaces. However, the domain gap between individuals is a major issue that prevents the training of general models that work on unlabeled subjects. Since 3D pose data can now be reliably extracted from multi-view video sequences without manual intervention, we propose to use it to guide the encoding of neural action representations together with a set of neural and behavioral augmentations exploiting the properties of microscopy imaging. To test our method, we collect a large dataset that features flies and their neural activity. To reduce the domain gap, during training, we mix features of neural and behavioral data across flies that seem to be performing similar actions. To show our method can generalize further neural modalities and other downstream tasks, we test our method on a human neural Electrocorticography dataset, and another RGB video data of human activities from different viewpoints. We believe our work will enable more robust neural decoding algorithms to be used in future brain-machine interfaces.
Ill-Posedness and the Bias-Variance Tradeoff in Residual Stress Measurement Inverse Solutions
Authors: Beghini M. , Grossi T. , Prime M.B. , Santus C.
Published: December 2022

Background

Relaxation methods determine residual stresses by measuring the deformations produced by incremental removal of a subdomain of the specimen. Measured strains at any given increment, determined by the cumulative effect of the relieved stresses, appear as an integral equation, which must be inverted to obtain residual stresses. In practice, stress distributions are discretized by a finite-dimensional basis, to transform the integral equations into a linear system of equations, which is often ill-conditioned.

Objective

This article demonstrates that the problem is actually ill-posed and comes with an inherent bias-variance tradeoff.

Methods

The hole drilling method is used as an example application, and the practical effects of ill-posedness are illustrated.

Results

Traditional regularization of the solution by limiting the resolution of the discretization reduces solution variance (noise) at the expense of increased bias and often results in the ultimately harmful practice of taking fewer data points. A careful analysis including the alternate Tikhonov regularization approach shows that the highest number of measurements should always be taken to reduce the variance for a given regularization scheme. Unfortunately, the variability of a regularized solution cannot be used to build a valid confidence interval, since an unknown bias term is always present in the true overall error.

Conclusions

The mathematical theory of ill-posed problems provides tools to manage the bias-variance tradeoff on a reasonable statistical basis, especially when the statistical properties of measurement errors are known. In the long run, physical arguments that provide constraints on the true solution would be of utmost importance, as they could regularize the problem without introducing an otherwise unknown bias. Constraining the minimum length scale to some physically meaningful value is one promising possibility.
Late Iron Age Whaling in Scandinavia
Authors: Hennius Andreas , Ljungkvist John , Ashby Steven P. , Hagan Richard , Presslee Samantha , Christensen Tom , Gustavsson Rudolf , Peets Jüri , Maldre Liina
Published: December 2022

The use of marine mammal bone as a raw material in the manufacturing of gaming pieces in the Scandinavian late Iron Age has been observed and discussed in recent years. New empirical studies have created a chronology as well as a typology showing how the design of the gaming pieces is tightly connected to different choices of raw material; from antler in the Roman and Migration periods, to whale bone in the sixth century, and walrus in the tenth century. Macroscopic examination can, however, rarely go beyond determining that the material is ‘cetacean bone’. The following article presents the taxonomic identifications of 68 samples of whale bone gaming pieces, determined using Zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry analysis. The results demonstrate the consistent use of bones from Balaenidae sp. most probably the North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis). This paper presents strong evidence for active, large-scale hunting of whales in Scandinavia, starting in the sixth century. The manufacture of gaming pieces was probably not the driver for the hunt, but merely a by-product that has survived in the archaeological record. Of greater importance were probably baleen, meat, and blubber that could be rendered into oil. This oil might have been an additional trading product in the far-reaching trade networks that were developing during the period. This study supports previous studies suggesting that Iron Age and medieval trade and resource exploitation had a much more severe influence on ecosystems than previously expected. It adds additional insights into anthropogenic impact on mammal populations in prehistory.
Digital tomosynthesis spot view in architectural distortions: outcomes in management and radiation dose
Authors: Fiaschetti Valeria , Ubaldi Nicolo’ , De Fazio Smeralda , Ricci Aurora , Maspes Federico , Cossu Elsa
Published: December 2022

Purpose

To evaluate if digital breast tomosynthesis spot compression view (DBT-SCV) could be an additional projection to confirm or deny architectural distortions (ADs) detected by digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) while assessing the average glandular radiation dose.

Methods

This is a retrospective cohort study enrolling 8864 DBT exams, of which only cases detecting primary AD and with BI-RADS 2–5 score were considered. Seventy-one AD cases examined with DBT-SCV, US and MRI were evaluated for correlation in terms of BI-RADS score; variables among exams were assessed for inter-relationships.

Results

Of all ADs identified at DBT, biopsy yielded malignancy in only 38%. PPV in identifying malignancy of ADs was higher for DBT-SCV than DBT (p < 0.05); the NPV of DBT-SCV was 94%. The difference between DBT and DBT-SCV in the detection of benign ADs was statistically significant (p < 0.05). AD without US or MRI confirmation was less likely to represent malignancy (p < 0.05). In detecting malignant cases of ADs, both DBT and DBT-SCV were strongly correlated with US and RM (Kappa > 0.90). In identifying benign cases of ADs, DBT-SCV was poorly/moderately correlated with US and RM (Kappa 0.25 and 0.66); DBT was negatively correlated with US and MRI.

Conclusion

DBT-SCV could be useful to better characterize AD firstly identified by DBT, keeping dose levels within the reference limits. If AD is detected by DBT without an US or MRI correlate, that is not confirmed by DBT-SCV, a “wait and see” approach can be applied to reduce unnecessary biopsy.
On the Applicability of Iron-Based Coatings Against Abrasion and Cavitation Erosion Wear
Authors: Varis Tommi , Lagerbom Juha , Suhonen Tomi , Terho Sakari , Laurila Jussi , Vuoristo Petri
Published: December 2022

Iron-based coatings are often considered as replacement of hard chromium and WC-Co, as they pose lower health and environmental impact. In many cases, the combination of mechanical and chemical properties of iron-based alloys may be satisfactory and their relatively low cost makes these coatings an interesting candidate for many applications. This study is inspired by opportunities to harden the iron-base materials by strain hardening, solid solution strengthening, and precipitation hardening. Already commercially available Fe-based coating materials with precipitates of mixed carbides and borides in the metastable austenitic matrix achieve a high hardness. In this study, the cavitation erosion and abrasion resistance of various Fe-based coatings produced by HVAF and HVOF processes were investigated. Four experimental precipitates containing materials were prepared, and the sprayed coatings were tested for abrasive wear and cavitation erosion. In addition to precipitates, the contributions of martensite and retained austenite phases were investigated by influencing the microstructure through heat treatments, as the ability of these phases to influence ductility and toughness can be crucial to achieve the desired material properties. The properties of experimental and two commercial Fe-based alloys are compared with WC-Co and Cr3C2-NiCr coatings by property mapping.
Water table dynamics of dune slacks in an arid zone
Authors: Hernández-Cordero Antonio Ignacio , Menéndez Inmaculada , Martín Betancor Moisés , Romero Martín Lidia Esther , Mangas José , Pérez-Chacón Espino Emma
Published: December 2022

In this study, a characterisation is undertaken of the humid dune slacks water table situated in the arid transgressive coastal dune field of the Maspalomas Special Area of Conservation, ES701007 (Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain). Humid dune slacks are listed as a European Union Habitat (EU Habitat 2190 humid dune slacks) in Annex I of the EU Habitats Directive. This water table is relatively stable throughout the year, with a 41 cm maximum oscillation. The annual dynamics of the flow pattern and water table level depend on the climate conditions. At the end of the hydrological dry season the mean water table drops (ca. 11 cm) and water flows to the lagoon. After rains, the mean water table level rises (ca. 4 cm) and flows towards the Maspalomas beach. The distribution of plant communities (associated to EU Habitat 2190) in the Maspalomas humid dune slacks depends on water table depth, pH and salinity. The knowledge acquired in this study of the water table dynamics has enabled a better understanding of the spatial distribution patterns of the vegetation of these slacks, in particular with respect to the relationship between the water table flux toward the coast during the dry season and the distribution of plant communities in the slacks closest to the coast. The study of the dynamics of the water table of the slacks and the associated vegetation has allowed us to better understand the characteristics of the Maspalomas humid dune slacks and potentially improve their management as EU Habitat. This is especially significant considering that the only European arid climate dune field where this habitat can be found is in Maspalomas.
A Schwarz Lemma for the Pentablock
Authors: Alshehri Nujood M. , Lykova Zinaida A.
Published: December 2022

In this paper, we prove a Schwarz lemma for the pentablock. The pentablock $$\mathcal {P}$$
P
is defined by $$\begin{aligned} \mathcal {P}=\{(a_{21}, {\text {tr}}A, \det A) : A=[a_{ij}]_{i,j=1}^2 \in \mathbb {B}^{2\times 2}\} \end{aligned}$$

P
=
{

(

a
21

,
tr
A
,
det
A
)

:
A
=

[

a

ij

]

i
,
j
=
1

2

∈

B

2
×
2

}

where $$\mathbb {B}^{2\times 2}$$

B

2
×
2

denotes the open unit ball in the space of $$2\times 2$$

2
×
2

complex matrices. The pentablock is a bounded non-convex domain in $$\mathbb {C}^3$$

C

3

which arises naturally in connection with a certain problem of $$\mu $$
μ
-synthesis. We develop a concrete structure theory for the rational maps from the unit disc $$\mathbb {D}$$
D
to the closed pentablock $$\overline{\mathcal {P}}$$

P
¯

that map the unit circle $$\mathbb {T}$$
T
to the distinguished boundary $$b\overline{\mathcal {P}}$$

b

P
¯

of $$\overline{\mathcal {P}}$$

P
¯

. Such maps are called rational $${\overline{\mathcal {P}}}$$

P
¯

-inner functions. We give relations between $${\overline{\mathcal {P}}}$$

P
¯

-inner functions and inner functions from $$\mathbb {D}$$
D
to the symmetrized bidisc. We describe the construction of rational $${\overline{\mathcal {P}}}$$

P
¯

-inner functions $$x = (a, s, p) : \mathbb {D} \rightarrow \overline{\mathcal {P}}$$

x
=

(
a
,
s
,
p
)

:
D
→

P
¯

of prescribed degree from the zeroes of a, s and $$s^2-4p$$

s
2

-
4
p

. The proof of this theorem is constructive: it gives an algorithm for the construction of a family of such functions x subject to the computation of Fejér–Riesz factorizations of certain non-negative trigonometric functions on the circle. We use properties and the construction of rational $${\overline{\mathcal {P}}}$$

P
¯

-inner functions to prove a Schwarz lemma for the pentablock.
Theranostics in prostate cancer
Authors: Lipp Rainer W.
Published: December 2022

This review summarizes current evidence of “theranostics” for patients with prostate cancer. Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is a glycoprotein which can be labeled with positron-emitting tomographic (PET) tracers like fluorine-18, gallium-68, or copper-64 and can be labeled with beta emitters like lutetium-177 to treat patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). PSMA PET/CT has been shown to be superior to computer tomography (CT) and bone scintigraphy in accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity in the evaluation of metastatic tumor sites and may change treatment management. However, outcome studies showing an improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) and/or overall survival (OS) after management change is missing. PSMA PET/CT is highly recommended in prostate cancer patients with biochemical recurrence (PSA > 0.2 ng/ml). Patients presenting with high PSMA expression in PSMA PET/CT may be favorably treated with 177lutetium-617. In the TheraP study, a multicenter phase 2 trial, patients with mCRPC were randomly assigned to receive either 177lutetium-617 or cabazitaxel. The results indicate fewer treatment-related adverse events in patients treated with 177lutetium-617, an improvement in PSA response, but no improvement in OS after 36 months follow-up. In the VISION trial, a phase 3 international study, patients with mCRPC were randomly assigned to receive either 177lutetium-617 and standard of care (SOC) or SOC alone. At 12 months, radiographic PFS or PSA-PFS was 18% in patients treated with 177lutetium-617 and 3% in patients treated with SOC alone. The real status of 177lutetium-617 in the sequel of treatment regimens remains unclear and additional studies are therefore warranted.
Quadrilateral reptiles
Authors: Laczkovich Miklós
Published: December 2022

A polygon P is called a reptile, if it can be decomposed into $$k\ge 2$$

k
≥
2

nonoverlapping and congruent polygons similar to P. We prove that if a cyclic quadrilateral is a reptile, then it is a trapezoid. Comparing with results of Betke and Osburg we find that every convex reptile is a triangle or a trapezoid.
Life cycle assessment and life cycle cost analysis of Jatropha biodiesel production in China
Authors: Liu Yanbing , Zhu Zongyuan , Zhang Rui , Zhao Xubo
Published: December 2022

In this study, a Life Cycle Cost (LCC) is integrated within a life cycle assessment (LCA) model to comprehensively evaluate the energy, environment, and economic impacts of the Jatropha biodiesel production in China. The total energy consumption of producing 1 ton of Jatropha biodiesel is 17566.16 MJ, in which fertilizer utilization and methanol production consume 78.14% and 18.65% of the overall energy consumption, respectively. The production of 1 ton of Jatropha biodiesel emits a number of pollutants, including 1184.52 kg of CO2, 5.86 kg of dust, 5.59 kg of NOx, 2.67 kg of SO2, 2.38 kg of CH4, and 1.05 kg of CO. By calculating and comparing their environmental impacts potentials, it was discovered that NOx and dust emissions during the fertilizer application, combustion of Jatropha shells, and methanol production urgently require improvement, as they contribute to serious global warming and particulate matter formation issues. LCC study shows that the cost of Jatropha biodiesel is 796.32 USD/ton, which is mostly contributed by Jatropha oil cost (44.37% of the total cost) and human input (26.70% of the total cost). Additional profits are generated by the combustion of Jatropha shells and glycerol by-product, which can compensate 16.76% of the cost of Jatropha biodiesel.

Graphical Abstract
Mainstreaming the Full ENSO: Linking Present Weather and Future Climate
Authors: Glantz Michael H. , Naranjo-Diaz Lino , Ye Qian , Pierce Gregory E.
Published: December 2022

In this article we propose that all countries that are striving to become a Weather-Ready Nation (WRN) would benefit greatly from including El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO)-related research findings into their decision-making processes, not only when an El Niño or a La Niña forecast has been issued quasi-periodically. For an aspiring WRN, to benefit from ENSO information, such as disruptive or beneficial changes that could be foreseeably expected to occur in seasonal flow and in sub-seasonal hydrometeorological anomalies, requires its continuous mainstreaming about the status of the ENSO process into a WRN’s decision-making activities. The ENSO process provides a bridge between sub-seasonal weather anomalies and a sub-decadal climate phenomenon as well as a bridge between coping with weather extremes today and preparing for climate change-related hydrometeorological hazards in the future. ENSO extremes every few years provide a chance to evaluate a nation’s strategic and tactical responses to hydrometeorological hazard forecasts and disasters. Each successive ENSO extreme and its Neutral phase tests previously designed best practices. Involvement of today’s youth and young professionals on climate, water, and weather issues has been increasing and will do so in coming decades. Shifting awareness and attention to ENSO and away from ENSO extremes is crucial. The heightened urgency for understanding the full ENSO “cycle” especially by youth and young professionals today is because they will soon be in professional positions that enable them to advise decision makers about climate policy issues. Their understanding of the ENSO cycle is critically needed, as global warming is expected to continue to increase for the rest of the twenty-first century.
Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrische Versorgung im Bereich Mental Health Rehabilitation in Österreich
Authors: Lienbacher Brigitta , Thun-Hohenstein Leonhard
Published: December 2022

Hintergrund

Mental Health-Rehabilitation für Kinder und Jugendliche wurde aufbauend auf einem Rehabilitationsplan von 2016 in Österreich ab 2018 zur Umsetzung gebracht. In der Zwischenzeit sind drei Rehabilitationszentren in 3 verschiedenen Versorgungszonen (Ost, Nord, Süd) errichtet und in Betrieb genommen worden.

Methodik

Es wurde eine Anfrage bei der ÖGK um aktuelle Zahlen betreffend Aufnahme und Diagnosen durchgeführt sowie eine Stellungnahme der Leiterinnen der österreichischen Reha-Zentren herangezogen, um anhand dieser Daten und Fakten und im Lichte der vorangegangenen Planungen die Umsetzung der Mental Health Rehabilitation für Kinder und Jugendliche in Österreich zu dokumentieren und kritisch zu analysieren.

Ergebnisse

In den drei Zentren wurden insgesamt 96 Behandlungsplätze eröffnet und in Betrieb genommen. Das vierte Zentrum soll 2022 in Betrieb gehen. Mit diesem wird die Bettenmessziffer im berechneten Bereich liegen, aber deutlich unter den Annahmen des Rehabilitationsplanes 2016. In Bezug auf die Strukturqualitätskriterien sind insbesondere die Konzeptualisierung und die Berechnung der Personalstrukturen als nicht ausreichend anzusehen. Die Umsetzung des Rehabilitationsplanes 2016 erfolgte nur teilweise, da nur MHR-Typ I Zentren errichtet wurden. Die Inanspruchnahme erscheint nach dreijähriger Betriebsdauer ausreichend zu sein, wobei das Diagnosespektrum aufzeigt, dass eher Kinder und Jugendliche mit akuten Problemen (Belastungsstörungen, depressive Episode) betreut wurden.

Schlussfolgerung

Erfreulicherweise sind die beschriebenen Mental Health Rehabilitations-Zentren in Betrieb gegangen und wurden gut angenommen. Allerdings ist festzuhalten, dass das ursprüngliche Konzept verlassen bzw. reduziert wurde, dass die Strukturqualität und die Konzeptualisierung nochmals überdacht werden sollten und es dringend empfohlen wird, das ursprüngliche Konzept umzusetzen.
The Corporate Design of Investments in Startups: A European Experience
Authors: Giudici Paolo , Agstner Peter , Capizzi Antonio
Published: December 2022

This is the first European study to conduct an extensive empirical research of startup charters. Our aim is to test whether the significant reforms of the law on the Italian società a responsabilità limitata (the GmbH-type limited liability company) were successful in making Italian corporate law more amicable towards startups and venture capital contracting techniques. We explain why, in the Italian context, charters provide significant information on financing deals, and we analyse more than 5000 charters of Italian startups. We find almost 200 charters that reflect the features predicted by the financial contracting theory, albeit with some significant variations in comparison to the US experience. The main one is that convertible preferred shares are not used. We report the large use of (non-convertible) participating preferred shares but also the increasing adoption of preferred shares that are functionally equivalent to US convertible non-participating preferred shares. The absence of convertibility mechanisms also explains the different structure of antidilution clauses in the Italian market. Hybrids are used to provide SAFE- and KISS-like contractual solutions. Co-sale clauses (tag-along and drag-along) are widespread and also highly standardized. US-like vesting schemes are equally observed. Some of the peculiarities we report depend on Italian law idiosyncrasies that are mainly the product of doctrinal constructions. However, corporate practice is pushing the envelope in its efforts to adapt Italian charters to startuppers’ and investors’ needs. From this standpoint, the Italian reforms look, though not completely, successful. Startup law appears to be transforming the European corporate law tradition.
Safety and certainty in the design of roads
Authors: Hupfer Christoph
Published: December 2022

In many places we experience a cycling infrastructure that is not sufficiently safe and/or is perceived as not sufficiently safe. But the needs of cyclists seem to be well known. The existing regulations offer a sufficient wealth of knowledge and infrastructure elements. However, these aspects have to be weighed against each other and against additional demands. Decisions on the design of road spaces are made with local political participation, often by committed laypeople. The abundance of criteria and their weighting, which are defined in the regulations for engineers and planners, seem to overwhelm the decision-makers or do not sufficiently address them. Uncertainty in decision-making fosters a lack of road safety in infrastructure. There is a need for a more suitable decision-making basis for the construction of infrastructure that addresses a responsible decision by the laypersons involved outside of the numerous technical criteria and their weighing against each other or against each other and supports decision-making more strongly.

In the following, an approach from planning practice is presented based on two exemplary situations, which requires systematic validation. Here, a joined approach of engineering sciences and social psychology could provide suitable assistance for better decisions in the sense of a stronger development towards sustainability and quality of life.

Practical Relevance: The redesign of traffic facilities for more bicycle and pedestrian traffic and the design of urban street spaces towards living spaces are a particular challenge. It is important that expert planners offer guiding questions to decision-makers. These must focus on the goals and the achievement of goals for the people for whom the goals have been set. This leads to more goal-focused decisions and more goal-directed effective change.
Survival Analysis and Cox Proportional Hazards Model Reporting in Pediatric Leukemia Studies—a Systematic Review
Authors: Kuitunen Ilari , Nikkilä Atte , Ponkilainen Ville T. , Uimonen Mikko M. , Lohi Olli
Published: December 2022

Survival (overall, event free, etc.) is the most-used outcome in clinical oncology studies. This study analyzed methodological reporting of survival analysis in pediatric leukemia studies, focusing on Cox proportional hazards (PH). We performed a systematic review of studies published between 2012 and 2021 in the five highest-ranking oncology and five highest-ranking hematology journals. The included studies had to focus on pediatric leukemia and utilize survival analyses. We extracted data on how the survival analysis methodology was reported and focused on Cox proportional hazards modeling and whether the PH assumption was checked. We screened 561 studies and included 103 in the analysis. The most-used crude survival analysis method was Kaplan–Meier, as 96 (94%) of the 103 studies applied it. Adjusted survival analysis was performed in 80 (78%) of the included studies, and the Cox PH model was used in 77 (96%) of these studies. The PH assumption was mentioned in 18 (23%) of the 77 studies that used the Cox PH model. Only nine studies (12%) stated how the PH assumption was assessed. We noted 10 (13%) studies with possible violations of the PH assumption. Overall, we found a need for improvement in the reporting of survival analysis and especially PH assumption in pediatric leukemia studies. The Cox PH model was the most-used adjusted survival analysis method but checking of the background assumption was not reported in most of the studies.
Vom Widerspruch zur Disruption des Völkerrechts. Europäische Ordnungsbildung jenseits kollektiv geteilter Standards
Authors: Hubert Florian
Published: December 2022

Mit dem Angriffskrieg Russlands gegen die Ukraine wurden paradigmatische Gewissheiten einer als normative Ordnung zu denkenden Friedensarchitektur erschüttert. Zweifel an lange als verlässlich befundenen Wissensbeständen erschöpfen sich indes nicht im Umstand eines Staatenkrieges in Europa, wie von realistischen Stimmen zu vernehmen ist. Sie liegen vielmehr im ungeklärten Umgang mit neuen Paradigmen der Disruption begründet, mit dem das Handeln zwischen divergierenden Staatengruppen nicht allein vom Widerspruch an vornehmlich westlichen Auslegungs- und Gestaltungspraktiken geprägt ist, sondern von einer proaktiven Konkurrenz, die Lesarten des Völkerrechts wie auch Formen multilateraler Sicherheitskoordination betreffen. Sie gehen mit eigenen Rationalitäten, Wirklichkeitshorizonten und für legitim befundener Gewaltausübung einher. Russland rekurriert so auf das Völkerrecht und „historische Rechte“ mit extraterritorialen Schutzansprüchen im „nahen Ausland“, sodass der aus dem Völkerrecht des 19. und 20. Jahrhunderts bekannte Raumbegriff an die Stelle souveräner Staaten als seine primären Rechtssubjekte tritt. Deser Beitrag lokalisiert ein Forschungsdesiderat der Konfliktforschung in der situationsangemessenen Reformulierung künftig intensiver beanspruchter Konzepte normgeleiteten Handelns, welche die performative Wirkung solcher Ordnungsvorstellungen als Weltbilder ernstnehmen muss.
TIST: Transcriptome and Histopathological Image Integrative Analysis for Spatial Transcriptomics
Authors: Shan Yiran , Zhang Qian , Guo Wenbo , Wu Yanhong , Miao Yuxin , Xin Hongyi , Lian Qiuyu , Gu Jin
Published: December 2022

Sequencing-based spatial transcriptomics (ST) is an emerging technology to study in situ gene expression patterns at the whole-genome scale. Currently, ST data analysis is still complicated by high technical noises and low resolution. In addition to the transcriptomic data, matched histopathological images are usually generated for the same tissue sample along the ST experiment. The matched high-resolution histopathological images provide complementary cellular phenotypical information, providing an opportunity to mitigate the noises in ST data. We present a novel ST data analysis method called transcriptome and histopathological image integrative analysis for ST (TIST), which enables the identification of spatial clusters (SCs) and the enhancement of spatial gene expression patterns by integrative analysis of matched transcriptomic data and images. TIST devises a histopathological feature extraction method based on Markov random field (MRF) to learn the cellular features from histopathological images, and integrates them with the transcriptomic data and location information as a network, termed TIST-net. Based on TIST-net, SCs are identified by a random walk-based strategy, and gene expression patterns are enhanced by neighborhood smoothing. We benchmark TIST on both simulated datasets and 32 real samples against several state-of-the-art methods. Results show that TIST is robust to technical noises on multiple analysis tasks for sequencing-based ST data and can find interesting microstructures in different biological scenarios. TIST is available at http://lifeome.net/software/tist/ and https://ngdc.cncb.ac.cn/biocode/tools/BT007317.
Horse Insurance and the Katastasis in the Greek Cavalry: Two Separate Entities
Authors: Mihajlov Anneka
Published: December 2022

The cavalry of classical Athens remains an enigmatic part of the polis’ military forces. Although often described by historians as an insignificant arm of the classical Athenian army, in the fifth century BCE it was financially supported in two ways: a supposed insurance scheme for each cavalryman's mount, and what is often called an ‘establishment loan’, the κατάστασις (katastasis), to assist with the initial costs of joining the cavalry corps.1These two unique economic supports are often tied together in modern discussions as parts of the same measure. The present article will instead argue that these two aspects not only could, but should, be separated. Further, it will be suggested that these two forms of support highlight the practical importance of the cavalry, in contrast to thecommunis opinio. In a military environment where resources were in high demand, the Athenian state made a conscious decision to offer considerable support – around 40 talents a year – to ensure they had a citizen cavalry ready for action.
Hobbes, Empire, and the Politics of the Cabal: Political Thought and Policy Making in the Restoration
Authors: Ward Matthew , Rose Jacqueline
Published: December 2022

This article explores a sizable and largely unknown manuscript treatise from the 1670s, “Pax et Obedientia,” which discusses the Civil Wars, trade, the origins of government, toleration, plantations (especially Jamaica), and the royal supremacy, embedding within it a distinctive engagement with Hobbes and a particular vision of imperial composite monarchy. This first analysis of what “Pax” said, who wrote it, and why he did so in the way that he did nuances the present understanding of Restoration debates over a centralizing empire; it reveals the different forms that policy makers thought that empire might take, while also capturing a moment of transition between different meanings of imperium. The anonymous author's engagement with Hobbes further suggests how questions that later fell into the realm of political economy were discussed at the time, using the language of natural jurisprudence. In demonstrating the methodological necessity of utilizing both linguistic and institutional contexts, the authors argue that the apparent incoherence of “Pax” reflects an essential although ineptly executed strategy on the part of its author. Inchoate though the manuscript is, it offers a significant opportunity to understand the intellectual world of junior members of the government and to reconsider the intersection of political thinking and political action.
Rethinking technologies of remembering for a postcolonial world
Authors: Keightley Emily
Published: December 2022

This article sets out some of the analytical moves that are necessary to developing a distinctive area of research called postcolonial memory studies. A key barrier to synthesising insights from postcolonial and memory studies has been a reductive approach to analogue and digital technologies which operate as vehicles for memory. Three analytical moves are needed to decentre, or at the very least de-naturalise the technological narratives and ecologies of Europe and the US. Media memory studies needs to draw more effectively on postcolonial studies to position mediated memory as inextricably connected to the legacies of colonialism and empire; develop a much broader account of media infrastructures emerging from what is increasingly characterised as ‘global media studies’; make an empirical and analytical shift away from the primacy of digital communications technologies and to explore technologies, not just as artefacts but as knowledge generating cultural practices. The combined value of these three shifts in approaches to media and communications technologies in memory studies research has considerable potential for developing postcolonial media memory studies research which offers a thorough and empirically grounded analysis of the complex ways in which the legacies of colonialism shape and structure the ways in which practices and performances of remembering are mediated in contemporary social life. This shift towards postcolonial memory studies can be seen as part of the wider project of what Anna (Amza) Reading has in this volume called ‘rewilding memory’ by rethinking ‘the underlying ecologies of knowledge within studies of memory’.
Mindful eating for weight loss in women with obesity: a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Pepe Renata Bressan , Coelho Graziele Souza de Menezes Amorim , Miguel Flavia da Silva , Gualassi Ana Carolina , Sarvas Marcela Mosconi , Cercato Cintia , Mancini Marcio C. , de Melo Maria Edna
Published: December 2022

Mindful eating (ME) has been linked to improvement in binge eating disorder, but this approach in obesity management has shown conflicting results. Our aim was to assess the effect of ME associated with moderate energy restriction (MER) on weight loss in women with obesity. Metabolic parameters, dietary assessment, eating behaviour, depression, anxiety and stress were also evaluated. A total of 138 women with obesity were randomly assigned to three intervention groups: ME associated with MER (ME + MER), MER and ME, and they were followed up monthly for 6 months. ME + MER joined seven monthly mindfulness-based intervention group sessions each lasting 90 min and received an individualised food plan with MER (deficit of 2092 kJ/d - 500 kcal/d). MER received an individualised food plan with MER (deficit of 2092 kJ/d - 500 kcal/d), and ME joined seven monthly mindfulness-based intervention group sessions each lasting 90 min. Seventy patients completed the intervention. Weight loss was significant, but no statistically significant difference was found between the groups. There was a greater reduction in uncontrolled eating in the ME group than in the MER group and a greater reduction in emotional eating in the ME group than in both the MER and the ME + MER groups. No statistically significant differences were found in the other variables evaluated between groups. The association between ME with energy restriction did not promote greater weight loss than ME or MER.
Influence of Mycoplasma bovis infection on milk production and quality of Holstein dairy cows
Authors: Torres Fabrício Dias , Madureira Karina Medici , Nascimento da Silva Karen , Azevedo Cristiane , de Moura Tiane Martin , Skorei Marcia Regina , Gomes Viviani
Published: December 2022

We wished to determine if Mycoplasma bovis infection can negatively impact milk quality and production in Holstein dairy cows. For this Research Communication, milk samples (271) from Holstein cows from 3 herds were screened for M. bovis by real-time PCR. Positive (n = 21) and negative animals (n = 21) were matched by herd, age, lactations and days in milk (DIM). Pairs were evaluated in 7 stages of lactation: D1–50, D51–100, D101–150, D151–200, D201–250, D251–300, and D ≥ 301. A mixed model was used to assess the effect of groups (M. bovis+ × M.bovis−), time (lactation) and groups × time interaction. Cows positive for M. bovis had lower average milk production per day and high somatic cells count (SCC).