bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preoperative magnetic resonance imaging predicts clinicopathological parameters and stages of endometrial carcinomas
Authors: Wu Chia‐Ying , Tai Yi‐Jou , Shih I‐Lun , Chiang Ying‐Cheng , Chen Yu‐Li , Hsu Heng‐Cheng , Cheng Wen‐Fang
Published: December 2021

Background

We investigated the agreement and accuracy of preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with postoperative pathological characteristics and stages of endometrial endometrioid carcinoma (EEC).

Methods

We recruited 527 women with EEC who underwent staging surgery at a single medical institution. The preoperative MRI, stages, and clinical and pathological parameters, including myometrial invasion (MI), cervical invasion (CI), adnexal metastasis (AM), intra‐abdominal metastasis, and pelvic and/or para‐aortic nodal metastasis, were recorded and analyzed. The agreement and accuracy between the preoperative MRI findings and these parameters and stages were assessed.

Results

The rate of the preoperative MRI‐based clinical stage matching the postoperative surgical stage was 85.2% in International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage IA, 51.9% in stage IB, 35.5% in stage II, 5.3% in stage IIIA, 33.3% in stage IIIB, 28.6% in stage IIIC1, 64.3% in stage IIIC2, and 93.8% in stage IVB. The consistency between radiologists and pathologists was 80.5% for deep MI, 91.5% for cervical invasion, 92.2% for adnexal metastasis, 98.9% for intra‐abdominal metastasis, and 87.5% and 92.2% for pelvic and para‐aortic nodal metastases, respectively. The negative predictive value of intra‐abdominal metastasis was the highest with 99.8%.

Conclusions

Preoperative MRI could be an excellent tool for routine preoperative assessment to predict pathological parameters and stages of EEC, especially in excluding intra‐abdominal metastatic disease.
A simple strategy for sample annotation error detection in cytometry datasets
Authors: Smithmyer Megan E. , Wiedeman Alice E. , Skibinski David A. G. , Savage Adam K. , Acosta‐Vega Carolina , Scheiding Sheila , Gersuk Vivian H. , O'Rourke Colin , Long S. Alice , Buckner Jane H. , Speake Cate
Published: December 2021

Mislabeling samples or data with the wrong participant information can affect study integrity and lead investigators to draw inaccurate conclusions. Quality control to prevent these types of errors is commonly embedded into the analysis of genomic datasets, but a similar identification strategy is not standard for cytometric data. Here, we present a method for detecting sample identification errors in cytometric data using expression of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I alleles. We measured HLA‐A*02 and HLA‐B*07 expression in three longitudinal samples from 41 participants using a 33‐marker CyTOF panel designed to identify major immune cell types. 3/123 samples (2.4%) showed HLA allele expression that did not match their longitudinal pairs. Furthermore, these same three samples' cytometric signature did not match qPCR HLA class I allele data, suggesting that they were accurately identified as mismatches. We conclude that this technique is useful for detecting sample‐labeling errors in cytometric analyses of longitudinal data. This technique could also be used in conjunction with another method, like GWAS or PCR, to detect errors in cross‐sectional data. We suggest widespread adoption of this or similar techniques will improve the quality of clinical studies that utilize cytometry.
Targeted therapies in genetic dilated and hypertrophic cardiomyopathies: from molecular mechanisms to therapeutic targets. A position paper from the Heart Failure Association (HFA) and the Working Group on Myocardial Function of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC)
Authors: de Boer Rudolf A. , Heymans Stephane , Backs Johannes , Carrier Lucie , Coats Andrew J.S. , Dimmeler Stefanie , Eschenhagen Thomas , Filippatos Gerasimos , Gepstein Lior , Hulot Jean‐Sebastien , Knöll Ralph , Kupatt Christian , Linke Wolfgang A. , Seidman Christine E. , Tocchetti C. Gabriele , van der Velden Jolanda , Walsh Roddy , Seferovic Petar M. , Thum Thomas
Published: December 2021

Genetic cardiomyopathies are disorders of the cardiac muscle, most often explained by pathogenic mutations in genes encoding sarcomere, cytoskeleton, or ion channel proteins. Clinical phenotypes such as heart failure and arrhythmia are classically treated with generic drugs, but aetiology‐specific and targeted treatments are lacking. As a result, cardiomyopathies still present a major burden to society, and affect many young and older patients. The Translational Committee of the Heart Failure Association (HFA) and the Working Group of Myocardial Function of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) organized a workshop to discuss recent advances in molecular and physiological studies of various forms of cardiomyopathies. The study of cardiomyopathies has intensified after several new study setups became available, such as induced pluripotent stem cells, three‐dimensional printing of cells, use of scaffolds and engineered heart tissue, with convincing human validation studies. Furthermore, our knowledge on the consequences of mutated proteins has deepened, with relevance for cellular homeostasis, protein quality control and toxicity, often specific to particular cardiomyopathies, with precise effects explaining the aberrations. This has opened up new avenues to treat cardiomyopathies, using contemporary techniques from the molecular toolbox, such as gene editing and repair using CRISPR‐Cas9 techniques, antisense therapies, novel designer drugs, and RNA therapies. In this article, we discuss the connection between biology and diverse clinical presentation, as well as promising new medications and therapeutic avenues, which may be instrumental to come to precision medicine of genetic cardiomyopathies.
Data‐Driven–Based Internal Temperature Estimation for Lithium‐Ion Battery Under Variant State‐of‐Charge via Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy
Authors: Ouyang Konglei , Fan Yuqian , Yazdi Mohammad , Peng Weiwen
Published: December 2021

Internal temperature estimation is critical to the safe operation of lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS)‐based methods have been demonstrated to be promising. However, accurate internal temperature estimation under variant state‐of‐charge (SoC) is still challenging due to the combined impact of temperature and SoC on the EIS. Accordingly, this work proposes a novel EIS‐based internal temperature estimation approach, for which SoC‐insensitive EIS features are quantitatively selected and utilized for temperature estimation using support vector regression (SVR) with unknown SoC. First, the EIS feature selection is performed to select SoC‐insensitive features from the imaginary of impedance spectrum. Subsequently, an SVR‐based framework and a well‐trained SVR model are created to estimate the internal temperature of LIBs. The performance of the proposed model is validated by its lowest estimation error (0.57 °C) under known and unknown SoCs compared to that of the existing methodologies. The results confirmed that the proposed method holds the advantage in estimating the internal battery temperature with different SOCs.
Convective nanofluid flow over a vertical cone with a rough surface
Authors: Patil P. M. , Doddagoudar Shivanandappa H. , Hiremath P. S.
Published: December 2021

In recent literature, the analysis of a combined convective flow over a cone has received a lot of attention. To explore the convection effects of flow over a cone in greater detail, in this investigation, we have considered a cone with a rough surface, which is entirely a new flow problem. Recent studies have shown the influence of roughness on fluid flow over several geometries, but flow over a rough conical surface has not been studied so far. In addition, we have analyzed the effects of nanoparticles, magnetohydrodynamic (MHD), and suction/blowing, which could have significant impacts on characteristics of fluid flow over the cone with a rough surface. Initially, the governing equations, which are partial differential equations with a high degree of nonlinearity, are nondimensionalized through Mangler's transformations. Later, linear equations are obtained via the method of quasilinearization, which is then solved numerically through finite difference approximations. The roughness of the cone's surface has notable effects on fluid flow, that too away from the origin. In fact, the roughness increases the friction at the cone's surface. Furthermore, the magnetic field applied at the wall increases the surface friction. Thus, the combination of roughness and MHD helps delay the boundary layer separation. On the other hand, the suction reduces the temperature of the fluid and increases the energy transport strength, while the thermophoresis parameter exhibits the contrary nature. Therefore, the combined consideration of these two could enhance energy transport strength in several industrial applications.
Evaluating child maltreatment and family violence risk during the COVID‐19 Pandemic: Using a telehealth home visiting program as a conduit to families
Authors: Bullinger Lindsey Rose , Marcus Stevan , Reuben Katherine , Whitaker Daniel , Self‐Brown Shannon
Published: December 2021

The COVID‐19 pandemic has affected many child maltreatment risk factors and may have affected maltreatment among vulnerable families. We surveyed 258 certified providers of an evidence‐based home visiting program, SafeCare, about their perception of the impact of the pandemic on the families they serve. We examined if the providers perceived an overall change in child maltreatment and family violence risk among the families with young children they served and factors that may have contributed to changes. Regressions estimated the relationship between providers’ assessment of families’ ability to social distance, emotional struggles, and access to public resources/services with providers’ perception of child maltreatment and family violence risk in the home. Findings indicate that 87% of providers believed maltreatment risk had increased during the pandemic. Providers serving families who were unable to social distance due to employment were more likely to report increased supervisory neglect and material neglect among the families they serve. Providers reporting that families were struggling with elevated frustration levels also reported more family conflict and material neglect among the families they serve. Results from this research can inform strategic decision‐making for policies and programs that address the challenges low‐income families with young children face in emergency situations.
Investigation of creep properties and the cytoskeletal structures of non‐tumorigenic breast cells and triple‐negative breast cancer cells
Authors: Onwudiwe Killian , Obayemi John , Hu Jingjie , Oparah Josephine , Onyekanne Chinyerem , Nwazojie Chukwudalu , Aina Toyin , Uzonwanne Vanessa , Salifu Ali , Soboyejo Winston
Published: December 2021

This article presents the correlation of creep and viscoelastic properties to the cytoskeletal structure of both tumorigenic and non‐tumorigenic cells. Unique shear assay and strain mapping techniques were used to study the creep and viscoelastic properties of single non‐tumorigenic and tumorigenic cells. At least 20 individual cells, three locations per cell, were studied. From the results, lower densities in the volume of actin, and keratin 18 structures were observed with the progression of cancer and were correlated to the increased creep rates and reduced mechanical properties (Young's moduli and viscosities) of tumorigenic (MDA‐MB‐231) cells. The study reveals significant differences between the creep and viscoelastic properties of non‐tumorigenic breast cells versus tumorigenic cells. The variations in the creep strain rates are shown to be well characterized by lognormal distributions, while the statistical variations in the viscoelastic properties are well‐described by normal distributions. The implications of the results are discussed for the study of discrete cell behaviors, strain and viscoelastic responses of the cell, and the role of cell cytoskeleton in the onset and progression of cancers.
The 2021 fed pivot and the macro consequences of non‐transitory inflation
Authors: Tokic Damir
Published: December 2021

The Federal Reserve has a dual mandate of 1) price stability and 2) full employment, which are sometimes contradictory and difficult to achieve simultaneously. Thus, in certain macro environments, the Fed has to prioritize one mandate at the cost of the other. In 2021, after a long period of prioritizing the full employment mandate, the Fed had acknowledged that the building inflationary pressures are likely non‐transitory, which signals that the Fed has potentially made the policy pivot to prioritize the inflation mandate. This article discusses the likely macro consequences of the 2021 Fed pivot.
A quantitative gain‐independent assessment of the left atrial appendage as a method of thromboembolic risk stratification
Authors: Slostad Brody , Lee Kevin , Trybula Michael , Konda Sreenivas , Macrinici Victor , Frazin Leon , Kansal Mayank
Published: December 2021

Background

Visual assessment of the left atrial appendage (LAA) by echocardiography for the presence of thrombus is inherently qualitative. However, whether quantitative assessments can provide increased value over qualitative assessment has not been thoroughly examined.

Methods

One hundred and thirty‐eight patients (mean age 59 ± 13 years, 70% male) undergoing transesophageal echocardiography prior to pulmonary vein isolation or electrical cardioversion were retrospectively studied. LAA were examined by two expert readers and identified as thrombus, sludge, spontaneous echocardiograph contrast, or normal. LAA were then separately examined to calculate a gain‐independent ratio between the average pixel density of the LAA cavity and that of the LAA wall (C/W ratio).

Results

C/W ratio was significantly related with qualitative LAA analysis (p < 0.0001) and with thromboembolic events (OR 1.60, 95% CI 1.095–2.347, p = 0.02). The C/W ratio (AUC 0.73, 95% CI 0.60–0.86) was a reliable predictor for future thromboembolic events when compared to expert reader LAA assessment (Expert Reader 1 AUC = 0.72, 95% CI 0.53–0.90; Expert Reader 2 AUC = 0.69).

Conclusions

The C/W ratio may be a complementary method to adjudicate thromboembolic risk in patients with AF that is readily quantifiable at time of TEE.
A convenient separation strategy for fungal anthraquinones by centrifugal partition chromatography
Authors: Hammerle Fabian , Zwerger Michael , Höck Anja , Ganzera Markus , Peintner Ursula , Siewert Bianka
Published: December 2021

As recently shown, some fungal pigments exhibit significant photoactivity turning them into promising agents for the photodynamic treatment of microbial infections or malignant diseases. In the present study, a separation strategy for fungal anthraquinones was developed based on centrifugal partition chromatography. A suitable method was explored employing a methanolic extract of the fruiting bodies of Cortinarius sanguineus (Agaricales, Basidiomycota). An excellent fractionation was achieved using a biphasic solvent system comprising chloroform/ethyl acetate/methanol/water/acetic acid (3:1:3:2:1, v/v/v/v/v) operating in ascending mode. Experiments on an analytical scale with extracts of closely related Cortinarius species exhibited broad applicability of the devised system. Up to six pigments could be purified directly from the crude extract. Preparative‐scale fractionation of the methanol extracts of C. malicorius and C. sanguineus demonstrated that up‐scaling was possible without compromising selectivity.
Changes in the composition of soil microbial communities and their carbon‐cycle genes following the conversion of primary broadleaf forests to plantations and secondary forests
Authors: Luo Xianzhen , Wen Dazhi , Hou Enqing , Zhang Lingling , Li Yue , He Xianjin
Published: December 2021

The soil organic carbon (C) cycle is primarily mediated by soil microorganisms and their genes that function in the C cycle (C‐cycle genes), both of which are strongly affected by land cover disturbance. However, the mechanism underlying microbially mediated soil C loss after conversion of primary natural broadleaf forests (BF) to plantation forests (PF) and secondary forests (SF) remains unknown. Here, we measured soil physicochemical properties and soil microbial community properties, and examined their linkages with microbial C‐cycle genes. Forest conversion dramatically decreased the richness of the soil fungal community but not of the bacterial community, and altered the composition of both communities. Analysis of C‐cycle genes revealed that the abundance of genes associated with C fixation, methane metabolism, and C degradation decreased by 51.3%, 57.9%, and 67.0%, respectively with the conversion of BF to PF; and by 6.3%, 4.1%, and 15.6%, respectively, with the conversion of BF to SF. The reductions in the abundance of C‐cycle genes, especially the reduction of hemicellulose‐ and lignin‐degradation genes, were primarily associated with the declines in the abundance of forest conversion‐sensitive microbes indexed by operational taxonomic units (fsOTUs,  = 0.41). fsOTUs were taxonomically diverse and included members frequently co‐occurring with numerous other microbes in the microbial communities, indicating that the manipulation of fsOTUs by forest management could improve soil fertility and soil C sequestration. Forest conversion‐induced shifts in fsOTUs abundance were associated with changes in soil potassium permanganate oxidizable organic carbon (PXC) concentration, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration, and soil pH. Our results indicate that alterations in soil substrate supply (e.g., DOC and PXC) and soil pH induced by forest conversion may strongly shape fsOTUs structure and decrease the abundance of hemicellulose and lignin degradation genes, and consequently increase C loss.
Pond methane dynamics, from microbial communities to ecosystem budget, during summer in Alaska
Authors: Vizza Carmella , Jones Stuart E. , Hart Julia A. , West William E. , Lamberti Gary A.
Published: December 2021

Ponds play a larger role in the global freshwater methane (CH4) budget than predicted from surface area alone. To improve our understanding of pond CH4 dynamics, we measured summer CH4 production, concentrations, and emissions to the atmosphere in nine Alaskan wetland ponds along with potential physical, chemical, and biological regulators. Pond CH4 production (0.64, 0.086–1.3 mmol m−2 d−1; median, interquartile range), as assessed with slurry incubations, was positively related to water‐column temperature and chlorophyll a (Chl a), negatively influenced by oxygen levels, and varied with microbial community structure. Average water‐column CH4 concentrations (0.39, 0.21–0.87 μmol L−1) were lower in deeper ponds and at higher oxygen levels, and as expected, they were correlated with diffusive emissions (0.055, 0.024–0.20 mmol m−2 d−1) assessed with flux chambers. Based on a mass balance approach, 39–99% of CH4 produced in ponds was oxidized. Pond ebullition (3.7, 0.60–24 mmol m−2 d−1) was higher and more variable than diffusive emissions. Additionally, pond ebullition rates were better correlated with production rates from the previous month. We also systematically compared the ratio of ebullition to diffusive CH4 emissions in our ponds and other northern lakes, which was negatively related to water depth (n = 71), but positively related to Chl a (n = 28). Our study sheds light on the factors that influence pond CH4 dynamics and demonstrates that pond ebullition is a significant CH4 source worthy of continued study.
Self‐Assembled Polymeric Materials: Design, Morphology, and Functional‐Oriented Applications
Authors: Hu Shoukui , Yan Jinhao , Yang Guangwei , Ma Chao , Yin Jun
Published: December 2021

This Review focuses on the current research advances of the synthesis of various amphiphilic block copolymers (ABCs), such as conventional ABCs and newly presented polyprodrug amphiphiles, and the development of corresponding self‐assemblies in selective solvents driven by the intermolecular interactions, like noncovalent hydrophobic interactions, π–π interactions, and hydrogen bonds, between ABCs or preformed small polymeric nanoparticles. The design of these assemblies is systematically introduced, and the diverse examples concerning the unique assembly structures along with the fast development of their exclusive properties and various applications in different fields are discussed. Possible perspectives on the existential challenges and glorious future are elucidated finally. It is hoped that this Review will provide a convenient way for readers to motivate more evolutional innovative concepts and methods to design next generation of novel polymeric nanoassemblies, and fill the gap between material design and practical applications.
Analysis of vitamin D metabolic markers by mass spectrometry: Recent progress regarding the “gold standard” method and integration into clinical practice
Authors: Alexandridou Anastasia , Schorr Pascal , Stokes Caroline S. , Volmer Dietrich A.
Published: December 2021

Liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry is firmly established today as the gold standard technique for analysis of vitamin D, both for vitamin D status assessments as well as for measuring complex and intricate vitamin D metabolic fingerprints. While the actual mass spectrometry technology has seen only incremental performance increases in recent years, there have been major, very impactful changes in the front‐ and back‐end of MS‐based vitamin D assays; for example, the extension to new types of biological sample matrices analyzed for an increasing number of different vitamin D metabolites, novel sample preparation techniques, new powerful chemical derivatization reagents, as well the continued integration of high resolution mass spectrometers into clinical laboratories, replacing established triple‐quadrupole instruments. At the same time, the sustainability of mass spectrometry operation in the vitamin D field is now firmly established through proven analytical harmonization and standardization programs. The present review summarizes the most important of these recent developments.
Numerical Study of Residual Stresses Due to External Cooling in Extruded Polymer Profiles
Authors: Spanjaards Michelle M. A. , Hulsen Martien A. , Anderson Patrick D.
Published: December 2021

Profile extrusion is a production technique to make polymer profiles and hollow tubes. At a certain distance after the die exit the polymer extrudate is guided into a cooling chamber, where the polymer is cooled extensively to set the part dimensions. Uniform cooling in the cooling chamber is required to avoid warpage and twisting of the extrudate due to differential shrinkage. The effect of extrudate cooling on the shape of the extrudate and the residual stresses in the final extrudate product are numerically studied. Two different cases are studied: a 2D axisymmetric problem of a viscoelastic fluid exiting an annular die and a 3D problem of a hollow square shaped die. The extrudate is extensively cooled from a distance from the die exit. Extrudate cooling is modeled by subjecting the extrudate to heat loss via convection. For the Nusselt number Nu is fixed to 1 to represent the part of the extrudate in between the die exit and the entrance of the cooling chamber. For the Nusselt number is varied to mimic different cooling speeds. The Weissenberg number Wi, the Nusselt number and are varied in this work. Results show that for high values of Wi a significant skin‐effect of high residual stresses appear near the extrudate edges for high Nusselt numbers and small values of . It is also shown that for high Weissenberg numbers the shape of the extrudate is significantly altered due to extrudate swell, when the extrudate is cooled slower. For fast cooling and small values of , the polymer does not have time to relax and the elastic stresses are “frozen in.” This leads to less extrudate swell but large residual stresses near the extrudate edges.
A tripartite evolutionary game analysis of contract manufacturer's brand strategy decisions in global value chains
Authors: Zhou Huarong , He Shengbing , Lyu Qinke
Published: December 2021

This paper investigates the brand strategy decision‐making process of the contract manufacturer (CM) in the context of three stakeholders: the CM, the original equipment manufacturer (OEM), and the government agency (GA). The evolutionary stability strategies and stability conditions are analyzed and a numerical simulation illustrates the effectiveness of the proposed method. The results show that whether the CM chooses “branding” strategy is mostly determined by the economic profit caused by strategies. The OEM's response mainly depends on the CM's strategic choice and the cost of suspending the cooperation. There exists a threshold effect in the promotion effect of government subsidy on the CM's brand building.
Hybrid energy harvester based on dual band transparent dielectric resonator antenna
Authors: Zhang Chao , Liu Zhen‐Guo , Yu Bu‐Yun , Lu Wei‐Bing , Tseng Kuo‐Chen
Published: December 2021

This article presents a compact hybrid solar and radio frequency (RF) energy harvester based on dual‐band transparent dielectric resonator antenna (TDRA). It integrates with an amorphous silicon solar cell film, a TDRA and a rectifier circuit. The TDRA replaces the glass protective of the traditional solar cell to prevent the solar cell from being oxidized and damaged and also can efficiently harvest electromagnetic (EM) waves, which achieves harvesting solar and RF energy at the same time. The measured results show that the TDRA can reach impedance bandwidth (|S11| < −10 dB) of 2.37–3.03 GHz and 3.41–3.88 GHz and the realized gain of 4.9 dBi at 2.45 GHz and 5.95 dBi at 3.6 GHz. The efficiency of the rectifier can reach 60% and 40% at two resonance frequencies, respectively. The results prove that under weak lighting conditions, the hybrid harvester has a higher DC output power compared with the RF‐only or solar‐only energy harvester. Thus, it can be well applied to wireless sensors and Internet of Things devices.
Applying the recommended indicators for the diagnosis of preterm and neonatal malnutrition: Answers to frequently asked questions
Authors: Goldberg Dena L. , Becker Patricia J.
Published: December 2021

In 2018, a committee of expert preterm/neonatal registered dietitian nutritionists published recommended indicators for the diagnosis of malnutrition in preterm infants and neonates. This was in response to a need for indicators appropriate to the preterm/neonatal population, given the emphasis on diagnosing malnutrition in the pediatric and adult population. Since the publication, the authors have received numerous questions regarding the application and use of the indicators. This paper answers questions regarding the three categories of indicators and billing and reimbursement. The goal is to develop uniformity in the application of the malnutrition indicators for quality improvement and research efforts.
A secure cross‐organizational container deployment approach to enable ad hoc collaborations
Authors: Van Hoye Laurens , Wauters Tim , De Turck Filip , Volckaert Bruno
Published: December 2021

When organizations need to collaborate urgently, for example, in the case of an emergency situation, it is needed to deploy software components into the different domains in order to allow crucial data to be exchanged. The ad hoc aspect is important as it does not allow the participating organizations to negotiate entire workflows and/or contracts upfront. To enable these ad hoc cross‐organizational collaborations, a container orchestration platform, like Kubernetes, can be used to quickly deploy pods of containers in a cross‐organizational overlay network, even fully automated. Although this is technically feasible, there may be a trust issue from the perspective of a participating organization when an external organization is capable of deploying any software inside its network domain. This concern is examined and resolved in this article, by proposing an extension to the existing deployment scheme used in vanilla Kubernetes. It allows the participating organizations to assess whether a suggested deployment conforms to the goal of the project and to maintain an overview of all activities related to a single collaboration. This intermediate step prevents an honest organization against potentially malicious behaviour of external entities, either the orchestrator and/or the other organizations, solving the aforementioned trust issue. Evaluation of the implemented prototype shows that a secure collaboration, which requires at most tens of containers, can be attained with sub‐second deployment overheads per container, apart from the required manual interventions for trust management purposes.
Mail‐out bowel cancer screening: Identifying the behavioural stumbling blocks
Authors: Myers Larry , Goodwin Belinda C. , Ireland Michael , March Sonja , Aitken Joanne
Published: December 2021

Objective

To describe the actions taken by recipients of mail‐out faecal occult blood test (FOBT) kits and to identify the points at which progress towards kit completion typically stops. Differences according to gender, age, and screening intention were also examined.

Methods

1599 people completed an online survey identifying the actions they took upon receiving an FOBT kit. Latent class analysis was conducted to identify latent subgroups of participants that reported similar actions. Differences between gender, age, and intention status were assessed using non‐invariance testing.

Results

Four latent subgroups of FOBT invitees were identified: those who complete and return their FOBT kit (‘completers’); those who bring the kit into their house but go no further (‘ignorers’); those who open the package and read the bowel cancer information materials but go no further (‘readers’); and those who read the instructions but do not place the kit near the toilet and do not complete their FOBT kit (‘leavers’). Non‐completers who intended to use the kit were most likely to be in the ‘leavers’ class, while those who had no intention were most likely to be in the ‘readers’ class.

Conclusions

Distinct subgroups of non‐responders exist among bowel cancer screening invitees, suggesting different behaviour change interventions are needed to facilitate participation. Some invitees, especially those with high participatory intention, are likely to benefit from prompts to take the kit into the toilet, while others, with little participatory intention, often read the invitation materials presenting an opportunity to intervene with health messages.
The echocardiographic course of pretransplant pulmonary hypertension following kidney transplantation and associated outcomes
Authors: Frost Adaani E. , Moore Linda W. , Valdivia e Alvarado Miguel , Obi Chizoba , Graviss Edward A. , Nguyen Duc T. , Gaber Ahmed Osama , Suki Wadi N.
Published: December 2021

The post 3 kidney transplant course of pretransplant echocardiographically‐defined pulmonary hypertension (PH) was reviewed in 115 patients. Of these 61 patients (the largest cohort reported to date), underwent 160 “for indication” echocardiograms posttransplant (mean echocardiograms per patient: 2.6 ± 2.3). Patients undergoing posttransplant echocardiograms demonstrated greater risks for worse outcomes than those without posttransplant echocardiograms; however, there was no difference in mortality, death‐censored graft failure or the composite of death or graft failure between these two groups. Of patients tested, 36 (59%) showed resolution of PH at a median of 37.5 months. Six patients (16.7%) in whom PH resolved (at a median of 29 months), experienced recurrence of PH after an interval of 48 months. No pretransplant demographic or echocardiographic characteristics distinguished those in whom PH persisted versus resolved. Though there was no difference in the risk for mortality or death‐censored graft loss between the two groups at 3 and 5 years, there was a higher risk for the composite of mortality or graft loss at three but not at five years in the group with persistent PH. In conclusion, echocardiographically defined PH resolved in 59% of patients following kidney transplantation; but irrespective of resolution there was no clear association with worse outcome.
Macroinvertebrate and diatom community responses to thermal alterations below water supply reservoirs
Authors: Krajenbrink Hendrik J. , White James C. , Dunbar Michael J. , Wood Paul J.
Published: December 2021

River impoundments have transformed river ecosystems globally due to the modification of various abiotic and biotic factors. This study provides rare evidence quantifying how water supply reservoirs alter water temperature regimes and its effects on macroinvertebrate and diatom communities over a 4‐year period. We obtained near‐continuous water temperature measurements upstream and downstream of three reservoirs and analysed thermal variables in association with macroinvertebrate and diatom community indices (including taxonomic richness, proportion of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera taxa [%EPT] and diatom ecological guilds). Reservoirs typically decreased downstream thermal variability, with reduced summer temperatures and increased winter temperatures, and a delayed timing of annual temperature extremes. Marked differences in thermal regime modifications between reservoirs were observed, including evidence of inter‐annual variation associated with inter‐basin water transfers downstream of one reservoir. Biomonitoring indices showed associations with thermal indices that differed between site types (regulated versus non‐regulated) and seasons (spring vs. autumn). Various macroinvertebrate and diatom indices capturing community diversity elements and sensitivities to different environmental pressures were associated with higher maximum summer temperatures and lower minimum winter temperatures, suggesting ecological effects of reduced thermal variation downstream of reservoirs. Different ecological responses to thermal indices were observed between seasons, likely due to organism life‐cycle effects and intra‐annual thermal variations. Contrasting macroinvertebrate and diatom communities were observed between regulated and non‐regulated sites, which may be driven by differences in the thermal regime and other abiotic factors at regulated sites, including nutrient, sediment and flow regimes. Long‐term continuous water temperature monitoring of both multiple regulated and non‐regulated river systems is necessary to better understand the environmental and ecological effects of river impoundments. Given the extent to which river impoundment has modified stream temperatures globally, the inclusion of thermal regime data in environmental flow studies alongside hydrological information may guide the implementation of mitigation measures on impounded waterbodies.
A guide for the meaningful surface analysis of wood by XPS and ToF‐SIMS
Authors: Watts John F. , Goacher Robyn E.
Published: December 2021

The surface analysis of wood and wood products is becoming increasingly important for reasons ranging from the investigation of molecular constituents through to the optimization of industrial processes. As with any natural product, wood analysis is not straightforward, and this review aims to provide guidance for the successful surface analysis of wood by XPS and ToF‐SIMS. Through example experiments, three themes are addressed relevant to obtaining meaningful results: considerations related to heterogeneity in the composition of wood (e.g., growth rings); the impact of the chemical removal of minor wood components known as extractives, and whether such a process is necessary; and the potential for misleading or erroneous results as a result of contamination occurring during sample preparation. In addition to discussing successful sample preparation approaches, the important role to be played by MVA in surface analysis is emphasized, particularly in the analysis of ToF‐SIMS data. Examples of ToF‐SIMS/MVA are provided that highlight the identification of contamination in sample preparation, the quantification of wood composition in terms of cellulose and lignin, and the indication of age of softwood samples. Through consideration of the complexities that influence wood surface analysis, the design and interpretation of consequential experiments become easier and more accurate.
5‐Chloroindole as Interface Modifier to Improve the Efficiency and Stability of Planar Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Wang Chunyan , Wu Jihuai , Wang Shibo , Yan Zhongliang , Liu Xuping , Li Guodong , Chen Liqiang , Zhu Sijia , Sun Weihai , Lan Zhang
Published: December 2021

Interface engineering has been proven to be an effective method to improve the performance and stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Herein, 5‐chloroindole (Cl‐indole) is introduced into the interface of a SnO2 electron transport layer and perovskite light‐absorbing layer to improve the photovoltage performance of the device. The results show that Cl−indole can not only form hydrogen bonds with iodine in the perovskite to optimize the interface contact but also coordinate and passivate the Pb2+ and Sn4+ interface defects to alleviate carrier nonradiative recombination. Compared with the pristine SnO2‐based planar PSCs with a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 20.58%, the Cl−indole‐modified SnO2‐based device achieves a PCE of 22.47%. Meanwhile, the stability of the modified device is effectively improved and the hysteresis effect is reduced. This work demonstrates a promising strategy for high‐efficient and stable PSCs by optimizing interface contact and passivating interface defects.
Resistant Starch in Wheat‐, Barley‐, Rye‐, and Oat‐Based Foods: A Review
Authors: Nguyen Si Nhat , Drawbridge Pamela , Beta Trust
Published: December 2021

Resistant starch (RS) has received a lot of attention from plant, food, and clinical scientists because of its demonstrated health benefits. In this review, the presence and formation of RS from grain to food is investigated with a focus on wheat‐, barley‐, rye‐, and oat‐based foods. The impact of ingredients (lipids and proteins) and food processing on the formation of RS in grain‐based food is examined. RS has been found to develop in various processes during food manufacturing (baking, extrusion, fermentation, and mashing) and its content could be affected by changing the operating parameters. In addition, the formation of RS during the preservation of starchy foods as well as the techniques to mitigate this phenomenon is discussed. The introduction of RS into cereal‐based foods (bread, cookie, biscuit, and pasta) enhances the product fiber content and induces some changes in the technological parameters, texture, color, and sensory properties of final products. Overall, the acceptability of RS‐incorporated foods is well liked and has the potential to elicit positive effects on gut health and postprandial glycemia.
Communication Distance Estimation for Power Line Communication Using Various Differently Constituted Power Cables
Authors: Fukumoto Yuki , Oshikawa Kazumasa , Matsushima Tohlu , Kuwabara Nobuo , Wakisaka Toshiyuki
Published: December 2021

The use of PLC (power line communication) is growing as the adoption of IoT technology becomes more widespread. However, the maximum communication distance between PLC modems cannot yet be clearly defined since the communication characteristics of the power lines used for PLC are not formally specified. In this paper, the propagation characteristics in the high‐speed PLC communication band of 2–30 MHz were investigated when equipment is not connected to the power line except both ends. The line constants for five typical types of cables used as single‐phase and two‐wire power lines were measured. Our results showed that different cables have markedly different transmission characteristics. The attenuation constant varied up to fourfold depending on the cable insulator material. We also derived a method of estimating the communication distance for different cables for application of the HD‐PLC system, which is the most commonly used type of high‐speed PLC. The measurement result by using VCT cable was almost agreed with the estimated value. By comparing the estimated distance with the experimental results, we show that the transmission distance can be estimated with sufficient accuracy for practical use. © 2021 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Free energy landscape and kinetics of phase transition in two coupled SYK models and the corresponding wormhole-two black hole switching
Authors: Li Ran , Wang Jin
Published: December 2021

Abstract

We propose that the thermodynamics and the kinetics of the phase transition between wormhole and two black hole described by the two coupled SYK model can be investigated in terms of the stochastic dynamics on the underlying free energy landscape. We assume that the phase transition is a stochastic process under the thermal fluctuations. By quantifying the underlying free energy landscape, we study the phase diagram, the kinetic time and its fluctuations in details, which reveal the underlying thermodynamics and kinetics. It is shown that the first order phase transition between wormhole and two black hole described by two coupled SYK model is analogous to the Van der Waals phase transition. Therefore, the emergence of wormhole and two black hole phases, the phase transition and associated kinetics can be quantitatively addressed in our free energy landscape and kinetic framework through the dependence on the barrier height and the temperature.
The spectrum of marginally-deformed $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 2 CFTs with AdS4 S-fold duals of type IIB
Authors: Cesàro Mattia , Larios Gabriel , Varela Oscar
Published: December 2021

Abstract

A holographic duality was recently established between an $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 4 non-geometric AdS4 solution of type IIB supergravity in the so-called S-fold class, and a three- dimensional conformal field theory (CFT) defined as a limit of $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 4 super-Yang-Mills at an interface. Using gauged supergravity, the $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 2 conformal manifold (CM) of this CFT has been assessed to be two-dimensional. Here, we holographically characterise the large-N operator spectrum of the marginally-deformed CFT. We do this by, firstly, providing the algebraic structure of the complete Kaluza-Klein (KK) spectrum on the associated two-parameter family of AdS4 solutions. And, secondly, by computing the $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 2 super-multiplet dimensions at the first few KK levels on a lattice in the CM, using new exceptional field theory techniques. Our KK analysis also allows us to establish that, at least at large N, this $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 2 CM is topologically a non-compact cylindrical Riemann surface bounded on only one side.
From Kajihara’s transformation formula to deformed Macdonald–Ruijsenaars and Noumi–Sano operators
Authors: Hallnäs Martin , Langmann Edwin , Noumi Masatoshi , Rosengren Hjalmar
Published: December 2021

Kajihara obtained in 2004 a remarkable transformation formula connecting multiple basic hypergeometric series associated withA-type root systems of different ranks. By specialisations of his formula, we deduce kernel identities for deformed Macdonald–Ruijsenaars (MR) and Noumi–Sano (NS) operators. The deformed MR operators were introduced by Sergeev and Veselov in the first order case and by Feigin and Silantyev in the higher order cases. As applications of our kernel identities, we prove that all of these operators pairwise commute and are simultaneously diagonalised by the super-Macdonald polynomials. We also provide an explicit description of the algebra generated by the deformed MR and/or NS operators by a Harish-Chandra type isomorphism and show that the deformed MR (NS) operators can be viewed as restrictions of inverse limits of ordinary MR (NS) operators.
Warum brauchen wir Leitlinien für Suizidprävention?
Authors: Schneider Barbara , Reif Andreas , Wagner Birgit , Wolfersdorf Manfred
Published: December 2021

Trotz der Relevanz des Themas Suizidalität und gut bekannter Risikofaktoren gibt es bisher keine deutsche Leitlinie zur Suizidalität im Erwachsenenalter. In diesem Beitrag werden zunächst die Geschichte und die Hintergründe der Arbeit mit Leitlinien beschrieben. Der aktuelle Stand der Leitlinien für psychische Erkrankungen in Deutschland wird dargestellt und auf suizidpräventive Inhalte hin untersucht. Die Notwendigkeit evidenzbasierter Suizidprävention und einer spezifischen Leitlinie zur Suizidprävention bei Erwachsenen wird diskutiert.

Nur durch gezielte Suizidpräventionsstrategien und Interventionen für die jeweiligen Risikogruppen und unter Beachtung von Alters- und Geschlechtsspezifität kann für alle Betroffenen eine flächendeckende, gut erreichbare, bedarfs- und versorgungsgerechte, finanzierbare sowie nachhaltige medizinische Versorgung auf einem hohen Niveau sichergestellt werden. Dies gilt für den ambulanten und den stationären Bereich sowie für deren Schnittstellen. Bei Suizidalität handelt es sich um ein diagnoseübergreifendes, in unterschiedlichen Versorgungskontexten auftretendes Syndrom mit komplexem Behandlungsbedarf, weshalb intersektorale und multiprofessionelle Aspekte in einer entsprechenden Leitlinie besonders zu adressieren sind. Wissenschaftliche Evidenz und interdisziplinärer Konsens unter Expertinnen und Experten zum Umgang mit suizidalem Verhalten in der medizinischen Versorgung können dazu beitragen, Morbidität und Mortalität im Zusammenhang mit Suizidalität zu reduzieren. Im August 2021 wurde die Finanzierung einer S3-Leitlinie „Umgang mit Suizidalität“ vom Innovationsfonds des Gemeinsamen Bundesausschusses bewilligt.
Density of type-dependent sets in Krull monoids with analytic structure
Authors: Radziejewski Maciej
Published: December 2021

We describe structural and quantitative properties of type-dependent sets in monoids with suitable analytic structure, including simple analytic monoids, introduced by Kaczorowski (Semigroup Forum 94:532–555, 2017. 10.1007/s00233-016-9778-9), and formations, as defined by Geroldinger and Halter-Koch (Non-unique factorizations, Chapman and Hall, Boca Raton, 2006. 10.1201/9781420003208). We propose the notions of rank and degree to measure the size of a type-dependent set in structural terms. We also consider various notions of regularity of type-dependent sets, related to the analytic properties of their zeta functions, and obtain results on the counting functions of these sets.
Forecasting carbon futures price: a hybrid method incorporating fuzzy entropy and extreme learning machine
Authors: Chen Peng , Vivian Andrew , Ye Cheng
Published: December 2021

In this paper, we propose a novel hybrid model that extends prior work involving ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) by using fuzzy entropy and extreme learning machine (ELM) methods. We demonstrate this 3-stage model by applying it to forecast carbon futures prices which are characterized by chaos and complexity. First, we employ the EEMD method to decompose carbon futures prices into a couple of intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) and one residue. Second, the fuzzy entropy and K-means clustering methods are used to reconstruct the IMFs and the residue to obtain three reconstructed components, specifically a high frequency series, a low frequency series, and a trend series. Third, the ARMA model is implemented for the stationary high and low frequency series, while the extreme learning machine (ELM) model is utilized for the non-stationary trend series. Finally, all the component forecasts are aggregated to form final forecasts of the carbon price for each model. The empirical results show that the proposed reconstruction algorithm can bring more than 40% improvement in prediction accuracy compared to the traditional fine-to-coarse reconstruction algorithm under the same forecasting framework. The hybrid forecasting model proposed in this paper also well captures the direction of the price changes, with strong and robust forecasting ability, which is significantly better than the single forecasting models and the other hybrid forecasting models.