bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of age on unicompartmental knee arthroplasty outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Salman Loay A. , Abudalou Abedallah , Khatkar Harman , Ahmed Ghalib , Dakin Stephanie G. , Kendrick Benjamin , Murray David W.
Published: September 2022

Purpose

Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) is an effective treatment for late knee osteoarthritis (OA). Young age (< 60 years) has been associated with worse outcomes. The goal of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to study the effect of age on UKA outcomes.

Methods

The primary objective was to compare the UKA revision rate in young patients with that of old patients, using the age thresholds of 60 and 55 years. Secondary objectives were patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and implant design. Five databases were searched in December 2021 for original comparative studies with a minimum of 1-year follow-up. No restrictions were placed on the type of UKA prosthesis.

Results

A total of 11 observational studies with 6130 knees were included. A mean MINORS score of 19 was assigned to the review. The mean age of patients was 64 years, with average follow-up of 7.5 ± 2.98 years. There was no significant difference in revision rate, incident or PROMs between young and old patients in the analysis for each age threshold. Further sub-analysis adjusting for implant type in mobile- and fixed-bearing prostheses also showed similar results between those above and under 60 and 55 years.

Conclusion

Young age was not associated with a higher revision rate or lower functional scores. Thus, this review provides evidence that age alone is not a contraindication to UKA, but the surgical choice must be based on several elements, and this finding should be applied in context, given the binary division and heterogeneity of patients.

Level of evidence

III.
Expectancy in placebo-controlled trials of psychedelics: if so, so what?
Authors: Butler Matt , Jelen Luke , Rucker James
Published: September 2022

Modern psychedelic research remains in an early phase, and the eventual introduction of psychedelics into clinical practice remains in doubt. In this piece, we discuss the role of blinding and expectancy in psychedelic trials, and place this in a broader historical and contemporary context of blinding in trials across the rest of healthcare. We suggest that premature and uncritical promotion (‘hype’) of psychedelics as medicines is not only misleading, but also directly influences participant expectancy in ongoing psychedelic trials. We argue that although psychedelic trials are likely to significantly overestimate treatment effects by design due to unblinding and expectancy effects, this is not a unique situation. Placebo-controlled RCTs are not a perfect fit for all therapeutics, and problems in blinding should not automatically disqualify medications from licencing decisions. We suggest that simple practical measures may be (and indeed already are) taken in psychedelic trials to partially mitigate the effects of expectancy and unblinding, such as independent raters and active placebos. We briefly suggest other alternative trial methodologies which could be used to bolster RCT results, such as naturalistic studies. We conclude that the results of contemporary placebo-controlled RCTs of psychedelics should neither be dismissed due to imperfections in design, nor should early data be taken as firm evidence of effectiveness.
Domain Walls Between 3d Phases of Reshetikhin–Turaev TQFTs
Authors: Koppen Vincent , Mulevičius Vincentas , Runkel Ingo , Schweigert Christoph
Published: September 2022

We study surface defects in three-dimensional topological quantum field theories which separate different theories of Reshetikhin–Turaev type. Based on the new notion of a Frobenius algebra over two commutative Frobenius algebras, we present an explicit and computable construction of such defects. It specialises to the construction in Carqueville et al. (Geom Topol 23:781–864, 2019. https://doi.org/10.2140/gt.2019.23.781. arXiv:1705.06085) if all 3-strata are labelled by the same topological field theory. We compare the results to the model-independent analysis in Fuchs et al. (Commun Math Phys 321:543–575, 2013. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00220-013-1723-0. arXiv:1203.4568) and find agreement.
Schrödinger operators with potentials generated by hyperbolic transformations: I—positivity of the Lyapunov exponent
Authors: Avila Artur , Damanik David , Zhang Zhenghe
Published: September 2022

We consider discrete one-dimensional Schrödinger operators whose potentials are generated by sampling along the orbits of a general hyperbolic transformation. Specifically, we show that if the sampling function is a non-constant Hölder continuous function defined on a subshift of finite type with a fully supported ergodic measure admitting a local product structure and a fixed point, then the Lyapunov exponent is positive away from a discrete set of energies. Moreover, for sampling functions in a residual subset of the space of Hölder continuous functions, the Lyapunov exponent is positive everywhere. If we consider locally constant or globally fiber bunched sampling functions, then the Lyapuonv exponent is positive away from a finite set. Moreover, for sampling functions in an open and dense subset of the space in question, the Lyapunov exponent is uniformly positive. Our results can be applied to any subshift of finite type with ergodic measures that are equilibrium states of Hölder continuous potentials. In particular, we apply our results to Schrödinger operators defined over expanding maps on the unit circle, hyperbolic automorphisms of a finite-dimensional torus, and Markov chains.
Exterior algebras in matroid theory
Authors: Jarra Manoel
Published: September 2022

Ordered blueprints are algebraic objects that generalize monoids and ordered semirings, and $$\mathbb {F}_1^{\pm }$$

F
1
±

-algebras are ordered blueprints that have an element $$\epsilon $$
ϵ
that acts as $$-1$$

-
1

. In this work we introduce an analogue of the exterior algebra for $$\mathbb {F}_1^{\pm }$$

F
1
±

-algebras that provides a new cryptomorphism for matroids. We also show how to recover the usual exterior algebra if the $$\mathbb {F}_1^{\pm }$$

F
1
±

-algebra comes from a ring, and the Giansiracusa Grassmann algebra if the $$\mathbb {F}_1^{\pm }$$

F
1
±

-algebra comes from an idempotent semifield.
European recommendations on practices in pediatric neuroradiology: consensus document from the European Society of Neuroradiology (ESNR), European Society of Paediatric Radiology (ESPR) and European Union of Medical Specialists Division of Neuroradiology (UEMS)
Authors: Rossi Andrea , Argyropoulou Maria , Zlatareva Dora , Boulouis Gregoire , Pizzini Francesca B. , van den Hauwe Luc , Raissaki Maria , Pruvo Jean-Pierre , Rosendahl Karen , Hoffmann Chen , Sundgren Pia C. ,   ESNR Pediatric Neuroradiology Subspecialty Committee, Mankad Kshitij , Severino Mariasavina ,   ESPR Neuroradiology Taskforce, Adamsbaum Catherine , Altmann-Schneider Irmhild , Chateil Jean-François , Connolly Daniel J. , Dangouloff-Ros Volodia , D’Arco Felice , Donoghue Veronica , Girard Nadine , Krystal Sidney , Lequin Maarten Hans , Narayana Dhananjaya , Porto Luciana , Rossi Andrea , Vasquez Elida , Xydis Vasileios
Published: September 2022

Pediatric neuroradiology is a subspecialty within radiology, with possible pathways to train within the discipline from neuroradiology or pediatric radiology. Formalized pediatric neuroradiology training programs are not available in most European countries. We aimed to construct a European consensus document providing recommendations for the safe practice of pediatric neuroradiology. We particularly emphasize imaging techniques that should be available, optimal site conditions and facilities, recommended team requirements and specific indications and protocol modifications for each imaging modality employed for pediatric neuroradiology studies. The present document serves as guidance to the optimal setup and organization for carrying out pediatric neuroradiology diagnostic and interventional procedures. Clinical activities should always be carried out in full agreement with national provisions and regulations. Continued education of all parties involved is a requisite for preserving pediatric neuroradiology practice at a high level.
Unbewusste Handbewegungen in Therapieprozessen als Veränderungsmarker
Authors: Reinecke Katharina C. H. , Von Au Sabrina , Lausberg Hedda
Published: September 2022

Hintergrund

In Psychotherapien werden durch systematische Beobachtung des Bewegungsverhaltens z. B. Symptomveränderungsprozesse und Informationen zur therapeutischen Arbeitsbeziehung erfasst. Die NEUROGES®-Kurzskalen bieten ein Instrument zur Analyse des nonverbalen Verhaltens in Therapeut*in-Patient*in-Interaktionen, das auf dem deskriptiven NEUROGES®-System zur Analyse von Bewegungsverhalten basiert. Das Verfahren wurde vor dem Hintergrund neurowissenschaftlicher Studien entwickelt.

Methode

Anhand einer Kasuistik werden die Methode der NEUROGES®-Kurzskalen dargestellt sowie deren Anwendung und Nutzen für Psychotherapeut*innen im Rahmen der klinisch-praktischen Tätigkeit beschrieben, beispielsweise a posteriori zur Analysen einzelner Sitzungen.

Ergebnis

Die NEUROGES®-Kurzskalen können für das Screening von nonverbalen Bewegungsparametern und das Erkennen von Bewegungsmustern während der Videoanalyse von Therapeut*in-Patient*in-Interaktionen angewendet werden. Verschiedene Bewegungsparameter geben Aufschluss über die implizite Interaktion im Sitzungsverlauf.

Schlussfolgerung

Die NEUROGES®-Kurzskalen geben Aufschluss über das nonverbale Verhalten, seine diagnostische Einstufung und Symptomverläufe. Sie dienen der Sitzungsreflexion im Rahmen der Berufspraxis von ärztlichen und psychologischen Psychotherapeut*innen und können in Supervision und Intervision eingesetzt werden.
Neuropsychological profile of executive functions in autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia spectrum disorders: a comparative group study in adults
Authors: Yon-Hernández Jo A. , Wojcik Dominika Z. , García-García Laura , Magán-Maganto María , Franco-Martín Manuel , Canal-Bedia Ricardo
Published: September 2022

As assessed by numerous neuropsychological tasks, individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs) have similar impairments related to executive functions (EFs). The neuropsychological profile of these two conditions was examined using the three-component EFs’ framework of Miyake and Friedman (Cogn Psychol 41(1):49-100, 2000). This approach assessesInhibition(suppression of unwanted and irrelevant information/responses),Updating(use and control of contents of working memory), andShifting(disengagement between activities or mental tasks) using nine different tasks. In line with previous research, we expected greater performance deficits in ASD in all three components compared to SSD, as well as faster responses for the SSD group. A self-paced task format allowed us to examine whether unlimited time given for a task would lead to better performance. The sample was constituted by the control group (N = 25), ASD group (N = 24), and SSD group (N = 12). Groups did not differ onInhibitionperformance. InUpdating,individuals with SSD performed poorer than the other groups. As forShifting, both groups demonstrated poorer performance compared to controls, with the SSD group presenting the greatest difficulties. In terms of reaction time (RT), SSD participants’ RT were the slowest onInhibitionandShiftingtasks. There was a positive correlation between performance and time spent onInhibitionandShiftingonly for the SSD group, which demonstrates that their performance improves when there are no time constraints. Our work provides a better understanding of spared and impaired EFs, which could be useful for designing strategies aimed at improving specific EFs in each group.
Integration of high-throughput phenotyping with anatomical traits of leaves to help understanding lettuce acclimation to a changing environment
Authors: Amitrano Chiara , Junker Astrid , D’Agostino Nunzio , De Pascale Stefania , De Micco Veronica
Published: September 2022

Main conclusion

The combination of image-based phenotyping with in-depth anatomical analysis allows for a thorough investigation of plant physiological plasticity in acclimation, which is driven by environmental conditions and mediated by anatomical traits.

Understanding the ability of plants to respond to fluctuations in environmental conditions is critical to addressing climate change and unlocking the agricultural potential of crops both indoor and in the field. Recent studies have revealed that the degree of eco-physiological acclimation depends on leaf anatomical traits, which show stress-induced alterations during organogenesis. Indeed, it is still a matter of debate whether plant anatomy is the bottleneck for optimal plant physiology or vice versa. Here, we cultivated ‘Salanova’ lettuces in a phenotyping chamber under two different vapor pressure deficits (VPDs; low, high) and watering levels (well-watered, low-watered); then, plants underwent short-term changes in VPD. We aimed to combine high-throughput phenotyping with leaf anatomical analysis to evaluate their capability in detecting the early stress signals in lettuces and to highlight the different degrees of plants’ eco-physiological acclimation to the change in VPD, as influenced by anatomical traits. The results demonstrate that well-watered plants under low VPD developed a morpho-anatomical structure in terms of mesophyll organization, stomatal and vein density, which more efficiently guided the acclimation to sudden changes in environmental conditions and which was not detected by image-based phenotyping alone. Therefore, we emphasized the need to complement high-throughput phenotyping with anatomical trait analysis to unveil crop acclimation mechanisms and predict possible physiological behaviors after sudden environmental fluctuations due to climate changes.
Parallel Online Algorithms for the Bin Packing Problem
Authors: Fekete Sándor P. , Grosse-Holz Jonas , Keldenich Phillip , Schmidt Arne
Published: September 2022

We study parallel online algorithms: For some fixed integer k, a collective of k parallel processes that perform online decisions on the same sequence of events forms a k-copy algorithm. For any given time and input sequence, the overall performance is determined by the best of the k individual total results. Problems of this type have been considered for online makespan minimization; they are also related to optimization with advice on future events, i.e., a number of bits available in advance. Parallel online algorithms are also of interest in practical scenarios in which redundancy is used for hedging against undesired outcomes. We develop Predictive Harmonic$$_3$$

3

(PH3), a relatively simple family of k-copy algorithms for the online Bin Packing Problem, whose joint competitive factor converges to 1.5 for increasing k. In particular, we show that $$k=6$$

k
=
6

suffices to guarantee a factor of 1.5714 for PH3, which is better than 1.57829, the performance of the best known 1-copy algorithm Advanced Harmonic, while $$k=11$$

k
=
11

suffices to achieve a factor of 1.5406, beating the known lower bound of 1.54278 for a single online algorithm. In the context of online optimization with advice, our approach implies that 4 bits suffice to achieve a factor better than this bound of 1.54278, which is considerably less than the previous bound of 15 bits.
Parameterized Complexity of Diameter
Authors: Bentert Matthias , Nichterlein André
Published: September 2022

Diameter—the task of computing the length of a longest shortest path—is a fundamental graph problem. Assuming the Strong Exponential Time Hypothesis, there is no $$O(n^{1.99})$$

O
(

n

1.99

)

-time algorithm even in sparse graphs (Roditty L, Williams, VV in Fast approximation algorithms for the diameter and radius of sparse graphs. In: Proceedings of the 45th Symposium on Theory of Computing Conference (STOC ’13), pp 515–524. ACM, 2013). To circumvent this lower bound, we investigate which parameters allow for running times of the form $$f(k) (n+m)$$

f
(
k
)
(
n
+
m
)

where k is the respective parameter and f is a computable function. To this end, we systematically explore a hierarchy of structural graph parameters.
Blood pressure and kidney function in neonates and young infants with intrauterine growth restriction
Authors: Heuchel Katharina Monika , Ebach Fabian , Alsat Ebru Aileen , Reutter Heiko , Mueller Andreas , Hilger Alina Christine
Published: September 2022

Background

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) has been associated with changes in kidney anatomy, nephrogenesis and the vascular system, resulting in secondary arterial hypertension and kidney damage in adulthood. Here, we compare routine clinical and metabolic parameters between IUGR and non-IUGR study participants in the neonatal and early infant period.

Methods

A total of 39 IUGR and 60 non-IUGR neonates were included during an 18-month study period. We compared blood pressure, serum creatinine (SCr), urea nitrogen (BUN), urinary albumin, α-1-microglobulin, transferrin, immunoglobulin G and total protein excretion in spontaneous urine normalized by urine creatinine level during the hospital stay.

Results

There were no significant differences in mean values of blood pressure and urinary protein excretion between cases and controls. SCr and BUN levels were lower in the IUGR group compared to the non-IUGR group.

Conclusions

The lower levels of SCr and BUN may be attributed to lower liver and muscle mass in IUGR neonates and young infants. Biomarkers currently used in routine clinical care do not allow early postnatal prediction of higher blood pressure or worse kidney function due to IUGR, so further studies are needed.

Graphical abstract

A higher resolution version of the Graphical abstract is available as Supplementary information.
A systematic review identifying outcome measures used in evaluating adults sustaining cervical spine fractures
Authors: Copley Phillip C. , Tadross Daniel , Salloum Nadia , Woodfield Julie , Edlmann Ellie , Poon Michael , Khan Sadaquate , Brennan Paul M.
Published: September 2022

Objective

To assess the outcome measures used in studies investigating cervical spine fractures in adults, with or without associated spinal cord injury, to inform development of a core outcome set.

Methods

Medline, Embase and Scopus were searched for relevant studies until May 28, 2022, without a historic limit on study date. Study characteristics, population characteristics and outcomes reported were extracted and analyzed.

Results

Our literature search identified 536 studies that met criteria for inclusion, involving 393,266 patients. Most studies were single center (87.3%), retrospective studies (88.9%) and involved a median of 40 patients (range 6–167,278). Treatments assessed included: surgery (55.2%), conservative (6.2%), halo immobilization (4.9%), or a mixture (33.2%). Median study duration was 84 months (range 3–564 months); the timing of clinical and/or radiological follow-up assessment after injury was reported in 56.7%. There was significant heterogeneity in outcomes used, with 79 different reported outcomes measures. Differences in use were identified between smaller/larger, retro-/prospective and single/multicenter cohorts. Over time, the use of radiological outcomes has declined with greater emphasis on patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). Studies of conservative management were more likely to detail PROMs and mortality, whereas surgical studies reported Frankel/ASIA grade, radiological fusion, complication rates, duration of hospital stay and re-operation rates more frequently. In studies assessing the elderly population (> 65 years), use of PROMs, mortality, hospital stay and discharge destination were more common, whereas fusion was reported less often. Response rates for outcome assessments were lower in studies assessing elderly patients, and studies using PROMs.

Conclusions

We have classified the various outcome measures used for patients with cervical spine fractures based on the COMET outcome taxonomy. We also described the contexts in which different outcomes are more commonly employed to help guide decision-making when designing future research endeavors.
Knowledge, attitude, and practice of the 2009 Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommendations on the nutritional management of diabetes in pregnancy: an online national survey
Authors: Formoso Gloria , Bianchi Cristina , Burlina Silvia , Manicardi Elisa , Sculli Maria Angela , Resi Veronica , Sciacca Laura
Published: September 2022

Aims

As recommended by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), health practitioners should encourage a healthy nutrition and adequate weight gain during pregnancy in order to ensure favorable pregnancy and fetal outcomes, and to prevent diseases later in life for both mother and child. The purpose of this online survey was to determine the knowledge, attitude, and practice of the 2009 IOM recommendations among healthcare professionals managing nutritional therapy in pregnancies complicated by diabetes in Italy.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted by using an online self-administered questionnaire undertaken between October and December 2021.

Results

Of the 220 participants 89% were diabetologists/endocrinologists/internal medicine specialists and 11% dietitians/nutritionists. The survey found that the 53% of respondents provide a personalized diet to pregnant women with diabetes, while 32% a standard diet plan and only 15% healthy dietary advice. The 69% of the participants investigated for appropriate gestational weight gain, mainly based on pre-pregnancy BMI (96%), gestational weight gain (GWG) at first prenatal visit (80%) and presence of twin pregnancy (58%). Maternal weight gain was evaluated at each regularly scheduled prenatal visit and compared with IOM recommendations for the 87% of healthcare professionals. Diet plan was periodically re-evaluated and/or modified (90% of participants), based on inadequate maternal weight gain and/or fetal growth abnormalities (78%), trimester transition (53%), changes in physical activity and/or a “feel hungry” (50%).

Conclusions

This survey reported the knowledge and attitude of IOM guidelines and the nutritional knowledge and practice of Italian professionals on the nutritional management of diabetes in pregnancy. The application of these recommendations seemed more feasible in clinics/team dedicated to "Diabetes in Pregnancy".
Temperamental and psychomotor predictors of ADHD symptoms in children born after a threatened preterm labour: a 6-year follow-up study
Authors: Navalón Pablo , Ghosn Farah , Ferrín Maite , Almansa Belén , Moreno-Giménez Alba , Campos-Berga Laura , Sahuquillo-Leal Rosa , Diago Vicente , Vento Máximo , García-Blanco Ana
Published: September 2022

Children born after threatened preterm labour (TPL), regardless of whether it ends in preterm birth, may represent an undescribed “ADHD cluster”. The aim of this cohort study is to identify early temperament and psychomotor manifestations and risk factors of TPL children who present ADHD symptoms. One hundred and seventeen mother–child pairs were followed from TPL diagnosis until the child’s 6 years of life. TPL children were divided according to the prematurity status into three groups: full-term TPL (n = 26), late-preterm TPL (n = 53), and very-preterm TPL (n = 38). A non-TPL group (n = 50) served as control. Temperament and psychomotor development at age 6 months and ADHD symptoms at age 6 years were assessed. Perinatal and psychosocial factors were also recorded. All TPL groups showed higher severity of ADHD symptoms compared with non-TPL children (difference in means + 4.19 for the full-term group, + 3.64 for the late-preterm group, and  + 4.99 for the very-preterm group, all ps < 0.021). Concretely, very-preterm and late-preterm TPL children showed higher restless/impulsive behaviours, whereas full-term TPL children showed higher emotional lability behaviours. Higher surgency/extraversion and delayed fine motor skills at age 6 months predicted ADHD symptoms at 6 years in TPL children. Male sex, maternal state anxiety symptoms at TPL diagnosis, low parental education, and past maternal experience of traumatic events predicted higher ADHD symptoms in TPL children. Therefore, TPL children may have a higher risk for developing ADHD symptoms, presenting a phenotype that depends on the prematurity status. Moreover, the specific combination of early manifestations and risk factors suggests that TPL children may conform an undescribed group at-risk of ADHD symptoms.
Quantification of glycated hemoglobin and glucose in vivo using Raman spectroscopy and artificial neural networks
Authors: González-Viveros Naara , Castro-Ramos Jorge , Gómez-Gil Pilar , Cerecedo-Núñez Hector Humberto , Gutiérrez-Delgado Francisco , Torres-Rasgado Enrique , Pérez-Fuentes Ricardo , Flores-Guerrero Jose L.
Published: September 2022

Undiagnosed type 2 diabetes (T2D) remains a major public health concern. The global estimation of undiagnosed diabetes is about 46%, being this situation more critical in developing countries. Therefore, we proposed a non-invasive method to quantify glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and glucose in vivo. We developed a technique based on Raman spectroscopy, RReliefF as a feature selection method, and regression based on feed-forward artificial neural networks (FFNN). The spectra were obtained from the forearm, wrist, and index finger of 46 individuals. The use of FFNN allowed us to achieve an error in the predictive model of 0.69% for HbA1c and 30.12 mg/dL for glucose. Patients were classified according to HbA1c values into three categories: healthy, prediabetes, and T2D. The proposed method obtained a specificity and sensitivity of 87.50% and 80.77%, respectively. This work demonstrates the benefit of using artificial neural networks and feature selection techniques to enhance Raman spectra processing to determine glycated hemoglobin and glucose in patients with undiagnosed T2D.
Cognitive motivations and foundations for building intelligent decision-making systems
Authors: Kowalczuk Zdzisław , Czubenko Michał
Published: September 2022

Concepts based on psychology fit well with current research trends related to robotics and artificial intelligence. Biology-inspired cognitive architectures are extremely useful in building agents and robots, and this is one of the most important challenges of modern science. Therefore, the widely viewed and far-reaching goal of systems research and engineering is virtual agents and autonomous robots that mimic human behavior in solving known and unknown problems. The article proposes, at a high level of generality, an operational cybernetic model of the human mind, developed with the use of carefully selected ideas taken from psychological knowledge. In particular, the work combines extensive knowledge drawn from both the theory of developmental cognitive psychology and the theory of motivation. The proposed mathematically developed operating blocks create a coherent and functional decision-making system containing all the elements necessary in autonomous robotics. The ISD system is under development. There is still a long way to go to full validation. However, as shown in several articles, the basic subsystems of the ISD system, i.e. motivational and emotional, have already been positively verified in operation. The overall purpose of this article is to show a blueprint of the overall concept of the entire ISD.
Tangent Spaces of Orbit Closures for Representations of Dynkin Quivers of Type $\mathbb {D}$
Authors: Bobiński Grzegorz , Zwara Grzegorz
Published: September 2022

Let $\Bbbk $
𝕜
be an algebraically closed field, Q a finite quiver, and denote by $\textup {rep}_{Q}^{\mathbf {d}}$

rep

Q

d

the affine $\Bbbk $
𝕜
-scheme of representations of Q with a fixed dimension vector d. Given a representation M of Q with dimension vector d, the set ${\mathcal {O}}_{M}$

O

M

of points in $\Bbbk $
𝕜
isomorphic as representations to M is an orbit under an action on $\textup {rep}^{\mathbf {d}}_{Q}\Bbbk $

rep

Q

d

(𝕜)
of a product of general linear groups. The orbit ${\mathcal {O}}_{M}$

O

M

and its Zariski closure $\overline {\mathcal {O}}_{M}$

O

¯

M

, considered as reduced subschemes of $\textup {rep}_{Q}^{{\mathbf {d}}}$

rep

Q

d

, are contained in an affine scheme ${\mathcal {C}}_{M}$

C

M

defined by suitable rank conditions associated to M. For all Dynkin and extended Dynkin quivers, the sets of points of $\overline {{\mathcal {O}}}_{M}$

O

¯

M

and ${\mathcal {C}}_{M}$

C

M

coincide, or equivalently, $\overline {{\mathcal {O}}}_{M}$

O

¯

M

is the reduced scheme associated to ${\mathcal {C}}_{M}$

C

M

. Moreover, $\overline {\mathcal {O}}_{M}={\mathcal {C}}_{M}$

O

¯

M

=

C

M

provided Q is a Dynkin quiver of type ${\mathbb {A}}$
A
, and this equality is a conjecture for the remaining Dynkin quivers (of type $\mathbb {D}$
D
and ${\mathbb {E}}$
E
). Let Q be a Dynkin quiver of type $\mathbb {D}$
D
and M a finite dimensional representation of Q. We show that the equality $T_{N}\overline {\mathcal {O}}_{M}=T_{N}{\mathcal {C}}_{M}$

T

N

O

¯

M

=

T

N

C

M

of Zariski tangent spaces holds for any closed point N of $\overline {\mathcal {O}}_{M}$

O

¯

M

. As a consequence, we describe the tangent spaces to $\overline {\mathcal {O}}_{M}$

O

¯

M

in representation theoretic terms.
Highly accurate response prediction in high-risk early breast cancer patients using a biophysical simulation platform
Authors: Howard Frederick M. , He Gong , Peterson Joseph R. , Pfeiffer J. R. , Earnest Tyler , Pearson Alexander T. , Abe Hiroyuki , Cole John A. , Nanda Rita
Published: September 2022

Purpose

Pathologic complete response (pCR) to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in early breast cancer (EBC) is largely dependent on breast cancer subtype, but no clinical-grade model exists to predict response and guide selection of treatment. A biophysical simulation of response to NAC has the potential to address this unmet need.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective evaluation of a biophysical simulation model as a predictor of pCR. Patients who received standard NAC at the University of Chicago for EBC between January 1st, 2010 and March 31st, 2020 were included. Response was predicted using baseline breast MRI, clinicopathologic features, and treatment regimen by investigators who were blinded to patient outcomes.

Results

A total of 144 tumors from 141 patients were included; 59 were triple-negative, 49 HER2-positive, and 36 hormone-receptor positive/HER2 negative. Lymph node disease was present in half of patients, and most were treated with an anthracycline-based regimen (58.3%). Sensitivity and specificity of the biophysical simulation for pCR were 88.0% (95% confidence interval [CI] 75.7 – 95.5) and 89.4% (95% CI 81.3 – 94.8), respectively, with robust results regardless of subtype. In patients with predicted pCR, 5-year event-free survival was 98%, versus 79% with predicted residual disease (log-rank p = 0.01, HR 4.57, 95% CI 1.36 – 15.34). At a median follow-up of 5.4 years, no patients with predicted pCR experienced disease recurrence.

Conclusion

A biophysical simulation model accurately predicts pCR and long-term outcomes from baseline MRI and clinical data, and is a promising tool to guide escalation/de-escalation of NAC.
Investigating mechanisms deteriorating the dispersibility of biodegradable and flushable wet wipes
Authors: Harter Thomas , Steiner Helena , Hirn Ulrich
Published: September 2022

Wet wipe dispersibility is broadly discussed since they have been detected in massive fatbergs that were found in sewer systems of big cities, e.g., London. Dispersibility describes a wet wipe’s ability to disintegrate into its fibres after being flushed in the toilet. Recently it has been found that this dispersibility of pilot-scale produced wet wipes can reduce when stored in a wet condition. This phenomenon is called dispersibility ageing. With this work we give a first approach on analysing the underlying mechanisms causing this solidification of wet wipes by measurement of the water-fibre-interactions and the mechanical strength of the wipes. Long-term swelling of the wood pulp is discussed as a possible root cause for the observed loss in dispersibility. Wet strength theory was used to find three possible mechanisms that are able to explain increased strength as a result of swelling: knot-tightening, increased friction and interdiffusion. To investigate the strength behaviour of wet wipes over wet storage time, tensile testing and a new approach to measure the disintegration energy of these fabrics were used to find a time-dependent increased mechanical characteristic. Surprisingly no increase in wet strength or disintegration energy—measured by short span, low test speed wet tensile energy absorption—over wet storage time was found. The dispersibility ageing effect of wet wipes is seemingly not measurable using mechanical testing. It seems that these test methods are not representative for the loading situation during disintegration in the sewer system and in the standard disintegration tester.

Graphical abstract
Hydrophobization of lignocellulosic materials part II: chemical modification
Authors: Rodríguez-Fabià Sandra , Torstensen Jonathan , Johansson Lars , Syverud Kristin
Published: September 2022

Lignocellulosic materials with hydrophobic properties are of great interest for developing sustainable products that can be used in various applications such as packaging, water-repellent and self-cleaning materials, oil and water separation or as reinforcements in biocomposite materials. The hydroxyl functional groups present in cellulose provide the possibility to perform various chemical modifications to the cellulosic substrates that can increase their hydrophobicity. This review is the second part of a comprehensive review on hydrophobization of lignocellulosic materials and summarizes the recent advances in the chemical modification of such substrates. The methods described in this review can provide changes in the hydrophilicity of the materials that range from a small decrease in the initial hydrophilicity of the substrate (contact angles below 90°) to superhydrophobic properties (contact angles above 150°). Additional attention has been paid to whether the modification is limited to the surface of the substrate or if it occurs in the bulk of the material. We also discuss hydrophobized cellulose material applications in packing and oil/water purification.

Graphical abstract
Neuroprotective and Antioxidant Role of Oxotremorine-M, a Non-selective Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptors Agonist, in a Cellular Model of Alzheimer Disease
Authors: Nuzzo Domenico , Frinchi Monica , Giardina Costanza , Scordino Miriana , Zuccarini Mariachiara , De Simone Chiara , Di Carlo Marta , Belluardo Natale , Mudò Giuseppa , Di Liberto Valentina
Published: September 2022

Alzheimer disease (AD) is a multifactorial and age-dependent neurodegenerative disorder, whose pathogenesis, classically associated with the formation of senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, is also dependent on oxidative stress and neuroinflammation chronicization. Currently, the standard symptomatic therapy, based on acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, showed a limited therapeutic potential, whereas disease-modifying treatment strategies are still under extensive research. Previous studies have demonstrated that Oxotremorine-M (Oxo), a non-selective muscarinic acetylcholine receptors agonist, exerts neurotrophic functions in primary neurons, and modulates oxidative stress and neuroinflammation phenomena in rat brain. In the light of these findings, in this study, we aimed to investigate the neuroprotective effects of Oxo treatment in an in vitro model of AD, represented by differentiated SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells exposed to Aβ1-42 peptide. The results demonstrated that Oxo treatment enhances cell survival, increases neurite length, and counteracts DNA fragmentation induced by Aβ1-42 peptide. The same treatment was also able to block oxidative stress and mitochondria morphological/functional impairment associated with Aβ1-42 cell exposure. Overall, these results suggest that Oxo, by modulating cholinergic neurotransmission, survival, oxidative stress response, and mitochondria functionality, may represent a novel multi-target drug able to achieve a therapeutic synergy in AD.

Graphical Abstract

Illustration of the main pathological hallmarks and mechanisms underlying AD pathogenesis, including neurodegeneration and oxidative stress, efficiently counteracted by treatment with Oxo, which may represent a promising therapeutic molecule. Created with BioRender.com under academic license.
Design of the VLT-CUBES image slicers:
Authors: Calcines Ariadna , Wells Martyn , O’Brien Kieran , Morris Simon , Seifert Walter , Zanutta Alessio , Evans Chris , Di Marcantonio Paolo
Published: September 2022

CUBES is a high efficiency spectrograph designed for a Cassegrain focus of the Very Large Telescope and is expected to be in operation in 2028. It is designed to observe point or compact sources in a spectral range from 300 to 405nm. CUBES will provide two spectral resolving powers: R$$\ge$$
≥
20,000 for high resolution (HR) and R$$\ge$$
≥
5,000 for low resolution (LR). This is achieved by using an image slicer for each resolution mode. The image slicers re-format a rectangular on-sky field of view of either 1.5arcsec by 10arcsec (HR) or 6arcsec by 10arcsec (LR) into six side-by-side slitlets which form the spectrograph slit. The slit dimensions are 0.19mm $$\times$$
×
88mm for HR and 0.77mm $$\times$$
×
88mm for LR. The on-sky and physical widths of the slicer mirrors are 0.25arcsec/0.5mm (HR) and 1arcsec/2mm (LR). The image slicers reduce the spectrograph entrance slit etendue and hence the size of the spectrograph optics without associated slit losses. Each of the proposed image slicers consists of two arrays of six spherical mirrors (slicer mirror and camera mirror arrays) which provide a straight entrance slit to the spectrograph with almost diffraction-limited optical quality. This paper presents the description of the image slicers at the end of the Phase A conceptual design, including their optical design and expected performance.
A New Readout Electronic for Kinetic Inductance Detectors
Authors: Limonta A. , Zannoni M. , Coppi G. , Conenna G. , Boussaha F. , Tartari A. , Gervasi M. , Nati F. , Passerini A. , de Bernardis P. , Coppolecchia A. , D’Alessandro G. , Masi S. , Paiella A. , Bersanelli M. , Franceschet C. , Manzan E. , Mennella A.
Published: September 2022

With this contribution we show the readout electronics for kinetic inductance detectors (KIDs) that we are developing based on commercial IQ transceivers from National Instruments and using a Virtex 5 class FPGA. It will be the readout electronics of the COSmic Monopole Observer (COSMO) experiment, a ground based cryogenic Martin–Puplett Interferometer searching for the cosmic microwave background spectral distortions. The readout electronics require a sampling rate in the range of tens of kHz, which is both due to a fast rotating mirror modulating the signal and the time constant of the COSMO KIDs. In this contribution we show the capabilities of our readout electronics using Niobium KIDs developed by Paris Observatory for our 5 K cryogenic system. In particular, we demonstrate the capability to detect 23 resonators from frequency sweeps and to readout the state of each resonator with a sampling rate of about 8 kHz. The readout is based on a finite-state machine where the first two states look for the resonances and generate the comb of tones, while the third one performs the acquisition of phase and amplitude of each detector in free running. Our electronics are based on commercial modules, which brings two key advantages: they can be acquired easily and it is relative simple to write and modify the firmware within the LabView environment in order to meet the needs of the experiment.
Environmental innovation and R&D collaborations: Firm decisions in the innovation efficiency context
Authors: Dimakopoulou Andriana G. , Chatzistamoulou Nikos , Kounetas Kostas , Tsekouras Kostas
Published: September 2022

To develop innovation, firms make several decisions on the allocation of resources to specific innovation activities. Important innovation decisions include among others the decision to collaborate with other partners for innovation activities and the decision to engage in complex R&D projects such as projects with environmental benefits. Although there are very few empirical works that examine these two decisions together, while supporting that R&D collaborations are more important for the development of environmental innovations than for conventional innovations, an empirical work that examines the joint impact of these two decisions on corporate innovation efficiency is still lacking. This study aims to fulfill this gap by making one of the first attempts to employ a new dataset based on the Greek Community Innovation Survey (CIS), conducted for the years of 2012–2014 analyzing 2456 companies. Econometric results indicate that firm’s decision to eco-innovate exerts a positive influence on firms’ innovation efficiency directly. On the contrary, regarding the decision to engage in R&D collaborations, econometric results indicate that there is not a direct or an indirect, via eco-innovation, impact on innovation efficiency.
Acute vs. chronic vs. intermittent hypoxia in breast Cancer: a review on its application in in vitro research
Authors: Liu Qiuyu , Palmgren Victoria A.C. , Danen Erik HJ , Le Dévédec Sylvia E.
Published: September 2022

Hypoxia has been linked to elevated instances of therapeutic resistance in breast cancer. The exposure of proliferating cancer cells to hypoxia has been shown to induce an aggressive phenotype conducive to invasion and metastasis. Regions of the primary tumors in the breast may be exposed to different types of hypoxia including acute, chronic or intermittent. Intermittent hypoxia (IH), also called cyclic hypoxia, is caused by exposure to cycles of hypoxia and reoxygenation (H-R cycles). Importantly, there is currently no consensus amongst the scientific community on the total duration of hypoxia, the oxygen level, and the possible presence of H-R cycles. In this review, we discuss current methods of hypoxia research, to explore how exposure regimes used in experiments are connected to signaling by different hypoxia inducible factors (HIFs) and to distinct cellular responses in the context of the hallmarks of cancer. We highlight discrepancies in the existing literature on hypoxia research within the field of breast cancer in particular and propose a clear definition of acute, chronic, and intermittent hypoxia based on HIF activation and cellular responses: (i) acute hypoxia is when the cells are exposed for no more than 24 h to an environment with 1% O2 or less; (ii) chronic hypoxia is when the cells are exposed for more than 48 h to an environment with 1% O2 or less and (iii) intermittent hypoxia is when the cells are exposed to at least two rounds of hypoxia (1% O2 or less) separated by at least one period of reoxygenation by exposure to normoxia (8.5% O2 or higher). Our review provides for the first time a guideline for definition of hypoxia related terms and a clear foundation for hypoxia related in vitro (breast) cancer research.
Cognitive Functioning of Unaffected First-degree Relatives of Individuals With Late-onset Alzheimer's Disease: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Ramos Ari Alex , Galiano-Castillo Noelia , Machado Liana
Published: September 2022

First-degree relatives of individuals with late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD) are at increased risk for developing dementia, yet the associations between family history of LOAD and cognitive dysfunction remain unclear. In this quantitative review, we provide the first meta-analysis on the cognitive profile of unaffected first-degree blood relatives of LOAD-affected individuals compared to controls without a family history of LOAD. A systematic literature search was conducted in PsycINFO, PubMed /MEDLINE, and Scopus. We fitted a three-level structural equation modeling meta-analysis to control for non-independent effect sizes. Heterogeneity and risk of publication bias were also investigated. Thirty-four studies enabled us to estimate 218 effect sizes across several cognitive domains. Overall, first-degree relatives (n = 4,086, mean age = 57.40, SD = 4.71) showed significantly inferior cognitive performance (Hedges’ g = -0.16; 95% CI, -0.25 to -0.08; p < .001) compared to controls (n = 2,388, mean age = 58.43, SD = 5.69). Specifically, controls outperformed first-degree relatives in language, visuospatial and verbal long-term memory, executive functions, verbal short-term memory, and verbal IQ. Among the first-degree relatives, APOE ɛ4 carriership was associated with more significant dysfunction in cognition (g = -0.24; 95% CI, -0.38 to -0.11; p < .001) compared to non-carriers (g = -0.14; 95% CI, -0.28 to -0.01; p = .04). Cognitive test type was significantly associated with between-group differences, accounting for 65% (R23 = .6499) of the effect size heterogeneity in the fitted regression model. No evidence of publication bias was found. The current findings provide support for mild but robust cognitive dysfunction in first-degree relatives of LOAD-affected individuals that appears to be moderated by cognitive domain, cognitive test type, and APOE ɛ4.
Stability of a nonideally excited Duffing oscillator
Authors: González-Carbajal Javier , García-Vallejo Daniel , Domínguez Jaime
Published: September 2022

This paper investigates the dynamics of a Duffing oscillator excited by an unbalanced motor. The interaction between motor and vibrating system is considered as nonideal, which means that the excitation provided by the motor can be influenced by the vibrating response, as is the case in general for real systems. This constitutes an important difference with respect to the classical (ideally excited) Duffing oscillator, where the amplitude and frequency of the external forcing are assumed to be known a priori. Starting from pre-resonant initial conditions, we investigate the phenomena ofpassage through resonance(the system evolves towards a post-resonant state after some transient near-resonant oscillations) andresonant capture(the system gets locked into a near-resonant stationary oscillation). The stability of stationary solutions is analytically studied in detail through averaging procedures, and the obtained results are confirmed by numerical simulations.
Global Shocks in the US Economy: Effects on Output and the Real Exchange Rate
Authors: Oyekola Olayinka , Meenagh David , Minford Patrick
Published: September 2022

This paper studies the effects of global shocks, relative to domestic shocks (productivity, mark-up, and demand shocks), in accounting for US business cycle fluctuations. We do this by developing and estimating a two-sector open economy dynamic stochastic general equilibrium model that features several real frictions and structural shocks. The central finding from the estimated model is that global shocks are the main driver of movements in many US macroeconomic aggregates. Particularly, we find that they explain around 40% of the variations in our main variables of interest—output and real exchange rate. This important quantitative contribution is achieved by using indirect inference estimation techniques to test the model. We identify exogenous world demand, oil price shocks, preference for exported energy-intensive goods, and the price of imported energy-intensive goods as the global shocks most prominent in causing the largest variations in economic outcomes. By contrast, foreign interest rates and preference for aggregate exported goods are found to be bystanders.