bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Polyethylene degradation and assimilation by the marine yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa
Authors: Vaksmaa Annika , Polerecky Lubos , Dombrowski Nina , Kienhuis Michiel V M , Posthuma Ilsa , Gerritse Jan , Boekhout Teun , Niemann Helge
Published: July 2023

Ocean plastic pollution is a severe environmental problem but most of the plastic that has been released to the ocean since the 1950s is unaccounted for. Although fungal degradation of marine plastics has been suggested as a potential sink mechanism, unambiguous proof of plastic degradation by marine fungi, or other microbes, is scarce. Here we applied stable isotope tracing assays with 13C-labeled polyethylene to measure biodegradation rates and to trace the incorporation of plastic-derived carbon into individual cells of the yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, which we isolated from the marine environment. 13C accumulation in the CO2 pool during 5-day incubation experiments with R. mucilaginosa and UV-irradiated 13C-labeled polyethylene as a sole energy and carbon source translated to degradation rates of 3.8% yr−1 of the initially added substrate. Furthermore, nanoSIMS measurements revealed substantial incorporation of polyethylene-derived carbon into fungal biomass. Our results demonstrate the potential of R. mucilaginosa to mineralize and assimilate carbon from plastics and suggest that fungal plastic degradation may be an important sink for polyethylene litter in the marine environment.
Correction: Recent trends in ozone sensing technology
Authors: Iqbal Muhammad Mudassir , Muhammad Gulzar , Hussain Muhammad Ajaz , Hanif Hina , Raza Muhammad Arshad , Shafiq Zahid
Published: July 2023

Correction for ‘Recent trends in ozone sensing technology’ by Muhammad Mudassir Iqbal et al., Anal. Methods, 2023, 15, 2798–2822, https://doi.org/10.1039/D3AY00334E.
Two novel Ln8 clusters bridged by CO32− effectively convert CO2 into oxazolidinones and cyclic carbonates
Authors: Qiao Na , Xin Xiao-Yan , Wang Wen-Min , Wu Zhi-Lei , Cui Jian-Zhong
Published: July 2023

Ln8 clusters serving as catalysts can effectively convert CO2 into oxazolidinones and cyclic carbonates simultaneously under mild conditions.
Exploring the role of sandwich-type polyoxometalates in {K10(PW9O34)2M4(H2O)2}@PCN-222 (M = Mn, Ni, Zn) for electroreduction of CO2to CO
Authors: Peng Meng-Ting , Chen Chuang , Zhang Yan , Xu Jia-Yu , Teng Yun-Lei , Dong Bao-Xia
Published: July 2023

The sandwich-type P2W18M4(M = Mn, Ni, Zn) manipulates the electron transfer pathway in P2W18M4@PCN-222 during the electrocatalytic reduction of CO2to CO.
Potential mediated electrochemical recycling and sensing of cadmium ions in wastewater over ZnO/SA-g-PPy biocomposite
Authors: Verma Sandeep , Sharma Ashok K. , Shukla Saroj K.
Published: July 2023

Potentiometric sensing and electrochemical recycling of cadmium ions have been demonstrated over bio-nanocomposite film of zinc oxide, sodium alginate, and polypyrrole using a laboratory-designed electrochemical setup.
Gradient boosting machine for performance and emission investigation of diesel engine fueled with pyrolytic oil–biodiesel and 2-EHN additive
Authors: Okumuş Fatih , Sönmez Halil İbrahim , Safa Aykut , Kaya Cenk , Kökkülünk Görkem
Published: July 2023

In this study, the effect of the addition of 2-EHN (2-ethylhexyl nitrate) into binary blends of biodiesel–waste tire pyrolysis oil (WTPO) on the performance and emissions of a CI engine has been investigated.
Manganese carbonate as an efficient electrocatalyst for the conversion of ammonia (NH4+/NH3) to dinitrogen
Authors: Udachyan Iranna , Bhanushali Jayesh T. , Mizrahi Amir , Zidki Tomer , Meyerstein Dan
Published: July 2023

Electrochemical deposition of Mn2(CO3)3 on Pd electrode for the oxidation of ammonia (AOR). The Mn2(CO3)3/Pd electrode in 0.5 M NH4OH & 1.0 M Na2CO3 shows high current density of 6.4 mA cm−2 at 1.16 V vs. NHE. The catalyst shows stable activity >4 h.
Caractéristiques des chemins des contraintes enregistrés à l’aide d’un œdomètre K0 à haute pression
Authors: Serratrice Jean-François
Published: July 2023

Un œdomètre K0 à haute pression est utilisé pour recueillir simultanément les propriétés de compressibilité des sols et les caractéristiques des chemins des contraintes œdométriques pendant des cycles de chargement-déchargement en condition drainée (essais K0 D HP). La contrainte radiale totale est mesurée à l’aide d’une bague mince. Un résumé des principaux aspects du comportement des sols observés à l’œdomètre K0 est proposé pour commencer, d’après les travaux de nombreux auteurs. L’œdomètre K0 HP est décrit ensuite, puis les procédures d’essais et les conditions d’essais. La nature des sols testés et leurs propriétés physiques sont indiquées alors. La diversité des comportements s’observe à partir des courbes expérimentales recueillies sur un sable, un limon, puis des argiles raides et des marnes peu plastiques à très plastiques. Les courbes contrainte-déformation et les chemins des contraintes œdométriques décrivent des boucles d’hystérésis à partir desquelles sont identifiées les caractéristiques œdométriques des sols. Ces caractéristiques peuvent être comparées aux résistances au cisaillement de quelques-uns de ces terrains et leurs états limites fournis par des essais triaxiaux à haute pression. Les divers aspects des réponses œdométriques sont présentés et commentés, qui concernent les seuils de préconsolidation, les indices de gonflement, les chemins des contraintes de chargement, les chemins des contraintes de déchargement, la progression de ces derniers vers des états de contraintes en extension. Une récapitulation des principaux paramètres est proposée enfin, qui s’appuie sur les résultats d’une soixantaine d’essais K0 D HP. En première approche, les paramètres œdométriques s’ordonnent en fonction de la nature du sol, de la compacité initiale et de l’argilosité.
„Halb zog sie ihn, halb sank er hin …“: Über die Verquickung von Liebe und Manipulation
Authors: Fischer Alexander , Illies Christian
Published: July 2023

In der Psychologie/Psychiatrie/Psychotherapie lässt sich ein Verständnis von Manipulation finden, das oft einseitig auf die Psychopathologien eines Manipulators blickt und Manipulation als defizitäres, egoistisches Kommunikationsverhalten herausstellt, das die Manipulierte täuscht und unter Druck setzt. In diesem Beitrag wollen wir ein differenziertes Verständnis von Manipulation als Form der Beeinflussung ergründen, das Platz lässt für toxische, aber auch wohlwollende Manipulationen. Als Experimentierfeld dient uns hierfür der Schauplatz der Liebe, der Möglichkeiten für sinnvolle Unterscheidungen bezüglich der Manipulation bereitstellt. Unsere Schlussfolgerung ist, dass Liebe mit einer wohlwollenden Manipulation vereinbar ist.
Synthesis of the Key Saccharide Fragments of the Glucuronic Acid-Containing Repeat Unit of Pentosan Polysulfate, a Heparin Sulfate Mimetic
Authors: Banwell Martin G. , Schwartz Brett D. , Marshall Sarah , Ward Jas S.
Published: July 2023

Suitably protected mono- and di-saccharide residues associated with the glucuronic acid-containing repeat unit related to pentosan polysulfate have been prepared. The stereo-controlled coupling, using trichloroacetimidate chemistry, of certain of these is also described and the structure of a disaccharide so-formed has been confirmed by single-crystal X-ray analysis.
Primary Anterior Thoracic Wall Abscess with Osteomyelitis by Salmonella paratyphi A: Case Report
Authors: Murthy Neetha S. , Mahale Rashmi P. , MVS Krishna Karthik
Published: July 2023

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi and Paratyphi have been imputed in the causation of enteric fever. Cardiovascular and extraintestinal Salmonella infections have been documented among immunocompromised individuals. Rarely these pathogens are ascribed in the causation of extraintestinal infections among immunocompetent hosts due to hematogenous seeding. We report a case of anterior chest wall abscess with osteomyelitis in an immunocompetent adult by Salmonella paratyphi A without any prior predisposing conditions or gastrointestinal symptoms. The patient underwent incision and drainage of the loculated pus and the involved costochondral junction was curetted. Medical management was guided by automated antibiotic susceptibility testing. Patient responded well to treatment and was discharged with no residual morbidities. Prompt diagnosis complements appurtenant treatment and thereby averts defunct consequential sequelae.
Expert Review on Nonsurgical Management of Parapneumonic Effusion: Advances, Controversies, and New Directions
Authors: Fitzgerald Deirdre B. , Polverino Eva , Waterer Grant W.
Published: July 2023

Parapneumonic effusion and empyema are rising in incidence worldwide, particularly in association with comorbidities in an aging population. Also driving this change is the widespread uptake of pneumococcal vaccines, leading to the emergence of nonvaccine-type pneumococci and other bacteria. Early treatment with systemic antibiotics is essential but should be guided by local microbial guidelines and antimicrobial resistance patterns due to significant geographical variation. Thoracic ultrasound has emerged as a leading imaging technique in parapneumonic effusion, enabling physicians to characterize effusions, assess the underlying parenchyma, and safely guide pleural procedures. Drainage decisions remain based on longstanding criteria including the size of the effusion and fluid gram stain and biochemistry results. Small-bore chest drains appear to be as effective as large bore and are adequate for the delivery of intrapleural enzyme therapy (IET), which is now supported by a large body of evidence. The IET dosing regimen used in the UK Multicenter Sepsis Trial -2 has the most evidence available but data surrounding alternative dosing, concurrent and once-daily instillations, and novel fibrinolytic agents are promising. Prognostic scores used in pneumonia (e.g., CURB-65) tend to underestimate mortality in parapneumonic effusion/empyema. Scores specifically based on pleural infection have been developed but require validation in prospective cohorts.
On the need to explicitize the unstated argument in cancer research: an ethnography on scientific argumentation
Authors: Mnasri Salaheddine , Jovic Marina
Published: July 2023

Within the framework of scientific argumentation, this study explores the role of what we here call theunstated argumentin knowledge construction. The case study conducted in a cancer research lab in Brussels, uses observation, open interviews, and discourse analysis. Guided by Discursive Psychology as a theory and method, it examines the bases of a specificunstated argumentembedded intacit knowledge. The unstated argument is aboutmedium usagein cancer research. The medium is a chemical liquid composed of a number of substances injected into the cells that scientists use to carry out experiments. The findings suggest that the unstated argument comprises a claim and de facto evidence. The claim is that the medium usage is appropriate and not problematic for research results. The evidence: (1) does not emanate from research; (2) is based onpersonal opinion; and (3) is backed up by the following factors: (a) practicing the status quo; (b) adhering to cancer-research standards; and (c) being bound by the demand and supply interplay. Provoked by the present study, counterevidence is ultimately substantiated by the same scientists. The counterevidence happens to challenge the claim, as it is based onexpert-opinion. The study suggests that ethnography can offer a unique methodological stance to discern the unstated arguments embedded in tacit knowledge.
Multispecies forages in the Australian dairy feedbase: is there a biological business case?
Authors: Thomson Anna L. , Albornoz Rodrigo I.
Published: July 2023

This review considers the potential role of multispecies swards in de-risking Australian dairy systems that currently rely heavily on monocultures of perennial ryegrass and high rates of inorganic nitrogen application to be productive. Recent trends in increasing inorganic nitrogen fertiliser prices, societal pressure for increased environmental sustainability of farming practices, coupled with variable and extreme weather events have renewed interest for functionally diverse pasture mixtures. Evidence from the latest international studies either for or against the purported benefits of multispecies swards (e.g. productive, resilient, and environmentally positive) is examined. There is an ever-growing body of evidence confirming that species richness can promote high levels of productivity at low or zero rates of nitrogen fertiliser application, often with increasingly positive effects as species richness increases. However, results within and between different levels of species richness are not always consistent, suggesting that not all multispecies swards will perform alike, even at a constant level of functional diversity. A multitude of other factors is presented that interact to determine the success of one multispecies sward over another. These include soil type and fertility, species choice, functional group proportions, sward management under either grazing or cutting, fertiliser regimes, and grazing management practices. It was concluded that this complexity gives rise to a need for further research into the biological mechanisms behind multispecies mixtures to determine the factors, other than simply species richness, that will guarantee success as more farmers inevitably search for alternatives to perennial ryegrass pasture in the Australian dairy farming industry.
Phonon modes and topological phonon properties in (GaN)x/(AlN)x and (AlGaN)x/(GaN)x superlattices
Authors: Tang Dao-Sheng , Zhang Li-Min
Published: July 2023

To effectively regulate thermal transport for the near-junction thermal management of GaN electronics, it is imperative to gain an understanding of the phonon characteristics of GaN nanostructures, particularly the topological phonon properties connected to low-dissipation surface phonon states. In this work, a comprehensive study on phonon modes and topological phonon properties is performed from first principles in (GaN)
x
/(AlN)
x
and (AlGaN)
x
/(GaN)
x
(x = 1,2,3) superlattices. Phonon modes, including the dispersion relation, density of states, and participation ratio, were calculated for six GaN superlattices. The participation ratio results did not reveal the localized phonon mode. In topological phonon analyses, it is found that Weyl phonons with a Chern number of 1(−1) are present in all six GaN superlattices, consisting of trivial (GaN) and nontrivial (AlN and AlGaN) combinations. These phonons are located on either side of the k

z
= 0 plane symmetrically in the Brillouin zone. With the increase in the number of phonon branches in superlattices, the number of Weyl phonon points also increases from dozens to hundreds. One Weyl phonon with significant and clean surface states is selected and analyzed for each GaN superlattice. Among them, the Weyl phonon in (GaN)2/(AlN)2 superlattice mainly results from the lattice vibrations of Al and Ga atoms, while the Weyl phonons in other superlattices mainly result from the lattice vibrations of N atoms. The Weyl phonons at opposite k

z
planes form pairs in (GaN)2/(AlN)2, AlGaN/GaN, and (AlGaN)2/(GaN)2. Effects of strain including biaxial and uniaxial strain on Weyl phonons in GaN/AlN and AlGaN/GaN superlattices are investigated. Results indicate that Weyl phonons persist in large strain states, however, no monoclinic trend is observed due to the accidental degeneracy of these superlattices. The investigation in this work is promising to provide a deeper understanding of phonon properties and the topological effects of phonons in GaN nanostructures.
Junction conditions in bi-scalar Poincaré gauge gravity
Authors: Casado-Turrión Adrián , de la Cruz-Dombriz Álvaro , Cano Alejandro Jiménez , Torralba Francisco José Maldonado
Published: July 2023

In this work, we study the junction conditions of the ghost-free subclass of quadratic Poincaré Gauge gravity, which propagates one scalar and one pseudo-scalar. For this purpose, we revisit the theory of distributions and junction conditions in gravity, giving a novel insight to the subject by introducing a convenient notation to deal with regular and singular parts. Then, we apply this formalism to bi-scalar Poincaré Gauge gravity and study some paradigmatic cases. We compare our results with the existing literature and the well-known predictions of General Relativity. We find that monopole spin densities are admissible, whereas both thin shells and double layers are allowed for the energy-momentum. Such layers can be avoided by setting appropriate continuity conditions on the dynamic fields of the theory, as well as on the Ricci scalar of the full connection and the Holst pseudo-scalar.
Biology for biomimetics I: function as an interdisciplinary bridge in bio-inspired design
Authors: Snell-Rood Emilie C , Smirnoff Dimitri
Published: July 2023

In bio-inspired design, the concept of ‘function’ allows engineers and designers to move between biological models and human applications. Abstracting a problem to general functions allows designers to look to traits that perform analogous functions in biological organisms. However, the idea of function can mean different things across fields, presenting challenges for interdisciplinary research. Here we review core ideas in biology that relate to the concept of ‘function,’ including adaptation, tradeoffs, and fitness, as a companion to bio-inspired design approaches. We align these ideas with a top-down approach in biomimetics, where engineers or designers start with a problem of interest and look to biology for ideas. We review how one can explore a range of biological analogies for a given function by considering function across different parts of an organism’s life, such as acquiring nutrients or avoiding disease. Engineers may also draw inspiration from biological traits or systems that exhibit a particular function, but did not necessarily evolve to do so. Such an evolutionary perspective is important to how biodesigners search biological space for ideas. A consideration of the evolution of trait function can also clarify potential trade-offs and biological models that may be more promising for an application. This core set of concepts from evolutionary and organismal biology can aid engineers and designers in their search for biological inspiration.
Lagrangian formalism and Noether-type theorems for second-order delay ordinary differential equations
Authors: Dorodnitsyn Vladimir , Kozlov Roman , Meleshko Sergey
Published: July 2023

A Lagrangian formalism for variational second-order delay ordinary differential equations (DODEs) is developed. The Noether operator identity for a DODE is established, which relates the invariance of a Lagrangian function with the appropriate variational equations and the conserved quantities. The identity is used to formulate Noether-type theorems that give the first integrals for DODE with symmetries. Relations between the invariance of the variational second-order DODEs and the invariance of the Lagrangian functions are also analyzed. Several examples illustrate the theoretical results.
Effects of finite depth and surface tension on the linear and weakly non-linear stability of Faraday waves in Hele-Shaw cell
Authors: Rachik Azeddine , Aniss Saïd
Published: July 2023

A linear and a non-linear analysis are carried out for the instability of the free surface of a liquid layer contained in a Hele-Shaw cell subjected to periodic vertical oscillation. The linear stability analysis shows that for certain ranges of the oscillation frequency, the depth of the liquid layer and the surface tension can have a substantial effect on the selection of the wavenumbers and on the critical forcing amplitude. This results in a new dispersion relation, relating the critical wavenumber and the frequency of oscillation, which is in excellent agreement with recent experimental results by Li et al (2018 Phys. Fluids
30 102103). On the other hand, for low frequencies, the thresholds can be either harmonic or subharmonic with the existence of a series of bicritical points where these two types of thresholds can coexist. Weakly nonlinear analysis is performed in the vicinity of the first subharmonic resonance that occurs in the high frequency limit. Thus, using the multiscale technique, for low dissipation and forcing, we derive a free surface amplitude equation, involving a new nonlinear term coefficient, χ, that includes finite depth and surface tension. For infinite depth, Rajchenbach et al (2011 Phys. Rev. Lett.
107 024502), and Li et al (2019 J. Fluid Mech.
871 694–716) showed that hysteresis can only occur if the response frequency is lower than the natural frequency. However in the present work, it turns out that the coefficient χ can be either positive or negative depending on the depth and surface tension of the fluid. Thus, if χ is positive, hysteresis is found when the response frequency is greater than the natural frequency. Furthermore, the infinite depth approximation, where the short wavelengths dominate, is valid when the depth and wavenumber satisfy kh > 5, whereas for kh < 5, where long wavelengths dominate, the finite depth should be considered.
Nuclear erythroid 2-related factor 2 protects against reactive oxygen species -induced preterm premature rupture of membranes through regulation of mitochondria
Authors: Zhang Xinyuan , He Xiao , Wei Linna , He Yang , Li Yunlong , Wang Yingxiong , Li Chunli
Published: July 2023

Preterm premature rupture of membranes (pPROM) is a major cause of preterm birth and neonatal mortality. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been identified as a critical factor in the development of pPROM. Mitochondria are known to be the primary source of ROS and play a vital role in maintaining cellular function. The Nuclear erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) has been demonstrated to play a crucial role in regulating mitochondrial function. However, research exploring the impact of NRF2-regulated mitochondria on pPROM is limited. Therefore, we collected fetal membrane tissues from pPROM and spontaneous preterm labor (sPTL) puerpera, measured the expression level of NRF2, and evaluated the degree of mitochondrial damage in both groups. In addition, we isolated human amniotic epithelial cells (hAECs) from the fetal membranes and used small interfering RNA (siRNA) to suppress NRF2 expression, enabling us to evaluate the impact of NRF2 on mitochondrial damage and ROS production. Our findings indicated that the expression level of NRF2 in pPROM fetal membranes was significantly lower than in sPTL fetal membranes, accompanied by increased mitochondrial damage. Furthermore, after the inhibition of NRF2 in hAECs, the degree of mitochondrial damage was significantly exacerbated, along with a marked increase in both cellular and mitochondrial ROS levels. The regulation of the mitochondrial metabolic process via NRF2 in fetal membranes has the potential to influence ROS production.
Lessons from a case with stiff left atrial syndrome complicated by iatrogenic inter-atrial shunts: a case report
Authors: Senda Arisa , Matsumoto Kensuke , Hoshijima Masahiko , Kawasaki Satoru
Published: July 2023

Background

In patients with stiff left atrial (LA) syndrome, reservoir function is significantly impaired due to extensive LA fibrosis; consequently, the increase in LA pressure during haemodynamic stress is prominent, easily leading to pulmonary venous hypertension and subsequent pulmonary congestion, and eventually results in intractable heart failure.

Case summary

A 79-year-old female with mitral stenosis and atrial fibrillation underwent valve replacement, Cox-Maze IV procedure, LA plication, and appendage ligation 4 years prior to presentation. Thereafter, she underwent a total of two catheter ablation procedures for recurrent atrial tachycardia. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed two continuous colour jets across the interatrial septum, with a peak pressure gradient of 23 mmHg, which was consistent with the residual puncture hole at the catheter ablation procedures. Although transoesophageal echocardiography showed no evidence of prosthetic valve dysfunction, the pulmonary venous flow signal showed a significantly blunted systolic forward flow, extremely small retrograde reversal flow during atrial contraction, and prominent diastolic flow velocities, all of which indicated significantly impaired LA function. Cardiac catheter examination revealed a characteristic pulmonary capillary wedge pressure waveform, which consisted of a steep ascending limb of v wave with a large peak, consistent with stiff LA syndrome.

Discussion

Treatment of patients with stiff LA syndrome is quite challenging and restricted to the use of diuretics only, which has limited efficacy and eventually results in intractable heart failure. In this case, owing to the inter-atrial pressure–relieving gateway, the patient was only mildly symptomatic despite the existence of a non-compliant LA.
WTAP activates MAPK signaling through m6A methylation in VEGFA mRNA‐mediated by YTHDC1 to promote colorectal cancer development
Authors: Ye Mujie , Chen Jinhao , Yu Ping , Hu Chunhua , Wang Bangting , Bao Jinxing , Lu Feiyu , Zhong Yuan , Yan Lijun , Kan Jingbao , Bai Jianan , Tian Ye , Tang Qiyun
Published: July 2023

N6‐methyladenosine modification, especially Wilms tumor 1‐associated protein (WTAP), is reportedly associated with a variety of cancers, including colorectal cancer (CRC). Angiogenesis also plays an important role in the occurrence and development of CRC. However, only a few studies have reported the biological mechanisms underlying this connection. Therefore, tissue microarray and public database were used to explore WTAP levels in CRC. Then, WTAP was down‐regulated and over‐expressed, respectively. CCK8, EdU, colony formation, and transwell experiments were performed to study the role of WTAP in CRC. Combined RNA sequencing and m6A RNA immunoprecipitation (MeRIP) sequencing, we found downstream molecules VEGFA. Moreover, a tube formation assay was executed for tumor angiogenesis. Finally, a subcutaneous tumorigenesis assay in nude mice was used to examine the tumor‐promoting effect of WTAP in vivo. In the present study, WTAP was significantly upregulated in CRC cells and patients with CRC. Moreover, higher WTAP expression was observed in the TCGA and CPATC databases in CRC tissues. WTAP over‐expression exacerbates cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and angiogenesis. Conversely, WTAP knockdown inhibited the malignant biological behavior of CRC cells. Mechanistically, WTAP positively regulated VEGFA, as identified using RNA sequencing and MeRIP sequencing. Moreover, we identified YTHDC1 as a downstream effector of the YTHDC1‐VEGFA axis in CRC. Furthermore, increased WTAP expression activated the MAPK signaling pathway, which led to enhanced angiogenesis. In conclusion, our study revealed that the WTAP/YTHDC1/VEGFA axis promotes CRC development, especially angiogenesis, suggesting that it may act as a potential biomarker of CRC.
An Examination of Social Support and Mental Health in Nursing Students During COVID-19
Authors: Neu Tricia , Rode Jennifer , Hammer Susan
Published: July 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic limited social interactions and potential social support among residential nursing students. This study used a cross-sectional design to explore students’ social living conditions and resources and their correlations with student mental health. Results demonstrated higher than expected levels of anxiety, depression, and loneliness. However, social living situation did not affect mental health. Both parental education and mental health therapy (used as a control) were significantly related to student-reported mental health.
Diagnosing delirium in perioperative and intensive care medicine
Authors: Goettel Nicolai , Wueest Alexandra S.
Published: July 2023

Purpose of review

This article reviews the current literature on instruments used for screening and diagnosing delirium in perioperative and intensive care medicine. It summarizes recent findings to guide clinicians and researchers in choosing the most appropriate tools.

Recent findings

The incidence of delirium in hospitalized patients ranges from 5% to over 50%, depending on the population of patients studied. Failure to diagnose delirium in a timely manner is associated with serious adverse outcomes, including death and institutionalization. Valid assessment tests are needed for delirium detection, as early identification and treatment of delirium may help to prevent complications. Currently, there are more than 30 available instruments, which have been developed to assist with the screening and diagnosis of delirium. However, these tools vary greatly in sensitivity, specificity, and administration time, and their overabundance challenges the selection of specific tool as well as direct comparisons and interpretation of results across studies.

Overlooking or misdiagnosing delirium may result in poor patient outcomes. Familiarizing healthcare workers with the variety of delirium assessments and selecting the most appropriate tool to their needs is an important step toward improving awareness and recognition of delirium.
LithoVue Elite Compared With Single-Use and Reusable Ureteroscopes: A Bench and Human Cadaver Study
Authors: Bhojani Naeem , Shalabi Nabil , Reicherz Alina , Herout Roman , Searles Kyle , Wong K. F. Victor , Chew Ben H.
Published: July 2023

Purpose:

To compare the attributes of the next-generation LithoVue Elite (LVE, Boston Scientific Corporation) with current state-of-the-art single-use and reusable flexible ureteroscopes.

Methods:

LithoVue Elite is the latest single-use flexible ureteroscope with improved functionality and a novel ability to measure intrarenal pressure. In this study, we compare LVE with 3 single-use ureteroscopes (Pusen, WiScope, and Anqing) and 1 reusable ureteroscope (Olympus). A bench model was used to measure the physical characteristics (tip deflection and irrigation) and image quality (resolution, color accuracy, field of view, and latency). A human cadaveric model was used to score the maneuverability and ergonomics. This abstract shows the least square means from multiway ANOVAs used for analysis.

Results:

The ureteroscopes showed a tip deflection ranging from 243° to 306° with LVE at 279°. The irrigation rates ranged from 28 to 44 mL/min with LVE at 40 ml/min. LVE had a resolution of 6.34 line pair/mm, while the other scopes ranged from 4.86 to 5.77 line pairs/mm. The color accuracy was quantified with Delta E, an image analysis variable, which ranged from 14 to 42 with LVE at 28. The field of view ranged from 55° to 89°, and LVE was at 89°. The image latency ranged from 41 to 92 ms with LVE at 58 ms. Finally, the maneuverability scores ranged from 3.8 to 4.1 of 5 with LVE scoring 4.1 while the ergonomics scores ranged from 2.4 to 4.8 with LVE scoring 4.4.

Conclusion:

LithoVue Elite had above average performance compared with single-use and reusable ureteroscopes and upper-range scores for resolution, field of view, maneuverability, and ergonomics. Accordingly, LVE shows promise; however, further research is needed to assess the impact of intrarenal pressure on the standard of care.
The AngioVac System in Childhood and Adolescence: A New Venovenous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation-Like Configuration
Authors: Tarzia Vincenzo , Pradegan Nicola , Ponzoni Matteo , Parolin Mattia , Gaio Paola , Meneghesso Davide , Cananzi Mara , Benetti Elisa , Battistel Michele , Zanella Fabio , Gerosa Gino
Published: July 2023

Intravascular and intracardiac clots, thrombi, and vegetative material can be safely and effectively treated with the AngioVac System (AngioDynamics, Latham, NY) as an alternative to open surgery. However, this technology is still not performed in children or adolescents as a rule. We aimed to present our experience with two cases (a 10 year old girl and a 17 year old male adolescent) with concurrent hypoxemia in whom this device was successfully used in combination with venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation to remove caval thrombi and cavoatrial septic material, respectively. This extracorporeal circuit configuration allowed adequate respiratory support during the procedure. No endovascular recurrence of the pathologic material was found at 2 and 1 year of follow-up, respectively.
Percutaneous Transhepatic Cholangioscopy Interventions—Updates
Authors: Haber Zachary M. , Srinivasa Ravi N. , Lee Edward Wolfgang
Published: July 2023

Percutaneous transhepatic cholangioscopy (PTCS) was initially described around the same time that peroral cholangioscopy (POSC) was developed. The cited utility attributed to PTCS is the ability to be utilized in the subset of patients with surgical proximal bowel anatomy, often precluding the use of traditional POSC. However, since first described, PTCS use has been limited due to a lack of physician awareness and a lack of procedure-specific equipment and supplies. With recent developments of PTSC-specific equipment, there has been an expansion in the possible interventions able to be performed during PTCS, resulting in a rapid increase in clinical use. This short review will serve as a comprehensive update of the previous and more recent novel interventions now able to be performed during PTCS.
A novel lightweight deep learning fall detection system based on Global-Local attention and channel feature augmentation
Authors: Sha Yuyang , Zhai Xiaobing , Li Junrong , Meng Weiyu , Tong Henry H.Y. , Li Kefeng
Published: July 2023

Background and Objective:

Reducing the number of falls in nursing facilities is crucial to prevent significant injury, increased costs, and emotional harm. However, current fall detection systems face a trade-off between accuracy and inference speed. This work aimed to develop a novel lightweight fall detection system that can achieve high accuracy and speed while reducing computational cost and model size.

Method:

We used convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and the Channel-wise dropout and global local attention module (GLAM) to train a lightweight fall detection model on over 10,000 human fall images from various scenarios. We also applied a channel-based feature augmentation module to enhance the robustness and stability of the model.

Results:

The proposed model achieved a detection precision of 95.1%, a recall of 93.3%, and a mean average precision (mAP) of 91.8%. It also had a significantly smaller size of 1.09M model parameters and a lower computational cost of 0.12 GFLOPs than existing methods. It could handle up to 20 cameras, simultaneously with a speed higher than 30 fps.

Conclusion:

The proposed lightweight model demonstrated excellent performance and practicality for fall detection in real-world settings, which could reduce the working pressure on medical staff and improve nursing efficiency.
A Novel Dual Energy Computed Tomography Score Correlates With Postoperative Outcomes in Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension
Authors: Renapurkar Rahul D. , Bullen Jennifer , Rizk Alain , Abozeed Mostafa , Karim Wadih , Bin Saeedan Mnahi , Tong Michael Z. , Heresi Gustavo A.
Published: July 2023

Purpose:

To compare dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) based qualitative and quantitative parameters in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension with various postoperative primary and secondary endpoints.

Materials and Methods:

This was a retrospective analysis of 64 patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension who underwent DECT. First, a clot score was calculated by assigning the following score: pulmonary trunk-5, each main pulmonary artery-4, each lobar-3, each segmental-2, and subsegmental-1 per lobe; the sum total was then calculated. The perfusion defect (PD) score was calculated by assigning 1 point to each segmental PD. The combined score was calculated by adding clot and PD scores. For quantitative evaluation, we calculated perfused blood volume (PBV) (%) of each lung and the sum of both lungs. Primary endpoints included testing association between combined score and total PBV with change in mean pulmonary arterial pressure ([mPAP], change calculated as preop minus postop values). Secondary endpoints included explorative analysis of the correlation between combined score and PBV with change in preoperative and postoperative pulmonary vascular resistance, change in preoperative 6-minute walk distance (6MWD), and immediate postoperative complications such as reperfusion edema, ECMO placement, stroke, death and mechanical ventilation for more than 48 hours, all within 1 month of surgery.

Results:

Higher combined scores were associated with larger decreases in mPAP (

=0.27, P=0.036). On average, the decrease in mPAP (pre mPAP−post mPAP) increased by 2.2 mm Hg (95% CI: −0.6, 5.0) with each 10 unit increase in combined score. The correlation between total PBV and change in mPAP was small and not statistically significant. During an exploratory analysis, higher combined scores were associated with larger increases in 6MWD at 6 months postprocedure (

=0.55, P=0.002).

Conclusion:

Calculation of DECT-based combined score offers potential in the evaluation of hemodynamic response to surgery. This response can also be objectively quantified.
Facial Reanimation After Peripheral Facial Nerve Paralysis: A Single-institution Surgical Experience
Authors: Li Shijun , Xie Shang , Li Zimeng , Ding Mengkun , Shan Xiaofeng , Zhang Lei , Yu Guangyan , Cai Zhigang
Published: July 2023

Facial nerve trauma occasionally develops during oral and maxillofacial surgery. This study was aimed at enhancing the available knowledge on facial nerve reanimation correlated to surgery and proposing our surgical algorithm. We retrospectively analyzed medical records of patients who underwent facial reanimation surgery at our hospital. The inclusion criterion was surgery for facial reanimation from January 2004 to June 2021. We included 383 eligible patients who underwent facial reanimation surgery. Trauma or maxillofacial neoplasms were noted in 208 of 383 and 164 of 383 cases, respectively. In 238 of 383 cases, nerve branches were likely more vulnerable. Facial nerve anastomosis was performed in 256 patients. Sixty-eight patients received nerve grafts. In 22 patients, distal facial nerve transfer to the masseteric nerve, sublingual nerve, or contralateral facial nerve was performed. Twenty-five patients received static surgery; in most cases, the temporalis fascia flap (20/25) was used. The nerve function outcomes were HB grade I (n=17), Grade Ⅱ (n=108), Grade Ⅲ (n=118), Grade Ⅳ (n=94), and Grade V (n=46). The mean follow-up time was 4.88 ± 3.93 years. Facial paralysis caused by trauma (P=0.000), branch injury (P=0.000), and the primary reconstruction of facial nerve (P=0.000) were predictive of favorable treatment outcomes. Although facial nerve injury caused by trauma was more likely, cases of interference in facial expression could be limited, and so did the injury to branches. Nerve anastomosis was prioritized if a tension-free suture was possible. Maintaining the integrity of the nerve and shortening the duration of mimetic muscular denervation were crucial.
Surgical and Speech Therapy Evaluation of Lingual Frenulum
Authors: Palomares-Aguilera Mirta , Inostroza-Allende Felipe , Álvarez Carvajal Drina , Villena Balcázar Carolina , Goldschmied Aljaro Karen , Castellón Zirpel Loreto , Mayorga Maldonado Jaime , Fuenzalida Kakarieka Carlos
Published: July 2023

Interdisciplinary evaluation is essential to diagnose and define clinical conduct for children and adults presenting with an altered lingual frenulum; however, there are few reports on the subject in the literature. In this context, the following study exemplifies a proposed protocol for the surgical and SLT treatment of a lingual frenulum based on a review of the literature and the experience of speech and language therapists and maxillofacial surgeons from hospitals in Santiago de Chile. After its application, a history of breastfeeding with difficulties and a maintained preference for soft foods was reported. Upon anatomic examination, the lingual apex was heart-shaped, and the lingual frenulum was fixed in the upper third of the ventral side of the tongue, with a pointed shape, submerged up to the apex, and of adequate thickness. Meanwhile, upon functional examination, the tongue was descended at rest, performed tongue protrusion with restrictions (raising and clicking), did not achieve attachment or vibration, and presented distortion of the sounds /r/ and /rr/. With this information, an altered lingual frenulum was diagnosed, with the indication for surgery and postoperative speech and language therapy. The constructed instrument allowed for the standardization of the evaluation in different teams but should be validated in future research.
The Use of Disposable Supplies: Measuring Suburethral Sling Surgical Waste by Cost and Weight
Authors: Melnyk Alexandra I. , Woods Noe , Bradley Megan S. , Moalli Pamela
Published: July 2023

Importance

The health care industry is a leading contributor to solid waste in the United States, and two thirds of a hospital's regulated medical waste is produced from surgery.

Objective

The primary objective was to assess the utilization of single-use disposable supplies during suburethral sling cases.

Study Design

We observed suburethral sling plus cystoscopy procedures at an academic medical center. Cases with concomitant procedures were excluded. Our primary outcome was the quantity of wasted supplies, defined as disposable supplies that were opened at the start of the procedure and were unused. Secondarily, we quantified those supplies in both weight and United States dollars. In a subset of cases, we obtained the weight of the total amount of trash generated from the procedure.

Results

A total of 20 cases were observed. Most frequently wasted items included an emesis basin, large ring basin, and rectangle plastic tray. Redundant supplies wasted included a 1-L sterile water bottle and, on average, 2.73 (SD, 2.34) blue towels. The sum of the weight of the wasted items among cases was 1.33 lb, associated with $9.50. The average total amount of trash produced from 11 cases was 14.13 lb (SD, 2.27). Removal of the most frequently wasted items would achieve a 9.4% reduction in solid waste produced by the case.

Conclusions

A large waste burden per surgical case was produced by a minor procedure. Removal of frequently wasted items, a reduced number of towels, and smaller cystoscopy fluid bags are simple strategies that would decrease overall waste production.
Contributions of associative and non-associative learning to the dynamics of defensive ethograms
Authors: Le Quan-Son Eric , Hereford Daniel , Borkar Chandrashekhar D. , Aldaco Zach , Klar Julia , Resendez Alexis , Fadok Jonathan P.
Published: July 2023

Defensive behavior changes based on threat intensity, proximity, and context of exposure, and learning about danger-predicting stimuli is critical for survival. However, most Pavlovian fear conditioning paradigms focus only on freezing behavior, obscuring the contributions of associative and non-associative mechanisms to dynamic defensive responses. To thoroughly investigate defensive ethograms, we subjected male and female adult C57BL/6J mice to a Pavlovian conditioning paradigm that paired footshock with a serial compound stimulus (SCS) consisting of distinct tone and white noise (WN) stimulus periods. To investigate how associative and non-associative mechanisms affect defensive responses, we compared this paired SCS-footshock group with four control groups that were conditioned with either pseudorandom unpaired presentations of SCS and footshock, shock only, or reversed SCS presentations with inverted tone--WN order, with paired or unpaired presentations. On day 2 of conditioning, the paired group exhibited robust freezing during the tone period with switching to explosive jumping and darting behaviors during the WN period. Comparatively, the unpaired and both reverse SCS groups expressed less tone-induced freezing and rarely showed jumping or darting during WN. Following the second day of conditioning, we observed how defensive behavior changed over two extinction sessions. During extinction, the tone-induced freezing decreased in the paired group and mice rapidly shifted from escape jumping during WN to a combination of freezing and darting. The unpaired, unpaired reverse, and shock-only groups displayed defensive tail rattling and darting during the SCS, with minimal freezing and jumping. Interestingly, the paired reverse group did not jump to WN, and tone-evoked freezing was resistant to extinction. These findings demonstrate that non-associative factors promote some defensive responsiveness, but associative factors are required for robust cue-induced freezing and high-intensity flight expression.
Experimental and Phylogenetic Evidence for Correlated Gene Expression Evolution between Dermal and Endometrial Fibroblasts: implications for the evolution of cancer malignancy
Authors: Dighe Anasuya , Maziarz Jamie , Ibrahim-Hashim Arig , Gatenby Robert A. , Kshitiz  , Levchenko Andre , Wagner Günter P.
Published: July 2023

Changes in transcriptional gene expression is a dominant mode of evolution, mostly driven by mutations at cis-regulatory regions. Mutations can affect gene expression in multiple cell types if the same cis-regulatory elements are used by different cell types. As a consequence, changes in gene expression in one cell type may be associated with similar gene expression changes in another cell type. Correlated gene expression change can explain correlated character evolution, as for instance the correlation between placental invasion and vulnerability to cancer malignancy. Here we test this hypothesis using a comparative and an experimental data set. Specifically, we investigate gene expression in dermal skin fibroblasts (SF) and uterine endometrial stomal fibroblasts (ESF). The comparative dataset consists of transcriptomes from cultured SF and ESF from 9 mammalian species. We calculated the independent phylogenetic contrasts (PIC) for each gene and cell type. We find that evolutionary changes in gene expression in SF and ESF are highly correlated, supporting the hypothesis that the correlated gene expression changes are a prevalent feature of gene expression evolution. The experimental data set derives from a SCID mouse strain that was selected for slow cancer growth which led to substantial changes in the SF compared to wild type SCID mice. We isolated SF and ESF from wild type and evolved SCID mice and compared their gene expression profiles. We find a significant correlation between the gene expression contrasts of SF and ESF, which supports the hypothesis that gene expression variation in SF and ESF is correlated. We discuss the implications of these findings for the hypothesized correlation between placental invasiveness and vulnerability to metastatic cancer.
Indexing and searching petabyte-scale nucleotide resources
Authors: Shiryev Sergey A. , Agarwala Richa
Published: July 2023

Searching vast and rapidly growing sets of nucleotide content in data resources, such as runs in Sequence Read Archive and assemblies for whole genome shotgun sequencing projects in GenBank, is currently impractical in any reasonable amount of time or resources available to most researchers. We present Pebblescout, a tool that navigates such content by providing indexing and search capabilities. Indexing uses dense sampling of the sequences in the resource. Search finds subjects that have short sequence matches to a user query with well-defined guarantees. Reported subjects are ranked using a score that considers the informativeness of the matches. Six databases that index over 3.5 petabases were created and used to illustrate the functionality of Pebblescout. Here we show that Pebblescout provides new research opportunities and a data-driven way for finding relevant subsets of large nucleotide resources for analysis, some of which are missed when relying only on sample metadata or tools using pre-defined reference sequences. For two computationally intensive published studies, we show that Pebblescout rejects a significant number of runs analyzed without changing the conclusions of these studies and finds additional relevant runs. A pilot web service for interactively searching the six databases is freely available athttps://pebblescout.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/