bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring costs, cost components, and associated factors among people with dementia approaching the end of life: A systematic review
Authors: Leniz Javiera , Yi Deokhee , Yorganci Emel , Williamson Lesley E. , Suji Trisha , Cripps Rachel , Higginson Irene J. , Sleeman Katherine E.
Published: September 2021

Introduction

Understanding costs of care for people dying with dementia is essential to guide service development, but information has not been systematically reviewed. We aimed to understand (1) which cost components have been measured in studies reporting the costs of care in people with dementia approaching the end of life, (2) what the costs are and how they change closer to death, and (3) which factors are associated with these costs.

Methods

We searched the electronic databases CINAHL, Medline, Cochrane, Web of Science, EconLit, and Embase and reference lists of included studies. We included any type of study published between 1999 and 2019, in any language, reporting primary data on costs of health care in individuals with dementia approaching the end of life. Two independent reviewers screened all full‐text articles. We used the Evers' Consensus on Health Economic Criteria checklist to appraise the risk of bias of included studies.

Results

We identified 2843 articles after removing duplicates; 19 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria, 16 were from the United States. Only two studies measured informal costs including out‐of‐pocket expenses and informal caregiving. The monthly total direct cost of care rose toward death, from $1787 to $2999 USD in the last 12 months, to $4570 to $11921 USD in the last month of life. Female sex, Black ethnicity, higher educational background, more comorbidities, and greater cognitive impairment were associated with higher costs.

Discussion

Costs of dementia care rise closer to death. Informal costs of care are high but infrequently included in analyses. Research exploring the costs of care for people with dementia by proximity to death, including informal care costs and from outside the United States, is urgently needed.
Next-to-leading-order study of J/ψ angular distributions in e+e− → J/ψ + ηc, χcJ at $$ \sqrt{s} $$ ≈ 10.6 GeV
Authors: Sun Zhan
Published: September 2021

Abstract

In this paper, we present a detailed next-to-leading-order (NLO) study of J/ψ angular distributions in e+e−→ J/ψ + ηc, χcJ (J = 0, 1, 2) within the nonrelativistic QCD factorization (NRQCD). The numerical NLO expressions for total and differential cross sections, i.e., $$ \frac{d\sigma}{d\cos \theta } $$

dσ

d
cos
θ

= A + B cos2θ, are both derived. With the inclusion of the newly-calculated QCD corrections to A and B, the αθ (= B/A) parameters in J/ψ + χc0 and J/ψ + χc1 are moderately enhanced, while the magnitude of αθJ/ψ+χc2 is significantly reduced; regarding the production of J/ψ + ηc, the αθ value remains unchanged. By comparing with experiment, we find the predicted αθJ/ψ+ηc is in good agreement with the Belle measurement; however, αθJ/ψ+χc0 is still totally incompatible with the experimental result, and this discrepancy seems to hardly be cured by proper choices of the charm-quark mass, the renormalization scale, and the NRQCD matrix elements.
Early arrhythmia recurrence after catheter ablation for persistent atrial fibrillation: is it predictive for late recurrence?
Authors: Popa Miruna A. , Kottmaier Marc , Risse Elena , Telishevska Marta , Lengauer Sarah , Wimbauer Katharina , Brkic Amir , Kantenwein Verena , Ulrich Stephanie , Kornmayer Marielouise , Krafft Hannah , Hofmann Monika , Kathan Susanne , Reents Tilko , Deisenhofer Isabel , Hessling Gabriele , Bourier Felix
Published: September 2021

Background

Early recurrence of atrial tachyarrhythmia (ERAT) is common after radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) for atrial fibrillation (AF), but its clinical significance in patients with persistent AF remains unclear. We sought to determine the predictive value of ERAT for rhythm outcome after RFCA for persistent AF.

Methods

The study included 207 consecutive patients (mean age 66.4 ± 10.7 years, male 66.2%) with persistent and long-standing persistent AF undergoing de novo pulmonary vein isolation (± atrial substrate ablation). All patients remained off antiarrhythmic drugs. ERAT was defined as any atrial arrhythmia ≥ 30 s occurring within the first 30 days. Late recurrence (LR) was determined during follow-up visits scheduled 1, 3, 6 and 12 months post-ablation using 7-day Holter ECGs.

Results

ERAT occurred in 143/207 (69.1%) patients as AF (60%) or atrial tachycardia (40%) and was persistent in 82% of cases. During a median follow-up of 22.2 months, LR occurred significantly more often in patients with ERAT than in patients without ERAT (92.3 vs. 43.8%, P < 0.001). The only independent predictors for LR were ERAT (OR 16.8, 95% CI 6.184–45.797, P < 0.001) and intraprocedural termination to sinus rhythm (OR 0.052, 95% CI 0.003–0.851, P = 0.038). Extending the blanking period from 30 to 90 days did not impact LR rates.

Conclusion

ERAT following ablation of persistent AF is strongly associated with late arrhythmia recurrence, which challenges the assumption that ERAT represents merely a transient phenomenon. While limiting the blanking period to 30 days seems justified, the benefit of early re-ablations remains to be addressed in future studies.

Graphic abstract
A VR-based volumetric medical image segmentation and visualization system with natural human interaction
Authors: Gao Yi , Chang Cheng , Yu Xiaxia , Pang Pengjin , Xiong Nian , Huang Chuan
Published: September 2021

Volume rendering produces informative two-dimensional (2D) images from a 3-dimensional (3D) volume. It highlights the region of interest and facilitates a good comprehension of the entire data set. However, volume rendering faces a few challenges. First, a high-dimensional transfer function is usually required to differentiate the target from its neighboring objects with subtle variance. Unfortunately, designing such a transfer function is a strenuously trial-and-error process. Second, manipulating/visualizing a 3D volume with a traditional 2D input/output device suffers dimensional limitations. To address all the challenges, we design NUI-VR$$^2$$

2

, a natural user interface-enabled volume rendering system in the virtual reality space. NUI-VR$$^2$$

2

marries volume rendering and interactive image segmentation. It transforms the original volume into a probability map with image segmentation. A simple linear transfer function will highlight the target well in the probability map. More importantly, we set the entire image segmentation and volume rendering pipeline in an immersive virtual reality environment with a natural user interface. NUI-VR$$^2$$

2

eliminates the dimensional limitations in manipulating and perceiving 3D volumes and dramatically improves the user experience.
Hierarchical planning in a supervisory control context with compositional abstraction
Authors: Vilela Juliana , Hill Richard
Published: September 2021

Hierarchy is a tool that has been applied to improve the scalability of solving planning problems modeled using Supervisory Control Theory. In the work of Hill and Lafortune (2016), the notion of cost equivalence was employed to generate an abstraction of the supervisor that, with additional conditions, guarantees that an optimal plan generated on the abstraction is also optimal when applied to the full supervisor. Their work is able to improve their abstraction by artificially giving transitions zero cost based on the sequentially-dependent ordering of events. Here, we relax the requirement on a specific ordering of the dependent events, while maintaining the optimal relationship between upper and lower levels of the hierarchy. This present paper also extends the authors’ work (Vilela and Hill 2020) where we developed a new notion of equivalence based on cost equivalence and weak bisimulation that we term priced-observation equivalence. This equivalence allows the supervisor abstraction to be generated compositionally. This helps to avoid the explosion of the state space that arises from having to first synthesize the full supervisor before the abstraction can be applied. Here, we also show that models with artificial zero-cost transitions can be created compositionally employing the new relaxed sequential dependence definition. An example cooperative robot control application is used to demonstrate the improvements achieved by the compositional approach to abstraction proposed by this paper.
Disentangling atmospheric compositions of K2-18 b with next generation facilities
Authors: Changeat Quentin , Edwards Billy , Al-Refaie Ahmed F. , Tsiaras Angelos , Waldmann Ingo P. , Tinetti Giovanna
Published: September 2021

Recent analysis of the planet K2-18 b has shown the presence of water vapour in its atmosphere. While the H2O detection is significant, the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) WFC3 spectrum suggests three possible solutions of very different nature which can equally match the data. The three solutions are a primary cloudy atmosphere with traces of water vapour (cloudy sub-Neptune), a secondary atmosphere with a substantial amount (up to 50% Volume Mixing Ratio) of H2O (icy/water world) and/or an undetectable gas such as N2(super-Earth). Additionally, the atmospheric pressure and the possible presence of a liquid/solid surface cannot be investigated with currently available observations. In this paper we used the best fit parameters from Tsiaras et al. (Nat. Astron.3, 1086, 2019) to build James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and Ariel simulations of the three scenarios. We have investigated 18 retrieval cases, which encompass the three scenarios and different observational strategies with the two observatories. Retrieval results show that twenty combined transits should be enough for the Ariel mission to disentangle the three scenarios, while JWST would require only two transits if combining NIRISS and NIRSpec data. This makes K2-18 b an ideal target for atmospheric follow-ups by both facilities and highlights the capabilities of the next generation of space-based infrared observatories to provide a complete picture of low mass planets.
Effects of nitrogen enrichment on zooplankton biomass and N:P recycling ratios across a DOC gradient in northern-latitude lakes
Authors: Bergström A.-K. , Deininger A. , Jonsson A. , Karlsson J. , Vrede T.
Published: September 2021

We used data from whole-lake studies to assess how changes in food quantity (phytoplankton biomass) and quality (phytoplankton community composition, seston C:P and N:P) with N fertilization affect zooplankton biomass, community composition and C:N:P stoichiometry, and their N:P recycling ratio along a gradient in lake DOC concentrations. We found that despite major differences in phytoplankton biomass with DOC (unimodal distributions, especially with N fertilization), no major differences in zooplankton biomass were detectable. Instead, phytoplankton to zooplankton biomass ratios were high, especially at intermediate DOC and after N fertilization, implying low trophic transfer efficiencies. An explanation for the observed low phytoplankton resource use, and biomass responses in zooplankton, was dominance of colony forming chlorophytes of reduced edibility at intermediate lake DOC, combined with reduced phytoplankton mineral quality (enhanced seston N:P) with N fertilization. N fertilization, however, increased zooplankton N:P recycling ratios, with largest impact at low DOC where phytoplankton benefitted from light sufficiently to cause enhanced seston N:P. Our results suggest that although N enrichment and increased phytoplankton biomass do not necessarily increase zooplankton biomass, bottom-up effects may still impact zooplankton and their N:P recycling ratio through promotion of phytoplankton species of low edibility and altered mineral quality.
Biomacromolecules in recent phosphate-shelled brachiopods: identification and characterization of chitin matrix
Authors: Agbaje Oluwatoosin B. A. , Brock Glenn A. , Zhang Zhifei , Duru Kingsley C. , Liang Yue , George Simon C. , Holmer Lars E.
Published: September 2021

Phosphate-shelled brachiopods differ in filter-feeding lifestyle, with Lingula anatina an active infaunal burrower, and Discinisca tenuis a shallow marine epibenthic animal. The shells of these animals are built of organophosphatic constituents, the organic fibres/sheets reinforced with calcium phosphate to provide a sophisticated ultrastructural robustness. This investigation examined the nature of the organic fibres in order to improve understanding of how living organisms produce hierarchically structured biomaterials. Unlike powdered samples commonly used in previous studies, organic fibres were isolated for the first time and the shell fractions were purified, in order to study the content and nature of the biopolymer fibres. Biochemical methods including Calcofluor staining revealed a chitin matrix. Ultrastructural analysis, thermal gravimetric analysis, and spectroscopic analyses show that the core polysaccharide framework is composed of layers of β-chitin sheets and/or fibrils that are coated with a fibrous organic matrix. There is more chitin matrix in the L. anatina shells (26.6 wt.%) compared to the D. tenuis shells (12.9 wt.%). Taken together, the data show that the chitin matrix contributes to increased skeletal strength, making L. anatina highly adapted for life as an active burrower. In comparison, D. tenuis contains less chitin and lives as attached epibenthos in a shallow marine environment.

Graphical abstract

First spectroscopic evidence of β-chitin sheets in recent organophosphatic brachiopods
The associations between organophosphate esters and urinary incontinence in the general US population
Authors: He Mingjing , Jin Kun , Qiu Shi , Liao Xinyang , Zheng Xiaonan , Chen Zeyu , Ai Jianzhong , Yang Lu , Jiang Zhongyuan , Hu Dan , Wei Qiang
Published: September 2021

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) impact health in many ways. Since its relationship with urinary incontinence remains unknown, we aimed to explore their associations in the US general population. We combined the results of urine specimens test and self-reported urinary incontinence conditions from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2013–2014 among 2666 participants and then conducted linear regression and logistic regression to analyse associations between log2-transformed OPE concentrations and urinary incontinence. We found that 0.92% of men and 15.74% of women complained of mixed urinary incontinence (MUI). The concentrations of diphenyl phosphate (DPHP) were significantly correlated to MUI among women when treated as a continuous variable (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.15; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.01–1.31; p = 0.0369) and as a categorical variable (adjusted OR = 1.24; 95% CI, 1.03–1.49; p for trend = 0.0245), whereas no positive correlation was found in males. There were no significant associations between the other three OPEs: bis(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (BCEP), bis(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BDCPP) and dibutyl phosphate (DBUP). The association of DPHP with an increased prevalence OR of MUI in women is a public health concern; future prospective studies are needed to explore its potential mechanism.
Characterizations of Herglotz–Nevanlinna Functions Using Positive Semi-Definite Functions and the Nevanlinna Kernel in Several Variables
Authors: Nedic Mitja
Published: September 2021

In this paper, we give several characterizations of Herglotz–Nevanlinna functions in terms of a specific type of positive semi-definite functions called Poisson-type functions. This allows us to propose a multidimensional analogue of the classical Nevanlinna kernel and a definition of generalized Nevanlinna functions in several variables. Furthermore, a characterization of the symmetric extension of a Herglotz–Nevanlinna function is also given. The subclass of Loewner functions is discussed as well, along with an interpretation of the main result in terms of holomorphic functions on the unit polydisk with non-negative real part.
N-Myc promotes angiogenesis and therapeutic resistance of prostate cancer by TEM8
Authors: Li Mingfeng , Fang Linna , Kwantwi Louis Boafo , He Guifang , Luo Wenwu , Yang Lijie , Huang Yuhang , Yin Shiyuan , Cai Yongping , Ma Wei , Zhan Heqin , Tong Zhuting , Zhang Li , Liang Chaozhao , Yin Yu
Published: September 2021

Although patients with early localized prostate cancer can survive longer, castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) has gradually emerged with the use of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). N-Myc and TEM8 play a vital role in the progression of several cancer types. However, the underlying mechanism of how N-Myc and TEM8 promote the progression of prostate cancer remains unclear. In this study, the expression of N-Myc and TEM8 was detected in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer (PCa) tissues by immunohistochemistry (IHC). LNCaP cell lines were maintained in RPMI 1640 medium supplemented with 10% charcoal-stripped fetal bovine serum. Subsequently, R language software was used to verify our results. Tubule formation assay of human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) was conducted to examine the effect of N-Myc and TEM8 overexpression on angiogenesis in prostate cancer cells. IHC results showed a positive correlation between the expression of N-Myc and TEM8 in prostate cancer tissues. Further analysis showed that N-Myc and TEM8 were associated with clinicopathological features and poor prognosis in prostate cancer patients. Moreover, the overexpression of N-Myc and TEM8 promoted proliferation of prostate cancer cells and angiogenesis. Additionally, N-Myc and TEM8 overexpression was associated with therapeutic resistance. We further found that N-Myc promoted angiogenesis and therapeutic resistance in prostate cancer via TEM8. Hence, targeting N-Myc/TEM8 pathway in prostate cancer would be a novel therapeutic strategy to enhance the treatment of prostate cancer patients.
Association of CDH11 with Autism Spectrum Disorder Revealed by Matched-gene Co-expression Analysis and Mouse Behavioral Studies
Authors: Wu Nan , Wang Yue , Jia Jing-Yan , Pan Yi-Hsuan , Yuan Xiao-Bing
Published: September 2021

A large number of putative risk genes for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been reported. The functions of most of these susceptibility genes in developing brains remain unknown, and causal relationships between their variation and autism traits have not been established. The aim of this study was to predict putative risk genes at the whole-genome level based on the analysis of gene co-expression with a group of high-confidence ASD risk genes (hcASDs). The results showed that three gene features – gene size, mRNA abundance, and guanine-cytosine content – affect the genome-wide co-expression profiles of hcASDs. To circumvent the interference of these features in gene co-expression analysis, we developed a method to determine whether a gene is significantly co-expressed with hcASDs by statistically comparing the co-expression profile of this gene with hcASDs to that of this gene with permuted gene sets of feature-matched genes. This method is referred to as "matched-gene co-expression analysis" (MGCA). With MGCA, we demonstrated the convergence in developmental expression profiles of hcASDs and improved the efficacy of risk gene prediction. The results of analysis of two recently-reported ASD candidate genes, CDH11 and CDH9, suggested the involvement of CDH11, but not CDH9, in ASD. Consistent with this prediction, behavioral studies showed that Cdh11-null mice, but not Cdh9-null mice, have multiple autism-like behavioral alterations. This study highlights the power of MGCA in revealing ASD-associated genes and the potential role of CDH11 in ASD.
Co-occurrence of immature T-lymphoblastic lymphoma and acute myeloid leukemia—microenvironment-dependent lineage differentiation derived from a common progenitor?
Authors: Porpaczy Edit , Sperr Wolfgang R. , Thalhammer Renate , Mitterbauer-Hohendanner Gerlinde , Müllauer Leonhard , Simonitsch-Klupp Ingrid , Schiefer Ana-Iris
Published: September 2021

Mixed phenotype acute leukemia (MPAL) is an uncommon disease characterized by currently only limited knowledge concerning biology, clinical presentation, and treatment outcome. We here describe a most unusual case of simultaneous occurrence of T-lymphoblastic lymphoma in cervical and mediastinal lymph nodes and acute myeloid leukemia in the bone marrow (BM) successfully treated with allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT). Although the blasts in both locations showed additional aberrant expression of other lineage markers (even B-cell markers), diagnostic criteria of MPAL were not fulfilled either in the LN or in the BM. We performed next generation sequencing (NGS) with the objective to look for common genetic aberrations in both tissues. Histology, immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, AML-associated genetic alterations (FLT3, NPM1, KIT D816V, CEPBA), and clonal T-cell receptor β and γ gene rearrangements were performed according to routine diagnostic workflows. Next generation sequencing and Sanger sequencing were additionally performed in BM and LN. Somatic mutation in the EZH2 gene (p.(Arg684Cys)) was detected in the BM by NGS, and the same mutation was found in the LN. Since an identical genetic aberration (EZH2 mutation) was detected in both locations, a common progenitor with regional dependent differentiation may be involved.
Nitrate vulnerability of karst aquifers and associated groundwater-dependent ecosystems in the Baltic region
Authors: Kalvāns Andis , Popovs Konrāds , Priede Agnese , Koit Oliver , Retiķe Inga , Bikše Jānis , Dēliņa Aija , Babre Alise
Published: September 2021

Groundwater pollution by agrochemicals such as nitrogen fertilizers can cause complex biogeochemical transformations to take place in groundwater-dependent ecosystems. To explore the interaction between nitrogen load and groundwater-dependent, spring-fed ecosystems, a study was conducted in Latvia in an area of suspected high nitrate (NO3−) vulnerability due to its geological settings. A map of NO3−vulnerability along the margins of the carbonate aquifer in Latvia is presented. The map is based on a conceptual model that was developed during an extensive case study involving hydrological, hydrochemical, and habitat investigation of springs discharging from a karst aquifer and spring-fed ecosystems. Areas that should be prime targets for restricting fertilizer application are highlighted on the map. Although the case study revealed increased nitrogen pollution (up to 51 mg L−1, standard deviation of 9 mg L−1, in the springs discharging from the karst aquifer), no clear evidence of adverse effects due to NO3−pollution on the groundwater-dependent ecosystems using biotic indicators was found, highlighting the resilience of spring-fed ecosystems against high nitrogen inputs. In the case study, downstream groundwater-dependent ecosystems retained 70% of the reactive nitrogen during the vegetation season, but only a small proportion during the cold season. Thus, NO3−pollution can be partly mitigated by restoring wetlands along valley slopes where natural groundwater discharge takes place. The conceptual model developed for groundwater NO3−vulnerability is applicable to other areas in the Baltic region and other places with similar climatic and geological conditions.
Structural reliability under uncertainty in moments: distributionally-robust reliability-based design optimization
Authors: Kanno Yoshihiro
Published: September 2021

This study considers structural optimization under a reliability constraint, in which the input distribution is only partially known. Specifically, when it is only known that the expected value vector and the variance-covariance matrix of the input distribution belong to a given convex set, it is required that the failure probability of a structure should be no greater than a specified target value for any realization of the input distribution. We demonstrate that this distributionally-robust reliability constraint can be reduced equivalently to deterministic constraints. By using this reduction, we can handle a reliability-based design optimization problem under the distributionally-robust reliability constraint within the framework of deterministic optimization; in particular, nonlinear semidefinite programming. Two numerical examples are solved to demonstrate the relation between the optimal value and either the target reliability or the uncertainty magnitude.
Can you trust clinical practice guidelines for laparoscopic surgery? A systematic review of clinical practice guidelines for laparoscopic surgery
Authors: Leung Jeffrey , Leong Jonathan , Au Yeung Kenneth , Hao Bo Zhen , McCluskey Aled , Kayani Yusuf , Davidson Brian R. , Gurusamy Kurinchi S.
Published: September 2021

Background

Clinical practice guidelines aim to support clinicians in providing clinical care and should be supported by evidence. There is currently no information on whether clinical practice guidelines in laparoscopic surgery are supported by evidence.

Methods

We performed a systematic review and identified clinical practice guidelines of laparoscopic surgery published in PubMed and Embase between March 2016 and February 2019. We performed an independent assessment of the strength of recommendation based on the evidence provided by the guideline authors. We used the ‘Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation II’ (AGREE-II) Tool’s ‘rigour of development’, ‘clarity of presentation’, and ‘editorial independence’ domains to assess the quality of the guidelines. We performed a mixed-effects generalised linear regression modelling.

Results

We retrieved 63 guidelines containing 1905 guideline statements. The median proportion of ‘difference in rating’ of strength of recommendation between the guideline authors and independent assessment was 33.3% (quartiles: 18.3%, 55.8%). The ‘rigour of development’ domain score (odds ratio 0.06; 95% confidence intervals 0.01–0.48 per unit increase in rigour score; P value = 0.0071) and whether the strength of recommendation was ‘strong’ by independent evaluation (odds ratio 0.09 (95% confidence intervals 0.06–0.13; P value < 0.001) were the only determinants of difference in rating between the guideline authors and independent evaluation.

Conclusion

A considerable proportion of guideline statements in clinical practice guidelines in laparoscopic surgery are not supported by evidence. Guideline authors systematically overrated the strength of the recommendation (i.e., even when the evidence points to weak recommendation, guideline authors made strong recommendations).
Pietsch’s variants of s-numbers for multilinear operators
Authors: Fernandez D. L. , Mastyło M. , Silva E. B.
Published: September 2021

We study variants of s-numbers in the context of multilinear operators. The notion of an $$s^{(k)}$$

s

(
k
)

-scale of k-linear operators is defined. In particular, we shall deal with multilinear variants of the $$s^{(k)}$$

s

(
k
)

-scales of the approximation, Gelfand, Hilbert, Kolmogorov and Weyl numbers. We investigate whether the fundamental properties of important s-numbers of linear operators are inherited to the multilinear case. We prove relationships among some $$s^{(k)}$$

s

(
k
)

-numbers of k-linear operators with their corresponding classical Pietsch’s s-numbers of a generalized Banach dual operator, from the Banach dual of the range space to the space of k-linear forms, on the product of the domain spaces of a given k-linear operator.
A novel trust management model for edge computing
Authors: Latif Rabia , Ahmed Malik Uzair , Tahir Shahzaib , Latif Seemab , Iqbal Waseem , Ahmad Awais
Published: September 2021

Edge computing is a distributed architecture that features decentralized processing of data near the source/devices, where data are being generated. These devices are known as Internet of Things (IoT) devices or edge devices. As we continue to rely on IoT devices, the amount of data generated by the IoT devices have increased significantly due to which it has become infeasible to transfer all the data over to the Cloud for processing. Since these devices contain insufficient storage and processing power, it gives rise to the edge computing paradigm. In edge computing data are processed by edge devices and only the required data are sent to the Cloud to increase robustness and decrease overall network overhead. IoT edge devices are inherently suffering from various security risks and attacks causing a lack of trust between devices. To reduce this malicious behavior, a lightweight trust management model is proposed that maintains the trust of a device and manages the service level trust along with quality of service (QoS). The model calculates the overall trust of the devices by using QoS parameters to evaluate the trust of devices through assigned weights. Trust management models using QoS parameters show improved results that can be helpful in identifying malicious edge nodes in edge computing networks and can be used for industrial purposes.
Subcutaneous Uptake on [18F]Florbetaben PET/CT: a Case Report of Possible Amyloid-Beta Immune-Reactivity After COVID-19 Vaccination
Authors: Laudicella Riccardo , Burger Irene Andrea , Panasiti Francesco , Longo Costanza , Scalisi Salvatore , Minutoli Fabio , Baldari Sergio , Grimaldi Luigi Maria Edoardo , Alongi Pierpaolo
Published: September 2021

Introduction

Large-scale worldwide COVID-19 vaccination programs are being rapidly deployed, and high-risk patients with comorbidity are now receiving the first doses of the vaccine. Physicians should be, therefore, aware of new pitfalls associated with the current pandemic vaccination program, also in the case of [18F]Florbetaben PET/CT.

Case Presentation

We described the first image of [18F]Florbetaben PET/CT in the evaluation of a 70-year-old male with suspicious Alzheimer disease and unclear history of heart disease. We detailed the diagnostic imaging PET/CT workup with different findings.

Conclusion

In this case, [18F]Florbetaben PET/CT can demonstrate potential beta-amyloid immune-reactivity and deposition associated with the current COVID-19 pandemic vaccination programs.
Resilience, Perceived Stress, and Depressed Mood in Women Under in Vitro Fertilization Treatment
Authors: Fernandez-Ferrera Carmen , Llaneza-Suarez David , Fernandez-Garcia Daniel , Castañon Vanesa , Llaneza-Suarez Cristina , Llaneza Placido
Published: September 2021

It has been suggested that women who display higher resilience levels may have less psychological distress during IVF. The aim of this study was to evaluate how infertile women deal with perceived stress, depressed mood, and sleep disturbances at the first IVF attempt and after one or more negative IVF outcomes depending on their level of resilience. An observational, cross-sectional study was carried out in a sample of 207 infertile women undergoing IVF procedures. The participants completed the short version of the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), the short version of the European Spanish Version of Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), the Center of Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD-10), and the Jenkins Sleep Scale (JSS). The relationship between CD-RISC scores ranked according to percentiles and mean PSS-10 scores revealed that women with strong resilience had lower perceived stress. After splitting the sample according to CD-RISC percentiles, differences were observed only at the first IVF attempt and the observed protective effect of high resilience scores appears to disappear following a negative IVF outcome. Women with high resilience are less likely to suffer from perceived stress or depressed mood during their first IVF attempt, this protective effect appears to be lost after a negative outcome.
A sustainable model for small towns and peripheral communities: converging elements and qualitative analysis
Authors: Colombo Giovanni
Published: September 2021

The paper’s conceptual framework is the United Nations Agenda 2030 and the long-term Sustainable Development Goals. Scientific work on environmental issues has underlined the urgency and profoundness of the transformations needed to achieve the COP21 global warming thresholds in the short time left. Despite the systemic character of sustainability, most suggested innovation policies do not consider the advantages of an integrated view of environmental and social issues. The paper explores this possibility by analysing the chances of minor centres (small towns and peripheral communities) to combine these challenges in sustainable development models. Transformative innovation steps inspired by the responsible innovation approach are vital instruments to reach that goal. The paper’s conjecture about the minor centres is supported by analysing three main courses in the sustainability route: the conversion to renewable energy, the circular economy, and the digitalisation process. The analysis offers innovation hints for the responsible development of plans such as the Next Generation EU, launched to support Europe’s economic revival in the post-pandemic phase.
Rural young males’ acceptance & receptiveness to technology‐based interventions for dating violence prevention: A qualitative descriptive study
Authors: Emezue Chuka N. , Enriquez Maithe , Dougherty Debbie S. , Bullock Linda F.C. , Bloom Tina L.
Published: September 2021

Introduction

Rural youth are twice as likely as urban youth to experience some forms of teen dating violence (TDV), and significant barriers to accessing support services for physical, psychological, sexual violence. However, rural youth remain understudied and undersampled. Rural young men, in particular, are at risk for experiencing or perpetrating dating violence influenced by regional and sociocultural risk factors that promote male supremacy ideals while also impeding male help‐seeking. Technology‐based interventions circumvent some of these risk factors by offering confidential and reliable support. This study investigates rural young males’ acceptability of technology‐based interventions for fostering healthy relationships and preventing dating abuse, including their preferences for intervention content and features.

Methods

Three online focus groups (n = 14) and phone interviews (n = 13) were conducted with rural young males. Participants were stratified by age (15–17 and 18–24 year‐olds). Most were White (81%) from the United States Midwest (65%). Semi‐structured interview data were analyzed using Qualitative Description (QD), guided by the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT).

Results

Three themes identified were (1) Scarcity of Useful Resources, (2) Socio‐Structural Challenges for Intervention Uptake, with two subthemes (2a) Rural‐Specific Structural Barriers and (2b) Rural Masculinity Disrupting Help‐seeking; (3) Finally, participants discussed Functionality and Design Needs, itemizing their intervention “must‐have” in terms of content, resources, and features.

Conclusion

This qualitative study identified obstacles and facilitators to using technology‐based interventions for dating violence prevention among young rural males and offers pragmatic “ready‐to‐use” recommendations for the development of technology‐based anti‐dating violence interventions for rural youth.
A Single-Cell Transcriptome Atlas of Cashmere Goat Hair Follicle Morphogenesis
Authors: Ge Wei , Zhang Weidong , Zhang Yuelang , Zheng Yujie , Li Fang , Wang Shanhe , Liu Jinwang , Tan Shaojing , Yan Zihui , Wang Lu , Shen Wei , Qu Lei , Wang Xin
Published: September 2021

Cashmere, also known as soft gold, is produced from the secondary hair follicles (SHFs) of cashmere goats. The number of SHFs determines the yield and quality of cashmere; therefore, it is of interest to investigate the transcriptional profiles present during cashmere goat hair follicle development. However, mechanisms underlying this development process remain largely unexplored, and studies regarding hair follicle development mostly use a murine research model. In this study, to provide a comprehensive understanding of cellular heterogeneity and cell fate decisions, single-cell RNA sequencing was performed on 19,705 single cells of the dorsal skin from cashmere goat fetuses at induction (embryonic day 60; E60), organogenesis (E90), and cytodifferentiation (E120) stages. For the first time, unsupervised clustering analysis identified 16 cell clusters, and their corresponding cell types were also characterized. Based on lineage inference, a detailed molecular landscape was revealed along the dermal and epidermal cell lineage developmental pathways. Notably, our current data also confirmed the heterogeneity of dermal papillae from different hair follicle types, which was further validated by immunofluorescence analysis. The current study identifies different biomarkers during cashmere goat hair follicle development and has implications for cashmere goat breeding in the future.
In vitro studies of a silver surgical site dressing, Primaseal ™ post-op silver dressing, and its activity against common wound pathogens
Authors: Edwards-Jones V.
Published: September 2021

ABSTRACT

Surgical site infections can occur in up-to 5% of patients and post-operative surgical site dressings are recommended to help prevent infection. Antibacterial agents are incorporated into some surgical site dressings to help reduce infection. This in vitro study evaluated the performance of PrimaSeal™ Ag+ Post-Op dressing against a commonly used post-surgical comparator dressing (AQUACEL® Ag Surgical) and a variety of wound pathogens over different time periods and in a variety of conditions.

A known concentration of the challenge organisms was added to the test dressing and incubated at 37 °C for varying time periods up to 7 days. The logarithmic reduction of organism numbers was calculated compared to numbers at time O hrs.

The test dressing showed effective antibacterial activity with a 4 log10 reduction seen within 6 h for 5 bacteria tested including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, methicillin resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis and vancomycin resistant Enterococcus faecalis. Additionally, a 4-log10 reduction was observed at 48hrs for Candida albicans. These studies suggest that PrimaSeal™ Ag+ Post-Op dressing had superior ability to reduce organism numbers in a given time period compared to a commonly used comparator dressing (Aquacel ®Ag Surgical).

Highlights
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on underrepresented early-career PhD and physician scientists
Authors: Doyle Jamie M , Morone Natalia E. , Proulx Chelsea N. , Althouse Andrew D. , Rubio Doris M. , Thakar Maya S. , Murrell Audrey J. , White Gretchen E.
Published: September 2021

Underrepresented minorities have higher attrition from the professoriate and have experienced greater negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to compare the impact of COVID-19 on the lives of 196 early-career physician-scientists versus PhD researchers who are underrepresented in biomedical research. Participants in the Building Up study answered questions on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their personal and professional lives, and a mixed-methods approach was used to conduct the analysis. While most participants experienced increases in overall stress (72% of PhD researchers vs 76% of physician-scientists), physician-scientists reported that increased clinical demands, research delays, and the potential to expose family members to SARS-CoV-2 caused psychological distress, specifically. PhD researchers, more than physician-scientists, reported increased productivity (27% vs 9%), schedule flexibilities (49% vs 25%), and more quality time with friends and family (40% vs 24%). Future studies should consider assessing the effectiveness of programs addressing COVID-19-related challenges experienced by PhD researchers and physician-scientists, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds.
Buoyancy-driven instabilities of partially miscible fluids in inclined porous media
Authors: Emami-Meybodi Hamid , Zhang Fengyuan
Published: September 2021

This study presents a buoyancy-driven stability analysis in a three-dimensional inclined porous medium with a capillary transition zone that is formed between a non-wetting and an underlying wetting phase. In this two-phase, two-component, partially miscible system, a solute from a non-wetting phase diffuses into a porous layer saturated with a wetting-phase fluid, creating a dense diffusive boundary layer beneath an established capillary transition zone. Transient concentration and gravity-driven velocity fields are derived for the wetting phase while the saturation field remains fixed. Linear stability analysis with the quasi-steady-state approximation is employed to determine the onset of solutal convective instability for buoyancy-dominant, in-transition and capillary-dominant systems. The analysis of the problem leads to a differential eigenvalue problem composed of a system of three complex-valued equations that are numerically solved to determine the critical times, critical wavenumbers and neutral stability curves as a function of inclination angle for different Bond numbers. The layer inclination is shown to play an essential role in the stability of the problem, where the gravity-driven flow removes solute concentrations in the diffusive boundary layer. The results indicate that the horizontal porous layer exhibits the fastest onset of instability, and longitudinal rolls are always more unstable than oblique and transverse rolls. The inclination angle has a more substantial impact on stabilizing the diffusive boundary layer in the buoyancy-dominant than in the capillary-dominant systems. Furthermore, for both buoyancy-dominant and capillary-dominant systems, the critical times and wavenumbers vary exponentially with inclination angle ≤ 60° and follow the Stirling model.
Restricting carbohydrates and calories in the treatment of type 2 diabetes: a systematic review of the effectiveness of ‘low-carbohydrate’ interventions with differing energy levels
Authors: Nicholas Anna P. , Soto-Mota Adrian , Lambert Helen , Collins Adam L.
Published: September 2021

There are two proven dietary approaches to shift type 2 diabetes (T2D) into remission: low-energy diets (LEDs) and low-carbohydrate diets (LCDs). These approaches differ in their rationale and application yet both involve carbohydrate restriction, either as an explicit goal or as a consequence of reducing overall energy intake. The aims of this systematic review were to identify, characterise and compare existing clinical trials that utilised ‘low-carbohydrate’ interventions with differing energy intakes. Electronic databases CENTRAL, CINAHL, Embase, MEDLINE and Scopus were searched to identify controlled clinical trials in adults with T2D involving low-carbohydrate intake (defined as <130 g carbohydrate/d) and reporting weight and glycaemic outcomes. The initial database search yielded 809 results, of which fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Nine out of fifteen studies utilised LCDs with moderate or unrestricted energy intake. Six trials utilised LEDs (<1200 kcal/d), with all except one incorporating meal replacements as part of a commercial weight loss programme. Interventions using both restricted and unrestricted (ad libitum) energy intakes produced clinically significant weight loss and reduction in glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) at study endpoints. Trials that restricted energy intake were not superior to those that allowed ad libitum low-carbohydrate feeding at 12 and 24 months. An association was observed across studies between average weight loss and reduction in HbA1c at 6, 12 and 24 months, indicating that sustained weight loss is key to T2D remission. Further research is needed to specifically ascertain the weight-independent effects of carbohydrate restriction on glycaemic control in T2D.
Fasting, non-fasting and postprandial triglycerides for screening cardiometabolic risk
Authors: Keirns Bryant H. , Sciarrillo Christina M. , Koemel Nicholas A. , Emerson Sam R.
Published: September 2021

Fasting triacylglycerols have long been associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and other cardiometabolic conditions. Evidence suggests that non-fasting triglycerides (i.e. measured within 8 h of eating) better predict CVD than fasting triglycerides, which has led several organisations to recommend non-fasting lipid panels as the new clinical standard. However, unstandardised assessment protocols associated with non-fasting triglyceride measurement may lead to misclassification, with at-risk individuals being overlooked. A third type of triglyceride assessment, postprandial testing, is more controlled, yet historically has been difficult to implement due to the time and effort required to execute it. Here, we review differences in assessment, the underlying physiology and the pathophysiological relevance of elevated fasting, non-fasting and postprandial triglycerides. We also present data suggesting that there may be a distinct advantage of postprandial triglycerides, even over non-fasting triglycerides, for early detection of CVD risk and offer suggestions to make postprandial protocols more clinically feasible.
Revisiting mechanics of ice–skate friction: from experiments at a skating rink to a unified hypothesis
Authors: Lever James H. , Lines Austin P. , Taylor Susan , Hoch Garrett R. , Asenath-Smith Emily , Sodhi Devinder S.
Published: September 2021

The mechanics underlying ice–skate friction remain uncertain despite over a century of study. In the 1930s, the theory of self-lubrication from frictional heat supplanted an earlier hypothesis that pressure melting governed skate friction. More recently, researchers have suggested that a layer of abraded wear particles or the presence of quasi-liquid molecular layers on the surface of ice could account for its slipperiness. Here, we assess the dominant hypotheses proposed to govern ice–skate friction and describe experiments conducted in an indoor skating rink aimed to provide observations to test these hypotheses. Our results indicate that the brittle failure of ice under rapid compression plays a strong role. Our observations did not confirm the presence of full-contact water films and are more consistent with the presence of lubricating ice-rich slurries at discontinuous high-pressure zones (HPZs). The presence of ice-rich slurries supporting skates through HPZs merges pressure-melting, abrasion and lubricating films as a unified hypothesis for why skates are so slippery across broad ranges of speeds, temperatures and normal loads. We suggest tribometer experiments to overcome the difficulties of investigating these processes during actual skating trials.
Encierros ganaderos en la frontera colonial de la Banda Oriental: El caso de los corrales de palmas del sureste del Uruguay
Authors: Dabezies Juan Martin , Marín Suárez Carlos , Bañobre Cristina , del Puerto Laura , Rodríguez Iroldi Facundo
Published: September 2021

Este trabajo está centrado en el estudio de una de las primeras formas de manejo ganadero de la época colonial en la Banda Oriental. Aborda específicamente el análisis de un conjunto de corrales de palmas ubicados en el sureste del Uruguay, en la frontera con Brasil. Está basado en un enfoque interdisciplinar en el que se combinó el trabajo con la población local, el análisis historiográfico, la prospección remota y sobre el terreno, el análisis morfométrico de la totalidad de los corrales y las palmas que los componen, y el análisis fisicoquímico del sedimento (análisis de fosfatos y partículas biosilíceas). El artículo propone que estas estructuras son uno de los cerramientos ganaderos más antiguos (siglos diecisiete y dieciocho) de la Banda Oriental, vinculados a formas indígenas de manejo vegetal y animal que se fueron reajustando durante la colonización europea de este sector fronterizo del Cono Sur de América.