bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An effective stereo SLAM with high-level primitives in underwater environment
Authors: Xu Shuo , Ma Teng , Li Ye , Ding Shuoshuo , Gao Jingxuan , Xia Jiahao , Qi Haodong , Gu Huayu
Published: July 2023

Visual simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) algorithms face challenges in complex underwater scenarios, such as turbidity, dynamism, and low texture, where point features are unreliable and can lead to weakened or even failed systems. To overcome these issues, high-level object features are considered due to their accuracy and robustness. In this paper, we introduce an effective object-level SLAM method that employs a stereo camera to enhance the navigation robustness of autonomous underwater vehicles and generates a detailed semantic map. Point features and object features are integrated to serve the proposed approach. We begin by detecting 2D objects in images using a state-of-the-art neural network, followed by obtaining 3D objects described by the general model through the principle of multi-view geometry and eventually constructing semantic landmarks. To account for object data association, we present an object match method that takes into consideration the stereo camera characteristics in a single stereo frame and a filter-based approach to track the landmarks in odometry. Experiments are also conducted using the KITTI dataset and our sequences collected from the pool and coast. The evaluation results indicate that the proposed method can improve the performance of ORBSLAM2 in terms of both navigation robustness and mapping information in underwater scenarios.
An efficient method of pavement distress detection based on improved YOLOv7
Authors: Yi Cancan , Liu Jun , Huang Tao , Xiao Han , Guan Hui
Published: July 2023

Pavements play a pivotal role in infrastructure construction, so pavement distress detection (PDD) will greatly affect pavement service life and vehicle operation safety. Traditional manual detection and computer detection methods have such disadvantages as low efficiency, high cost and error-proneness. Thus, they are not suitable for high-speed detection tasks due to a large number of defects. Defect detection methods based on deep learning can achieve end-to-end target detection, generalize and monitor targets in real time. On such a basis, this paper has proposed an efficient method of PDD based on improved YOLOv7. YOLOv7, which is the best-performing object detection model in the YOLO series, is known for its high efficiency, strong scalability, and support for panoramic detection. It lays a solid foundation for enhancing PDD models. In this paper, this model will be improved based on model speed and accuracy. Firstly, SimAM attention module is employed to weight feature images, which has greatly improved model accuracy. Secondly, Ghost module in place of a partial deep convolution module is used to improve model running speed. Then, SIoU, instead of the original localization loss function, is performed to optimize the model training process. Finally, the proposed improved YOLOv7 model is applied to different road defect datasets and compared with other methods, such as Faster R-CNN, CenterNet, DETR, YOLOv6 and the original YOLOv7 model. The results show that the proposed method has ubiquitous advantages over the above-mentioned methods, with the average mAP, F1 value and FPS value of 85.8%, 0.697 and 62.13 fps respectively. Furthermore, the values of the parameters Params and FLOPs also decrease to some degree.
CMOS design of a capacitively isolated AC switch driver for auto-turning frequency
Authors: Zhang M , Llaser N
Published: July 2023

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Benefiting from technological advances, new approaches for treatment are being proposed, studied and tested. High intensity focused ultrasounds (HIFU) is one of them. To further improve the performance of such a system, using integrated driver to ultrasound transducers is one step forward. To reach this goal, several design challenges must be overcome: the driver design must be compatible with complementry metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology; it also must be compatible with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) equipment used for treatment monitoring; and it should be immune to the floating ground necessary for AC-switch implementation for some specific implementation. In this article, a new AC-switch driver used within a HIFU system for a resonant circuit autotuning is proposed. A capacitive isolation is chosen so that the designed driver is compatible with both CMOS technology and MRI. It is designed in a CMOS HV 0.35 μm. The simulation results have shown that with just a 10 ns delay, or 1% of the control signal cycle, this system may run with a floating ground that can reach 180 Vpp with respect to the main ground, leading to a relative inaccuracy of 0.065% of the resonance frequency of the tank circuit. The design is well balanced so that it minimizes the carrier frequency, power consumption, and created signal latency. By using the proposed active biasing circuit, the system’s power usage is further cut in half while still maintaining a floating ground voltage of 160 Vpp, which is sufficient for our needs.
Invariant measures for stochastic conservation laws on the line
Authors: Drivas Theodore D , Dunlap Alexander , Graham Cole , La Joonhyun , Ryzhik Lenya
Published: July 2023

We consider a stochastic conservation law on the line with solution-dependent diffusivity, a super-linear, sub-quadratic Hamiltonian, and smooth, spatially-homogeneous kick-type random forcing. We show that this Markov process admits a unique ergodic spatially-homogeneous invariant measure for each mean in a non-explicit unbounded set. This generalises previous work on the stochastic Burgers equation.
Generalist dietary responses to individual versus combined plant toxin odors: an African elephant study
Authors: Bester Twané , Schmitt Melissa H , Shrader Adrian M
Published: July 2023

The detoxification limitation hypothesis posits that, unless plant defense compounds interact synergistically or additively to increase their harmful effects, generalist herbivores will prefer consuming combinations of these compounds more than singular compounds. Monoterpenes are odoriferous defense compounds that may be toxic to mammalian herbivores when ingested in sufficient quantities. Previous research has shown that the addition of individual monoterpenes to food sources reduces consumption by generalist mammalian herbivores. By using African elephants as a case study, we aimed to determine whether odors from monoterpene combinations (i.e., two or more monoterpenes) also deter generalist mammalian herbivory, and whether generalist herbivores prefer the odors of monoterpene combinations more than individual monoterpenes. First, we tested whether the odor of monoterpene combinations that resemble the monoterpene profiles of a high-acceptability, intermediate-acceptability, and low-acceptability plant deter herbivory. We found that elephants preferred plants without the added odors of the monoterpene combinations. Second, we explored how elephants responded to individual monoterpenes found within the combinations compared with the combinations at the same set concentration, and found that the elephants did not always prefer the combinations more than the individual monoterpenes. Moreover, the more diverse the combination, the less frequently it was preferred when compared with the individual monoterpene odors. Our results imply that generalist herbivores do not necessarily prefer combinations of plant chemical defenses at comparatively lower concentrations and that, consequently, the composition and diversity of monoterpene profiles in plants likely determine the efficacy of these compounds as an olfactory defense against mammalian herbivory.
Insights from managing clinical issues in distal pancreatectomy with en bloc coeliac axis resection: experiences from 626 patients
Authors: Nakamura Toru , Okada Ken-Ichi , Ohtsuka Masayuki , Higuchi Ryota , Takahashi Hidenori , Nagai Kazuyuki , Unno Michiaki , Murakami Yoshiaki , Oba Atsushi , Tomikawa Moriaki , Kato Atsushi , Horiguchi Akihiko , Nakamura Masafumi , Yagi Shintaro , Satoi Sohei , Endo Itaru , Amano Ryosuke , Matsumoto Ippei , Ito Yoichi M , Nagakawa Takukazu , Hirano Satoshi
Published: July 2023

Background

Distal pancreatectomy with en bloc coeliac axis resection (DP-CAR) for pancreatic body cancer has been reported increasingly. However, its large-scale outcomes remain undocumented. This study aimed to evaluate DP-CAR volume and mortality, preoperative arterial embolization for ischaemic gastropathy, the oncological benefit for resectable tumours close to the bifurcation of the splenic artery and coeliac artery using propensity score matching, and prognostic factors in DP-CAR.

Methods

In a multi-institutional analysis, 626 DP-CARs were analysed retrospectively and compared with 1325 distal pancreatectomies undertaken in the same interval.

Results

Ninety-day mortality was observed in 7 of 21 high-volume centres (1 or more DP-CARs per year) and 1 of 41 low-volume centres (OR 20.00, 95 per cent c.i. 2.26 to 177.26). The incidence of ischaemic gastropathy was 19.2 per cent in the embolization group and 7.9 per cent in the no-embolization group (OR 2.77, 1.48 to 5.19). Propensity score matching analysis showed that median overall survival was 33.5 (95 per cent c.i. 27.4 to 42.0) months in the DP-CAR and 37.9 (32.8 to 53.3) months in the DP group. Multivariable analysis identified age at least 67 years (HR 1.40, 95 per cent c.i. 1.12 to 1.75), preoperative tumour size 30 mm or more (HR 1.42, 1.12 to 1.80), and preoperative carbohydrate antigen 19-9 level over 37 units/ml (HR 1.43, 1.11 to 1.83) as adverse prognostic factors.

Conclusion

DP-CAR can be performed safely in centres for general pancreatic surgery regardless of DP-CAR volume, and preoperative embolization may not be required. This procedure has no oncological advantage for resectable tumour close to the bifurcation of the splenic artery, and should be performed after appropriate patient selection.
Baseline left atrial low-voltage area predicts recurrence after pulmonary vein isolation: WAVE-MAP AF results
Authors: Starek Zdenek , Di Cori Andrea , Betts Timothy R , Clerici Gael , Gras Daniel , Lyan Evgeny , Della Bella Paolo , Li Jingyun , Hack Benjamin , Zitella Verbick Laura , Sommer Philipp
Published: July 2023

Aims

Electro-anatomical mapping may be critical to identify atrial fibrillation (AF) subjects who require substrate modification beyond pulmonary vein isolation (PVI). The objective was to determine correlations between pre-ablation mapping characteristics and 12-month outcomes after a single PVI-only catheter ablation of AF.

Methods and results

This study enrolled paroxysmal AF (PAF), early persistent AF (PsAF; 7 days–3 months), and non-early PsAF (>3–12 months) subjects undergoing de novo PVI-only radiofrequency catheter ablation. Sinus rhythm (SR) and AF voltage maps were created with the Advisor HD Grid™ Mapping Catheter, Sensor Enabled™ for each subject, and the presence of low-voltage area (LVA) (low-voltage cutoffs: 0.1–1.5 mV) was investigated. Follow-up visits were at 3, 6, and 12 months, with a 24-h Holter monitor at 12 months. A Cox proportional hazards model identified associations between mapping data and 12-month recurrence after a single PVI procedure. The study enrolled 300 subjects (113 PAF, 86 early PsAF, and 101 non-early PsAF) at 18 centres. At 12 months, 75.5% of subjects were free from AF/atrial flutter (AFL)/atrial tachycardia (AT) recurrence. Univariate analysis found that arrhythmia recurrence did not correlate with AF diagnosis, but LVA was significantly correlated. Low-voltage area (<0.5 mV) >28% of the left atrium in SR [hazard ratio (HR): 4.82, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.08–11.18; P = 0.0003] and >72% in AF (HR: 5.66, 95% CI: 2.34–13.69; P = 0.0001) was associated with a higher risk of AF/AFL/AT recurrence at 12 months.

Conclusion

Larger extension of LVA was associated with an increased risk of arrhythmia recurrence. These subjects may benefit from substrate modification beyond PVI.
Manual vs. automatic assessment of the QT-interval and corrected QT
Authors: Neumann Benjamin , Vink A Suzanne , Hermans Ben J M , Lieve Krystien V V , Cömert Didem , Beckmann Britt-Maria , Clur Sally-Ann B , Blom Nico A , Delhaas Tammo , Wilde Arthur A M , Kääb Stefan , Postema Pieter G , Sinner Moritz F
Published: July 2023

Aims

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is challenging to predict. Electrocardiogram (ECG)-derived heart rate-corrected QT-interval (QTc) is used for SCD-risk assessment. QTc is preferably determined manually, but vendor-provided automatic results from ECG recorders are convenient. Agreement between manual and automatic assessments is unclear for populations with aberrant QTc. We aimed to systematically assess pairwise agreement of automatic and manual QT-intervals and QTc.

Methods and results

A multi-centre cohort enriching aberrant QTc comprised ECGs of healthy controls and long-QT syndrome (LQTS) patients. Manual QT-intervals and QTc were determined by the tangent and threshold methods and compared to automatically generated, vendor-provided values. We assessed agreement globally by intra-class correlation coefficients and pairwise by Bland–Altman analyses and 95% limits of agreement (LoA). Further, manual results were compared to a novel automatic QT-interval algorithm. ECGs of 1263 participants (720 LQTS patients; 543 controls) were available [median age 34 (inter-quartile range 35) years, 55% women]. Comparing cohort means, automatic and manual QT-intervals and QTc were similar. However, pairwise Bland–Altman-based agreement was highly discrepant. For QT-interval, LoAs spanned 95 (tangent) and 92 ms (threshold), respectively. For QTc, the spread was 108 and 105 ms, respectively. LQTS patients exhibited more pronounced differences. For automatic QTc results from 440–540 ms (tangent) and 430–530 ms (threshold), misassessment risk was highest. Novel automatic QT-interval algorithms may narrow this range.

Conclusion

Pairwise vendor-provided automatic and manual QT-interval and QTc results can be highly discrepant. Novel automatic algorithms may improve agreement. Within the above ranges, automatic QT-interval and QTc results require manual confirmation, particularly if T-wave morphology is challenging.
The MillenniumTNG project: the galaxy population at z ≥ 8
Authors: Kannan Rahul , Springel Volker , Hernquist Lars , Pakmor Rüdiger , Delgado Ana Maria , Hadzhiyska Boryana , Hernández-Aguayo César , Barrera Monica , Ferlito Fulvio , Bose Sownak , White Simon D M , Frenk Carlos , Smith Aaron , Garaldi Enrico
Published: July 2023

The early release science results from JWST have yielded an unexpected abundance of high-redshift luminous galaxies that seems to be in tension with current theories of galaxy formation. However, it is currently difficult to draw definitive conclusions form these results as the sources have not yet been spectroscopically confirmed. It is in any case important to establish baseline predictions from current state-of-the-art galaxy formation models that can be compared and contrasted with these new measurements. In this work, we use the new large-volume ($L_\mathrm{box}\sim 740 \, \mathrm{cMpc}$) hydrodynamic simulation of the MillenniumTNG project, suitably scaled to match results from higher resolution – smaller volume simulations, to make predictions for the high-redshift (z ≳ 8) galaxy population and compare them to recent JWST observations. We show that the simulated galaxy population is broadly consistent with observations until z ∼ 10. From z ≈ 10–12, the observations indicate a preference for a galaxy population that is largely dust-free, but is still consistent with the simulations. Beyond z ≳ 12, however, our simulation results underpredict the abundance of luminous galaxies and their star-formation rates by almost an order of magnitude. This indicates either an incomplete understanding of the new JWST data or a need for more sophisticated galaxy formation models that account for additional physical processes such as Population III stars, variable stellar initial mass functions, or even deviations from the standard ΛCDM model. We emphasize that any new process invoked to explain this tension should only significantly influence the galaxy population beyond z ≳ 10, while leaving the successful galaxy formation predictions of the fiducial model intact below this redshift.
Numerical quantification of the wind properties of cool main sequence stars
Authors: Chebly Judy J , Alvarado-Gómez Julián D , Poppenhäger Katja , Garraffo Cecilia
Published: July 2023

As a cool star evolves, it loses mass and angular momentum due to magnetized stellar winds that affect its rotational evolution. This change has consequences that range from the alteration of its activity to influences over the atmosphere of any orbiting planet. Despite their importance, observations constraining the properties of stellar winds in cool stars are extremely limited. Therefore, numerical simulations provide a valuable way to understand the structure and properties of these winds. In this work, we simulate the magnetized winds of 21 cool main-sequence stars (F-type to M-dwarfs) using a state-of-the-art 3D MHD code driven by observed large-scale magnetic field distributions. We perform a qualitative and quantitative characterization of our solutions, analysing the dependencies between the driving conditions (e.g. spectral type, rotation, and magnetic field strength) and the resulting stellar wind parameters (e.g. Alfvén surface size, mass-loss rate, angular momentum loss rate, and stellar wind speeds). We compare our models with the current observational knowledge on stellar winds in cool stars and explore the behaviour of the mass-loss rate as a function of the Rossby number. Furthermore, our 3D models encompass the entire classical Habitable Zones (HZ) of all the stars in our sample. This allows us to provide the stellar wind dynamic pressure at both edges of the HZ and analyse the variations of this parameter across spectral type and orbital inclination. The results here presented could serve to inform future studies of stellar wind-magnetosphere interactions and stellar wind erosion of planetary atmospheres via ion escape processes.
Glycidamide-induced hypermutation in yeast single-stranded DNA reveals a ubiquitous clock-like mutational motif in humans
Authors: Hudson Kathleen M , Klimczak Leszek J , Sterling Joan F , Burkholder Adam B , Kazanov Marat D , Saini Natalie , Mieczkowski Piotr A , Gordenin Dmitry A
Published: July 2023

Mutagens often prefer specific nucleotides or oligonucleotide motifs that can be revealed by studying the hypermutation spectra in single-stranded (ss) DNA. We utilized a yeast model to explore mutagenesis by glycidamide, a simple epoxide formed endogenously in humans from the environmental toxicant acrylamide. Glycidamide caused ssDNA hypermutation in yeast predominantly in cytosines and adenines. The most frequent mutations in adenines occurred in the nAt→nGt trinucleotide motif. Base substitutions A→G in this motif relied on Rev1 translesion polymerase activity. Inactivating Rev1 did not alter the nAt trinucleotide preference, suggesting it may be an intrinsic specificity of the chemical reaction between glycidamide and adenine in the ssDNA. We found this mutational motif enriched in published sequencing data from glycidamide-treated mouse cells and ubiquitous in human cancers. In cancers, this motif was positively correlated with the single base substitution (SBS) smoking-associated SBS4 signature, with the clock-like signatures SBS1, SBS5, and was strongly correlated with smoking history and with age of tumor donors. Clock-like feature of the motif was also revealed in cells of human skin and brain. Given its pervasiveness, we propose that this mutational motif reflects mutagenic lesions to adenines in ssDNA from a potentially broad range of endogenous and exogenous agents.
Introduction
Authors: Bradley Miriam
Published: July 2023

The introduction provides a brief critical analysis of the concept of the humanitarian emergency and of the main types of contemporary humanitarian crisis, namely, disasters, famine, health crises, and conflict and violence. Humanitarian emergencies are invariably at least partially human-made because the impacts of even the most natural phenomena are shaped by the economic, political, and social context. However, the Western public imagination generally does not understand humanitarian emergencies as political in nature, and the complexity of their economic, political, and social causes is rarely well understood. Humanitarian emergencies are socially constructed and viewing a disaster, famine, conflict, or other event through a humanitarian emergency lens implies a particular understanding of the problem and the corresponding solution. Through a process of humanitarianization, certain privileged actors—above all, humanitarian agencies and the media—convince international publics and donors that, as the result of a particular event, a group of people face serious threats to their lives or well-being and that their suffering can, and should, be alleviated by distant others. Often using visual imagery that emphasizes the suffering victim, this process tends to decontextualize and depoliticize. Invoking pity, it mobilizes a charitable response focused on addressing the symptoms rather than the causes of crisis. While the boundaries of what constitutes a humanitarian emergency or response are not entirely clear, the charitable imperative distinguishes humanitarianism from human rights work, with its focus on accountability, and from development programming, with its focus on addressing the structural causes of suffering over the longer term.
Indian Ocean Tsunami, 2004
Authors: Bradley Miriam
Published: July 2023

Chapter 7 examines the international humanitarian response to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, with particular attention to the two worst-affected countries—Indonesia and Sri Lanka. The tsunami was one of the deadliest natural disasters in living memory, and the response from the global public was unprecedented, with many humanitarian agencies receiving more funding than they knew how to spend. The huge amounts of funding were matched by huge numbers of organizations and relief workers arriving in the affected countries, although the need for such a large-scale international response was not self-evident nor grounded in needs assessment. Instead, it reflected preconceptions among international aid agencies and media about humanitarian needs and local capacity and overestimated both the need for emergency assistance and the ability of humanitarian agencies to go beyond that to recovery and rehabilitation. There was a rapid transition from relief to recovery and rehabilitation, which was widely seen as the right thing in principle but as not working so well in practice, raising questions about whether humanitarian agencies are the right actors beyond emergency response. Promises to ‘build back better’ (BBB) went mostly unfulfilled, with replacement assets sometimes poorly targeted and not always appropriate for local conditions, and recovery efforts overall following a technocratic approach which was insensitive to the wider social and economic context and risked exacerbating inequality, poverty, and conflict.
Famine in Somalia, 2011–2012
Authors: Bradley Miriam
Published: July 2023

Chapter 10 examines the international humanitarian response to famine in Somalia in 2011 and 2012. The famine was triggered by drought and rapidly increasing food prices, and its underlying causes included long-running conflict and an underlying livelihoods crisis compounded by a weak and delayed international response. Reliable warnings with alarming predictions were issued from August 2010 and international actors could have responded much sooner. However, a combination of international counter-terror legislation, restrictions imposed by Al-Shabaab, and access constraints relating to insecurity served to delay the response. Donors and operational agencies largely saw the risks of action as outweighing the risks of inaction until the declaration of famine in July 2011, when the equation was reversed and a vigorous response mobilized. The famine declaration prompted immediate mobilization of funds, with funding for Somalia almost doubling overnight. By definition, this was too late—once conditions reach the threshold of famine, lives have been lost and irreversible damage has been done. Furthermore, even when funding was significantly increased, the conflict and political context limited the scale of humanitarian activities possible, slowed their implementation, and made the impartial targeting of assistance difficult. The reduced presence of food aid actors meant that large-scale food aid was not an option, but cash transfers offered a way to overcome some of the political and logistical challenges, and aid agencies implemented one of the world’s largest ever cash transfer programmes. This served not only immediate food security goals by supporting purchasing power but also contributed to productive livelihoods.
Overlapping and specialized roles of tomato phytoene synthases in carotenoid and abscisic acid production
Authors: Ezquerro Miguel , Burbano-Erazo Esteban , Rodriguez-Concepcion Manuel
Published: July 2023

Carotenoids are plastidial isoprenoids required for photoprotection and phytohormone production in all plants. In tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), carotenoids also provide color to flowers and ripe fruit. Phytoene synthase (PSY) catalyzes the first and main flux-controlling step of the carotenoid pathway. Three genes encoding PSY isoforms are present in tomato, PSY1 to PSY3. Mutants have shown that PSY1 is the isoform providing carotenoids for fruit pigmentation, but it is dispensable in photosynthetic tissues. No mutants are available for PSY2 or PSY3, but their expression profiles suggest a main role for PSY2 in leaves and PSY3 in roots. To further investigate isoform specialization with genetic tools, we created gene-edited lines defective in PSY1 and PSY2 in the MicroTom background. The albino phenotype of lines lacking both PSY1 and PSY2 confirmed that PSY3 does not contribute to carotenoid biosynthesis in shoot tissues. Our work further showed that carotenoid production in tomato shoots relies on both PSY1 and PSY2 but with different contributions in different tissues. PSY2 is the main isoform for carotenoid biosynthesis in leaf chloroplasts, but PSY1 is also important in response to high light. PSY2 also contributes to carotenoid production in flower petals and, to a lesser extent, fruit chromoplasts. Most interestingly, our results demonstrate that fruit growth is controlled by abscisic acid (ABA) specifically produced in the pericarp from PSY1-derived carotenoid precursors, whereas PSY2 is the main isoform associated with ABA synthesis in seeds and salt-stressed roots.
Predictors of Outcomes After Lumbar Intra-Articular Facet Joint Injections and Medial Branch Blocks
Authors: Acosta Julbe José I. , Mandell Jacob C. , Ermann Joerg , Isaac Zacharia , Gottreich Julia R. , Zampini Jay M. , DeFilipp Miriam , Andrew Michael N. , Katz Jeffrey N.
Published: July 2023

Study design.

A scoping review.

Objective.

We aimed to identify and describe the factors associated with the patient-reported response after lumbar intra-articular facet joint (FJ) injections or medial branch blocks (MBBs).

Summary of Background Data.

FJ osteoarthritis is among the most common causes of chronic low back pain. Management often includes FJ intra-articular injection and MBBs (which may be followed by radiofrequency ablation of the nerves innervating these joints). However, the success of these approaches is variable, prompting interest in identifying patient characteristics (imaging features, clinical signs, and among others) associated with response to these types of facet injections.

Materials and Methods.

We performed a literature search on factors associated with patient-reported outcomes after lumbar FJ intra-articular injections or MBBs for patients with low back pain published in English or Spanish between 2000 and 2023. We excluded duplicate papers that did not describe factors associated with outcomes or those describing other interventions. We collected data on the association of these factors with patient-reported outcomes.

Results.

Thirty-seven studies met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. These studies evaluated factors, such as age, depression, and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), and among variables. Age and imaging findings of facet arthropathy were the most frequently described factors. Imaging findings of FJ arthropathy and positive SPECT were often associated with positive results after intra-articular FJ injections or MBBs. In contrast, younger age and smoking were frequently associated with less favorable clinical outcomes.

Conclusion.

Numerous factors were considered in the 37 studies included in this review. Imaging findings of facet arthropathy, duration of pain, and positive SPECT were consistently associated with favorable results after facet interventions.
Closed-chamber Suction-assisted Fat Harvest: An Innovative Technique in Resource-limited Settings
Authors: Chandrasekar Shruthi , Manas Raj Kumar
Published: July 2023

Autologous fat grafting is one of the most commonly performed procedures, not only for cosmetic reasons, but in a variety of reconstructive procedures like correction of contour deformities and treatment of scars. The Coleman technique has been traditionally described as one of the efficient methods of fat harvest, where 10 mL syringes connected with a liposuction cannula are used for the manual harvest of fat; although it is a widely used technique, it becomes time-consuming and tiring when a large amount of fat has to be harvested. To overcome this issue, we have devised a simple, cost-effective, quicker method in resource-limited settings by using a 500-mL normal saline bottle as a closed chamber, which is in turn connected to a suction tube. The liposuction cannula is connected to a tube that is inserted into this closed chamber, where fat is aspirated and collected. Using this technique, a large amount of fat can be easily harvested in less time and with less effort, without damaging the adipocytes.
Fast, automated, continuous energy scans for experimental phasing at the BioMAX beamline
Authors: Gorgisyan Ishkhan , Bell Paul , Cascella Michele , Eguiraun Mikel , Freitas Áureo , Lidon-Simon Julio , Nan Jie , Takahashi Carla , Tarawneh Hamed , Ursby Thomas , Gonzalez Ana
Published: July 2023

In X-ray macromolecular crystallography (MX), single-wavelength anomalous dispersion (SAD) and multi-wavelength anomalous dispersion (MAD) techniques are commonly used for obtaining experimental phases. For an MX synchrotron beamline to support SAD and MAD techniques it is a prerequisite to have a reliable, fast and well automated energy scan routine. This work reports on a continuous energy scan procedure newly implemented at the BioMAX MX beamline at MAX IV Laboratory. The continuous energy scan is fully automated, capable of measuring accurate fluorescence counts over the absorption edge of interest while minimizing the sample exposure to X-rays, and is about a factor of five faster compared with a conventional step scan previously operational at BioMAX. The implementation of the continuous energy scan facilitates the prompt access to the anomalous scattering data, required for the SAD and MAD experiments.
Diastereotopic groups in two new single-enantiomer structures (R
2)P(O)[NH-(+)CH(C2H5)(C6H5)] (R = OC6H5 and C6H5)
Authors: Eslami Farnaz , Pourayoubi Mehrdad , Sabbaghi Fahimeh , Skořepová Eliška , Dušek Michal , Baniyaghoob Sahar
Published: July 2023

The crystal structures of two single-enantiomer compounds, i.e. diphenyl [(R)-(+)-α-ethylbenzylamido]phosphate, C21H22NO3P or (C6H5O)2P(O)[NH-(R)-(+)CH(C2H5)(C6H5)] (I), and N-[(R)-(+)-α-ethylbenzyl]-P,P-diphenylphosphinic amide, C21H22NOP or (C6H5)2P(O)[NH-R-(+)CH(C2H5)(C6H5)] (II), were studied. The different environments at the phosphorus atoms, (O)2P(O)(N) and (C)2P(O)(N), allow the P=O/P—N bond strengths to be compared, as well as the N—H...O=P hydrogen-bond strengths, and P=O/N—H vibrations. The following characteristics related to diastereotopic C6H5O/C6H5 groups in I/II were considered: geometry parameters, contributions to the crystal packing, solution 13C/1H NMR chemical shifts, conformations, and NMR coupling constants. The phosphorus-carbon coupling constants
nJ
PC (n = 2 and 3) in I and
mJ
PC (m = 1, 2, 3 and 4) in II were evaluated. For a comparative study, chiral analogous structures were retrieved from the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) and their geometries and conformations are discussed.
Reconsidering patient‐centred care: Authority, expertise and abandonment
Authors: Pilnick Alison
Published: July 2023

Patient‐centred care is commonly framed as a means to guard against the problem of medical paternalism, exemplified in historical attitudes of ‘doctor knows best’. In this sense, patient‐centred care (PCC) is often regarded as a moral imperative. Reviews of its adoption in healthcare settings do not find any consistent improvement in health outcomes; however, these results are generally interpreted as pointing to the need for more or ‘better’ training for staff, rather than raising more fundamental questions. Patient autonomy is generally foregrounded in conceptualizations of PCC, to be actualized through the exercising of choice and control. But examining healthcare interaction in practice shows that when professionals attempt to enact these underpinnings, it often results in the sidelining of medical expertise that patients want or need. The outcome is that patients can feel abandoned to make decisions they feel unqualified to make, or even that care standards may not be met. This helps to explain why PCC has not produced the hoped‐for improvement in health outcomes. It also suggests that, rather than focusing on scoring individual consultations, we need to consider how medical expertise can be rehabilitated for a 21st century public, and how patient expertise can be better incorporated into co‐design and co‐production of services and resources rather than being seen as something to be expressed through a binary notion of control.

Patient and Public Contribution

This viewpoint draws on research conducted by the author across a range of settings in health and social care, all of which incorporated patient and public involvement when it was conducted.
Effect of cold plasma on lipid oxidation of fish and fish‐based products: a review
Authors: Wu Jing , Cui Chun , Li Laihao
Published: July 2023

Lipid oxidation is a major concern in preserving fish and its products, as it affects their quality, shelf life, and consumer acceptance. Cold plasma technology has emerged as a promising method for extending the shelf life of perishable products, including fish. However, the impact of cold plasma on lipid oxidation remains uncertain, as studies have reported conflicting findings. This review provides an up‐to‐date overview of the effects of cold plasma treatment on lipid oxidation in fish and fish‐based products, synthesising existing literature in the field. A comprehensive analysis of factors such as plasma generation techniques, treatment parameters, fish species, and lipid composition is conducted to elucidate the observed discrepancies in outcomes. In conclusion, current research suggests that moderate oxidation does not have adverse effects on overall sensory quality and may even enhance the flavour of fish. The degree of oxidation can be controlled through plasma parameters, thereby improving the quality of fish and fish products.
Long-Term Stability of Ferri-/Ferrocyanide as an Electroactive Component for Redox Flow Battery Applications: On the Origin of Apparent Capacity Fade
Authors: Fell Eric M. , De Porcellinis Diana , Jing Yan , Gutierrez-Venegas Valeria , George Thomas Y. , Gordon Roy G. , Granados-Focil Sergio , Aziz Michael J.
Published: July 2023

We assess the suitability of potassium ferri-/ferrocyanide as an electroactive species for long-term utilization in aqueous organic redox flow batteries. A series of electrochemical and chemical characterization experiments was performed to distinguish between structural decomposition and apparent capacity fade of ferri-/ferrocyanide solutions used in the capacity-limiting side of a flow battery. Our results indicate that, in contrast with previous reports, no structural decomposition of ferri-/ferrocyanide occurs at tested pH values as high as 14 in the dark or in diffuse indoor light. Instead, an apparent capacity fade takes place due to a chemical reduction of ferricyanide to ferrocyanide, via chemical oxygen evolution reaction. We find that this parasitic process can be further exacerbated by carbon electrodes, with apparent capacity fade rates at pH 14 increasing with an increased ratio of carbon electrode surface area to ferricyanide in solution. Based on these results, we report a set of operating conditions that enables the long-duration cycling of alkaline ferri-/ferrocyanide electrolytes and demonstrate how apparent capacity fade rates can be engineered by the initial system setup. If protected from direct exposure to light, the structural stability of ferri-/ferrocyanide anions allows for their practical deployment as electroactive species in long duration energy storage applications.
Patient-Reported Outcomes of Medical Tattooing for Capillary Malformations
Authors: Langbroek Ginger Beau , Felsbourg Julia , Wolkerstorfer Albert , Horbach Sophie E.R. , Souisa Kooger Loes , van Dieren Susan , van Not Olivier J. , van Not Hans P. , Souisa Rinus , Ubbink Dirk T. , van der Horst Chantal M.A.M.
Published: July 2023

Background: Patients with capillary malformations (CMs) may undergo medical tattooing (MT) as an alternative to laser therapy. But little is known about treatment results and impact from the patients’ perspective. Objectives: In this cross-sectional digital survey study, we evaluated the patient-reported outcomes of MT for CMs. Methods: MT practices were identified via the Dutch Association of Skin Therapists and Google. These practices invited all their CM patients who had undergone MT between January 2011 and September 2021 to participate. Baseline and treatment characteristics, tattooing effectiveness, patient satisfaction with treatment outcomes, and complications were evaluated using a custom-made online survey. Quality of life was assessed with the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) questionnaire. Factors associated with treatment effectiveness and patient satisfaction were identified via bivariate analysis and ordinal logistic regression analysis. Results: Most of the 89 respondents were female (69%). Almost all CMs were located on the face (90%) and mainly (dark) red (74%). Nearly all patients had undergone laser therapy (91%). Median number of tattooing sessions was 5 (IQR: 4.0–8.0). Thirty-seven percent of the patients perceived >75% color reduction. Younger patients were more likely to obtain lower treatment effectiveness (OR 0.44, 95% CI: 0.20–0.97). Most patients (83%) were satisfied with treatment results. Patients with lighter (OR 0.30, 95% CI: 0.13–0.72), non-facial (OR 0.15, 95% CI: 0.03–0.89), and hypertrophic CMs (OR 0.30, 95% CI: 0.11–0.82) were less likely to be satisfied with treatment outcomes. Patients with lighter skin types were more satisfied (OR 2.89, 95% CI: 1.23–6.80). Complications included transient pain (23%), bleeding (3.4%), hypertrophic scarring (1.1%), hypopigmentation (1.1%), and a halo around the tattoo (1.1%). Conclusion: MT seems a valid alternative treatment in addition to laser therapy for CMs, with mild complications. Most patients are (very) satisfied with treatment results, while color reduction is incomplete. Hence, it seems appropriate to decide together with patients whether or not to use MT as primary treatment or secondary to laser therapy.
Dynamic Profiling of the Immune Tumor Microenvironment in Locally Advanced Gastric Cancer Treated with Perioperative Chemotherapy
Authors: Pecora Irene , Ugolini Clara , Giannini Riccardo , Giordano Mirella , Vivaldi Caterina , Lencioni Monica , Santi Stefano , Massa Valentina , Pallabazzer Giovanni , Catanese Silvia , Salani Francesca , Belluomini Mario Antonio , Vasile Enrico , Cremolini Chiara , Fontanini Gabriella , Masi Gianluca , Fornaro Lorenzo
Published: July 2023

Introduction: In locally advanced gastric cancer (GC), FLOT represents the standard perioperative regimen and combination with immunotherapy is under investigation. However, the role of immune tumor microenvironment (TME) is poorly recognized in this setting. We aimed to study TME characteristics and dynamics during FLOT. Methods: Paired biopsy (PRE) and surgical (POST) samples of 25 patients treated with FLOT were prospectively analyzed. After collection of clinic-pathological data, NanoString analyses were performed. The primary objective of the study was to assess the changes induced by chemotherapy in POST compared to PRE samples. Results: The unsupervised hierarchical method analysis clearly distinguished PRE and POST samples, even though some cases showed high immune gene expression at baseline. When POST samples were compared with PRE, a differential expression in hyper-expressed gene sets related to cytotoxicity, T-cell functions, complement system, tumor necrosis factor superfamily, cell cycle, and regulation was recognized. Downstaging of the primary tumor (T-regression, measured by pathologic compared to clinical T stage) was the covariate most frequently associated with these changes. Using the immune cell profiling, cases with T-regression reported a significant increase of T, CD8+ T and B cells and a decrease in mast cells, while nonresponders demonstrated an increase of T, B, cytotoxic, and mast cells. Conclusion: Our analysis shows that FLOT significantly influences immune TME of GC. While relevant modifications preferentially occur in tumors showing primary tumor regression, response to treatment seems to be associated with a specific immune profile.
Current and Novel Biomarkers of Progression Risk in Children with Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Sandokji Ibrahim , Xu Yunwen , Denburg Michelle , Furth Susan , Abraham Alison G. , Greenberg Jason H.
Published: July 2023

Background: Due to the complexity of chronic kidney disease (CKD) pathophysiology, biomarkers representing different mechanistic pathways have been targeted for the study and development of novel biomarkers. The discovery of clinically useful CKD biomarkers would allow for the identification of those children at the highest risk of kidney function decline for timely interventions and enrollment in clinical trials. Summary: Glomerular filtration rate and proteinuria are traditional biomarkers to classify and prognosticate CKD progression in clinical practice but have several limitations. Over the recent decades, novel biomarkers have been identified from blood or urine with metabolomic screening studies, proteomic screening studies, and an improved knowledge of CKD pathophysiology. This review highlights promising biomarkers associated with the progression of CKD that could potentially serve as future prognostic markers in children with CKD. Key Messages: Further studies are needed in children with CKD to validate putative biomarkers, particularly candidate proteins and metabolites, for improving clinical management.
A Case Report of Kidney-Only Transplantation in Primary Hyperoxaluria Type 1: A Novel Approach with the Use of Nedosiran
Authors: Breeggemann Matthew C. , Gluck Stephen L. , Stoller Marshall L. , Lee Marsha M.
Published: July 2023

The primary hyperoxalurias (PHs) are a group of diseases characterized by kidney stones, nephrocalcinosis, and chronic kidney disease. At stages of advanced kidney disease, glomerular filtration of oxalate becomes insufficient, plasma levels increase, and tissue deposition may occur. Hemodialysis is often unable to overcome the excess hepatic oxalate production. The current surgical management of primary hyperoxaluria type 1 (PH1) is combined liver kidney transplantation. In a subset of PH1 patients who respond to pyridoxine, kidney-only transplantation has been successfully performed. Recently, kidney-only transplantation has also been performed in PH1 patients receiving a small interfering RNA therapy called lumasiran. This drug targets the hepatic overproduction of oxalate, making kidney-only transplantation a potentially practical novel approach for managing PH1 patients with advanced kidney disease. It is unknown if similar effects could be seen with a different small interfering RNA agent called nedosiran. This article will briefly review PH1, describe the small interfering RNA therapies being used to treat PH, summarize the reported cases of kidney-only transplantation performed with lumasiran, and detail a case of kidney-only transplantation performed in a PH1 patient receiving nedosiran.
Optical Genome Mapping for a Patient with a Congenital Disorder and Chromosomal Translocation
Authors: Ogiwara Yasuko , Hattori Atsushi , Ikegawa Kento , Hasegawa Yukihiro , Kuroki Yoko , Miyado Mami , Fukami Maki
Published: July 2023

We performed optical genome mapping (OGM), a newly developed cytogenetic technique, for a patient with a disorder of sex development (DSD) and a 46,XX,t(9;11)(p22;p13) karyotype. The results of OGM were validated using other methods. OGM detected a 9;11 reciprocal translocation and successfully mapped its breakpoints to small regions of 0.9–12.3 kb. OGM identified 46 additional small structural variants, only three of which were detected by array-based comparative genomic hybridization. OGM suggested the presence of complex rearrangements on chromosome 10; however, these variants appeared to be artifacts. The 9;11 translocation was unlikely to be associated with DSD, while the pathogenicity of the other structural variants remained unknown. These results indicate that OGM is a powerful tool for detecting and characterizing chromosomal structural variations, although the current methods of OGM data analyses need to be improved.
Heart Rate Characteristics Monitoring for Late-Onset Sepsis in Preterm Infants: A Systematic Review
Authors: Koppens Hugo J , Onland  , Visser Douwe H , Denswil Nerissa P , van Kaam Anton H. , Lutterman Claire A.
Published: July 2023

Background: Early diagnosis of late-onset sepsis (LOS) and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) by monitoring heart rate characteristics (HRC) of preterm infants might reduce the risk of death and morbidities. We aimed to systematically assess the effects of HRC monitoring on death, LOS, and NEC. Methods: A systematic search was performed in MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. Results: Fifteen papers were included in this review. Three of these papers reported results from the only identified randomized controlled trial (RCT). This RCT showed that HRC monitoring resulted in a small but significant reduction in mortality (absolute risk reduction 2.1% [95% confidence interval 0.01–4.14]) without any differences in neurodevelopmental impairment. The risk of bias was rated high due to performance and detection bias and failure to correct for multiple testing. Most diagnostic cohort studies showed high discriminating accuracy in predicting LOS but lacked sufficient quality and generalizability. No studies for the detection of NEC were identified. Conclusion: Supported by multiple observational cohort studies, the RCT identified in this systematic review showed that HRC monitoring as an early warning system for LOS might reduce the risk of death in preterm infants. However, methodological weaknesses and limited generalizability do not justify implementation of HRC in clinical care. A large international RCT is warranted.