bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sudden hemoptysis originating from spontaneous right bronchial artery bleeding during arterial duct closure in an adult patient with chronic myeloid leukemia
Authors: Li Diwen , Zhao Tianli , Gong Xueyang , Ahemaiti Yiliya , Wei Luyao , Hu Shijun
Published: June 2024

Adult patients with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) have a higher procedural risk during transcatheter PDA closures than infants and children. Limited information is available on transcatheter occlusion in patients with PDA and concomitant comorbidities such as leukemia. We report a case of a 32‐year‐old man with chronic myeloid leukemia who developed sudden hemoptysis during PDA catheter closure. Immediate treatment involved embolization of a bleeding bronchial artery with polyvinyl alcohol particles. The patient successfully underwent PDA closure and hematopoietic cell transplantation 3 months later. This case emphasizes the importance of evaluating fragile vasculature in patients with comorbid chronic diseases.
Eosinophil count in cecal biopsies using artificial intelligence‐based machine learning
Authors: Shah Harsh C. , Amarapurkar Anjali D.
Published: June 2024

Background

Tissue eosinophilia is a diagnostically challenging entity. An accurate diagnosis can benefit the patient with appropriate treatment. Histopathology is the gold standard. Manual counting results in errors and is time consuming. Artificial intelligence (AI) acts like a human brain in terms of memory and reproducibility.

Methods

The aim of this study was to determine the eosinophil count in gastrointestinal biopsies using AI and compare it with the manual method. A total of 400 digital images of hematoxylin and eosin‐stained slides of gastrointestinal biopsies were included in the study. Annotations were performed on images containing eosinophils. The neural network prepared using the Python language was a modified U‐Net architecture containing five down blocks and five up blocks. The results obtained using the AI model were compared with manual counts. Pearson's correlation coefficient and Cohen's kappa coefficient of agreement were used for statistical analysis.

Results

Pearson's correlation coefficient demonstrated a strong positive correlation between AI and manual eosinophil (0.8), which suggests a very strong correlation. The Cohen's kappa coefficient of agreement was 0.85, which corresponds to excellent agreement.

Conclusions

The manual eosinophil count and AI predictions demonstrated a very strong positive correlation. It is necessary to count eosinophils using an AI model because it saves time, and eliminates interobserver variability and human error.
Testing quantitative magnetization transfer models with membrane lipids
Authors: Shtangel Oshrat , Mezer Aviv A.
Published: June 2024

Purpose

Quantitative magnetization transfer (qMT) models aim to quantify the contributions of lipids and macromolecules to the MRI signal. Hence, a model system that relates qMT parameters and their molecular sources may improve the interpretation of the qMT parameters. Here we used membrane lipid phantoms as a meaningful tool to study qMT models. By controlling the fraction and type of membrane lipids, we could test the accuracy, reliability, and interpretability of different qMT models.

Methods

We formulated liposomes with various lipid types and water‐to‐lipids fractions and measured their signals with spoiled gradient‐echo MT. We fitted three known qMT models and estimated six parameters for every model. We tested the accuracy and reproducibility of the models and compared the dependency among the qMT parameters. We compared the samples' qMT parameters with their water‐to‐lipid fractions and with a simple MTnorm (= MTon/MToff) calculation.

Results

We found that the three qMT models fit the membrane lipids signals well. We also found that the estimated qMT parameters are highly interdependent. Interestingly, the estimated qMT parameters are a function of the membrane lipid type and also highly related to the water‐to‐lipid fraction. Finally, we find that most of the lipid sample's information can be captured using the common and easy to estimate MTnorm analysis.

Conclusion

qMT parameters are sensitive to both the water‐to‐lipid fraction and to the lipid type. Estimating the water‐to‐lipid fraction can improve the characterization of membrane lipids' contributions to qMT parameters. Similar characterizations can be obtained using the MTnorm analysis.
Interplay of superconductivity and magnetism in the Fe1+yTe1‐xSex iron‐based superconductor: A theoretical study
Authors: Ayalew Kefale , Shiferaw Dagne Atnafu , Mebratie Gedefaw
Published: June 2024

The competition between superconductivity and magnetism has been studied for the ongoing investigation of mechanisms in unconventional superconductors. Fe1+yTe1−xSex is distinct among iron‐based superconductors due to its structural simplicity, comprising solely FeTe/Se layers that are favorable for probing the superconductivity mechanism. The main goal of this article is to focus on the computational investigation of the interplay of magnetism and superconductivity in the Fe1+yTe1−xSex multiband superconductor. From the electronic structure of the Fe1+yTe1−xSex superconductor, a two‐band Hamiltonian model was considered to examine the interplay of magnetism and superconductivity in the Fe1+yTe1‐xSex superconductor. Using Green's function formalism with the Hamiltonian model, the mathematical statements for the superconducting (Sc) gap parameter, spin density wave (SDW) ordering parameter, Sc and magnetic transitional temperatures have been obtained. Using these mathematical expressions, the phase diagram of transition temperatures versus the gap parameters for the Fe1+yTe1‐xSex superconductor has been plotted. The intersection region in the phase diagram of transition temperatures as a function of the SDW order parameter has been plotted to show the possible interplay of superconductivity and magnetism in a Fe1+yTe1‐xSex iron‐based superconductor.
Privacy‐preserving‐based fuzzy filtering for nonlinear networked systems with adaptive‐event‐triggered mechanism and FDI attacks
Authors: Liu Jinliang , Tang Jiahui , Zha Lijuan , Xie Xiangpeng , Tian Engang , Peng Chen
Published: June 2024

This article centers around the privacy‐preserving‐based secure filtering issue for interval type‐2 (IT‐2) fuzzy networked systems with false data injection (FDI) attacks. In order to achieve the goal of privacy preserving and significantly enhancing system security against potential eavesdropping threats, a novel encryption‐decryption mechanism (EDM) is adopted to safeguard the safety of signals across the network. The mechanism encrypts the transmitted signal by introducing artificial noise, secret key, and utilizing randomly selected nodes. This ensures that the actual transmitted data remains invisible to eavesdroppers while minimally the impact on the estimated performance of the proposed EDM. Given the network communication resources are becoming constrained due to the ever‐increasing network traffic, an adaptive event‐triggered mechanism (AETM) is employed to ease network congestion by an adaptively adjustable threshold. Then, various sufficient conditions have been outlined to ensure that the filtering error system meets the prescribed disturbance attenuation level. In the end, a numerical example is presented to evaluate both the precision and effectiveness of the developed algorithms.
Virtual reality testing of emergency scenarios could improve student reactions in the future
Authors: Sutton Halley
Published: June 2024

Artificial intelligence is infiltrating every sector of college life, from admissions papers to now, research on how virtual reality simulations can improve campus safety. Emergency Management Science and Technology published a paper titled “Experimental Research on College Students’ Emergency Ability and Its Influencing Factors in Virtual Emergency Situations” that examines how AI technology, such as virtual reality simulations, can improve understanding of students’ ability to respond to emergency situations.
Enhancement of Catalytic Activity via Inevitable Reconstruction of the Ni–Mo Interface for Alkaline Hydrogen Oxidation
Authors: Song Xiaoyun , Yang Qimei , Chen Zebi , Zou Kaisheng , Xie Zhenyang , Ding Wei , Wei Zidong
Published: June 2024

The inevitable oxidation of nickel‐metal‐based catalysts exposed to the air will lead to instability and poor reproducibility of a catalytic interface, which is usually ignored and greatly hinders their application for the catalysis of alkaline hydrogen oxidation. The details on the formation of a world‐class nickel‐based HOR catalyst Ni3‐MoOx/C‐500 are reported via an interfacial reconstruction triggered by passive oxidation upon air exposure. Interfacial reconstruction, initiated with various Ni–Mo metal ratios and annealing temperature, can fine‐tune the Ni–Mo interface with an increased work function and a reduced d‐band center. The optimized Ni3‐MoOx/C exhibits a record high mass activity of 102.8 mA mgNi−1, a top‐level exchange current density of 76.5 µA cmNi−2, and exceptional resistance to CO poisoning at 1000 ppm CO for hours. The catalyzed alkaline exchange membrane fuel cell exhibits a maximum power output of 600 mW cm−2 and excellent stability, ranking it as one of the most active non‐precious metals HOR catalysts to date.
Thickness‐ and Wavelength‐Dependent Nonlinear Optical Absorption in 2D Layered MXene Films
Authors: Jin Di , Liu Wenbo , Jia Linnan , Zhang Yuning , Hu Junkai , El Dirani Houssein , Kerdiles Sébastien , Sciancalepore Corrado , Demongodin Pierre , Grillet Christian , Monat Christelle , Huang Duan , Wu Jiayang , Jia Baohua , Moss David J.
Published: June 2024

As a rapidly expanding family of 2D materials, MXenes have recently gained considerable attention. Herein, by developing a coating method that enables transfer‐free and layer‐by‐layer film coating, the nonlinear optical absorption (NOA) of Ti3C2Tx MXene films is investigated. Using the Z‐scan technique, the NOA of the MXene films is characterized at ≈800 nm. The results show that there is a strong and layer‐dependent NOA behavior, transitioning from reverse saturable absorption (RSA) to saturable absorption (SA) as the layer number increases from 5 to 30. Notably, the nonlinear absorption coefficient β changes significantly from ≈7.13 × 102 cm GW−1 to ≈−2.69 × 102 cm GW−1 within this range. The power‐dependent NOA of the MXene films is also characterized, and a decreasing trend in β is observed for increasing laser intensity. Finally, the NOA of 2D MXene films at ≈1550 nm is characterized by integrating them onto silicon nitride waveguides, where an SA behavior is observed for the films including 5 and 10 layers of MXene, in contrast to the RSA observed at ≈800 nm. These results reveal intriguing nonlinear optical properties of 2D MXene films, highlighting their versatility and potential for implementing high‐performance nonlinear photonic devices.
Probing Short‐Range Correlations in the van der Waals Magnet CrSBr by Small‐Angle Neutron Scattering
Authors: Rybakov Andrey , Boix‐Constant Carla , Alba Venero Diego , van der Zant Herre S. J. , Mañas‐Valero Samuel , Coronado Eugenio
Published: June 2024

The layered metamagnet CrSBr offers a rich interplay between magnetic, optical, and electrical properties that can be extended down to the two‐dimensional (2D) limit. Despite the extensive research regarding the long‐range magnetic order in magnetic van der Waals materials, short‐range correlations have been loosely investigated. By using small‐angle neutron scattering (SANS) the formation of short‐range magnetic regions in CrSBr with correlation lengths that increase upon cooling up to ≈3 nm at the antiferromagnetic ordering temperature (T
N
 ≈ 140 K) is shown. Interestingly, these ferromagnetic correlations start developing below 200 K, i.e., well above T
N. Below T
N, these correlations rapidly decrease and are negligible at low‐temperatures. The experimental results are well‐reproduced by an effective spin Hamiltonian, which pinpoints that the short‐range correlations in CrSBr are intrinsic to the monolayer limit, and discard the appearance of any frustrated phase in CrSBr at low‐temperatures within the experimental window between 2 and 200 nm. Overall, the obtained results are compatible with a spin freezing scenario of the magnetic fluctuations in CrSBr and highlight SANS as a powerful technique for characterizing the rich physical phenomenology beyond the long‐range order paradigm offered by van der Waals magnets.
Human nursing was a natural career progression from veterinary nursing
Authors: Ballantyne Helen
Published: June 2024

Helen Ballantyne is a rarity in that she first qualified as a veterinary nurse and then followed her calling to train as a human‐centred nurse, combining skills from both fields and finding a more fulfilling career path.
Applying recent advances in climate adaptation research to urban heat risk management
Authors: Singh Chandni , Ramesh Ananya , Hagenlocher Michael , Shekhar Himanshu , Siemons Anne‐Sophie Sabino , Okunola Olasunkanmi Habeeb , Werners Saskia E.
Published: June 2024

There is unequivocal evidence that anthropogenic climate change is supercharging temperature and precipitation regimes globally. One of the clearest signals of this is seen in current and projected increases in extreme heat, understood as changes in temperature maximums, longer duration heatwaves, and higher night‐time temperatures. Extreme heat has substantial impacts on socio‐ecological systems through direct impacts on human health and labor productivity, crop yields and water security; and second‐order impacts on infrastructure functioning and hazards (e.g., increased fire and drought incidence). These impacts are differentiated and mediated by preexisting vulnerabilities based on who you are, what you do, where you live, and your capacities to prepare for, prevent, cope with and adapt to heat exposure. Nowhere are these increasing and differentiated impacts of heat more visible than in populous, rapidly urbanizing regions. Governments across the world are piloting and implementing heat management strategies, which are variously called heat‐health plans, heat action plans, heat resilience strategies, and so forth. We argue that such actions and policy agendas can benefit from theoretical advances in the climate change vulnerability and adaptation literature. We synthesize five theoretical advances to highlight the need for suites of actions sequenced in pathways that are more sensitive to trade‐offs, center equity as a normative goal of effective adaptation, acknowledge uncertainty and preexisting differential vulnerabilities, leverage lessons from participatory adpatation planning, and are forward‐looking and preparatory actions. We consolidate these advances and develop an approach to inform urban heat risk management.

This article is categorized under:

Climate, Nature, and Ethics > Climate Change and Global Justice

Climate and Development > Urbanization, Development, and Climate Change

The Social Status of Climate Change Knowledge > Climate Science and Decision Making
Improved constraints on the variation of the weak scale from Big Bang nucleosynthesis
Authors: Meyer Helen , Meißner Ulf-G.
Published: June 2024

Abstract

We present an improved calculation of the light element abundances in the framework of Big Bang nucleosynthesis as a function of the Higgs vacuum expectation value v. We compare the methods of our calculation to previous literature including the recently published work of Burns et al. [1]. The PDG result for the 4He abundance can be explained within 2σ by −0.014 ≤ δv/v ≤ 0.026, for deuterium we find the constraint −0.005 ≤ δv/v ≤ −0.001. These bounds are more stringent than what was found earlier.
Cosmological implications of Kalb-Ramond-like particles
Authors: Capanelli Christian , Jenks Leah , Kolb Edward W. , McDonough Evan
Published: June 2024

Abstract

The Kalb-Ramond field is an antisymmetric, rank-two tensor field which most notably appears in the context of string theory, but has largely been unexplored in the context of cosmology. In this work, motivated by the Kalb-Ramond field in string theory, and antisymmetric tensor fields that emerge in effective field theories ranging from particle physics to condensed matter, we study the primordial production of interacting massive Kalb-Ramond-like-particles (KRLPs). KRLPs contain features of both dark photon and axion models, which can be appreciated via their duality properties. While the massless non-interacting KRLP is dual to a pseudoscalar, and the massive non-interacting KRLP is dual to a pseudovector, the interacting massive KRLP can be distinguished from its scalar and vector counterparts. We study early-universe production of KRLPs via the freeze-in mechanism, considering a ‘dark photon-like’ interaction, an ‘axion-like’ interaction, and a ‘Higgs portal’ interaction, as well as production via cosmological gravitational particle production. We find that as a dark matter candidate, KRLPs can be produced by all of the above mechanisms and account for the relic density of dark matter today for a wide range of masses. Finally, we comment on the potential to obtain both warm and cold dark matter subcomponents, and speculate on observational and experimental prospects.
Sorafenib and edaravone protect against renal fibrosis induced by unilateral ureteral obstruction via inhibition of oxidative stress, inflammation, and RIPK-3/MLKL pathway
Authors: Abou Taha Mohamed A. , Ali Fares E.M. , Saleh Ibrahim G. , Akool El-Sayed
Published: June 2024

Renal fibrosis is the common endpoint of nearly all chronic and progressive nephropathies. Cell death and sterile inflammation are the main characteristics of renal fibrosis, which can lead to end-stage renal failure. The inflammatory reaction triggered by tissue damage is strongly related to necroptosis, a type of caspase-independent, regulated cell death. Using an animal model of unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO), the anti-fibrotic effects of sorafenib (SOF), a multi-kinase inhibitor, and edaravone (EDV), a potent antioxidant and free radical scavenger, were examined in rats with obstructive nephropathy. Experimentally, animals were divided randomly into five groups: sham; UUO; UUO + SOF (5 mg/kg/day, P.O.); UUO + EDV (20 mg/kg/day, P.O.); and UUO + SOF + EDV groups. The kidney function biomarkers, oxidant/antioxidant status, renal mRNA expressions of TNF-α, collagen-1α, protein expressions of RIPK-1, RIPK-3, MLKL, caspase-8, HYP, MPO, and TNF-α were all significantly modulated by UUO. Administration of either SOF or EDV significantly attenuated cellular and molecular changes induced by UUO. Also, histopathological changes were improved. Moreover, SOF in combination with EDV, significantly improved UUO-induced renal fibrosis compared with each drug alone. Collectively, administration of either SOF or EDV or both of them significantly attenuated the rats with obstructive nephropathy, possibly by blocking the RIPK-3/MLKL necroptotic pathway and suppressing renal oxidative stress and inflammation.
A structure-preserving finite element method for the multi-phase Mullins–Sekerka problem with triple junctions
Authors: Eto Tokuhiro , Garcke Harald , Nürnberg Robert
Published: June 2024

We consider a sharp interface formulation for the multi-phase Mullins–Sekerka flow. The flow is characterized by a network of curves evolving such that the total surface energy of the curves is reduced, while the areas of the enclosed phases are conserved. Making use of a variational formulation, we introduce a fully discrete finite element method. Our discretization features a parametric approximation of the moving interfaces that is independent of the discretization used for the equations in the bulk. The scheme can be shown to be unconditionally stable and to satisfy an exact volume conservation property. Moreover, an inherent tangential velocity for the vertices on the discrete curves leads to asymptotically equidistributed vertices, meaning no remeshing is necessary in practice. Several numerical examples, including a convergence experiment for the three-phase Mullins–Sekerka flow, demonstrate the capabilities of the introduced method.
Contribution of Aerobic Cellulolytic Gut Bacteria to Cellulose Digestion in Fifteen Coastal Grapsoid Crabs Underpins Potential for Mineralization of Mangrove Production
Authors: Lee Cheuk Yan , Lee Shing Yip
Published: June 2024

Grapsoid crabs (Decapoda: Grapsoidea) inhabiting along the land-sea transition provided various amounts and quality of vascular plant carbon (e.g., fresh mangrove leaf, leaf litter, and mangrove-derived organic carbon) and perform differing levels of herbivory. Other than endogenous cellulase, symbiotic cellulolytic bacteria could also contribute to the crabs’ vascular plant carbon assimilation and mineralization. In this study, we isolated culturable cellulolytic bacteria from three gut regions (i.e., stomach, midgut, and hindgut) of 15 species of grapsoid crabs that inhabit in various coastal habitats (i.e., land margin, mangrove forest, tidal flat, and subtidal area). Bacillus, which was isolated from 11 out of the 15 grapsoid crabs, was the most common genus of culturable prominently cellulolytic bacteria among the target species. Seventy to ninety nine percent of culturable cellulolytic bacteria were removed, and the endoglucanase activity of five species was significantly reduced by 14.4–27.7% after antibiotic treatment. These results suggest that cellulolytic bacteria play a role in assisting mangrove carbon utilization in coastal grapsoid crabs, especially those inhabiting mangrove, mudflat, and subtidal areas. The significantly higher abundance of cellulolytic bacteria and the generally higher hydrolytic capacity of the bacteria in mangrove crab species suggest that they receive more contribution from symbionts for mangrove carbon utilization, while semi-terrestrial crabs seem to depend little on symbiotic cellulase due to the lower abundances.
Ancestral reproductive bias in continuous-time branching trees under various sampling schemes
Authors: Igelbrink Jan Lukas , Ischebeck Jasper
Published: June 2024

Cheek and Johnston (JMB 86:70, 2023) consider a continuous-time Bienaymé-Galton-Watson tree conditioned on being alive at time T. They study the reproduction events along the ancestral lineage of an individual randomly sampled from all those alive at time T. We give a short proof of an extension of their main results (Cheek and Johnston in JMB 86:70, 2023, Theorems 2.3 and 2.4) to the more general case of Bellman-Harris processes. Our proof also sheds light onto the probabilistic structure of the rate of the reproduction events. A similar method will be applied to explain (i) the different ancestral reproduction bias appearing in work by Geiger (JAP 36:301–309, 1999) and (ii) the fact that the sampling rule considered by Chauvin et al. (SPA 39:117–130, 1991), (Theorem 1) leads to a time homogeneous process along the ancestral lineage.
Genetic/epigenetic effects in NF1 microdeletion syndrome: beyond the haploinsufficiency, looking at the contribution of not deleted genes
Authors: Tritto Viviana , Bettinaglio Paola , Mangano Eleonora , Cesaretti Claudia , Marasca Federica , Castronovo Chiara , Bordoni Roberta , Battaglia Cristina , Saletti Veronica , Ranzani Valeria , Bodega Beatrice , Eoli Marica , Natacci Federica , Riva Paola
Published: June 2024

NF1 microdeletion syndrome, accounting for 5–11% of NF1 patients, is caused by a deletion in the NF1 region and it is generally characterized by a severe phenotype. Although 70% of NF1 microdeletion patients presents the same 1.4 Mb type-I deletion, some patients may show additional clinical features. Therefore, the contribution of several pathogenic mechanisms, besides haploinsufficiency of some genes within the deletion interval, is expected and needs to be defined. We investigated an altered expression of deletion flanking genes by qPCR in patients with type-1 NF1 deletion, compared to healthy donors, possibly contributing to the clinical traits of NF1 microdeletion syndrome. In addition, the 1.4-Mb deletion leads to changes in the 3D chromatin structure in the 17q11.2 region. Specifically, this deletion alters DNA-DNA interactions in the regions flanking the breakpoints, as demonstrated by our 4C-seq analysis. This alteration likely causes position effect on the expression of deletion flanking genes.

Interestingly, 4C-seq analysis revealed that in microdeletion patients, an interaction was established between the RHOT1 promoter and the SLC6A4 gene, which showed increased expression. We performed NGS on putative modifier genes, and identified two “likely pathogenic” rare variants in RAS pathway, possibly contributing to incidental phenotypic features.

This study provides new insights into understanding the pathogenesis of NF1 microdeletion syndrome and suggests a novel pathomechanism that contributes to the expression phenotype in addition to haploinsufficiency of genes located within the deletion.This is a pivotal approach that can be applied to unravel microdeletion syndromes, improving precision medicine, prognosis and patients’ follow-up.
Introduction of day-case robotic liver surgery: a case series from a tertiary hepatobiliary and pancreatic centre
Authors: Yeung Kai Tai Derek , Vellaisamy Rajendran , Hussain Aasim , Mingo Olivia , Raobaikady Ravishankar , Nicol David , Rasheed Shahnawaz , Tekkis Paris , Cunningham David , Jiao Long R.
Published: June 2024

Background

Liver surgery is associated with a significant hospital stay regardless the type of liver resection. A large incision is essential for open liver surgery which is a major factor in the course of the patient’s recovery. For patients with small parenchyma liver lesions requiring surgical resection, robotic surgery potentially offers the opportunity to transform the patient’s post-operative course. A day-case robotic liver resection pathway was formulated and implemented at our institution when patients were planned for discharge within 24 h of admission for liver surgery.

Methods

Single surgeon case series of cases performed at a tertiary hepatobiliary and pancreatic centre between September 2022 and November 2023. The inclusion criteria were non-anatomical wedge resections, < 2 anatomical segmental resections, left lateral hepatectomy and minimally invasive surgery.

Results

This is the first series of robotic day-case minor liver resection in the United Kingdom. 20 patients were included in this case series. The mean operative time was 86.6 ± 30.9 min and mean console time was 58.6 ± 24.5 min. Thirteen patients (65%) were discharged within 24 h of surgery. The main cause of hospitalisation beyond 24 h was inadequate pain relief. There were no Clavien–Dindo grade III or above complications, no 30-day readmission and 90-day mortalities.

Conclusion

This case series demonstrates that robotic day-case liver resection is safe and feasible. Robust follow-up pathways must be in place to allow for the safe implementation of this approach, to monitor for any complications and to allow intervention as required in a timely manner.
Role of lateral suspension for the treatment of pelvic organ prolapse: a Delphi survey of expert panel
Authors: Simoncini Tommaso , Panattoni Andrea , Cadenbach-Blome Tina , Caiazzo Nicola , García Maribel Calero , Caretto Marta , Chun Fu , Francescangeli Eric , Gaia Giorgia , Giannini Andrea , Hegenscheid Lucas , Luisi Stefano , Mannella Paolo , Mereu Liliana , Montt-Guevara Maria Magdalena , Ñiguez Isabel , Ritter Ratiba , Russo Eleonora , Ferrer Maria Luisa Sanchez , Tammaa Ayman , Uhl Bernhard , Wiedemann Bea , Wilczak Maciej , Pauli Friedrich , Dubuisson Jean
Published: June 2024

Introduction and hypothesis

Lateral suspension is an abdominal prosthetic surgical procedure used to correct apical prolapse. The procedure involves the placement of a T-shaped mesh on the anterior vaginal wall and on the isthmus or uterine cervix that is suspended laterally and posteriorly to the abdominal wall. Since its description in the late 90s, modifications of the technique have been described. So far, no consensus on the correct indications, safety, advantages, and disadvantages of this emerging procedure has been reached.

Methods

A modified Delphi process was used to build consensus within a group of 21 international surgeons who are experts in the performance of laparoscopic lateral suspension (LLS). The process was held with a first online round, where the experts expressed their level of agreement on 64 statements on indications, technical features, and other aspects of LLS. A subsequent re-discussion of statements where a threshold of agreement was not reached was held in presence.

Results

The Delphi process allowed the identification of several aspects of LLS that represented areas of agreement by the experts. The experts agreed that LLS is a safe and effective technique to correct apical and anterior prolapse. The experts highlighted several key technical aspects of the procedure, including clinical indications and surgical steps.

Conclusions

This Delphi consensus provides valuable guidance and criteria for the use of LLS in the treatment of pelvic organ prolapse, based on expert opinion by large volume surgeons’ experts in the performance of this innovative procedure.
Normalized solutions for a fractional Schrödinger–Poisson system with critical growth
Authors: He Xiaoming , Meng Yuxi , Squassina Marco
Published: June 2024

In this paper, we study the fractional critical Schrödinger–Poisson system $$\begin{aligned}{\left\{ \begin{array}{ll} (-\Delta )^su +\lambda \phi u= \alpha u+\mu |u|^{q-2}u+|u|^{2^*_s-2}u,&{}~~ \hbox {in}~{\mathbb {R}}^3,\\ (-\Delta )^t\phi =u^2,&{}~~ \hbox {in}~{\mathbb {R}}^3,\end{array}\right. } \end{aligned}$$

(
-
Δ
)

s

u
+
λ
ϕ
u
=
α
u
+

μ
|
u
|

q
-
2

u
+

|
u
|

2
s
∗

-
2

u
,

in

R

3

,

(
-
Δ
)

t

ϕ
=

u
2

,

in

R

3

,

having prescribed mass $$\begin{aligned} \int _{{\mathbb {R}}^3} |u|^2dx=a^2,\end{aligned}$$

∫

R

3

|
u
|

2

d
x
=

a
2

,

where $$ s, t \in (0, 1)$$

s
,
t
∈
(
0
,
1
)

satisfy $$2\,s+2t> 3, q\in (2,2^*_s), a>0$$

2

s
+
2
t
>
3
,
q
∈
(
2
,

2
s
∗

)
,
a
>
0

and $$\lambda ,\mu >0$$

λ
,
μ
>
0

parameters and $$\alpha \in {\mathbb {R}}$$

α
∈
R

is an undetermined parameter. For this problem, under the $$L^2$$

L
2

-subcritical perturbation $$\mu |u|^{q-2}u, q\in (2,2+\frac{4\,s}{3})$$

μ
|
u
|

q
-
2

u
,
q
∈

(
2
,
2
+

4

s

3

)

, we derive the existence of multiple normalized solutions by means of the truncation technique, concentration-compactness principle and the genus theory. In the $$L^2$$

L
2

-supercritical perturbation $$\mu |u|^{q-2}u,q\in (2+\frac{4\,s}{3}, 2^*_s)$$

μ
|
u
|

q
-
2

u
,
q
∈

(
2
+

4

s

3

,

2
s
∗

)

, we prove two different results of normalized solutions when parameters $$\lambda ,\mu $$

λ
,
μ

satisfy different assumptions, by applying the constrained variational methods and the mountain pass theorem. Our results extend and improve some previous ones of Zhang et al. (Adv Nonlinear Stud 16:15–30, 2016); and of Teng (J Differ Equ 261:3061–3106, 2016), since we are concerned with normalized solutions.
Towards anti-racist futures: a scoping review exploring educational interventions that address systemic racism in post graduate medical education
Authors: Mukhopadhyay Baijayanta , Thambinathan Vivetha , Kinsella Elizabeth Anne
Published: June 2024

Since 2020, brought to the forefront by movements such as Black Lives Matter and Idle No More, it has been widely acknowledged that systemic racism contributes to racially differentiated health outcomes. Health professional educators have been called to address such disparities within healthcare, policy, and practice. To tackle structural racism within healthcare, one avenue that has emerged is the creation of medical education interventions within postgraduate residency medical programming. The objective of this scoping review is to examine the current literature on anti-racist educational interventions, that integrate a systemic or structural view of racism, within postgraduate medical education. Through the identification and analysis of 23 papers, this review identified three major components of interest across medical interventions, including (a) conceptualization, (b) pedagogical issues, and (c) outcomes & evaluation. There were overlapping points of discussion and analysis within each of these components. Conceptualization addressed how researchers conceptualized racism in different ways, the range of curricular content educators chose to challenge racism, and the absence of community’s role in curricular development. Pedagogical issues addressed knowledge vs. skills-based teaching, and tensions between one-time workshops and integrative curriculum. Outcomes and evaluation highlighted self-reported Likert scales as dominant types of evaluation, self-evaluation in educational interventions, and misalignments between intervention outcomes and learning objectives. The findings are unique in their in-depth exploration of anti-racist medical interventions within postgraduate medical education programming, specifically in relation to efforts to address systemic and structural racism. The findings contribute a meaningful review of the current state of the field of medical education and generate new conversations about future possibilities for a broader anti-racist health professions curriculum.
Comprehensive genomic profiling of ESR1, PIK3CA, AKT1, and PTEN in HR(+)HER2(−) metastatic breast cancer: prevalence along treatment course and predictive value for endocrine therapy resistance in real-world practice
Authors: Bhave Manali A. , Quintanilha Julia C. F. , Tukachinsky Hanna , Li Gerald , Scott Takara , Ross Jeffrey S. , Pasquina Lincoln , Huang Richard S. P. , McArthur Heather , Levy Mia A. , Graf Ryon P. , Kalinsky Kevin
Published: June 2024

Background

The treatment landscape for HR(+)HER2(−) metastatic breast cancer (MBC) is evolving for patients with ESR1 mutations (mut) and PI3K/AKT pathway genomic alterations (GA). We sought to inform clinical utility for comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) using tissue (TBx) and liquid biopsies (LBx) in HR(+)HER2(−) MBC.

Methods

Records from a de-identified breast cancer clinicogenomic database for patients who underwent TBx/LBx testing at Foundation Medicine during routine clinical care at ~ 280 US cancer clinics between 01/2011 and 09/2023 were assessed. GA prevalence [ESR1mut, PIK3CAmut, AKT1mut, PTENmut, and PTEN homozygous copy loss (PTENloss)] were calculated in TBx and LBx [stratified by ctDNA tumor fraction (TF)] during the first three lines of therapy. Real-world progression-free survival (rwPFS) and overall survival (rwOS) were compared between groups by Cox models adjusted for prognostic factors.

Results

 ~ 60% of cases harbored 1 + GA in 1st-line TBx (1266/2154) or LBx TF ≥ 1% (80/126) and 26.5% (43/162) in LBx TF < 1%. ESR1mut was found in 8.1% TBx, 17.5% LBx TF ≥ 1%, and 4.9% LBx TF < 1% in 1st line, increasing to 59% in 3rd line (LBx TF ≥ 1%). PTENloss was detected at higher rates in TBx (4.3%) than LBx (1% in TF ≥ 1%). Patients receiving 1st-line aromatase inhibitor + CDK4/6 inhibitor (n = 573) with ESR1mut had less favorable rwPFS and rwOS versus ESR1 wild-type; no differences were observed for fulvestrant + CDK4/6 inhibitor (n = 348).

Conclusion

Our study suggests obtaining TBx for CGP at time of de novo/recurrent diagnosis, followed by LBx for detecting acquired GA in 2nd + lines. Reflex TBx should be considered when ctDNA TF < 1%.
The Economic Dynamics After a Flood: Evidence from Satellite Data
Authors: Collalti Dino
Published: June 2024

This study investigates the effect of flash floods on local economic activity in Central America and the Caribbean. I measure these rarely analyzed floods by constructing a high-resolution, physically based index of flash flood occurrence from satellite data and connect these to changes in local night light emissions. After accounting for tropical cyclone activity, flash floods have a delayed, short-term negative effect on economic activity. In countries with a low to medium human development index (HDI), the average negative effect can be up to $$5.6\%$$

5.6
%

in the following months. Countries with higher HDI appear more resilient and are only marginally affected. Also, flash floods exhibit a minor positive spatial spillover in low to medium HDI countries, besides their more substantial local negative effect. Due to their high frequency, flash floods have a detrimental effect on local economic growth in developing countries that will likely be exacerbated by climate change. (JEL )
Energy audits in the tofu industry; an evaluation of energy consumption towards a green and sustainable industry
Authors: Ningsih Lydia Mawar , Mazancová Jana , Hasanudin Udin , Roubík Hynek
Published: June 2024

The tofu industry consumes a lot of energy and water for its process production and then produces wastewater in large quantities that have a negative effect on the environment. It is because tofu craftsmen still use conventional technology in the process production, and there is no SOP for the use of raw materials and energy sources, and there is also a lack of capability in waste management. This study aims to investigate the audit energy in the tofu industry, including evaluating the consumption energy in different energy sources, determining the production of wastewater in the tofu industries and determining the energy sources available in the tofu industry. The data collection method involved semi-structured interviews and questionnaire surveys carried out in 40 tofu industries in Gunung Sulah district, Bandar Lampung City, Lampung Province, Indonesia. The results showed that the highest consumption in process production in the tofu industry is for cooking that depends on the type of energy sources, namely firewood 71.1 MJ/kg, LPG 16.9 MJ/kg, and wood pellets 6.0 MJ/kg. However, the consumption of water for the production of the process is 25.2 L/kg and produces 14.5 L/kg wastewater. The tofu industry is still not efficient in consuming energy because it does not use wastewater to produce a bioenergy product that can be beneficial in economic and environmental aspects. To make energy consumption more efficient in the tofu industry, it is very useful to use wastewater to produce bioenergy material that can replace non-renewable energy as the main energy for process production. Based on the prediction that the potential for methane from tofu wastewater is approximately 0.056 m3/kg soybeans, the use of tofu wastewater as biogas feedstock can replace 2.82% of firewood, 11.86% LPG, and 33.39% biopellets.
Department Chairs as Change Agents: A Virtual Cross-Institutional Professional Development Model for Chairs
Authors: Cervato Cinzia , Peterson Stephanie , Johnson Carrie Ann , Bilen-Green Canan , Koretsky Carla , Minerick Adrienne , Kremer Gul Okudan
Published: June 2024

Department chairs are crucial in impacting departmental climate, conveying expectations, and providing merit assessments. Therefore, they have the most influence in retaining highly qualified faculty. Most department chairs come from the faculty ranks and lack formal training in key management, communication, and administrative skills, including performance reviews, resource allocation and budgeting, legal and compliance issues, promotion and tenure determinations, conflict resolution, and the inclusive management of people with diverse identities. Recognizing the critical role of department chairs and the evident gap in their training, we developed a series of chair workshops to provide ongoing professional development for department chairs across multiple semesters. These workshops were designed as part of a multi-university collaboration funded by the National Science Foundation to create more inclusive environments in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) units. However, the offerings were expanded to include all units on all campuses. This paper outlines our approach to developing these professional development workshops and describes the workshop designs and how we incorporated participant feedback. Additionally, we offer suggestions for others designing and implementing chair professional development workshops together with areas for future advancements in chair professional development.
Developmental Assessment in Children at Higher Likelihood for Developmental Delays - Comparison of Parent Report and Direct Assessment
Authors: Stephenson Kevin G. , Vargo Kerrigan C. , Cacciato Nicole M. , Albright Charles M. , Kryszak Elizabeth M.
Published: June 2024

Purpose

Accurate assessment of cognitive development of young children is a vital component of developmental evaluations. Direct assessment of developmental skills is not always feasible, but there is limited information on the agreement between direct assessment and caregiver-reported cognitive skills. There is limited information regarding the accuracy of the parent-reported Developmental Profile 4 (DP-4) in comparison to the widely-used developmental measure, the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Fourth Edition (Bayley-4). The purpose of the current study was to evaluate whether a standardized parent interview can effectively identify children at risk for cognitive developmental delays.

Methods

We compared the agreement between the Bayley-4 Cognitive and the Developmental Profile 4 (DP-4) in young children being evaluated in-person for early developmental delays. 182 children (134 with an autism diagnosis), ages 6–42 months, completed both assessments.

Results

Results showed that Bayley-4 Cognitive scores had a moderately strong correlation with DP4-Cognitive scores (r = 0.70, p < 0.001). A cutoff of 70 or 69 on the DP-4 Cognitive was determined as ideal for identifying developmental delay based on diagnosis of global developmental delay or the Bayley-4 Cognitive.

Conclusions

Our analyses revealed good agreement between DP-4 and Bayley-4 Cognitive scores, even after controlling for confounding variables such as degree of ASD characteristics, age, and sex. These results suggest that caregiver-report measures can be a valid and useful tool in the assessment of young children, particularly when direct developmental assessment is not feasible.
The Association Between Depression, Suicidal Thoughts and Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration Among Young Men in Mwanza, Tanzania
Authors: Aloyce Diana , Stöckl Heidi , Mosha Neema , Malibwa Donati , Sichalwe Simon , Hashim Ramadhan , Ayieko Philip , Kapiga Saidi , Mshana Gerry
Published: June 2024

Purpose

Depression and suicidal thoughts are associated with intimate partner violence, a major public health problem. Yet little is known about this association among young men in sub-Saharan Africa. This study aims to investigate the relationship between depression, suicidal thoughts and intimate partner violence perpetration, among young men in Tanzania from a representative community-based sample.

Methods

We conducted a cross sectional survey among 1002 young men aged between 18 and 24 years residing in Mwanza city, Tanzania. Participants were randomly selected from 6 wards that included 3 densely and 3 sparsely populated wards from the Ilemela and Nyamagana districts that were selected using a probability-based multi-stage cluster sampling approach. We collected data on participant’s socio-demographics, depression symptoms using the PHQ9, suicidal thoughts, other psychosocial factors, and perpetration of different forms of intimate partner violence. Analysis was done using Stata version 17.0 and restricted to 828 participants who self-reported being in intimate relationships in the past twelve months. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression models were employed to determine the association between the outcome variables with intimate partner violence perpetration and other psychosocial factors.

Results

Out of 828 young men, 333(40.2%) reported depressive symptoms and 93(11.9%) suicidal thoughts, with 725(87.6%) reporting ever perpetrating any form of intimate partner violence and 653(78.9%) reporting it in the past 12 months. After adjusting for other factors in multivariable models, depressive symptoms were significantly associated with sexual intimate partner violence perpetration (aOR = 2.19, 95%CI = 1.57, 3.04), economic intimate partner violence perpetration (aOR = 1.32 95%CI = 1.01, 1.74), emotional intimate partner violence perpetration (aOR = 1.76, 95%CI = 1.26, 2.46) and controlling behaviours (aOR = 1.46 95%CI = 1.10, 1.93).

Conclusions

Depression is a common health problem strongly associated with intimate partner violence perpetration in this study population. Effective interventions to address depression and other mental health problems may help to reduce intimate partner violence perpetration in this population.

Implications

Researchers and practitioners should develop theory-based research and intervention programmes to address mental health problems such as depression and suicidal thoughts and the perpetration of intimate partner violence. The socio-ecological framework provides an insightful model for multiple level analysis and intervention.
Compensating beneficiaries
Authors: Eggert Linda
Published: June 2024

This paper illuminates a typically obscured ground for rectificatory obligations: harms justified as ‘lesser evils.’ Lesser-evil harms are not the result of overall morally prohibited acts but of acts permissibly carried out to prevent significantly greater harm. The paper argues that harms caused as unintended side effects of acting on lesser-evil justifications, notably in military rescue operations, may give rise to claims to compensation, even if (1) the military acts that caused the harms in question were justified on lesser-evil grounds and (2) the victims in question are no worse off as a result; they may even owe their survival to the act of rescue. The paper defends three claims. First, being better off as a result of a harmful rescue than one would otherwise have been does not preclude claims to be compensated for harms suffered as a side effect. Second, identifying the relevant counterfactual for purposes of compensatory justice is sometimes a prescriptive, rather than a descriptive, matter. Rather than relying on empirical speculations about what would have happened had a harm not occurred, we must, in certain cases, consider what agents ought to have done. Finally, duties of compensation need not fall on those who caused the to-be-compensated harms. That infringing rights is permissible in certain cases does not imply that no compensation is owed, but merely that it is not necessarily rights-infringers on whom duties of compensation fall.
Centromere sequence-independent but biased loading of subgenome-specific CENH3 variants in allopolyploid Arabidopsis suecica
Authors: Karimi-Ashtiyani Raheleh , Banaei-Moghaddam Ali Mohammad , Ishii Takayoshi , Weiss Oda , Fuchs Jörg , Schubert Veit , Houben Andreas
Published: June 2024

Centromeric nucleosomes are determined by the replacement of the canonical histone H3 with the centromere-specific histone H3 (CENH3) variant. Little is known about the centromere organization in allopolyploid species where different subgenome-specific CENH3s and subgenome-specific centromeric sequences coexist. Here, we analyzed the transcription and centromeric localization of subgenome-specific CENH3 variants in the allopolyploid species Arabidopsis suecica. Synthetic A. thaliana x A. arenosa hybrids were generated and analyzed to mimic the early evolution of A. suecica. Our expression analyses indicated that CENH3 has generally higher expression levels in A. arenosa compared to A. thaliana, and this pattern persists in the hybrids. We also demonstrated that despite a different centromere DNA composition, the centromeres of both subgenomes incorporate CENH3 encoded by both subgenomes, but with a positive bias towards the A. arenosa-type CENH3. The intermingled arrangement of both CENH3 variants demonstrates centromere plasticity and may be an evolutionary adaption to handle more than one CENH3 variant in the process of allopolyploidization.