bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Developing an Ontology Representing Fall Risk Management Domain Knowledge
Authors: Altuhaifa Fatimah , Al Tuhaifa Dalal
Published: April 2024

Ontologies serve as comprehensive frameworks for organizing domain-specific knowledge, offering significant benefits for managing clinical data. This study presents the development of the Fall Risk Management Ontology (FRMO), designed to enhance clinical text mining, facilitate integration and interoperability between disparate data sources, and streamline clinical data analysis. By representing major entities within the fall risk management domain, the FRMO supports the unification of clinical language and decision-making processes, ultimately contributing to the prevention of falls among older adults. We used Ontology Web Language (OWL) to build the FRMO in Protégé. Of the seven steps of the Stanford approach, six steps were utilized in the development of the FRMO: (1) defining the domain and scope of the ontology, (2) reusing existing ontologies when possible, (3) enumerating ontology terms, (4) specifying the classes and their hierarchy, (5) defining the properties of the classes, and (6) defining the facets of the properties. We evaluated the FRMO using four main criteria: consistency, completeness, accuracy, and clarity. The developed ontology comprises 890 classes arranged in a hierarchical structure, including six top-level classes with a total of 43 object properties and 28 data properties. FRMO is the first comprehensively described semantic ontology for fall risk management. Healthcare providers can use the ontology as the basis of clinical decision technology for managing falls among older adults.
Preference for Competitive Employment in People with Mental Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Proportions
Authors: Adamus Christine , Richter Dirk , Sutor Kim , Zürcher Simeon Joel , Mötteli Sonja
Published: April 2024

Purpose

The inclusion of people with mental disorders (MD) into competitive employment has become an important political and therapeutic goal. The present paper investigates meta-analytically to which extent people with MD who were unemployed or on sick leave due to MD prefer to work in a competitive job environment.

Methods

For this systematic review and meta-analysis of proportions, we searched Medline, PsycInfo, Cinahl, Google Scholar, and reference lists for peer-reviewed publications from 1990 to Dec 2023, which provided data on the job preferences of people with MD. Two authors independently conducted full-text screening and quality assessments. Pooled proportions of job preferences were calculated with a random-effects meta-analysis of single proportions, and subgroup analyses were performed to examine characteristics associated with job preferences.

Results

We included 30 studies with a total of 11,029 participants in the meta-analysis. The overall proportion of participants who expressed a preference for competitive employment was 0.61 (95%-CI: 0.53–0.68; I2 = 99%). The subgroup analyses showed different preference proportions between world regions where the studies were conducted (p < 0.01), publication years (p = 0.03), and support settings (p = 0.03).

Conclusion

Most people with MD want to work competitively. More efforts should be given to preventive approaches such as support for job retention. Interventions should be initiated at the beginning of the psychiatric treatment when the motivation to work is still high, and barriers are lower.

Trail Registration

The protocol is published in the Open Science registry at https://osf.io/7dj9r
Assessing the Effect of First-time Police Contact on Internalizing Problems Among Youth in Zurich, Switzerland: A Quasi-experimental Analysis
Authors: Nivette Amy , Bechtiger Laura , Ribeaud Denis , Shanahan Lilly , Eisner Manuel
Published: April 2024

Growing evidence suggests that experiences with police are associated with a range of negative mental health problems among youth. This study examined the impact of negative police contact on changes in adolescent internalizing problems, measured by anxiety and depression. Six waves of data from a longitudinal study in Zurich, Switzerland were used in order to assess the direct relations between first reported police contact in the years prior to the survey moment and internalizing problems at the time of the survey and follow-up waves. The sample consists of a cohort of youth (max n = 1353, 49.4% females) spanning ages 11 to 24 (mean age and SD at each wave = 11.32 (0.37), 13.67 (0.36), 15.44 (0.36), 17.45 (0.37), 20.58 (0.38), 24.46 (0.38)). Specifically, difference-in-differences techniques for multiple time periods were employed to assess the average treatment effects for the treated population (first contact with police) compared to those who were never treated (never had contact). Across all models, police contact did not lead to an increase in internalizing problems. These results diverge from previous studies mostly conducted in the United States, and possible explanations including differences in historical contexts of policing, juvenile justice, health care, and dosage of intrusive contacts are discussed.
Lumped parameters models for the stability analysis of rotors supported on gas bearings
Authors: Colombo F. , Lentini L. , Raparelli T. , Trivella A.
Published: April 2024

In this paper different lumped parameters models are presented for the stability analysis of rotors supported on gas bearings. The analysis is carried out taking into account the damping and stiffness coefficients of journal bearings, calculated with the perturbation method. Lumped parameters models of different complexity are discussed for the description of the main rigid modes of the spindle. In case of symmetric systems, it is shown that the complexity of the model can be reduced by halving the number of the degrees of freedom. The analogy with the single mass approach is demonstrated. The considerations discussed in the paper are preliminary for the stability analysis of more complex systems, such as the ones with non-fixed bushes.
The Man Behind the Curtain: Appropriating Fairness in AI
Authors: Korecki Marcin , Köstner Guillaume , Martinelli Emanuele , Carissimo Cesare
Published: April 2024

Our goal in this paper is to establish a set of criteria for understanding the meaning and sources of attributing (un)fairness to AI algorithms. To do so, we first establish that (un)fairness, like other normative notions, can be understood in a proper primary sense and in secondary senses derived by analogy. We argue that AI algorithms cannot be said to be (un)fair in the proper sense due to a set of criteria related to normativity and agency. However, we demonstrate how and why AI algorithms can be qualified as (un)fair by analogy and explore the sources of this (un)fairness and the associated problems of responsibility assignment. We conclude that more user-driven AI approaches could alleviate some of these difficulties.
A framework for assessing social structure in community governance of sustainable urban drainage systems: insights from a literature review
Authors: Muwafu Simon Peter , Rölfer Lena , Scheffran Jürgen , Costa María Máñez
Published: April 2024

The utilization of Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) as Nature-based Solutions (NBS) holds significant promise for enhancing resilience against climate change-induced flooding and promoting community well-being in urban areas of Sub-Saharan Africa. While existing research predominantly emphasizes technical aspects within the NBS framework, understanding the socio-governance dynamics at the community level is equally imperative, particularly given the decentralized nature of SUDS. This study aims to complement the prevailing technical focus by examining the social dimensions of community governance related to SUDS implementation. Through a literature review, key determinants of social structure influencing successful community governance in SUDS management are identified, and categorized into actors, resources, discourses, and rules of engagement. An innovative assessment framework comprising 65 indicators is proposed to evaluate these determinants, offering a comprehensive tool for scholars and practitioners. By integrating social considerations into SUDS management practices, this research seeks to inform policy formulation and strategies tailored to Sub-Saharan African cities, facilitating equitable and participatory urban stormwater management initiatives crucial for addressing climate change challenges.
Extraction of exact soliton solutions of (2+1)-dimensional Chaffee-Infante equation using two exact integration techniques
Authors: Arshed Saima , Akram Ghazala , Sadaf Maasoomah , Irfan Muhammad , Inc Mustafa
Published: April 2024

In this research paper, (2 + 1)-dimensional Chaffee-Infante equation, with applications in fluid dynamics, nonlinear fiber optics, coastal engineering, ion-acoustic modeling, sound waves, electromagnetic field waves, and plasma physics, is explored and analyzed to calculate is analytic exact solutions utilizing two effective exact methods named as, extended $$(\frac{G'}{G^2})$$

(

G
′

G
2

)

-expansion method and new (F/G)-expansion method. These techniques work wonderfully to produce exact solutions for many nonlinear problems that arise in various disciplines of scientific fields. The proposed methods are employed to extract the soliton solutions of the proposed equation. These exact methods are implemented successfully and provide many soliton solutions. The extracted soliton solutions contain hyperbolic, trigonometric and rational functions. Graphical analysis is provided using 3D surface plots and 2D contour plots in order to comprehend the physical structure of the obtained solutions.
A microbiome survey of contrasting potato terroirs using 16S rRNA long-read sequencing
Authors: Boutsika Anastasia , Xanthopoulou Aliki , Tanou Georgia , Zacharatou Maria –Evangelia , Vernikos Michalis , Nianiou-Obeidat Irini , Ganopoulos Ioannis , Mellidou Ifigeneia
Published: April 2024

Aims

As a consequence of the increasing impact of climate change on crop production and food security worldwide, the need to explore agricultural systems in a sustainable manner is also intensified. The improvement of long-read metagenomics approaches might give valuable information not only on soil microbial communities, but also on their potential effects on plant phenotypes. Soil properties, climate conditions, and agricultural techniques are the main factors shaping microbial communities found in the soil and on the surface of the potatoes, influencing plant health and performance. The objective of this study was to decipher the bacterial communities in contrasting potato terroirs using long-read sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene.

Methods

To do so, 18 soil samples were taken from different potato fields in the island of Naxos (Island Terroir) and Northern Greece (Continental Terroir). Differences in soil properties and climatic conditions were also regarded to explore the possible motif of microbial structure and diversity in each region.

Results

Our results highlighted that contrasting potato terroirs strongly affected microbial community composition and diversity. A richer microbial composition in the island terroir was evident. A wide range of soil bacteria were identified, including Vicinamibacter, Neobacillus, Povalibacter, Microvirga, Thermoanaerobaculum, Arenimonas, and Rubrobacter, with different distribution patterns that resulted in characteristic microbial footprints.

Conclusions

In combination with soil analysis, microbial mapping might be a valuable tool, not only for gaining a deeper knowledge of their impact on potato production, but also for developing biomarkers that would uniquely define and characterize each potato habitat.
Artificial Intelligence for Water Consumption Assessment: State of the Art Review
Authors: Morain Almando , Ilangovan Nivedita , Delhom Christopher , Anandhi Aavudai
Published: April 2024

In recent decades, demand for freshwater resources has increased the risk of severe water stress. With the growing prevalence of artificial intelligence (AI), many researchers have turned to it as an alternative to linear methods to assess water consumption (WC). Using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) framework, this study utilized 229 screened publications identified through database searches and snowball sampling. This study introduces novel aspects of AI's role in water consumption assessment by focusing on innovation, application sectors, sustainability, and machine learning applications. It also categorizes existing models, such as standalone and hybrid, based on input, output variables, and time horizons. Additionally, it classifies learnable parameters and performance indexes while discussing AI models' advantages, disadvantages, and challenges. The study translates this information into a guide for selecting AI models for WC assessment. As no one-size-fits-all AI model exists, this study suggests utilizing hybrid AI models as alternatives. These models offer flexibility regarding efficiency, accuracy, interpretability, adaptability, and data requirements. They can address the limitations of individual models, leverage the strengths of different approaches, and provide a better understanding of the relationships between variables. Several knowledge gaps were identified, resulting in suggestions for future research.
Geophysical methods reveal the soil architecture and subsurface stratigraphic heterogeneities across land-lake interfaces along Lake Erie
Authors: Ehosioke Solomon , Adebayo Moses B. , Bailey Vanessa L. , Peixoto Roberta Bittencourt , Emmanuel Efemena D. , Machado-Silva Fausto , Regier Peter J. , Spanbauer Trisha , Thomas Shan Pushpajom , Ward Nicholas D. , Weintraub Michael N. , Doro Kennedy O.
Published: April 2024

Purpose

The land-lake interface is a unique zone where terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems meet, forming part of the Earth’s most geochemically and biologically active zones. The unique characteristics of this interface are yet to be properly understood due to the inherently high spatiotemporal variability of subsurface properties, which are difficult to capture with the traditional soil sampling methods. Geophysical methods offer non-invasive techniques to capture variabilities in soil properties at a high resolution across various spatiotemporal scales.

Methods

We combined electromagnetic induction (EMI), electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), and ground penetrating radar (GPR) with data from soil cores and in situ sensors to investigate hydrostratigraphic heterogeneities across land-lake interfaces along the western basin of Lake Erie.

Results

EMI revealed high spatial heterogeneities in ECa distribution across the land-lake interfaces, with higher values in the wetland and transition zones compared to the upland zone. Soil ECa maps matched soil maps from a public database with the hydric soil units delineated as high conductivity zones (ECa > 40 mS/m). ERT and GPR showed vertical variation in soil properties with clear stratigraphic boundaries, and correlation of ERT profiles with lithologs from piezometers revealed the stratigraphic units of silt–clay and till sequence down to 3.5 m depth which are consistent with the surficial geology of the study area.

Conclusions

These results validate the use of multiple geophysical methods for extrapolating soil properties and mapping stratigraphic structures at land-lake interfaces, thereby providing the missing information required to improve the earth system model (ESM) of coastal interfaces.
Study on failure characteristics and evaluation index of aquifer shale based on energy evolution
Authors: Qi Xian-yin , Geng Dian-dong , Feng Meng-yao , Xu Ming-zhe
Published: April 2024

The presence of abundant clay components and microporous structure in shale results in its high hydrophilicity, making a water-rich environment inevitable in petroleum exploration projects. Therefore, it is crucial to consider the influence of bedding structure, moisture content, confining pressure, and their combined effects on the geomechanical properties of shale. This article aims to investigate the mechanical properties of deep shale under varying water content conditions, elucidate the failure mode and failure mechanism of shale in actual engineering scenarios, and explores the interplay between stress, structure, moisture content, and other factors on its mechanical properties. The evaluation of wellbore stability and fracture propagation effects is proposed based on laboratory experiments using triaxial stress and strain data, along with the application of energy evolution theory. The experimental procedures encompass an analysis of shale's microscopic components and structure, as well as anisotropic shale triaxial compression tests conducted under different moisture contents and confining pressures. The results demonstrate that shale exhibits dense pores in its microstructure and displays pronounced anisotropic characteristics in its macrostructure. The presence of water within these pores, combined with the in situ stress within the formation, significantly influences the mechanical properties of shale. This anisotropy decreases with increasing moisture content, but the mechanical performance still decreases. Under triaxial compression conditions, the increase in confining pressure to some extent enhances the anisotropy of shale's deformation characteristics, which is related to the failure modes of shale. However, the detrimental effect of moisture content on shale's mechanical properties still persists. In order to quantify the impact of these factors, this study utilizes the elastic modulus as an indicator of the coupling effect. It combines the triaxial strain curve obtained from laboratory tests and proposes an evaluation index for shale mechanical properties based on the energy evolution theory. This index is suitable for assessing wellbore stability (the stability index called SIr) and crack expansion (the brittleness index called BIr). The calculation results reveal that, during the wellbore drilling process, excavating parallel to the direction of shale bedding while maintaining low moisture content and high confining pressure yields a higher SIr value, indicating better wellbore stability. On the other hand, during reservoir fracturing, fracturing perpendicular to the shale bedding direction and maintaining low confining pressure and moisture content result in a smaller BIr value. This approach is more beneficial for the expansion of shale fracture network in engineering.
Association between interstitial lung abnormality and mortality in patients with esophageal cancer
Authors: Hata Akinori , Yanagawa Masahiro , Miyata Tomo , Hiraoka Yu , Shirae Motohiro , Ninomiya Keisuke , Doi Shuhei , Yamagata Kazuki , Yoshida Yuriko , Kikuchi Noriko , Ogawa Ryo , Hatabu Hiroto , Tomiyama Noriyuki
Published: April 2024

Purpose

To investigate the relationship between interstitial lung abnormalities (ILAs) and mortality in patients with esophageal cancer and the cause of mortality.

Materials and methods

This retrospective study investigated patients with esophageal cancer from January 2011 to December 2015. ILAs were visually scored on baseline CT using a 3-point scale (0 = non-ILA, 1 = indeterminate for ILA, and 2 = ILA). ILAs were classified into subcategories of non-subpleural, subpleural non-fibrotic, and subpleural fibrotic. Five-year overall survival (OS) was compared between patients with and without ILAs using the multivariable Cox proportional hazards model. Subgroup analyses were performed based on cancer stage and ILA subcategories. The prevalences of treatment complications and death due to esophageal cancer and pneumonia/respiratory failure were analyzed using Fisher’s exact test.

Results

A total of 478 patients with esophageal cancer (age, 66.8 years ± 8.6 [standard deviation]; 64 women) were evaluated in this study. Among them, 267 patients showed no ILAs, 125 patients were indeterminate for ILAs, and 86 patients showed ILAs. ILAs were a significant factor for shorter OS (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.68, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.10–2.55, P = 0.016) in the multivariable Cox proportional hazards model adjusting for age, sex, smoking history, clinical stage, and histology. On subgroup analysis using patients with clinical stage IVB, the presence of ILAs was a significant factor (HR = 3.78, 95% CI 1.67–8.54, P = 0.001). Subpleural fibrotic ILAs were significantly associated with shorter OS (HR = 2.22, 95% CI 1.25–3.93, P = 0.006). There was no significant difference in treatment complications. Patients with ILAs showed a higher prevalence of death due to pneumonia/respiratory failure than those without ILAs (non-ILA, 2/95 [2%]; ILA, 5/39 [13%]; P = 0.022). The prevalence of death due to esophageal cancer was similar in patients with and without ILA (non-ILA, 82/95 [86%]; ILA 32/39 [82%]; P = 0.596).

Conclusion

ILAs were significantly associated with shorter survival in patients with esophageal cancer.
Indium(III) complexes: application as organic catalyst, precursor for chalcogenides nanoparticles and starting materials in the industry
Authors: Ajiboye Timothy O. , Ajala Oluwaseun J. , Adeyemi Jerry O. , Dhibar Subhendu
Published: April 2024

Trivalent indium ions are not toxic like the common ions, and this implies that there are limited secondary pollution associated with their photoconversion processes. They are therefore a preferred choice for several applications. However, they are not used in their ionic form. Their salts are reacted with various organic ligands to form different trivalent complexes of indium for these applications. Herein, the use of different trivalent complexes as catalysts in organic synthesis are discussed. Their usage as a precursor of indium oxide, indium sulfide, indium tellurides and indium selenides are examined. In addition, their application as organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), sensor, photovoltaic and luminous materials are discussed. Finally, gaps and/or areas for future research are highlighted.
Challenges in Ventricular Arrhythmia Ablation: Difficult Substrates and Advanced Ablation Strategies
Authors: Zarębski Łukasz , Futyma Piotr
Published: April 2024

Purpose of review

During challenging scenarios of ventricular arrhythmia (VA) ablation, novel strategies to target the arrhythmogenic substrate are sometimes essential for clinical success. While catheter ablation (CA) can offer relatively high efficacy, it may not always lead to complete VA eradication in certain individuals. This article provides a brief overview of difficult substrate ablation strategies in patients with premature ventricular contractions (PVC) or ventricular tachycardia (VT) and explores methods to improve outcomes for cases that do not respond to typical ablation techniques.

Recent findings

Recent developments highlight the crucial role of advanced imaging and mapping techniques in the visualization, characterization, and localization of challenging ventricular substrates. Additionally, some novel and advanced ablation strategies may be useful when PVC/VT is refractory to conventional ablation treatment.

An expanding spectrum of techniques which can optimize the precision and effectiveness of catheter ablation procedures may improve PVC/VT ablation outcomes. Novel ablation therapies such as alcohol ablation, optimization of dispersive patch positions, or bipolar ablation, can overcome obstacles associated with the challenging anatomy of arrhythmia.
How appropriate is treating patients diagnosed with advanced esophageal cancer with anticancer drugs? A multicenter retrospective cohort Spanish study
Authors: Santero Marilina , Requeijo Carolina , Quintana Maria Jesus , Rodríguez Dulce , Bottaro David , Macias Ismael , Pericay Carles , Farina Natalie , Blanco Jesus Manuel , Urreta-Barallobre Iratxe , Punti Laura , Nava Maria Angeles , Bonfill Cosp Xavier
Published: April 2024

Aim

To assess the appropriateness of systemic oncological treatments (SOT) provided to patients diagnosed with advanced esophageal cancer (EC) across a group of participating hospitals.

Methods

Multicenter, retrospective cohort study in five Spanish hospitals including newly confirmed advanced EC cases between July 1, 2014, and June 30, 2016, with a 5-year follow-up.

Results

We identified 157 patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria (median age: 65 years, 85.9% males). Most patients, 125 (79.6%) were treated at least with one active treatment, and 33% received two or more lines of SOT. The 1-, 2- and 5-year overall survival rates were 30.3% [95%CI: 23.8, 38.7], 14.0% [95%CI: 9.3, 21.0], and 7.1% [95% CI: 3.8, 13.1] respectively, and the median survival time 8 months (95% CI: 6, 19) for stages IIIb IIIc and 7 months (95% CI: 5, 9) for stage IV. Clinical stage, receiving more than one line of SOT, and treatment with radiotherapy accelerated the time to death (0.4, 0.9-, and 0.8-times shorter survival respectively, p < 0.05). Better performance status (ECOG < 2) extended survival time by 2.2 times (p = 0.04). Age < 65 years (OR 9.4, 95% CI 3.2, 31.4, p < 0.001), and being treated in one particular hospital (OR 0.2, 95% CI 0.0, 0.8, p < 0.01) were associated with the administration of two or more lines of SOT. Altogether, 18.9% and 9.0% of patients received chemotherapy in the last four and two weeks of life, respectively. Moreover, 2.5% of patients were prescribed a new line of chemotherapy during the last month of life. The proportion of all patients who did not have access to palliative care reached 29.3%, and among those who had access to it, 34.2% initiated it in the last month of life.

Conclusion

A high proportion of advanced EC patients receive many treatments not based on sound evidence and they do not benefit enough from palliative care services. The most accepted appropriateness indicators point out that some of the analyzed patients could have been overtreated. This study provides important insights into the quality of care provided to advanced EC, and furthermore, for giving valuable insight and opportunities for improvement.
Social Theory and Transgender: Beyond Polarization
Authors: Turner Charles
Published: April 2024

This paper argues that social theory can cast light on some of the main themes in current debates about trans issues. It considers four such themes: social classification and social control; tensions between individual and group rights; access to public spaces; and the relationship between personal pronouns and social identity. In so doing, it seeks to reframe local disagreement and polemic through more general questions about our modes of living together, and concludes that these debates are at bottom about the future of civility.
Flight control design for a hypersonic waverider configuration: A non-linear model following control approach
Authors: Autenrieb Johannes , Fezans Nicolas
Published: April 2024

DLR is currently investigating the potential of hypersonic flight systems in the context of different mission scenarios. One configuration type of higher interest for civil and military purposes is the hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV). Such HGVs operate over broad flight envelopes and pose complex flight dynamic characteristics. This article presents DLR’s generic hypersonic glide vehicle 2 (GHVG-2) and proposes an integrated non-linear flight control architecture that is based on the idea of the non-linear dynamic inversion and non-linear model following control methodologies. The proposed control scheme is designed to sufficiently and robustly handle the system dynamics of the over-actuated flight vehicle. The approach is first discussed, and the performance of the suggested control laws is later investigated via simulations of a high-fidelity non-linear flight dynamic model in the nominal case and under the presence of parametric uncertainties. The presented results demonstrate that the proposed NMFC approach provides benefits for the robust control of the regarded hypersonic system.
Structural correlation and chemistry of molten NaF–ScF3 with dissolved metal aluminium: TG/DTA, XRD, NMR and molecular dynamics simulations
Authors: Rakhmatullin Aydar , Šimko František , Zanghi Didier , Netriová Zuzana , Polovov Ilya B. , Dimiev Ayrat , Maksimtsev Konstantin V. , Bessada Catherine , Korenko Michal
Published: April 2024

For the first time, the mechanism of metal aluminum dissolution in NaF–ScF3 eutectic melts and the chemical interaction between the constituents of this mixture have been thoroughly studied by a combination of differential thermal analysis (DTA), high temperature and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) coupled with the molecular dynamic simulations. The formation of an insoluble Al3Sc alloy in molten (NaF–ScF3)eut system was proven, and the chemical mechanism of this aluminothermic Al3Sc alloy production was elucidated. Corresponding ex situ examinations bring to light the formation of NaScF4 and solid solution of Na3(Al,Sc)F6 in cooled bath. The molecular dynamics calculations of the bath allow us to construct the structural model and to predict viscosity, density and electrical conductivity of the reagent melt to help to optimize the conditions of the alloy synthesis.

Graphical abstract
An endothelial-related prognostic index for bladder cancer patients
Authors: Li Deng-xiong , Wu Rui-cheng , Wang Jie , Yu Qing-xin , Tuo Zhou-ting , Ye Lu-xia , Feng De-chao , Deng Shi
Published: April 2024

Background

Within the tumor microenvironment, endothelial cells hold substantial sway over bladder cancer (BC) prognosis. Herein, we aim to elucidate the impact of endothelial cells on BC patient outcomes by employing an integration of single-cell and bulk RNA sequencing data.

Methods

All data utilized in this study were procured from online databases. R version 3.6.3 and relevant packages were harnessed for the development and validation of an endothelial-associated prognostic index (EPI).

Results

EPI was formulated, incorporating six genes (CYTL1, FAM43A, GSN, HSPG2, RBP7, and SLC2A3). EPI demonstrated significant prognostic value in both The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and externally validated dataset. Functional results revealed a profound association between EPI and endothelial cell functionality, as well as immune-related processes. Our findings suggest that patients with low-risk EPI scores are more likely to respond positively to immunotherapy, as indicated by immune checkpoint activity, immune infiltration, tumor mutational burden, stemness index, TIDE, and IMvigor210 analyses. Conversely, individuals with high-risk EPI scores exhibited heightened sensitivity to cisplatin, docetaxel, and gemcitabine treatment regimens.

Conclusion

We have effectively discerned pivotal genes from the endothelial cell perspective and constructed an EPI for BC patients, thereby offering promising prospects for precision medicine.
Factors Influencing the Provision of Healthcare Professional-Led Sexual Support to Patients with Cancer and Their Partners: An Integrative Review of Studies from 2017 to 2022
Authors: Bingham Sharon Linsey , Cassells Claire Victoria , Semple Cherith Jane
Published: April 2024

Introduction

Patients with cancer and partners often face difficult and enduring sexual concerns. Reviews up to 2017 identified that the provision of a healthcare professional (HP)-led sexual support was not routine practice. Since 2017, there has been a burgeoning growth in research and evidenced-based interventions targeting HP’s sexual support provision in cancer care. Therefore, this review presents a synthesis of HP-led sexual support and factors impacting provision in cancer care from 2017 to 2022 to ascertain if sexual support in clinical practice has changed.

Methods

Using an integrative review design, searches were performed on five electronic databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, ProQuest, PubMed and PsycInfo), Google Scholar and manual review of reference lists from 2017 to 2022. Data extracted from studies meeting predefined inclusion/exclusion criteria was synthesised using thematic analysis. Papers were appraised using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool.

Results

From the twelve empirical studies included, three themes were identified: (1) Theory–practice gap: HP’s recognition of the need to provide sexual support to patients with cancer and partners but current provision is lacking, (2) professional and organisational barriers to HPs providing sexual support for patients with cancer and (3) equipping HPs and enabling patients to discuss sexual challenges in cancer care could enhance delivery of sexual support.

Conclusion

Provision of HP-led sexual support in cancer care is still not routine practice and when provided is considered by HPs as sub-optimal.

Policy Implications

Providing HPs with education, supportive resources and referral pathways could enhance the provision of sexual support in cancer care.
Development and field application of strongly resilient temporary plugging diversion agent for fracturing
Authors: Liu Yi , Chen Renbao , Liu Jing , Yu Yangyang , Zhu Kuanliang
Published: April 2024

Temporary plugging diversion fracturing in multistage horizontal well is normally used to improve stimulation efficiency and increase production in unconventional reservoirs. Temporary plugging agent plays an important role in diversion fracturing. A strongly resilient temporary plugging diversion agent can improve the effectiveness of fracturing diversion. Therefore, a novel organosilicon temporary plugging diversion agent (QBZU) was developed through micellar copolymerization method. Self-synthesized strongly resilient temporary plugging diversion agent (QBZU gel) was prepared by using acrylamide, N, N′-methylene bisacrylamide, surfactants, organosilicon, ammonium persulfate and sodium bisulfite as chemical raw materials. The micellar copolymerization is investigated to overcome the incompatibility of hydrophobic organosilicon and water-soluble monomer by adding some appropriate surfactants. The experimental results indicated that the combination of sodium dodecyl sulphonate and Tween 80 provided excellent copolymerization results. The characteristics of compressive resistance, salt resistance, shearing resistance, resilience and degradation are superior compared with traditional rigid granular temporary plugging agent widely used in oilfields (QG hydrogel). According to the experimental evaluation results of QBZU, its pressure-bearing capacity can reach 56.3MPa, shearing strength can reach 410N, elastic modulus can reach 80MPa, and Poisson ratio can reach 0.48. Meanwhile, the main synthetic factors affecting the resilient performance of QBZU were investigated, including polymer concentration, organosilicon concentration and the types of surfactant. Based on the fracturing pressure curve and microseismic monitoring results, the plugging and fracture diversion effectiveness was further confirmed.
Rituximab potentially improves clinical outcomes of CAR-T therapy for r/r B-ALL via sensitizing leukemia cells to CAR-T-mediated cytotoxicity and reducing CAR-T exhaustion
Authors: Li Yangzi , Cui Qingya , Liu Sining , Liu Lingling , Li Megyn , Gao Jun , Li Zheng , Cui Wei , Zhu Xiaming , Kang Liqing , Yu Lei , Wu Depei , Tang Xiaowen
Published: April 2024

Purpose

Despite chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has achieved great advances in recent year, approximately 50% of relapsed/refractory B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (r/r B-ALL) patients treated with CAR-T experience relapse 6 months post CAR-T treatment. CD20 express on 30 to 50% of B-ALL, which makes CD20 Monoclonal Antibody as one of the potential therapy strategies to decrease the tumor burden and improve the efficacy of CAR-T therapy. Adding Rituximab to chemotherapy protocol had been demonstrated to improve the outcome for CD20-positive ALL. However, rare study explored the influence of Rituximab combined with CAR-T therapy.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed 20 r/r B-ALL patients who received CAR-T therapy, all of whom had failed multiple lines of therapy. Before CAR-T infusion, we administered Rituximab to 10 patients with high CD20 expression at a dose of 375 mg/m2 for 1 day. Meanwhile, we selected 10 patients with the comparable features who underwent CAR-T treatment without Rituximab in the same period as the control group. In vitro, the surface molecule expression and killing of CAR-T post Rituximab-treated B-ALL cells co-incubated with CAR-T cells were detected by flow cytometry.

Results

The median follow-up of Rituximab and Control groups were 29.27 and 9.83 months. We found that adding Rituximab may confer a favorable prognosis compared with Control group. The 2-year overall survival (OS) and leukemia-free survival (LFS) rates both were longer in the Rituximab group (90% vs. 26.7%, p = 0.0342; 41.7% vs. 25%, p = 0.308). In vitro, we observed that Rituximab-treated tumour cells are more sensitive to CAR-T killing and a broad range of cytokines and chemokines were produced when Rituximab-treated Nalm-6 cells co-cultured with 19-22CAR-T cells, such as interferon-γ (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-2 (IL-2). To investigate whether Rituximab has an effect on CAR-T persistence, we stimulated CAR-T cells repeatedly in vitro with Rituximab-treated Nalm-6 to evaluate the changes in CAR-T surface exhaustion molecules at different times. We found that the expression of exhaustion molecules (LAG-3, PD-1, TIM-3) on CAR-T cells were significantly lower in the Rituximab group than in the Control group.

Conclusion

Rituximab combined with CAR-T therapy is effective for improving the long-term prognosis of B-ALL patients who have failed multiple lines of therapy. In vitro, we observed that rituximab potentially improves CAR-T efficacy by sensitizing ALL to CART-mediated cytotoxicity and reducing CAR-T exhaustion.
One-misrecorded Poisson INAR(1) model via two random operators with application to crime and economics data
Authors: Gabr M. M. , Bakouch Hassan S. , El-Hadidy Shimaa M.
Published: April 2024

In this paper, we propose a first-order non-negative integer-valued autoregressive (INAR(1)) model with one-misrecorded Poisson (OMP) marginal via a combination of the generalized binomial thinning and mixture Pegram operators for zero-inflated and one deflated count time series. The suggested model is suitable for multimodal, equi- and over-dispersed data modeling. It contains two particular cases: the mixture of Pegram and thinning of a first-order integer-valued autoregressive (MPT(1)) with Poisson and one-misrecorded Poisson. The distribution of the innovation term is derived as a mixture of degenerate distributions at 0 and 1, and two Poisson distributions with certain parameters. Regression and several statistical properties of the proposed model are discussed. We investigate the distribution of the runs (the lengths of zeros and ones). The parameters of the model are estimated using the maximum-likelihood, modified Yule–Walker, and modified conditional least squares methods. The estimation of the parameters, their behavior, and their performance are presented through a simulation study. Two practical data sets on the monthly cases of criminal records and weekly sales are applied to check the proposed process’s performance against other relevant INAR(1) models, showing its capabilities in the challenging case of over-dispersed count data. Furthermore, the proposed model discusses data forecasting.
Understanding Typing Skill in Students With Developmental Disorders
Authors: Barnett Anna L. , Stuart Nichola
Published: April 2024

Purpose of Review

Typing is an important skill for education and beyond and is often recommended for those with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) and/or specific learning disorder (SLD) when handwriting is a challenge. This review outlines a model of typing to demonstrate the language, perceptual, and motor components involved. It then summarises selected research on typing skill in DCD and SLD. The purpose of the review is to identify current knowledge of typing skill in these groups to enhance understanding and inform future work on assessment, accommodations, and intervention.

Recent Findings

Thirteen relevant studies, published between 2008 and 2024, were identified. These vary widely in the types of disorder/difficulties studied, participant age, and language. They also include a range of tasks (alphabet writing, writing to dictation, copywriting, compositional writing) and employ different measures of typing. Taken together, they examine aspects of the typed ‘product’ (speed and accuracy), the ‘process’ of typing (efficiency, gaze, and finger movements), and student ‘perceptions’ of typing. Despite the varied groups studied and methods employed, findings are consistent. Most studies report that in groups with developmental disorders, typing is poorer than handwriting, and typing is poorer compared to typically developing peers.

The findings have important implications for research and practice. They indicate the need for further research on typing in specific diagnostic groups. They also emphasise the need for practical tools to assess typing performance across a range of tasks. This will aid the identification of typing difficulties and help plan appropriate accommodations and/or intervention.
An overview of sentence ordering task
Authors: Shi Yunmei , Zhang Haiying , Li Ning , Yang Teng
Published: April 2024

The sentence ordering task aims to organize complex, unordered sentences into readable text. This improves accuracy, validity, and reliability in various natural language processing domains, including automatic text generation, text summarization, and machine translation. We begin by analyzing and summarizing the sentence ordering algorithm from two perspectives: the input data approach and the implementation technique approach. Based on the different ways of input data formats, they are classified into pointwise, pairwise, and listwise, and the advantages, disadvantages and representative algorithmic features of each are discussed. Based on the different implementation technologies, we classify them into sentence ordering algorithms based on learning to rank and deep learning, and the core ideas, typical algorithms and research progress of these two categories of methods were specifically explained. We summarize the datasets and evaluation metrics of currently commonly used sentence ordering tasks. Additionally, we analyze the problems and challenges of sentence ordering tasks and look forward to the future direction of this field.
Design and analysis of ultra-wideband microstrip patch antenna with various conductive materials for terahertz gap
Authors: Singh Kritika , Dhayal Marshal , Dwivedi Smrity
Published: April 2024

The paper explores the design and analysis of a wideband microstrip patch antenna with a metallic patch and a 3 × 3 split ring resonator (SRR) array operating in the 0.1–5 THz frequency range. The antenna's structure incorporates different conductive materials such as gold, silver, and graphene as a metallic patch. The dimensions of the metallic patch and SRR are calculated to achieve wideband operation within the desired THz range. The SRR array enhances electromagnetic resonance, thereby improving bandwidth and radiation characteristics for medical imaging. The study discusses the equivalent circuit and design equations for the microstrip patch antenna and SRR unit cell. For designing and analyzing the proposed antenna, CST Microwave Studio 2019 software have been used. Performance parameters such as return loss, bandwidth, gain, efficiency, directivity, VSWR, and radiation pattern have been evaluated. The advantages and limitations of each conductive material are evaluated to determine their suitability for THz-based medical imaging applications. The goal is to maximize the antenna's bandwidth, gain, and image resolution for medical imaging purposes. The findings highlight the performance characteristics of gold, silver, and graphene as conductive materials for medical imaging applications, facilitating the development of high-resolution, non-invasive imaging systems with improved diagnostic capabilities.
Fertilizer Application Method Provides an Environmental-Friendly Nitrogen Management Option for Sugarcane
Authors: Quassi de Castro Sérgio Gustavo , Costa Vladimir Eliodoro , Quassi de Castro Saulo Augusto , Carvalho João Luis Nunes , Borges Clovis Daniel , de Castro Rosilaine Araldi , Kölln Oriel Tiago , Franco Henrique Coutinho Junqueira
Published: April 2024

Purpose

Nitrogen fertilizer management is an important agricultural tool that must be optimized to promote sustainable practices since the nitrogen-fertilizer recovery by plants (NRP) is low, leading to nitrogen losses to the environment. In sugarcane, N-fertilization has been investigated over the years but little attention has been given to N-fertilizer application methods. Sugarcane crop production and environmental impact regarding N-fertilizer application methods (i.e., applied onto the sugarcane straw layer and incorporated into the soil) were investigated in the present study aiming to achieve an environmental-friendly cropping system.

Methods

Sugarcane yield and NRP, N2O emissions, relevant components of the soil microbiological community and N-fertilizer retention in soil layers were quantified. The experiment was carried out in field conditions where N-fertilizer application methods using 15N-labelled ammonium nitrate (15NH415NO3) were compared to a control treatment with no N-fertilization.

Results

Incorporation of N-fertilizer into the soil increased the sugarcane yield by 17% (two-year average) compared to N-fertilizer applied onto the sugarcane straw layer, which was similar to control treatment. There was an increase in NRP-fertilizer of 79% due to the application of N-fertilizer incorporated into the soil. Furthermore, soil incorporation of N-fertilizer decreased N2O emission by 22% with the fertilizer N emission factor reduced four-fold. The N2O emissions were mostly associated with ammonium-oxidizing bacteria (AOB).

Conclusions

Our results show that application of N-fertilizer incorporated into the soil is an environmental-friendly N-fertilization management which will improve agricultural sustainability and reduce environmental impacts.

Graphical Abstract
A systematic review of Neisseria gonorrhoeae drug resistance development in South Africa
Authors: Yakobi Sinethemba H. , Magibile Yolisa B. , Pooe Ofentse J.
Published: April 2024

In South Africa, basic healthcare centres treat sexually transmitted infections (STIs) using a syndromic approach. In line with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) recommendations, a complete study of all randomised controlled trials and surveillance data relevant to N. gonorrhoeae antibiotic resistance was conducted. To discover papers published between 2002 and 2022, searches were undertaken using PubMed, EMBASE and any other relevant databases. This systematic review extracted a total of 463 articles published between 2002 and 2022 from a variety of online research sources. Seven South African provinces were represented in the studies that were assessed. Mpumalanga and the North West Province did not have any studies that described the identification and monitoring of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This study presents data obtained from a comprehensive analysis of 2140 isolates, in which we examined the presence of one or more antibiotic resistance. Our findings revealed that out of these samples, 1891 isolates exhibited antimicrobial properties; tetracycline was the antimicrobial resistance that was found the most often (30%), followed by ciprofloxacin (19%) and penicillin (17%). The mean of the isolates was 143, the upper 95% mean was 243, and the standard deviation (SD) was 181.6. All microbiological identification and susceptibility testing processes must be standardised and improved so national organisations can monitor AMR. The nation’s health community must address all identified areas of concern to avoid AMR.