bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The correlations between C-reactive protein and MRI-detected inflammation in patients with axial spondyloarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Tian Haoran , Li Ting , Wang Yuanqiong , Lu Hongjuan , Lin Li , Wu Xin , Xu Huji
Published: June 2023

Background

C-reactive protein (CRP) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are widely used to monitor inflammation in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), but the relationship between CRP and MRI-detected inflammation is incompletely understood. The present study was undertaken to assess correlations between CRP and MRI-detected inflammation in axSpA.

Materials and methods

A systematic literature search was performed (Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library) to identify relevant studies concerning CRP and MRI-detected inflammation in axSpA patients. The MRI-detected inflammation was evaluated by MRI-based disease activity score (DAS). The correlation between CRP and MRI-based DAS was integrated by random-effect models.

Results

Eighteen studies reported a total of 1392 axSpA patients which were included in this meta-analysis. CRP was significantly associated with spinal MR DAS (r=0.226, 95%CI [0.149, 0.291], p<0.001, I2=23%). We also found a moderate correlation between CRP change and spinal MR DAS change (r[ASspiMRI-a]=0.354, 95%CI [0.282, 0.422], p<0.001, I2=48%; r[SPARCC]=0.544, 95%CI [0.345, 0.701], p<0.001, I2=19%). CRP at baseline was negatively associated with improvement in spinal MR DAS (r= − 0.327, 95%CI [−0.397, −0.264], p<0.001, I2=0%). However, no significant association was found between CRP and sacroiliac joint (SIJ) MR DAS.

Conclusions

In axSpA patients, CRP is associated with MRI-detected inflammation in the spine but not in SIJ. We speculate that CRP could be a reasonable index to reflect spinal inflammation. Therefore, we suggest it is not essential to repeat spinal MRI in a short term, while SIJ MRI may be necessary to provide additional information on inflammation.

Key Points• CRP is associated with MRI-detected inflammation in the spine but not in sacroiliac joints.• CRP at baseline was negatively associated with improvement in spinal MR DAS.• It was not essential to repeat spinal MRI frequently, while SIJ MRI may be necessary to provide additional information on inflammation.
Fun, Fitness, and Relaxation: Using Participatory Research to Explore Dance/Movement Therapy with Women Navigating the Criminal Justice System in Australia
Authors: Dumaresq Ella
Published: June 2023

This paper communicates findings from a doctoral research project which used dance/movement therapy (DMT) to engage two women navigating the criminal justice system in Australia. A feminist-informed participatory research design was applied to learn about each woman’s experience and to explore the possible health promoting benefits of community-based DMT. Women serving time on community correctional orders were invited to attend drop-in DMT workshops which were held in a drug and alcohol recovery centre. Participants were invited to offer feedback which was analyzed using reflexive and interpretative methods of ethnographic data generation. Three themes emerged through the data which were understood to reflect simple notions of fun, fitness, and relaxation in DMT. Although limited to a small number of participants, this study undertook a close reading of each woman’s feedback and considered themes in light of trauma theory. Drawing from the women’s responses, the study articulates the beginnings of an ‘exercisePLUS’ perspective: a theoretical rationale which validates the role of exercise in DMT and discusses its potential therapeutic significance. Neurobiological trauma frameworks are used to articulate the findings, however, the research seeks to challenge assumptions within the medical model, such as the ‘expert’ positioning of the therapist. In doing so, this research aims to contribute toward the further development of community-based perspectives in DMT practice, and, offers a theoretical rationale for the use of DMT within a forensic context.
Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Randomized-Controlled Study
Authors: Lu Hsueh Chen , Gevirtz Richard , Yang Chi Cheng , Hauson Alexander O.
Published: June 2023

To determine whether heart rate variability biofeedback (HRV-BF) training, compared to a psychoeducation control condition can strengthen the integration of the central and autonomic nervous systems as measured by neuropsychological measures in patients with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Participants were recruited from two university hospitals in Taipei, Taiwan. A total of 49 participants with mTBI were recruited for this study. Forty-one participants completed the study, 21 in the psychoeducation group and 20 in the HRV-BF group. Randomized controlled study. The Taiwanese Frontal Assessment Battery, the Semantic Association of Verbal Fluency Test, the Taiwanese version of the Word Sequence Learning Test, the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test-Revised, and the Trail Making Test were used as performance-based neuropsychological functioning measures. The Checklist of Post-concussion Symptoms, the Taiwanese version of the Dysexecutive Questionnaire, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the National Taiwan University Irritability Scale were used as self-report neuropsychological functioning measures. Furthermore, heart rate variability pre- vs. post-training was used to measure autonomic nervous system functioning. Executive, information processing, verbal memory, emotional neuropsychological functioning, and heart rate variability (HRV) were improved significantly in the HRV-BF group at the posttest whereas the psychoeducation group showed no change. HRV biofeedback is a feasible technique following mild TBI that can improve neuropsychological and autonomic nervous system functioning. HRV-BF may be clinically feasible for the rehabilitation of patients with mTBI.
Online teaching in higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Svihus Cathrine Larsen
Published: June 2023

Because of COVID-19, online teaching has become a necessity for most educators in higher education. Before the pandemic, the technology was merely accepted and adopted by a few educators, hence only being used to a small degree compared with traditional face-to-face teaching. However, as an emergency online teaching strategy was implemented to support students’ progression, many educators transferred their lectures online as is. Various concerns occurred, leading to an investigation into how experienced online teachers promoted participating behavior in their classes, what challenges they perceived as a result of COVID-19 and how those were handled. These are important factors for adapting to the new normal, which is defined as the changes and adaptations that have occurred in higher education, including a shift toward a more flexible and adaptable approach in the educational experience. The study was conducted using semistructural interviews with six educators who met the following criteria: teach online in universities (colleges), have positive relations to online teaching, and have participation among/with students. Here, participation refers to contributing in discussions, asking questions, and/or commenting via voice, chat, or other interactive exercises such as roleplay/using whiteboard in Zoom. Findings suggest that attitude and experience are important factors for promoting participation in an online setting and contributing to a new normal after the pandemic. Challenges such as expectations and black screens were aspects for which no one had prepared and, hence, were difficult for educators to manage. Some strategies used included asynchronous resources, role play, and external tools to teach students and establish rapport.
Genetic variants in the adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette transporter A1 and risk of age-related macular degeneration
Authors: Nordestgaard Liv Tybjærg , Christoffersen Mette , Afzal Shoaib , Nordestgaard Børge Grønne , Tybjærg-Hansen Anne , Frikke-Schmidt Ruth
Published: June 2023

Genetic variants in ABCA1 are associated with higher concentrations of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Higher HDL cholesterol concentrations are observationally and genetically associated with higher risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). However, whether amino acid-changing genetic variants in ABCA1 associated with high HDL cholesterol concentrations confer a higher risk of AMD in the general population is currently unknown. We tested this hypothesis. The study included 80,972 individuals (1,370 AMD cases) from the Copenhagen General Population Study (CGPS) and 9,584 individuals (142 AMD cases) from the Copenhagen City Heart Study (CCHS) with 10 to 18 years of follow-up. We created an HDL cholesterol weighted allele score based on amino acid-changing ABCA1 variants with a minor allele frequency above 0.001 and divided it into tertiles. The study included 55% women. Mean age was 58 years. The ABCA1 allele score for the third versus the first tertile was associated with HRs (95% confidence intervals (CIs)) of 1.30 (1.14–1.49) for all-cause AMD, 1.26 (1.06–1.50) for nonneovascular AMD, and 1.31 (1.12–1.53) for neovascular AMD in a multivariable adjusted model. On a continuous scale, higher concentrations of genetically determined HDL cholesterol were associated with higher risk of all-cause AMD, nonneovascular AMD, and neovascular AMD in an age- and sex adjusted model and in a multivariable adjusted model. In conclusion, amino acid-changing genetic variants in ABCA1 associated with higher HDL cholesterol concentrations were also associated with higher risk of AMD, suggesting a role for ABCA1 in AMD pathogenesis.
A tour through brexit Britain
Authors: Ward Ian
Published: June 2023

This article embarks on a tour of Brexit Britain in the company of the eighteenth-century writer Daniel Defoe. The closer text is his A Tour Through the Whole Island of Great Britain, published between 1724 and 1726. Defoe wrote his Tour, in considerable part, as a gentleman’s guide to the newly ‘United’ Kingdom of Great Britain. It seems apt to revisit Defoe’s Tour given the stresses which presently test the integrity of this same union three centuries on. Stresses which moreover have been exacerbated by Britain’s tortured attempt to extricate itself from another Union, the European. The article will, in fact, revisit just three of the places to which Defoe invited his readers; Rochester, Westminster and Edinburgh. The reason for these three destinations will become apparent.
True Turing: A Bird’s-Eye View
Authors: Daylight Edgar
Published: June 2023

Alan Turing is often portrayed as a materialist in secondary literature. In the present article, I suggest that Turing was instead an idealist, inspired by Cambridge scholars, Arthur Eddington, Ernest Hobson, James Jeans and John McTaggart. I outline Turing’s developing thoughts and his legacy in the USA to date. Specifically, I contrast Turing’s two notions of computability (both from 1936) and distinguish between Turing’s “machine intelligence” in the UK and the more well-known “artificial intelligence” in the USA. According to my proposed historical interpretation, Turing did not view computations in the real world to be exhaustively and deterministically characterized by his automatic machines from 1936.
MRI radiomics-based machine learning for classification of deep-seated lipoma and atypical lipomatous tumor of the extremities
Authors: Gitto Salvatore , Interlenghi Matteo , Cuocolo Renato , Salvatore Christian , Giannetta Vincenzo , Badalyan Julietta , Gallazzi Enrico , Spinelli Maria Silvia , Gallazzi Mauro , Serpi Francesca , Messina Carmelo , Albano Domenico , Annovazzi Alessio , Anelli Vincenzo , Baldi Jacopo , Aliprandi Alberto , Armiraglio Elisabetta , Parafioriti Antonina , Daolio Primo Andrea , Luzzati Alessandro , Biagini Roberto , Castiglioni Isabella , Sconfienza Luca Maria
Published: June 2023

Purpose

To determine diagnostic performance of MRI radiomics-based machine learning for classification of deep-seated lipoma and atypical lipomatous tumor (ALT) of the extremities.

Material and methods

This retrospective study was performed at three tertiary sarcoma centers and included 150 patients with surgically treated and histology-proven lesions. The training-validation cohort consisted of 114 patients from centers 1 and 2 (n = 64 lipoma, n = 50 ALT). The external test cohort consisted of 36 patients from center 3 (n = 24 lipoma, n = 12 ALT). 3D segmentation was manually performed on T1- and T2-weighted MRI. After extraction and selection of radiomic features, three machine learning classifiers were trained and validated using nested fivefold cross-validation. The best-performing classifier according to previous analysis was evaluated and compared to an experienced musculoskeletal radiologist in the external test cohort.

Results

Eight features passed feature selection and were incorporated into the machine learning models. After training and validation (74% ROC-AUC), the best-performing classifier (Random Forest) showed 92% sensitivity and 33% specificity in the external test cohort with no statistical difference compared to the radiologist (p = 0.474).

Conclusion

MRI radiomics-based machine learning may classify deep-seated lipoma and ALT of the extremities with high sensitivity and negative predictive value, thus potentially serving as a non-invasive screening tool to reduce unnecessary referral to tertiary tumor centers.
Impact of modified bladder neck suspension on early recovery of continence after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP)
Authors: Moon Hyong Woo , Rhew Seung Ah , Yoon Chang Eil , Kwon Hyeok Jae , Park Yong Hyun , Lee Ji Youl
Published: June 2023

The incontinence after RARP significantly decreases the quality of life in prostate cancer patients. A number of techniques have been introduced for the recovery of continence after RARP. Although, the mechanism of the continence recovery is still unclear. We aimed to evaluate the early recovery of continence after RARP by inducing early anterior adhesion and reducing the hypermobility of the urethra through the modified bladder neck suspension (BNS) procedure. From March 2018 to February 2020, a total of 227 consecutive patients who underwent RARP (by single surgeon) were included. Patients were divided into two groups based on operation procedure (Standard procedure vs BNS procedure). Demographics, perioperative variables, and pathologic outcome were analyzed. We assessed recovery of continence at 1, 3, 6 and 9 months after surgery. Postoperative recovery of continence defined as the use of no pad during 24 h. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate independent predictors of the early recovery of continence at 1 month. We performed RARP with standard procedure (n = 106) or BNS procedure (n = 121). There was no statistical difference in perioperative variables between the two groups except anastomosis time (21.6 ± 12.9 vs 17.0 ± 7.6, p = 0.003). The pad free continence rate were 80.2% (standard group) and 91.3% (BNS group) at 9 month after RARP (p = 0.037). However, early continence rate (1mo) were significantly higher in the BNS group (12.3% vs 29.1%, p = 0.004). On multivariate logistic analyses, BNS procedure (odds ratio [OR] 2.78, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03–7.45, p = 0.0426), age (OR 0.92, CI 0.86–0.98, p = 0.0154) were independent factor for early recovery of continence after RARP. The modified bladder neck suspension procedure showed significantly better outcomes than the standard procedure in terms of the early recovery of urinary continence.
The Effect of Lanthanum (III) Nitrate on the Osteogenic Differentiation of Mice Bone Marrow Stromal Cells
Authors: Wang Qian , Li Yi-Fan , Zhang Hai-Song , Li Xue-Zhong , Gao Yan , Fan Xing
Published: June 2023

To study the species of lanthanum (III) nitrate (La[NO3]3) dispersed in cell media and the effect on the osteoblast differentiation of bone marrow stroma cells (BMSCs). Different La-containing precipitations were obtained by adding various concentrations of La(NO3)3 solutions to Dulbecco’s modified Eagle medium (DMEM) or DMEM with fetal bovine serum (FBS). A series of characterisation methods, including dynamic light scattering, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and protein quantification were employed to clarify the species of the different La-containing precipitations. The primary BMSCs were isolated, and the cell viability, alkaline phosphatase activity, and the formation of a mineralised nodule of BMSCs were tested when treated with different La-containing precipitations. The La(NO3)3 solutions in DMEM could form LaPO4, which exits in the particle formation, while the La(NO3)3 solutions in DMEM with FBS could form a La-PO4-protein compound. When treated with La(NO3)3 solutions in DMEM, the cell viability of the BMSCs was inhibited at the concentrations of 1, 10, and 100 μM at 1 day and 3 days. Meanwhile, the supernatant derived from the La(NO3)3 solutions in DMEM did not affect the cell viability of the BMSCs. In addition, the precipitate derived from the La(NO3)3 solutions in DMEM added to the complete medium inhibited the cell viability of the BMSCs at concentrations of 10 μM and 100 μM. When treated with La(NO3)3 solutions in DMEM with FBS, the derived precipitate and supernatant did not affect the cell viability of the BMSCs, except for the concentration of 100 μM La(NO3)3. The La-PO4-protein formed from the La(NO3)3 solutions in DMEM with FBS inhibited the osteoblast differentiation of BMSCs at the concentration of 1 μM La(NO3)3 (P < 0.05) but had no effect on either the osteoblast differentiation at the concentrations of 0.001 and 0.1 μM or on the formation of a mineralised nodule at all tested concentrations of La(NO3)3. Overall, La(NO3)3 solutions in different cell culture media could form different La-containing compounds: La-PO4 particles (in DMEM) and a La-PO4-protein compound (in DMEM with FBS). The different La-containing compounds caused different effects on the cell viability, osteoblast differentiation, and the formation of a mineralised nodule of the BMSCs. The La-containing precipitation inhibited the osteoblast differentiation by inhibiting the expression of osteoblast-related genes and proteins, providing a theoretical basis for clinical doctors to apply phosphorus-lowering drugs such as lanthanum carbon.
Myoepithelial Carcinoma of Sinonasal Cavity: Peculiar Diagnosis, Conventional Treatment
Authors: Dinker Diksha , Rajan Keshava , Sharma Swati , Kumar Naveena AN
Published: June 2023

Myoepithelial carcinoma is a morphologically diverse tumor which either arises de novo or from the malignant transformation of its benign counterpart i.e. myoepithelioma. These are relatively lesser known entities and are rarely found in head and neck region. Although rare, their first presentation is usually a painless growing mass as seen in our case presentation as well and are infamous for lymph node recurrence and distant metastasis. Due to their clinical presentation and varied morphology these become tedious to diagnose and pose difficulty for a surgeon when presented at a later date due to their effect on the adjacent vital structures. We report a case of myoepithelial carcinoma in head and neck region arising from the nasal cavity, it’s mass effect on the adjacent vital organs and the diagnosis and treatment plan to render the patient free of this tumor, preservation of the vision and keeping the recurrence of the tumor at bay.
Liprin-α1 Expression in Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes Associates with Improved Survival in Patients with HPV-Positive Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Sjöblom Anni , Pehkonen Henna , Jouhi Lauri , Monni Outi , Randén-Brady Reija , Karhemo Piia-Riitta , Tarkkanen Jussi , Haglund Caj , Mattila Petri , Mäkitie Antti , Hagström Jaana , Carpén Timo
Published: June 2023

Background

Liprin-α1 is a scaffold protein involved in cell adhesion, motility, and invasion in malignancies. Liprin-α1 inhibits the expression of metastatic suppressor CD82 in cancers such as oral carcinoma, and the expression of these proteins has been known to correlate negatively. The role of these proteins has not been previously studied in human papillomavirus (HPV)-related head and neck cancers. Our aim was to assess the clinical and prognostic role of liprin-α1 and CD82 in HPV-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) in comparison to HPV-negative OPSCC.

Methods

The data included 139 OPSCC patients treated at the Helsinki University Hospital (HUS) during 2012–2016. Immunohistochemistry was utilized in HPV determination and in biomarker assays. Overall survival (OS) was used in the survival analysis.

Results

Stronger expression of liprin-α1 in tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) was linked to lower cancer stage (p < 0.001) and HPV positivity (p < 0.001). Additionally, we found an association between elevated expression of liprin-α1 and weak expression of CD82 in tumor cells (p = 0.029). In survival analysis, we found significant correlation between favorable OS and stronger expression of liprin-α1 in TILs among the whole patient cohort (p < 0.001) and among HPV-positive patients (p = 0.042).

Conclusions

Increased liprin-α1 expression in the TILs is associated with favorable prognosis in OPSCC, especially among HPV-positive patients.
An updated description of Parkia barnebyana (Leguminosae: Caesalpinioideae, mimosoid clade) from Amazonian Venezuela and Brazil, and comparison with other species in sect. Parkia with erect capitula
Authors: Hopkins Helen C. F. , Oliveira Lorena C. , Hopkins Michael J. G.
Published: June 2023

An updated description, including characters of the capitulum and fertile flowers, is provided for Parkia barnebyana. Originally recorded from southern Venezuela, this small canopy tree from igapó (blackwater flooded forest) is now also known by two collections from north-western Brazil. The capitula are yellow and held erect, with the fertile flowers uppermost; they are borne on short, robust, upright peduncles that arise from long compound inflorescence axes projecting directly above the crown. The structure and shape of the capitula place this species in pantropical sect. Parkia and its pod morphology suggests that it lies outside the largely Amazonian nitida-group; both conclusions are supported by a recent phylogenetic analysis. The indehiscent pods remain in the tree at maturity and most seeds are apparently removed by arboreal dispersers and vertebrate seed predators. Two other neotropical species in sect. Parkia, P. cachimboensis and P. decussata, are known to have erect, yellow or largely yellow capitula and in both, a well-developed fringe of staminodia projecting from the basal flowers is absent. Both these species are chiropterophilous and although we predict that P. barnebyana is also likely to be bat-pollinated, we have made no observations. A fourth neotropical species, P. nana, also with yellow flowers, is reported to have erect capitula but they do have staminodial fringes; its pollination has not been studied. Within sect. Parkia, erect capitula occur only in the Neotropics, probably because of the head-down position in which quite large generalist phyllostomid bats land on them to access nectar. Erect capitula appear to have evolved more than once within neotropical sect. Parkia and at least sometimes from ancestors with pendent capitula, but further phylogenetic data are needed to confirm this.
Study of hydrogen sulfide biosynthesis in synovial tissue from diabetes-associated osteoarthritis and its influence on macrophage phenotype and abundance
Authors: Lendoiro-Cino Natalia , Rodríguez-Coello Arianna , Saborido Anna , F-Burguera Elena , Fernández-Rodríguez Jennifer A. , Meijide-Faílde Rosa , Blanco Francisco J. , Vaamonde-García Carlos
Published: June 2023

Type 2 diabetes (DB) is an independent risk factor for osteoarthritis (OA). However, the mechanisms underlying the connection between both diseases remain unclear. Synovial macrophages from OA patients with DB present a marked pro-inflammatory phenotype. Since hydrogen sulphide (H2S) has been previously described to be involved in macrophage polarization, in this study we examined H2S biosynthesis in synovial tissue from OA patients with DB, observing a reduction of H2S-synthetizing enzymes in this subset of individuals. To elucidate these findings, we detected that differentiated TPH-1 cells to macrophages exposed to high levels of glucose presented a lower expression of H2S-synthetizing enzymes and an increased inflammatory response to LPS, showing upregulated expression of markers associated with M1 phenotype (i.e., CD11c, CD86, iNOS, and IL-6) and reduced levels of those related to M2 fate (CD206 and CD163). The co-treatment of the cells with a slow-releasing H2S donor, GYY-4137, attenuated the expression of M1 markers, but failed to modulate the levels of M2 indicators. GYY-4137 also reduced HIF-1α expression and upregulated the protein levels of HO-1, suggesting their involvement in the anti-inflammatory effects of H2S induction. In addition, we observed that intraarticular administration of H2S donor attenuated synovial abundance of CD68+ cells, mainly macrophages, in an in vivo model of OA. Taken together, the findings of this study seem to reinforce the key role of H2S in the M1-like polarization of synovial macrophages associated to OA and specifically its metabolic phenotype, opening new therapeutic perspectives in the management of this pathology.
The D-amino acid oxidase-carbon nanotubes: evaluation of cytotoxicity and biocompatibility of a potential anticancer nanosystem
Authors: Rosini Elena , Boreggio Marta , Verga Matteo , Caldinelli Laura , Pollegioni Loredano , Fasoli Elisa
Published: June 2023

The ‘enzyme prodrug therapy’ represents a promising strategy to overcome limitations of current cancer treatments by the systemic administration of prodrugs, converted by a foreign enzyme into an active anticancer compound directly in tumor sites. One example is D-amino acid oxidase (DAAO), a dimeric flavoenzyme able to catalyze the oxidative deamination of D-amino acids with production of hydrogen peroxide, a reactive oxygen species (ROS), able to favor cancer cells death. A DAAO variant containing five aminoacidic substitutions (mDAAO) was demonstrated to possess a better therapeutic efficacy under low O2 concentration than wild-type DAAO (wtDAAO). Recently, aiming to design promising nanocarriers for DAAO, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were functionalized with polyethylene glycol (PEG) to reduce their tendency to aggregation and to improve their biocompatibility. Here, wtDAAO and mDAAO were adsorbed on PEGylated MWCNTs and their activity and cytotoxicity were tested. While PEG-MWCNTs-DAAOs have shown a higher activity than pristine MWCNTs-DAAO (independently on the DAAO variant used), PEG-MWCNTs-mDAAO showed a higher cytotoxicity than PEG-MWCNTs-wtDAAO at low O2 concentration. In order to evaluate the nanocarriers’ biocompatibility, PEG-MWCNTs-DAAOs were incubated in human serum and the composition of protein corona was investigated via nLC-MS/MS, aiming to characterize both soft and hard coronas. The mDAAO variant has influenced the bio-corona composition in both number of proteins and presence of opsonins and dysopsonins: notably, the soft corona of PEG-MWCNTs-mDAAO contained less proteins and was more enriched in proteins able to inhibit the immune response than PEG-MWCNTs-wtDAAO. Considering the obtained results, the PEGylated MWCNTs conjugated with the mDAAO variant seems a promising candidate for a selective antitumor oxidative therapy: under anoxic-like conditions, this novel drug delivery system showed a remarkable cytotoxic effect controlled by the substrate addition, against different tumor cell lines, and a bio-corona composition devoted to prolong its blood circulation time, thus improving the drug’s biodistribution.
Emulsion formation during enzymatic protein hydrolysis and its effect on protein recovery and molecular weight distribution of protein hydrolysates from sardine (Sardina pilchardus) by-products
Authors: Chiodza Kudzai , Goosen Neill J.
Published: June 2023

Recovery of protein is one of the important variables to optimise enzymatic hydrolysis of fish processing by-products. This study investigated the role played by emulsion formation on protein recovery and the molecular weight distribution of the protein hydrolysates at different solids concentration of fish processing by-products with a high oil content. Solids concentration of fish processing by-products was varied between 26 and 50% at constant pH of 7.8, 60 °C hydrolysis temperature and 4% enzyme dosage using Alcalase 2.4L. The results showed that emulsion formation, more than inhibition of enzyme activity, at high solids concentration contributed to the reduction in yield of dry solids and protein recovery. Emulsion formation also led to the presence of high molecular weight lipo-protein complexes in the protein hydrolysates, which caused an increase in the average molecular weight of the hydrolysates. The findings show the negative relationship between solids concentration, protein recovery and emulsion formation in enzymatic hydrolysis, and the need for methods that eliminate or reduce emulsion formation at high solids concentration without increasing process complexity or reducing protein recovery.
Nonemptiness of severi varieties on enriques surfaces
Authors: Ciliberto Ciro , Dedieu Thomas , Galati Concettina , Knutsen Andreas Leopold
Published: June 2023

Let

$(S,L)$

be a general polarised Enriques surface, with L not numerically 2-divisible. We prove the existence of regular components of all Severi varieties of irreducible nodal curves in the linear system

$|L|$

, that is, for any number of nodes

$\delta =0, \ldots , p_a(L)-1$

. This solves a classical open problem and gives a positive answer to a recent conjecture of Pandharipande–Schmitt, under the additional condition of non-2-divisibility.
II. Family Welfare and Pernicious Property: White Womanhood and Catholic Social Thought in the United States
Authors: Ward Kate
Published: June 2023

A significant literature presents the Catholic social thought tradition (CST) as a resource for combating racism and white supremacy, and an equally important body of work critiques the documentary tradition for the ways it fails to adequately address these pernicious social sins. This essay will combine elements of both approaches to address a topic relatively modest in scope: showing how attention to the historical and contemporary operation of white womanhood, exposed by sociologist Jessie Daniels in her book Nice White Ladies, informs, critiques, and presents opportunities for Catholic social thought on gender and family, both in the ecclesial documents and in their appropriations by white US Catholic scholars. I will address three themes: images of women; the nexus of families and the welfare state; and whiteness as property.
III. Rethinking Feminist Theologies of Sin in Light of White Women's Racist Violence
Authors: McCabe Megan K.
Published: June 2023

In 1960, Valerie Saiving published a groundbreaking essay, “The Human Situation: a Feminine View,” in which she pointed to the failures of classical sin-talk to account for the ways that women sin. As an early work of feminist theology, the article pointed to the androcentrism of theology: classical notions of sin were rooted in the failures and temptations of men. It also set the stage for feminist treatment of sin going forward. For Saiving, it was theologically inaccurate to identify women's experience of sinfulness with pride and will-to-power. Instead, she argues, the “feminine forms of sin … are better suggested by such items as triviality, distractibility, and diffuseness … in short, underdevelopment or negation of the self.”
List constructions in two signed languages
Authors: Wilcox Sherman , Xavier André Nogueira , Siltaloppi Satu
Published: June 2023

This paper examines how signers make lists. One way is to use the fingers on the signer’s nondominant hand to enumerate items on a list. The signer points to these list-fingers with the dominant hand. Previous analyses considered lists to be nondominant, one-handed signs, and thus were called list buoys because the nondominant hand often remains in place during the production of the list. The pointing hand was largely ignored as a nonlinguistic gesture. We take a constructional approach based on Cognitive Grammar. In our approach, we analyze lists as a type of pointing construction consisting of two meaningful components: a pointing device (the pointing hand) used to direct attention; and a Place, also consisting of form and a meaning. Using data from Brazilian Sign Language (Libras) and Finland–Swedish Sign Language (FinSSL), we examine the semantic role of each component, showing how the nondominant list-fingers identify and track discourse referents, and how the pointing hand is used to create higher-order entities by grouping list-fingers. We also examine the integration of list constructions and their components with other conventional constructions.
A DRAWING EDUCATION PROGRAMME FOCUSING ON ENHANCING ABSTRACTION ABILITY
Authors: Yagisawa Masaki , Iijima Junichi
Published: June 2023

This study considers the 'three sub-abilities' that constitute the abstraction ability and focuses on drawing as an education for acquiring them. Focusing on the similarity between the process of drawing and the semiotic triangle, elucidating their relationship with the sub-abilities that constitute the abstraction ability, it devises a drawing education programme that focuses on 'observing' rather than 'drawing'. The drawing education programme formulated is implemented on 177 students, and the result is determined using tests that enable objective evaluation to prove the effectiveness of the program in helping students acquire the 'three sub-abilities' that constitute the abstraction ability.

The educational programme proposed in this research, which focuses on the universality of the effects of learning drawing, as well as the quantitative criteria for evaluating it, will contribute to familiarize practical education in the field of art to the general public.
A DATA DRIVEN TOOL TO SUPPORT DESIGN TEAM COMPOSITION MEASURING SKILLS DIVERSITY
Authors: Chiarello Filippo , Spada Irene , Barandoni Simone , Giordano Vito , Fantoni Gualtiero
Published: June 2023

Team composition in Project Based Learning is the first task for the class and has a great impact on the learning experience. Anyway, little space is dedicated in literature about team composition, considering their personal inclinations towards design tasks.

For these reasons we propose a tool that aims to map the design skills of students to optimise team composition. The tool is based on a questionnaire grounded in the design theory and aims at measuring the willingness of students at performing certain design tasks. The results of the questionnaires are analysed using Principal Component Analysis to normalise each students’ answers to the whole class, and to show the distribution of students in the space of engineering design skills.

We present the design process of the tool, and a first experimentation on two classes of master's degree students in Management Engineering and Data Science, testing the tool on a total of 72 students. The results are promising and demonstrate the robusteness of the questionnaire and of the analytical method. Also, we propose next steps for our research activity, calling for other researchers to test our method in different contexts.
COMPARING ACADEMICS AND PRACTITIONERS Q & A TUTORING IN THE ENGINEERING DESIGN STUDIO
Authors: Hurst Ada , Lin Shirley , Treacy Claire , Nespoli Oscar G. , Gero John S.
Published: June 2023

In the design studio, academic (professor) and practitioner tutors provide individual mentoring to students as they progress in their design projects. Prior studies suggest that design practitioners may follow a different design process compared to academics, but little is known about how this difference relates to their design tutoring. This study explores the similarities and differences in tutoring by academics and practitioners. We use a question-asking lens to characterize the tutoring styles of four tutors - two academics and two practitioners - over a five-week design project in an engineering design studio. We find that academic tutors ask questions at a significantly higher rate than practitioner tutors, suggesting a more question-centred tutoring style. We also find that proportionally more of practitioner tutors’ questions are generative in nature, while the academic tutors employ more convergent thinking in their questioning. This may be an indicator of the practitioners' own design thinking, which might be more solution-focused than that of academics. These preliminary findings motivate future investigations of the relationship between differences in tutoring and impact on student design learning.
COMPLEX SYSTEMS DESIGN: SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES FOR SHIPBUILDING
Authors: Bouyssou Anne , Baumler Raphaël , Öhrwall Rönnbäck Anna
Published: June 2023

Ships are complex technical systems resulting from large scale and scope projects in which integration plays a key role, particularly because trade-offs have to be made between conflicting objectives.

Merchant ships are usually built with a perspective of twenty-five years of service. Ship owners detail their requirements and ship specifications in line with their strategy to remain competitive on specific segments of the shipping markets. Ships serve and organize global trade flows. The rise in environmental regulations and technological changes generate unprecedented uncertainties for ship owners.

Ships do not follow the usual systems engineering process, as there is no full-scale prototyping. Rules and standards deeply influence the design of ships and limit the possibilities to ’think outside the box’.

The purpose of this paper is to present environmental drivers relating to the operation of the ship which have, or will have, an influence on the way it is designed.
COMPUTER-AIDED DESIGN OF FAULT-TOLERANT HARDWARE ARCHITECTURES FOR AUTONOMOUS DRIVING SYSTEMS
Authors: Julitz Tim Maurice , Tordeux Antoine , Lower Manuel
Published: June 2023

Fault-tolerant hardware architectures for autonomous vehicles can be implemented through redundancy, diversity, separation, self-diagnosis, and reconfiguration. These approaches can be coupled with majority redundancy through M-out-of-N independent system architectures. The development of fault- tolerant systems is of central importance in the launch of autonomous driving systems from level 4. The increasing complexity of electrical and electronic systems is challenging for the design of safety-critical systems. This work aims to develop a method to manage this complexity in product development and to use it to compare different types of architectures. The basis is a system consisting of sensors and microcontrollers. The reliability of all possible MooN configurations of the system is calculated automatically by numerically solving the master equation of the corresponding Markov chain. Subsequently, a software-based fault tree analysis enables more detailed modeling of the component structure. The results show that four-line architectures can provide suitable results and that the development effort for 2-ECU systems is higher than for 1-ECU systems with respect to the ISO 26262 target values.
CONSIDERING ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES AND PRODUCT CHARACTERISTICS TO ACHIEVE MATERIAL CIRCULARITY BY DESIGN
Authors: Gräßler Iris , Hesse Philipp
Published: June 2023

To select design guidelines engineers have to identify relevant from a bewildering amount of design guidelines. In this paper, a rule-based method for selecting design guidelines for material circularity selection is presented. For this purpose, a generic Product Life Cycle model is detailed with regard to Multi Material cycles (gPLC-MM). The presented method is divided into four steps. Core of the presented method is the comparison of circular product strategies with product life phases and material recovery processes. Engineering activities and increments of the product architecture are used to identify design guidelines. The results show that through the material circularity-oriented design guideline identification method, the product architecture is designed for different processes and technologies, to recover materials. The method allows engineers to select guidelines in a more targeted and consolidated way in sustainability-friendly product engineering.
DEFINING PERMAENGINEERING: NEW PRACTICES FOR STRONG SUSTAINABLE CONTEXTS OF DESIGN
Authors: Grimal Lou , di Loreto Inès , Troussier Nadège
Published: June 2023

Designers can project their vision of the world into reality and share it. They have, in short, the capability to transmit values and points of view through their products. We believe that engineering culture and tools need to shift from a culture of control to a culture of care. The aim of this paper is to propose and test new engineering practices for strong sustainability. We argue that the role and the shape of engineering in strong sustainability contexts are not explored enough in the scientific literature. We propose therefore a form of strong sustainability practice that we call permaengineering. Permaengineering practices are conceived to be in line with strong sustainability contexts. In other words, permaengineering practices should allow achieving activities upper the social floor and within the planetary boundaries. 4 elements will be studied in permaengineering: the ethics of permaengineering, the goal of the practice, the approach to sustainability, and the expertise needed. Those 4 elements will be tested through an interactive tool embedding perma-engineering principles. A seven-month study was conducted to test this tool.
DEMAND-DRIVEN DESIGN STRATEGY FOR INTER-ORGANIZATIONAL CIRCULAR SYSTEM – THE VALORIZATION OF EXPANDED POLYSTYRENE IN BRAZIL
Authors: Jaeger João , Paula Istefani Carisio de , Heinen Madalena , Gularte Aline Cafruni , Hauser Ghissia , Phanebecker Victor Calcanhoto
Published: June 2023

The valorization of plastic wastes in the Circular Economy poses the challenge of developing inter-organizational systems. Concerning the implementation, the inter-organizational level consists of a set of companies from the same segment acting in different roles in the circular system. This research aims to demonstrate a structured method designed to develop a demand-driven inter-organizational closed-loop circular system for the valorization of packaging waste.

The five-step method includes (i) Contextualization/problematization, (ii) Closed-loop system mapping, (iii) Closed-loop system consolidation, (iv) Building Commitment,(v) Pilot system implementation and operation. A real case illustrates the method. As the unit of analysis we have chosen the supply chain and reverse channels of expanded and extruded polystyrene packaging in Brazil. The project was developed from December 2021 to March 2022.

The contribution to the literature is to validate the premises and to provide insight into the challenges of developing real circular economy closed loop systems. The practical contribution is to support the development of a recycling system of packaging in a developing country.
A DFAM FRAMEWORK FOR THE DESIGN OF COMPLIANT STRUCTURES
Authors: Air Alan , Wodehouse Andrew
Published: June 2023

Additive manufacturing methods present prospects for designed mechanical deformation via the integration of controlled anisotropic lattice structure forms. Their assimilation into a Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) process would create a novel framework for the design of compliant mechanisms (CM). The method uses lattice structures to replace rigid multi-part mechanisms, with integrated and controlled flexibility into a single, compact, and precise component. In recent years, a lot of research has gone into making algorithms that enable users to generate CMs for their designs. But by relying on algorithms to design solutions, are they neglecting to fully understand how these mechanisms work. This work undertakes the design and development of a novel DfAM Framework, that utilises controlled lattice structure deformations to create a standardised method of CM design. The authors have developed a method for this, whilst allowing users to tailor CMs to their design, by using a wide selection of pretested structures. Indicating suitable structures for their design using an integrated novel taxonomy. The framework is tested and developed using a series of case studies.
DESCRIPTIVE ATTRIBUTES OF ANALYSIS USE CASES IN THE DATA-DRIVEN VALIDATION OF ELEMENTS IN THE SYSTEM OF OBJECTIVES
Authors: Wagenmann Steffen , Weidinger Felicia , Schöck Moritz , Albers Albert , Bursac Nikola
Published: June 2023

Usage data of reference systems can be analyzed in the development process for the validation of system elements. The process model for data-driven validation of elements in the system of objectives aids developers in performing such data analyses. The conducted studies show that the basis for an efficient analysis process is a common understanding of the system and the goal of the analysis. Therefore, a template was derived over the course of case studies describing the elements in the system of objectives. The template covers the three descriptive dimensions general information, technical system and data. It allows a comprehensive description of analysis use cases. On average it takes 11 minutes for developers to aggregate all necessary information and consequently fill out the template. An A/B-Test confirmed the comprehensibility and applicability of the template even for developers of different domain knowledge. Through its contribution to a sustainable knowledge management the template provides an added value for the developers for conducting analysis.
DESIGN DESCRIPTIONS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF MACHINE LEARNING BASED DESIGN TOOLS
Authors: McKay Alison , Hazlehurst Thomas A , de Pennington Alan , Hogg David C
Published: June 2023

Applications of machine learning technologies are becoming ubiquitous in many sectors and their impacts, both positive and negative, are widely reported. As a result, there is substantial interest from the engineering community to integrate machine learning technologies into design workflows with a view to improving the performance of the product development process. In essence, machine learning technologies are thought to have the potential to underpin future generations of data-enabled engineering design system that will deliver radical improvements to product development and so organisational performance. In this paper we report learning from experiments where we applied machine learning to two shape-based design challenges: in a given collection of designed shapes, clustering (i) visually similar shapes and (ii) shapes that are likely to be manufactured using the same primary process. Both challenges were identified with our industry partners and are embodied in a design case study. We report early results and conclude with issues for design descriptions that need to be addressed if the full potential of machine learning is to be realised in engineering design.
DESIGN EXPERTISE: A STRUCTURED LITERATURE REVIEW
Authors: Tollestrup Christian , Laursen Linda Nhu , Vesti Helle Nødskou
Published: June 2023

Today research has come far in explaining distinct aspects of design expertise at different skill levels. However, with the increasing number of studies, we argue there is a need to assimilate present knowledge. In this paper we advance the field of design expertise by conducting a structured literature review. Through a systematic search of papers, from 1970 to today, we identify 110 papers concerning design expertise. We then analyze the accumulated research, and map how design expertise research has evolved, in terms of what we know and what remains unexplored. Through the review, we contribute with a distinction of skills acquisition at increasing levels of design expertise.