bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of fitspiration on believability and intention to exercise
Authors: Berry Tanya R. , Locke Sean , Ori Elaine M.
Published: February 2023

Introduction

Although Fitspiration is purportedly intended to motivate people to be fit and healthy, a body of research has demonstrated negative effects of these media in men and women. Understanding mechanisms can help create more targeted interventions aimed at mitigating the negative effects of Fitspiration. This research examined if selected implicitly or explicitly measured constructs moderated or mediated the effects of Fitspiration. The purposes were to examine the believability (finding the media truthful) of Fitspiration (study one; data from 139 women and 125 men aged 18–33 years were analyzed), the effects of Fitspiration on exercise intention (study two; data from 195 women and 173 men aged 18–30 years were analyzed), and whether these effects were moderated by exercise-related cognitive errors (negatively biased perception of exercise) or mediated by implicit (evaluative responses to stimuli) or explicit (reasoned evaluation of stimuli) attitudes.

Methods

In two separate studies, self-identified men and women first completed a measure of exercise-related cognitive errors, then viewed gender-specific Fitspiration media, followed by measures of implicit attitudes, explicit attitudes, believability, and demographics. In study two, participants were randomly assigned to Fitspiration or control media conditions and also completed measures of fitspiration-related cognitive errors and intention to exercise. In the first study, one model was tested for each gender sample. It was hypothesized that implicit and explicit attitudes would be positively related to believability, and that exercise-related cognitive errors would moderate these relationships. In study two, separate models were tested with exercise-related or Fitspiration-related cognitive errors as the moderators with each gender sample. It was hypothesized that implicit attitudes, explicit attitudes, and believability would be positively related to intention, that the control media would lead to greater intention to exercise than the Fitspiration media, and that exercise-related cognitive errors and Fitspiration-related cognitive errors would moderate these relationships.

Results

The majority of hypothesized relationships were not supported. A negative relationship between exercise-related cognitive errors and believability was found.

Discussion

Overall, these studies identify and exclude factors that predict Fitspiration believability and the role that factors such as cognitive errors and attitudes may play in that.
Prior knowledge as a moderator between signaling and learning performance in immersive virtual reality laboratories
Authors: Han Jining , Liu Geping , Zheng Qiyu
Published: February 2023

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of signaling and prior knowledge on the cognitive loads, motivations, and learning of college students in an immersive virtual reality (IVR) environment. This study applied a 2 (signaling vs. no signaling) by 2 (high vs. low prior knowledge levels) between-subjects factorial design. The results revealed that signaling directed the attention of students with low prior knowledge levels, effectively helped them select relevant information and reduced their cognitive loads, whereas signaling had no significant effect on the cognitive loads, intrinsic motivation, and learning performance of learners with high levels of prior knowledge. These results suggest that IVR environments for students with low prior knowledge levels should reduce cognitive load and improve learning, and signals in the form of text annotations and color changes are recommended for additional support. Students with high prior knowledge levels do not require additional signals to support learning; therefore, the IVR environment needs to be designed in such a way as to be tailored to the individual differences of students.
The influence of metacognition monitoring on L2 Chinese audiovisual reading comprehension
Authors: Wang Yamin , Hu Jingying , An Zhuoma , Li Chaoran , Zhao Yang
Published: February 2023

Metacognition monitoring is the ability to evaluate the cognitive process actively. L2 learners with high metacognition monitoring ability can better monitor reading processes and outcomes consciously, thus facilitating self-regulated learning and improving reading efficiency. Previous studies mostly used offline self-reports to examine the metacognition monitoring in static text reading by L2 learners. This study investigated the effects of different indicators of metacognition monitoring on L2 Chinese audiovisual comprehension by online confidence judgment and audiovisual comprehension tasks. Target measures of metacognition monitoring included absolute calibration accuracy based on video or test and relative calibration accuracy measured by Gamma or Spearman correlation coefficient. 38 intermediate-advanced Chinese learners participated in the study. Multiple regression analysis showed three main results. First, absolute calibration accuracy can significantly predict L2 Chinese audiovisual comprehension, while relative calibration accuracy has no significant effect. Second, the predictive effect of video-based absolute calibration accuracy is affected by the video difficulty, that is, the greater the video difficulty, the greater the impact on the performance of audiovisual comprehension. Third, the predictive effect of test-based absolute calibration accuracy is influenced by the language proficiency, specifically, the higher the L2 Chinese proficiency, the stronger the prediction on the performance of audiovisual comprehension. These results support a multidimensional view of metacognition monitoring by specifying how different indicators of metacognition monitoring may predict L2 Chinese audiovisual comprehension. The findings have important pedagogical implications for strategy training of metacognition monitoring and point to the necessity to take task difficulty and individual differences among learners into full consideration.
Place of death among individuals with chronic respiratory diseases in China: Trends and associated factors between 2014 and 2020
Authors: Tong Xunliang , Wang Wei , Zhang Xinyue , Yin Peng , Gong Enying , Li Yanming , Zhou Maigeng
Published: February 2023

Background

Chronic respiratory disease (CRD) is a common cause of mortality in China, but little is known about the place of death (POD) among individuals with CRD.

Methods

Information about CRD-caused deaths was obtained from the National Mortality Surveillance System (NMSS) in China, covering 605 surveillance points in 31 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities. Both individual- and provincial-level characteristics were measured. Multilevel logistic regression models were built to evaluate correlates of hospital CRD deaths.

Results

From 2014 to 2020, a total of 1,109,895 individuals who died of CRD were collected by the NMSS in China, among which home was the most common POD (82.84%), followed by medical and healthcare institutions (14.94%), nursing homes (0.72%), the way to hospitals (0.90%), and unknown places (0.59%). Being male, unmarried, having a higher level of educational attainment, and being retired personnel were associated with increased odds of hospital death. Distribution of POD differed across the provinces and municipalities with different development levels, also presenting differences between urban and rural. Demographics and individual socioeconomic status (SES) explained a proportion of 23.94% of spatial variations at the provincial level. Home deaths are the most common POD (>80%) among patients with COPD and asthma, which are the two major contributors to CRD deaths.

Conclusion

Home was the leading POD among patients with CRD in China in the study period; therefore, more attention should be emphasized to the allocation of health resources and end-of-life care in the home setting to meet the increasing needs among people with CRD.
Correct administration aid for oral liquid medicines: Is a household spoon the right choice?
Authors: Younas Eman , Fatima Moomna , Alvina Ayesha , Nawaz Hafiz Awais , Anjum Syed Muneeb , Usman Muhammad , Pervaiz Mehak , Shabbir Amara , Rasheed Huma
Published: February 2023

Background

Correct medicine dosing is an important component in the safe and effective delivery of medicines, particularly for the pediatric population. However, there is a scarcity of public campaigns on the correct administration and choice of dosing aids for oral liquid dosage form in many countries, leading to medicine safety issues and therapeutic failures.

Methods

The study targeted the assessment of the knowledge and practice of university students. It utilizes pre- and post-intervention surveys administered through google forms as a survey tool during online zoom and in-person sessions. The intervention included a short video presentation detailing the selection and use of medicine spoons and other aids for the administration of oral liquid dosage. The Fischer Exact test was used to assess the pre- and post-test shift of responses.

Results

Nine-degree programs were engaged in the activity, and 108 students attended this health awareness activity after obtaining formal consent. A significant decline (CI = 95%, ****p-value < 0.05) in the choice of selecting tablespoon and a shift to a low-volume spoon, as well as rejection of an entire variety of household spoons, were observed. A significant improvement in the correct naming of spoons, the meaning of the abbreviation “tsp,” and the correct volume of a standard teaspoon were also observed with a p-value of <0.001.

Conclusion

A deficit in the knowledge of the proper use of measuring devices for oral liquid medicines in the educated population was observed, which can be enhanced through simple tools like short video presentations and awareness seminars.
Construction of public health core competence and the improvement of its legal guarantee in China
Authors: Huang Lansong , Yu Qinglin , Wang Quansheng
Published: February 2023

Public health core capacity, first established by the 58th United Nations General Assembly in 2003 and recognized by the World Health Organization when “the International Health Regulations” were revised, refers to the basic and necessary capacity to allocate human, financial, and material resources for the prevention and control of public health events that a country or region should have. It includes national and regional levels, and its constituent elements and their basic requirements differ, but public health core capacity building at both national and regional levels requires certain legal safeguards. At present, there are still some problems, including the imperfect legal system, conflicting legal norms, the non-sufficient supply of local legislation, and the weak operability of legislation in the legal guarantee of public health core capacity building in China. China should make improvements in terms of comprehensive cleaning of existing public health laws, strengthening their post-legislative evaluation, adopting parcel legislation, strengthening legislation in key areas of public health, and promoting the supply of local legislation. The goal is to provide a perfect and comprehensive legal system to guarantee the construction of China's core capacity in public health.
Trends in STI testing and diagnosis rates during the COVID-19 pandemic at a large urban tertiary care center, and the role of the emergency department in STI care
Authors: Stanford Kimberly A. , Mason Joseph A. , Friedman Eleanor E.
Published: February 2023

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has had profound effects on access to care, including outpatient sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing and treatment. Many vulnerable populations already relied on the emergency department (ED) for much of their care prior to the pandemic. This study examines trends in STI testing and positivity before and during the pandemic at a large urban medical center and evaluates the role of the ED in providing STI care.

Methods

This is a retrospective review of all gonorrhea, chlamydia, and trichomonas tests from November 1, 2018, through July 31, 2021. Demographic information and location and results of STI testing were extracted from the electronic medical record. Trends in STI testing and positivity were examined for 16 month periods before and after the COVID-19 pandemic started (March 15, 2020), with the latter divided into the early pandemic period (EPP: March 15 -July 31, 2020) and late pandemic period (LPP: August 1, 2020 - July 31, 2021).

Results

Tests per month decreased by 42.4% during the EPP, but rebounded by July 2020. During the EPP, the proportion of all STI testing originating in the ED increased from 21.4% pre-pandemic to 29.3%, and among pregnant women from 45.2% to 51.5%. Overall STI positivity rate increased from 4.4% pre-pandemic to 6.2% in the EPP. Parallel trends were observed for gonorrhea and chlamydia individually. The ED represented 50.5% of overall positive tests, and as much as 63.1% of positive testing during the EPP. The ED was the source of 73.4% of positive tests among pregnant women, which increased to 82.1% during the EPP.

Conclusions

STI trends from this large urban medical center paralleled national trends, with an early decrease in positive cases followed by a rebound by the end of May 2020. The ED represented an important source of testing for all patients, and especially for pregnant patients, throughout the study period, but even more so early in the pandemic. This suggests that more resources should be directed towards STI testing, education, and prevention in the ED, as well as to support linkage to outpatient primary and obstetric care during the ED visit.
Complete bladder duplication presenting in adulthood: A case report on reconstructive technique and reflections on translational urology in refugees
Authors: Abramowitz David , Claeys Wietse , Jamaer Caroline , Berquin Camille , Hoebeke Piet , Spinoit Anne-Françoise
Published: February 2023

Introduction and aim of study

The bladder-Exstrophy-Epispadias (BEEC) complex is a spectrum of congenital malformations with many variations. A never operated political refugee with BEEC was referred to our center for management upon arrival in Europe. Our aim is to report the technique and outcomes on a never operated on BEEC adult, highlighting the importance of transitional urologic care for congenital malformations in adult patients.

Materials and methods

A 27-year old female patient was referred to our center for complete incontinence since birth by the General practitioner from the refugee center who suspected BEEC. Upon further investigation, an exstrophic bladder with blind ending ureteral orifices and a urethral meatus caudal to the exstrophic bladder plate were highlighted. A second non-exstrophic bladder with two orthotopic ureters was demonstrated, thereby a bladder duplication in the sagittal plane was diagnosed, presenting a wide-open bladder neck and a 7 cm pubic diastasis, causing the incontinence she was initially referred for. With the patient in a supine position, laparotomy incision was done with excision of the umbilical scar. The exstrophic bladder plate is dissected caudally. As it presents good detrusor quality, decision is taken to use it as a ventral inlay to augment the non-exstrophic bladder. A Mitchell-type bladder neck reconstruction is performed with a classical fascia sling wrapped around the bladder neck to increase the continence mechanism given the very wide pubic diastasis. Given the risk for hyper-continence, interposition of a continent Mitrofanoff-type vesicostomy is additionally realized. Genital reconstruction is achieved.

Results

Over 1 year post operatively, the patient is completely dry, can holp up to 250ml between catheterization she performs five times per day and once at night. No post-operative complications were observed.

Conclusion

The case of one adult patient with a rare urological condition like bladder exstrophy with duplication is presented, illustrating challenges political refugees referred to Europe implicates in terms of surgery regarding congenital malformations in adult patients. A multidisciplinary approach is highly important, demonstrating the importance of transitional care.
Dual-tasking interference is exacerbated outdoors: A pilot study
Authors: Almajid Rania , Appiah-Kubi Kwadwo O. , Cipriani Daniel , Goel Rahul
Published: February 2023

Introduction

Walking while texting can create gait disturbances that may increase fall risk, especially in outdoors environment. To date, no study has quantified the effect of texting on motor behavior using different dynamic tasks in outdoor environments. We aimed to explore the impact of texting on dynamic tasks in indoor and outdoor environments.

Methods

Twenty participants (age 38.3 ± 12.5 years, 12 F) had a Delsys inertial sensor fixed on their back and completed walk, turn, sit-to-stand, and stand-to-sit subtasks with and without texting in both indoor and outdoor environments.

Results

While there was no difference in texting accuracy (p = 0.3), there was a higher dual-tasking cost in walking time with texting outdoors than indoors (p = 0.008).

Discussion

Dual tasking has a greater impact on walking time outdoors compared to an indoor environment. Our findings highlight the importance of patient education concerning dual-tasking and pedestrian safety in clinical settings.
Differences in visio-spatial intelligence between non-athletes and netball players
Authors: Mathe Nonkululeko , Millard Lourens , Breukelman Gerrit Jan , Mathunjwa Musa
Published: February 2023

There is conflicting evidence regarding whether athletes have better visio-spatial skills than non-athletes. This gap may result from athletes' superiority in only some visio-spatial abilities (VSS), rather than all areas of vision. The aim of this study was to determine whether there is a significant difference in the visio-spatial intelligence between female netball players (n = 40) and non-athletes (n = 40) when comparing six visual skills (accommodation facility, saccadic eye movement, speed of recognition, peripheral awareness, hand-eye coordination, and visual memory). Following an optometric evaluation, the participants were assessed in six distinct established tests, including the hart near far rock, saccadic eye movement, evasion, accumulator, ball wall toss tests, and flash memory, to evaluate the VSS components of non-athletes and premier league netball players. For five of the six tests, there was a statistically significant (p ≤ 0.05) difference between netball players and non-athletes. Conversely, there is no concrete evidence that netball players have better visual memory than non-athletes (p = 0.277). When compared to non-athletes, netball players have significantly improved accommodation facility (p < .001), saccadic eye movements (p < .001), speed of recognition (p < .001), peripheral awareness (p < .001), and hand-eye coordination (p < .001), but not visual memory (p = 0.277). The findings that netball players perform better on a certain VSS have broad ramifications for theories of sport vision, the optimal way to choose tests, and the creation of VSS testing batteries for specific sports.
Bone marrow stimulation in arthroscopic rotator cuff repair is a cost-effective and straightforward technique to reduce retear rates: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Zhang Lei , Zhu Yanlin , Xu Tianhao , Fu Weili
Published: February 2023

Background

Bone marrow stimulation (BMS) has been considered a well-established method for treating knee and ankle osteochondral lesions. Some studies have also shown that BMS can promote healing of the repaired tendon and enhance biomechanical properties during rotator cuff repair. Our purpose was to compare the clinical outcomes of arthroscopic repair rotator cuff (ARCR) with and without BMS.

Methods

A systematic review with meta-analysis was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Google scholar, ScienceDirect, and the Cochrane Library were searched from inception to March 20, 2022. Data on retear rates, shoulder functional outcomes, visual analog score and range of motion were pooled and analyzed. Dichotomous variables were presented as odds ratios (OR), and continuous variables were presented as mean differences (MD). Meta-analyses were conducted with Review Manager 5.3.

Results

Eight studies involving 674 patients were included, with mean follow-up period ranging from 12 to 36.8 months. Compared to ARCR alone, the intraoperative combination of the BMS resulted in lower retear rates (P < 0.0001), but showed similar results in Constant score (P = 0.10), University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) score (P = 0.57), American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score (P = 0.23), Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) score (P = 0.31), VAS (visual analog score) score (P = 0.34), and range of motion (ROM) (forward flexion, P = 0.42; external rotation, P = 0.21). After sensitivity analyses and subgroup analyses, no significant changes in statistical results were observed.

Conclusion

Compared to ARCR alone, the combination of intraoperative BMS can significantly reduce the retear rates, but showed similar short-term results in functional outcomes, ROM and pain. Better clinical outcomes are anticipated in the BMS group by improving structural integrity during long-term follow-up. Currently, BMS may be a viable option in ARCR based on its straightforward and cost-effective advantages.

Systematic Review Registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier: CRD42022323379.
Time-Varying Aeroelastic Modeling and Analysis of a Rapidly Morphing Wing
Authors: Zhang Liqi , Zhao Yonghui
Published: February 2023

Advanced rotational variable-swept missile wings require the ability to rapidly deploy, retract and reach the designated position. Therefore, the establishment of an effective time-varying aeroelastic model of a rotating missile wing is the prerequisite for performing transient response analysis during the rapid morphing process. In this paper, the finite element model of the wing at the fixed configuration is combined with the floating frame method to describe the small elastic deformations and large rigid-body displacements of the wing, respectively. Combining the structural dynamic model with the supersonic piston theory, a nonlinear and time-varying aeroelastic model of a missile wing undergoing the rapid morphing process is established. A method for the real-time determination of the time-varying lifting surface during morphing is discussed. Based on the proposed aeroelastic equations of motion, the flutter characteristics of the wing at different sweep angles are obtained. The influences of the actuator spring constant, the damping ratio during the morphing and the post-lock stages, as well as the velocity quadratic term in the aeroelastic equations, on the transient responses of the system are studied. The simulation results show that the flutter characteristics of the wing are greatly influenced by the sweep angle. Moreover, the jumping phenomenon in flutter speed due to the switching of flutter modes is found with the increase of the sweep angle. The morphing simulations demonstrate that the transient aeroelastic responses mainly occur in the post-lock stage, so much more attention needs to be focused on the post-lock vibrations. In addition, under the given simulation parameters, the nonlinear quadratic velocity term has little effect on the transient responses of the system. This study provides an efficient method for predicting the transient aeroelastic responses of a rotational variable swept wing.
Port-Hamiltonian Formulations of Some Elastodynamics Theories of Isotropic and Linearly Elastic Shells: Naghdi–Reissner’s Moderately Thick Shells
Authors: Charlotte Miguel , Núnez Ignacio Fernandez , Gourinat Yves , Matignon Denis
Published: February 2023

The port-Hamiltonian system approach is intended to be an innovative and unifying way of modeling multiphysics systems, by expressing all of them as systems of conservation laws. Indeed, the increasing developments in recent years allow finding better control and coupling strategies. This work aimed to apply such an approach to Naghdi–Reissner’s five-kinematic-field shell model in linear elasticity, while including often-neglected higher-order intrinsic geometric coupling effects, therefore preparing the theoretical background required for the coupling (or interconnection) with an acoustic fluid model and the different types of interactions that can arise among them. The model derived thusly can be used for controller design in a wide variety of applications such as inflatable space structures, launcher tank vibration damping, payload vibration protection using smart materials, and many other related applications.
Lachancea thermotolerans, an Innovative Alternative for Sour Beer Production
Authors: Postigo Vanesa , Esteban Sergio , Arroyo Teresa
Published: February 2023

The interest in and growth of craft beer has led to an intense search for new beers and styles. The revival of traditional styles has sometimes been hampered by the use of microorganisms such as lactic acid bacteria. Therefore, studies on alternative yeasts for the production of this style of beer have increased. In this work and together with previous studies carried out with yeasts isolated from Madrid agriculture (from grapes, must, wine, vineyards and wineries), the capacity of 10 yeast strains, belonging to the genus Lachancea thermotolerans, for the production of sour beer has been determined. For this purpose, different fermentation scale-ups (100 mL, 1 L and 100 L) have been performed and their fermentation capacity, aroma compound production (33 volatile compounds by GC), organoleptic profile (trained tasting panel and consumers), melatonin production (HPLC) and antioxidant capacity have been studied. Beer fermented with yeast strain CLI 1232 showed a balanced acidity with a fruity aromatic profile and honey notes. On the other hand, the beer fermented with strain 1-8B also showed a balanced acidity, but less fruity and citric flavour than CLI 1232 strain. Finally, the yeast strain selected by the consumers (CLI 1232) was used for beer production at industrial scale and the market launch of a sour beer.
Urea Transporter Inhibitor 25a Reduces Ascites in Cirrhotic Rats
Authors: Ying Yi , Li Nannan , Wang Shuyuan , Zhang Hang , Zuo Yinglin , Tang Yiwen , Qiao Panshuang , Quan Yazhu , Li Min , Yang Baoxue
Published: February 2023

Ascites is a typical symptom of liver cirrhosis that is caused by a variety of liver diseases. Ascites severely affects the life quality of patients and needs long-term treatment. 25a is a specific urea transporter inhibitor with a diuretic effect that does not disturb the electrolyte balance. In this study, we aimed to determine the therapeutic effect of 25a on ascites with a dimethylnitrosamine (DMN)-induced cirrhotic rat model. It was found that 100 mg/kg of 25a significantly increased the daily urine output by 60% to 97% and reduced the daily abdominal circumference change by 220% to 260% in cirrhotic rats with a water intake limitation. The 25a treatment kept the serum electrolyte levels within normal ranges in cirrhotic rats. The H&E and Masson staining of liver tissue showed that 25a did not change the cirrhotic degree. A serum biochemical examination showed that 25a did not improve the liver function in cirrhotic rats. A Western blot analysis showed that 25a did not change the expression of fibrosis-related marker protein α-SMA, but significantly decreased the expressions of type I collagen in the liver of cirrhotic rats, indicating that 25a did not reverse cirrhosis, but could slow the cirrhotic progression. These data indicated that 25a significantly reduced ascites via diuresis without an electrolyte imbalance in cirrhotic rats. Our study provides a proof of concept that urea transporter inhibitors might be developed as novel diuretics to treat cirrhotic ascites.
A Recognition Method for Soft Objects Based on the Fusion of Vision and Haptics
Authors: Sun Teng , Zhang Zhe , Miao Zhonghua , Zhang Wen
Published: February 2023

For humans and animals to recognise an object, the integration of multiple sensing methods is essential when one sensing modality is only able to acquire limited information. Among the many sensing modalities, vision has been intensively studied and proven to have superior performance for many problems. Nevertheless, there are many problems which are difficult to solve by solitary vision, such as in a dark environment or for objects with a similar outlook but different inclusions. Haptic sensing is another commonly used means of perception, which can provide local contact information and physical features that are difficult to obtain by vision. Therefore, the fusion of vision and touch is beneficial to improve the robustness of object perception. To address this, an end-to-end visual–haptic fusion perceptual method has been proposed. In particular, the YOLO deep network is used to extract vision features, while haptic explorations are used to extract haptic features. Then, visual and haptic features are aggregated using a graph convolutional network, and the object is recognised based on a multi-layer perceptron. Experimental results show that the proposed method excels in distinguishing soft objects that have similar appearance but varied interior fillers, comparing a simple convolutional network and a Bayesian filter. The resultant average recognition accuracy was improved to 0.95 from vision only (mAP is 0.502). Moreover, the extracted physical features could be further used for manipulation tasks targeting soft objects.
A Contemporary Report of Low-Dose-Rate Brachytherapy for Prostate Cancer Using MRI for Risk Stratification: Disease Outcomes and Patient-Reported Quality of Life
Authors: Patel Mira , Turchan William Tyler , Morris Christopher G. , Augustine Dana , Wu Tianming , Oto Aytek , Zagaja Gregory P. , Liauw Stanley L.
Published: February 2023

Purpose: We examined a prospective consecutive cohort of low dose rate (LDR) brachytherapy for prostate cancer to evaluate the efficacy of monotherapy for unfavorable-intermediate risk (UIR) disease, and explore factors associated with toxicity and quality of life (QOL). Methods: 149 men with prostate cancer, including 114 staged with MRI, received Iodine-125 brachytherapy alone (144–145 Gy) or following external beam radiation therapy (110 Gy; EBRT). Patient-reported QOL was assessed by the Expanded Prostate Index Composite (EPIC) survey, and genitourinary (GU) and gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity were prospectively recorded (CTC v4.0). Global QOL scores were assessed for decline greater than the minimum clinically important difference (MCID). Univariate analysis (UVA) was performed, with 30-day post-implant dosimetry covariates stratified into quartiles. Median follow-up was 63 mo. Results: Men with NCCN low (n = 42) or favorable-intermediate risk (n = 37) disease were treated with brachytherapy alone, while most with high-risk disease had combined EBRT (n = 17 of 18). Men with UIR disease (n = 52) were selected for monotherapy (n = 42) based on clinical factors and MRI findings. Freedom from biochemical failure-7 yr was 98%. Of 37 men with MRI treated with monotherapy for UIR disease, all 36 men without extraprostatic extension were controlled. Late Grade 2+/3+ toxicity occurred in 55/3% for GU and 8/2% for GI, respectively. Fifty men were sexually active at baseline and had 2 yr sexual data; 37 (74%) remained active at 2 yr. Global scores for urinary incontinence (UC), urinary irritation/obstruction (UIO), bowel function, and sexual function (SF) showed decreases greater than the MCID (p < 0.05) in UC at 2 mo, UIO at 2 and 6 mo, and SF at 2–24 mo, and >5 yr. Analysis did not reveal any significant associations with any examined rectal or urethral dosimetry for late toxicity or QOL. Conclusion: Disease outcomes and patient-reported QOL support LDR brachytherapy, including monotherapy for UIR disease.
Transition-Metal-Catalyzed C–C Bond Macrocyclization via Intramolecular C–H Bond Activation
Authors: Wang Xiao , Lu Ming-Zhu , Loh Teck-Peng
Published: February 2023

Macrocycles are commonly synthesized via late-stage macrolactamization and macrolactonization. Strategies involving C–C bond macrocyclization have been reported, and examples include the transition-metal-catalyzed ring-closing metathesis and coupling reactions. In this mini-review, we summarize the recent progress in the direct synthesis of polyketide and polypeptide macrocycles using a transition-metal-catalyzed C–H bond activation strategy. In the first part, rhodium-catalyzed alkene–alkene ring-closing coupling for polyketide synthesis is described. The second part summarizes the synthesis of polypeptide macrocycles. The activation of indolyl and aryl C(sp2)–H bonds followed by coupling with various coupling partners such as aryl halides, arylates, and alkynyl bromide is then documented. Moreover, transition-metal-catalyzed C–C bond macrocyclization reactions via alkyl C(sp3)–H bond activation are also included. We hope that this mini-review will inspire more researchers to explore new and broadly applicable strategies for C–C bond macrocyclization via intramolecular C–H activation.
Anorectal Malformations: Ideal Surgery Timing to Reduce Incontinence and Optimize QoL
Authors: Pelizzo Gloria , Canonica Carlotta Paola Maria , Destro Francesca , Meroni Milena , Rizzo Dario , Canazza Lorena , Selvaggio Giorgio Giuseppe Orlando , Durante Eleonora , Zuccotti Gianvincenzo , Calcaterra Valeria
Published: February 2023

Anorectal malformations (ARMs) are rare and involve a wide spectrum of malformations. Prenatal diagnosis is often incomplete, and the diagnostic pathway is started during the newborn period to identify the type of malformation and the correct treatment. This retrospective study included patients between 8 and 18 y.o. diagnosed with ARM, referring to Our Clinic. We proposed two questionnaires, Rintala Bowel Function Score and the Fecal Incontinence Quality of Life Scale, and we defined four groups referring to surgical timing (age in months < 3, 3–6, 6–9, >9). In total, 74 patients were recruited (mean age 13.05 ± 2.80 y.o.), and data analysis showed a significant relationship between comorbidity and surgical timing. Moreover, timing was related to outcome in terms of fecal continence (better if surgery performed before 3 months) and Quality of Life (QoL). QoL, however, is influenced by other factors (emotional and social life, psychological sphere and take of care of chronic disease). We considered rehabilitation programs, more often practiced by children who underwent surgery after 9 months, to maintain an appropriate relational life. This study highlights the importance of surgical timing as the first step of a multidisciplinary follow-up, taking care of the child in every phase of his growth, tailored to the single patient.
Enhanced Performance in Si3N4 Ceramics Cutting Tool Materials by Tailoring of Phase Composition and Hot-Pressing Temperature
Authors: Guo Shuai , Zhu Fusheng , Xiu Zhimeng , Zhang Mu , Sun Xudong
Published: February 2023

In this study, a type of micro-nano Si3N4 matrix ceramic cutting tool material was successfully prepared by controlling the addition amount of TiC0.7N0.3 and the hot-pressing sintering temperature. The effects of different volume fractions of TiC0.7N0.3 on the microstructure, mechanical properties, particle size distribution, and relative density of Si3N4 ceramic tools at the same temperature were investigated. The results show that the addition of TiC0.7N0.3 makes the β-Si3N4 grains with different diameters and aspect ratios interlaced and tightly bonded, thus achieving the strengthening and toughening effects. In addition, the effects of different hot-press sintering temperatures on the properties of Si3N4 ceramic tool materials were studied. It was concluded that the density of the material increased with the increase of the hot-pressing temperature. The relative density, flexural strength, and fracture toughness of the samples with 1 vol% TiC0.7N0.3 added at 1750 °C and 30 MPa pressure reached 99.22%, 993 MPa, and 9.81 MPa·m1/2, respectively.
Recent Advances in Improving the Bioavailability of Hydrophobic/Lipophilic Drugs and Their Delivery via Self-Emulsifying Formulations
Authors: Ameta Rakesh Kumar , Soni Kunjal , Bhattarai Ajaya
Published: February 2023

Formulations based on emulsions for enhancing hydrophobic and lipophilic drug delivery and its bioavailability have attracted a lot of interest. As potential therapeutic agents, they are integrated with inert oils, emulsions, surfactant solubility, liposomes, etc.; drug delivering systems that use emulsion formations have emerged as a unique and commercially achievable accession to override the issue of less oral bioavailability in connection with hydrophobic and lipophilic drugs. As an ideal isotropic oil mixture of surfactants and co-solvents, it self-emulsifies and forms fine oil in water emulsions when acquainted with aqueous material. As droplets rapidly pass through the stomach, fine oil promotes the vast spread of the drug all over the GI (gastrointestinal tract) and conquers the slow disintegration commonly seen in solid drug forms. The current status of advancement in technologies for drug carrying has promulgated the expansion of innovative drug carriers for the controlled release of self-emulsifying pellets, tablets, capsules, microspheres, etc., which got a boost for drug delivery usage with self-emulsification. The present review article includes various kinds of formulations based on the size of particles and excipients utilized in emulsion formation for drug delivery mechanisms and the increase in the bioavailability of lipophilic/hydrophobic drugs in the present time.
Molecular Profile and Matched Targeted Therapy for Advanced Breast Cancer Patients
Authors: Falcone Rosa , Lombardi Pasquale , Filetti Marco , Fabi Alessandra , Altamura Valeria , Scambia Giovanni , Daniele Gennaro
Published: February 2023

(1) Background: Precision oncology is opening new treatment opportunities for patients suffering from solid tumors. In the last two decades, the advent of CDK4/6 inhibitors, immunotherapy, and antibody–drug conjugates (ADC) improved survival outcomes for advanced or metastatic breast cancers (BC). Nevertheless, some patients progress to approved therapies and still maintain good clinical conditions. (2) Methods: With the aim to estimate the accrual rate to experimental precision oncology treatments, we collected molecular and clinical characteristics of BC patients evaluated at Phase 1 Unit of Fondazione Policlinico Gemelli. Clinical data were retrieved from hospital records. Molecular analysis was performed using Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) FoundationOne CDx on tissue or blood. (3) Results: Among the 38 BC patients referred to our unit, 35 completed the genomic analysis. All patients were female with advanced (mean number of metastatic sites: 3, range 1–6) BC. Median age at our evaluation was 52 (IQR, 48–59). ECOG PS was good in 97% of the study population, although heavily pre-treated (median number of systemic treatments: 5, IQR 3–7). Half of referred patients were HR+/HER2− BC, with 39% triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). NGS testing was performed on relapsed disease among most (71%) participants, in particular lymph nodes and soft tissue. Liquid biopsy was requested in 23% of cases. The median time from sample collection to NGS testing was 1 month and from diagnosis 54 months. The median value of mutations, VUS, and TMB were 6, 11, and 5, respectively. TP53, PIK3CA, BRCA2, ESR1, and RAD21 were the genes with the highest number of molecular alterations. In 5 patients (14%), the molecular analysis was helpful to assign targeted therapy in the context of clinical trials with a median progression-free survival of 5 months. (4) Conclusions: HR+/HER2− and TNBC were the most frequent subtypes referred for NGS testing. Tissue biopsy of relapsed disease was feasible in 71% of cases. The molecular analysis offered a new treatment opportunity in 14% of patients. The real benefit of these treatments remains to be evaluated in larger cohorts.
Association between Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI Parameters and Prognostic Factors in Patients with Primary Rectal Cancer
Authors: Kim Hye Ri , Kim Seung Ho , Nam Kyung Han
Published: February 2023

Background: To evaluate the association between perfusion parameters derived from dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) with prognostic factors in primary rectal cancer patients. Methods: A sample of 51 patients with pathologically proven rectal adenocarcinoma through surgery were retrospectively enrolled. All the patients underwent preoperative DCE-MRI including 3D-spoiled gradient echo. Two radiologists determined the tumor border after radiologic–pathologic correlation and drew regions of interest. The perfusion parameters, including the volume transfer constant (Ktrans), were calculated under the extended Toft model. The prognostic factors included TN stage, circumferential resection margin, extramural venous invasion, Kirsten-ras mutation, tumor size, carcinoembryonic antigen, and tumor differentiation. The association was assessed via correlation or t-test. For significant prognostic factors, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to estimate the diagnostic predictive values. Results: Ktrans only showed a significant difference according to tumor differentiation, between the well-differentiated (n = 6) and moderately differentiated (n = 45) groups (0.127 ± 0.032, 0.084 ± 0.036, p = 0.036). The AUC was 0.838 (95% CI, 0.702–0.929), and the estimated accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were 87%, 90%, and 60%, respectively. Conclusions: Ktrans showed a significant difference based on tumor differentiation, which may be conducive to prediction of prognosis in primary rectal cancer.
VPAgs-Dataset4ML: A Dataset to Predict Viral Protective Antigens for Machine Learning-Based Reverse Vaccinology
Authors: Salod Zakia , Mahomed Ozayr
Published: February 2023

Reverse vaccinology (RV) is a computer-aided approach for vaccine development that identifies a subset of pathogen proteins as protective antigens (PAgs) or potential vaccine candidates. Machine learning (ML)-based RV is promising, but requires a dataset of PAgs (positives) and non-protective protein sequences (negatives). This study aimed to create an ML dataset, VPAgs-Dataset4ML, to predict viral PAgs based on PAgs obtained from Protegen. We performed seven steps to identify PAgs from the Protegen website and non-protective protein sequences from Universal Protein Resource (UniProt). The seven steps included downloading viral PAgs from Protegen, performing quality checks on PAgs using the standard BLASTp identity check ≤30% via MMseqs2, and computational steps running on Google Colaboratory and the Ubuntu terminal to retrieve and perform quality checks (similar to the PAgs) on non-protective protein sequences as negatives from UniProt. VPAgs-Dataset4ML contains 2145 viral protein sequences, with 210 PAgs in positive.fasta and 1935 non-protective protein sequences in negative.fasta. This dataset can be used to train ML models to predict antigens for various viral pathogens with the aim of developing effective vaccines.
Quantum Advantage of Thermal Machines with Bose and Fermi Gases
Authors: Sur Saikat , Ghosh Arnab
Published: February 2023

In this article, we show that a quantum gas, a collection of massive, non-interacting, indistinguishable quantum particles, can be realized as a thermodynamic machine as an artifact of energy quantization and, hence, bears no classical analog. Such a thermodynamic machine depends on the statistics of the particles, the chemical potential, and the spatial dimension of the system. Our detailed analysis demonstrates the fundamental features of quantum Stirling cycles, from the viewpoint of particle statistics and system dimensions, that helps us to realize desired quantum heat engines and refrigerators by exploiting the role of quantum statistical mechanics. In particular, a clear distinction between the behavior of a Fermi gas and a Bose gas is observed in one dimension, rather than in higher dimensions, solely due to the innate differences in their particle statistics indicating the conspicuous role of a quantum thermodynamic signature in lower dimensions.
Effective Connectivity and Bias Entropy Improve Prediction of Dynamical Regime in Automata Networks
Authors: Costa Felipe Xavier , Rozum Jordan C. , Marcus Austin M. , Rocha Luis M.
Published: February 2023

Biomolecular network dynamics are thought to operate near the critical boundary between ordered and disordered regimes, where large perturbations to a small set of elements neither die out nor spread on average. A biomolecular automaton (e.g., gene, protein) typically has high regulatory redundancy, where small subsets of regulators determine activation via collective canalization. Previous work has shown that effective connectivity, a measure of collective canalization, leads to improved dynamical regime prediction for homogeneous automata networks. We expand this by (i) studying random Boolean networks (RBNs) with heterogeneous in-degree distributions, (ii) considering additional experimentally validated automata network models of biomolecular processes, and (iii) considering new measures of heterogeneity in automata network logic. We found that effective connectivity improves dynamical regime prediction in the models considered; in RBNs, combining effective connectivity with bias entropy further improves the prediction. Our work yields a new understanding of criticality in biomolecular networks that accounts for collective canalization, redundancy, and heterogeneity in the connectivity and logic of their automata models. The strong link we demonstrate between criticality and regulatory redundancy provides a means to modulate the dynamical regime of biochemical networks.
Combinatorics and Statistical Mechanics of Integer Partitions
Authors: Matsoukas Themis
Published: February 2023

We study the set of integer partitions as a probability space that generates distributions and, in the asymptotic limit, obeys thermodynamics. We view ordered integer partition as a configuration of cluster masses and associate them with the distribution of masses it contains. We organized the set of ordered partitions into a table that forms a microcanonical ensemble and whose columns form a set of canonical ensembles. We define a functional of the distribution (selection functional) that establishes a probability measure on the distributions of the ensemble, study the combinatorial properties of this space, define its partition functions, and show that, in the asymptotic limit, this space obeys thermodynamics. We construct a stochastic process that we call exchange reaction and used it to sample the mean distribution by Mote Carlo simulation. We demonstrated that, with appropriate choice of the selection functional, we can obtain any distribution as the equilibrium distribution of the ensemble.