bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A case report of typhlitis during novel use of ropidoxuridine–capecitabine–radiotherapy for treatment-naïve rectal cancer
Authors: Kunos Charles A. , Piekarz Richard , Collins Jerry M. , Kinsella Timothy J.
Published: June 2023

Background

Rectal carcinomas are tumors that arise from the last 12 cm of the large intestine closest to the anus. They generally have a modest prognosis exacerbated by a high local recurrence rate if radiosensitizing chemotherapy is not given during radiotherapy. This case report discusses the clinical trial treatment of a patient with rectal adenocarcinoma by a new ropidoxuridine–capecitabine–radiotherapy combination. This case report is novel due to the patient’s participation in an accelerated titration phase I clinical trial and the resultant rare adverse event of treatment-related sigmoid typhlitis.

Case presentation

The patient was an 82-year-old female who noticed hematochezia and change in stool caliber over a period of 3 months. A rectal mass was identified by biopsy as a microsatellite stable adenocarcinoma. A planned total neoadjuvant treatment involved eight cycles of leucovorin calcium (folinic acid)–fluorouracil–oxaliplatin (mFOLFOX6) chemotherapy, followed by a clinical trial combination of ropidoxuridine–capecitabine–radiotherapy, prior to definitive surgery. The patient began daily intensity modulated pelvic radiotherapy with concurrent twice-daily oral ropidoxuridine and twice-daily oral capecitabine to be given over 6 weeks. After 14 days of ropidoxuridine–capecitabine–radiotherapy, the patient developed sigmoid typhlitis requiring a 10-day hospitalization and 14-day disruption of treatment. The patient died 27 days after the start of ropidoxuridine–capecitabine–radiotherapy. This adverse event was listed as a definite attribution to the ropidoxuridine–capecitabine treatment; pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic data showed low ropidoxuridine metabolite DNA incorporation and high capecitabine metabolite concentration. The accelerated titration phase I clinical trial has been subsequently closed to accrual (NCT04406857).

Conclusions

We believe this case report demonstrates the decision-making process for terminating a phase I accelerated titration designed clinical trial. The report also presents the rare complication of sigmoid typhlitis as a treatment-attributed adverse event. In this case, a ropidoxuridine–capecitabine combination was used as an investigational radiosensitizing treatment now with a narrower future clinical development pathway.
Phytolith assemblages reflect variability in human land use and the modern environment
Authors: Witteveen Nina H. , White Cheryl , Sanchez Martinez Barbara A. , Booij Roemer , Philip Annemarie , Gosling William D. , Bush Mark B. , McMichael Crystal N. H.
Published: June 2023

Phytoliths preserved in soils and sediments can be used to provide unique insights into past vegetation dynamics in response to human and climate change. Phytoliths can reconstruct local vegetation in terrestrial soils where pollen grains typically decay, providing a range of markers (or lack thereof) that document past human activities. The ca. 6 million km2of Amazonian forests have relatively few baseline datasets documenting changes in phytolith representation across gradients of human disturbances. Here we show that phytolith assemblages vary on local scales across a gradient of (modern) human disturbance in tropical rainforests of Suriname. Detrended correspondence analysis showed that the phytolith assemblages found in managed landscapes (shifting cultivation and a garden), unmanaged forests, and abandoned reforesting sites were clearly distinguishable from intact forests and from each other. Our results highlight the sensitivity and potential of phytoliths to be used in reconstructing successional trajectories after site usage and abandonment. Percentages of specific phytolith morphotypes were also positively correlated with local palm abundances derived from UAV data, and with biomass estimated from MODIS satellite imagery. This baseline dataset provides an index of likely changes that can be observed at other sites that indicate past human activities and long-term forest recovery in Amazonia.
Spot size dependence of the ablation threshold of BK7 optical glass processed by single femtosecond pulses
Authors: Andrásik A. , Budai J. , Szörényi T. , Vass Cs. , Flender R. , Hopp B.
Published: June 2023

A comparative study of the evolution of the diameter and depth of the ablated craters, while varying systematically both pulse energy and spot size is reported. It reveals that the surface ablation threshold fluences double-checked by the diameter-regression method and a multiphoton-absorption-based fit show a clear dependence on the radius of the processing laser beam on the BK7 optical glass surface. Tighter focusing results in a rise from 6.5 J/cm2 up to nearly 11 J/cm2 within the 26.1–10.1 µm radius domain. The evolution of the time-integrated energy of the reflected part of every single pulse with rising pulse energy indicates three types of the optical response of the material, depending on the actual energy of the processing pulse. At the threshold where the first and second section join, which shifts to lower pulse energies with decreasing spot size, the initial reflectivity, assigned to the permanent reflectivity of the BK7 glass, suddenly increases. This rise indicates plasma mirror formation on the target surface. The dependence of the reflectivity enhancement and the ablation thresholds on spot size is very similar. The values remain equal for spot radii at and above 13.5 µm, followed by a rise with decreasing spot size. This reveals that the plasma mirror formation could be affirmed as the dominant process behind the spot size dependence of the ablation thresholds in our case. The appearance of double-crater structures is consistent with the evolution of air ionization, resulting in lower reflectivity at the highest energies. This assignment is further corroborated by proving that the surface defect model could hardly be accounted for the results. The findings support the consideration of the spot size as a control parameter.
Ollivier Curvature of Random Geometric Graphs Converges to Ricci Curvature of Their Riemannian Manifolds
Authors: Hoorn Pim van der , Lippner Gabor , Trugenberger Carlo , Krioukov Dmitri
Published: June 2023

Curvature is a fundamental geometric characteristic of smooth spaces. In recent years different notions of curvature have been developed for combinatorial discrete objects such as graphs. However, the connections between such discrete notions of curvature and their smooth counterparts remain lurking and moot. In particular, it is not rigorously known if any notion of graph curvature converges to any traditional notion of curvature of smooth space. Here we prove that in proper settings the Ollivier–Ricci curvature of random geometric graphs in Riemannian manifolds converges to the Ricci curvature of the manifold. This is the first rigorous result linking curvature of random graphs to curvature of smooth spaces. Our results hold for different notions of graph distances, including the rescaled shortest path distance, and for different graph densities. Here the scaling of the average degree, as a function of the graph size, can range from nearly logarithmic to nearly linear.
Analysis of daily rainfall concentration in northeastern Algeria 1980–2012
Authors: Azioune Rokia , Benhamrouche Aziz , Tatar Hafiza , Martin-Vide Javier , Pham Quoc Bao
Published: June 2023

This ar ticle analyzes the spatial distribution of the values of six daily precipitation concentration indexes in the northeastern part of Algeria. The used indexes were the concentration index (CI) and the Gini index (GI) with the resolution of precipitation amounts 1, 5, and 10 mm. The values of the six indexes are calculated for the period 1980–2012 with 22 stations, and on the other hand, the correlations of the CI1 concentration index with geographical and rainfall variables are analyzed. The values of CI1, CI5, and CI10 and IG1, IG5, and IG10 have been mapped using the tools of the ArcGis10.02 programs. The CI1 concentration index correlates significantly with all the geographic and rainfall variables considered. A negative linear correlation was observed with a linear correlation coefficientr =  − 0.67 (pvalue = 0.0006) between CI1 and altitude. The correlation between CI1 and the distance to sea with a linear correlation coefficientr =  − 0.47 (pvalue = 0.026), the correlation between CI1 and latitude is positive withr =  + 0.40 (pvalue = 0.032). On the other hand, CI1 is significantly positively correlated with average annual precipitation, the coefficient of variation, and the number of rainy days in the same period:r = 0.52 (pvalue = 0.023);r =  − 0.25 (pvalue = 0.049) andr = 0.49 (pvalue = 0.022), respectively.
Trends in smoking during pregnancy stratified by the use of opioid agonist therapy and the contribution of smoking to poor outcome in neonates prenatally exposed to opioid agonist treatment
Authors: Kelty Erin , Havard Alys , Preen David B.
Published: June 2023

High rates of cigarette smoking have been observed in pregnant women on opioid agonist therapy (OAT). However, it is unclear if these rates have changed overtime in line with the general population and the degree to which smoking contributes to poor outcomes in neonates born to women on OAT. Women who gave birth in Western Australia (WA) between 2003 and 2018 were identified from whole-population midwives records. Linked records were used to identify women who had been dispensed OAT during pregnancy and those who had smoking during pregnancy. Temporal changes in smoking during pregnancy were examined for women on OAT (n = 1059) and women not on OAT (n = 397,175) using Joinpoint regression. In women treated with OAT during pregnancy, neonatal outcomes were compared between smoking and non-smoking women using generalised linear models. During the study period, 76.3% of women on OAT smoked during pregnancy compared with 12.0% of the general population. There was a decrease in the prevalence of smoking during pregnancy among women not on OAT (APC: − 5.7, 95%CI: − 6.3, − 5.2), but not in women on OAT (APC: 0.8, 95%CI: − 0.4, 2.1). For women receiving OAT, smoking was associated with an increased odds of low birth weight (OR: 1.57, 95%CI: 1.06, 2.32) and neonatal abstinence syndrome (OR: 1.34, 95%CI: 1.01, 1.78) compared with non-smoking. Despite reductions in the prevalence of smoking during pregnancy in the general population, similar reductions have not occurred in pregnant women on OAT. The high prevalence of smoking in pregnant women on OAT is contributing to poor neonatal outcomes.
Occurrence and localization of FOXP3 + cells in kidney biopsies in lupus nephritis and ANCA-associated vasculitis
Authors: Zickert Agneta , Janković Marija Ratković , Malmström Vivianne , Chemin Karine , Gunnarsson Iva
Published: June 2023

The
study aims to increase the understanding regarding the role of regulatory T cells (Tregs) in lupus nephritis (LN) and ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) by comparing their localization in renal tissue and changes following immunosuppressive therapy. Kidney biopsies from 12 patients with LN and 7 patients with AAV were examined. Kidney biopsies had been performed both at active disease and following immunosuppressive treatment. Clinical data was collected at both biopsy occasions. Expression of Forkhead Box P 3 (Foxp3) in renal tissue was assessed by immunohistochemistry. An arbitrary scale was used to estimate the number of Foxp3+ cells. In LN, 8/12 (67%) had positive tissue staining for Foxp3 at baseline, most pronounced in inflammatory infiltrates, but also interstitially and in a peri-glomerular pattern. At second biopsies, after immunosuppressive treatment, 4/12 (33%) still had detectable Foxp3+ cells, found in persisting inflammatory infiltrates and some in the interstitium. Patients with a good clinical response to treatment had high grade of Foxp3+ cells in first biopsies. In AAV, only 2/7 (29%) had positive staining for Foxp3 at baseline, in inflammatory infiltrates and to a lesser extent in the interstitium, despite large areas of inflammatory infiltrates in all patients. At follow-up, 2/7 (29%) biopsies were positive for Foxp3. Our data show a higher presence of Foxp3+ cells in renal tissue from LN patients compared to AAV, suggesting that Tregs may be differently involved in the control of inflammatory mechanisms in these diseases. These findings could have further implication for therapeutic approaches aiming at restoring the immunological tolerance.

Key Points• Foxp3+-cells are present in larger amount in renal tissue in lupus nephritis vs. ANCA-associated vasculitis.• Our data suggest that Foxp3+ regulatory T cells are involved in the control of inflammatory processes in lupus nephritis.
New insights for gynecological cancer therapies: from molecular mechanisms and clinical evidence to future directions
Authors: Zhang Chunxue , Sheng Yaru , Sun Xiao , Wang Yudong
Published: June 2023

Advanced and recurrent gynecological cancers lack effective treatment and have poor prognosis. Besides, there is urgent need for conservative treatment for fertility protection of young patients. Therefore, continued efforts are needed to further define underlying therapeutic targets and explore novel targeted strategies. Considerable advancements have been made with new insights into molecular mechanisms on cancer progression and breakthroughs in novel treatment strategies. Herein, we review the research that holds unique novelty and potential translational power to alter the current landscape of gynecological cancers and improve effective treatments. We outline the advent of promising therapies with their targeted biomolecules, including hormone receptor-targeted agents, inhibitors targeting epigenetic regulators, antiangiogenic agents, inhibitors of abnormal signaling pathways, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors, agents targeting immune-suppressive regulators, and repurposed existing drugs. We particularly highlight clinical evidence and trace the ongoing clinical trials to investigate the translational value. Taken together, we conduct a thorough review on emerging agents for gynecological cancer treatment and further discuss their potential challenges and future opportunities.
Structural and molecular changes in the rat myocardium following perfluoroctane sulfonate (PFOS) exposure are mitigated by quercetin via modulating HSP 70 and SERCA 2
Authors: Mandour Dalia A. , Morsy Manal M. , Fawzy Amal , Mohamed Noura Mostafa , Ahmad Marwa M.
Published: June 2023

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is a man-made fluorinated compound employed in a variety of industrial and civilian applications. Due to its long elimination half-life and promotion of oxidative stress and inflammation, it is one of the most abundant organic contaminants. The present study was designed to determine the cytotoxic effect of PFOS on adult male rat cardiac tissue and to assess the cardioprotective role of the flavonoid quercetin (Que), which possesses antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic properties. Twenty-four adult male Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly divided into four equal groups: Group I (Control). Group II (Que) received Que (75 mg/kg/day for 4 weeks) by oral gavage. Group III (PFOS group): supplemented orally with PFOS (20 mg/kg/day for 4 weeks) and Group IV (PF OS/Que). The rat heart was processed for histological, immunohistochemical, and gene expression studies. The PFOS group showed histological alterations in the myocardium that were partially reversed by the administration of Que. The inflammatory biomarkers (TNF, IL-6, and IL-1), lipid profile, TSH, MDA, and serum cardiac enzymes (LDH and CK-MB) were all altered. These findings collectively suggest that PFOS had adverse effects on the cardiac muscle structure, and these effects were alleviated by quercetin, which is a promising cardioprotective flavonoid.
Transvenous lead extraction of lumenless 3830 pacing lead in conduction system pacing: a single-center experience
Authors: Migliore Federico , Pittorru Raimondo , De Lazzari Manuel , Tarzia Vincenzo , Pastore Gianni , Marcantoni Lina , Catanzariti Domenico , Gerosa Gino , Zanon Francesco
Published: June 2023

Background

The Medtronic SelectSecure Model 3830 lumenless lead (Medtronic, Inc., Minneapolis, MN) is commonly used for conduction system pacing (CSP). However, with this increased use, the potential need for transvenous lead extraction (TLE) also will increase. While extraction of endocardial 3830 leads is rather well described especially in pediatric and adult congenital heart disease population, there is very limited data on extraction of CSP leads. In the present study, we reported our preliminary experience on TLE of CSP leads and provided technical considerations.

Methods

The study population comprised 6 consecutive patients (67% male; mean age 70 ± 22 years) with CSP leads (3830 leads), including left bundle branch pacing (LBBP) lead (n = 3) and His pacing lead (n = 3) undergoing TLE. Overall target leads were 17. The mean implant duration time of CSP leads was 97 ± 90 months [range 8–193).

Results

Manual traction was successful in 2 cases and mechanical extraction tools were required in the remaining cases. Sixteen leads (94%) were completely extracted, whereas incomplete removal was observed in one lead (6%) among 1 patient. Of note, in the only lead incompletely removed, we observed retention of < 1-cm remnant of lead material consisting of the screw of 3830 LBBP lead into the interventricular septum. No failure of lead extraction was reported and no major complications occurred.

Conclusions

Our findings demonstrated that at an experienced center the success of TLE of chronically implanted CSP leads is high in the absence of major complications also when mechanical extraction tools are needed.
Evaluation of process planning in manufacturing by a neural network based on an energy definition of hopfield nets
Authors: Spoor Jan Michael , Weber Jens
Published: June 2023

During the planning stages of new factories for the Body-In-White assembly, the processes used per production system need to be defined. Each production system uses a specific combination of processes, with each process belonging to a main process group. The combination of the processes and groups is subject to restrictions. Since the amount of possible combinations is too large to individually check for restrictions, we propose a Neural Network using an energy measurement derived from Hopfield networks. The proposed network memorizes former correct combinations and provides a recommendation score on how likely a new planned configuration is. Since processes can be paired with processes from their own group or with themselves, the Neural Network is modified to allow loops for joining vertices with themselves. This modification is achieved by adjusting the energy function of Hopfield networks to measure the activation of the combinations of clusters, meaning the edges, and not the activation of vertices during the training phase. We implemented the network for the process planning of factories of a leading European automotive manufacturer, and the results using correct, incorrect, and random process combinations indicate a strong capability of detecting anomalous process combinations.
More Than Euros: Exploring the Construction of Project Grants as Prizes and Consolations
Authors: Edlund Peter
Published: June 2023

In previous funding literature, ample attention has been devoted to the consequences of competition for project grants. These consequences tend to be fueled by status distinctions among grants, but scant attention has been directed toward how such distinctions are constructed. My aim with this paper is to develop new knowledge about the ways in which scientists ascribe meanings that construct status distinctions among grants. Employing qualitative data and a Bourdieu-inspired field perspective, I analyze how early-career scientists in Sweden attributed meanings that constructed and distinguished the status of European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grants (StGs) and Swedish Research Council (SRC) Reserve Grants (RGs), which were otherwise closely connected by common evaluation procedures and equivalent monetary amounts. My findings show how scientists – despite having received equivalent monetary amounts – ascribed starkly different meanings to ERC StGs and SRC RGs, building on perceptions of minimal, yet competition-grounded and expert-sanctioned, divisions introduced by panelists among top-graded applicants during the ERC’s evaluations. These divisions were amplified when scientists recast StGs as ‘prizes’ and RGs as ‘consolations’. Such recasting was largely unaltered by acknowledgments that ERC StGs generated much more administrative burdens and economic troubles than SRC RGs. Those burdens and troubles were approached by StG and RG recipients alike as the cost of status, and they believed universities adopted a similar approach. I use my findings to propose contributions, policy implications, and future inquiry avenues suggesting evaluation procedures may play a larger role than monetary amounts for the construction of status distinctions among grants.
Coordinating modalities of mathematical collaboration in shared VR environments
Authors: Huang Wen , Walkington Candace , Nathan Mitchell J.
Published: June 2023

This study investigates how learners collaboratively construct embodied geometry knowledge in shared VR environments. Three groups of in-service teachers collaboratively explored six geometric conjectures with various virtual objects (geometric shapes) under the guidance of a facilitator. Although all the teachers were in different physical locations, they logged into a single virtual classroom with their respective groups and were able to see and manipulate the same geometric shapes as well as see their collaborators’ avatars and actions on the shapes in real time in the shared virtual space. This paper introduces a novel multimodal data analysis method for analyzing participants’ interactive patterns in collaborative forms of actions, gestures, movements, and speech. Results show that collaborative speech has a strong simultaneous relationship with actions on virtual objects and virtual hand gestures. They also showed that body movements and positions, which often focus on virtual objects and shifts in these movements away from or around the object, often signal key interactional collaborative events. In addition, this paper presents five emergent multimodality interaction themes showing participants’ collaborative patterns in different problem-solving stages and their different strategies in collaborative problem-solving. The results show that virtual objects can be effective media for collaborative knowledge building in shared VR environments, and that structured activity design and moderate realism may benefit shared VR learning environments in terms of equity, adaptability, and cost-effectiveness. We show how multimodal data analysis can be multi-dimensional, visualized, and conducted at both micro and macro levels.
Bridging Left and Right? How Sahra Wagenknecht Could Change the German Party Landscape
Authors: Wagner Sarah , Wurthmann L. Constantin , Thomeczek Jan Philipp
Published: June 2023

The prospect of a new party can significantly change political landscapes. In Germany, a potential new party is currently being widely discussed—Sahra Wagenknecht may splinter off from her party, The Left, to form a new radical party in Germany. Above all, Wagenknecht is known for her anti-immigration stance and could potentially bridge the gap between the right and left by forming a left-authoritarian party. What does the demand for such a left-authoritarian party look like in Germany? To explore this, we examined individual-level data to understand the structural factors that cause people to rate Wagenknecht higher than her current party, The Left. The results indicate that Wagenknecht is preferred over The Left by individuals who are more socioculturally right-wing, critical of migration, and dissatisfied with democracy. These findings provide valuable insights into the electoral potential of a potential left-authoritarian party led by Wagenknecht.
Heidegger’s Question of Being: the Unity of Topos and Logos
Authors: Karamercan Axel Onur
Published: June 2023

In this article, I elucidate the significance of Heidegger’s ‘question of being’ from a topological point of view by explaining the relationship between his thought of place and language. After exploring various hermeneutic strategies of reading Heidegger’s oeuvre, I turn to Richard Capobianco’s interpretation of Heidegger and critically engage with his idea of the experience of being itself as the ‘luminous self-showing oflogos’. In doing so, I explain the later turn from ‘truth’ to ‘place’ and articulate whylogosneeds to be conceived as the gathering site of the presencing of being. In arguing against the primacy of passive receptivity and active projection, I put forward the primacy of language as thetoposandlogosof being. In returning to the Capobianco-Sheehan debate, I conclude by explaining why Heidegger’s place-related notions cannot be thought metaphorically.
The impact of headache disorders: a prospective analysis of headache referrals to outpatient and inpatient neurology and emergency services in an Irish University teaching hospital
Authors: Darcy Sarah , Kelly Emmet , Choong Denise , McCarthy Allan , O’Dowd Sean , Bogdanova-Mihaylova Petya , Murphy Sinéad M.
Published: June 2023

Background

Headache represents a significant proportion of disability globally in general practice, neurology outpatient settings, and emergency departments. There is scant literature regarding the impact of headache on healthcare services in Ireland.

Aims

We aimed to investigate headache burden across the emergency department, inpatient stays, and neurology outpatient department referrals in an Irish University teaching hospital.

Methods

We prospectively collected data regarding emergency department presentations, inpatient neurology consultations, and neurology outpatient referrals for patients with headache between 13th January and 8th March 2020. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Results

There were 180 emergency department attendances, 50 inpatient consultations, and 76 outpatient referrals with headache. Neurological examinations were often incomplete; neuroimaging was commonly employed. Migraine was the most frequent headache diagnosis at discharge in the emergency department and among inpatients after neurology review. Diagnostic uncertainty was identified—33% of patients left the emergency department with no diagnosis, and “unknown/unspecified headache” was recorded on 49% of outpatient referrals and 30% of inpatient consult requests. Medication overuse headache coexisted with migraine in nine patients in the inpatient group. Prophylaxis had been trialed in 56% of patients with migraine referred to outpatients.

Conclusions

Primary headache disorders have a large impact on hospital services. Diagnostic uncertainty is common; neuroimaging is relied upon. Appropriate care pathways, education, and resource allocation should be prioritized.
Consensus on the tertiary prevention of primary liver cancer
Authors: Nan Yuemin , Xu Xiaoyuan , Dong Shiming , Yang Ming , Li Ling , Zhao Suxian , Duan Zhongping , Jia Jidong , Wei Lai , Zhuang Hui ,   Chinese Society of Hepatology, Chinese Medical Association, Chen Hongsong , Ding Huiguo , Duan Zhongping , Fan Jian-gao , Gao Yanhang , Hu He-ping , Huang Jianrong , Li Jun , Li Wencong , Li Wen-gang , Liu Jingfeng , Liu Lingdi , Nan Yuemin , Ren Wanhua , Shang Jia , Wang Maorong , Xie Wen , Zeng Mengsu , Zhang Yuguo , Zhao Jingmin , Zhao Shousong , Zhao Weifeng , Zhou Jian
Published: June 2023

To effectively prevent recurrence, improve the prognosis and increase the survival rate of primary liver cancer (PLC) patients with radical cure, the Chinese Society of Hepatology, Chinese Medical Association, invited clinical experts and methodologists to develop the Consensus on the Tertiary Prevention of Primary Liver Cancer, which was based on the clinical and scientific advances on the risk factors, histopathology, imaging finding, clinical manifestation, and prevention of recurrence of PLC. The purpose is to provide a current basis for the prevention, surveillance, early detection and diagnosis, and the effective measures of PLC recurrence.
Hepatitis B virus-related intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma originates from hepatocytes
Authors: Song Zimin , Lin Shuirong , Wu Xiwen , Ren Xiaoxue , Wu Yifan , Wen Haoxiang , Qian Baifeng , Lin Haozhong , Huang Yihao , Zhao Chenfeng , Wang Nian , Huang Yan , Peng Baogang , Li Xiaoxing , Peng Hong , Shen Shunli
Published: June 2023

Background

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is one of the most common risk factors for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). However, there is no direct evidence of a causal relationship between HBV infection and ICC. In this study, we attempted to prove that ICC may originate from hepatocytes through a pathological study involving ICC tissue-derived organoids.

Method

The medical records and tumor tissue samples of 182 patients with ICC after hepatectomy were collected. The medical records of 182 patients with ICC were retrospectively analyzed to explore the prognostic factors. A microarray of 182 cases of ICC tumor tissue and 6 cases of normal liver tissue was made, and HBsAg was stained by immunohistochemistry (IHC) to explore the factors closely related to HBV infection. Fresh ICC tissues and corresponding adjacent tissues were collected to make paraffin sections and organoids. Immunofluorescence (IF) staining of factors including HBsAg, CK19, CK7, Hep-Par1 and Albumin (ALB) was performed on both fresh tissues and organoids. In addition, we collected adjacent nontumor tissues of 6 patients with HBV (+) ICC, from which biliary duct tissue and normal liver tissue were isolated and RNA was extracted respectively for quantitative PCR assay. In addition, the expression of HBV-DNA in organoid culture medium was detected by quantitative PCR and PCR electrophoresis.

Results

A total of 74 of 182 ICC patients were HBsAg positive (40.66%, 74/182). The disease-free survival (DFS) rate of HBsAg (+) ICC patients was significantly lower than that of HBsAg (−) ICC patients (p = 0.0137). IF and IHC showed that HBsAg staining was only visible in HBV (+) ICC fresh tissues and organoids, HBsAg expression was negative in bile duct cells in the portal area. Quantitative PCR assay has shown that the expression of HBs antigen and HBx in normal hepatocytes were significantly higher than that in bile duct epithelial cells. Combined with the IF and IHC staining, it was confirmed that HBV does not infect normal bile duct epithelial cells. In addition, IF also showed that the staining of bile duct markers CK19 and CK7 were only visible in ICC fresh tissue and organoids, and the staining of hepatocyte markers Hep-Par1 and ALB was only visible in normal liver tissue fresh tissue. Real-time PCR and WB had the same results. High levels of HBV-DNA were detected in the culture medium of HBV (+) organoids but not in the culture medium of HBV (−) organoids.

Conclusion

HBV-related ICC might be derived from hepatocytes. HBV (+) ICC patients had shorter DFS than HBV (−) ICC patients.
Collapse Behavior and Energy Absorbing Characteristics of 3D-Printed Tubes with Different Infill Pattern Structures: An Experimental Study
Authors: M. Awd Allah Mahmoud , Abdel-Aziem Walaa , A. Abd El-baky Marwa
Published: June 2023

This work investigates the impact of infill pattern structure on the crashworthy performance and deformation history of 3D-printed tubes subjected to a quasi-static axial compression load. The proposed tubes were made from polylactic acid (PLA) using a 3D printing technique. Five infill pattern structures were adapted, i.e. circular, square, triangle, zigzag and cross patterns with 50% infill density. The crashworthy analysis was carried out by assessing different indicators, i.e. peak force ($${\mathrm{F}}_{\mathrm{ip}})$$

F
ip

)

, mean crush force ($${\mathrm{F}}_{\mathrm{m}})$$

F
m

)

, total absorbed energy (U), specific absorbed energy (SEA), and crushing force efficiency (CFE). It was found that the square infill pattern shows the maximum $${\mathrm{F}}_{\mathrm{ip}}$$

F
ip

, $${\mathrm{F}}_{\mathrm{m}}$$

F
m

, U and SEA with values of (24.38 kN, 20.58 kN, 673.38 kJ, and 26.52) while zigzag infill pattern shows the highest CFE with a value of 0.91. The optimal infill pattern is determined using a Multi-Attribute Decision Making (MADM) method called Complex Proportional Assessment (COPRAS). The COPRAS results showed that the square infill pattern is the most effective energy absorbing structure.
Effective Dye Removal by Acrylic-Based Membrane Constructed from Textile Fibers Waste
Authors: Abdelhamid Ahmed E. , Elsayed Alaa E. , Naguib Mohamed , Ali Eman AboBakr
Published: June 2023

The good mechanical and chemical stability of textile acrylic fibers waste has promoted its candidacy for fabricating low cost membranes for wastewater treatment. In this work, nanofiltration membranes based on the acrylic fibers waste were successfully prepared using the phase inversion technique. First, membrane solutions with different concentrations (16, 18, 20, and 22%) of acrylic fibers waste (AF) in dimethyl formamide (DMF) were prepared. Evaluation of the membrane performance in terms of water flux and dyes (Congo red and methylene blue) rejection was investigated. Nanofiltration membrane with good water flux and dyes rejection was obtained at 20% polymer concentration. This membrane was modified by adding different ratios (3, 5, and 10 wt%) of polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) to enhance the membrane performance. Characterization of the prepared membrane was explored using attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), contact angle, and swelling properties. The results show that the addition of 5% PVP elevated its performance to a high water flux equal 320 L/m2/h and complete removal of Congo red and 90% rejection of methylene blue at low pressure (3 bar). The molecular weight cutoff of the produced membrane found to be 319.85 Dalton. Moreover, the effect of dye concentration on water flux and dye rejection at different applied pressure was studied. The entire work presented an optimization procedure for obtaining standalone nanofiltration membrane with high performance using low cost waste materials (textile fiber waste).
Physico-Mechanical and Microstructure Characteristics of Porous Mullite Ceramics
Authors: EL-Rafei Amira M. , Mansour T. S.
Published: June 2023

Porous mullite ceramics were prepared from mixtures of Egyptian kaolinite-clay and calcined α-alumina powder. The effects of two methods of compaction as well as two types of binder were investigated. The influence of sintering temperature on the physical properties, crystalline phase, compressive strength and microstructure was studied. Mullite bodies processed by uniaxial pressing utilizing 15wt. % water at 1500°C for 2h exhibited the highest compressive strength of 150 MPa and bulk density of 2.1 g/cm3, as well as, an open porosity of 35%. In the present study, the only stoichiometric mullite was achieved by the crystallization of metakaolin. The mullite crystallizing out from the liquid phase was rich in silica, as determined by EDS, while that resulting from alumina grains was rich in alumina. The microstructure showed that primary mullite appeared at 1200°C, beside the unreacted alumina particles. On the other hand, at 1400°C alumina particles started to react with the glassy phase to form parallel laminates of mullite.
Balancing the trade-offs between land productivity, labor productivity and labor intensity
Authors: Chiarella Cristina , Meyfroidt Patrick , Abeygunawardane Dilini , Conforti Piero
Published: June 2023

Agricultural intensification, through increased yields, and raising incomes, through enhanced labor productivity, are two dimensions prioritized for sustainable agricultural development. Prioritizing these two outcomes leaves labor intensity as a hidden adjustment variable. Yet, when agriculture is mainstay and the prospects of labor absorption in other sectors are scarce, the density of agricultural employment is central for livelihoods. We revise relationships of land and labor productivity and labor intensity with farm size, using standardized data for 32 developing countries. We show that labor productivity increases with farm size, while land productivity and labor intensity decrease with farm size nonlinearly. Technical efficiency increases with farm size. We further systematize the evidence on how, beyond the farm level, local contexts can be pivotal in choosing how to prioritize the dimensions of the trade-off space. Our findings contribute to debates on the fate of small-scale farmers, and call for contextualized decisions.
Frailty detection in older adults via fractal analysis of acceleration signals from wrist-worn sensors
Authors: Cobo Antonio , Rodríguez-Laso Ángel , Villalba-Mora Elena , Pérez-Rodríguez Rodrigo , Rodríguez-Mañas Leocadio
Published: June 2023

Purpose

Frailty is a reversible multidimensional syndrome that puts older people at a high risk of adverse health outcomes. It has been proposed to emerge from the dysregulation of the complex system dynamics of physiologic control systems. We propose the analysis of the fractal complexity of hand movements as a new method to detect frailty in older adults.

Methods

FRAIL scale and Fried’s phenotype scores were calculated for 1209 subjects—72.4 (5.2) y.o. 569 women—and 1279 subjects—72.6 (5.3) y.o. 604 women—in the pubicly available NHANES 2011–2014 data set, respectively. The fractal complexity of their hand movements was assessed with a detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) of their accelerometry records and a logistic regression model for frailty detection was fit.

Results

Goodness-of-fit to a power law was excellent (R$$^{2}>0.98$$

2

>
0.98

). The association between complexity loss and frailty level was significant, Kruskal–Wallis test (df = 2, Chisq = 27.545, p-value $$<0.001$$

<
0.001

). The AUC of the logistic classifier was moderate (AUC with complexity = 0.69 vs. AUC without complexity = 0.67).

Conclusion

Frailty can be characterized in this data set with the Fried phenotype. Non-dominant hand movements in free-living conditions are fractal processes regardless of age or frailty level and its complexity can be quantified with the exponent of a power law. Higher levels of complexity loss are associated with higher levels of frailty. This association is not strong enough to justify the use of complexity loss after adjusting for sex, age, and multimorbidity.
Parameters of the best fitting lunar ellipsoid based on GRAIL’s selenoid model
Authors: Cziráki Kamilla , Timár Gábor
Published: June 2023

Since the Moon is less flattened than the Earth, most lunar GIS applications use a spherical datum. However, with the renaissance of lunar missions, it seems worthwhile to define an ellipsoid of revolution that better fits the selenoid. The main long-term benefit of this might be to make the lunar adaptation of methods already implemented in terrestrial GNSS and gravimetry easier and somewhat more accurate. In our work, we used the GRGM 1200A Lunar Geoid (Goossens et al. in A global degree and order 1200 model of the lunar gravity field using GRAIL mission data. In: Lunar and planetary science conference, Houston, TX, Abstract #1484, 2016; Lemoine et al. in Geophys Res Lett 41:3382–3389. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/2014GL060027, 2014), a 660th degree and order potential surface, developed in the frame of the GRAIL project. Samples were taken from the potential surface along a mesh that represents equal area pieces of the surface, using a Fibonacci sphere. We tried Fibonacci spheres with several numbers of points and also separately examined the effect of rotating the network for a given number of points on the estimated parameters. We estimated the best-fitting rotation ellipsoid’s semi-major axis and flatness data by minimizing the selenoid undulation values at the network points, which were obtained for a = 1,737,576.6 m and f = 0.000305. This parameter pair is already obtained for a 10,000 point grid, while the case of reducing the points of the mesh to 3000 does not cause a deviation in the axis data of more than 10 cm. As expected, the absolute value of the selenoid undulations have decreased compared to the values taken with respect to the spherical basal surface, but significant extreme values still remained as well.
A novel particle–particle and particle–wall collision model for superellipsoidal particles
Authors: Wedel Jana , Štrakl Mitja , Hriberšek Matjaž , Steinmann Paul , Ravnik Jure
Published: June 2023

In the framework of computational studies of particulate multiphase flow systems, either dilute or dense, particle–particle as well as particle–wall collisions need to be considered, which in the case of nonspherical particle shapes still presents a computational challenge. In this study, we present an efficient numerical implementation of a novel superellipsoidal particle collision model that can be used in general fluid flows. The superellipsoid shape formulation can be viewed as an extension of spherical or ellipsoidal shapes and can be used to represent spherical, ellipsoidal, cylindrical, diamond-like and cubic particles by varying solely five shape parameters. In this context, we present a fast, stable Newton–Raphson-based method for modeling frictional collisions of nonspherical superellipsoidal particles, and demonstrate the performance of our algorithms.
Neighborhood Racial Segregation Predict the Spatial Distribution of Supermarkets and Grocery Stores Better than Socioeconomic Factors in Cleveland, Ohio: a Bayesian Spatial Approach
Authors: Yankey Ortis , Lee Jay , Gardenhire Rachel , Borawski Elaine
Published: June 2023

Introduction

The food environment influences the availability and affordability of food options for consumers in a given neighborhood. However, disparities in access to healthy food options exist, affecting Black and low-income communities disproportionately. This study investigated whether racial segregation predicted the spatial distribution of supermarkets and grocery stores better than socioeconomic factors or vice versa in Cleveland, Ohio.

Method

The outcome measure was the count of supermarket and grocery stores in each census tract in Cleveland. They were combined with US census bureau data as covariates. We fitted four Bayesian spatial models. The first model was a baseline model with no covariates. The second model accounted for racial segregation alone. The third model looked at only socioeconomic factors, and the final model combined both racial and socioeconomic factors.

Results

Overall model performance was better in the model that considered only racial segregation as a predictor of supermarkets and grocery stores (DIC = 476.29). There was 13% decrease in the number of stores for a census tract with a higher majority of Black people compared to areas with a lower number of Black people. Model 3 that considered only socioeconomic factors was less predictive of the retail outlets (DIC = 484.80).

Conclusions

These findings lead to the conclusion that structural racism evidenced in policies like residential segregation has a significant influence on the spatial distribution of food retail in the city of Cleveland.
Healthcare Experiences Are Associated with Colorectal Cancer Mortality but only for Specific Racial Groups: a SEER-CAHPS Study
Authors: Ochoa-Dominguez Carol Y. , Pickering Trevor A. , Navarro Stephanie , Rodriguez Claudia , Farias Albert J.
Published: June 2023

Background

The objective of this study was to determine whether racial/ethnic disparities exist in patient-reported experiences with care after colorectal cancer diagnosis and whether they are associated with mortality.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of colorectal cancer patients diagnosed from 1997 to 2011, ≥ 65 years, and completed a Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) survey at least 6 months after a cancer diagnosis. We leverage the National Cancer Institute’s SEER-CAHPS dataset of Medicare beneficiaries. CAHPS survey responses were used to generate four composite measures of patient experiences with 1) getting needed care, 2) getting needed prescription drugs, 3) getting care quickly, and 4) physician communication. We used multivariable linear regression models to examine racial differences in patient experiences with aspects of their care and multivariable Cox proportional hazards models to identify the risk of mortality associated with each composite score by racial group.

Results

Of the 5135 patients, 76.86% were non-Hispanic White, 7.58% non-Hispanic Black, 8.30% Hispanic, and 7.26% non-Hispanic Asian. Overall, patients reported the highest scores for composite measures regarding “getting all needed prescriptions” and the lowest score for “getting care quickly.” In our adjusted models, we found that Hispanics, non-Hispanic Black, and non-Hispanic Asian patients reported significantly lower scores for getting needed prescription drugs (B = − 4.34, B = − 4.32, B = − 5.66; all p < 0.001) compared to non-Hispanic Whites. Moreover, non-Hispanic Black patients also reported lower scores for getting care quickly (B = − 3.44, p < 0.05). We only found one statistically significant association between composite scores of patient experience and mortality. For non-Hispanic Black patients, a 3-unit increase in getting needed care was associated with 0.97 times the hazard of mortality (p = 0.003).

Conclusion

Our research underscores that CAHPS patient experiences with care are an important patient-centered quality-of-care metric that may be associated with cancer outcomes and that there may be differences in these relationships by race and ethnicity. Thus, highlighting how patients’ perceptions of their healthcare experiences can contribute to disparities in colorectal cancer outcomes.
On character varieties of singular manifolds
Authors: González-Prieto Ángel , Logares Marina
Published: June 2023

In this paper, we construct a lax monoidal Topological Quantum Field Theory that computes virtual classes, in the Grothendieck ring of algebraic varieties, of G-representation varieties over manifolds with conic singularities, which we call nodefolds. This construction is valid for any algebraic group G, in any dimension and also in the parabolic setting. In particular, this TQFT allows us to compute the virtual classes of representation varieties over complex singular planar curves. In addition, in the case $$G = \textrm{SL}_{2}(k)$$

G
=

SL
2

(
k
)

, the virtual class of the associated character variety over a nodal closed orientable surface is computed both in the non-parabolic and parabolic scenarios.
Crisis communication and trustworthiness among crisis actors: towards a typology of crisis management difficulties
Authors: Badu James , Kruke Bjørn Ivar , Saetren Gunhild Birgitte
Published: June 2023

The concepts of communication and trust play a central role in crisis management. There is a complex nexus between communication and trust building in crisis management, as different activities and processes result in communication and trust building in crisis management. This article argues that communication and trust are two sides of the same crisis management coin: each complements the other. To this end, we reflected on how crisis communication and trust factors could be a tool to amplify or attenuate the level of attention given to creeping crises and how such factors could influence creeping crisis management difficulties. We then proposed a crisis management typology to aid crisis managers in managing the difficulties associated with creeping crises.