bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Asymptotical stability for fractional‐order Hopfield neural networks with multiple time delays
Authors: Yao Zichen , Yang Zhanwen , Fu Yongqiang , Li Jiachen
Published: May 2022

This paper is concerned with the asymptotical stability of fractional‐order Hopfield neural networks with multiple delays. The problem is actually a generalization of stability for linear fractional‐order delayed differential equations:
, which is widely studied when
. However, the stability is rarely known when
. Hence, this work is mainly devoted to the stability analysis for
. By virtue of the Laplace transform method and a decoupling technique for the characteristic equation, we propose a necessary and sufficient condition to ensure the stability, which improves the existing stability results for
. Afterward, by a linearization technique, a necessary and sufficient stability condition is also presented for fractional‐order Hopfield neural networks with multiple delays. The conditions are established by delay‐independent coefficient‐type criteria. Finally, several numerical simulations are given to show the effectiveness of our results.
A novel shifted Jacobi operational matrix method for nonlinear multi‐terms delay differential equations of fractional variable‐order with periodic and anti‐periodic conditions
Authors: Khodabandelo Hamid R. , Shivanian Elyas , Abbasbandy Saeid
Published: May 2022

This work presents the generalized nonlinear multi‐terms fractional variable‐order delay differential equation with periodic and anti‐periodic conditions. In this paper, a novel shifted Jacobi operational matrix technique is introduced to solve a class of these equations mentioned, so that the main problem becomes a system of algebraic equations that we can solve numerically. The suggested technique is successfully developed for the aforementioned problem. Comprehensive numerical tests are provided to demonstrate the generality, efficiency, accuracy of presented scheme and the flexibility of this technique. The numerical experiments compared it with the true solution, indicating the validity and efficiency of this scheme. Note that the procedure is easy to implement and this technique will be considered as a generalization of many numerical schemes. Furthermore, the error and its bound are estimated.
Automated machine learning (AutoML)‐based surface registration methodology for image‐guided surgical navigation system
Authors: Yoo Hakje , Sim Taeyong
Published: May 2022

Background

Although the surface registration technique has the advantage of being relatively safe and the operation time is short, it generally has the disadvantage of low accuracy.

Purpose

This research proposes automated machine learning (AutoML)‐based surface registration to improve the accuracy of image‐guided surgical navigation systems.

Methods

The state‐of‐the‐art surface registration concept is that first, using a neural network model, a new point‐cloud that matches the facial information acquired by a passive probe of an optical tracking system (OTS) is extracted from the facial information obtained by computerized tomography. Target registration error (TRE) representing the accuracy of surface registration is then calculated by applying the iterative closest point (ICP) algorithm to the newly extracted point‐cloud and OTS information. In this process, the hyperparameters used in the neural network model and ICP algorithm are automatically optimized using Bayesian optimization with expected improvement to yield improved registration accuracy.

Results

Using the proposed surface registration methodology, the average TRE for the targets located in the sinus space and nasal cavity of the soft phantoms is 0.939 ± 0.375 mm, which shows 57.8% improvement compared to the average TRE of 2.227 ± 0.193 mm calculated by the conventional surface registration method (p < 0.01). The performance of the proposed methodology is evaluated, and the average TREs computed by the proposed methodology and the conventional method are 0.767 ± 0.132 and 2.615 ± 0.378 mm, respectively. Additionally, for one healthy adult, the clinical applicability of the AutoML‐based surface registration is also presented.

Conclusion

Our findings showed that the registration accuracy could be improved while maintaining the advantages of the surface registration technique.
Developing a toolkit to improve resident and family engagement in the safety of assisted living: Engage—A stakeholder‐engaged research protocol
Authors: Beeber Anna S. , Hoben Matthias , Leeman Jennifer , Palmertree Stephanie , Kistler Christine E. , Ottosen Terri , Moreton Elizabeth , Vogelsmeier Amy , Dardess Pam , Anderson Ruth A.
Published: May 2022

Assisted living (AL) communities are experiencing rising levels of resident acuity, challenging efforts to balance person‐centered care—which prioritizes personhood, autonomy, and relationship‐based care practices—with efforts to keep residents safe. Safety is a broad‐scale problem in AL that encompasses care concerns (e.g., abuse/neglect, medication errors, inadequate staffing, and infection management) as well as resident issues (e.g., falls, elopement, and medical emergencies). Person and family engagement (PFE) is one approach to achieving a balance between person‐centered care and safety. In other settings, PFE interventions have improved patient care processes, outcomes, and experiences. In this paper, we describe the protocol for a multiple methods AHRQ‐funded study (Engage) to develop a toolkit for increasing resident and family engagement in AL safety. The study aims are to engage AL residents and family caregivers, AL staff, and other AL stakeholders to (1) identify common AL safety problems; (2) prioritize safety problems and identify and evaluate existing PFE interventions with the potential to address safety problems in the AL setting; and (3) develop a testable toolkit to improve PFE in AL safety. We discuss our methods, including qualitative interviews, a scoping review of existing PFE interventions, and stakeholder panel meetings that involved a Delphi priority‐setting exercise. In addition to describing the protocol, we detail how we modified the protocol to address the unique challenges of the COVID‐19 pandemic. Study findings will result in a toolkit to improve resident and family engagement in the safety of AL that will be tested in future research.
Sheep (Ovis aries) of Venda speakers during the second millennium AD in South Africa
Authors: Badenhorst Shaw , Magoma Munyadziwa
Published: May 2022

Little remains known about the physical size of local sheep from southern Africa during the distant past. Early Venda speakers settled in the region during the middle of the second millennium AD, and an early site associated with them, Mutokolwe B, yielded 11 complete metapodia of sheep. This is the largest find of this nature in the southern African region for farming communities. The fauna from Mutokolwe B dates to between AD 1450 and 1550. Measurements of archeological sheep bones can help tease apart questions of breed development and socio‐economic organization in the past. We used these metapodials to calculate the shoulder height of sheep. Sheep from Mutokolwe B ranged between 61.69 and 71.17 cm in shoulder size (average 66.28 cm), which is similar to other local sheep breeds such as the Nguni found in South Africa. In addition, the size of the sheep from Mutokolwe B falls within the variation of modern sheep found in southern and Eastern Africa.
Low‐velocity impact response and inspection of damage propagation for basalt fiber reinforced filament wound pipes
Authors: Demirci Mehmet T. , Şahin Ömer S.
Published: May 2022

In many industrial applications, filament‐wound composite pipes are utilized to transmit the liquefied natural gas, chemical liquids, and waste hazardous liquids. This reveals the importance of the energy absorption capacity because the pipes in question are placed underground and occasionally exposed to impact loads. However, the high cost of carbon fibers and partially inadequate mechanical features of glass fibers have led to the search for alternative fibers. Some studies show that basalt fiber is likely to be an alternative and practical solution. In this study, it is purposed to define the low velocity impact (LVI) behaviors and damage development of basalt fiber reinforced (BFR)/Epoxy composite pipes with various winding angles. LVI tests were performed on the [±90°]6, [±75°]6, and [±55°/75°]6BFR pipes at energy levels of 15, 20, and 25 J. The impact responses of the composite samples were compared with respect to values of force, time, displacement and absorbed energy. In order to determine the dominant damage types and their progression, microscopic examinations were carried out by taking sections in the impact area in the radial and axial directions. It has been revealed in this study that it is significant to examine the dominant damage of filament‐winding composites, especially by taking cross‐sections from two axes. It was determined that there are damage changes in the layers where compressive and tensile stresses occur in the impact region. It has been observed that the winding angle has a great importance on the LVI responses and damages.
Dynamic response and failure mechanism characterization of composite‐metal sandwich structures under slamming impact utilizing CEL method
Authors: He Wentao , Xie Lingjun , Wang Shuqing , Cao Shihui , Wang Changzi , Yao Lu
Published: May 2022

Slamming is a complicated fluid–structure coupling process accompanied with complex transfer of load and energy, which may pose a significant risk to the overall safety of structure. This paper aims to evaluate the dynamic response and elucidate the failure mechanism of composite‐metal sandwich structures under slamming impact. Firstly, a reliable numerical simulation process is established based on CEL method in ABAQUS/Explicit combining with a VUMAT subroutine, whose effectiveness is verified through the comparison with published experimental results. Subsequently, dynamic response of the sandwich structures is investigated considering the influence of slamming velocity and material constituent. Meanwhile, damage evolution and critical failure mechanism are assessed through progressive damage analysis. Results show that CF‐Al‐CF case owns the best mechanical performance and the latest ultimate failure moment. The overall performance of sandwich structure is mainly dependent on the mechanical properties of skin. Additionally, damage of Al‐CF‐Al case is more sensitive to the variation of velocity compared with that of CF‐Al‐CF and Al‐Al‐Al cases, which indicates that the ductility of core is responsible for ultimate damage. Moreover, extensively distributed matrix tension damage can be identified as the critical damage mode, which may further cause debonding damage and even fiber fracture.
Orphan receptors in prostate cancer
Authors: Sakellakis Minas
Published: May 2022

Background

The identification of new cellular receptors has been increasing rapidly. A receptor is called “orphan” if an endogenous ligand has not been identified yet.

Methods

Here we review receptors that contribute to prostate cancer and are considered orphan or partially orphan. This means that the full spectrum of their endogenous ligands remains unknown.

Results

The orphan receptors are divided into two major families. The first group includes G protein‐coupled receptors. Most are orphan olfactory receptors. OR51E1 inhibits cell proliferation and induces senescence in prostate cancer. OR51E2 inhibits prostate cancer growth, but promotes invasiveness and metastasis. GPR158, GPR110, and GPCR‐X play significant roles in prostate cancer development and progression. However, GPR160 induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis.

The other major subset of orphan receptors are nuclear receptors. Receptor‐related orphan receptor α (RORα) inhibits tumor growth, but RORγ stimulates androgen receptor signaling. PXR contributes to metabolic deactivation of androgens and inhibits cell proliferation. TLX has protumorigenic effects in prostate cancer, while its knockdown triggers cellular senescence and growth arrest. Estrogen‐related receptor ERRγ can inhibit tumor growth but ERRα is protumorigenic. Dax1 and short heterodimeric partner are also inhibitory in prostate cancer.

Conclusion

There is a “zoo” of relatively underappreciated orphan receptors that play key roles in prostate cancer.
A review of fire mitigation methods for li‐ion battery energy storage system
Authors: Sebastian Roshan
Published: May 2022

Lithium‐ion battery (LIB) carries an inherent risk of thermal runaway (TR), which may result in off‐gassing (flammable, toxic, or explosive), fires, and explosion. This article focuses on various fire protection approaches to mitigate LIB fires in a battery storage energy system (BESS). As BESS has its own unique battery chemistry, with different arrangements of battery modules and facility‐specific emergency response strategies, a case‐by‐case approach is vital to design fire protection for large‐scale LIB‐based BESS. This third article in a six‐part series is a review of fire mitigation methods for Li‐ion BESS.
Surface chemical and geometrical properties of pure copper powder intended for binder jetting and sintering
Authors: Nyborg Lars , Cao Yu
Published: May 2022

One novel important application of sinter‐based additive manufacturing involving binder jetting is copper‐based products. Three different variants of nominally pure copper powder having particle size distributions with D90 < 16, 22, or 31 μm were investigated in this study. The packing behavior and the flow properties using dynamic test and shear cell, as well as specific surface area were evaluated. The analyses employed illustrate the multidimensional complexity. Because different measurements capture different aspect of the powder, it is imperative to apply a characterization approach involving different methods. Surface chemical analysis by means of X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) showed that all powder variants were covered by Cu2O, CuO, and Cu (OH)2, with Cu2O being dominant in all cases. The finest powder with D90 < 16 μm tended to have higher relative amount of copper in divalent state. The average apparent oxide thickness estimated by XPS depth profiling showed that the two coarser variants had similar overall average oxide thickness, whereas the finest one possessed smaller oxide thickness. The surface chemistry of the powder grades is found to be related to their rheological behavior in dynamic condition. Considering the specific surface areas in combination with the average oxide thicknesses, the amount of surface bound oxygen was estimated to be about ~220 ppm for all three variants. Specific concerns need to be taken during the sintering of powder to keep oxygen level below that of electrolytic pitch copper (400 ppm).
On optimal biomarker cutoffs accounting for misclassification costs in diagnostic trilemmas with applications to pancreatic cancer
Authors: Bantis Leonidas E. , Tsimikas John V.
Published: May 2022

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the most deadly cancer and currently there is strong clinical interest in novel biomarkers that contribute to its early detection. Assessing appropriately the accuracy of such biomarkers is a crucial issue and often one needs to take into account that many assays include biospecimens of individuals coming from three groups: healthy, chronic pancreatitis, and PDAC. The ROC surface is an appropriate tool for assessing the overall accuracy of a marker employed under such trichotomous settings. A decision/classification rule is often based on the so‐called Youden index and its three‐dimensional generalization. However, both the clinical and the statistical literature have not paid the necessary attention to the underlying false classification (FC) rates that are of equal or even greater importance. In this article we provide a framework to make inferences around all classification rates as well as comparisons. We explore the trinormal model, flexible models based on power transformations, and robust non‐parametric alternatives. We provide a full framework for the construction of confidence intervals, regions, and spaces for joint inferences or for clinically meaningful points of interest. We further discuss the implications of costs related to different FCs. We evaluate our approaches through extensive simulations and illustrate them using data from a recent PDAC study conducted at the MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Analysis of a compressive strength model for FRP‐confined damaged concrete columns based on the Drucker–Prager yield criterion
Authors: Zhang Yang , Xiong Xueyu , Mohamed Elobaid Musa Moneef , Lyu Xinrui
Published: May 2022

Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) has been widely used in repairing and strengthening of damaged concrete columns due to its excellent material properties. Most of the existing compressive strength models for FRP‐confined concrete columns have been established through regression analyses of experimental data, and only a few models were established based on theoretical derivation. Therefore, to extend these compressive strength models based on theoretical derivation, a new strength model based on the Drucker–Prager yield criterion was established in this article, which is suitable for predicting the strength of FRP‐confined circular and square concrete columns with load‐damaged, fire‐damaged and strain rate. To study the strength model of FRP‐confined concrete columns, the author collected 675 test data from published literature and built a large database containing cross‐section type, damage type, damage degree and strain rate. In this database, most of the existing strength models in the published literature and the model proposed in this article were evaluated. The evaluation results show that the model can accurately predict the compressive strength of FRP‐confined circular and square concrete columns with undamaged, load‐damaged, fire‐damaged and strain rate.
Adult plant leaf rust resistance QTL derived from wheat line CI13227 maps to chromosomes 2AL, 4BS, and 7AL
Authors: Kolmer James A. , Rouse Matthew N.
Published: May 2022

The winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) line CI13227 has been characterized as having adult plant resistance to leaf rust caused by Puccinia triticina Eriks (Pt). Line CI13227 was crossed with the susceptible spring wheat ‘Thatcher’ (Tc) and a Tc*2/CI13227 F6 line with adult plant leaf rust resistance designated as 411A was derived. Line 411A was crossed with Tc to develop an F6 recombinant inbred line (RIL) population. The parents and 120 F6 lines were assessed for leaf rust severity at the flag leaf stage in five field plot tests from 2011 through 2015 and were genotyped for single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers with the Illumina iSelect 90K wheat bead array. A total of 2,384 SNP markers segregated among the RILs. Completely linked SNPs were removed, and 474 markers that covered 2,605 centimorgans (cM) were used for linkage map construction. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) on chromosome 2AL with logarithm of odds (LOD) values 2.34–7.88, on chromosome 4BS with LOD values 1.35– 4.66, and on chromosome 7AL with LOD values 2.92–7.81 were associated with significant reduction in leaf rust severity in the field plot tests. Recombinant inbred lines that had combinations of two or three of the QTL had significantly lower leaf rust severity than RILs that lacked any resistance QTL. Kompetitive allele specific polymerase chain reaction (KASP) markers were developed for the SNPs that were closely linked with the three QTL to facilitate marker‐based selection of the leaf rust resistance in breeding programs.
Using the ACE-Bio Competencies Resource as a Course Planning Tool to Guide Students in Independent Research
Authors: Thomas Aeisha
Published: May 2022

Undergraduate students often only participate in parts of the scientific process in their different classes. In senior year research projects, however, for the first-time students may be required to navigate all of the steps involved. Pedagogical resources for this undertaking are of particular value. The focus of this chapter is on the use of The Basic Competencies of Biological Experimentation: Concept-Skill Statements, which cover the entire research process. This resource from the ACE-Bio Network was the main course planning tool for the research portion of a one-semester senior seminar course where students did an independent research project. The Basic Competencies of Biological Experimentation were indeed a useful pedagogical tool for this undertaking because they are field inclusive, exhaustive yet succinct and sequentially organized while acknowledging the non-linear nature of science. The use of this resource to set the research process topics and order and to design assignments is described. It is hoped that this case report will be helpful for instructors and research mentors who in a similar manner may want to give students both structure and the freedom to conduct a science research project proficiently.
The hand-made tail: non-perturbative tails from multifield inflation
Authors: Achúcarro Ana , Céspedes Sebastián , Davis Anne-Christine , Palma Gonzalo A.
Published: May 2022

Abstract

It is becoming increasingly clear that large but rare fluctuations of the primordial curvature field, controlled by the tail of its probability distribution, could have dramatic effects on the current structure of the universe — e.g. via primordial black-holes. However, the use of standard perturbation theory to study the evolution of fluctuations during inflation fails in providing a reliable description of how non-linear interactions induce non-Gaussian tails. Here, we use the stochastic inflation formalism to study the non-perturbative effects from multi-field fluctuations on the statistical properties of the primordial curvature field. Starting from the effective action describing multi-field fluctuations, we compute the joint probability density function and show that enhanced non-Gaussian tails are a generic feature of slow-roll inflation with additional degrees of freedom.
On the 3d compactifications of 5d SCFTs associated with SU(N + 1) gauge theories
Authors: Sacchi Matteo , Sela Orr , Zafrir Gabi
Published: May 2022

Abstract

We study the 3d$$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 2 theories resulting from the compactification of a family of 5d SCFTs on a torus with flux in the global symmetry. The family of 5d SCFTs used in the analysis is the one that UV completes the 5d SU(N + 1) gauge theories with Chern-Simons level k and Nf fundamental hypermultiplets, generalizing the previous investigation of the torus compactifications of the rank 1 Seiberg $$ {E}_{N_{f+1}} $$

E

N

f
+
1

SCFT (which is the N = 1 member of the family). This construction systematically yields three-dimensional theories presenting highly non-trivial non-perturbative phenomena such as infra-red dualities and enhanced symmetries, which we check using various methods.
Holographic topological defects in a ring: role of diverse boundary conditions
Authors: Li Zhi-Hong , Shi Han-Qing , Zhang Hai-Qing
Published: May 2022

Abstract

We investigate the formation of topological defects in the course of a dynamical phase transition with different boundary conditions in a ring from AdS/CFT correspondence. According to the Kibble-Zurek mechanism, quenching the system across the critical point to symmetry-breaking phase will result in topological defects — winding numbers — in a compact ring. By setting two different boundary conditions, i.e., Dirichlet and Neumann boundary conditions for the spatial component of the gauge fields in the AdS boundary, we achieve the holographic superfluid and holographic superconductor models, respectively. In the final equilibrium state, different configurations of the order parameter phases for these two models indicate a persistent superflow in the holographic superfluid, however, the holographic superconductor lacks this superflow due to the existence of local gauge fields. The two-point correlation functions of the order parameter also behave differently. In particular, for holographic superfluid the correlation function is a cosine function depending on the winding number. The correlation function for the holographic superconductor, however, decays rapidly at short distances and vanishes at long distance, due to the random localities of the gauge fields. These results are consistent with our theoretical analysis.
The two-sphere partition function from timelike Liouville theory at three-loop order
Authors: Mühlmann Beatrix
Published: May 2022

Abstract

While the Euclidean two-dimensional gravitational path integral is in general highly fluctuating, it admits a semiclassical two-sphere saddle if coupled to a matter CFT with large and positive central charge. In Weyl gauge this gravity theory is known as timelike Liouville theory, and is conjectured to be a non-unitary two-dimensional CFT. We explore the semiclassical limit of timelike Liouville theory by calculating the two-sphere partition function from the perspective of the path integral to three-loop order, extending the work in [6]. We also compare our result to the conjectured all-loop sphere partition function obtained from the DOZZ formula. Since the two-sphere is the geometry of Euclidean two-dimensional de Sitter space our discussion is tied to the conjecture of Gibbons-Hawking, according to which the dS entropy is encoded in the Euclidean gravitational path integral over compact manifolds.
Holographic local operator quenches in BCFTs
Authors: Kawamoto Taishi , Mori Takato , Suzuki Yu-ki , Takayanagi Tadashi , Ugajin Tomonori
Published: May 2022

Abstract

We present a gravity dual of local operator quench in a two-dimensional CFT with conformal boundaries. This is given by a massive excitation in a three-dimensional AdS space with the end of the world brane (EOW brane). Due to the gravitational backreaction, the EOW brane gets deformed in a nontrivial way. We show that the energy-momentum tensor and entanglement entropy computed from the gravity dual and from the BCFT in the large c limit match perfectly. Interestingly, this comparison avoids the folding of the EOW brane in an elegant way.
Alternative translation and retrotranslocation of cytosolic C3 that detects cytoinvasive bacteria
Authors: Kremlitzka Mariann , Colineau Lucie , Nowacka Alicja A. , Mohlin Frida C. , Wozniak Katarzyna , Blom Anna M. , King Ben C.
Published: May 2022

Complement C3 was originally regarded as a serum effector protein, although recent data has emerged suggesting that intracellular C3 can also regulate basic cellular processes. Despite the growing interest in intracellular C3 functions, the mechanism behind its generation has not been demonstrated. In this study we show that C3 can be expressed from an alternative translational start site, resulting in C3 lacking the signal peptide, which is therefore translated in the cytosol. In contrast to the secreted form, alternatively translated cytosolic C3 is not glycosylated, is present mainly in a reduced state, and is turned over by the ubiquitin–proteasome system. C3 can also be retrotranslocated from the endoplasmic reticulum into the cytosol, structurally resembling secreted C3. Finally, we demonstrate that intracellular cytosolic C3 can opsonize invasive Staphylococcus aureus within epithelial cell, slowing vacuolar escape as well as impacting bacterial survival on subsequent exposure to phagocytes. Our work therefore reveals the existence and origin of intracellular, cytosolic C3, and demonstrates functions for cytosolic C3 in intracellular detection of cytoinvasive pathogens.
Lamplighters and the bounded cohomology of Thompson’s group
Authors: Monod Nicolas
Published: May 2022

We prove the vanishing of the bounded cohomology of lamplighter groups for a wide range of coefficients. This implies the same vanishing for a number of groups with self-similarity properties, such as Thompson’s group F. In particular, these groups are boundedly acyclic. Our method is ergodic and applies to “large” transformation groups where the Mather–Matsumoto–Morita method sometimes fails because not all are acyclic in the usual sense.
Process times of severely injured patients in the emergency room are associated with patient volume: a registry-based analysis
Authors: Lefering Rolf , Waydhas Christian ,   TraumaRegister DGU
Published: May 2022

Purpose

Hospitals involved in the care of severely injured patients treat a varying number of such cases per year. Large hospitals were expected to show a better performance regarding process times in the emergency room. The present investigation analyzed whether this assumption was true, based on a large national trauma registry.

Methods

A total of 129,193 severely injured patients admitted primarily to one of 675 German hospitals and documented in the TraumaRegister DGU® were considered for this analysis. The analysis covered a 5 years time period (2013–2017). Hospitals were grouped by their average number of annually treated severe trauma patients into five categories ranging from ‘less than 10 patients’ to ‘100 or more’. The following process times were compared: pre-hospital time; time from admission to diagnostic procedures (sonography, X-ray, computed tomography), time from admission to selected emergency interventions and time in the emergency room.

Results

Seventy-eight high volume hospitals treated 45% of all patients, while 30% of hospitals treated less than ten cases per year. Injury severity and mortality increased with volume per year. Whole-body computed tomography (WB-CT) was used less frequently in small hospitals (53%) as compared to the large ones (83%). The average time to WB-CT fell from 28 min. in small hospitals to 19 min. in high volume hospitals. There was a linear trend to shorter performance times for all diagnostic procedures (sonography, X-ray, WB-CT) when the annual volume increased. A similar trend was observed for time to blood transfusion (58 min versus 44 min). The median time in the emergency room fell from 74 min to 53 min, but there was no clear trend for the time to the first emergency surgery. Due to longer travel times, prehospital time was about 10 min higher in patients admitted to high volume hospitals compared to patients admitted to smaller local hospitals.

Conclusion

Process times in the emergency room decreased consistently with an increase of patient volume per year. This decrease, however, was associated with a longer prehospital time.
Strategien zum rationalen Antibiotikaeinsatz im ambulanten Sektor – Ergebnisse eines Workshops mit wichtigen Akteuren des Gesundheitswesens
Authors: Rabold Denise , Abu Sin Muna , Bornemann Reinhard , Clarici Alexandra , Eckmanns Tim , Hartmann Johannes , Hermes Julia , Schink Susanne B. , Tillmann Roland , Perea Ines
Published: May 2022

Im November 2021 veranstaltete das Bundesministerium für Gesundheit (BMG) den eintägigen virtuellen Workshop „Rationaler Antibiotikaeinsatz im ambulanten Sektor – Potenziale und Möglichkeiten für Veränderungen“ unter wissenschaftlicher Begleitung des Robert Koch-Instituts (RKI). Ziel war es, geeignete Strategien zur Förderung des sachgerechten Antibiotikaeinsatzes im ambulanten Bereich zusammenzutragen. Mit den 114 Teilnehmenden waren wichtige Akteure des Gesundheitswesens vertreten. Bereits im Vorfeld der Veranstaltung waren die Eingeladenen gebeten worden, an einer Onlinebefragung zu Perspektiven, Erfahrungen und Ideen für den rationalen Einsatz von Antibiotika im ambulanten Sektor teilzunehmen. Die Antworten wurden für den Workshop ausgewertet.

Der Workshop wurde mit Plenarvorträgen zur Deutschen Antibiotikaresistenzstrategie (DART) und zur Antibiotikaresistenzsituation in Deutschland eingeleitet. Alle teilnehmenden Expertinnen und Experten diskutierten in 10 Arbeitsgruppen; deren Ergebnisse wurden in der abschließenden Plenarsitzung vorgestellt. In dem vorliegenden Bericht werden ausgewählte Aspekte dieser Diskussionen präsentiert. Die gewonnenen Erkenntnisse sollen in die Strategie „DART 2030“ einfließen.
Neck of femur fractures treated with the femoral neck system: outcomes of one hundred and two patients and literature review
Authors: Davidson Amit , Blum Shlomo , Harats Elad , Kachko Erick , Essa Ahmad , Efraty Ram , Peyser Amos , Giannoudis Peter V.
Published: May 2022

Introduction

The recently developed femoral neck system (FNS) for treatment of femoral neck fractures (FNF), comprises theoretical biomechanical advantages compared to other implants. The aim of this study was to validate the safety and to report outcomes of patients treated with the FNS.

Method

A retrospective multicentric analysis of patients treated by FNS with a minimum of three months of follow-up. Details analysed from three medical centres were operative duration, estimated blood loss, initial hospitalisation duration, fixation quality as well as complications and reoperation rate. Patients who had revision surgery were compared to all other patients to identify risk factors for failure. In addition, a literature review was performed to analyse data on FNS clinical implementation and patient’s outcomes. The two data sets were combined and analysed.

Results

One-hundred and two patients were included in this study cohort with an average follow-up of seven months (range 3–27). Ten papers were included in the literature review, reporting data on 278 patients. Overall, 380 patients were analysed. Average age was 62.6 years, 52% of the fractures were classified as Gardens 1–2. Overall, the revision rate was 9.2% (14 patients diagnosed with cut-out of implant, 10 with AVN, 8 with non-union and 8 with hardware removal). For the 102 patients in the cohort risk factors for reoperation included patients age, surgeon seniority and inadequate placement of the implant.

Conclusion

This study shows that FNS is a safe treatment option for FNF. Intra-operative parameters and failure rates are comparable to previously reported rates for this implant and other frequently used implants.
How to do a second trimester anomaly scan
Authors: Carmen Prodan Natalia , Hoopmann Markus , Jonaityte Gertruda , Oliver Kagan Karl
Published: May 2022

A systematic evaluation of the fetal anatomy as part of the second trimester ultrasound examination in pregnancy is useful in detecting pregnancy complications, fetal abnormalities, and genetic diseases. We aim to illustrate the basic and detailed second trimester scan, according to current international and national guidelines, as well as to our own every-day practice in the Department for Prenatal Diagnosis at the University of Tübingen, Germany.
Research on evaluation system of ideological and political education of college students based on decision system
Authors: Rui Zhang
Published: May 2022

Nowadays, the ideological and political (IAP) training of the college and university students is of a great interest for everyone due to the rapid change in the political issues and the race of super power. By analyzing the present states and research on the system of evaluating the IAP training of college students, it is obvious that the current evaluation systems are not satisfactory and have different deficiencies such as openness, transparency, and lack of supervision. The existing systems are pretty straightforward, and the assessment process is not open enough. The evaluation systems are not solid, and there are still many challenges for the evaluation system of IAP training of college students. Students can only accomplish a comparably fair and scientific assessment result by building an efficient and innovative decision-making system with the help of analyzing the evaluation system of the IAP education of the students. This allows the students to get to know each other more closely and better promote their overall growth. In this research work, we examined the present assessment systems of IAP education and presented a paper in order to emphasize its shortcomings and flaws such as openness, transparency, the lack of a distinct evaluation system, and supervision. Further, we examined the values of big data analytics in assessing college students’ IAP education and present a new evaluation method based on big data analytics. The new approach assures the results transparency and openness, and hence, the evaluation system is assessed more accurately. Based on the experimental and evaluation results, it is recommended that the college teachers should understand the value of big data, and a separate platform needs to be developed through which different institutions may exchange data about the assessment system.
Role-play Games (RPGs) for Mental Health (Why Not?): Roll for Initiative
Authors: Baker Ian S. , Turner Ian J. , Kotera Yasuhiro
Published: May 2022

COVID-19 has impacted the mental health of the general public negatively, associated with preventative measures, restricting life activities. These restrictions, such as the stay-at-home strategy, resulted in heightened stress, depression, loneliness, substance abuse, and domestic violence, violating people’s occupational and personal lives. During the pandemic, the demands for role-play games (RPGs) have increased: for example, the sales of “Dungeons & Dragons” tripled, underscoring the potential mental health benefits of such games. However, research into the mental health benefits of such games remains under-developed, needing more scientific attention. Accordingly, this commentary paper reviews the existing literature, and suggests areas for application and research about RPGs and mental health including psychotherapy, career guidance, education, and people with disabilities. Insights offered can help practitioners and researchers in RPGs and mental health conduct empirical research and develop alternative approaches for mental health in stressful times.
The Dilemma of Treating Delirium: the Conundrum of Drug Management
Authors: Agar Meera R. , Amgarth-Duff Ingrid
Published: May 2022

Opinion statement

Delirium is a common medical complication in people living with cancer, particularly with more advanced disease. Delirium is associated with significant symptom burden which causes distress and impacts quality of life. As recommended by international guidelines, a high degree of suspicion is needed to ensure delirium is detected early. Attention to collateral history can provide clues to changes in cognition and attention. Non-pharmacological approaches that can be considered essential elements of care are effective in reducing the risk of delirium. Delirium screening using a validated measure is recommended as even expert clinicians can underdiagnose or miss delirium. The diagnostic assessment requires consideration of the cancer diagnosis and comorbidities, in the context of potential reversibility, goals of care, and patient preferences. The gold standard approach based on expert consensus is to institute management for delirium precipitants supported by non-pharmacological essential care, with the support of an interdisciplinary team. Medication management should be used sparingly and for a limited period of time wherever possible for severe perceptual disturbance or agitation which has not improved with non-pharmacological approaches. Clinicians should be familiar with the registered indication for medications and seek informed consent for off-label use. All interventions put in place to manage delirium need to consider net clinical benefit, including harms such as sedation and loss of capacity for meaningful interaction. Clear communication and explanation are needed regularly, with the person with delirium as far as possible and with surrogate decision makers. Delirium can herald a poor prognosis and this needs to be considered and be discussed as appropriate in shared decision-making. Recall after delirium has resolved is common, and opportunity to talk about this experience and the related distress should be offered during the period after recovery.
RETRACTED ARTICLE: Modelling product lines diffusion: a framework incorporating competitive brands for sustainable innovations
Authors: Aggrawal Deepti , Anand Adarsh , Bansal Gunjan , Davies Gareth H. , Maroufkhani Parisa , Dwivedi Yogesh K.
Published: May 2022

Understanding of consumer behavior, their changing demands due to increase in social interactions and communications, adoption of latest technologies over existing products have always been a set of fundamental activities for the firms. Keeping the objective of minimum process disruptions and discouraging product proliferation, firms always endeavor to match heterogeneous demands of consumers by emphasizing on the product line. Also, with globalization, rivalry amongst firms has reached a next level. Brands are trying to capture the market by coming up with various combinations of new product mix. Amongst various attributes of product mix, product line has helped firms to attract new potential buyers to a significantly good extent. Therefore, in today’s cutthroat competitive scenario, the concept of product line provides an opportunity for a firm to provide same kind of products with some variation at an altered pricing. The objective of this study is to understand how customers behave (with so many options) and deviate from one product to another product (within and outside the brand). All the possible customers’ shifting combinations that might impact the overall sales of product are captured through the proposed model. A mathematical innovation diffusion model is developed that is motivated by the concept of Bass model and multiple generational diffusion models. This modelling framework describes the scenario of competitive brands that offer multiple products in a marketplace and observing the shifting behavior of the customers and predict the sales when product lines are available. Validation of the model has been done on real-life sales data sets for automobiles industries of two different brands i.e., Hyundai and Maruti Suzuki. The importance of this study is to deliver a solution to the manufacturers that how consumer shifts from one brand to another brand. Therefore, it is imperative for the companies to develop such a product that would lead to customers’ loyalty towards the brand.
Immunohistochemical Expression Pattern of Theragnostic Targets SSTR2 and PSMA in Endolymphatic Sac Tumors: A Single Institution Case Series
Authors: Brada Muriel D. , Rushing Elisabeth J. , Bächinger David , Zoller Loris , Burger Irene A. , Hüllner Martin W. , Moch Holger , Huber Alexander , Eckhard Andreas H. , Rupp Niels J.
Published: May 2022

Background

Endolymphatic sac tumors are rare neoplasia characterized by slow growth. However, their clinical impact should not be underestimated, considering their potential for local aggressive behavior and strong association with von Hippel–Lindau syndrome. Therefore, early detection with emerging theragnostic examinations such as 68Ga-DOTATATE-PET/CT might improve patient management and reduce morbidity.

Methods

We report the clinicopathological features of seven endolymphatic sac tumors. In this cohort, we performed immunohistochemical analysis of somatostatin receptor 2A (SSTR2A) and prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) protein expression patterns; two targets providing rationale for novel imaging modalities such as PSMA- or SSTR-targeted PET.

Results

The tumor cells of all cases were negative for prostate specific membrane antigen and somatostatin receptor 2A, however immunolabeling was consistently detected in intratumoral endothelial cells of endolymphatic sac tumors for PSMA (7/7 cases, 100%), and for SSTR2A (5/7 cases, 71%).

Conclusions

Our results show a high rate of PSMA and SSTR2A expression in the tumor vasculature of endolymphatic sac tumors. PSMA and SSTR2A can be targeted with appropriate radioligands for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. This finding provides a rationale for prospective clinical studies to test this approach as a sensitive screening tool for patients with suspected endolymphatic sac tumors including an improved management of von Hippel–Lindau syndrome.
Erosions, Ruptures, and the Ending of International Orders: Putin’s Invasion of Ukraine in Historical Perspective
Authors: Mulligan William
Published: May 2022

This article argues that Putin’s invasion of Ukraine marks a distinctive challenge to the liberal international order. The invasion challenges principles of strategic restraint, demonstrates that economic interdependence can lead to violent conflict as well as promote cooperation and peace, and requires novel normative justifications. Initiated by Putin, the war also reveals broader contradictions within the liberal international order that date back to its construction in the aftermath of the Cold War.
Beyond the Sociocultural Rhetoric: Female Genital Mutilation, Cultural Values and the Symbolic Capital (Honor) of Women and Their Family in Conakry, Guinea—A Focused Ethnography Among “Positive Deviants”
Authors: Doucet Marie-Hélène , Delamou Alexandre , Manet Hawa , Groleau Danielle
Published: May 2022

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is justified by sociocultural arguments, including that it guarantees girls’/women’s appropriate sexual behavior, thus preserving family honor. We explored the perspectives of Guineans who do not practice FGM (“positive deviants”), as well as of Guineans who still practice FGM but who are supportive of abandoning the practice (“reluctant adherents”). We conducted a “focused ethnographic” study in Conakry, Guinea with a sample of 58 people. Individual semi-structured interviews were undertaken to explore the views and experiences of 18 women and 12 men of different generations who abandoned the practice of FGM. Group interviews with an additional 16 women and 12 men (half of whom were “positive deviants” and the other half “reluctant adherents”) validated and enriched the data. Participants consider that FGM has deleterious consequences as it: (1) does not prevent girls or married women from being sexually active outside of marriage; (2) may impair couples’ sexual satisfaction, and thus lead to divorce, men’s infidelity or polygamy; and (3) may reduce women's ability to have multiple children, because of the increased risk of infertility or obstetric complications. In addition, participants reported that many Guineans fear that the promotion of FGM abandonment is a Western plot to eradicate their culture. We conclude that Guineans who practice and do not practice FGM share the same cultural values about the importance of culturally appropriate sexual behavior, being married, and having many children, which are central sources of honor (symbolic capital) to women and their families. They, however, have opposing views on how to achieve these objectives. Based on our participants’ perspectives, the harmful consequences of FGM can potentially sabotage these sources of honor. Recommendations for messages aimed at promoting FGM abandonment are discussed.