bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The experiences of patients with musculoskeletal conditions accessing first contact physiotherapy practitioner appointments in general practice in the UK: A qualitative study
Authors: Lamb Kirsten , Comer Christine , Walsh Nicola , Smith Julia , Tang Krystal , McHugh Gretl
Published: June 2024

Background

First Contact Physiotherapy Practitioners (FCPPs) provide expert care for patients with musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions in General Practice. Access to FCPPs can facilitate timely care and efficient use of health services. However, there is little evidence about patient experiences of accessing FCPP appointments.

Objective

To explore the experiences of patients with MSK conditions who have accessed an FCPP appointment in a General Practice setting in the UK.

Design

Exploratory qualitative design.

Methods

Patients with MSK conditions who had experience of accessing FCPP appointments were recruited via social media. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted and recorded via MS Teams. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.

Results

Of 13 patients interviewed, there were 10 females and three males, with an age range between 20 and 80 years. The main themes identified were: (1) Awareness of FCPP, (2) Access routes, (3) Facilitators to access, (4) Barriers to access, (5) Likelihood of re‐accessing FCPP. Awareness of FCPP was generally low amongst participants. There were a variety of routes to access FCPP appointments; some were felt to be sub‐optimal by participants. Facilitators included quick/easy access to FCPP. Barriers included difficulty contacting General Practitioner (GP) surgeries and public perception of needing to see a GP initially. The likelihood of re‐consultation with a FCPP was low when participants had disappointing care experiences.

Conclusion

This study provides new evidence about patient experiences of accessing FCPP. It explores positive and negative aspects of access from patients' perspectives. It also highlights areas for improvement in terms of GP staff/patient awareness and understanding of FCPP.
Efgartigimod in refractory autoimmune myasthenia gravis
Authors: Remijn‐Nelissen Linda , Tannemaat Martijn R. , Ruiter Annabel M. , Campman Yvonne J. M. , Verschuuren Jan J. G. M.
Published: June 2024

Introduction/Aims

Efgartigimod, a neonatal Fc‐receptor inhibitor, has recently been approved as treatment for myasthenia gravis (MG). In this retrospective cohort study, we aimed to systematically assess short‐ and long‐term effectiveness of efgartigimod in patients with refractory MG.

Methods

Sixteen patients with refractory autoimmune acetylcholine receptor MG were treated with efgartigimod. Data were collected from January 2021 to March 2023 on Myasthenia Gravis Activities of Daily Living (MG‐ADL), Quantitative Myasthenia Gravis score (QMG), Myasthenia Gravis Composite score (MGC) and the 15‐item revised version of the Myasthenia Gravis Quality of Life questionnaire (MG‐QoL15r).

Results

A favorable outcome was seen in 56% of patients at the last measurement. Out of 16 patients, 50% were an MG‐ADL responder after the first treatment cycle. After 4 weeks, a clinically meaningful improvement compared to baseline was seen on the MG‐ADL, QMG, and MGC. There was a statistically significant improvement on the MGQoL15r from baseline to week 4. The improvement was maintained until the last measurement for the MGC and the MGQoL15r. At the last visit, all patients had discontinued 4‐weekly dosages, shifting to administration frequencies of 1, 2, or 3 weeks. Drug doses could be decreased for prednisolone (n = 7), azathioprine (n = 2), and intravenous immunoglobulin (n = 9). Frequency of plasma exchange was decreased in nine patients.

Discussion

In patients with refractory MG, efgartigimod was effective for at least half of all patients. Patients required more frequent dosing compared to the ADAPT phase 3 trial. In 80% of the patients concurrent medication could be reduced or discontinued.
Direct oral anticoagulant therapy in adolescent venous thromboembolism: A systematic review
Authors: Alqahtani Shaikha , Gibbs Karen DiValerio , Montanez Natalie A. , Krause Kate J. , van Ommen C. Heleen , Srivaths Lakshmi V.
Published: June 2024

Adolescent venous thromboembolism (VTE) has unique challenges in management, complications, and compliance to anticoagulants. Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have been approved for pediatric VTE management, with an increasing use especially in adolescents. Primary objective is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of DOAC therapy in adolescent VTE. Secondary objectives include adverse events, bleeding events, and overall mortality. A SR protocol was registered in PROSPERO 2022 (CRD42022363928). Databases were searched from inception to September 22, 2022. Studies with children aged 10–18 years, VTE diagnosis, DOAC therapy, randomized control trials (RCTs), cohort, and relevant study types were included. Studies including prophylaxis, non‐DOAC therapy, arterial thrombosis, age outliers, non‐relevant study types were excluded. Findings are reported in accordance to PRISMA 2020. Nine reports from five studies, published between 2016 and 2022, were included. Rivaroxaban was the most common DOAC. VTE recurrence was 0.02% in the rivaroxaban phase III trial and one patient in the dabigatran phase IIb/III trial. Complete/partial thrombus resolution (CR/PR) was 76.6% in the rivaroxaban phase III trial, and 83.9% in the dabigatran phase IIb/III trial. CR/PR was found to be 68.4% in Dhaliwal et al. study and 83.3% in Hassan et al. study. Major bleeding occurred in one patient. Headache and gastrointestinal symptoms were commonly seen. All‐cause mortality occurred in a patient due to cancer progression. DOAC therapy in adolescent VTE had CR/PR in two‐thirds of the patients, with low incidence of VTE recurrence and major bleeding. As there are only two randomized controlled trial (RCTs), future adolescents’ studies are required to validate our results.
Experimental and numerical studies on quasi‐static behavior of sandwich composites with nano clay modified Kevlar facesheets and aluminum honeycomb core
Authors: Soleimani Seyed Soroush , Ozdemir Okan
Published: June 2024

This study investigates the influence of nano clay reinforcement on the mechanical behavior of Kevlar/epoxy composite laminates and sandwich structures subjected to quasi‐static punch shear loading. Three types of composite face sheets were fabricated using hand lay‐up technique: Kevlar/epoxy neat, 0.5, and 1 wt. % of nano clay. The mechanical properties of these composites were characterized through compression, shear, and tensile tests. Sandwich structures were then constructed using the fabricated face sheets and an aluminum honeycomb core. Quasi‐static punch shear tests were performed on the composite laminates and sandwich specimens using hemispherical impactors. Numerical simulations of the punch shear tests were conducted in LS‐Dyna, employing appropriate material models and contact definitions for the constituent materials. Furthermore, to further investigate the failure mechanisms, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis was conducted on the fractured Kevlar/epoxy composite plate specimens. The comparison between the experimental outcomes and numerical data demonstrated a strong correspondence, indicating consistency between the two methodologies. In conclusion, the incorporation of 0.5 wt. % nano clay into the Kevlar/epoxy composite resulted in a 5.09% increase in shear strength and an 11.29% increase in maximum reaction force. The study provides insights into the effect of nano clay reinforcement on the punch shear resistance and energy absorption capabilities of Kevlar/epoxy composites and sandwich structures.

Highlights

Proper alignment of the nano clay within the epoxy was achieved.

The most efficient rate of nano clay was observed to be 0.5% by weight.

The mechanical properties of nano clay‐containing composites were improved.

Quasi‐static punch shear tests were performed numerically and experimentally.

Numerical results were in close agreement with experimental results.
Exploring the impact of novel ionic liquid functionalized graphene on the mechanical properties and thermal conductivity of LLDPE composites
Authors: Zhang Jinzhuo , Wang Yijie , Long Jiapeng , Liang Bing
Published: June 2024

Due to its high thermal conductivity, graphene finds extensive application in thermal composite materials. However, akin to polymer composites containing other fillers, the thermal resistance at the interface between graphene and the polymer matrix substantially impedes heat conduction. Thus, functionalizing graphene becomes imperative to enhance its dispersibility in polymers. In this study, we synthesized the imidazolyl ionic liquid 1‐methyl‐3‐triethoxysilpropyl imidazole chloride ([MTESiPIM]Cl). Ionic liquid complexes supported by graphene (G) were synthesized via a simple ultrasonic stripping method by combining electrochemical graphene (G) with [MTESiPIM]Cl (Si‐IL@G). The Si‐IL@G/LLDPE composite was formed by blending Si‐IL@G into the linear low‐density polyethylene (LLDPE) matrix using a melt blending technique. Upon adding 5% Si‐IL@G, the tensile strength and bending modulus of Si‐IL@G/LLDPE composite reached 13.5 MPa and 348.2 MPa, respectively, marking an increase of 20.67% and 57.79% over pure LLDPE. The Si‐IL@G/LLDPE composite exhibited a thermal conductivity of 0.49 W·m−1·K−1, 96.0% higher than that of pure LLDPE. Given its outstanding thermal conductivity and mechanical properties, Si‐IL@G holds great potential in producing composites with high thermal conductivity.

Highlights

An ionic liquid with siloxanyl groups was synthesized using microwave assistance.

The ionic liquid was modified onto graphene sheets using ultrasonic techniques.

The study examined how ionic liquid‐modified graphene affects LLDPE structure.

The thermal conductivity and mechanical properties of LLDPE were enhanced.
Associations between lyric and musical depth in Chinese songs: Evidence from computational modeling
Authors: Xu Liang , Xu Bingfei , Sun Zaoyi , Li Hongting
Published: June 2024

Musical depth, which encompasses the intellectual and emotional complexity of music, is a robust dimension that influences music preference. However, there remains a dearth of research exploring the relationship between lyrics and musical depth. This study addressed this gap by analyzing linguistic inquiry and word count‐based lyric features extracted from a comprehensive dataset of 2372 Chinese songs. Correlation analysis and machine learning techniques revealed compelling connections between musical depth and various lyric features, such as the usage frequency of emotion words, time words, and insight words. To further investigate these relationships, prediction models for musical depth were constructed using a combination of audio and lyric features as inputs. The results demonstrated that the random forest regressions (RFR) that integrated both audio and lyric features yielded superior prediction performance compared to those relying solely on lyric inputs. Notably, when assessing the feature importance to interpret the RFR models, it became evident that audio features played a decisive role in predicting musical depth. This finding highlights the paramount significance of melody over lyrics in effectively conveying the intricacies of musical depth.
Crystallization kinetics analysis and modeling of aerospace PAEK materials
Authors: Ledesma Rodolfo , Wohl Christopher , Grimsley Brian
Published: June 2024

Polyaryletherketone (PAEK) thermoplastic composite materials have received increasing attention for the manufacturing of composite structures. One manufacturing process of great interest for PAEK composite structures is automated fiber placement, which can increase the throughput of complex part fabrication and reduce the use of autoclaves for assembly of composite parts. Understanding the thermal effects of the material allows the control and adjustment of manufacturing variables to assure the integrity of the composite structure. PAEK resins and carbon fiber reinforced composites have been analyzed using differential scanning calorimetry to study crystallization kinetics. Isothermal and non‐isothermal tests were conducted, and the time‐dependent crystallization kinetics were modeled using the Velisaris and Seferis model for isothermal processes and the Gaussian process regression method for non‐isothermal processes. The results show the influence of the thermal conditions and the chemical structures considering the ketone content, and the effects of the presence of the carbon fibers on crystallization kinetics. The models utilized describe with high accuracy the time‐dependent crystallization kinetics of PAEK composite materials. An artificial neural network application was also implemented using the non‐isothermal PAEK composite models for further prediction of relative volume crystallinity and crystallization rate.

Highlights

Polyaryletherketone (PAEK) materials crystallize differently depending on the crystallization conditions.

Carbon fibers influence the crystallization response in PAEK polymers.

Machine learning was used to characterize crystallization kinetics.

Activation energies were obtained for different thermal treatments.

Artificial neural network tool was developed for PAEK composites in non‐isothermal regimes.
Bullying begets bullying: A contagion model of bullying in Chinese adolescents
Authors: Limin Zhou , Chunguang Hu , Jie Huang
Published: June 2024

Previous studies have suggested that bullying may be contagious in adolescents. The present study examined whether ego depletion mediated the association between peer bullying and participant bullying and whether the mediating process was moderated by participant trait self‐control. A sample of 2217 Chinese high school students (16.92 ± 0.94 years; 1068 boys and 1084 girls) were invited to fill in the questionnaires. The results reveal that after controlling for gender, grade and neuroticism, ego depletion partially mediates the positive relationship between peer bullying and participant bullying. Further, participant trait self‐control moderates the relationship between peer bullying and participant bullying and that between peer bullying and participant ego depletion. That is, the strength of the contagion effect is lower in adolescents with high trait self‐control compared to those with low trait self‐control. In conclusion, this study provides empirical evidence of the contagion of bullying in adolescents. Limitations and implications for research and practice are discussed.
Dry‐air intrusion over India during break phases of the Indian summer monsoon in CMIP6 models
Authors: Singh Rahul , Sandeep S.
Published: June 2024

Episodes of dry‐air intrusion over northern India have been observed during break phases of the Indian summer monsoon (ISM). Previous investigations have provided observational evidence of a significant reservoir of unsaturated air over the northern Arabian Sea, serving as the source of this dry‐air intrusion. It was also suggested that the monsoon low‐level jet, which typically transports moisture to continental India during the active phase, instead transports dry air during the break phase of the ISM. While the existence of dry‐air intrusion is well‐documented through observations, its representation in climate models remains uncertain. It is important to enhance our understanding of the process of dry‐air advection in climate models to assess their fidelity in simulating the climate over the region. In this study, we quantify the extent of dry‐air intrusion and examine its mechanisms in simulations from the sixth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6). Most CMIP6 models analysed in this study simulate the observed pattern of dry‐air advection over continental India realistically during the summer monsoon‐break phase. Some models also simulate dry‐air transport from West Asia, possibly due to an overly smoothed representation of orography. Furthermore, the majority of CMIP6 models successfully capture the intrinsic modes associated with the dry monsoon phase, as demonstrated by empirical orthogonal function analysis of low‐level zonal winds. Our analyses indicate that global climate models exhibit better skill in simulating dry processes of the monsoon compared with moist processes. These findings uncover previously underexplored aspects of the monsoon, which are essential for assessing future regional climate changes accurately.
Designing of π‐Bridge for Metal Free Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cell and Optoelectronic Properties: An ab initio DFT Perspective
Authors: Kumar Rajneesh , Singh Ajeet
Published: June 2024

We have designed a series of donor‐π‐acceptor (D‐π‐A) based metal‐free organic dyes to improve the power conversion efficiency of dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) and optoelectronic properties. Density functional theory (DFT) and time‐dependent density functional theory (TD‐DFT) simulations have been performed to calculate the electronic and optical properties. The reduction of band gap is observed from 2.33 eV to 1.60 eV when we have strategically figure out the suitable π‐bridge. The band gaps 1.53 eV were observed with strong donor group. The ground and excited state oxidation potential, normal dipole moment, light harvesting efficiency, maximum absorption wavelength and electron injection properties were calculated for the designed dyes. Upon the screening of the π‐bridge, we have substituted the reference triphenylamine (TPA) donor group with other best‐known donor. The cyanoacrylic acid group was chosen as the acceptor group for designed dye molecules.The simulated absorption spectra show a bathochromic shift from 435 nm to 817 nm that infers the effect of such variation of the π‐bridging group. The rational designing of high‐performance organic‐based dye sensitizer molecule embark on the scientific community towards the advancement of renewable energy technologies
Modern ransomware: Evolution, methodology, attack model, prevention and mitigation using multi‐tiered approach
Authors: Raj Arpit , Narayan Vedant , Muskan Vivek , Sani Abhilash , Sharma Pankaj , Sarma S. S.
Published: June 2024

Ransomware is a menace to the vibrant digital ecosystem. The exponential growth in ransomware attacks, its detrimental impacts, and the ever‐changing methods adopted by threat actor groups demands a focused understanding of the evolution of ransomware. This would help the organizations devise novel defensive frameworks and security controls against the modern ransomware. In this work, the impacts and evolution of ransomware through different phases up to its current form are detailed. Further, based on the study and analysis of the most prevalent modern ransomware variants, their most used tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) are identified as per the MITRE ATT&CK model. This acts as a platform to propose a generic attack model for “modern ransomware.” Building on the existing MITRE mitigation, D3FEND‐based approaches and considering the resource and budget constraints of organizations, a simplified three‐tier defensive model that is cost‐effective and implementable is put forward. Thus, this work aims to open avenues for understanding the TTPs, and attack methodology of “modern ransomware,” thereby developing feasible and implementable defensive security controls.
Towards a Systematic Approach for Prescriptive Analytics Use Cases in Smart Factories
Authors: Weller Julian , Migenda Nico , Liu Rui , Wegel Arthur , von Enzberg Sebastian , Kohlhase Martin , Schenck Wolfram , Dumitrescu Roman
Published: June 2024

Manufacturing systems are dynamic and exhibit increasing complexity and uncertainty. Smart manufacturing uses Data Analytics methods to optimize manufacturing processes, systems and products. One approach to structure use cases in production management in smart manufacturing is the Product-Process-Resource (PPR) model, where the resource executes a process on a given product. The PPR model needs to be extended for smart manufacturing, to meet the requirements of prescriptive analytics (but not exclusively). Our contributions are an extended PPR model for prescriptive analytics (P2PR) that involves environmental effects, expert knowledge and adds a process sub-model distinguishing between manufacturing and supervisory processes. We develop prescriptive analytics decision-making categories based on the area of validity and the degree of interconnectivity. The combination results in a systematization scheme for prescriptive analytics use cases in a smart factory environment. It assists entities to find shared characteristics in different prescriptive smart factory use cases within one production ecosystem. A mapping of prescriptive algorithms (as part of a use case) to a category and domain is enabled for future case studies.
Impact of scalar NSI on the neutrino mass ordering sensitivity at DUNE, HK and KNO
Authors: Sarker Arnab , Medhi Abinash , Bezboruah Dharitree , Devi Moon Moon , Dutta Debajyoti
Published: June 2024

Abstract

The study of neutrino non-standard interactions (NSI) is a well-motivated phenomenological scenario to explore new physics beyond the Standard Model. The possible scalar coupling of neutrinos (ν) with matter is one of such new physics scenarios that appears as a sub-dominant effect that can impact the ν-oscillations in matter. The presence of scalar NSI introduces an additional contribution directly to the ν-mass matrix in the interaction Hamiltonian and subsequently to the ν-oscillations. This indicates that scalar NSI may have a significant impact on measurements related to ν-oscillations e.g. leptonic CP phase (δCP), θ23 octant and neutrino mass ordering (MO). The linear scaling of the effects of scalar NSI with matter density also motivates its exploration in long-baseline (LBL) experiments. In this paper, we study the impact of a scalar-mediated NSI on the MO sensitivity of DUNE, HK and HK+KNO, which are upcoming LBL experiments. We study the impact on MO sensitivities at these experiments assuming that scalar NSI parameters are present in nature and is known from other non-LBL experiments. We observe that the presence of diagonal scalar NSI elements can significantly affect the ν-mass ordering sensitivities. We then also combine the data from DUNE with HK and HK+KNO to explore possible synergy among these experiments in a wider parameter space. We also observe a significant enhancement in the MO sensitivities for the combined analysis.
Four top final states with NLO accuracy in perturbative QCD: 4 lepton channel
Authors: Dimitrakopoulos Nikolaos , Worek Malgorzata
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Triggered by the observation of four top-quark production at the LHC by the ATLAS and CMS collaboration we report on the calculation of the next-to-leading order QCD corrections to the Standard Model process pp → $$ t\overline{t}t\overline{t} $$
t

t
¯

t

t
¯

in the 4ℓ top-quark decay channel. We take into account higher-order QCD effects in both the production and decays of the four top quarks. The latter effects are treated in the narrow width approximation, which preserves top-quark spin correlations throughout the calculation. We present results for two selected renormalisation and factorisation scale settings and three different PDF sets. Furthermore, we study the main theoretical uncertainties that are associated with the neglected higher-order terms in the perturbative expansion and with the parameterisation of the PDF sets. The results at the integrated and differential fiducial cross-section level are shown for the LHC Run III center-of-mass energy of $$ \sqrt{s} $$

s

= 13.6 TeV. Our findings are particularly relevant for precise measurements of the four top-quark fiducial cross sections and for the modelling of top-quark decays at the LHC.
Probing lepton number violation and Majorana nature of neutrinos at the LHC
Authors: Babu K. S. , Barman Rahool K. , Gonçalves Dorival , Ismail Ahmed
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Observation of lepton number (L) violation by two units at colliders would provide evidence for the Majorana nature of neutrinos. We study signals of L-violation in the context of two popular models of neutrino masses, the type-II seesaw model and the Zee model, wherein small neutrino masses arise at the tree-level and one-loop level, respectively. We focus on L-violation signals at the LHC arising through the process pp → ℓ±ℓ′± + jets within these frameworks. We obtain sensitivity to L-violation in the type-II seesaw model for triplet scalar masses up to 700 GeV and in the Zee model for charged scalar masses up to 4.8 TeV at the high-luminosity LHC with an integrated luminosity of 3 ab−1.
Direct GPCR-EGFR interaction enables synergistic membrane-to-nucleus information transfer
Authors: Gekle Michael , Eckenstaler Robert , Braun Heike , Olgac Abdurrahman , Robaa Dina , Mildenberger Sigrid , Dubourg Virginie , Schreier Barbara , Sippl Wolfgang , Benndorf Ralf
Published: June 2024

We addressed the heteromerization of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) with G-protein coupled receptors (GPCR) on the basis of angiotensin-II-receptor-subtype-1(AT1R)-EGFR interaction as proof-of-concept and show its functional relevance during synergistic nuclear information transfer, beyond ligand-dependent EGFR transactivation. Following in silico modelling, we generated EGFR-interaction deficient AT1R-mutants and compared them to AT1R-wildtype. Receptor interaction was assessed by co-immunoprecipitation (CoIP), Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) and fluorescence-lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM). Changes in cell morphology, ERK1/2-phosphorylation (ppERK1/2), serum response factor (SRF)-activation and cFOS protein expression were determined by digital high content microscopy at the single cell level. FRET, FLIM and CoIP confirmed the physical interaction of AT1R-wildtype with EGFR that was strongly reduced for the AT1R-mutants. Responsiveness of cells transfected with AT1R-WT or –mutants to angiotensin II or EGF was similar regarding changes in cell circularity, ppERK1/2 (direct and by ligand-dependent EGFR-transactivation), cFOS-expression and SRF-activity. By contrast, the EGFR-AT1R-synergism regarding these parameters was completely absent for in the interaction-deficient AT1R mutants. The results show that AT1R-EGFR heteromerisation enables AT1R-EGFR-synergism on downstream gene expression regulation, modulating the intensity and the temporal pattern of nuclear AT1R/EGFR-information transfer. Furthermore, remote EGFR transactivation, via ligand release or cytosolic tyrosine kinases, is not sufficient for the complete synergistic control of gene expression.
Generation of realistic synthetic cable images to train deep learning segmentation models
Authors: MalvidoFresnillo Pablo , Mohammed Wael M. , Vasudevan Saigopal , PerezGarcia Jose A. , MartinezLastra Jose L.
Published: June 2024

Semantic segmentation is one of the most important and studied problems in machine vision, which has been solved with high accuracy by many deep learning models. However, all these models present a significant drawback, they require large and diverse datasets to be trained. Gathering and annotating all these images manually would be extremely time-consuming, hence, numerous researchers have proposed approaches to facilitate or automate the process. Nevertheless, when the objects to be segmented are deformable, such as cables, the automation of this process becomes more challenging, as the dataset needs to represent their high diversity of shapes while keeping a high level of realism, and none of the existing solutions have been able to address it effectively. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel methodology to automatically generate highly realistic synthetic datasets of cables for training deep learning models in image segmentation tasks. This methodology utilizes Blender to create photo-realistic cable scenes and a Python pipeline to introduce random variations and natural deformations. To prove its performance, a dataset composed of 25000 synthetic cable images and their corresponding masks was generated and used to train six popular deep learning segmentation models. These models were then utilized to segment real cable images achieving outstanding results (over 70% IoU and 80% Dice coefficient for all the models). Both the methodology and the generated dataset are publicly available in the project’s repository.
Partnerschaftliche Gewalt gegen Männer
Authors: Landmann Aysche Maren , Feld Katharina , Schütte Clara , Yen Kathrin
Published: June 2024

Hintergrund

Die Problematik partnerschaftlicher Gewalt gegen Männer wird in der Forschung bisher nur zurückhaltend adressiert. Nur wenige aktuelle Untersuchungen zur Erfassung von Fallumständen und Befunden sowie dem Verhalten nach konkreten Gewalterfahrungen liegen vor.

Fragestellung

Ziel der vorliegenden Studie war es, Daten zu Erfahrungen von partnerschaftlicher Gewalt gegen Männer sowie zur Inanspruchnahme von Hilfe durch die Betroffenen zu erheben. Des Weiteren sollten Informationen zu Gewalterfahrungen in der Kindheit erfasst werden.

Material und Methoden

Zur Erhebung der Daten wurde ein Online-Fragebogen erstellt und an Beratungsorganisationen mit Bitte um Weiterleitung gesendet. Die Befragung fand zwischen Juli 2021 bis Juni 2022 statt. Die Daten wurden mit Excel und SPSS ausgewertet.

Ergebnisse

Insgesamt konnten Datensets von 163 Männern ausgewertet werden. Das durchschnittliche Alter der 163 Teilnehmer betrug 44,7 Jahre. Insgesamt 82,8 % der Teilnehmer erlebten bereits als Kind Gewalt, wobei sich signifikante Zusammenhänge zwischen dem Erleben von psychischer und körperlicher Gewalt (p < 0,001), aber auch zwischen dem Erleben von Gewalt durch die Eltern und in der Schule zeigten (p < 0,001). Die am häufigsten erlebte partnerschaftliche Gewalt war psychische Gewalt (90,2 %). 36,8 % der Teilnehmer sprachen mit niemandem über ihre Erlebnisse. Die am häufigsten genannten Gründe, keine Hilfe in Anspruch zu nehmen, waren das Bedürfnis, allein mit der Situation zurechtkommen zu wollen (50 %), und Unsicherheit über geeignete Ansprechpartner (46,7 %).

Diskussion

Medizinische Fachkräfte sollten für die Problematik verstärkt sensibilisiert werden. Auch sollten frühere oder aktuelle Gewalterfahrungen, z. B. im Rahmen von Check-up-Untersuchungen, abgefragt werden.
Enhancing sensitivity towards electrochemical miRNA detection using an affordable paper-based strategy
Authors: Cimmino Wanda , Raucci Ada , Grosso Sara Pia , Normanno Nicola , Cinti Stefano
Published: June 2024

In the era of liquid biopsy, microRNAs emerge as promising candidates for the early diagnosis and prognosis of cancer, offering valuable insights into the disease’s development. Among all the existing analytical approaches, even if traditional approaches such as the nucleic acid amplification ones have the advantages to be highly sensitive, they cannot be used at the point-of-care, while sensors might be poorly sensitive despite their portability. In order to improve the analytical performance of existing electroanalytical systems, we demonstrate how a simple chromatographic paper-based disk might be useful to rationally improve the sensitivity, depending on the number of preconcentration cycles. A paper-based electrochemical platform for miRNA detection has been developed by modifying a paper-based electrode with a methylene blue (MB)-modified single-stranded sequence (ssDNA) complementary to the chosen miRNA, namely miR-224 that is associated with lung cancer. A detection limit of ca. 0.6 nM has been obtained in spiked human serum samples. To further enhance the sensitivity, an external chromatographic wax-patterned paper-based disk has been adopted to preconcentrate the sample, and this has been demonstrated both in standard and in serum solutions. For each solution, three miR-224 levels have been preconcentrated, obtaining a satisfactory lowering detection limit of ca. 50 pM using a simple and sustainable procedure. This approach opens wide possibilities in the field of analytical and bioanalytical chemistry, being useful not only for electrochemistry but also for other architectures of detection and transduction.
Arithmetic fundamental lemma for the spherical Hecke algebra
Authors: Li Chao , Rapoport Michael , Zhang Wei
Published: June 2024

We define Hecke correspondences and Hecke operators on unitary RZ spaces and study their basic geometric properties, including a commutativity conjecture on Hecke operators. Then we formulate the arithmetic fundamental lemma conjecture for the spherical Hecke algebra. We also formulate a conjecture on the abundance of spherical Hecke functions with identically vanishing first derivative of orbital integrals. We prove these conjectures for the case $$\textrm{U} (1)\times \textrm{U} (2)$$

U
(
1
)
×
U
(
2
)

.
Quality of life assessment in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in REFLECT: a prospective, non-interventional, multicenter, German study, assessing Sandoz rituximab in combination with CHOP
Authors: Kubuschok Boris , Otremba Burkhard , Welslau Manfred , Topaly Julian , Wolff Thomas , Lenz Georg , Grau Michael , Bittencourt da Silva Larissa , Brückmann Ines , Foierl Tobias
Published: June 2024

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) data are important indicators of health status in patients with lymphoma. The objective of this analysis was to assess the impact of treatment with Sandoz rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) on HRQoL in treatment-naïve adult patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) included in the prospective, real-world REFLECT study. REFLECT is the first prospective study to assess HRQoL in patients with DLBCL treated with a rituximab biosimilar. HRQoL was assessed via the patient-reported European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core Quality of Life questionnaire at baseline, mid-treatment (month 3), end of treatment (month 6), and follow-up (months 9 and 12). Subgroup analyses were performed to evaluate the influence of baseline characteristics on HRQoL, and associations between baseline HRQoL and treatment response. HRQoL was assessed in 169 patients. Mean global health status score remained stable from baseline (54.8) to mid-treatment (month 3; 54.7), before steadily improving through to end of treatment (month 6; 61.4), and follow-up month 9 (64.9) and month 12 (68.8). Similar trends were observed across most functional and symptom subscales. Higher cognitive, physical, or role functioning, and less appetite loss, diarrhea, fatigue, or pain at baseline, were all associated with an improved likelihood of reaching a complete versus partial response at the end of treatment. Overall, these findings confirm the HRQoL benefits of R-CHOP therapy in treatment-naïve adult patients with DLBCL, and suggest that baseline HRQoL may be predictive of treatment response.
Homeostasis in networks with multiple inputs
Authors: de Oliveira Madeira João Luiz , Antoneli Fernando
Published: June 2024

Homeostasis, also known as adaptation, refers to the ability of a system to counteract persistent external disturbances and tightly control the output of a key observable. Existing studies on homeostasis in network dynamics have mainly focused on ‘perfect adaptation’ in deterministic single-input single-output networks where the disturbances are scalar and affect the network dynamics via a pre-specified input node. In this paper we provide a full classification of all possible network topologies capable of generating infinitesimal homeostasis in arbitrarily large and complex multiple inputs networks. Working in the framework of ‘infinitesimal homeostasis’ allows us to make no assumption about how the components are interconnected and the functional form of the associated differential equations, apart from being compatible with the network architecture. Remarkably, we show that there are just three distinct ‘mechanisms’ that generate infinitesimal homeostasis. Each of these three mechanisms generates a rich class of well-defined network topologies—called homeostasis subnetworks. More importantly, we show that these classes of homeostasis subnetworks provides a topological basis for the classification of ‘homeostasis types’: the full set of all possible multiple inputs networks can be uniquely decomposed into these special homeostasis subnetworks. We illustrate our results with some simple abstract examples and a biologically realistic model for the co-regulation of calcium ($$\textrm{Ca}$$
Ca
) and phosphate ($$\textrm{PO}_4$$

PO
4

) in the rat. Furthermore, we identify a new phenomenon that occurs in the multiple input setting, that we call homeostasis mode interaction, in analogy with the well-known characteristic of multiparameter bifurcation theory.
Incorporation of RCM-simulated spatial details into climate change projections derived from global climate models
Authors: Ruosteenoja Kimmo , Räisänen Jouni
Published: June 2024

Regional climate models (RCMs) exhibit greater potential than global models (GCMs) in capturing geographical details of climate change arising from orography and land–water distribution, but dynamical downscalings are only available for a limited number of GCMs. The full GCM ensembles are much more representative. Furthermore, the current EURO-CORDEX RCM runs most likely underestimate future warming. Thus, neither GCMs nor RCMs as such constitute an ideal tool for preparing reliable spatially detailed climate projections. This study introduces an easy-to-use GCM-RCM hybrid method that takes advantage of the best properties of both model categories. The large-scale response is adopted from GCM simulations, but the pattern is enriched with RCM-simulated details. For temperature projections, the procedure resembles the conventional pattern-scaling technique. However, the spatial averages of temperature change used for scaling are calculated over an area surrounding each grid point, either by giving an equal weight to the entire area or by taking into account the land–sea distribution. For precipitation, a linearised version of the method has been formulated. The method is demonstrated by integrating spatial details from 12 EURO-CORDEX RCM simulations with the CMIP6 multi-GCM mean projection. The resulting temperature responses include RCM-generated spatial details of up to $$\sim$$
∼
1 $$^\circ$$

∘

C while effectively correcting the general tendency of RCMs to underestimate warming in Europe. For precipitation, geographical details originating from the different CORDEX runs tend to diverge, resulting in a low signal-to-noise ratio. This probably reflects the substantial impact of internal variability on small-scale changes in precipitation.
Prehospital time and mortality in pediatric trauma
Authors: Rickenbach Olivia Nieto , Aldridge Joshua , Tumin Dmitry , Greene Erika , Ledoux Matthew , Longshore Shannon
Published: June 2024

Purpose

The “Golden Hour” of transportation to a hospital has long been accepted as a central principal of trauma care. However, this has not been studied in pediatric populations. We assessed for non-linearity of the relationship between prehospital time and mortality in pediatric trauma patients, redefining the threshold at which reducing this time led to more favorable outcomes.

Methods

We performed an analysis of the 2017–2018 American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Improvement Program, including trauma patients age < 18 years. We examined the association between prehospital time and odds of in-hospital mortality using linear, polynomial, and restricted cubic spline (RCS) models, ultimately selecting the non-linear RCS model as the best fit.

Results

60,670 patients were included in the study, of whom 1525 died and 3074 experienced complications. Prolonged prehospital time was associated with lower mortality and fewer complications. Both models demonstrated that mortality risk was lowest at 45–60 min, after which time was no longer associated with reduced probability of mortality.

Conclusions

The demonstration of a non-linear relationship between pre-hospital time and patient mortality is a novel finding. We highlight the need to improve prehospital treatment and access to pediatric trauma centers while aiming for hospital transportation within 45 min.
Using wearable technology for Posture Regulation to Improve Surgical Ergonomics in the paediatric operating room: the UPRISE trial: a pilot study
Authors: Soni Suvarna , Ritchie Angus M. A. , Liu Sue , Pacilli Maurizio , Nataraja Ramesh M.
Published: June 2024

Background

The rising prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders has numerous physical, financial, and mental repercussions for surgeons. This study aims to establish whether the use of a wearable posture device can improve the operating time spent in suboptimal, high-risk postures.

Methods

Surgeons were recruited in Phase 1 of this prospective randomised study and baseline postural data was obtained. In Phase 2, participants were randomised to receive either a traditional educational workshop or intraoperative vibrations from the device to correct postural lapses. During minor elective day cases, intraoperative postural data was collected and stratified by forward flexion angle, into five risk categories (negligible to very high). Participants’ experience with the sensor was also assessed.

Results

A total of 100 surgical procedures (Phase 1: n = 50; Phase 2: n = 50) were performed by eight surgeons of varying seniority. Exposure to the educational intervention increased time spent in suboptimal posture (Phase 1 vs. Phase 2); 47.5% vs. 67.8%, p = 0.05. However, the vibrational intervention significantly reduced this time; 50.0% vs. 20.7%, p = 0.005. Procedure type didn’t influence posture although, laparoscopic interventions spent most time in negligible-risk postures; 47.7% vs. 49.3%, compared to open procedures. Surgical consultants spent less time in suboptimal posture compared to fellow/registrars; 30.3% vs. 72.6% (Phase 1) and 33.8% vs. 65.3% (Phase 2).

Conclusion

Vibrational intervention from the device significantly decreased the time spent in suboptimal, high-risk postures. As procedure type wasn’t correlated with postural changes, surgeon-specific factors in regulating posture are paramount. Finally, surgeon experience was positively correlated with improved surgical ergonomics.
Existence of singular isoperimetric regions in 8-dimensional manifolds
Authors: Niu Gongping
Published: June 2024

It is well known that isoperimetric regions in a smooth compact $$(n+1)$$

(
n
+
1
)

-manifold are themselves smooth, up to a closed set of codimension at most 8. In this note, we construct an 8-dimensional compact smooth manifold whose unique isoperimetric region with half volume that of the manifold exhibits two isolated singularities. This stands in contrast with the situation in which a manifold is a space form, where isoperimetric regions are smooth in every dimension.
Relationship of disc degeneration after pubertal growth spurt to future low back pain: a longitudinal cohort study
Authors: Aavikko Anni , Ristolainen Leena , Kautiainen Hannu , Lohman Martina , Schlenzka Dietrich , Lund Teija
Published: June 2024

Purpose

In this longitudinal cohort study, we investigated the relationship of disc degeneration (DD) after pubertal growth spurt to future low back pain (LBP).

Methods

A group of healthy volunteers underwent a semi-structured interview about LBP without trauma and a 1.5T lumbar MRI at ages 18 and 34. A Pfirrmann Summary Score (PSS) was calculated by adding up the Pfirrmann grades of the three lowest lumbar discs of each subject (range 3–15). The relationship of PSS at age 18 to LBP at age 34 was analyzed.

Results

Forty-one participants had full data at both time points. Mean PSS at age 18 was 6.8 (SD 1.1) and 5.6 (SD 1.2) for participants with or without LBP at age 34, respectively (p = 0.009). The OR (95% CI) of PSS at age 18 for LBP at age 34 was 5.46 (1.22 to 24.47) when adjusted for sex, BMI, smoking and physical activity. All participants but one with PSS greater than 6 at age 18 reported LBP at age 34.

Conclusion

This is the first study to suggest that DD may be associated with future LBP and the critical time frame seems to be the pubertal growth spurt. Every 1-point increase in Pfirrmann grade at age 18 increased the risk of LBP 5.5-fold at age 34 when adjusted for sex, BMI, smoking and physical activity at age 34. All participants but one with at least one disc with Pfirrmann grade 3 or higher at age 18 reported LBP at age 34.
Lichtenstein technique for inguinal hernia repair: ten recommendations to optimize surgical outcomes
Authors: Messias Bruno Amantini , Nicastro Rafael Gonçalves , Mocchetti Erica Rossi , Waisberg Jaques , Roll Sergio , Junior Marcelo Augusto Fontenelle Ribeiro
Published: June 2024

Purpose

Approximately 20 million individuals worldwide undergo inguinal hernia surgery annually. The Lichtenstein technique is the most commonly used surgical procedure in this setting. The objective of this study was to revisit this technique and present ten recommendations based on the best practices.

Methods

PubMed and Scientific Electronic Library Online were used to systematically search for articles about the Lichtenstein technique and its modifications. Literature regarding this technique and surgical strategies to prevent chronic pain were the basis for formulating ten recommendations for best practices during Lichtenstein surgery.

Results

Ten recommendations were proposed based on best practices in the Lichtenstein technique: neuroanatomical assessment, chronic pain prevention, pragmatic neurectomy, spermatic cord structure management, femoral canal assessment, hernia sac management, mesh characteristics, fixation, recurrence prevention, and surgical convalescence.

Conclusion

The ten recommendations are practical ways to achieve a safe and successful procedure. We fell that following these recommendations can improve surgical outcomes using the Lichtenstein technique.
Blocking the TRAIL-DR5 Pathway Reduces Cardiac Ischemia–Reperfusion Injury by Decreasing Neutrophil Infiltration and Neutrophil Extracellular Traps Formation
Authors: Wang Xuance , Xie Ran , Zhao Dan , Wang Guiling , Zhang Lijie , Shi Wei , Chen Yanyan , Mo Tingting , Du Yuxin , Tian Xuefei , Wang Wanjun , Cao Run , Ma Yuanfang , Wei Yinxiang , Wang Yaohui
Published: June 2024

Purpose

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a leading cause of mortality. Neutrophils penetrate injured heart tissue during AMI or ischemia–reperfusion (I/R) injury and produce inflammatory factors, chemokines, and extracellular traps that exacerbate heart injury. Inhibition of the TRAIL-DR5 pathway has been demonstrated to alleviate cardiac ischemia–reperfusion injury in a leukocyte-dependent manner. However, it remains unknown whether TRAIL-DR5 signaling is involved in regulating neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) release.

Methods

This study used various models to examine the effects of activating the TRAIL-DR5 pathway with soluble mouse TRAIL protein and inhibiting the TRAIL-DR5 signaling pathway using DR5 knockout mice or mDR5-Fc fusion protein on NETs formation and cardiac injury. The models used included a co-culture model involving bone marrow-derived neutrophils and primary cardiomyocytes and a model of myocardial I/R in mice.

Results

NETs formation is suppressed by TRAIL-DR5 signaling pathway inhibition, which can lessen cardiac I/R injury. This intervention reduces the release of adhesion molecules and chemokines, resulting in decreased neutrophil infiltration and inhibiting NETs production by downregulating PAD4 in neutrophils.

Conclusion

This work clarifies how the TRAIL-DR5 signaling pathway regulates the neutrophil response during myocardial I/R damage, thereby providing a scientific basis for therapeutic intervention targeting the TRAIL-DR5 signaling pathway in myocardial infarction.