bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Optimum 7 MW HTS direct-drive wind turbine synchronous generator designs with different rotor and stator iron topologies
Authors: Köster Robin , Binder Andreas
Published: March 2023

Partially superconducting direct-drive wind turbine generators with high-temperature superconducting excitation winding enable an increase of the rated unit power, higher efficiency, and a high, adjustable power factor. The high excitation ampere-turns allow for iron topologies that differ from conventional permanent magnet-excited generators. This study compares four different iron topologies for $$7\,\mathrm{MW}$$

7

MW

rated power and 8.33 rpm with a slotted stator or stator air gap winding regarding technical key characteristics and economic aspects. The generator designs are numerically optimized based on 2D finite element simulations. Maximum efficiency and the most lightweight designs are obtained with the stator air gap winding, whereas all-iron topologies prove advantageous regarding the trade-off between small active mass and high-temperature superconductor material consumption. The costs of the cryogenic cooling system and of the full converter are both found to be less than $$15\%$$

15
%

for a wide range of generator designs.
Statements of Austrian hospices and palliative care units after the implementation of the law on assisted suicide
Authors: Kitta Anna , Ecker Franziska , Zeilinger Elisabeth Lucia , Kum Lea , Adamidis Feroniki , Masel Eva Katharina
Published: March 2023

Background

Since January 2022, assisted suicide (AS) in Austria is legal under certain conditions. One of these conditions is informative consultations with two physicians, one of whom must be qualified in palliative medicine. Patients who are thinking about AS can approach palliative care institutions. This study aims to assess the availability and nature of Austrian palliative care institutions’ web-based statements about AS.

Methods

In this qualitative study, the websites of all Austrian palliative care units (n = 43) and all Austrian inpatient hospices (n = 14) were searched for possible statements on AS once in February 2022 and once in August 2022 using the three search terms “suicide”, “assisted”, and “euthanasia”. The findings were subsequently evaluated using thematic analysis and NVivo software.

Results

Statements or texts that included positions on AS were found on the websites of 11 institutions (19%). The results covered three main themes 1) demarcation: denial of involvement and judgment about AS, 2) duty: handling of requests and describing the target group of care recipients, and 3) explanation: experience, values, concerns, and demands.

Conclusion

The results of this study indicate that people in Austria who wish to have AS and who may use the internet as their first source of information largely find no relevant information. There is no online statement of a palliative care or hospice institution that endorses AS. Positions on AS are mostly lacking, while reluctant attitudes of Christian institutions are predominant.
DeepHAR: a deep feed-forward neural network algorithm for smart insole-based human activity recognition
Authors: D’Arco Luigi , Wang Haiying , Zheng Huiru
Published: March 2023

Health monitoring, rehabilitation, and fitness are just a few domains where human activity recognition can be applied. In this study, a deep learning approach has been proposed to recognise ambulation and fitness activities from data collected by five participants using smart insoles. Smart insoles, consisting of pressure and inertial sensors, allowed for seamless data collection while minimising user discomfort, laying the baseline for the development of a monitoring and/or rehabilitation system for everyday life. The key objective has been to enhance the deep learning model performance through several techniques, including data segmentation with overlapping technique (2 s with 50% overlap), signal down-sampling by averaging contiguous samples, and a cost-sensitive re-weighting strategy for the loss function for handling the imbalanced dataset. The proposed solution achieved an Accuracy and F1-Score of 98.56% and 98.57%, respectively. The Sitting activities obtained the highest degree of recognition, closely followed by the Spinning Bike class, but fitness activities were recognised at a higher rate than ambulation activities. A comparative analysis was carried out both to determine the impact that pre-processing had on the proposed core architecture and to compare the proposed solution with existing state-of-the-art solutions. The results, in addition to demonstrating how deep learning solutions outperformed those of shallow machine learning, showed that in our solution the use of data pre-processing increased performance by about 2%, optimising the handling of the imbalanced dataset and allowing a relatively simple network to outperform more complex networks, reducing the computational impact required for such applications.
Semi-Algebraic Functions with Non-Compact Critical Set
Authors: Dutertre Nicolas , Moya Pérez Juan Antonio
Published: March 2023

Let $$X\subset {\mathbb {R}}^n$$

X
⊂

R

n

be a closed semi-algebraic set, $$F:{\mathbb {R}}^n\rightarrow {\mathbb {R}}$$

F
:

R

n

→
R

be a $${\mathcal {C}}^2$$

C

2

semi-algebraic function and $$f=F_{|X}:X\rightarrow {\mathbb {R}}^n$$

f
=

F

|
X

:
X
→

R

n

be the restriction of F to X. We define the global index of a critical value $$c_i$$

c
i

of f and prove an index formula for $$\chi (X)$$

χ
(
X
)

that generalizes a result previously proved by the authors for the case of isolated critical points. We define also new indices at infinity and prove an alternative index formula for $$\chi (X).$$

χ
(
X
)
.
lncRNA H-19 and miR-200a implication and frequency of lncRNA H-19 rs2170425 SNP in ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease
Authors: Khalil Ebtsam H. , Shaker Olfat G. , Hasona Nabil A.
Published: March 2023

Inflammation’s impact on inflammatory bowel diseases is mostly due to altered non-coding RNA expression. This study aimed to explore the rs2107425 polymorphism in the long non-coding RNA gene H19 (lncRNA H-19) and emphasize the involvement of miR-200a and lncRNA H-19 expression in ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD). One hundred and ten participants, ranging in age from 22 to 58 years, participated in the current investigation study. Study participants were classified into forty healthy participants, thirty-four patients with UC, and thirty-six patients with CD. Participants with ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease experienced a considerable elevation in C-reactive protein, total leucocyte count (TLC), platelets, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), whereas a noticeable decrease in hemoglobin. Additionally, ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease both have markedly increased expression of lncRNA H-19 and miR-200a. The frequency of the CT + TT genotype of the rs2170425 lncRNAH-19 SNP was linked to susceptibility to IBDs. lncRNA H-19 and miR-200a can be used as non-invasive diagnostic biomarkers for follow-up patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.
Adjacent segment mobility after ACDF considering fusion status at the implant insertion site
Authors: Godlewski Bartosz , Bebenek Adam , Dominiak Maciej , Bochniak Marcin , Cieslik Piotr , Pawelczyk Tomasz
Published: March 2023

Purpose

This paper sets out to analyse mobility changes in segments adjacent to the operated segment. Additionally, it investigates the relationship between the degree of fusion in the operated disc space and mobility changes in the adjacent segments.

Methods

In total, 170 disc spaces were operated on in 104 consecutive patients qualified for one- or two-level surgery. The degree of mobility of segments directly above and below the implant insertion site was calculated. Measurements were performed the day before the surgery and 12 months post-surgery. Functional (flexion and extension) radiographs of the cervical spine and CT scans obtained 12 months post-surgery were used to evaluate the fusion status. The results were subjected to statistical analysis.

Results

Statistically significant increase in mobility was recorded for the segments situated immediately below the operative site, with a mean change in mobility of 1.7 mm. Complete fusion was demonstrated in 101 cases (71.1%), and partial fusion in 43 cases (29.9%). In the complete fusion subgroup, the ranges of both flexion and extension in the segments directly below the operative site were significantly greater than those in the partial fusion (pseudoarthrosis) subgroup.

Conclusion

The mobility of the adjacent segment below the implant insertion site was significantly increased at 12 months post-ACDF surgery. The range of this compensatory hypermobility was significantly greater in patients with complete fusion at the ACDF site than in cases of pseudoarthrosis. Implant subsidence was not associated with mobility changes in the segments directly above or directly below the site of ACDF surgery.
Functional neurological outcome of spinal cavernous malformation surgery
Authors: Rauschenbach Laurèl , Santos Alejandro N. , Engel Adrian , Olbrich Angelina , Benet Arnau , Li Yen , Schmidt Börge , Gembruch Oliver , Özkan Neriman , Jabbarli Ramazan , Wrede Karsten H. , Siegel Adrian , Lawton Michael T. , Sure Ulrich , Dammann Philipp
Published: March 2023

Purpose

Spinal cavernous malformations (SCM) present a risk for intramedullary hemorrhage (IMH), which can cause severe neurologic deficits. Patient selection and time of surgery have not been clearly defined.

Methods

This observational study included SCM patients who underwent surgery in our department between 2003 and 2021. Inclusion required baseline clinical factors, magnetic resonance imaging studies, and follow-up examination. Functional outcome was assessed using the Modified McCormick scale score.

Results

Thirty-five patients met the inclusion criteria. The mean age was 44.7 ± 14.5 years, and 60% of the patients were male. In univariate analysis, the unfavorable outcome was significantly associated with multiple bleeding events (p = .031), ventral location of the SCM (p = .046), and incomplete resection (p = .028). The time between IMH and surgery correlated with postoperative outcomes (p = .004), and early surgery within 3 months from IMH was associated with favorable outcomes (p = .033). This association remained significant in multivariate logistic regression analysis (p = .041).

Conclusions

Removal of symptomatic SCM should be performed within 3 months after IMH when gross total resection is feasible. Patients with ventrally located lesions might be at increased risk for postoperative deficits.
Do associated proximal fibula fractures help predict the severity of tibial plateau fractures?
Authors: Mackie Duncan B. , Mitchell Brendon C. , Siow Matthew Y. , Onodera Keenan M. , Berger Garrett K. , Kent William T.
Published: March 2023

Purpose

Proximal fibula fractures are often associated with tibial plateau fractures, but their relationship is poorly characterized. The purpose of this study was to better define the relationship between tibial plateau injury severity and presence of associated soft tissue injuries.

Methods

A retrospective review was performed on all operatively treated tibial plateau fractures at a Level 1 trauma center over a 5-year period. Patient demographics, injury radiographs, CT scans, operative reports and follow-up were reviewed.

Results

Queried tibial plateau fractures from 2014 to 2019 totaled 217 fractures in 215 patients. Fifty-two percent were classified as AO/OTA 41B and 48% were AO/OTA 41C. Thirty-nine percent had an associated proximal fibula fracture. The presence of a proximal fibula fracture had significant correlation with AO/OTA 41C fractures, as compared with AO/OTA 41B fractures (chi-square, p < 0.001). Of the patients with a lateral split depression type tibial plateau fracture, the presence of a proximal fibula fracture was associated with more articular comminution, measured by number of articular fragments (mean = 4.0 vs. 2.9 articular fragments, p = 0.004). There was also a higher rate of meniscal injury in patients with proximal fibula fractures (37% vs. 20%, p = 0.003).

Conclusions

There was a significant relationship between the higher energy tibial plateau fracture type (AO/OTA 41C) and the presence of an associated proximal fibula fracture. The presence of a proximal fibula fracture with a tibial plateau fracture is an indicator of a higher energy injury and a higher likelihood of meniscal injury.
Coping strategies in patients with good outcome but chronic fatigue after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage
Authors: Ghafaji Hajar , Nordenmark Tonje Haug , Western Elin , Sorteberg Wilhelm , Karic Tanja , Sorteberg Angelika
Published: March 2023

Background

Fatigue is a highly prevalent and debilitating symptom among patients in the chronic phase of aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (aSAH) with no identified effective treatment. Cognitive therapy has been shown to have moderate effects on fatigue. Delineating the coping strategies used by patients with post-aSAH fatigue and relating them to fatigue severity and emotional symptoms could be a step towards developing a behavioural therapy for post-aSAH fatigue.

Methods

Ninety-six good outcome patients with chronic post-aSAH fatigue answered the questionnaires Brief COPE, (a questionnaire defining 14 coping strategies and three Coping Styles), the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), Mental Fatigue Scale (MFS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). The Brief COPE scores were compared with fatigue severity and emotional symptoms of the patients.

Results

The prevailing coping strategies were “Acceptance”, “Emotional Support”, “Active Coping” and “Planning”. “Acceptance” was the sole coping strategy that was significantly inversely related to levels of fatigue. Patients with the highest scores for mental fatigue and those with clinically significant emotional symptoms applied significantly more maladaptive avoidant strategies. Females and the youngest patients applied more “Problem-Focused” strategies.

Conclusion

A therapeutic behavioural model aiming at furthering “Acceptance” and reducing passivity and “Avoidant” strategies may contribute to alleviate post-aSAH fatigue in good outcome patients. Given the chronic nature of post-aSAH fatigue, neurosurgeons may encourage patients to accept their new situation so that they can start a process of positive reframing instead of being trapped in a spiral of futile loss of energy and secondary increased emotional burden and frustration.
The microbiota-gut-brain axis and perceived stress in the perinatal period
Authors: Long Emily S. , Penalver Bernabe Beatriz , Xia Kai , Azcarate-Peril M. Andrea , Carroll Ian M. , Rackers Hannah S. , Grewen Karen M. , Meltzer-Brody Samantha , Kimmel Mary C.
Published: March 2023

Perinatal perceived stress can contribute to worse health outcomes for the parent–child dyad. Given the emerging relationship between the microbiota-gut-brain axis and stress, this study sought to elucidate connections between bowel symptoms and the gut microbiome in relation to perceived stress at three time points in the perinatal period: two during pregnancy and one postpartum. Ninety-five pregnant individuals participated in a prospective cohort study from April 2017 to November 2019. Researchers assessed Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS); bowel symptoms (according to the IBS Questionnaire); psychiatrist assessment of new onset or exacerbated depression and anxiety; and fecal samples analyzed for alpha diversity (measures of gut microbiome diversity utilizing Shannon, Observed OTUs, and Faith’s PD) at each timepoint. Covariates included weeks of gestation and weeks postpartum. PSS scores were divided into “Perceived Self-Efficacy” and “Perceived Helplessness.” Increased gut microbial diversity was associated with decreased bowel symptoms, decreased overall perceived stress, increased ability to cope with adversity, and decreased distress in the postpartum period. This study found a significant association between a less diverse microbial community, lower self-efficacy early in pregnancy, and greater bowel symptoms and perceived helplessness later in the perinatal period, relationships that may ultimately point to novel diagnostic methods and interventions for perceived stress based on the microbiota-gut-brain axis.

Graphical Abstract
Including business strategy in model-driven methods: an experiment
Authors: Noel Rene , Panach Jose Ignacio , Pastor Oscar
Published: March 2023

Software-centric organisations design a loosely coupled organisation structure around strategic objectives, replicating this design to their business processes and information systems. Nowadays, dealing with business strategy in a model-driven development context is a challenge since key concepts such as the organisation’s structure and strategic ends and means have been mostly addressed at the enterprise architecture level for the strategic alignment of the whole organisation, and have not been included into MDD methods as a requirements source. To overcome this issue, researchers have designed the LiteStrat, a business strategy modelling method compliant with MDD for developing information systems. This article presents an empirical comparison of LiteStrat and with i*, one of the most used models for strategic alignment in an MDD context. The article contributes with a literature review on the experimental comparison of modelling languages, the design of a study for measuring and comparing the semantic quality of modelling languages, and empirical evidence of the LiteStrat and i* differences. The evaluation consists of a 2 × 2 factorial experiment recruiting 28 undergraduate subjects. Significant differences favouring LiteStrat were found for models’ accuracy and completeness, while no differences in modeller’s efficiency and satisfaction were detected. These results yield evidence of the suitability of LiteStrat for business strategy modelling in a model-driven context.
Correlation of immune makers with HPV 16 infections and the prognosis in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Zhu Yingying , Zhu Xiaoli , Diao Wenwen , Liang Zhiyong , Gao Zhiqiang , Chen Xingming
Published: March 2023

Objectives

This study aims to investigate the association of immune markers with high risk human papillomavirus 16 (HPV 16) infection status and to evaluate the prognostic value of programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) in patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC).

Materials and methods

This retrospective study collected 50 cases of HPV positive and HPV negative OPSCC from January 2011 to December 2015. The correlation of CD8 + tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), programmed death-1 (PD-1), and PD-L1 expression with HPV 16 infection status was analyzed via immunofluorescent staining and quantitative real-time PCR.

Results

There was no significant difference in the baseline data between the two groups. Patients with HPV + OPSCC had better prognosis compared to HPV − patients (5-year overall survival [OS], 66% vs. 40%, P = 0.003; 5-year disease specific survival [DSS], 73% vs. 44%, P = 0.001). The expressions of immunity related makers were significantly higher in the HPV + group than the HPV − group (CD8 + TIL: P = 0.039; PD-L1: P = 0.005; PD-1: P = 0.044). Positive CD8 + TIL and PD-L1 were independent factors for better prognosis of OPSCC (DSS, P < 0.001; OS, P < 0.001, respectively). Kaplan–Meier survival analysis indicated that patients with TILs of high HPV + /CD8 + expression were more likely to have better prognosis than those with TILs of low HPV + /CD8 + expression (DSS, P < 0.001; OS, P < 0.001), TILs of high expression of HPV − /CD8 + (DSS, P = 0.010; OS, P = 0.032), and TILs of low expression of HPV − /CD8 + (DSS, P < 0.001; OS, P < 0.001). Furthermore, HPV + /PD-L1 + OPSCC patients had significant better prognosis compared to patients with HPV + /PD-L1 − (DSS, P < 0.001; OS, P = 0.004), HPV − /PD-L1 + (DSS, P = 0.010; OS, P = 0.048) and HPV − /PD-L1 − (DSS, P < 0.001; OS, P < 0.001).

Conclusions

HPV + OPSCC had a significantly better prognosis, and PD-L1 expression was elevated in HPV + OPSCC. PD-L1 positivity might be related to the better prognosis of HPV + OPSCC.

Clinical relevance

This study provides a theoretical basis and baseline data for the application of immune checkpoint inhibitors in head and neck tumors.
Electrochemistry needs electrochemists: “goodbye to rotating discs”
Authors: Compton Richard G. , Sokolov Stanislav V.
Published: March 2023

The essential need for expert, fully trained electrochemists in the successful application of the subject is illustrated with several examples including the use of rotating electrodes and impedance spectroscopy where the use of the techniques in “black box” mode non-experts is likely to lead to disappointment or embarrassment.
The effects of estradiol levels on crossmodal perception: a study on the sound induced flash illusion in healthy and menstrually related migraine individuals
Authors: Maccora Simona , Bolognini Nadia , Mannina Carlo , Torrente Angelo , Agnello Luisa , Lo Sasso Bruna , Ciaccio Marcello , Sireci Guido , Brighina Filippo
Published: March 2023

Objective

The sound-induced flash illusion (SIFI) is a valid paradigm to study multisensorial perception. In the “fission” SIFI, multiple flashes are perceived when observing a single flash paired with two or more beeps. SIFI is largely dependent on visual and acoustic cortex excitability; in migraine, dysfunctional cortical excitability affects SIFI perception. Since estrogen peak occurring during ovulation can increase neuronal excitability, the present study aims to verify whether cortical excitability shifts linked to the menstrual cycle could influence SIFI.

Methods

In a comparative prospective study, we tested the effect of estrogens on crossmodal perception using the SIFI. We recruited 27 females in reproductive age, including 16 healthy and 11 menstrually related migraine females, testing their proneness to SIFI on day 14 (high estradiol) and day 27 (low estradiol) of menstrual cycle.

Results

Women on day 14 reported less flashes than on day 27 (p = 0.02) in the fission illusion, suggesting a pro-excitatory effect of estradiol on visual cortex excitability during ovulation. Moreover, we confirmed that migraine women perceived less flashes (p = 0.001) than controls, independently from cycle phase. Non-migraineurs women significantly reported more flashes on day 27 than on day 14 (p = 0.04).

Conclusions

This study suggests that estradiol may influence the multisensory perception due to changes of visual cortex excitability, with high estradiol peak leading to increased visual cortical sensitivity during ovulation in non-migraineurs. Visual cortex hyperresponsiveness, here reflected by reduced SIFI, is not influenced by estradiol fluctuations in migraine women, as shown by reduced fission effects on day 14 and 27.
RIDA®GENE Helicobacter pylori PCR on the ELITe InGenius System
Authors: Bénéjat Lucie , Ducournau Astrid , Martins Chloé Domingues , Bessède Emilie , Lehours Philippe
Published: March 2023

PCR detection of Helicobacter pylori infection in gastric biopsies allows the detection of this bacterium and the mutations associated with macrolide resistance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of RIDA®GENE H. pylori PCR (r-Biopharm) on the ELITe InGenius System (Elitech). Two hundred gastric biopsies were obtained. These biopsies were ground in nutrient broth. Two hundred microliters of this suspension was treated with proteinase K, and then, 200 µL was transferred to an ELITe InGenius sample tube and tested using RIDA®GENE H. pylori PCR reagents. In-house H. pylori PCR was used as a reference. The sensitivity of RIDA®GENE H. pylori PCR with ELITe InGenius was 100%, the specificity was 98% (95% confidence interval (CI), 95.3–100%), the PPV was 98% (95% CI, 95.3–100%), and the NPV was 100% for the detection of H. pylori. All of these parameters were 100% for the categorization of macrolide resistance. The adaptation of RIDA®GENE H. pylori PCR reagents on the ELITe InGenius System was successful. This PCR is easy to use on this system.
Property rights, transaction costs, and the limits of the market
Authors: Guerriero Carmine
Published: March 2023

To clarify the determinants and interaction of property rights and transaction costs, I study the design of the property rights on either a good whose consensual transfer entails a transaction inefficiency or an upstream firm’s input whose random cost is nonverifiable and ex ante non-contractible. More disperse traders’ valuations and larger odds that the upstream party can appropriate the quasi-rent induced by contract incompleteness produce more severe transaction inefficiencies and larger incomplete contracting costs, respectively. Larger transaction costs, in turn, induce weaker property rights because of the trade-off between inefficient exclusion from trade/innovation and expropriation. These implications survive when some transactors have more political influence on institutional design, or I consider the disincentive effect of weak property rights. Furthermore, they are consistent with the interplay among proxies for the availability of technological progress, severity of transaction costs and strength of property rights for 139 countries observed between 2006 and 2018.
Current status of and future prospects for the treatment of unresectable or metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumours
Authors: Naito Yoichi , Nishida Toshirou , Doi Toshihiko
Published: March 2023

Gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs) are soft-tissue sarcomas of the gastrointestinal tract. Surgery is the standard treatment for localised disease, but the risk of relapse and progression to more advanced disease is substantial. Following the discovery of the molecular mechanisms underlying GISTs, targeted therapies for advanced GIST were developed, with the first being the tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) imatinib. Imatinib is recommended in international guidelines as first-line therapy to reduce the risk of GIST relapse in high-risk patients, and for locally advanced, inoperable and metastatic disease. Unfortunately, imatinib resistance frequently occurs and, therefore, second-line (sunitinib) and third-line (regorafenib) TKIs have been developed. Treatment options are limited for patients with GIST that has progressed despite these therapies. A number of other TKIs for advanced/metastatic GIST have been approved in some countries. Ripretinib is approved as fourth-line treatment of GIST and avapritinib is approved for GIST harbouring specific genetic mutations, while larotrectinib and entrectinib are approved for solid tumours (including GIST) with specific genetic mutations. In Japan, pimitespib, a heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) inhibitor, is now available as a fourth-line therapy for GIST. Clinical studies of pimitespib have indicated that it has good efficacy and tolerability, importantly not displaying the ocular toxicity of previously developed HSP90 inhibitors. Additional approaches for advanced GIST have been investigated, including alternative uses of currently available TKIs (such as combination therapy), novel TKIs, antibody–drug conjugates, and immunotherapies. Given the poor prognosis of advanced GIST, the development of new therapies remains an important goal.
MiR-124-3p inhibits tumor progression in prostate cancer by targeting EZH2
Authors: Song Bao-feng , Xu Li-zhe , Jiang Kun , Cheng Fan
Published: March 2023

Prostate cancer (PCa) is widespread cancer with significant morbidity and mortality rates. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been identified as important post-transcriptional modulators in various malignancies. This study investigated the miR-124-3p effect on PCa cell proliferation, infiltration, and apoptosis. EZH2 and miR-124-3p expression levels were measured in PCa tissues. PCa cell lines DU145 and PC3 were transfected with miR-124-3p inhibitors or analogs. EZH2 and miR-124-3p linkage was validated by conducting the luciferase enzyme reporter test. The cell viability and apoptosis were assessed by flow cytometry and MTT test. Cell movement was noted during infiltration using transwell assays. EZH2, AKT, and mTOR contents were assessed using qRT-PCR and western blotting. In clinical PCa specimens, miR-124-3p and EZH2 contents were inversely correlated. Further research has demonstrated that EZH2 is the miR-124-3p direct target. Furthermore, miR-124-3p overexpression reduced EZH2 levels and lowered cell viability, infiltration, and promoted cell death, whereas miR-124-3p silencing had the opposite effect. Overexpression of miR-124-3p decreased the phosphorylation level of AKT and mTOR, whereas miR-124-3p downregulation produced the opposite result. Our findings depict that miR-124-3p prevents PCa proliferative and invasive processes while promoting apoptosis by targeting EZH2.
The incidence of malignancy in the residual rectum of IBD patients after colectomy: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Georganta I. , McIntosh S. , Boldovjakova D. , Parnaby C. N. , Watson A. J. M. , Ramsay G.
Published: March 2023

Background

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who have had a total colectomy remain with their rectum in situ, and are therefore at risk of rectal carcinoma. It is not clear how high the incidence of rectal cancer is in this cohort. The primary objective of this meta-analysis was to estimate the incidence of rectal cancer in patients with ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease who have undergone colectomy but have a residual rectum, and to identify the risk factors for its development. In doing so, we explore the current recommendations for screening processes for these patients.

Methods

A systematic review of the literature was performed. Five databases (Medline, Embase, Pubmed, Cochrane Library and Scopus) were searched from inception to 29 October 2021, to identify studies adhering to the population, intervention, control and outcomes (PICO) criteria. The included studies were critically appraised, and the relevant data was extracted. Cancer incidence was estimated from the reported information. Risk stratification was analysed using RevMan. A narrative approach was undertaken for the exploration of the existing screening guidelines.

Results

Data from 23 of the 24 identified studies was suitable for analysis. The pooled incidence of rectal carcinoma was calculated to be 1.3%. Subgroup analysis showed an incidence of 0.7% and 3.2% for patients with a de-functioned rectal stump and ileorectal anastomosis, respectively. Patients with a history of a colorectal carcinoma were more likely to have a subsequent diagnosis of rectal carcinoma (RR 7.2, 95% CI 2.4–21.1). Patients with previous colorectal dysplasia were also at higher risk (RR 5.1, 95% CI 3.1–8.2). No universal standardised guidance regarding screening for this cohort could be identified in the available literature.

Conclusions

The overall risk of malignancy was estimated to be 1.3%, which is lower than previously reported. There is a need for clear and standardised screening guidance for this group of patients.
Clinical characteristics of phenotypes of fecal incontinence
Authors: Knol M. E. , Bastiaannet E. , DeRuiter M. C. , Snijders H. S. , van der Heyden J. T. M. , Baeten C. I. M.
Published: March 2023

Purpose

Fecal incontinence (FI) is common, but its etiology is complex with large knowledge gaps. Several phenotypes of FI are known, but the phenotype is often not decisive in the chosen therapy. In this study we aimed to assess the association of the clinical characteristics of patients with FI and the various phenotypes, in order to establish a targeted clinical treatment decision tree.

Methods

We retrospectively studied the charts of patients with FI, who visited our institute from January 2018 until December 2020. Patients were divided into the following groups: passive fecal loss, urge incontinence, combined fecal incontinence with predominantly passive fecal loss, and combined fecal incontinence with predominantly urge incontinence. We compared the characteristics between the passive and urge incontinence groups, the passive  and combined mainly passive groups, and the urge and combined mainly urge groups.

Results

Patients with passive incintinence were older, more often had a flaccid anus with presence of a mucosal prolapse, and had a lower resting pressure on anorectal manometry. Patients with urge incontinence were younger and more often had a history of birth trauma. The combined groups showed characteristics of both of the main types of FI.

Conclusion

Differentiating into phenotypes of FI can be clinically meaningful. The patient history and clinical judgement of the consulting specialist, rather than the physical characteristics, seem to be decisive in the categorization. Additional diagnostic testing can be helpful in complicated cases, but should not be used routinely.
Natural nutraceuticals for enhancing yogurt properties: a review
Authors: Rashwan Ahmed K. , Osman Ahmed I. , Chen Wei
Published: March 2023

Yogurt is a major fermented milk product providing probiotics, lactic acid bacteria, vitamins, calcium, and proteins, yet health-beneficial phenolics, flavonoids, anthocyanins, and iron are absent in plain yogurt. These compounds could provide antidiabetic, antiobesity, antimicrobial, and anticancer properties. Here, we review the effect of adding natural functional ingredients in dairy and non-dairy yogurts, with focus on the properties and biological activity of functional yogurts. Properties include color, pH, acidity, water-holding capacity, syneresis, viscosity, structure, fats, microbiology, and flavor. Biological activities comprise antioxidant, antidiabetic, antiobesity, anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, antibacterial, and anticancer. We found that yogurt from plant-based milk, such as common bean and soy milk, and the addition of functional ingredients, enhanced biological activities of yogurts and improved properties. Functional ingredients provide polysaccharides, phenolics, flavonoids, anthocyanins, and amino acids. Functional ingredients are both natural stabilizers and texturizing materials. The incorporation of functional ingredients improved the contents of phenolics and flavonoids by 96.52 and 97.72%, respectively, increased water-holding capacity by 20–25%, and improved the number of viable cells of lactic acid bacteria. Incorporation reduced syneresis by 15–32% and decreased the loss of fat globules. Moreover, apparent viscosity, texture, microstructure, and sensory properties were enhanced. Biological activities strongly increased, especially antioxidants, which increased from 4.88 to 15.03 mg trolox equivalent per 100 g of yogurt.
Decrease of visits and hospital admissions for cancer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Angelini Marco , Teglia Federica , Casolari Giulia , Astolfi Laura , Boffetta Paolo
Published: March 2023

Background

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many nonurgent oncologic services were postponed. The aim of the present study was to estimate the impact of the pandemic on visits and hospital admissions for cancer patients worldwide.

Methods

In our systematic review and meta-analysis, databases such as Pubmed, Proquest, and Scopus were searched comprehensively for articles published between January 1, 2020, and December 12, 2021. We included articles reporting data comparing the number of visits and hospital admissions for oncologic patients performed before and during the pandemic. Two pairs of independent reviewers extracted data from the selected studies. The weighted average of the percentage change was calculated and compared between pandemic and pre-pandemic periods. Stratified analysis was performed by geographic area, time interval, and study setting.

Findings

We found a mean relative change throughout January–October 2020 of –37.8% (95% CI –42.6; –32.9) and –26.3% (95% CI –31.4; –21.1) compared to pre-pandemic periods for oncologic visits and hospital admission, respectively. The temporal trend showed a U-shaped curve with nadir in April for cancer visits and in May 2020 for hospital admissions. All geographic areas showed a similar pattern and the same was observed when stratifying the studies as clinic-based and population-based.

Interpretation

Our results showed a decrease in the number of visits and hospital admission during the January–October 2020 period after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The postponement or cancellation of these oncologic services may negatively affect the patient’s outcome and the future burden of disease.
The Influence of Minor Aortic Branches in Patient-Specific Flow Simulations of Type-B Aortic Dissection
Authors: Stokes C. , Haupt F. , Becker D. , Muthurangu V. , von Tengg-Kobligk H. , Balabani S. , Díaz-Zuccarini V.
Published: March 2023

Type-B aortic dissection (TBAD) is a disease in which a tear develops in the intimal layer of the descending aorta forming a true lumen and false lumen (FL). Because disease outcomes are thought to be influenced by haemodynamic quantities such as pressure and wall shear stress (WSS), their analysisvianumerical simulations may provide valuable clinical insights. Major aortic branches are routinely included in simulations but minor branches are virtually always neglected, despite being implicated in TBAD progression and the development of complications. As minor branches are estimated to carry about 7–21% of cardiac output, neglecting them may affect simulation accuracy. We present the first simulation of TBAD with all pairs of intercostal, subcostal and lumbar arteries, using 4D-flow MRI (4DMR) to inform patient-specific boundary conditions. Compared to an equivalent case without minor branches, their inclusion improved agreement with 4DMR velocities, reduced time-averaged WSS (TAWSS) and transmural pressure and elevated oscillatory shear in regions where FL dilatation and calcification were observedin vivo. Minor branch inclusion resulted in differences of 60-75% in these metrics of potential clinical relevance, indicating a need to account for minor branch flow loss if simulation accuracy is sought.
Quantifying over information change with common knowledge
Authors: Ågotnes Thomas , Galimullin Rustam
Published: March 2023

Public announcement logic (PAL) extends multi-agent epistemic logic with dynamic operators modelling the effects of public communication. Allowing quantification over public announcements lets us reason about theexistenceof an announcement that reaches a certain epistemic goal. Two notable examples of logics of quantified announcements are arbitrary public announcement logic (APAL) and group announcement logic (GAL). While the notion of common knowledge plays an important role in PAL, and in particular in characterisations of epistemic states that an agent or a group of agents might make come about by performing public announcements, extensions of APAL and GAL with common knowledge still haven’t been studied in detail. That is what we do in this paper. In particular, we consider both conservative extensions, where the semantics of the quantifiers is not changed, as well as extensions where the scope of quantification also includes common knowledge formulas. We compare the expressivity of these extensions relative to each other and other connected logics, and provide sound and complete axiomatisations. Finally, we show how the completeness results can be used for other logics with quantification over information change.
Intelligent energy management systems: a review
Authors: Mischos Stavros , Dalagdi Eleanna , Vrakas Dimitrios
Published: March 2023

Climate change has become a major problem for humanity in the last two decades. One of the reasons that caused it, is our daily energy waste. People consume electricity in order to use home/work appliances and devices and also reach certain levels of comfort while working or being at home. However, even though the environmental impact of this behavior is not immediately observed, it leads to increased CO2 emissions coming from energy generation from power plants. It has been shown that about 40% of these emissions come from the electricity consumption and also that about 20% of this percentage could have been saved if we started using energy more efficiently. Confronting such a problem efficiently will affect both the environment and our society. Monitoring energy consumption in real-time, changing energy wastage behavior of occupants and using automations with incorporated energy savings scenarios, are ways to decrease global energy footprint. In this review, we study intelligent systems for energy management in residential, commercial and educational buildings, classifying them in two major categories depending on whether they provide direct or indirect control. The article also discusses what the strengths and weaknesses are, which optimization techniques do they use and finally, provide insights about how these systems can be improved in the future.
A valuation of a corn ethanol plant through a compound options model under skew-Brownian motions
Authors: Biancardi Marta , Bufalo Michele , Di Bari Antonio , Villani Giovanni
Published: March 2023

In the last decades, the production of fuel ethanol from corn has spread as a valid renewable alternative to pursue sustainability goals. However the uncertain nature of both input (corn) and output (gasoline) prices, together with price dependent operational decisions, combine to make this difficult plant valuation require a real options approach. Moreover, this project is characterized by various sequential stages that contribute to increase its valuation difficulties. The purpose of this paper is to provide a reliable valuation methodology of a corn ethanol plant project able to consider the characteristics of the project. We apply the compound Real Options Approach to price a corn ethanol plant project considering that the corn and gasoline prices both follow a skew-geometric Brownian motion. We also propose a case study to show a real implementation of our theoretical model. The results show that the corn ethanol plant is financially attractive as renewable investment since the uncertainties inherent in the project add value, via managerial flexibility, to the real option valuation.
Consistency of Violence: Implications for Effective Inpatient Psychiatric Care
Authors: McIvor Lucy , Payne-Gill James , Winter Helen , Pollard Clair , Beck Alison
Published: March 2023

Instances of violence and aggression in acute psychiatric settings are common and highly distressing for service users and staff. They also incur financial costs. This study aimed to identify the proportion of service users at risk of consistent violence/aggression enactment. It also aimed to analyse associated service use to explore the potential need for specialised, targeted approaches. Five years’ worth of data were extracted from 2016 to 2020 on inpatient stays across South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) acute adult wards and Psychiatric Intensive Care Units (PICUs). Service users were divided into cohorts based on relative number of violent/agressive incidents enacted. Differences in frequency of acute service use during the period 1st January-31st December 2020 were analysed. In total, 2524 service users had at least one inpatient stay during 2020. 679 were recorded as having enacted at least one incident of violence or aggression. Just 4% of all service users accounted for 50% of all violence/aggression enactment. Results further showed strong evidence of group differences between violence cohorts in the following domains: internal transfers, occupied bed days, admissions and Place of Safety (PoS) referrals. There was weaker evidence for group differences in referrals to Home Treatment teams (HTTs) and Psychiatric Liaison Teams. A small proportion of service users disproportionately account for the majority of violent and aggressive incidents and higher levels of violence and aggression are associated with more acute service use. The provision of targeted, personalised interventions for this cohort may reduce the enactment of violence and aggression, leading to improved quality life and a reduction in financial expenditure.
Sea transfer and net pen cleaning induce changes in stress-related gene expression in commercial Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) gill tissue
Authors: Hoem Kine Samset , Tveten Ann-Kristin
Published: March 2023

Stress is a major concern in aquaculture production and more knowledge is needed on physiological responses towards different operational events. Few studies have been performed on fish reared in an actual commercial setting. Transferring salmon from hatchery to sea involves handling, crowding, pumping, transport as well as adjusting to a new environment. This case study investigates the relative expression of selected stress related-genes in farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) post-smolts that were relocated from land-based breeding tanks with few environmental stressors to sea phase with numerous environmental stressors and major management operations e.g. net pen cleaning. Gill tissue for analysis (n = 60) was harvested at four distinct time points: before, during, and 3 and 6 weeks after sea transfer. RT-qPCR was performed on a panel of 12 genes involved in different cellular pathways (alox5, cyp1α, hif1α, il4/13a, muc2, muc5, muc18, nrf2, pcna, phb, p38 and tnfα). While the transport process itself did not appear to induce notable stress levels, metabolic gene markers showed significant changes in expression after transfer to sea, implying cellular adaptations to sea phase. The occurrence of net pen cleaning induced a strong upregulation of pro-inflammatory markers (alox5, tnfα) and mucins (muc2, muc5 and muc18), suggesting their gene products to be relevant during this operational event. As p38 expression was significantly elevated during transport and after cage cleaning, we cautiously propose p38 as an interesting stress marker for future exploration. The study provides insight into the lives of farmed Atlantic salmon and demonstrates that timing of major operations is crucial to avoid accumulation of stress.
Visuo-haptic object perception for robots: an overview
Authors: Navarro-Guerrero Nicolás , Toprak Sibel , Josifovski Josip , Jamone Lorenzo
Published: March 2023

The object perception capabilities of humans are impressive, and this becomes even more evident when trying to develop solutions with a similar proficiency in autonomous robots. While there have been notable advancements in the technologies for artificial vision and touch, the effective integration of these two sensory modalities in robotic applications still needs to be improved, and several open challenges exist. Taking inspiration from how humans combine visual and haptic perception to perceive object properties and drive the execution of manual tasks, this article summarises the current state of the art of visuo-haptic object perception in robots. Firstly, the biological basis of human multimodal object perception is outlined. Then, the latest advances in sensing technologies and data collection strategies for robots are discussed. Next, an overview of the main computational techniques is presented, highlighting the main challenges of multimodal machine learning and presenting a few representative articles in the areas of robotic object recognition, peripersonal space representation and manipulation. Finally, informed by the latest advancements and open challenges, this article outlines promising new research directions.
Why Philosophy Makes No Progress
Authors: Dietrich Eric
Published: March 2023

This paper offers an explanation for why some parts of philosophy have made no progress. Philosophy has made no progress because it cannot make progress. And it cannot because of the nature of the phenomena philosophy is tasked with explaining—all of it involves consciousness. Here, it will not be argued directly that consciousness is intractable. Rather, it will be shown that a specific version of the problem of consciousness is unsolvable. This version is the Problem of the Subjective and Objective. Then it is argued that the unsolvability of this latter problem is why there are other unsolvable philosophy problems.