bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Smart Flexible Porous Bilayer for All‐Day Dynamic Passive Cooling
Authors: Hu Zuoxin , Qiu Yu , Zhou Jicheng , Li Qing
Published: January 2024

Radiative cooling and evaporative cooling are sustainable cooling techniques without additional energy input. However, radiative cooling lacks dynamic cooling ability, while evaporative cooling demands external water replenishment, hindering their applications. Herein, a smart radiative/evaporative cooling bilayer combining a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) upper layer with a hydrogel lower layer is presented for efficient all‐day dynamic passive cooling. The PDMS layer with high solar reflectivity (0.930) and emissivity (0.952) provides excellent all‐day radiative cooling and protects the hydrogel from solar exposure, while the hydrogel layer demonstrates remarkable water evaporation and absorption, achieving dynamic evaporative cooling. Thus, the synergy of the two layers significantly enhances the overall cooling performance. Specifically, the bilayer can achieve the peak cooling power values of 424.4 and 650.6 W m−2 as well as the maximum subambient cooling temperatures of 10.4 and 3.7 °C during sunny and cloudy mid‐days, respectively. Moreover, the bilayer obtains 3.2 °C warmer temperature compared with the PDMS alone during cold nighttime, while the two structures exhibit comparable cooling performance during hot nighttime, indicating the self‐adaptive cooling property of the bilayer. In addition, the bilayer can achieve good cooling performance even under continuous cloudy days, offering a promising strategy for efficient all‐day dynamic passive cooling.
Unveiling NRlncRNAs as prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for head‐and‐neck squamous cell carcinoma through machine learning
Authors: Shao Jiao , Xiong Bo , Lei Deru , Chen Xiaojian
Published: January 2024

Head‐and‐neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients often exhibit insensitivity to immunotherapy, leading to treatment failure. Identifying potential biomarkers that can predict prognosis and improve the efficacy of treatment is crucial. In this study, we aimed to identify necroptosis‐related long noncoding RNAs (NRlncRNAs) as potential therapeutic targets to improve the prognosis of HNSCC patients. By exploring the Genotype‐Tissue Expression Project (GTEx) and the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases, we identified NRlncRNAs and developed a risk model comprising 17 NRlncRNAs to predict the prognosis of HNSCC patients and to classify patients into two clusters based on their expression levels. We conducted various analyses, such as the Kaplan–Meier analysis, GSEA and IC50 prediction, to evaluate the differences in sensitivity to immunotherapy between the two clusters. Our findings suggest that NRlncRNAs have potential as therapeutic targets for improving the prognosis of HNSCC patients, and that individualized treatment approaches based on NRlncRNA expression levels can improve the sensitivity of immunotherapy and overall treatment outcomes. This study highlights new perspectives within clinical cancer informatics and provides insight into potential therapeutic strategies for HNSCC patients.
Chern-Simons theory, Ehrhart polynomials, and representation theory
Authors: Ju Chao
Published: January 2024

Abstract

The Hilbert space of level q Chern-Simons theory of gauge group G of the ADE type quantized on T2 can be represented by points that lie on the weight lattice of the Lie algebra g up to some discrete identifications. Of special significance are the points that also lie on the root lattice. The generating functions that count the number of such points are quasi-periodic Ehrhart polynomials which coincide with the generating functions of SU(q) representation of the ADE subgroups of SU(2) given by the McKay correspondence. This coincidence has roots in a string/M theory construction where D3(M5)-branes are put along an ADE singularity. Finally, a new perspective on the McKay correspondence that involves the inverse of the Cartan matrices is proposed.
Direct enhancement of viral neutralising antibody potency by the complement system: a largely forgotten phenomenon
Authors: Mellors Jack , Carroll Miles
Published: January 2024

Neutralisation assays are commonly used to assess vaccine-induced and naturally acquired immune responses; identify correlates of protection; and inform important decisions on the screening, development, and use of therapeutic antibodies. Neutralisation assays are useful tools that provide the gold standard for measuring the potency of neutralising antibodies, but they are not without limitations. Common methods such as the heat-inactivation of plasma samples prior to neutralisation assays, or the use of anticoagulants such as EDTA for blood collection, can inactivate the complement system. Even in non-heat-inactivated samples, the levels of complement activity can vary between samples. This can significantly impact the conclusions regarding neutralising antibody potency. Restoration of the complement system in these samples can be achieved using an exogenous source of plasma with preserved complement activity or with purified complement proteins. This can significantly enhance the neutralisation titres for some antibodies depending on characteristics such as antibody isotype and the epitope they bind, enable neutralisation with otherwise non-neutralising antibodies, and demonstrate a better relationship between in vitro and in vivo findings. In this review, we discuss the evidence for complement-mediated enhancement of antibody neutralisation against a range of viruses, explore the potential mechanisms which underpin this enhancement, highlight current gaps in the literature, and provide a brief summary of considerations for adopting this approach in future research applications.
Cytotoxicity of Prymnesium parvum extracts and prymnesin analogs on epithelial fish gill cells RTgill-W1 and the human colon cell line HCEC-1CT
Authors: Varga Elisabeth , Prause Hélène-Christine , Riepl Matthias , Hochmayr Nadine , Berk Deniz , Attakpah Eva , Kiss Endre , Medić Nikola , Del Favero Giorgia , Larsen Thomas Ostenfeld , Hansen Per Juel , Marko Doris
Published: January 2024

Harmful algal blooms kill fish populations worldwide, as exemplified by the haptophyte microalga Prymnesium parvum. The suspected causative agents are prymnesins, categorized as A-, B-, and C-types based on backbone carbon atoms. Impacts of P. parvum extracts and purified prymnesins were tested on the epithelial rainbow trout fish gill cell line RTgill-W1 and on the human colon epithelial cells HCEC-1CT. Cytotoxic potencies ranked A > C > B-type with concentrations spanning from low (A- and C-type) to middle (B-type) nM ranges. Although RTgill-W1 cells were about twofold more sensitive than HCEC-1CT, the cytotoxicity of prymnesins is not limited to fish gills. Both cell lines responded rapidly to prymnesins; with EC50 values for B-types in RTgill-W1 cells of 110 ± 11 nM and 41.5 ± 0.6 nM after incubations times of 3 and 24 h. Results of fluorescence imaging and measured lytic effects suggest plasma membrane interactions. Postulating an osmotic imbalance as mechanisms of toxicity, incubations with prymnesins in media lacking either Cl−, Na+, or Ca2+ were performed. Cl− removal reduced morphometric rearrangements observed in RTgill-W1 and cytotoxicity in HCEC-1CT cells. Ca2+-free medium in RTgill-W1 cells exacerbated effects on the cell nuclei. Prymnesin composition of different P. parvum strains showed that analog composition within one type scarcely influenced the cytotoxic potential, while analog type potentially dictate potency. Overall, A-type prymnesins were the most potent ones in both cell lines followed by the C-types, and lastly B-types. Disturbance of Ca2+ and Cl− ionoregulation may be integral to prymnesin toxicity.
Value of MR arthrography for evaluation of children and adolescents with clinically suspected intraarticular cause of hip pain
Authors: Schmitt Laura , Pfirrmann Christian W. A. , Buck Florian M. , Hany Thomas F. , Rosskopf Andrea B.
Published: January 2024

Purpose

To evaluate the distribution of intra- and extraarticular MRI findings in children and adolescents with clinically suspected intraarticular cause of hip pain in order to assess the need for additional intraarticular contrast administration.

Material and methods

Database was searched over a period of 34 months retrospectively for consecutive hip MR arthrography in young patients (8–17 years) with suspected intraarticular cause of hip or groin pain. Exclusion criteria were prior hip surgery, follow-up examination due to known intraarticular pathology, incomplete examination, qualitatively non-diagnostic examinations, and missing informed consent. Reports of fellowship-trained MSK radiologists were searched for intraarticular versus extraarticular findings explaining hip or groin pain.

Results

Seventy patients (68% female; median age: 14.5 years; range:10.8–16.9 years) were analyzed. No reason for pain was found in 30 (42.9%) hips, extraarticular reasons in 20 (28.6%) cases, intraarticular in 14 (20.0%), and both (intra- and extraarticular) in 6 (8.6%) hips. Most common extraarticular reasons were apophysitis (14.3%), other bony stress reactions (12.9%), intramuscular edema (7%), tendinitis (5.7%), and trochanteric bursitis (4.3%). Labral pathology was the most common intraarticular finding (overall:34.3%; partial tear:15.7%, complete tear:15.7%), most frequent at the anterosuperior position (81.8%). Cartilage defects (1.4%), intraarticular neoplasia (1.4%), and tear of the femoral head ligament (2.8%) were rarely found. Synovitis and loose bodies were not observed. Cam-(37.1%) and pincer-configurations (47.1%) were common while hip dysplasia was rare (5.7%).

Conclusion

MRI in children and adolescents with hip pain should be done primarily without intraarticular contrast administration since most cases show an extraarticular pain reason or no diagnosis detectable with MRI.
LsMybW-encoding R2R3-MYB transcription factor is responsible for a shift from black to white in lettuce seed
Authors: Seki Kousuke , Komatsu Kenji , Yamaguchi Kanami , Murai Yoshinori , Nishida Keiji , Koyama Ryohei , Uno Yuichi
Published: January 2024

Key message

We identified LsMybW as the allele responsible for the shift in color from black to white seeds in wild ancestors of lettuce to modern cultivars.

Successfully selected white seeds are a key agronomic trait for lettuce cultivation and breeding; however, the mechanism underlying the shift from black—in its wild ancestor—to white seeds remains uncertain. We aimed to identify the gene/s responsible for white seed trait in lettuce. White seeds accumulated less proanthocyanidins than black seeds, similar to the phenotype observed in Arabidopsis TT2 mutants. Genetic mapping of a candidate gene was performed with double-digest RAD sequencing using an F2 population derived from a cross between “ShinanoPower” (white) and “Escort” (black). The white seed trait was controlled by a single recessive locus (48.055–50.197 Mbp) in linkage group 7. Using five PCR-based markers and numerous cultivars, eight candidate genes were mapped in the locus. Only the LG7_v8_49.251Mbp_HinfI marker, employing a single-nucleotide mutation in the stop codon of Lsat_1_v5_gn_7_35020.1, was completely linked to seed color phenotype. In addition, the coding region sequences for other candidate genes were identical in the resequence analysis of “ShinanoPower” and “Escort.” Therefore, we proposed Lsat_1_v5_gn_7_35020.1 as the candidate gene and designated it as LsMybW (Lactuca sativaMyb White seeds), an ortholog encoding the R2R3-MYB transcription factor in Arabidopsis. When we validated the role of LsMybW through genome editing, LsMybW knockout mutants harboring an early termination codon showed a change in seed color from black to white. Therefore, LsMybW was the allele responsible for the shift in seed color. The development of a robust marker for marker-assisted selection and identification of the gene responsible for white seeds have implications for future breeding technology and physiological analysis.
Perceptions of radiologists on structured reporting for cancer imaging—a survey by the European Society of Oncologic Imaging (ESOI)
Authors: Leithner Doris , Sala Evis , Neri Emanuele , Schlemmer Heinz-Peter , D’Anastasi Melvin , Weber Michael , Avesani Giacomo , Caglic Iztok , Caruso Damiano , Gabelloni Michela , Goh Vicky , Granata Vincenza , Kunz Wolfgang G. , Nougaret Stephanie , Russo Luca , Woitek Ramona , Mayerhoefer Marius E.
Published: January 2024

Objectives

To assess radiologists’ current use of, and opinions on, structured reporting (SR) in oncologic imaging, and to provide recommendations for a structured report template.

Materials and methods

An online survey with 28 questions was sent to European Society of Oncologic Imaging (ESOI) members. The questionnaire had four main parts: (1) participant information, e.g., country, workplace, experience, and current SR use; (2) SR design, e.g., numbers of sections and fields, and template use; (3) clinical impact of SR, e.g., on report quality and length, workload, and communication with clinicians; and (4) preferences for an oncology-focused structured CT report. Data analysis comprised descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and Spearman correlation coefficients.

Results

A total of 200 radiologists from 51 countries completed the survey: 57.0% currently utilized SR (57%), with a lower proportion within than outside of Europe (51.0 vs. 72.7%; p = 0.006). Among SR users, the majority observed markedly increased report quality (62.3%) and easier comparison to previous exams (53.5%), a slightly lower error rate (50.9%), and fewer calls/emails by clinicians (78.9%) due to SR. The perceived impact of SR on communication with clinicians (i.e., frequency of calls/emails) differed with radiologists’ experience (p < 0.001), and experience also showed low but significant correlations with communication with clinicians (r = − 0.27, p = 0.003), report quality (r = 0.19, p = 0.043), and error rate (r = − 0.22, p = 0.016). Template use also affected the perceived impact of SR on report quality (p = 0.036).

Conclusion

Radiologists regard SR in oncologic imaging favorably, with perceived positive effects on report quality, error rate, comparison of serial exams, and communication with clinicians.

Clinical relevance statement

Radiologists believe that structured reporting in oncologic imaging improves report quality, decreases the error rate, and enables better communication with clinicians. Implementation of structured reporting in Europe is currently below the international level and needs society endorsement.

Key Points

• The majority of oncologic imaging specialists (57% overall; 51% in Europe) use structured reporting in clinical practice.

• The vast majority of oncologic imaging specialists use templates (92.1%), which are typically cancer-specific (76.2%).

• Structured reporting is perceived to markedly improve report quality, communication with clinicians, and comparison to prior scans.
How does warmer sea water change the sensitivity of a Mediterranean thermophilic coral after immune-stimulation?
Authors: Bisanti L. , La Corte C. , Dara M. , Bertini F. , Parrinello D. , Chemello R. , Cammarata M. , Parisi M. G.
Published: January 2024

Anthropogenic climate change is warming sea water worldwide, pushing the limits of tolerance for marine organisms and driving a decline in biodiversity. The risk of thermal anomalies has increased particularly in the Mediterranean region over the last 30 yrs, where intense warming has been identified as one of the main stressors in coastal regions. To determine the influence of warmer conditions on the immunity of an endemic Mediterranean coral species, different immune activity parameters were compared in response to elevated temperature (~ 28 °C) and the presence of a pathogen-associated molecular pattern—Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS)—as an elicitor of the innate immune response of Astroides calycularis. Immune parameters, which included phenoloxidase-like, glutathione peroxidase, lysozyme-like, alkaline phosphatase, and esterase enzyme activity, were measured over time after LPS balneation (0-, 12-, 48-, and 120 h time point). All five enzymes demonstrated constant values under environmental conditions (~ 23 °C), indicating a constituent activity. LPS at environmental temperature induced significant upregulation immediately after exposure (0 h-time point), demonstrating an immune response to the pathogen elicitor. Under warmer conditions (~ 28 °C), constituent values increased over time, indicating a shift in the immune strategy to maintain homeostasis. However, warmer sea water, within the summer range experienced by this coral species, impaired the immune response to LPS, delaying it over time. These changes in immune strategy indicate that temperature affects coral immunity and, in thermophilic A. calycularis, results in an energy trade-off that could maintain its health-state through suboptimal conditions during multiple perturbations, such as summertime diseases.
Health-related quality of life across disease stages in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: results from a real-world survey
Authors: Stenson Katie , Fecteau T. E. , O’Callaghan L. , Bryden P. , Mellor J. , Wright J. , Earl L. , Thomas O. , Iqbal H. , Barlow S. , Parvanta S.
Published: January 2024

Background

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is characterized by a rapid disease course, with disease severity being associated with declining health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in persons living with ALS (pALS). The main objective of this study was to assess the impact of disease progression on HRQoL across King’s, Milano-Torino Staging (MiToS), and physician-judgement clinical staging. Additionally, we evaluated the impact of the disease on the HRQoL of care partners (cALS).

Methods

Data were sourced from the Adelphi ALS Disease Specific Programme (DSP)™, a cross-sectional survey of neurologists, pALS and cALS presenting in a real-world clinical setting between July 2020 and March 2021 in Europe and the United States.

Results

Neurologists (n = 142) provided data for 880 pALS. There were significant negative correlations between all three clinical staging systems and EuroQol (European Quality of Life) Five Dimension Five Level Scale (EQ-5D-5L) utility scores and visual analogue scale (VAS) ratings. Although not all differences were significant, 5-item Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Assessment Questionnaire (ALSAQ-5) scores showed a stepwise increase in HRQoL impairment at each stage of the disease regardless of the staging system. At later stages, high levels of fatigue and substantial activity impairment were reported. As pALS disease states progressed, cALS also experienced a decline in HRQoL and increased burden.

Conclusions

Across outcomes, pALS and cALS generally reported worse outcomes at later stages of the disease, highlighting an unmet need in this population for strategies to maximise QoL despite disease progression. Recognition and treatment of symptoms such as pain and fatigue may lead to improved outcomes for pALS and cALS.
When time does not matter: cultures differ in their use of temporal cues to infer agency over action effects
Authors: Bart Victoria K. E. , Sharavdorj Erdenechimeg , Boldbaatar Enerel , Bazarvaani Khishignyam , Rieger Martina
Published: January 2024

Sense of agency (SoA) is the sense of having control over one’s own actions and through them events in the outside world. Sometimes temporal cues, that is temporal contiguity between action and effect, or temporal expectation regarding the occurrence of the effect are used to infer whether one has agency over an effect. This has mainly been investigated in Western cultures. However, Western and Eastern cultures differ in their time concepts and thus their usage of temporal cues may also differ. We investigated whether Western and Eastern cultures (Austrian vs. Mongolian students) use temporal cues differently. Participants performed adaption blocks in which actions were followed by immediate (immediate effect group) or by delayed (delayed effect group) effects. In subsequent test blocks the action–effect delay was varied and participants’ SoA over the effect was assessed. In Austrian students, the immediate effect group experienced more SoA for short action–effect delays, whereas the reverse was true for the delayed effect group. Thus, temporal expectation rather than temporal contiguity is used as predominant agency cue. In Mongolian students, SoA did not significantly differ between different action–effect delays in both groups, indicating that Mongolian students hardly rely on temporal cues. In conclusion, due to linear time concepts in Western cultures, the timing of an effect may be an important agency cue in Austrian students. However, due to cyclical time concepts in some Eastern cultures, it may be a less important agency cue in Mongolian students. Thus, the use of temporal agency cues is culture-dependent.
Incidence and risk factors for febrile neutropenia of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma receiving R-CHOP-21 in China
Authors: Zheng Wenshuai , Chen Zhaoguang , Zhu Shibin , Cheng Longcan , Hu Yalei , Yang Yuhui , Tan Min , Ning Hongmei , Guan Lixun
Published: January 2024

Objective

Febrile neutropenia (FN) is a serious complication of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) receiving R-CHOP-21. The prophylactic use of granulocyte colony–stimulating factors (G-CSFs) can significantly reduce the risk of FN. International guidelines recommend G-CSFs for patients receiving chemotherapy with FN risk of 20% or 10 to 20% with defined risk factors. However, there are few studies on the incidence and risk factors of FN in patients with DLBCL receiving R-CHOP-21, especially in patients without primary G-CSF prophylaxis.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective analysis for the clinical data of 103 patients with DLBCL who underwent first R-CHOP-21 without primary G-CSF prophylaxis. The objective of the assessment was the incidence and risk factors of FN after the first chemotherapy cycle.

Results

After the first chemotherapy cycle, the incidence of FN was 20.4%. Multivariate analysis showed that age ≥ 65 years, bone marrow involvement, albumin < 35 g/L, and average relative dose intensity ≥ 80% were independent risk factors for FN. According to risk factors, we created a risk score system. The incidence of FN in the low-, intermediate- and high-risk groups was 5.6%, 17.2%, and 61.9%, respectively.

Conclusion

Our data indicated that R-CHOP-21 itself is associated with a high-risk regiment for FN. We recommend that intermediate/high-risk patients should actively consider primary G-CSF prophylaxis to reduce the incidence of FN after chemotherapy.
Effect of the pipeline embolization device placement on branching vessels in anterior circulation: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: He Yiming , Sun Tao , Han Mengtao , Wang Donghai
Published: January 2024

Background and purpose

Pipeline embolization device (PED) is widely used in intracranial aneurysms, and the scope of applications for the PED, which is frequently used to treat cerebral aneurysms, is also growing. It has some effect on branching vessels as a result of its inherent properties. The effects of PED on the complications rate and branching vessels blockage have not yet been thoroughly investigated.

Objective

We conducted a systematic review searching reports from multiple databases on PED use for intracranial aneurysms, and analyzed the influence of PED on the occlusion rate of different branching vessels, and the influence of the amount of PED on the occlusion rate of branching vessels by meta-analysis.

Methods

We searched the literature using PUBMED, Web of Science, and OVID databases until August 2023. Inclusion criteria were that the study used only PED, included at least 10 patients, and recorded branching vessels occlusion rates, mortality, and neurological complications.

Results

Nine studies were analyzed consisting of 706 patients with 986 side branches. The results of the meta-analysis showed that application of more than one PED did not significantly elevate the rate of branching vessels occlusion compared to application of one PED (OR = 0.70; 95% CI: 0.34 to 1.43; P = 0.33). In the comparison of branching vessels occlusion rates in the anterior circulation, the anterior cerebral artery (ACA) had a significantly higher occlusion rate compared to the ophthalmic artery (OphA) (OR = 6.54; 95% CI: 3.05 to 14.01; P < 0.01), ACA also had a higher occlusion rate compared to the anterior choroidal artery (AchA) (OR = 15.44; 95% CI: 4.11 to 57.94 P < 0.01), ACA versus posterior communicating artery (PcomA) occlusion rate difference was not statistically significant (OR = 2.58; 95% CI: 0.63 to 12.82; P = 0.17), OphA versus AchA occlusion rate difference was not statistically significant (OR = 2.56; 95% CI: 0.89 to 7.38; P = 0.08), and the occlusion rate was significantly higher for PcomA compared to AchA (OR = 7.22; 95% CI: 2.49 to 20.95; P < 0.01) and lower for OphA compared to PcomA (OR = 0.33; 95% CI: 0.19 to 0.55; P < 0.01).

Conclusion

The meta-analysis shows that use of multiple PEDs did not significantly increase the occlusion rate of branching vessels, and the larger the diameter of branching vessels covered by PED, the higher the occlusion rate of branching vessels. However, the incidence of complications is low after branching vessels occlusion in anterior circulation, which is related to the collateral circulation compensation of the branching vessels.
Towards flexibility and robustness of LSM trees
Authors: Huynh Andy , Chaudhari Harshal A. , Terzi Evimaria , Athanassoulis Manos
Published: January 2024

Log-structured merge trees (LSM trees) are increasingly used as part of the storage engine behind several data systems, and are frequently deployed in the cloud. As the number of applications relying on LSM-based storage backends increases, the problem of performance tuning of LSM trees receives increasing attention. We consider both nominal tunings—where workload and execution environment are accurately known a priori—and robust tunings—which consider uncertainty in the workload knowledge. This type of workload uncertainty is common in modern applications, notably in shared infrastructure environments like the public cloud. To address this problem, we introduce Endure, a new paradigm for tuning LSM trees in the presence of workload uncertainty. Specifically, we focus on the impact of the choice of compaction policy, size ratio, and memory allocation on the overall performance. Endure considers a robust formulation of the throughput maximization problem and recommends a tuning that offers near-optimal throughput when the executed workload is not the same, instead in a neighborhood of the expected workload. Additionally, we explore the robustness of flexible LSM designs by proposing a new unified design called K-LSM that encompasses existing designs. We deploy our robust tuning system, Endure, on a state-of-the-art key-value store, RocksDB, and demonstrate throughput improvements of up to 5$$\times $$
×
in the presence of uncertainty. Our results indicate that the tunings obtained by Endure are more robust than tunings obtained under our expanded LSM design space. This indicates that robustness may not be inherent to a design, instead, it is an outcome of a tuning process that explicitly accounts for uncertainty.
A multicenter evaluation of the QIAstat-Dx meningitis-encephalitis syndromic test kit as compared to the conventional diagnostic microbiology workflow
Authors: Boers Stefan A. , van Houdt Robin , van Sorge Nina M. , Groot Jelle , van Aarle Yvette , van Bussel Mario J. A. W. M. , Smit Louise F. E. , Wessels Els , Claas Eric C. J.
Published: January 2024

Purpose

Rapid diagnosis and treatment of infectious meningitis and encephalitis (ME) is critical to minimize morbidity and mortality. Recently, Qiagen introduced the CE-IVD QIAstat-Dx ME panel (QS-ME) for syndromic diagnostic testing of meningitis and encephalitis. Some data on the performance of the QS-ME in comparison to the BioFire FilmArray ME panel are available. In this study, the performance of the QS-ME is compared to the current diagnostic workflow in two academic medical centers in the Netherlands.

Methods

A total of 110 cerebrospinal fluid samples were retrospectively tested with the QS-ME. The results obtained were compared to the results of laboratory-developed real-time PCR assays (LDTs), IS-pro, bacterial culture, and cryptococcal antigen (CrAg) testing. In addition, the accuracy of the QS-ME was also investigated using an external quality assessment (EQA) panel consisting of ten samples.

Results

Four of the 110 samples tested failed to produce a valid QS-ME result. In the remaining 106 samples, the QS-ME detected 53/53 viral targets, 38/40 bacterial targets, and 7/13 Cryptococcus neoformans targets. The discrepant bacterial results consisted of two samples that were previously tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes (CT 35.8) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (CT 40), respectively. The QS-ME detected one additional result, consisting of a varicella-zoster virus signal (CT 35.9), in a sample in which both techniques detected Streptococcus pyogenes. Finally, 100% concordance was achieved in testing a blinded bacterial ME EQA panel.

Conclusion

The QS-ME is a relevant addition to the syndromic testing landscape to assist in diagnosing infectious ME.
Exploring user editing preferences in electronic forms: an empirical study
Authors: Breitmayer Marius , Arnold Lisa , Winter Michael , Reichert Manfred
Published: January 2024

Electronic forms, such as order entry or tax declarations, frequently serve as the primary point of contact between users and information systems. Given their significance, it’s crucial that these forms are intuitive and not burdensome for users to complete. One key aspect influencing the intuitiveness of forms is the sequence in which individual fields must be filled. This article reports on an empirical study involving 162 participants, which explored the intuitiveness of user forms across diverse scenarios. The study had two main objectives. Firstly, it sought to understand how users perceive different sequences of form fields in terms of intuitiveness. Secondly, it investigated the possibility of an intuitive sequence for form fields. The study found significant differences in intuitiveness among various ways of organizing form field sequences. Furthermore, it revealed a common understanding among users about the (sub-)sequence in which form fields should be arranged, notably that fields requiring file uploads should be located at the end of the form. The findings of this study provide valuable insights for developing more intuitive user forms in process-aware information systems, thereby enhancing the overall user-friendliness of such systems.
Dominance of non-wetland-dependent pollinators in a plant community in a small natural wetland in Shimane, Japan
Authors: Watazu Tomohiro , Hiraiwa Masayoshi K. , Inoue Masahito , Mishima Hideo , Ushimaru Atushi , Hosaka Tetsuro
Published: January 2024

Many wetland plants rely on insects for pollination. However, studies examining pollinator communities in wetlands remain limited. Some studies conducted in large wetlands (> 10 ha) have suggested that wetland-dependent flies, which spend their larval stage in aquatic and semi-aquatic habitats, dominate as pollinators. However, smaller wetlands surrounded by secondary forests are more prevalent in Japan, in which pollinators from the surrounding environment might be important. Additionally, information regarding floral traits that attract specific pollinator groups in wetland communities is scarce. Therefore, this study aimed to understand the characteristics of insect pollinators in a small natural wetland (2.5 ha) in Japan. We examined the major pollinator groups visiting 34 plant species and explored the relationship between the flower visitation frequency of each pollinator group and floral traits. Overall, flies were the most dominant pollinators (42%), followed by bees and wasps (33%). Cluster analysis indicated that fly-dominated plants were the most abundant among 14 of the 34 target plant species. However, 85% of the hoverflies, the most abundant flies, and 82% of the bees were non-wetland-dependent species, suggesting that these terrestrial species likely originated from the surrounding environment. Therefore, pollinators from the surrounding environment would be important in small natural wetlands. Flies tend to visit open and white/yellow flowers, whereas bees tended to visit tube-shaped flowers, as in forest and grassland ecosystems. The dominance of flies in small wetlands would be due to the dominance of flowers preferred by flies (e.g., yellow/white flowers) rather than because of their larval habitats.
Immigrant employment and the contract enforcement costs of offshoring
Authors: Hatzigeorgiou Andreas , Karpaty Patrik , Kneller Richard , Lodefalk Magnus
Published: January 2024

Offshoring continues to be an important dimension of firms’ internationalization choices. However, offshoring also increases contract enforcement costs by inhibiting the coordination and monitoring of performance. Immigrant employees may reduce such costs through their specific knowledge of the employer, their country of birth and access to foreign networks. In this paper, we investigate the role of immigrant employees within firms on firm offshoring, employing rich administrative Swedish microlevel data that include specific information about the characteristics of employees, manufacturing firms and their bilateral offshoring. Our results support the hypothesis that immigrant employees increase offshoring by lowering contract enforcement costs. Hiring one additional immigrant employee is linked to a relatively larger increase in offshoring at the intensive than the extensive margin, on average. The association to offshoring is considerably stronger for skilled immigrant employees and for contract and R&D intensive offshoring. Instrumental variable estimations demonstrate qualitatively similar results, while a placebo test with randomized immigrant employment does not generate any link between immigrants and offshoring.
Global zenith wet delay modeling with surface meteorological data and machine learning
Authors: Li Qinzheng , Böhm Johannes , Yuan Linguo , Weber Robert
Published: January 2024

The tropospheric delay is a major error source for space geodetic techniques, and the performance of its modeling is significantly limited due to the high spatiotemporal variability of the moisture in the lower atmosphere. In this study, global modeling of the tropospheric zenith wet delay (ZWD) was realized based on surface meteorological data obtained from radiosondes and Global Positioning System (GPS) radio occultation (RO) measurements through the random forest (RF) and backpropagation neural network (BPNN) regression analysis. The modeling performance was further validated based on two kinds of global atmospheric profiles for the year 2020. Our results show that the ZWD modeling accuracy gained by two machine learning regression approaches is significantly improved by taking into account surface meteorological parameters, especially the surface water vapor pressure when compared to the Global Pressure and Temperature 3 (GPT3) model. When surface meteorological data are available, the RF-B model yields ZWD estimations with an overall agreement of 3.1 cm in comparison with the sounding profiles and 2.4 cm in contrast to the GPS RO atmospheric profiles. The RF-B is superior to other models based on surface meteorological parameters for ZWD calculation, e.g., the accuracy improves by 21.8–23.8% against the approach by Saastamoinen and 7–12.2% against the formula by Askne and Nordius.
Modern methods and materials used to treat root perforation: effectiveness comparison
Authors: Ma XiaoLan , Xu Hua , Chen Xuefang , Zou Qian , Wang Junrong , Da Yunmeng , Yin Huisu
Published: January 2024

This study aims to experimentally compare the efficacy of different endodontic materials (iRoot BP Plus, Biodentine, MTA, Rootdent, and Trioxide) in the treatment of pulpitis and perforations on extracted tooth specimens. Additionally, the study aims to investigate the influence of iRoot BP Plus endodontic material on the regenerative processes following pulp amputation in laboratory animals. The secondary goal is to evaluate the effect of iRoot BP Plus on the restoration process in laboratory animals after pulp removal. The study presents a micropermeability analysis of the selected biomaterials performed on a sample of 50 single-rooted apical teeth in 2022. All teeth underwent endodontic treatment. Changes in molar morphology were investigated with eight laboratory animals (rabbits, 3 months old, all males) after simulated pulp removal and subsequent treatment with the iRoot BP Plus biomaterials. iRoot BP Plus appeared to be more effective in retrograde apical root filling than other biomaterials, as evidenced by its higher sealing effect. An experiment involving animal participants revealed the presence of protective adaptive mechanisms, which manifested in the form of an inflammatory process within 6 weeks after the dental pulp was removed. The connective tissue replaced the necrosis, and new capillaries began to form intensively. These dental outcomes suggest that iRoot BP Plus enables hermetical sealing in tooth restoration with good adhesion. Thus, it may have the ability to promote more active tissue regeneration after pulp removal.

Graphical Abstract
Adaptively Enhancing Facial Expression Crucial Regions via a Local Non-local Joint Network
Authors: Shi Guanghui , Mao Shasha , Gou Shuiping , Yan Dandan , Jiao Licheng , Xiong Lin
Published: January 2024

Facial expression recognition (FER) is still challenging due to the small interclass discrepancy in facial expression data. In view of the significance of facial crucial regions for FER, many existing studies utilize the prior information from some annotated crucial points to improve the performance of FER. However, it is complicated and time-consuming to manually annotate facial crucial points, especially for vast wild expression images. Based on this, a local non-local joint network is proposed to adaptively enhance the facial crucial regions in feature learning of FER in this paper. In the proposed method, two parts are constructed based on facial local and non-local information, where an ensemble of multiple local networks is proposed to extract local features corresponding to multiple facial local regions and a non-local attention network is addressed to explore the significance of each local region. In particular, the attention weights obtained by the non-local network are fed into the local part to achieve interactive feedback between the facial global and local information. Interestingly, the non-local weights corresponding to local regions are gradually updated and higher weights are given to more crucial regions. Moreover, U-Net is employed to extract the integrated features of deep semantic information and low hierarchical detail information of expression images. Finally, experimental results illustrate that the proposed method achieves more competitive performance than several state-of-the-art methods on five benchmark datasets.
Disentangling the effects of management and climate change on habitat suitability for saproxylic species in boreal forests
Authors: Ekman Ellinoora , Triviño María , Blattert Clemens , Mazziotta Adriano , Potterf Maria , Eyvindson Kyle
Published: January 2024

Forest degradation induced by intensive forest management and temperature increase by climate change are resulting in biodiversity decline in boreal forests. Intensive forest management and high-end climate emission scenarios can further reduce the amount and diversity of deadwood, the limiting factor for habitats for saproxylic species in European boreal forests. The magnitude of their combined effects and how changes in forest management can affect deadwood diversity under a range of climate change scenarios are poorly understood. We used forest growth simulations to evaluate how forest management and climate change will individually and jointly affect habitats of red-listed saproxylic species in Finland. We simulated seven forest management regimes and three climate scenarios (reference, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) over 100 years. Management regimes included set aside, continuous cover forestry, business-as-usual (BAU) and four modifications of BAU. Habitat suitability was assessed using a species-specific habitat suitability index, including 21 fungal and invertebrate species groups. “Winner” and “loser” species were identified based on the modelled impacts of forest management and climate change on their habitat suitability. We found that forest management had a major impact on habitat suitability of saproxylic species compared to climate change. Habitat suitability index varied by over 250% among management regimes, while overall change in habitat suitability index caused by climate change was on average only 2%. More species groups were identified as winners than losers from impacts of climate change (52%–95% were winners, depending on the climate change scenario and management regime). The largest increase in habitat suitability index was achieved under set aside (254%) and the climate scenario RCP8.5 (> 2%), while continuous cover forestry was the most suitable regime to increase habitat suitability of saproxylic species (up to + 11%) across all climate change scenarios. Our results show that close-to-nature management regimes (e.g., continuous cover forestry and set aside) can increase the habitat suitability of many saproxylic boreal species more than the basic business-as-usual regime. This suggests that biodiversity loss of many saproxylic species in boreal forests can be mitigated through improved forest management practices, even as climate change progresses.
Managing the Complication of Band Erosion in Banded Sleeve Gastrectomy: A Case Report
Authors: Hany Mohamed , Zidan Ahmed , Abouelnasr Anwar Ashraf , Ibrahim Mohamed , Torensma Bart
Published: January 2024

We present a case involving a patient with laparoscopic banded sleeve gastrectomy (BSG) with a 3-month history of persistent vomiting, decreased tolerance for fluids, and limited intake of soft food items. Upon investigation, an eroded band and gastric dilatation were identified. The treatment involved the removal of the eroded band and a segment of the stomach, followed by the restoration of gastric continuity through a gastrogastrostomy.
Ensuring communication redundancy and establishing a telementoring system for robotic telesurgery using multiple communication lines
Authors: Wakasa Yusuke , Hakamada Kenichi , Morohashi Hajime , Kanno Takahiro , Tadano Kotaro , Kawashima Kenji , Ebihara Yuma , Oki Eiji , Hirano Satoshi , Mori Masaki
Published: January 2024

Assuring communication redundancy during the interruption and establishing appropriate teaching environments for local surgeons are essential to making robotic telesurgery mainstream. This study analyzes robotic telesurgery with telementoring using standard domestic telecommunication carriers. Can multiple carriers guarantee redundancy with interruptions? Three commercial optical fiber lines connected Hirosaki University and Mutsu General Hospitals, 150 km apart. Using Riverfield, Inc. equipment, Hirosaki had a cockpit, while both Mutsu used both a cockpit and a surgeon’s console. Experts provided telementoring evaluating 14 trainees, using objective indices for operation time and errors. Subjective questionnaires addressed image quality and surgical operability. Eighteen participants performed telesurgery using combined lines from two/three telecommunication carriers. Manipulation: over 30 min, lines were cut and restored every three minutes per task. Subjects were to press a switch when noticing image quality or operability changes. Mean time to task completion was 1510 (1186–1960) seconds: local surgeons alone and 1600 (1152–2296) seconds for those under remote instructor supervision, including expert intervention time. There was no significant difference (p = 0.86). The mean error count was 0.92 (0–3) for local surgeons and 0.42 (0–2) with remote instructors. Image quality and operability questionnaires found no significant differences. Results communication companies A, B, and C: the A/B combination incurred 0.17 (0–1) presses of the environment change switch, B/C had 0, and C/A received 0.67 (0–3), showing no significant difference among provider combinations. Combining multiple communication lines guarantees communication redundancy and enables robotic telementoring with enhanced communication security.
Curcumin Promotes Diabetic Foot Ulcer Wound Healing by Inhibiting miR-152-3p and Activating the FBN1/TGF-β Pathway
Authors: Cao Mei , Duan Zhisheng , Wang Xianting , Gong Pan , Zhang Limei , Ruan Bin
Published: January 2024

The objective of this study was to investigate the mechanism of curcumin in diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) wound healing. A DFU rat model was established, and fibroblasts were cultured in a high-glucose (HG) environment to create a cell model. Various techniques, including Western blot, RT‒qPCR, flow cytometry, Transwell, cell scratch test and H&E staining, were employed to measure the levels of relevant genes and proteins, as well as to assess cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and pathological changes. The results showed that miR-152-3p was overexpressed in DFU patients, while FBN1 was underexpressed. Curcumin was found to inhibit fibroblast apoptosis, promote proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis in DFU rats, and accelerate wound healing in DFU rats. In addition, overexpression of miR-152-3p weakened the therapeutic effect of curcumin, while overexpression of FBN1 reversed the effects of the miR-152-3p mimic. Further investigations into the underlying mechanisms revealed that curcumin expedited wound healing in DFU rats by restoring the FBN1/TGF-β pathway through the inhibition of miR-152-3p. In conclusion, curcumin can suppress the activity of miR-152-3p, which, in turn, leads to the rejuvenation of the FBN1/TGF-β pathway and accelerates DFU wound healing.
Comparative Growth Outcomes in Very Low Birth Weight Infants: Evaluating Different Feeding Strategies
Authors: Pedaveeti Mounika , Iqbal Faiza , Purkayastha Jayashree , Bharadwaj Shruthi K. , Patil Anand Kumar , Lewis Leslie Edward S.
Published: January 2024

Objectives

To assess the growth pattern of preterm, very low birth weight (VLBW) appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants on three different feeding regimens.

Methods

This prospective open label three-arm parallel randomized controlled trial was conducted at neonatal intensive care unit, Kasturba Hospital, Manipal. One hundred twenty VLBW (weight between 1000–1500 g and gestational age 28–32 wk) preterm AGA infants admitted from April 2021 through September 2022 were included. Three feeding regimens were compared: Expressed breast milk (EBM); EBM supplemented with Human milk fortifier (HMF); EBM supplemented with Preterm formula feed (PTF). Primary outcome measure was assessing the growth parameters such as weight, length, head circumference on three different feeding regimens at birth 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 wk/discharge. Secondary outcomes included incidence of co-morbidities and cost-effectiveness.

Results

Of 112 infants analyzed, Group 2 supplemented with HMF showed superior growth outcomes by 6th wk/discharge of intervention, with mean weight of 2053±251 g, mean length of 44.6±1.9 cm, and mean head circumference of 32.9±1.4 cm. However, infants in Group 3, supplemented with PTF, registered mean weight of 1968±203 g, mean length of 43.6±2.0 cm, and mean head circumference of 32.0±1.6 cm. Infants exclusively on EBM presented with mean weight of 1873±256 g, mean length of 43.0±2.0 cm and mean head circumference of 31.4±1.6 cm.

Conclusions

Addition of 1 g of HMF to 25 ml of EBM in neonates weighing 1000–1500 g showed better weight gain and head circumference at 6 wk/discharge, which was statistically significant. However, no significant differences in these parameters were observed at postnatal or 2, 3, 4, and 5 wk.