bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Weight loss outcomes achieved by adults accessing an online programme offered as part of Public Health England’s ‘Better Health’ campaign.
Authors: Avery Amanda , Toon Josef , Geneva Martina , Sharpe Paul , lavin Jacquie , Bennett Sarah
Published: March 2022

Effective use of health technology may offer a scalable solution to the obesity pandemic. Online digital programmes provide a convenient and flexible way for more people to access regular support. This service evaluation aims to determine whether adults accessing an online weight management programme via a national campaign are successful in losing weight. Data was analysed for adults registering with Slimming World’s online programme using a discounted membership offered as part of PHE’s ‘Better Health’ campaign between July and December 2020. Last-weight carried forward was used to calculate weight outcomes for participants who had the opportunity to complete 12-weeks and recorded ≥ one weight besides baseline. Engagement was determined using number of online weekly weights recorded with high engagers having weight data for ≥ 9 occasions. Socioeconomic status was assessed using postcode data. Resubscription and uploaded weight data were used to determine numbers who continued beyond the offer period. 27,248 adults (5.3% males) with mean age 41.0 ± 11.4years met inclusion criteria. Mean baseline BMI was 33.4 ± 6.8 kg/m2 (29.2% 30-34.9, 18.3% 35-39.9 and 15.1% >40 kg/m2). Mean weight loss at 12 weeks was 2.7 (± 3) kg representing a mean loss of 3% (± 3.1) body weight with 42.3% achieving ≥ 3% and 22.1% weight loss ≥ 5%. Median number of weigh-ins was six. Men had greater weight losses compared to women (p < 0.001). High engagers, both men and women, achieved greater weight losses (p < 0.001). Absolute weight loss was associated with joining BMI (rs=-0.15, p < 0.001) but for % weight change only small differences were seen (max effect size = 0.03) and no differences in weight change for high engagers between different baseline BMI categories (p > 0.05). 30.9% were in the lowest two IMD quintiles and absolute and percentage weight change did not differ across deprivation quintiles (p > 0.05). 34.9% continued to access the online support after the offer period. This service evaluation shows that an online programme, offered as part of a national campaign, can offer effective support to a large number of people with different starting BMIs and from different socioeconomic backgrounds. An increased level of engagement leads to better weight losses.
Feasibility Study Protocol: Investigating Family Reported Outcome Measures (FROMs) in the Estimation of Societal Value of Advanced Therapeutic Medicinal Products (ATMPs)
Authors: Brilliant Charles , Finlay Andrew , Salek Sam , Shah Rubina , Laing Hamish
Published: March 2022

BackgroundAdvance Therapeutic Medicinal Products (ATMPs) are a novel class of therapeutics to provide more effective treatment of conditions or diseases that have not responded to conventional treatment. However, ATMPs are generally very expensive, limiting their availability. Indicated conditions are usually chronic and severe and can have an impact beyond the patient themselves, impairing the lives of partners and other family members. This family impact is a major secondary burden of disease that is often ignored. The Family Reported Outcome Measure (FROM-16) is the first generic questionnaire designed to measure the impact of any chronic disease on the quality of life of family members or partners of patients. It is simple-to-use and non-burdensome for those completing it.We aim to validate the FROM-16 instrument in the setting of patients receiving ATMPs by recruiting family members to complete FROM-16 and Global Health Score questionnaire and undergo a semi-structured interview.MethodsUp to 30 patients of any age who are preparing for, or who have received, ATMP treatment and their family members aged 18 years or older, attending NHS providers within the Midland-Wales Advanced Therapy Treatment Centre will be recruited into this study. Family members will be asked to complete the FROM-16 and Global Health Score questionnaires, provide basic demographic information and complete a short semi-structured interview. The interview will provide data to contextualise the FROM-16 responses and allow construct and content validity to be assessed. Themes of experience will be identified from interview transcripts. The FROM-16 responses will be evaluated for total score, domain score, and individual item score. Reliability of responses between and within domains will be assessed by intraclass correlation. DiscussionCollecting FROM data reliably is important for demonstrating the wider impact of disease and the extended value of treatments. We hypothesise that collecting FROMs using the FROM-16 tool is a valid method to measure this impact in the setting of patients receiving ATMPs and if so, could provide evidence in future of the overall quality of life impact on the partners and family members of such patients and greater understanding of the wider societal value of these costly treatments. Trial RegistrationThis trial has been adopted onto the NIHR portfolio (I.D. 51376) and registered with www.ClinicalTrials.gov (#NCT05141318) in December 2021.
Healthconomics: trust-based decision-making in the health context discriminates biological risk profiles in Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Jorge Helena , Duarte Isabel C. , Baptista Carla , Relvas Ana Paula , Castelo-Branco Miguel
Published: March 2022

Theoretical accounts on social decision-making under uncertainty postulate that individual risk preferences are context-dependent. Generalization of models of decision-making to dyadic interactions in the personal health context remain to be experimentally addressed.In economic utility-based models, interactive behavioral games provide a framework to investigate probabilistic learning of sequential reinforcement. Here, we model an economic trust game in the context of a chronic disease (Diabetes Type 1) which involves iterated daily decisions in complex social contexts. Ninety-one patients performed experimental trust games in both economic and health settings and were characterized by a multiple self-report set of questionnaires. We found that although our groups can correctly infer pay-off contingencies, they behave differently because patients with a biological profile of preserved glycemic control show adaptive choice behavior both in economic and health domains. On the other hand, patients with a biological profile of loss of glycemic control presented a contrasting behavior, showing non-adaptive choices on both contexts. These results provide a direct translation from neuroeconomics to decision in the health domain and biological risk profiles, in a behavioural setting that required difficult and self-consequential decision with health impact. Our findings also provide a contextual generalization of mechanisms underlying individual decision under uncertainty.
The microbiome of the marine flatworm Macrostomum lignano provides fitness advantages and exhibits circadian rhythmicity
Authors: Roeder Thomas , Ma Yuanyuan , He Jinru , Sieber Michael , von Frieling Jakob , Bruchhaus Iris , Baines John , Bickmeyer Ulf
Published: March 2022

The close association between animals and their associated microbiota is usually beneficial for both partners. Here, we used a simple marine model invertebrate, the flatworm Macrostomum lignano, to characterize the host-microbiota interaction in detail. This analysis revealed that the different developmental stages each harbor a specific microbiota. Studies with gnotobiotic animals clarified the physiological significance of the microbiota. While no fitness benefits were mediated by the microbiota when food was freely available, animals with microbiota showed significantly increased fitness with reduced food supply. The microbiota of M. lignano shows circadian rhythmicity, affecting both the total bacterial load and the behavior of specific taxa. Moreover, the presence of the worm influences the composition of the bacterial consortia in the environment. In summary, the Macrostomum-microbiota system described here can serve as a general model for host-microbe interactions in marine invertebrates.
Impact of short segment fixation on Spinopelvic Sagittal Alignment in Thoracolumbar Fracture Cases
Authors: Li Kepeng , Ma Guoju , Zhao Heyi , Han Ye , Zuo Jinzeng
Published: March 2022

Background: Previous studies have reported the impact of thoracolumbar kyphosis induced by spinal burst fracture on spinopelvic sagittal alignment. But no study has analyzed the effects of short segment fixation on perioperative spinopelvic parameters in patients with spinal burst fracture. Thus, this study aimed to explore the impact of short segment fixation on spinopelvic sagittal alignment in patients with thoracolumbar fractures.Methods: Perioperative radiographs of 42 patients with thoracolumbar fractures treated with short-segment fixation surgery were obtained. The pelvic and spinal parameters were measured, and the influence of fracture site on all parameters was retrospectively analyzed. A descriptive analysis characterizing these parameters and multivariate analysis was performed to investigate the influencing factors of thoracolumbar kyphosis.Results: The mean age of included cases was 47.1±9.9 years, Pelvic incidence(PI) was 44.1±4.7º. Preoperative fractured level kyphosis (FLK) and thoracolumbar kyphosis(TLK) were 10.3±9.9º and 15.6±10.4º, respectively. Operative corrected degree(OCD) of FLK and TLK were 6.8±7.9º and 7.7±8.4º, respectively. Preoperative parameters, including FLK, TLK, Pelvic tilt (PT), Sacral slope (SS), Lumbar lordosis (LL), were no different in the different fracture sites. PT-OCD is greater in L2～L5 fractures than T12～L1(t=0.82, P=0.03). FLK-OCD(B=0.36), LL-OCD(B=-0.34) and PT-OCD(B=0.22), as well as age(B=-0.23) were independent factors to influence TLK-OCD. pelvis anteversion and high FLK-OCD was associated with a more satisfactory correction of the TLK deformity. TLK-OCD was negatively influenced by age. Conclusion: Short segment fixation surgery can correct TLK caused by fractures. Satisfactory TLK-OCD is related to excellent fracture reduction, pelvis anteversion, and younger patients. With FLK fixed by operation, the pelvis rotates from rear to front, more obviously in lumbar fractures.
Comparative epigenomics by machine learning approach for neuroblastoma
Authors: Sugino Ryuichi P. , Ohira Miki , Mansai Sayaka P. , Kamijo Takehiko
Published: March 2022

Background
Neuroblastoma (NB) is the second most common pediatric solid tumor. Because the number of genetic mutations found in tumors are small, even in some patients with unfavorable NB, epigenetic variation is expected to play an important role in NB progression. DNA methylation is a major epigenetic mechanism, and its relationship with NB prognosis has been a concern. One limitation with the analysis of variation in DNA methylation is the lack of a suitable analytical model. Therefore, in this study, we performed a random forest (RF) analysis of the DNA methylome data of NB from multiple databases.
Results
RF is a popular machine learning model owing to its simplicity, intuitiveness, and computational cost. RF analysis identified novel intermediate-risk patient groups with characteristic DNA methylation patterns within the low-risk group. Feature selection analysis based on probe annotation revealed that enhancer-annotated regions had strong predictive power, particularly for MYCN-amplified NBs. We developed a gene-based analytical model to identify candidate genes related to disease progression, such as PRDM8 and FAM13A-AS1. RF analysis revealed sufficient predictive power compared to other machine learning models.
Conclusions
RF is a useful tool for DNA methylome analysis in cancer epigenetic studies, and has potential to identify a novel cancer-related genes.
Small cell lung cancer: circulating tumor cell lines and expression of mediators of angiogenesis and coagulation
Authors: Rath Barbara , Plangger Adelina , Klameth Lukas , Hochmair Maximilian , Ulsperger Ernst , Neumayer Christoph , Hamilton Gerhard
Published: March 2022

Introduction:
Coagulation is frequently activated in cancer patients and has been correlated with an unfavorable prognosis. To evaluate whether a release of tissue factor (TF) of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) is involved in the dissemination of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) we studied the expression of relevant proteins in a panel of permanent SCLC and SCLC CTC cell lines (BHGc7, BHGc10, BHGc16, BHGc26 and UHGc5) that have been established at our institution.
Material and Methods
Five CTC and SCLC lines were analyzed using Western blot arrays covering 55 angiogenetic mediators. Furthermore, the influence of topotecan and epirubicin as well as hypoxia-like conditions on the expression of these mediators and cells was investigated.
Results
The results demonstrate that the SCLC lines express no significant amounts of the TF but thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1), uPAR, VEGF and angiopoietin-2 in two cases. The major difference between the SCLC and SCLC CTC cell lines found was the loss of the expression of angiogenin in the blood-derived CTC lines. Topotecan and epirubicin decreased expression of VEGF, whereas hypoxia-like conditions upregulated VEGF.
Conclusions
Active TF seems not to be expressed in SCLC and SCLC CTC cell lines in significant levels and, thus, CTC-derived TF seems dispensable for dissemination. Nevertheless, all CTC lines form large spheroids, termed tumorospheres, which may become trapped in clots of the microvasculature and extravasate in this supportive microenvironment. The contribution of clotting to protection and dissemination of CTCs in SCLC seems to be different from other solid tumors such as breast cancer.
Anti-larvicidal antimicrobial and cytotoxic effect of endophytic fungus Alternaria macrospora isolated from Trichillia connaroides
Authors: Chinnasamy Ragavendran , Govindasamy Balasubramani , Cherian Tijo , Devarajan Natarajan
Published: March 2022

The interaction of plants with microorganisms at various trophic levels is primarily for growth, development and deterrence and is intertwined in a complex network of inhabitants. Endophytes of fungal origin are widely recognized for supporting the production of host plant defence systems, new secondary metabolites, biological pest control agents, and beneficial colony-forming fungi. This study focuses on the assessment of the biological activity of the endophyte, Alternaria macrospora isolated from the leaves of Trichillia connaroides. This strain was genotyped by amplification of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) gene region. Chemical profiling of the extract is performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS), indicating the presence of functional groups by FTIR peaks. In addition, A. macrospora metabolites exhibit biological activity listed as antibacterial, antifungal, larval killing, and anticancer activities. It provides a catalogue of bioactivity that is highly relevant to drug and pharmacological settings.
Bioinformatic determination of the expression and clinical value of the histone lysine demethylase family in prostate cancer
Authors: Wang Tao , Chen Xi , Jiang Ting , Liu Feng , Li Xiaojun , Shao Xuefeng , Wu Denglong
Published: March 2022

Background: As one of the most malignant tumors, prostate cancer (PCa) is a serious threat to the health of elderly men. The histone lysine demethylase (KDM) family regulates histone methylation and affects gene transcription during malignant transformation, which can lead to the occurrence of PCa.Methods: We used bioinformatic methods to explore the expression and function of KDMs in PCa and tested their roles by examining clinical specimens.Results: Depending on data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), we found the expression of 10 types of KDMs changed when PCa occurenced. In addition, nine types of KDMs underwent methylation modifications during PCa. The expression of 16 types of KDMs changed in Chinese patients according to data from the Chinese Prostate Cancer Genome and Epigenome Atlas (CPGEA) database. We also analyzed genetic alterations and how genetic alterations of KDMs lead to PCa. The effects of KDMs at different tumor stages were analyzed based on TCGA data. LASSO Cox regression was used to identify the effects of KDM expression on patient survival. Meanwhile, the correlation between the KDM family and immune infiltrations was analyzed. The results indicated that many KDMs are associated with recruitment of immune cells. Finally, the expression of eight KDMs was verified in clinical PCa tissues. KDM3B, KDM5C and KDM7A expressed changed in clinical samples. Conclusion: Our study revealed the expression of the KDM family and their clinical value in PCa, demonstrating that KDMs play important roles in PCa recurrence.
Safety of continuing anticoagulation prior to cardiac catheterization in pediatric patients: a Los Angeles center experience
Authors: Rao Mounica Y. , Sullivan Patrick M. , Takao Cheryl , Badran Sarah , Patel Neil D.
Published: March 2022

This is the first report specifically describing outcomes of pediatric patients who underwent cardiac catheterization while on uninterrupted anticoagulation. One hundred forty-four cardiac catheterizations were identified that met inclusion criteria at our institution from 11/2014-10/2019. The median age and weight of the patients were 6.3 [0.01-20.9] years and 19.3 [2.1-172.5] kg, respectively. Seventy-eight (54%) catheterizations involved inpatients. The most common cardiac diagnoses among the cohort were single ventricle (n=41), conotruncal defects (n=37), and structurally normal heart (n=16). The most common indications for anticoagulation were arterial/venous thrombus (n=45), Fontan physiology (n=32), and mechanical valve thrombus prophylaxis (n=27). The anticoagulation medications used were warfarin (n=57), heparin (n=52), enoxaparin (n=25), fondaparinux (n=5), rivaroxaban (n=2), and both heparin and warfarin (n=3). Interventions were performed in 96 cases (67%). The median length of the procedure was 122.5 [15-760] minutes, and the median time to achieve hemostasis was 18.0 [range: 5-76, IQR: 13-25] minutes. Adverse events were present in 11 cases (7.6%), and of those only 2 cases (1.4%) were bleeding related complications. Our single-center data suggests performing cardiac catheterization on pediatric patients while on uninterrupted anticoagulation is safe and does not substantially increase the risk of bleeding complications based on a cohort of patients that varied in age, size, diagnosis, medical complexity, and type of intervention performed. Patients on warfarin therapy for a mechanical valve are most likely to benefit from this practice, as the ability to continue warfarin therapy avoids the need for bridging and other interruption-related complications.
Alkane monooxygenase study by molecular modelling techniques
Authors: Santos Elias Silva , Souza Elias Ramos
Published: March 2022

Biodiesel biodegradation has been a limiting factor for its use as an alternative for petrol diesel. Thanks to low structural complexity, a group of enzymes such as alkane monooxygenase (ladA) can readily degrade several fatty acids, but the understanding of the mechanism of degradation is unclear yet. Then, we combined molecular docking and hybrid molecular dynamics (QM/MM) approaches for the study of ladA. The results showed that the bending of the isoalloxazine ring to the original plan enhanced its electrical coupling with a substrate. The flavin mononucleotide-FMN oxidation yields an activation energy of 74.29 kJ.mol-1, which is necessary to make an oxygen molecule reactive. In addition, the initial activation energy determined for palmitic acid was 59.82 kJ.mol-1 and 64.64 kJ.mol-1 for linoleic acid. The diffusion of oxygen molecules into the active site is controlled by the movement of some residues that compose the tunnel access or by a water bridge.
CompactChain:An Efficient Stateless Chain for UTXO-model Blockchain
Authors: Basireddy Swaroopa Reddy , Tadipathri Udaya Kiran Reddy
Published: March 2022

We propose a stateless blockchain called CompactChain, which com-pacts the entire state of the Unspent Transaction Output (UTXO) based blockchain systems into two RSA accumulators-Transaction Output (TXO) commitment (representing TXO set), and Spent Transaction Output (STXO) commitment (representing STXO set). In this work, we discuss three algorithms-(i) To update the TXO and STXO commitments by the miner along with a valid proof; (ii) To prove the transaction’s validity by providing a membership witness in TXO commitment and non-membership witness against STXO commitment for a coin being spent by a user. The user also updates the witness for the coin that is not yet spent; (iii) Validator verify the above proofs created by the miner and user. The experimental results evaluate the performance of the CompactChain in terms of time consumed by a miner to update the commitments, time consumed by a validator to verify the commitments and validate the transactions. We compare the performance of CompactChain with the existing state-of-art works on stateless blockchains. CompactChain shows a reduction in commitments update complexity and transaction witness size without compromising the system throughput in terms of transactions per second (TPS).
Retinal developmental neurotoxicity of trimethyltin chloride: in terms of excitotoxicity and excitatory amino acid transporters
Authors: Kim Jin , Ryu Bokyeong , Bang Junpil , Kim C-Yoon , Park Jae-Hak
Published: March 2022

Trimethyltin chloride (TMT), which is an organotin compound widely used in the agricultural and industrial fields, is a well-known neurotoxicant. In particular, excitotoxicity is suspected to be an important mechanism underlying TMT toxicity; however, the effect of TMT exposure on the retina during development and the mechanisms have not been fully elucidated to date. Therefore, in this study, we exposed postnatal mice to TMT and performed a comprehensive analysis of the retina in terms of developmental abnormalities, histopathology, apoptosis, electrophysiological function, glutamate concentration, gene expression, and fluorescence immunostaining. Exposure to 0.75 and 1.5 mg/kg of TMT up to postnatal day 14 caused a decrease in body weight and length, delayed eye opening, and induced thinning of the inner nuclear layer of the retina. In addition, apoptosis was observed in the retinal layer along with b-wave changes and a decrease in retinal ganglion cell spiking activity in the micro-electroretinogram. This change was accompanied by an increase in the concentration of glutamate in the retina, upregulation of astrocyte-related genes, and increased expression of excitatory amino acid transporter (EAAT) 1 and 2. Conversely, EAAT 3, 4, and 5, located in the retinal neurons, were decreased, and this was consistent with the immunostaining results. Our results are the first to prove that TMT induces excitotoxicity and changes in EAAT expression in the retina, and this mechanism causes functional as well as morphological retinal developmental toxicity.
Application of Machine-Learning Models in Predicting Transfusion Among Complex Renal Stones Patients Receiving Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy：A Retrospective Study
Authors: Yang Yue , Cao Zhi , Wang Wei , Yang Chenglin , Wang Kaiqiang , Qiu Xiaofu
Published: March 2022

To predict and compare machine-learning models with logistic regression (LR) for transfusion requirement among complex renal stones patients receiving PCNL. The data of 513 patients with complex renal stones receiving PCNL between January 2016 and December 2021 from 2 centers were analyzed retrospectively and reviewed the pre-, intra-, and post-operation factors. We used 80% training set and 20% test set for the predictions of transfusion by LR and machine-learning algorithms, random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), and extreme gradient boosting trees (XGBoost), and compared the prediction accuracies, precisions, and area under curve (AUC) values of receiving operating characteristic (ROC) curves in each model. In our study, the prediction accuracies of RF (Accuracy = 0.974), SVM (Accuracy = 0.968) and XGBoost (Accuracy = 0.968) models all outperformed LR (Accuracy = 0.948), and the precision of RF (Precision = 0.818) was higher than XGBoost (Precision = 0.8), SVM (Precision = 0.8) and LR (Precision = 0.8). Moreover, RF (AUC = 0.962), SVM (AUC = 0.786) and XGBoost (AUC = 0.867) offered higher AUC values than LR (AUC = 0.77). The RF confirmed size of tract, number of tracts, and puncture correctness as significant risk factors, which was the same as LR model, while the size of tract was the main factor in XGBoost. All machine-learning algorithms yielded better predictions than LR for transfusion among PCNL patients. The importance of machine learning algorithm can give matched insights to domain knowledge on effective and influential factors for transfusion requirement.
Application of a Novel Grey Model GM (1, 1, exp×sin, exp×cos) in China's GDP Per Capita Prediction
Authors: Cheng Maolin , Liu Bin
Published: March 2022

In the grey prediction, the GM (1, 1) model is an important type, but it sometimes shows big prediction errors and thus has limitations in applications. To improve the prediction precision of GM (1, 1) model, the paper improves from the following two aspects: (1) to improve the data’s adaptability to the model, the paper transforms the accumulated generating sequence of original time sequence to make the transformed sequence meet the laws presented by the model; (2) because the traditional GM (1, 1) model’s residual sequence generally shows a sine-cosine fluctuating state with a weak tendency, the paper extends the grey action of traditional GM (1, 1) model. The extended grey model is called the GM (1, 1, exp×sin, exp×cos) model. The paper gives the parameter optimization and time response equation of GM (1, 1, exp×sin, exp×cos) model. The traditional optimization method has its limitations, generally requiring the information such as the gradient value of objective function, and shows a slow convergence rate and poor precision. The paper gives a modern intelligent optimization algorithm, i.e. the particle swarm optimization algorithm (PSO), which has strong robustness and a fast convergence rate and can be realized easily and used flexibly. To improve the algorithm’s convergence rate and precision, the paper improves the traditional PSO properly. According to the model and method proposed, the paper builds a GM (1, 1, exp×sin, exp×cos) model for China’s GDP per capita. Results show that the model has high precision.
High-harmonic generation with ultra-low threshold and extraordinary photon flux in CdTe
Authors: Yang Hang , Long Zhe , Tian Kan , He Linzhen , Qin Rui , Chen Zi-Yu , Liang Houkun
Published: March 2022

An ultra-low pump threshold and high photon flux have been long pursuits of high harmonic generation (HHG) in solids, which would benefit various applications such as attosecond generation, ultrafast electron dynamics studies, extreme ultraviolet spectroscopy, and coherent diffraction imaging. Here, we report non-perturbative HHG with extraordinary characteristics from a cadmium telluride (CdTe) bulk crystal exhibiting a flat shape of band dispersion near the Fermi level and high carrier mobility. The measured pump intensity threshold for the 12th and 31st harmonics is only 30 and 75 GW/cm2, respectively, one order of magnitude lower than that of other pristine crystals including two-dimensional materials reported so far. The HHG output grows with the pump intensity up to 4.5 TW/cm2 without saturation. A comparative measurement shows CdTe has two-to-three orders of magnitude stronger HHG than silicon does. This work opens up exciting possibilities for developing compact coherent light sources across the spectrum and attosecond photonics devices.
Shifting settling regimes of aquatic microplastics
Authors: Mendrik Freija , Fernández Roberto , Waller Catherine , Hackney Christopher , Parsons Daniel
Published: March 2022

Rivers are the major conveyor of plastics to the marine environment, but the mechanisms that impact microplastic (< 5mm) transport, and thus govern fate of the material in the environment, are largely unknown. This prevents progress in understanding microplastic dynamics and identifying zones of high accumulation, as well as curtailing the evolution of effective mitigation and policy measures. Using a suite of novel settling experiments here we show, for the first time, how biofilm growth significantly increases settling velocity of a range of microplastics (fragments and fibres) by > 130% and that significant increases can occur in only days. We also demonstrate how these impacts are both polymer and shape specific and that settling regimes also differ according to both salinity and sediment concentrations, which are typical of freshwater-marine boundaries found in estuaries. Our results demonstrate how existing transport formulae are inadequate to capture these impacts and highlight the importance of considering these processes within next generation predictive frameworks to understand and robustly predict the fate and impact of microplastic pollution within aquatic environments.
Decoding Physical and Cognitive Impacts of PM Concentrations at Ultra-fine Scales
Authors: Talebi Shawhin , Lary David , Wijeratne Lakitha , Fernando Bharana , Lary Tatiana , Lary Matthew , Sadler John , Srid Arjun , Waczak John , Aker Adam , Zhang Yichao
Published: March 2022

The human body is an incredible and complex sensing system. Environmental factors trigger a wide range of automatic neurophysiological responses. Biometric sensors can capture these responses in real time, providing clues to the underlying biophysical mechanisms. Here we show biometric variables can be used to accurately estimate ultra-local particulate matter concentrations in the ambient environment with high fidelity (r$^2$ = 0.91) and that smaller particles are better estimated than larger ones. Inferring environmental conditions solely from biometric measurements allows us to disentangle key interactions between the environment and the body. A deeper understanding of these interactions can have countless important applications in public health, preventative healthcare, city planning, human performance, and much more. By tapping into our body's `built-in' sensing abilities, we can gain insights to how our environment influences our physical health and cognitive performance.
Tislelizumab combination with chemotherapy successfully converted unresectable advanced penile cancer into complete surgical excision: a case report and literature review
Authors: Long Xiangyu , Zhang Shuang , Tang Liansha , Li Xiang , Liu Jiyan
Published: March 2022

Background: Locally advanced Penile squamous cell carcinoma (PSCC) with unresectable inguinal lymph nodes has a poor prognosis, and benefits from surgical treatment alone. Effective conversion therapy regimens are urgently needed.Case Presentation: We report a locally advanced PSCC patient with bulky, fixed inguinal lymph node metastasis complicated within genial skin ulcers，who completed inguinal lymph node dissection and achieved pathologically complete response via conversion therapy by immunotherapy plus chemotherapy.Conclusion: For unresectable locally advanced PSCC, neoadjuvant immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy is a potential treatment approach. Biomarkers of immune efficacy need to be explored. At the same time, clinical trials are needed to test the notions.
Türkiye deki Sağlık Turizmi Politikalarının, Sektörel Hedefler Bağlamında Mevcut Durumunun Değerlendirilmesi (Evaluation of the Current Situation of Health Tourism Policies in Turkey in the Context of Sectoral Targets)
Authors: Arı Hakan Oğuz
Published: March 2022

Sağlık turizmi, insanların sağlık nedeni ile bir ülkeden başka bir ülkeye seyahati kavramıdır. İnsanların sağlık turizmi amaçlı seyahat etmelerinin nedenleri tedavilerinin ülkelerinde mevcut olmaması veya çok yüksek maliyetlere sahip olmasıdır. Global ölçekte insanlar bu nedenle sağlık hizmeti arayışı içindedirler. Bu nedenle, sağlık turizmi sektörü giderek artan bir harcama alanı olarak karşımıza çıkmaktadır. Ülkeler de yaklaşık 500 milyar dolar düzeyinde olduğu tahmin edilen bu büyüklükten daha fazla pay almak amacıyla sağlık turizmine özgü hedefler belirlemekte, politikalar geliştirmektedir. Bu çalışmanın amacı, Türkiye’de sağlık turizmi alanında devlet tarafından ortaya konulmuş olan hedefler ile mevcut gerçekleşmelerin karşılaştırılarak sektörel hedeflere ne ölçüde ulaşıldığının ortaya konulmasıdır. Çalışmada nitel araştırma yöntemlerinden doküman inceleme yöntemi kullanılmıştır. Türkiye’de sağlık turizmi ile ilgili konulmuş olan hedefler literatür taraması ile belirlenerek, hedefler ile mevcut durum değerlendirilmiştir. Çalışmada TÜİK ve Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı istatistikleri kullanılarak tespit edilen farklar yazar tarafından ortaya konulmaya çalışılmıştır. Araştırma sonucunda 10. ve 11. Kalkınma Planı ve Termal Turizm Master Planı kapsamında belirlenmiş olan hedeflere ulaşılamadığı tespit edilmiştir. Devlet tarafından belirlenmiş hedeflere ulaşılabilmesi ve sağlık turizminin geliştirilebilmesi için konuyla ilgili politika yapıcılara öneriler sunulmuştur.
UNESCO Gastronomi Şehirleri nin Gastronomi Unsurları ve Gastronomi Kimlikleri (Gastronomic Elements and Gastronomic Identities of UNESCO Gastronomy Cities)
Authors: Duran Gizem , Meydan Uygur Selma
Published: March 2022

Küreselleşmenin bir sonucu olarak sektörler/uluslar ve hatta şehirler arası artan rekabet nedeniyle pazarlama faaliyetleri her alanda çok daha önem kazanmış ve kazanmaya da devam etmektedir. Diğer sektörlerde olduğu gibi küresel alanda yaşanan bu rekabette yer edinebilmek için turizmde de pazarlama faaliyetlerinin etkin şekilde yürütülmesi gerekmektedir. Bu anlamda destinasyonların tanıtılmasında araç olarak kullanılabilecek yeteneklerden bazıları gastronomi unsurları ve gastronomi kimliği olarak nitelendirilebilir. Çalışmanın yöntemini nitel araştırma yöntemlerinde sıklıkla kullanılan doküman analizi oluşturmaktadır. Bu bağlamda ilk olarak, Smith ve Xaio’nun (2008) “Mutfak Turizmi Kaynakları Tipolojisi” modelinden yola çıkılarak UNESCO Gastronomi Şehri olarak Yaratıcı Şehirler Ağı’na Türkiye’den dahil olmuş olan Hatay, Gaziantep ve Afyonkarahisar destinasyonlarının gastronomi unsurları incelenmiştir. İkinci olarak ise bu destinasyonların Harrington’ın (2005) “Gastronomi Kimliği” modelinden yola çıkılarak gastronomi kimlikleri tespit edilmeye çalışılmıştır. Bunun için, öncelikle gastronomik unsurlar ve gastronomi kimliği kavramsal açıdan ele alınmış; sonrasında ilk modele dayalı olarak karşılaştırmalı bir tablo düzenlenmiş ve ikinci modele dayalı olarak gastronomi kimlikleri ortaya konmuştur. Çalışmanın sonuç kısmında ise üç destinasyonun sahip olduğu gastronomi unsurları ve ortaya çıkan gastronomi kimlikleri karşılaştırılmış ve destinasyonlara yönelik öneriler getirilmiştir.
Halal Concept Package Tour Recommendation for Travel Agencies and Tour Operators: Example of Turkey
Authors: Gündüz Cemil
Published: March 2022

This study aims to present a model for halal concept travel agencies operating in Turkey. In this study, data were collected using qualitative research techniques. In addition, corporate web pages of related agencies will be examined. Face to face meetings with tourism academicians, theologians and customers will be held. The data obtained from the interviews will be coded and themes will be created. Halal tourism has become a common concept in recent years. People who adopt a conservative lifestyle want to make their holidays within the framework of their beliefs. Although Halal tourism is the first concept that comes to mind with halal concept, travel agencies have started to create package tours according to the wishes of conservative customers in recent years. However, there is no generally accepted halal package tour standard in this area. As a result of the study, it is envisaged to present a model halal package tour model for travel agencies and academicians. The biggest limitation of this study is that there are not too many halal concept travel agencies in the field of travel.
Engelli Spor Politikaları Kapsamında Paralimpik Oyunlara Bakış (The Overview of Paralympic Games in the Scope of Disabled Sports Policies)
Authors: Karadaş Buse , Çetiner Hakan
Published: March 2022

Bu çalışmanın amacı, Türk Paralimpik Sporcularının, Paralimpik Oyunlara katılım ve başarı göstermesinde engelli spor politikalarının rolünü nitel bir araştırma yöntemi olan doküman analizi ile anlamaya çalışmaktır. Tarihsel süreç içerisinde engelli bireylere toplumun yaklaşımı farklılık göstermiştir. Engelli bireylerin sosyal dışlanmaya maruz kalmasına neden olan bazı yaklaşımlar, engellilerin toplumsal hayata katılmasında ve toplumun bir parçası olarak kabul edilmesindeki asıl engelin “toplum” olduğunun öne sürülmesiyle birlikte, değişikliğe uğrayarak küresel çapta düzenlemeler yapılmaya başlanmıştır. Dünya’da engelli hakları farkındalığının artmasıyla eş zamanlı olarak engelli politikaları Türkiye’de de devlet politikası haline gelmiştir. Spor, toplumsal hayata katılma ve adapte olmada önemli bir araçtır. Engelli bireylerin spor aktivitelerine aktif bir şekilde katılması ve spora teşvik edilmesinde uygulanan spor politikalarının önemli bir yeri bulunmaktadır. Sporun iyileştirici etkisinden faydalanmaları ve spora katılım konusunda Paralimpik Oyunlar özendirici bir rol üstlenmektedir. Spor bu yönüyle rekreasyonel terapinin önemli bir aktivite kaynağı olarak dikkat çekmektedir. Sportif rekreasyon aktiviteleri, engelli bireyleri yalnızca fiziksel açıdan değil sosyal, ruhsal ve duygusal açıdan tam bir iyilik halinde olmalarını amaçlayan terapatik rekreasyonun önemli bir unsurudur. Bu çalışmada Türkiye’nin engelli spor politikaları Paralimpik Oyunlar çerçevesinde ele alınmıştır. Nitel çalışma yöntemlerinden kaynak taramasının kullanıldığı çalışmada güncel veriler incelenerek Paralimpik Oyunlara katılım düzeyi ve kazanılan sportif başarılar incelenmiştir. Elde edilen veriler, Türkiye’nin Engelli spor politikaları geliştirmesi, uygulaması ve devamlılığı sağlamasının Paralimpik Oyunlara katılımı ve Paralimpik Oyunlarda gösterilen başarıyı arttırdığını göstermektedir.
Morphometric parameters of the optic disc and peripapillary retina in children in cases of congenital pathology
Authors: Sudovskaya T. V. , Kogoleva L. V.
Published: March 2022

Purpose: to study the nature of changes in morphological parameters of the children’s optic disc and peripapillary retina in cases of congenital pathology.Material and methods. 45 children aged 5–17 (the median age was 9.5 years) with congenital pathology of the optic disc (optic disc drusen — 15 eyes, myelinated nerve fibers — 10, optic disc coloboma — 10 and hypoplasia — 10 eyes) were tested for morphological parameters of the optic disc — the disc area, the area and volume of the neuroretinal rim and the thickness of retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) — using optical coherence tomography (OCT, SOCT Copernicus HR). The control group included 15 healthy children (15 eyes) of the same age group.Results. The analysis of the mean values of morphometric parameters of the optic disc and peripapillary retina revealed statistically significant changes of morphometric indicators of the optic disc compared to the norm and their specificity for each type of congenital pathology were identified. Children with optic disc drusen showed an increased optic disc area, increased area and volume of the neuroretinal rim, and thicker RNFL. In cases of myelinated nerve fibers, the area of the optic disc and the area and volume of the neuroretinal rim were increased, too: however, the increased thickness of RNFL was observed in only half of the cases. All children with optic disc coloboma showed a reliable increase of optic disc area, reliable drop in neuroretinal rim area and volume, and statistically insignificant increase of RNFL thickness.Conclusion. Morphometric features of the optic disc revealed for individual pathologies (myelinated fibers, drusen, coloboma, hypoplasia) revealed by OCT allow one to predict the development of clinical and functional disturbances in children with congenital optic nerve abnormalities.
The effect of increased preset intraocular pressure level on choroidal blood flow during phacoemulsification
Authors: Takhtaev Yu. V. , Kiseleva T. N. , Shliakman R. B.
Published: March 2022

Purpose: to evaluate blood flow velocity in the posterior short ciliary arteries during phacoemulsification (PE) at different levels of intraocular pressure (IOP).Material and methods. The study included 29 patients aged 62–83 (average 71.2 ± 6.0) with initial-stage age-related cataract. PE was performed using the Alcon Centurion vision system at a preset IOP level of 60 mm Hg. Blood flow velocity was determined three times using an expert-class ultrasound scanner (GE Logiq S8): immediately before surgery (before opening the eyeball), intraoperatively at an IOP level of 58.77 ± 8.28 mm Hg, and after surgery and IOP normalization. Additionally, the IOP level was measured three times (by Icare PRO tonometer). The blood pressure level was monitored by the standard method on the brachial artery using the Dr ger Vista 120 system. The measurement results were compared with the control group which included 20 healthy fellow eyes.Results. A decrease in blood flow velocity was established upon reaching the IOP level of 58.77 ± 8.28 mm Hg. The maximum systolic blood flow velocity in the posterior short ciliary lateral artery decreased from 14.46 ± 2.92 to 11.22 ± 2.55 cm/s, while the final diastolic blood flow fell from 5.11 ± 1.83 to 2.97 ± 1.27 cm/s. The maximum systolic blood flow velocity on the medial side also fell from 12.37 ± 2.74 to 9.50 ± 1.68 cm/s, and the final diastolic velocity fell from 4.54 ± 1.35 to 2.73 ± 0.91 cm/s (p < 0.05).Conclusion. During PE, the IOP level exceeding certain values leads to a decrease in blood flow velocity in the posterior short ciliary arteries. It is important to realize, however, that autoregulatory mechanisms for maintaining stable hemodynamics are limited if IOP levels are increased.
MicroRNA - biomarker of aggressiveness of choroidal melanoma
Authors: Brovkina A. F. , Tsybikova N. D.
Published: March 2022

Almost 50 % of microRNAs (a family of small noncoding RNAs) are associated with the regions of the genome responsible for the development of tumors. These microRNAs play the role of oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes. In 2008, there were reports of the possibility of using microRNA as a predictive biomarker of the metastatic risk of uveal melanoma. Initially, microRNAs were investigated in melanoma samples; later, the possibility of using blood plasma for these purposes was shown.Purpose: to study the character of expression of miRNA- 146a, miRNA-155, miRNA-223, miRNA-126, miRNA-27b in the blood plasma of patients with choroidal melanoma (CM) and determine their significance in predicting possible hematogenous metastases.

Material and methods. The study included 84 patients with CM aged 35–86 (ave 63.4 ± 1.2 yrs). The thickness of the CM varied in the range of 0.77–17.19 mm (ave 7.21 ± 0.43 mm). The control group consisted of 28 volunteers aged 45-78 (62.90 ± 1.42 yrs). MicroRNA expression levels were determined by quantitative PCR.Results. An increase in the expression level of miRNA-155, miRNA-146a, miRNA-126, miRNA-223, and miRNA-27b in blood plasma in all 84 patients with CM was revealed.Conclusion. The study of miRNA levels (miRNA-146, miRNA-155, miRNA-223, miRNA-126 and miRNA-27b) in the blood plasma of patients with CM can be used both to confirm the diagnosis of CM in difficult diagnostic cases and to determine the aggressiveness of the course tumor and prediction of metastasis.
Exergy Analysis of a Double-Stage Organic Rankine Cycle Using Renewable Energy
Authors: KAPLAN Ahmet , ÖZBEK Arif
Published: March 2022

Engineering Equation Solver program (EES). For certain temperature limits in the first and second stages (S-I and S-II) R245fa + R245fa was used as refrigerant pair. This study aims to determine the effect of working temperature on system efficiency, exergy efficiency and the most suitable working temperature. The results showed that at 425K, 14.11kW exergy destruction is obtained in Pump-1 higher than other components. The smallest exergy destruction is 0.133kW is observed in Turbine-2 at 400K temperature. The

highest thermal and exergy efficiencies of the whole system were obtained at 400K temperature as 8.85% and 48.55%, respectively.
Comparative Safety Analyses of Slope-Shallow Foundation Interaction under Static and Dynamic Loading Conditions
Authors: AKBAY ARAMA Zülal , DALYAN İlknur , AKIN Muhammed Selahaddin
Published: March 2022

This study is focused on the safety analysis of the shallow foundations located on cohesive homogenous slopes that has different shear strength characteristics. Static and dynamic analyses have been conducted with a well-known commercial finite element logic-based two dimensional numerical software. Dynamic analyses are performed with regard to the consideration of the Samos-İzmir earth-quake that happened in
30 October 2020. The change of the slope geometry depending on the differentiation of the slope height and inclination is also considered. The interaction between the slope-shallow foundation is investigated regarding different relative distances of the foundation from the slope edge and considering various loading magnitudes for the foundation. The results of the analyses are evaluated in terms of the factor of safety values to interpret the degree of the effects of foreseen variants on the integrated system stability.
Piezoelektrik Levha Viskoz Akışkan ve Rijit Duvardan Oluşan Sistemin Zorlanmış Titreşimine Akışkan Özelliklerinin Etkisi
Authors: EKİCİOĞLU KÜZECİ Zeynep
Published: March 2022

Bu çalışmada piezoelektrik plak, viskoz akışkan ve rijit duvardan oluşan bir sisteme, harmonik bir mekanik kuvvet uygulandığında ortaya çıkan titreşime viskoz akışkan özelliklerinin etkisi incelenmiştir. Plağın hareketi, doğrusallaştırılmış elektro-elastisite teorisinin kesin denklemleri ile ifade edilmiştir. Akışkan akımı ise doğrusallaştırılmış Navier-Stokes denklemleri ile yazılmıştır. Plakta düzlem şekil değiştirme durumunun olduğu, akışkanın ise düzlemsel akış yaptığı varsayılmıştır. Problemin matematiksel formülasyonunu ifade eden denklemlere, sınır ve uygunluk koşullarına, plağın uzunluğu yönündeki koordinata göre Fourier dönüşümü uygulanmıştır. Ters Fourier dönüşümü ise sayısal olarak hesaplanmıştır. İncelenen hidro-piezoelektrik sistem farklı akışkanlar için ele alınmış ve akışkanın özelliklerinin, plak ve akışkan ara yüzeyindeki basınç değeri üzerindeki etkisi araştırılmıştır. Sonuçlar tartışılmış ve akışkanın viskozitesinin artmasının, ara yüzeydeki basıncı mutlak değerce arttırdığı gözlemlenmiştir. Bu araştırmanın, özellikle farklı mühendislik alanlarında yapılan enerji hasadı

çalışmalarına katkıda bulunması amaçlanmıştır.
Fonksiyonel Derecelenmiş Malzeme ve Değişken Kesitli Silindirik Olmayan Helisel Çubukların Titreşimi
Authors: CUMA Yavuz Çetin , ÇALIM Faruk Fırat
Published: March 2022

Bu çalışmada fonksiyonel derecelenmiş malzemeli değişken kesite sahip silindirik olmayan helisel çubukların serbest titreşimi incelenmiştir. Malzeme ve kesit değişiminin çubuk ekseni boyunca olduğu varsayımı kullanılmıştır. Eksenel ve kayma deformasyonlarını içeren çubuğun serbest titreşimini idare eden diferansiyel denklemler Timoshenko kiriş teorisi kullanılarak elde edilmiştir. Ardından taşıma matrisi ve rijitlik matrisi yöntemleri bir arada kullanılarak diferansiyel denklemler sayısal olarak çözülmüştür. Malzeme değişim parametresi (βmat), kesit değişim parametresi (βsec) silindirin kenar ve orta kısımlarının yarıçap oranının R2⁄R1 hiperbol ve varil tipi geometriye sahip silindirik olmayan helisel çubukların serbest titreşimine etkisi araştırılmıştır. Literatürde bulunan örnek ve ANSYS paket programı kullanılarak elde edilen sonuçlar karşılaştırılmalı olarak verilmiştir.