bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Interstitial pneumonia with autoimmune features: challenges and controversies
Authors: Mackintosh John A. , Wells Athol U. , Cottin Vincent , Nicholson Andrew G. , Renzoni Elisabetta A.
Published: December 2021

The presence of clinical, serological and/or radiological features suggestive, but not confirmatory, of a defined connective tissue disease in patients with interstitial lung disease is a relatively frequent occurrence. In 2015, the European Respiratory Society and the American Thoracic Society proposed classification criteria for the interstitial pneumonia with autoimmune features (IPAF) research entity to capture such patients in a standardised manner, with the intention of nurturing clinical research. This initiative resulted in the publication of several series of IPAF patients, with significant variation between cohorts in clinical characteristics, outcome and the application of IPAF criteria in patient selection. From this increasing body of published work, it has become apparent that revision of IPAF criteria is now required in order to justify the eventual designation of IPAF as a standalone diagnostic term, as opposed to a provisional entity put forward as a basis for clinical research. This review covers the current state of IPAF, conclusions that can and cannot be drawn from the IPAF evidence base, and ongoing uncertainties that require further expert group consideration.
Preliminary findings on the experiences of care for parents who suffered perinatal bereavement during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Silverio Sergio A. , Easter Abigail , Storey Claire , Jurković Davor , Sandall Jane ,   on behalf of the PUDDLES Global Collaboration
Published: December 2021

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic poses an unprecedented risk to the global population. Maternity care in the UK was subject to many iterations of guidance on how best to reconfigure services to keep women, their families and babies, and healthcare professionals safe. Parents who experience a pregnancy loss or perinatal death require particular care and support. PUDDLES is an international collaboration investigating the experiences of recently bereaved parents who suffered a late miscarriage, stillbirth, or neonatal death during the global COVID-19 pandemic, in seven countries. In this study, we aim to present early findings from qualitative work undertaken with recently bereaved parents in the United Kingdom about how access to healthcare and support services was negotiated during the pandemic.

Methods

In-depth semi-structured interviews were undertaken with parents (N = 24) who had suffered a late miscarriage (n = 5; all mothers), stillbirth (n = 16; 13 mothers, 1 father, 1 joint interview involving both parents), or neonatal death (n = 3; all mothers). Data were analysed using a template analysis with the aim of investigating bereaved parents’ access to services, care, and networks of support, during the pandemic after their bereavement.

Results

All parents had experience of utilising reconfigured maternity and/or neonatal, and bereavement care services during the pandemic. The themes utilised in the template analysis were: 1) The Shock & Confusion Associated with Necessary Restrictions to Daily Life; 2) Fragmented Care and Far Away Families; 3) Keeping Safe by Staying Away; and 4) Impersonal Care and Support Through a Screen. Results suggest access to maternity, neonatal, and bereavement care services were all significantly reduced, and parents’ experiences were notably affected by service reconfigurations.

Conclusions

Our findings, whilst preliminary, are important to document now, to help inform care and service provision as the pandemic continues and to provide learning for ongoing and future health system shocks. We draw conclusions on how to enable development of safe and appropriate services during this pandemic and any future health crises, to best support parents who experience a pregnancy loss or whose babies die.
Feasibility of single position laparoscopic radical nephrectomy and tumor thrombectomy for left renal cell carcinoma with high-risk Mayo grade 0 and 1 tumor thrombus
Authors: Keranmu Adili , Wang Mingshuai , Li Yajian , Yang Feiya , Wahafu Wasilijiang , Chen Dong , Liang Jing , Guan Kaopeng , Xing Nianzeng
Published: December 2021

Background

To explore the feasibility of single-position laparoscopic radical nephrectomy (LRN) and tumor thrombectomy for left renal cell carcinoma with high-risk Mayo 0 and 1 tumor thrombus (TT).

Methods

All patients with left renal cell carcinoma and venous TT (high-risk Mayo grade 0 and 1) who were performed single-position LRN and tumor thrombectomy were involved. After the renal artery was controlled by Hem-o-lok, the left renal vein was dissected through descending colon mesentery. The left renal vein was divided by EndoGIA for high-risk Mayo grade 0 TT. For Mayo grade 1 TT, part of the inferior vena cava was blocked by a bulldog clamp after milking the TT into the left renal vein and the inferior vena cava was sutured after complete excision of the TT.

Results

3 patients were involved and operations were performed successfully without conversion to open surgery. The mean operation time was 136 min and the mean estimated blood loss was 60 mL. No postoperative complications occurred.

Conclusions

It is feasible to control left renal vein and partial inferior vena cava through descending colon mesentery in a single position during LRN and tumor thrombectomy for the treatment of high-risk Mayo grade 0 and 1 TT.
Inferior vena cava diameter and collapsibility index as a marker of fluid status in regular hemodialysis patients
Authors: Hafiz Mohamed Abd El Hamid , Mohamed Emad Allam , Mohamed Mohamed Abo El Naga , Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed El Sayed
Published: December 2021

Background

Patients with renal failure suffer from fluid overload which is a risk factor for mortality and morbidity. Therefore, fluid status assessment in patients on regular hemodialysis is very important. Dry weight assessment by clinical parameters is not always reliable. We evaluate the role of inferior vena cava ultrasound in estimating fluid overload in regular hemodialysis patients.

Results

A total of 45 persons, 30 end-stage renal disease patients on regular hemodialysis in group A (18 men and 12 women) and 15 healthy persons in group B (10 men and 5 women), were included in the study. The patients in group A ages ranged from 29 to 70 years with a mean of 48.38 ± 12.70 years and in group B ages ranged from 25 to 55 years with a mean of 34.93 ± 8.26. By clinical methods, the mean dry weight was 68.37 kg (68.37 ± 10.42). After HD mean, IVCe decreased from 2.01 ± 0.29 to 1.79 ± 0.22 cm (P < 0.001) similarly, mean IVCi decreased from 0.99 ± 0.48 to 0.64 ± 0.39 cm (P < 0.001). Changes in IVCD were significantly correlated with alterations in body weight following dialysis (P < 0.001). The IVC-CI increased significantly after dialysis (P < 0.001). IVCD and its IVC-CI reflected alterations in fluid status (P < 0.001). Considering the clinical parameters of fluid status, following HD mean, heart rate increased from 81.80 ± 5.15 beats per minute to 89.87 ± 6.42, (P < 0.001), systolic blood pressure decreased from 130 ± 18.43 mmHg to 113.33 ± 15.27 (P < 0.001), and diastolic blood pressure decreased from 80.17 ± 10.12 mmHg to 71.50 ± 9.29 (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

It was found a significant correlation between IVCD and IVC-CI with ultrafiltration of hemodialysis. Thus, IVC ultrasound can be used in dry weight assessment in ESRD patients on regular HD by measurement of IVCD and IVC-CI before and after hemodialysis.
An explicit method to calculate implicit spatial finite differences
Authors: Liu Hongwei , Luo Yi
Published: December 2021

The finite-difference (FD) solution of the second-order acoustic wave equation is a fundamental algorithm in seismic exploration for seismic forward modeling, imaging, and inversion. Unlike the standard explicit FD (EFD) methods that usually suffer from the so-called “saturation effect,” the implicit FD methods can obtain much higher accuracy with relatively short operator length. Unfortunately, these implicit methods are not widely used because band matrices need to be solved implicitly, which is not suitable for most high-performance computer architectures. We have introduced an explicit method to overcome this limitation by applying explicit causal and anticausal integrations. We can prove that the explicit solution is equivalent to the traditional implicit lower-upper-decomposition method in analytical and numerical ways. In addition, we also compare the accuracy of the new methods with the traditional EFD methods up to 32nd order, and numerical results indicate that the new method is more accurate. In terms of the computational cost, the newly proposed method is standard eighth-order EFD plus two causal and anticausal integrations, which can be applied recursively, and no extra memory is needed. In summary, compared with the standard EFD methods, the new method has a spectral-like accuracy; compared with the traditional lower-upper-decomposition implicit methods, the new method is explicit. It is more suitable for high-performance computing without losing any accuracy.
Near-surface imaging from traffic-induced surface waves with dense linear arrays: An application in the urban area of Hangzhou, China
Authors: Mi Binbin , Xia Jianghai , Tian Gang , Shi Zhanjie , Xing Huaixue , Chang Xiaojun , Xi Chaoqiang , Liu Ya , Ning Ling , Dai Tianyu , Pang Jingyin , Chen Xinhua , Zhou Changjiang , Zhang Hongyu
Published: December 2021

Accurate understanding of near-surface structures of the solid earth is challenging, especially in urban areas where active source seismic surveys are constrained and difficult to perform. The analysis of anthropogenic seismic noise provides an alternative way to image the shallow subsurface in urban environments. We have developed an application of using traffic noise with seismic interferometry to investigate near-surface structures in Hangzhou City, Eastern China. Noise data were recorded by dense linear arrays with approximately 5 m spacing deployed along two crossing roads. We analyze the characteristics of traffic-induced noise using 36 h continuous recordings. Coherent Rayleigh surface waves between 2 and 20 Hz are retrieved based on crosscorrelations within 1 h time windows. Robust phase-velocity dispersion curves are extracted from virtual shot gathers using multichannel analysis of surface waves and coincide with the results from active seismic data, noise beamforming analysis, and measurements with the spatial autocorrelation method. S-wave velocity profiles are derived for the top 100 m of the subsurface at the array locations. The estimated S-wave velocities from traffic noise correspond to the velocities estimated from logging data. The 2D S-wave velocity maps reveal different soil deposits and bedrock structures in the estuarine sedimentary area. The results demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of delineating near-surface structures from traffic-induced noise, which has great potential for monitoring subsurface changes in urban areas.
Bayesian subsampling of time-domain electromagnetic data using kernel density product
Authors: Li Hai , Xue Guoqiang , Chen Wen
Published: December 2021

The Bayesian method is a powerful tool to estimate the resistivity distribution and associated uncertainty from time-domain electromagnetic (TDEM) data. Because the forward simulation of the TDEM method is computationally expensive and a large number of samples are needed to globally explore the model space, the full Bayesian inversion of the TDEM data is limited to layered models. To make the high-dimensional Bayesian inversion tractable, we have adopted a divide-and-conquer strategy to speed up the Bayesian inversion of TDEM data. First, the full data sets and model spaces are divided into disjoint batches based on the coverage of the sources so that the independent and highly efficient Bayesian subsampling can be conducted. Then, the samples from each subsampling procedure are combined to get the full posterior. To obtain an asymptotically unbiased approximation to the full posterior, a kernel density product method is used to reintegrate samples from each subposterior. The model parameters and their uncertainty are estimated from the full posterior. Our method is tested on synthetic examples and applied to a field data set acquired with a large fixed-loop configuration. The 2D section from the Bayesian inversion revealed several mineralized zones, one of which matches well with the information from a nearby drillhole. The field example indicates the ability of the Bayesian inversion to infer reliable resistivity and uncertainty.
Adjuvant Therapy for Stage II Colon Cancer: ASCO Guideline Update
Authors: Baxter Nancy N. , Kennedy Erin B. , Bergsland Emily , Berlin Jordan , George Thomas J. , Gill Sharlene , Gold Philip J. , Hantel Alex , Jones Lee , Lieu Christopher , Mahmoud Najjia , Morris Arden M. , Ruiz-Garcia Erika , You Y. Nancy , Meyerhardt Jeffrey A.
Published: December 2021

PURPOSE

To develop recommendations for adjuvant therapy for patients with resected stage II colon cancer.

METHODS

ASCO convened an Expert Panel to conduct a systematic review of relevant studies and develop recommendations for clinical practice.

RESULTS

Twenty-one observational studies and six randomized controlled trials met the systematic review inclusion criteria.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) is not routinely recommended for patients with stage II colon cancer who are not in a high-risk subgroup. Patients with T4 tumors are at higher risk of recurrence and should be offered ACT, whereas patients with other high-risk factors, including sampling of fewer than 12 lymph nodes in the surgical specimen, perineural or lymphovascular invasion, poorly or undifferentiated tumor grade, intestinal obstruction, tumor perforation, or grade BD3 tumor budding, may be offered ACT. The addition of oxaliplatin to fluoropyrimidine-based ACT is not routinely recommended, but may be offered as a result of shared decision making. Patients with mismatch repair deficiency/microsatellite instability tumors should not be routinely offered ACT; if the combination of mismatch repair deficiency/microsatellite instability and high-risk factors results in a decision to offer ACT, oxaliplatin-containing chemotherapy is recommended. Duration of oxaliplatin-containing chemotherapy is also addressed, with recommendations for 3 or 6 months of treatment with capecitabine and oxaliplatin or fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin, with decision making informed by key evidence of 5-year disease-free survival in each treatment subgroup and the rate of adverse events, including peripheral neuropathy. Additional information is available at www.asco.org/gastrointestinal-cancer-guidelines .
Germline Sequencing Improves Tumor-Only Sequencing Interpretation in a Precision Genomic Study of Patients With Pediatric Solid Tumor
Authors: Schienda Jaclyn , Church Alanna J. , Corson Laura B. , Decker Brennan , Clinton Catherine M. , Manning Danielle K. , Imamovic-Tuco Alma , Reidy Deirdre , Strand Gianna R. , Applebaum Mark A. , Bagatell Rochelle , DuBois Steven G. , Glade-Bender Julia L. , Kang Wenjun , Kim AeRang , Laetsch Theodore W. , Macy Margaret E. , Maese Luke , Pinto Navin , Sabnis Amit J. , Schiffman Joshua D. , Colace Susan I. , Volchenboum Samuel L. , Weiser Daniel A. , Nowak Jonathan A. , Lindeman Neal I. , Janeway Katherine A. , Crompton Brian D. , Kamihara Junne
Published: December 2021

PURPOSE

Molecular tumor profiling is becoming a routine part of clinical cancer care, typically involving tumor-only panel testing without matched germline. We hypothesized that integrated germline sequencing could improve clinical interpretation and enhance the identification of germline variants with significant hereditary risks.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Tumors from pediatric patients with high-risk, extracranial solid malignancies were sequenced with a targeted panel of cancer-associated genes. Later, germline DNA was analyzed for a subset of these genes. We performed a post hoc analysis to identify how an integrated analysis of tumor and germline data would improve clinical interpretation.

RESULTS

One hundred sixty participants with both tumor-only and germline sequencing reports were eligible for this analysis. Germline sequencing identified 38 pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants among 35 (22%) patients. Twenty-five (66%) of these were included in the tumor sequencing report. The remaining germline pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants were single-nucleotide variants filtered out of tumor-only analysis because of population frequency or copy-number variation masked by additional copy-number changes in the tumor. In tumor-only sequencing, 308 of 434 (71%) single-nucleotide variants reported were present in the germline, including 31% with suggested clinical utility. Finally, we provide further evidence that the variant allele fraction from tumor-only sequencing is insufficient to differentiate somatic from germline events.

CONCLUSION

A paired approach to analyzing tumor and germline sequencing data would be expected to improve the efficiency and accuracy of distinguishing somatic mutations and germline variants, thereby facilitating the process of variant curation and therapeutic interpretation for somatic reports, as well as the identification of variants associated with germline cancer predisposition.
Current Iodine Status in Japan: A Cross-sectional Nationwide Survey of Schoolchildren, 2014-2019
Authors: Fuse Yozen , Ito Yoshiya , Shishiba Yoshimasa , Irie Minoru
Published: December 2021

Context

Japan has been regarded as a long-standing iodine-sufficient country without iodine fortification; however, data on nationwide iodine status are lacking.

Objective

This study aimed to characterize the iodine status in Japan.

Methods

From 2014 through 2019, a nationwide school-based survey was conducted across all districts in Japan. Urinary iodine concentration (UIC), creatinine (Cr) concentration, and anthropometry were assessed in healthy school-aged children (SAC) aged 6 to 12 years. Their iodine status is regarded as generally representative of the nation’s iodine status.

Results

A total of 32 025 children participated. The overall median UIC was 269 μg/L, which was within the World Health Organization’s adequacy range. There was a regional difference in UIC values within 14 regions, and the lowest and highest median UICs were found in Tanegashima Island (209 μg/L) and Nakashibetsu, Hokkaido (1071 μg/L), respectively. The median UIC ≥ 300 μg/L was observed in 12 of 46 regions. By using estimated 24-hour urinary iodine excretion (UIE), the prevalence of SAC exceeding the upper tolerable limit of iodine for Japanese children was from 5.2% to 13.7%. The UIC values did not change with age, body surface area and body mass index percentile, whereas the Cr concentration simultaneously increased suggesting the effect of urinary creatinine on UI/Cr and estimated 24-hour UIE values.

Conclusions

The iodine intake of Japanese people is adequate, but in some areas it is excessive. The incidence and prevalence of thyroid disorders associated with iodine intake should be obtained, especially in the areas where high amounts of iodine are consumed.
Incidence and Risk Factors of Mechanical Complications After Posterior-Based Osteotomies for Correction of Moderate to Severe Adult Cervical Deformity: 1-Year and 2-Year Follow-up
Authors: Lau Darryl , Joshi Rushikesh S. , Haddad Alexander F. , Deviren Vedat , Ames Christopher P.
Published: December 2021

BACKGROUND:

Rigid cervical deformity (CD) requires multilevel and/or high-grade osteotomies and long-construct fusions to achieve adequate correction. The incidence of mechanical complications (MCs) remains incompletely studied.

OBJECTIVE:

To define the incidence and risk factors for MC.

METHODS:

A retrospective review of consecutive patients with CD who underwent correction from 2010 to 2018 was performed. Inclusion criteria were cervical kyphosis >20° and/or cervical sagittal vertical axis (cSVA) >4 cm. MCs (junctional kyphosis/failure, pseudarthrosis, and implant failure) and reoperation at 1 and 2 yr were examined.

RESULTS:

Eighty-three patients were included. The mean age was 63.4 yr, and 61.0% were female. Fifty-three percent underwent 3-column osteotomies. After surgery, cervical parameters were significantly improved: cSVA (6.2 vs 3.8 cm, P < .001), cervical lordosis (6.3 vs −8.3°, P < .001), cervical scoliosis (CS) (6.5 vs 2.2°, P < .001), and T1 slope (41.7 vs 36.3°, P = .007). The MC rate was 28.9%: junctional (18.1%), implant (16.9%), and pseudarthrosis (10.8%). MC rates at 1 and 2 yr were 14.5% and 25.5%, respectively: junctional (9.6% and 17.6%), implant (9.6% and 17.6%), and pseudarthrosis (2.4% and 7.8%). The overall reoperation rate was 24.1%: 14.5% at 1 yr and 19.6% at 2 yr. Body mass index (BMI) (P = .015) and preoperative CS (P = .040) were independently associated with higher odds of MC. Receiver operating characteristic curves defined CS >5° to be the threshold of risk for MCs and reoperation.

CONCLUSION:

Correction of CD is effective by posterior-based osteotomes, but MCs are relatively high at 1 and 2 yr. BMI >30 and preoperative CS >5° predispose patients for MC and reoperation.
Feasibility of Magnetic Resonance–Guided Focused Ultrasound Thalamotomy for Essential Tremor in the Setting of Prior Craniotomy
Authors: Wathen Connor , Yang Andrew I. , Hitti Frederick L. , Henry Lenora , Chaibainou Hanane , Baltuch Gordon H.
Published: December 2021

BACKGROUND:

Magnetic resonance imaging–guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) thalamotomy is a rapidly evolving therapy for the treatment of essential tremor. Although the skull is a major determinant of the delivery of acoustic energy to the target, how the presence of a prior craniotomy must be accounted for during lesioning is unclear.

OBJECTIVE:

To demonstrate novel application of this therapeutic option in a patient with a history of prior craniotomies for unrelated intracranial pathologies.

METHODS:

A 55-yr-old man with a history of right frontal craniotomy for resection of a colloid cyst underwent a left ventrointermedius nucleus thalamotomy through MRgFUS. The prior craniotomy flap was not excluded in the treatment plan; however, all bony defects and hardware were marked as “no-pass” regions. Clinical outcomes were collected at the 6-mo follow-up.

RESULTS:

Transducer elements whose acoustic paths would have been altered by the craniotomy defect were turned off. Sonications reaching lesional temperatures of up to 56°C were successfully delivered. The procedure was well-tolerated, without any persistent intra-ablation or postablation adverse effects. The presence of a lesion was confirmed on MRI, which was associated with a significant reduction in the patient's tremor that was sustained at the 6-mo follow-up.

CONCLUSION:

This case demonstrates the safety and efficacy of MRgFUS thalamotomy in a patient with prior craniotomies and highlights our strategy for acoustic lesioning in this setting.
2-(4-Nitrophenyl)-1H-indolyl-3-methyl Chromophore: A Versatile Photocage that Responds to Visible-light One-photon and Near-infrared-light Two-photon Excitations
Authors: Lin Qianghua , Guo Runzhao , Hamao Kozue , Takagi Ryukichi , Abe Manabu
Published: December 2021

Due to cell damage caused by UV light, photoremovable protecting groups (PPGs) that are removed using visible or near-infrared light are attracting attention. A 2-(4-nitrophenyl)-1H-indolyl-3-methyl chromophore (NPIM) was synthesized as a novel PPG. Various compounds were caged using this PPG and uncaged using visible or near-infrared light. Low cytotoxicity of NPIM indicates that it may be applied in physiological studies.
β-Hydroxy-β-Methylbutyrate Supplementation May Not Enhance Additional Effects of Exercise on Muscle Quality in Older Women
Authors: Osuka Yosuke , Kojima Narumi , Nishihara Ken , Sasai Hiroyuki , Wakaba Kyohsuke , Tanaka Kiyoji , Kim Hunkyung
Published: December 2021

Purpose

The combined treatment effects of nutritional supplementation and exercise on muscle quality (MQ) remain unexamined in individuals at risk for sarcopenia. This secondary analysis aimed to test whether β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) supplementation enhances the effects of resistance training (RT) on MQ in older women with low muscle mass.

Methods

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, two-by-two factorial design trial was conducted at the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology. Women age 65–79 yr with a skeletal muscle mass index of <5.7 kg·m−2 were randomly allocated to one of four arms (RT + HMB, RT + placebo, education + HMB, and education + placebo). Participants attended supervised RT sessions twice weekly or education programs every 2 wk and were provided calcium-HMB (1500 mg) or placebo supplements once daily for 12 wk. The main outcomes were changes in functional MQ, assessed by knee extension strength per quadriceps thickness, and compositional MQ, assessed by the echo intensity of the rectus femoris muscle.

Results

Overall, 156 and 149 participants completed baseline and follow-up assessments, respectively. Two-factorial analysis of variance showed no significant interaction of HMB supplementation with RT in terms of functional or compositional MQ. Main-effects analyses revealed that the decline in functional MQ of the group performing RT was smaller by 0.71 N·mm−1 (95% confidence interval, 0.11–1.31) compared with that in the education group. No significant main effects of RT or HMB supplementation on compositional MQ were observed.

Conclusions

HMB supplementation did not enhance the treatment effects of RT for either MQ parameter; however, RT reduced the decline in functional MQ. Thus, adding HMB supplementation to RT is not significantly useful for improving MQ in this population.
Exercise Training Improves Mitochondrial Bioenergetics of Natural Killer Cells
Authors: LIN MING-LU , HSU CHIH-CHIN , FU TIEH-CHENG , LIN YU-TING , HUANG YU-CHIEH , WANG JONG-SHYAN
Published: December 2021

Introduction

Mitochondrial bioenergetics is critical for immune function in natural killer (NK) cell. Physical exercise modulates NK cell functionality, depending on the intensity and type of exercise. This study elucidates how interval and continuous exercise regimens affect the phenotypes and mitochondrial bioenergetics of NK cells.

Methods

Sixty healthy sedentary males were randomly assigned to engage in either high-intensity interval training (HIIT, 3-min intervals at 80% and 40% maximal O2, n = 20; age, 22.2 yr; body mass index [BMI], 24.3 kg·m−2) or moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT, sustained 60% maximal O2, n = 20; age, 22.3 yr; BMI, 23.3 kg·m−2) for 30 min·d−1, 5 d·wk−1 for 6 wk or were assigned to a control group that did not receive exercise intervention (n = 20; age, 22.6 yr; BMI, 24.0 kg·m−2). Natural killer cell phenotypes, granule proteins, and mitochondrial oxidative stress/oxidative phosphorylation after graded exercise test (GXT) were measured before and after the various interventions.

Results

Before the intervention, the GXT increased the mobilization of CD57+NK cells into the blood and elevated mitochondrial matrix oxidant burden (MOB) in NK cells, Following the 6 wk of interventions, both HIIT and MICT (i) diminished mobilization of CD57+NK cells into the blood and depressed mitochondrial MOB level in NK cells immediately after GXT, (ii) increased mitochondrial membrane potential and cellular perforin and granzyme B levels in NK cells, and (iii) enhanced the maximal and reserve O2 consumption rates and heightened bioenergetic health index in NK cells. In addition, HIIT increased maximal work rate than those of MICT.

Conclusions

Either HIIT or MICT increases the expressions of cytotoxic granule proteins and depresses mitochondrial MOB elevated by GXT, along with improving mitochondrial bioenergetic functionality in NK cells. Moreover, HIIT is superior to MICT in improving aerobic capacity.
Interventions for Improving Body Composition in Men with Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis
Authors: LOPEZ PEDRO , NEWTON ROBERT U. , TAAFFE DENNIS R. , SINGH FAVIL , LYONS-WALL PHILIPPA , BUFFART LAURIEN M. , TANG COLIN , HAYNE DICKON , GALVÃO DANIEL A.
Published: December 2021

Purpose

To perform a systematic review and network meta-analysis to investigate the most effective intervention for improving body composition outcomes in prostate cancer patients during or after treatment.

Methods

A systematic search was undertaken in multiple databases from inception to December 2020. Randomized clinical trials examining the effects of exercise/physical activity and/or nutrition interventions on body composition and body weight measures in prostate cancer patients were included. The primary endpoints were both whole-body and regional fat mass and lean mass measures, with body weight and BMI as secondary outcomes. A frequentist random-effects network meta-analysis was undertaken to examine the clustering effect of intervention modalities or control groups on the outcomes of interest. The study protocol is publicly available on PROSPERO (CRD42020202339).

Results

Fifty articles describing 47 trials (n = 3207) were included. Resistance training and combined resistance and aerobic exercise were the most effective interventions to reduce body fat percentage (−0.9%; 95% confidence interval [CI], −1.4% to −0.3%) and fat mass (−0.5 kg; 95% CI, −0.9 to −0.1 kg), respectively. For whole-body and regional lean mass, combined resistance and aerobic exercise + healthy diet (0.6 kg; 95% CI, 0.1 to 1.0 kg) and resistance training alone (0.7 kg, 95% CI: 0.4 to 1.0 kg) were the best intervention, respectively. A low-fat diet was the most effective for reducing body weight immediately after or at follow-up, while no intervention promoted significant reductions in BMI.

Conclusions

These results indicate that a resistance-based exercise program alone or combined with a general healthy diet are the most effective interventions for improving overall body composition in men with prostate cancer.
Stepper-Based Training Improves Monocyte–Platelet Aggregation and Thrombin Generation in Nonambulatory Hemiplegic Patients
Authors: HUANG SHU-CHUN , HSU CHIH-CHIN , FU TIEH-CHENG , CHEN CARL P. C. , LIAO MING-FENG , HSU CHIEN-YA , WANG JONG-SHYAN
Published: December 2021

Purpose

Nonambulatory stroke patients are extremely sedentary, but most available data concerning exercise training in stroke patients are related to ambulatory patients. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of stepper-based exercise training on cardiopulmonary fitness, monocyte subtypes, and associated monocyte–platelet aggregates (MPA) and thrombin generation (TrG) in nonambulatory hemiplegic patients with ischemic stroke.

Method

Thirty-eight patients were randomized into exercise training (ET, n = 20) and usual care (UC, n = 18) groups. The ET underwent supervised exercise training (60% peak work rate) using a recumbent stepper for two to four sessions per week and 36 sessions in total. In addition, 12 healthy participants were enrolled as healthy controls. Monocyte characteristics, MPA, and plasma TrG kinetics were determined before and after intervention by flow cytometry and calibrated automated thrombogram® (CAT).

Results

Seventeen and 15 patients completed the protocol in the ET and UC groups. Peak V̇O2 improved in ET (15.7 ± 4.8 vs 18.9 ± 5.3 mL·min−1·kg−1, +20%), so did the phase angle of the hemiplegic limbs. The counts of total MPA and MPA associated with three monocyte subtypes, alongside CD42b expression all declined in ET with subtypes 2 and 1 being the most prominent. Macrophage inflammatory protein 1β (MIP-1 β) level also declined. The TrG kinetics was attenuated after ET by delaying initiation and reducing the rising slope and peak of thrombin production. In UC, no difference was revealed in the pre–post comparison.

Conclusions

Stepper-based ET is feasible in nonambulatory hemiplegic patients and is effective in improving aerobic fitness. Moreover, it decreases heteroaggregation of monocytes with platelets, especially in monocyte subtypes 2 and 1. Thrombin generation was also attenuated. Hence, stepper-based ET may be incorporated in the rehabilitation of nonambulatory hemiplegic patients.
Predicting Noncontact Lower Limb Injury Using Lumbar Morphology in Professional Australian Football and Rugby League Players
Authors: HAJEK MARTIN , WILLIAMS MORGAN D. , BOURNE MATTHEW N. , ROBERTS LLION A. , MORRIS NORMAN R. , SHIELD ANTHONY J. , MINGIN CASSANDRA V. , HEADRICK JONATHON , DUHIG STEVEN J.
Published: December 2021

Introduction

Noncontact lower limb injuries are common within the Australian Football League (AFL) and National Rugby League (NRL). Smaller (<8.5 cm2) lumbar multifidus at the fifth vertebra (LM L5) and larger (>8.2 cm2) quadratus lumborum (QL) cross-sectional area (CSA) have been associated with increased noncontact lower limb injury risk in AFL players. These associations have not been explored in an NRL cohort. This study will attempt to replicate previous research findings by confirming that muscle morphology is associated with noncontact lower limb injury.

Methods

AFL (n = 87) and NRL (n = 151) players underwent LM L2–L5 and QL CSA ultrasound measures during preseason. Each club’s medical staff reported all noncontact lower limb injuries sustained in the subsequent regular season. LM and QL CSA, age, body mass index, and noncontact lower limb injuries were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression.

Results

Seventy-two players sustained a noncontact lower limb injury in the 2020 regular season (AFL = 21, NRL = 51). The multivariable logistic regression (odds ratio (OR) = 1.36; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.02–1.85; P = 0.038) identified AFL players with larger QL CSA at increased risk of sustaining a noncontact lower limb injury during the regular season, but no relationship was found for LM CSA and noncontact lower limb injuries in the AFL (OR = 1.01; 95% CI, 0.36–2.78; P = 0.591) or NRL (OR = 0.63; 95% CI, 0.29–1.33; P = 0.149).

Conclusions

AFL players who sustained regular season noncontact lower limb injuries had larger QL CSA in preseason tests. No significant associations between either LM L5 CSA or LM L5 to QL ratio and regular season noncontact lower limb injuries were found.
Police Force in the Formation of the Modern State: Development and Transformation of the Police Force in Iran
Authors: Çırakoğlu Ahmet , Sayın Hüdayi
Published: December 2021

Public security was unable to achieve any systematic order until the start of urbanization. With the formation of modern cities, the need to ensure the security of people and their living spaces were met primarily by city administrators and then by regular internal security organizations. This article discusses Iran’s security system as it existed in the pre-modern period and the internal security strategies that transformed in line with the modern understanding of the state. The concept of internal security in Iran has gone through the following four main phases: (1) military methods that had been applied by the senior administrators of the states that had ruled the region before the Qajar Dynasty, (2) the first professionalization that saw the Nazmiyya Organization established in the Qajar Dynasty through efforts to separate policing from military service, (3) the re-militarization of internal security services and focus on intelligence activities during the Pahlavi Dynasty that had been established after the Rıza Han coup, and (4) the ideological appearance of the police organization accompanied by the theo-political orientation that emerged after the 1979 Revolution. This text discusses these four phases in detail.
Evaluating the Relationships among the Sociodemographic Variables and Gender Perceptions of Undergraduate Students in Turkey: A Meta-Analysis Study
Authors: Güzel Bekir
Published: December 2021

This study seeks to examine gender perceptions in Turkey. After completing a literature review, the research compiles and analyzes academic studies on Turkish undergraduate students and their gender perceptions. Of the 763 studies included in the literature review, 15 were included in the meta-analysis. The study uses Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA) Software (Biostat Inc, 2021) for the analysis and has concluded four different sociodemographic variables to be suitable for the meta-analysis. The variables used are undergraduates’ (1) gender, (2) school year, (3) mother’s education, and (4) father’s education. The paper presents the findings for each variable separately. The results show gender assigned at birth to have the biggest effect on undergraduate students’ gender perceptions, mother’s education to have a small effect, and father’s education to have no effect. The most striking and notable result from the meta-analysis is the lack of difference between the gender perceptions of freshman and senior undergraduate students.
The Vague Concept of ‘Primitive’: The Change in Perceptions from Barbarism to Wisdom
Authors: Toprak Bilal
Published: December 2021

This study focuses on the usage and effect of the ‘primitive’ concept in social sciences. This concept, which is used to express both people who lived in the deep past and people who did not come into contact with modernity, has a rather ambiguous world of meaning. It is possible to say that non-Western societies are coded as ‘primitive’ in this approach, which is basically based on the Western and other dichotomy. The Western mind, which sees itself at the top of the line of progress, people who did not come into contact with modernity as irrational, unaware of his surroundings, and lacking many values and institutions. It can be said that the ‘theory of primitive society’ plays a dominant role in the background of transferring democracy and prosperity to ‘developing societies’. This article also discusses the transformation of the ancient human, coded as barbarian and savage, under the influence of the progressive approach, into a creature with knowledge and wisdom, with the effect of romance over time. The concept of ‘primitive’, which continues to find a place for itself in the literature despite some criticisms, has a influence of domain beyond what is thought. The criticism of the ‘primitive’ contributes to the correct understanding of both the ancient human and the traditionally expressed contemporary societies.
Βιβλιοκρισία:Γ. Σ. Παπαδόπουλος (Επιμ.), Αγγλοελληνικό Γλωσσάρι Βασικών Όρων της Βυζαντινής Μουσικολογίας, Fagotto books, Αθήνα 2020 [βασισμένο στο Γ. Σ. Παπαδόπουλος (Μετάφρ.), Μ. Αλεξάνδρου (Επιστ. Επιμ.), Christian Troelsgård, Βυζαντινά μουσικά σημάδια: μια νέα εισαγωγή στη μεσοβυζαντινή σημειογραφία, Fagotto books, Αθήνα 2020]
Authors: ΚΑΠΚΙΔΗ Μαρία Σ.
Published: December 2021

Βιβλιοκρισία:Γ. Σ. Παπαδόπουλος (Επιμ.), Αγγλοελληνικό Γλωσσάρι Βασικών Όρων της Βυζαντινής Μουσικολογίας, Fagotto books, Αθήνα 2020 [βασισμένο στο Γ. Σ. Παπαδόπουλος (Μετάφρ.), Μ. Αλεξάνδρου (Επιστ. Επιμ.), Christian Troelsgård, Βυζαντινά μουσικά σημάδια: μια νέα εισαγωγή στη μεσοβυζαντινή σημειογραφία, Fagotto books, Αθήνα 2020]
Childhood malnutrition and hypo mineralized molar defects: a cross sectional study
Authors: Atef Abdelsattar Ibrahim Hoda , Abdallah Nasr Rania , Adel Salama Ahmed , Ahmed Amin Aya
Published: December 2021

Background:  Malnutrition is well-known to yield high morbidities and mortalities and considering its consequence on the oral cavity, malnutrition is shown to have pre-eruptive and post-eruptive outcomes. The objective was to assess the prevalence of hypo-mineralized second primary molar (HSPM), molar–incisor hypo-mineralization (MIH) and dental caries in malnourished children as well as addressing the relation between types of malnutrition of the children and their dental morbidities represented in HSPM, MIH and dental caries.

Methods:This is a cross sectional analytical study. Malnourished children aged 5-10 years and presented to the Outpatient Clinic of Pediatric Dentistry Department, Faculty of Dentistry, Cairo University were examined for HSPM. MIH using European Academy of Pediatric Dentistry criteria and dental Caries using def/ DMF indices.

Results:  A consecutive sample (a long six months) of 54 malnourished children were enrolled in the study. Dental caries was a greater dental morbidity in the overweight and obese group. Besides, stunting was a greater risk in HSPM and MIH. There was an association between HSPM and MIH in a considerable percentage of the study group.

Conclusions:Malnutrition is a risk factor for dental abnormalities. HSPM could expect the presence of MIH.
Perspectives on Open Science and Scholarly Publishing: a Survey Study Focusing on Early Career Researchers in Europe
Authors: Berezko Oleksandr , Medina Laura M. Palma , Malaguarnera Giulia , Almeida Inês , Żyra Agnieszka , Seang Sothearath , Björnmalm Mattias , Hnatkova Eva , Tata Mathew
Published: December 2021

Background: The value of Open Science (OS) for the academic community and society has been becoming more evident recently, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, significant challenges regarding its implementation arise that are likely to affect researchers, especially those in early career stages. Hence, monitoring early-career researchers’ views, knowledge, and skills on OS and related policies, is crucial for its advancement. The main aim of this exploratory study was to gain new perspectives regarding the awareness of and attitudes towards OS and related practices having in consideration geographical, economic and research career variables.

Methods: The survey was conducted during May-August 2020 as part of a collaboration between Eurodoc and the Open Research Europe project. The data from the survey were analyzed by European region, Gross domestic product, Gross domestic expenditure on research and development as a percentage of gross domestic product, field of study, and career stage.

Results: The awareness and positive attitude regarding OS, specifically among early-career researchers, is high in Europe. However, there are significant career stage group differences in views and knowledge about OS. Generally, awareness and positive attitude tend to increase with increasing career seniority. Regarding European regions, we spotted three main groups sharing similar awareness levels and attitudes: researchers in Western Europe - the most informed group towards OS; researchers in northern, central, and southern Europe - a moderately informed group with some minor differences; and researchers in eastern Europe - the least informed group, whose opinions deviate the most.

Conclusions: We found that there is an “evolution of needs and focus” regarding scientific publishing: researchers in most European regions are in different stages of transition from the competitive to collaborative levels, while researchers in eastern Europe are largely beginning their transition to the competitive level.
Legal policy and its effectiveness in the field of certain types of judicial proceedings
Authors: Sokolov Aleksandr , Afanas'ev Sergey , Evstigneeva Ol'ga , Lakaev Oleg , Manova Nina , Nyrkov Vladimir , Rysina Evgeniya , Soldatkina Oksana , Hizhnyak Veronika
Published: December 2021

This scientific publication examines the problems associated with modern Russian legal policy and its effectiveness. In particular, the issues of both general theoretical legal nature and sectoral significance are analyzed, namely, the implementation of legal policy in the field of constitutional, criminal, civil, arbitration, administrative proceedings, as well as proceedings in cases of administrative offenses, including in the aspect of recent constitutional amendments.
For researchers, teachers, postgraduates, law students, practitioners, as well as for anyone interested in modern problems of legal policy and its sectoral manifestations.
Problems of Wage Differentiation by Industry, Type of Ownership and Categories of Personnel in Russia
Authors: Basovskaya Elena , Basovskiy Leonid
Published: December 2021

Differentiation of wages by industries, forms of ownership and categories of personnel makes it possible to reveal the inconsistency of economic development. The high level of wages in the extractive industry testifies to the development of industrial structures in the economy. The high level of remuneration in activities in information and communication is conditioned by the development of the fifth and sixth post-industrial structures. The low level of remuneration in science, information, in education in organizations of state and municipal property in comparison with organizations of non-state property indicates that insufficient attention is paid to economic policy to the development of industries that determine post-industrial development, for which it is necessary to accelerate scientific and technological progress. raising the level of education of the employed population, informatization. The low level of remuneration for specialists indicates that both in state and municipal property organizations and in non-state property organizations there is not enough interest in using the labor of specialists.
Digitization As the Main Trend of Innovative Transformation of the Economy
Authors: Martynov V.
Published: December 2021

The work is devoted to the direction of digitalization in the innovative economy, the financial aspect. The sixth technological order, the trend "Resources, energy and ecology", commercialization and digitalization of innovations, the finiteness of resources are considered. The issues of the "green" economy, the prerequisites for its creation, the practice of state regulation, the concept of "4R" use of resources, renewable energy sources, distributed energy are consecrated. The article considers electric power storage devices that synchronize the processes of energy production and consumption. The analysis of the increase in carbon-free energy is made. The prospects of the Russian Federation in the "green" sector of the economy, the forecast for the "Strategy for the long-term development of the Russian Federation with low greenhouse gas emissions until 2050", shows the importance of implementing the principles of environmental, social and corporate governance, responsible investment. The tendency of the unification of states on the basis of the "green" economy is shown. The conclusion is made about the action program with practical application.
Formalization of the Process of Research of Nonlinear Dynamic Control Systems with an Economic Object
Authors: Grishina Svetlana
Published: December 2021

The article continues research on the adaptation of well-developed methods of systems theory to economic systems. It is shown that economic objects, as a rule, are nonlinear. The issues of analysis and evaluation of the accuracy of nonlinear economic systems are considered. It is shown that the use for these purposes of statistical methods based on the statistical approximation of a nonlinear transformation causes difficulties associated with the requirement of a normal distribution law at the output of a nonlinear element, as well as with a limited ability to assess the magnitude and range of effects under which there is a loss of stability of the system. The article substantiates the possibility and expediency of using the methods of random Markov processes to determine the density of the error distribution of a nonlinear system. In this paper, the main tasks that should be solved in the study of nonlinear economic systems are highlighted. The direction of further research is presented.