bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Visceral-to-subcutaneous fat ratio exhibits strongest association with early post-operative outcomes in patients undergoing surgery for advanced rectal cancer
Authors: Bocca Gabriele , Mastoridis Sotiris , Yeung Trevor , James David R. C. , Cunningham Chris
Published: July 2022

Aim

Despite their promise as prognostic factors in colorectal cancer, anthropometric data are frequently contradictory or difficult to interpret, with single body-composition parameters often investigated in isolation or heterogeneous clinical cohorts used in analyses. We sought to assess a spectrum of body-composition parameters in a highly selected cohort with locally advanced rectal cancer in a bid to determine those with strongest prognostic potential in this specific setting.

Materials/methods

Between 2014 and 2020, 78 individuals received neoadjuvant chemotherapy, or chemoradiotherapy, followed by radical surgery in the treatment of locally advanced rectal adenocarcinoma at Oxford University Hospitals Trust. Demographic, treatment-related, perioperative, and short-term outcomes data were assessed. Body-composition parameters included BMI, and those derived from pre-operative computed-tomography imaging: skeletal mass index (SMI), visceral fat area (VFA), subcutaneous fat area (SFA), perinephric fat area (PFA) visceral-to-subcutaneous fat ratio (V/S), sarcopenia, and sarcopenic obesity (SO).

Results

Pre-operative body-composition parameters exhibited particularly strong correlation with post-operative outcomes, with VFA (p = 0.002), V/S (p = 0.019), SO (p = 0.012), and PFA (p = 0.0016) all associated with an increased length of hospital stay. Univariate and multivariate analyses demonstrated V/S to be the sole independent body-composition risk factor to be associated with an increased risk of developing Clavien–Dindo complications ≥ 2 (p = 0.033) as well as an increased length of stay (p = 0.005).

Conclusion

Among patients with locally advanced rectal cancer, high visceral-to-subcutaneous fat ratio is the body-composition parameter most strongly associated with poor early post-operative outcomes. This should be considered in patient selection and prehabilitation protocols.

What does this paper add to the literature?

Our study demonstrates that among body composition parameters, high visceral-to-subcutaneous fat ratio is strongly associated with increased risk of post-operative complications and increased length of stay in patients undergoing surgery for advanced rectal cancer.
Rheological characterization of complex fluids through a table-top 3D printer
Authors: Tammaro Daniele
Published: July 2022

3D printing is changing the way we conceive, design, and build 3D objects in mechanical, biomedical, aerospace, construction, automotive and maritime industries. In the current work, the nonlinear rheological behaviour of polymer melts is measured through a table-top 3D printer (3D RheoPrinter) that, smartly modified, allows inline investigation of viscosity, extrudate swell and melt fracture. By using a piezoresistive mini-transducer, the innovative system is designed to be applicable to all Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) 3D printers by a simple and cost-effective modification of a state-of-art nozzle. The measurements of the nonlinear rheological behaviour are compared with traditional, rotational rheology. Two biodegradable polymers, i.e. polylactic acid and polycaprolactone, are investigated as model systems to test the 3D RheoPrinter. The results of the shear viscosity and the first normal stress difference coefficient, as function of shear rate, show a good agreement between the 3D RheoPrinter and rotational rheometer with an error of about 6% for a confidence interval of 96%. Moreover, the 3D RheoPrinter can still be used as 3D printer. In the last part of this work, it is presented a printing test for building 3D structures in which the results show controllable resolution by means of the measured rheological information such as the extrudate swell. The vision of this work is that an inline rheological characterization, possible with the developed 3D RheoPrinter, can enable automatic process optimization and quality assurance to the 3D printing community. The social and scientific impacts of this work are maximized by the cost-efficiency and simplicity of the design that makes it within reach of the general public. The 3D RheoPrinter opens for a rheological experimentation to a broad audience and it offers important insights to bring FDM to the next level of resolution.
Kinematic differences between uphill roller skiing and on-snow skiing using the V2 skating technique
Authors: Myklebust Håvard , Losnegard Thomas , Hallén Jostein
Published: July 2022

Purpose

Roller skiing is the primary sport-specific training and testing mode during pre-competition periods for cross-country skiers, biathletes, and Nordic combined athletes. The present study aimed to compare the kinematics between uphill roller skiing and on-snow skiing using the V2 sub-technique.

Methods

In a cross-over design, nine well-trained male skiers performed short trials (< 40 s) at constant inclination (8.0°), speed (3.0 m‧s−1), and controlled rolling/gliding friction on asphalt (in the fall), on the treadmill (in the fall and winter), and during on-snow skiing (in the winter). Kinematic data were collected using a validated inertial measurement unit system.

Results

Repeated-measures ANOVAs revealed no differences between treadmill and asphalt roller skiing. Further, including on-snow skiing showed moderate to good reliability (ICC ≥ 0.63, p ≤ 0.001) for ground-contact temporal variables. However, on-snow skiing moderately increased hip range of motion around the longitudinal axis (22.2 ± 7.7° vs. 14.1 ± 4.7°), lateral hip displacement (44.1 ± 7.1 cm vs. 37.2 ± 6.6 cm) and pole push times (422 ± 41 ms vs. 386 ± 31 ms), and on-snow skiing was characterized by altered hip rotational patterns compared to roller skiing.

Conclusion

V2 roller ski skating simulates on-snow ski skating to a large extent, but the mechanical properties of the skis and/or surface hardness systematically alter skiers’ hip movements and pole push times. This implies a potential for equipment optimization to increase training specificity during pre-competition periods and highlights a need for future studies to examine the kinematic effects of snow hardness on all sub-techniques.
Familial acute aortic dissection associated with a novel ACTA2 germline variant
Authors: Strecker Thomas , Wiesmueller Felix , Rudnik-Schöneborn Sabine , Hoyer Juliane , Reis André , Weyand Michael , Agaimy Abbas
Published: July 2022

Aortic dissection is a life-threatening cardiovascular disease. Hereditary disorders are responsible for a small percentage of cases. Nonetheless, it is important to identify genetic causes, as they are often autosomal dominantly inherited and are of life-saving importance if we can identify persons at risk. Mutations of the ACTA2 gene are the most common cause of non-syndromic familial aortic disease. Exploration of the genetic background in suspected familial cases and determination of the exact etiology are mandatory for management and establishing appropriate follow-up strategies due to the risk of fatal recurrences. Herein, we present a 21-year-old male with a familial acute aortic dissection associated with novel ACTA2 germline variant and discuss the management and surveillance considerations.
Prediction of survival in infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia and the response to inhaled nitric oxide
Authors: Thodika Fahad M. S. Arattu , Dimitrova Svilena , Nanjundappa Mahesh , Davenport Mark , Nicolaides Kypros , Dassios Theodore , Greenough Anne
Published: July 2022

The use of inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) in treating pulmonary hypertension in infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is controversial. Our aims were to identify factors associated with survival in CDH infants and whether this was influenced by the response to iNO. Results of CDH infants treated in a tertiary surgical and medical perinatal centre in a ten year period (2011–2021) were reviewed. Factors affecting survival were determined. To assess the response to iNO, blood gases prior to and 30 to 60 min after initiation of iNO were analysed and PaO2/FiO2 ratios and oxygenation indices (OI) calculated. One hundred and five infants were admitted with CDH; 46 (43.8%) infants died. The CDH infants who died had a lower median observed to expected lung to head ratio (O/E LHR) (p < 0.001) and a higher median highest OI on day 1 (HOId1) (p < 0.001). HOId1 predicted survival after adjusting for gestational age, Apgar score at 5 min and O/E LHR (odds ratio 0.948 (95% confidence intervals 0.913–0.983)). Seventy-two infants (68.6%) received iNO; 28 survived to discharge. The median PaO2 (46.7 versus 58.8 mmHg, p < 0.001) and the median PaO2/FiO2 ratio (49.4 versus 58.8, p = 0.003) improved post iNO initiation. The percentage change in the PaO2/FiO2 ratio post iNO initiation was higher in infants who survived (69.4%) compared to infants who died (10.2%), p = 0.018.

Conclusion: The highest OI on day 1 predicted survival. iNO improved oxygenation in certain CDH infants and a positive response was more likely in those who survived.

What is Known:• The use of iNO is controversial in infants with CDH with respect to whether it improves survival.

What is New:• We have examined predictors of survival in CDH infants including the response to iNO and demonstrated that the highest oxygenation index on day 1 predicted survival (AUCROC =0.908).• Certain infants with CDH responded to iNO and those with a greater response were more likely to survive.
Efficacy and safety of a bioadhesive gel containing propolis extract, nanovitamin C and nanovitamin E on desquamative gingivitis: a double-blind, randomized, clinical trial
Authors: González-Serrano José , Serrano Julia , Sanz Mariano , Torres Jesús , Hernández Gonzalo , López-Pintor Rosa María
Published: July 2022

Objectives

To evaluate the efficacy of a gel-containing propolis extract, nanovitamin C, and nanovitamin E as adjuvants to professional plaque removal on desquamative gingivitis (DG).

Materials and methods

A randomized clinical trial was conducted on patients suffering DG due to mucocutaneous diseases. Patients received professional supragingival prophylaxis with oral hygiene instructions and were randomly assigned to use test or control gels as toothpaste and to apply it on DG lesions 3 times/day for 4 weeks. DG clinical score (DGCS), clinical periodontal variables, and visual analog scale (VAS) for pain and oral health impact profile (OHIP-14) were collected at baseline, 2 and 4 weeks.

Results

Twenty-two patients were randomly assigned to test (n = 11) or control group (n = 11). Eighteen had diagnosis of oral lichen planus and four of mucous membrane pemphigoid. DGCS statistically decreased in both groups after treatment with no significant differences between groups. Clinical periodontal outcomes decreased in both groups, but no significant differences were observed. Periodontal variables statistically improved only in test group after treatment. VAS and OHIP-14 scores decreased in test and control groups without significant differences. However, only one test group showed a statistically significant decrease in VAS and OHIP-14 scores after treatment. No adverse effects were reported.

Conclusions

Test gel may alleviate DG and improve quality of life without side effects.

Clinical relevance

A gel-containing propolis extract, nanovitamin C, and nanovitamin E as adjuvants to mechanical debridement may improve both clinical and patient related outcomes in DG patients without side effects.

Clinical trial registration.

The study protocol was registered at clinicaltrials.gov with the following number: NCT05124366 on October 16, 2021.
Nuclear DNA Content Variation in Different Life Cycle Stages of Sugar Kelp, Saccharina latissima
Authors: Goecke Franz , Gómez Garreta Amelia , Martín–Martín Rafael , Rull Lluch Jordi , Skjermo Jorunn , Ergon Åshild
Published: July 2022

Ploidy variants can be utilized to increase yield, introduce sterility, and modify specific traits with an economic impact. Despite economic importance of Saccharina species, their nuclear DNA content in different cell types and life stages remain unclear. The present research was initiated to determine the nuclear DNA content and intraindividual variation at different life cycle stages of the Laminarialean kelp Saccharina latissima. Nuclear DNA content in embryonic and mature sporophytes, released and unreleased zoospores, female, and male gametophytes from Sør-Trøndelag county in Norway were estimated by image analysis using the DNA-localizing fluorochrome DAPI and chicken’s red blood cells as a standard. DNA content of a total of 6905 DAPI-stained nuclei was estimated. This is the first study of nuclear DNA content which covered the life cycle of kelp. The lowest level of DNA content (1C) was observed in zoospores with an average of 0.76 pg. Male and female single spore gametophyte cultures presented higher average DNA content, more than double that of zoospores, suggesting the presence of polyteny. Female gametophyte nuclei were slightly larger and more variable in size than those of male gametophytes. The DNA content observed in embryonic sporophytes and in meristoderm cells from older sporophytes (1.51 pg) was 2C as expected and in the range of previously published studies of sporophytes of S. latissima. Mature sporophytes showed intra-plant variation with DNA content values ranging from 2-16C. The main difference was between meristoderm cells (mostly 2C) and cortical and medullary cells (2-16C).
Brain infarction following meningioma surgery—incidence, risk factors, and impact on function, seizure risk, and patient-reported quality of life
Authors: Strand Per S. , Sagberg Lisa M. , Gulati Sasha , Solheim Ole
Published: July 2022

In this study, we seek to explore the incidence of and potential risk factors for postoperative infarctions after meningioma surgery, in addition to the possible association with new neurological deficits, seizures, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). A single-center cohort study was conducted, where all patients operated for an intracranial meningioma at our institution between 2007 and 2020 were screened for inclusion. Clinical data were prospectively collected in a local tumor registry, and HRQoL was assessed using both generic and disease-specific instruments. In total, 327 meningioma operations were included, and early postoperative MRIs showed peritumoral infarctions in 114 (34.9%). Median infarction volume was 4.5 ml (interquartile range 2.0–9.5) and 43 (37.7%) of the infarctions were rim-shaped, 44 (38.6%) were sector-shaped, 25 (21.9%) were a combination of rim- and sector-shaped, and two (1.8%) were remote infarctions. Permanent neurological deficits were seen in 22 patients (6.7%) and deficits were associated with infarctions (p < 0.001). There was no difference in frequency of registered postoperative epilepsy between patients with versus without infarctions. Patients with infarctions reported more future uncertainty; otherwise, there were no significant differences in disease specific HRQoL between patients with versus without infarctions. In this study, we found that peritumoral infarctions after meningioma resection are common. Most patients with permanent neurological deficits had infarctions. Yet, most infarctions were small, and although sometimes symptomatic on individual level, infarctions did not lead to significant deterioration of HRQoL on group level.
Teleosemantics and the free energy principle
Authors: Mann Stephen Francis , Pain Ross
Published: July 2022

The free energy principle is notoriously difficult to understand. In this paper, we relate the principle to a framework that philosophers of biology are familiar with: Ruth Millikan’s teleosemantics. We argue that: (i) systems that minimise free energy are systems with a proper function; and (ii) Karl Friston’s notion of implicit modelling can be understood in terms of Millikan’s notion of mapping relations. Our analysis reveals some surprising formal similarities between the two frameworks, and suggests interesting lines of future research. We hope this will aid further philosophical evaluation of the free energy principle.
Study on spinnability of arabinoxylan extracted from barley husks
Authors: Butylina Svetlana , Koljonen Krista , Hiltunen Salla , Laatikainen Katri
Published: July 2022

Valorisation of bio-based materials derived from agricultural and industrial side-streams or waste-streams is a basis of circular economy. However, the success of it depends on the full understanding of materials and finding their optimal way of processing. Barley husk is a side-stream waste material derived from the starch and ethanol production. This study is focused on the processability of the arabinoxylan extracted from barley husk using the electrospinning technique to produce thin xylan-poly(vinyl alcohol) fibres. As a comparison, lignin-free xylan of beech wood was used. The properties of spinning solutions and resulting nanofibrous mats were assessed by using rheological measurements, FTIR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and contact angle measurements. It was found that solubility plays a crucial role in the spinnability of xylan extracts. Decrease in viscosity of arabinoxylan achieved by decreasing its concentration was found to improve the jet stability but at the same time, to reduce the diameter of spun fibre. Hydrophilicity of nanofibrous mats were strongly affected by the type of xylan and solvent used. The xylan-based nanofibres have specific properties that could be used for developing value-added applications, such as material for scaffolds for tissue engineering, drug delivery, medical implants, biosensors, wound dressing, water filtration and packaging or further process into carbon nanofibres.

Graphical abstract
Academia and society in collaborative knowledge production towards urban sustainability: several schemes—three common crossroads
Authors: Klintman Mikael , Jonsson Anna , Grafström Maria , Torgilsson Petra
Published: July 2022

Arrangements for collaboration in knowledge production across academia, government, non-governmental organisations, and corporations have several names, such as citizen-science, community-based participatory research, engaged research and hybrid forums. The multiplicity of schemes does not lie only in the high number of names for various versions of collaborative knowledge production. Different scholars also use concepts in multiple ways, depending on their individual choices, mother disciplines, and the problem area in which collaboration occurs. At the same time, there is a lack of analytical tools that address the full range of collaborative research schemes and provide a systematic set of questions to learn about the schemes, challenges, and opportunities. Based on our review of academic journal articles highlighting collaborative research schemes, this paper aims to analyse three parameters which it is fair to say that virtually all arrangements of collaborative knowledge production ought to consider when making decisions, parameters that are often partially missed or misunderstood: (A) epistemic-procedural, (B) exclusive-inclusive and (C) aggregative-integrative. By examining the three parameters, their political theory origins, and how they connect to and challenge existing schemes of knowledge collaboration, we provide analytical tools that could facilitate processes of developing and scrutinising arrangements of collaborative research.
Distribution of angle lambda and pupil offset as measured by combined Placido Scheimpflug Topography
Authors: Gharieb Hesham Mohamed , Shalaby Hisham Samy , Othman Ihab Saad
Published: July 2022

Background

Angle lambda is the angle between the pupillary axis and the line of sight. It is important for accurate centration during anterior segment surgery. The purpose of this study is to identify the distribution of angle lambda and pupil center offset as measured by a combined placido disc Scheimpflug topography system.

Methods

A prospective non-randomized study was performed on 2178 eyes in Eye World Hospital, Giza, Egypt. Sirius device (CSO, Costruzione Strumenti Oftalmici, Florence, Italy, version 3.2.1.60) was used to measure average keratometry (K), anterior chamber depth (ACD), central corneal thickness (CCT), horizontal visible iris diameter (HVID), pupil radius (PR), pupil center intercept x-component (PCI-x), and pupil center intercept y-component (PCI-y). Axial length (AL) was measured by immersion A-scan Eyecube Ultrasonography device (Ellex, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia). Angle lambda was calculated by a trigonometrical equation. Pearson correlation was used to analyze the correlation between angle lambda and age and refraction.

Results

Average angle lambda in all eyes was 3.32° ± 1.99. Mean angle lambda was significantly smallest in myopia and largest in hyperopia. Age correlation to angle lambda was insignificant. Average PCI-x and PCI-y in all eyes was − 0.047 mm and + 0.091 mm, respectively.

Conclusions

Angle λ is significantly larger in hyperopia than myopia, and the effect of age is insignificant. Pupil center offset was horizontally greater in hyperopia than in myopia. We therefore encourage the preoperative assessment of angle λ to avoid decentered ablation, especially when treating hyperopia.
PDE-Based Group Equivariant Convolutional Neural Networks
Authors: Smets Bart M. N. , Portegies Jim , Bekkers Erik J. , Duits Remco
Published: July 2022

We present a PDE-based framework that generalizes Group equivariant Convolutional Neural Networks (G-CNNs). In this framework, a network layer is seen as a set of PDE-solvers where geometrically meaningful PDE-coefficients become the layer’s trainable weights. Formulating our PDEs on homogeneous spaces allows these networks to be designed with built-in symmetries such as rotation in addition to the standard translation equivariance of CNNs. Having all the desired symmetries included in the design obviates the need to include them by means of costly techniques such as data augmentation. We will discuss our PDE-based G-CNNs (PDE-G-CNNs) in a general homogeneous space setting while also going into the specifics of our primary case of interest: roto-translation equivariance. We solve the PDE of interest by a combination of linear group convolutions and nonlinear morphological group convolutions with analytic kernel approximations that we underpin with formal theorems. Our kernel approximations allow for fast GPU-implementation of the PDE-solvers; we release our implementation with this article in the form of the LieTorch extension to PyTorch, available at https://gitlab.com/bsmetsjr/lietorch. Just like for linear convolution, a morphological convolution is specified by a kernel that we train in our PDE-G-CNNs. In PDE-G-CNNs, we do not use non-linearities such as max/min-pooling and ReLUs as they are already subsumed by morphological convolutions. We present a set of experiments to demonstrate the strength of the proposed PDE-G-CNNs in increasing the performance of deep learning-based imaging applications with far fewer parameters than traditional CNNs.
Operator-valued Camassa–Holm systems and their integrability
Authors: Prykarpatskyy Yarema , Vovk Myroslava , Pukach Petro
Published: July 2022

We study a Sturm–Liouville-type operator with operator-valued coefficients and its iso-spectral deformations, related to a new two-component Camassa–Holm-type completely integrable dynamical systems. Based on a specially devised gradient-holonomic scheme, generalizing the one before developed for studying a Sturm–Liouville-type spectral problem on a spatially multidimensional Hilbert–Schmidt operator-valued Hilbert space, we constructed the related two compatible Poisson structures and an infinite hierarchy of commuting to each other conservation laws of the derived two-component Camassa–Holm-type Hamiltonian system. The latter makes it possible to state under some additional constraints its complete integrability, and in particular, to develop the corresponding inverse spectral-type-based method for constructing its exact solutions.
Feasibility Studies of Nebulized SARS-CoV-2 Neutralizing Antibody in Mice and Cynomolgus Monkeys
Authors: Jia Jilei , Yin Zhaojuan , Zhang Xiao , Li Huimin , Meng Dan , Liu Qianqian , Wang Hongfang , Han Meng , Suo Shixiang , Liu Yan , Hu Ping , Sun Chunyun , Li Jing , Xie Liangzhi
Published: July 2022

Purpose

Neutralizing antibodies, administrated through intravenous infusion, have shown to be highly efficacious in treating mild and moderate COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection in the lung. However, antibodies do not transport across the plasma-lung barrier efficiently, and up to 100 mg/kg dose was used in human causing significant supply and cost burdens. This study was to explore the feasibility of nebulized antibodies inhalation delivery as an alternative route.

Methods

HB27, a potent RBD-specific humanized monoclonal antibody (Zhu et al. in National Sci Rev. 8:nwaa297, 2020), showed excellent protection against SARS-CoV-2 in animal model and good safety profile in clinical studies. The pharmacokinetics and preliminary safety of HB27 administrated through the respiratory tract were studied in mice and cynomolgus monkeys here.

Results

At a single 5 mg/kg dose, the peak HB27 concentration in mice pulmonary epithelial lining fluid (ELF) reached 857.8 μg/mL, 670-fold higher than the PRNT90 value of 1.28 μg/mL, and maintained above PRNT90 over 240 h. In contrast, when administrated by intravenous injection at a 5 mg/kg dose, the antibody concentrations in mice ELF were below PRNT90 value throughout, and were about 50-fold lower than that in the serum. In cynomolgus monkeys administrated with a single dose through inhalation, the antibody concentration in ELF remained high within 3 days. No drug-related safety concerns were observed in the studies.

Conclusions

The study demonstrated that nebulized neutralizing antibody delivery though inhalation could be a more efficient and efficacious alternative approach for treating COVID-19 and other respiratory infectious diseases, and warrants further evaluation in clinical studies.
Mechanisms of nitrogen transfer in a model clover-ryegrass pasture: a 15N-tracer approach
Authors: Reay Michaela K. , Pears Katrina A. , Kuhl Alison , Evershed Richard P. , Murray Phillip J. , Cardenas Laura M. , Dungait Jennifer A. J. , Bull Ian D.
Published: July 2022

Purpose

Nitrogen (N) transfer from white clover (Trifolium repens cv.) to ryegrass (Lolium perenne cv.) has the potential to meet ryegrass N requirements. This study aimed to quantify N transfer in a mixed pasture and investigate the influence of the microbial community and land management on N transfer.

Methods

Split root 15N-labelling of clover quantified N transfer to ryegrass via exudation, microbial assimilation, decomposition, defoliation and soil biota. Incorporation into the microbial protein pool was determined using compound-specific 15N-stable isotope probing approaches.

Results

N transfer to ryegrass and soil microbial protein in the model system was relatively small, with one-third arising from root exudation. N transfer to ryegrass increased with no microbial competition but soil microbes also increased N transfer via shoot decomposition. Addition of mycorrhizal fungi did not alter N transfer, due to the source-sink nature of this pathway, whilst weevil grazing on roots decreased microbial N transfer. N transfer was bidirectional, and comparable on a short-term scale.

Conclusions

N transfer was low in a model young pasture established from soil from a permanent grassland with long-term N fertilisation. Root exudation and decomposition were major N transfer pathways. N transfer was influenced by soil biota (weevils, mycorrhizae) and land management (e.g. grazing). Previous land management and the role of the microbial community in N transfer must be considered when determining the potential for N transfer to ryegrass.
Diagnosis as Subculture: Subversions of Health and Medical Knowledges in the Orthorexia Recovery Community on Instagram
Authors: Ross Arguedas Amy A.
Published: July 2022

Diagnoses are powerful tools that fulfill various practical and symbolic functions. In this paper, I examine how a contested diagnosis called orthorexia nervosa has been taken up by users on Instagram, where tens of thousands of posts engage with the topic, many of them from individuals who identify with the condition. I put scholarship on medicalization and diagnosis in conversation with literature on subcultures to foreground the subversive work that is enabled through this diagnosis. Drawing on more than 350 hours of online ethnographic fieldwork and 34 in-depth interviews, I examine how participants construct a shared identity, draw on common language and norms, and undertake collective practices, as they negotiate dominant understandings of health. I show how they draw on the legitimacy endowed by the diagnostic label to validate and make sense of experiences of suffering but also to counter dominant health-seeking discourses, practices, and aesthetics in an online space where these are highly visible and valued. I also discuss some ways Instagram as a digital platform shapes its uptake by this community in meaningful ways. On the one hand, participants draw heavily on the language and framing of medicine to make sense of their fraught experiences with food and their bodies, effectively advocating for the medicalization of their own suffering while also creating a sense of community and shared identity. However, on the other hand, they actively use the diagnosis and the recovery process enabled through it to effectively resignify dominant beliefs, values, and practices that are experienced as injurious, including some that are particularly prevalent on Instagram.
The association between obstructive sleep apnoea and wound healing: a systematic review
Authors: Bartolo Kyra , Hill Elizabeth A.
Published: July 2022

Purpose

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a common, significantly underdiagnosed sleep-related breathing disorder, characterised by upper airway collapse and resultant intermittent hypoxia. Oxygen plays an important role in collagen synthesis and as a result in wound healing. An association between OSA and wound healing has not been clearly delineated. A systematic review was performed to understand this association.

Methods

Randomised controlled trials, cohort, cross-sectional and case–control studies evaluating the relationship between OSA or OSA-related symptoms and wound healing in adult populations were searched in the systematic review using electronic databases PubMed, EMBASE and Ovid MEDLINE.

Main results

A total of 11 cohort studies and 1 case–control study with a total of 58,198,463 subjects were included. Most studies suggest that patients diagnosed with OSA or who are at high risk of having OSA are more likely to suffer from wound complications. Patients with OSA have been found to be at higher risk for post-operative wound infection and wound dehiscence. Contradictory results were obtained on time to heal, with one study concluding that individuals with OSA were more likely to heal earlier when compared to patients without OSA. Quality of evidence, however, was deemed very low due to high risk of bias.

Conclusions

This systematic review did identify an association between OSA and wound healing. However, due to the very low-quality evidence, further research is warranted to better characterise this association and investigate whether or not treating OSA can indeed affect wound healing.
A Note on Weaker Conditions for Identifying Restricted Latent Class Models for Binary Responses
Authors: Culpepper Steven Andrew
Published: July 2022

Restricted latent class models (RLCMs) are an important class of methods that provide researchers and practitioners in the educational, psychological, and behavioral sciences with fine-grained diagnostic information to guide interventions. Recent research established sufficient conditions for identifying RLCM parameters. A current challenge that limits widespread application of RLCMs is that existing identifiability conditions may be too restrictive for some practical settings. In this paper we establish a weaker condition for identifying RLCM parameters for multivariate binary data. Although the new results weaken identifiability conditions for general RLCMs, the new results do not relax existing necessary and sufficient conditions for the simpler DINA/DINO models. Theoretically, we introduce a new form of latent structure completeness, referred to as dyad-completeness, and prove identification by applying Kruskal’s Theorem for the uniqueness of three-way arrays. The new condition is more likely satisfied in applied research, and the results provide researchers and test-developers with guidance for designing diagnostic instruments.
Impact of weathered multi-walled carbon nanotubes on the epithelial cells of the intestinal tract in the freshwater grazers Lymnaea stagnalis and Rhithrogena semicolorata
Authors: Weise Katrin , Kurth Thomas , Schmidt Anna , Winkelmann Carola , Becker Jochen , Kretschmar Susanne , Berendonk Thomas Ulrich , Jungmann Dirk
Published: July 2022

Freshwater grazers are suitable organisms to investigate the fate of environmental pollutants, such as weathered multi-walled carbon nanotubes (wMWCNTs). One key process is the uptake of ingested materials into digestive or absorptive cells. To address this, we investigated the localization of wMWCNTs in the intestinal tracts of the mud snailLymnaea stagnalis(L. stagnalis) and the mayflyRhithrogena semicolorata(R. semicolorata). InL. stagnalis, bundles of wMWCNTs could be detected in the midgut lumen, whereas only single wMWCNTs could be detected in the lumina of the digestive gland. Intracellular uptake of wMWCNTs was detected by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) but was restricted to the cells of the digestive gland. In larvae ofR. semicolorata, irritations of the microvilli and damages in the apical parts of the epithelial gut cells were detected after feeding with 1 to 10 mg/L wMWCNTs. In both models, we detected fibrillar structures in close association with the epithelial cells that formed peritrophic membranes (PMs). The PM may cause a reduced transmission of wMWCNT bundles into the epithelium by forming a filter barrier and potentially protecting the cells from the wMWCNTs. As a result, the uptake of wMWCNTs into cells is rare in mud snails and may not occur at all in mayfly larvae. In addition, we monitor physiological markers such as levels of glycogen or triglycerides and the RNA/DNA ratio. This ratio was significantly affected inL. stagnalisafter 24 days with 10 mg/L wMWCNTs, but not inR. semicolorataafter 28 days and 10 mg/L wMWCNTs. However, significant effects on the energy status ofR. semicoloratawere analysed after 28 days of exposure to 1 mg/L wMWCNTs. Furthermore, we observed a significant reduction of phagosomes per enterocyte cell in mayfly larvae at a concentration of 10 mg/L wMWCNTs (p < 0.01).
On the Informativeness of Information System Ontologies
Authors: Tambassi Timothy
Published: July 2022

The current (still limited) use of the notion of informativeness in the domain of information system ontologies seems to indicate that such ontologies are informative if and only if they are understandable for their final recipients. This paper aims at discussing some theoretical issues emerging from that use which, as we will see, connects the informativeness of information system ontologies to their representational primitives, domains of knowledge, and final recipients. Firstly, we maintain that informativeness interacts not only with the actual representational primitives, but also with their variability over time. Secondly, we discuss the correspondence between representational primitives and domains of knowledge of those ontologies. Finally, we explore the possibility of an epistemological discrepancy between human beings and software systems on the understanding of ontological contents.
Recent studies on chemical constituents of Ophiorrhiza plants
Authors: Kitajima Mariko
Published: July 2022

Ophiorrhiza plants (Family Rubiaceae) are known to produce diverse monoterpenoid indole alkaloids including camptothecin with potent antitumor activity. This review contains a summary of recent chemical studies reported over the past 10 years regarding alkaloids (monoterpenoid indole and tetrahydroisoquinoline alkaloids, and cyclopeptide) in Ophiorrhiza plants. In addition, the alkaloid biosynthetic pathways based on their reported structures were proposed.
Is Paid Inflexible Work Better than Unpaid Housework for Women’s Mental Health? The Moderating Role of Parenthood
Authors: Wang Senhu , Lu Zhuofei
Published: July 2022

Despite women’s increased participation in the labor market over the last several decades, many women still perform a disproportionate share of housework, and lack the support of flexible working arrangements. Thus, women are facing a trade-off between doing paid inflexible work and doing unpaid housework, both of which have negative impacts on their mental health. However, the effects of work flexibility and unpaid housework are rarely examined together. This study aims to compare the effects of paid inflexible work and unpaid housework on women’s mental health. It also examines whether parenthood affects the mental health impacts of different employment and economic statuses on women. This study applies nationally representative longitudinal data from the United Kingdom Household Longitudinal Study (2010–2020, N = 23,552), and uses two-way fixed effects models to process this data. The results show that women who have paid inflexible work have significantly better mental health than those who do only unpaid housework. This pattern is consistent for women who lack different types of flexible work arrangements. Moreover, the mental health benefits of inflexible working over unpaid housework are particularly pronounced for women without dependent children. Paid work, even paid inflexible work, matters for women’s mental health, especially women without children. Future research needs to incorporate various employment and economic statuses into one theoretical framework to examine women’s mental health and further investigate the role of parenthood in moderating the health effects of employment and economic status.
SIG-Former: monocular surgical instruction generation with transformers
Authors: Zhang Jinglu , Nie Yinyu , Chang Jian , Zhang Jian Jun
Published: July 2022

Purpose:

Automatic surgical instruction generation is a crucial part for intra-operative surgical assistance. However, understanding and translating surgical activities into human-like sentences are particularly challenging due to the complexity of surgical environment and the modal gap between images and natural languages. To this end, we introduce SIG-Former, a transformer-backboned generation network to predict surgical instructions from monocular RGB images.

Methods:

Taking a surgical image as input, we first extract its visual attentive feature map with a fine-tuned ResNet-101 model, followed by transformer attention blocks to correspondingly model its visual representation, text embedding and visual–textual relational feature. To tackle the loss-metric inconsistency between training and inference in sequence generation, we additionally apply a self-critical reinforcement learning approach to directly optimize the CIDEr score after regular training.

Results:

We validate our proposed method on DAISI dataset, which contains 290 clinical procedures from diverse medical subjects. Extensive experiments demonstrate that our method outperforms the baselines and achieves promising performance on both quantitative and qualitative evaluations.

Conclusion:

Our experiments demonstrate that SIG-Former is capable of mapping dependencies between visual feature and textual information. Besides, surgical instruction generation is still at its preliminary stage. Future works include collecting large clinical dataset, annotating more reference instructions and preparing pre-trained models on medical images.
Interindividuelle Leistungsdifferenzierung von Musiklehrkräften in Lerngruppen als Voraussetzung für Adaptivität im Musikunterricht
Authors: Hasselhorn Johannes , Platz Friedrich , Harnischmacher Christian
Published: July 2022

Adaptiver Fachunterricht gehört zu den besten Möglichkeiten für die Individualisierung von schulischen Lernprozessen. Eine Voraussetzung für dessen Gelingen ist die angemessene Beurteilung der individuellen Leistungsstände der Schüler:innen durch die Lehrkraft und somit ihre pädagogisch-diagnostische Kompetenz. In dieser Studie werden am Beispiel des Klassengesangs zwei Fragen untersucht: zum einen, ob Musiklehrkräfte in der Lage sind, musikpraktischen Gruppenleistungen in unstandardisierten, jedoch für den Musikunterricht typischen Erhebungssituationen ausreichend Informationen für eine angemessene pädagogische Diagnostik zu entnehmen, zum anderen, ob diese Urteile ihre Unterrichtsplanung im Sinne adaptiven Unterrichts beeinflussen. Anhand eines Online-Experiments wurden die Niveau- und Differenzierungskomponente der Urteilsgenauigkeit vonN = 460 Musiklehrkräften untersucht. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass Musiklehrkräfte das Leistungsniveau der musikpraktischen Darbietung einer unbekannten Lerngruppe (Niveaukomponente) anhand ihrer Gruppenmusizierleistung leistungsgerecht einschätzen können, die Leistungsheterogenität (Differenzierungskomponente) hingegen nicht. Dementsprechend fällt der Einfluss der Leistungsstreuung innerhalb der Lerngruppe auf die Unterrichtsplanung im Sinne von Adaptivität unzureichend gering aus.
The Life Framework of Values and living as nature; towards a full recognition of holistic and relational ontologies
Authors: Kenter Jasper O. , O’Connor Seb
Published: July 2022

The Life Framework of Values links the richness of ways we experience and think of nature with the diverse ways nature matters. In this paper, we further develop and clarify the Life Framework in response to comments by Neuteleers et al. (Sustain Sci 14(1):4, 2020, 10.1007/s11625-020-00825-7). They supported its application to move beyond the instrumentalism and anthropocentrism associated with ecosystem services and nature’s contributions to people, but were critical of our addition of the livingasnature frame to O’Neill et al.’s (Environmental values. Routledge, London, 2008) original three (livingfrom,inandwiththe natural world), and of the way we defined intrinsic and relational values. We argue that the original presentation of the frames was as distinct sources of concern for nature. The livingasframe, characterised by oneness between nature and people, presents a unique source of concern not adequately represented by the original three frames. Whilst the Life Framework is open to diverse definitions of intrinsic, instrumental, and relational values, we present straightforward interpretations that are compatible with multiple ethical systems and can effectively serve deliberative processes. We demonstrate that intrinsic, instrumental, and relational values do not map onto the life frames one-to-one, as each frame layers multiple value justifications. Whilst a key purpose of the Life Framework is to facilitate recognition of a more inclusive set of values in valuation and policy, it can also enable more effective organisation, communication, assessment, bridging and deliberation of values. It also provides multiple levers for sustainability transformation, particularly by fully recognising holistic and relational understandings of people and nature.
Efficacy of generic teriparatide and alendronate in Chinese postmenopausal women with osteoporosis: a prospective study
Authors: Li Mei , Zhang Zhenlin , Xue Qingyun , Li Qifu , Jin Xiaolan , Dong Jin , Cheng Qun , You Li , Lin Hua , Tang Hai , Shen Lin , Gao Xin , Hu Ji , Chao Aijun , Li Pengqiu , Shi Rui , Zheng Shuhui , Zhang Ying , Xiong Xiaojiang , Yu Wei , Xia Weibo
Published: July 2022

Summary

The efficacy of generic teriparatide in improving BMD at lumbar spine in patients with osteoporosis was similar to that of alendronate. It provided a new choice for osteoporosis treatment in Chinese population.

Introduction

To determine whether the efficacy of generic teriparatide is noninferior to alendronate for Chinese postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.

Methods

Eligible patients were randomly assigned (2:1) in a 48-week, open-label design to receive 20 µg sc daily teriparatide or 70 mg oral weekly alendronate. Primary outcome was percentage change in BMD at the lumbar spine from baseline to 48 weeks and was assessed for non-inferiority. The same outcome was further assessed for superiority as a secondary endpoint.

Results

Three hundred ninety-one and 196 participants were randomly assigned to the teriparatide or alendronate group, of whom 379 and 194 receiving at least one dose of teriparatide and alendronate treatment were eligible for the efficacy analysis. Teriparatide was non-inferior to alendronate for BMD change at lumbar spine (treatment difference: 0.7%, 95% CI: − 0.3 to 1.7%), which excluded the predefined non-inferiority margin of − 1.5%. However, teriparatide was not statistically superior to alendronate in improving BMD at lumbar spine (P = 0.169). At 48 weeks, changes in BMD at total hip were − 1.0% and 2.2% in teriparatide and alendronate group, respectively (P < 0.001). The incidence of new fracture showed no statistical difference between groups (P = 0.128). Serum P1NP and β-CTX levels significantly increased in the teriparatide group and markedly decreased in alendronate group (all P < 0.001 vs baseline). The adverse events (AEs) and serious AEs were more common in the teriparatide group than in the alendronate group, which were mainly teriparatide-related hypercalcemia, elevated alkaline phosphatase or parathyroid hormone, dizziness, and arthralgia.

Conclusions

Teriparatide was not inferior to alendronate in increasing BMD at lumbar spine in Chinese postmenopausal women, and they achieved these effects through different mechanisms.
PCSK9 Monoclonal Antibodies: New Developments and Their Relevance in a Nucleic Acid–Based Therapy Era
Authors: Gouni-Berthold Ioanna , Schwarz Jonas , Berthold Heiner K.
Published: July 2022

Purpose of Review

To report on recent data about PCSK9 monoclonal antibodies and to evaluate their relevance in a nucleic acid–based therapy era for lipid lowering and prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Recent Findings

New methods of PCSK9 inhibition based on nucleic acid therapeutics such as antisense oligonucleotides, small interfering RNAs, and CRISPR tools for therapeutic gene editing are reported, and interesting new data regarding the clinical relevance of PCSK9 antibodies are discussed.

Promising methods of PCSK9 inhibition are in development, and one of them, the siRNA inclisiran targeting PCSK9, has already been approved for clinical use. However, PCSK9-mAb remains the PCSK9-inhibiting tool with the longest safety data and the only one having positive cardiovascular outcome trials. An ongoing cardiovascular outcome trial with inclisiran is planned to be completed in 2026. Other forms of PCSK9 inhibition, such as antisense oligonucleotides targeting PCSK9 and CRISPR base editing of PCSK9, are still in early phases of development, and their potential clinical relevance remains to be established.