bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adsorption behaviour of tetrabromobisphenol A on sediments in Weihe River Basin in Northwest China
Authors: Qiao Weihan , Yuan Xiaoyu , Dong Luyu , Xia Yujin , Wang Xueli
Published: August 2022

Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) is adsorbed on sediments in river environments, and various environmental factors have distinct effects on its adsorption behaviour. Investigating the adsorption behaviour of TBBPA on the sediments in Weihe River Basin is critical for protecting the water environment and providing a theoretical basis for the prevention and control of brominated flame retardant pollution. In this study, the adsorption behaviour of TBBPA on Weihe River sediment was investigated by conducting batch equilibrium experiments, and the effects of pH, dissolved organic matter, and ionic strength on the adsorption of TBBPA were discussed. The obtained results revealed that rapid adsorption was the main mechanism of the TBBPA kinetic adsorption process. The isothermal adsorption behaviour of TBBPA was well fitted by Freundlich model (R2 99.21%) than Langmuir model (R2 98.59%). The adsorption capacity for TBBPA is 34.13 mg/kg. The thermodynamic results revealed that the adsorption process of TBBPA by the sediment was a spontaneous endothermic reaction. The increase in pH and ionic strength inhibited the adsorption of sediments on TBBPA. With the increase in the humic acid concentration, the adsorption of TBBPA initially increased and subsequently decreased. Synchrotron radiation-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicated that the adsorption mechanism of TBBPA on the surface of sediment was mainly π–π and hydrogen bonds. The obtained results are useful for understanding of TBBPA migration and transformation in river water bodies.
Nanosponges by the oxo-Michael polyaddition of cyclodextrins as sorbents of water pollutants: the o-toluidine case
Authors: Pifferi Valentina , Ferrari Elena , Manfredi Amedea , Ferruti Paolo , Alongi Jenny , Ranucci Elisabetta , Falciola Luigi
Published: August 2022

Hydrophilic cyclodextrin nanosponges were prepared by the oxo-Michael polyaddition in an aqueous solution at pH > 10 of α-, β-, and γ-cyclodextrin with 1,4-bisacryloylpiperazine or 2,2-bisacrylamidoacetic acid. These nanosponges and, for comparison purposes, their precursor cyclodextrins were tested as sorbents of o-toluidine, a carcinogenic wastewater contaminant, by monitoring the depletion of o-toluidine from a 10−4 M (10 ppm) aqueous solutions. To this aim, an innovative analytical procedure was used: The voltammetric peak currents of o-toluidine in linear sweep voltammetry experiments were registered using multi-walled carbon nanotubes-modified glassy carbon electrodes. The experimental sorption curves fitted a mono-exponential kinetic model, and the residual o-toluidine was 0.16 ppm, one order of magnitude lower than those of all other sorbents reported so far. The sorption capacities ranged from 88 to 199 µmol g−1 (10–21.3 mg g−1), equal to or higher than those of the parent cyclodextrins. All nanosponges were completely regenerated by extracting with methanol. After regeneration, the sorption capacity slightly improved, suggesting a rearrangement of the nanosponge network. Overall, it may be reasonably concluded that the cyclodextrin nanosponges reported in this paper warrant potential as o-toluidine exhaustive sorbents.
Preparation and pharmaceutical properties of Hangeshashinto oral ointment and its safety and efficacy in Syrian hamsters with 5-fluorouracil-induced oral mucositis
Authors: Ogihara Takashi , Kagawa Masato , Yamanaka Rintarou , Imai Satoshi , Itohara Kotaro , Hira Daiki , Nakagawa Shunsaku , Yonezawa Atsushi , Ito Michiho , Nakagawa Takayuki , Terada Tomohiro , Matsubara Kazuo
Published: August 2022

Chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis (COM) is a common adverse effect of cancer chemotherapy. Several clinical studies reported that repetitive use of mouthwashes containing 2.5–6.25% Hangeshashinto (HST), a Kampo formula, relieves COM, but the effect is insufficient. To solve this problem, we produced an oral ointment of 12% HST extract (considered quantitatively equivalent to 20% commercially available HST), which will increase the local concentrations of its active ingredients and prolong the contact time with COM. In this study, we evaluated the pharmaceutical properties (spreadability and stability) of HST oral ointment. In addition, its safety (oral mucosal irritation) and therapeutic effects on 5-fluorouracil-induced oral mucositis were evaluated in male Syrian hamsters. The HST ointment showed good spreadability and stability for more than 8 weeks at 4 °C. In the oral mucosal irritation test, topical application of HST ointment (0.2 g) three times per day for 14 days had no adverse effect on the oral mucosa of hamsters. In hamsters treated with 5-fluorouracil (60 mg/kg) twice, COM was induced by a submucosal injection of 5% acetic acid into the cheek pouch. When HST ointment (50 µg) was topically applied to the mucositis area once per day for 12 days, the area and macroscopic score of mucositis were significantly decreased, and the depth of the wound tended to be reduced compared with the lactose ointment-treated control animals. These findings suggest that HST oral ointment shows good properties in spreadability, stability, and safety, and elicits a therapeutic effect in an animal model of COM.

Graphical abstract
Computational scatter correction in near real-time with a fast Monte Carlo photon transport model for high-resolution flat-panel CT
Authors: Alsaffar Ammar , Kieß Steffen , Sun Kaicong , Simon Sven
Published: August 2022

In computed tomography (CT), scattering causes server quality degradation of the reconstructed CT images by introducing streaks and cupping artifacts which reduce the detectability of low contrast objects. Monte Carlo (MC) simulation is considered the most accurate approach for scatter estimation. However, the existing MC estimators are computationally expensive, especially for high-resolution flat-panel CT. In this paper, we propose a fast and accurate MC photon transport model which describes the physics within the 1 keV to 1 MeV range using multiple controllable key parameters. Based on this model, scatter computation for a single projection can be completed within a range of a few seconds under well-defined model parameters. Smoothing and interpolation are performed on the estimated scatter to accelerate the scatter calculation without compromising accuracy too much compared to measured near scatter-free projection images. Combining the fast scatter estimation with the filtered backprojection (FBP), scatter correction is performed effectively in an iterative manner. To evaluate the proposed MC model, we have conducted extensive experiments on the simulated data and real-world high-resolution flat-panel CT. Compared to the state-of-the-art MC simulators, the proposed MC model achieved a 15$$\times$$×acceleration on a single-GPU compared to the GPU implementation of the Penelope simulator (MCGPU) utilizing several acceleration techniques, and a 202$$\times$$×speed-up on a multi-GPU system compared to the multi-threaded state-of-the-art EGSnrc MC simulator. Furthermore, it is shown that for high-resolution images, scatter correction with sufficient accuracy is accomplished within one to three iterations using a FBP and the proposed fast MC photon transport model.
Ultrasmall NiS2 Nanocrystals Embedded in Ordered Macroporous Graphenic Carbon Matrix for Efficiently Pseudocapacitive Sodium Storage
Authors: Liu Zhaozhao , Wang Jiang , Bi Ran , Zhao Pinyi , Wu Mengqian , Liu Xinyu , Yin Likun , Wang Chengyang , Chen Mingming , Ji Kemeng
Published: August 2022

Sodium-ion hybrid capacitor (SIHC) is one of the most promising alternatives for large-scale energy storage due to its high energy and power densities, natural abundance, and low cost. However, overcoming the imbalance between slow Na+ reaction kinetics of battery-type anodes and rapid ion adsorption/desorption of capacitive cathodes is a significant challenge. Here, we propose the high-rate-performance NiS2@OMGC anode material composed of monodispersed NiS2 nanocrystals (8.8 ± 1.7 nm in size) and N, S-co-doped graphenic carbon (GC). The NiS2@OMGC material has a three-dimensionally ordered macroporous (3DOM) morphology, and numerous NiS2 nanocrystals are uniformly embedded in GC, forming a core–shell structure in the local area. Ultrafine NiS2 nanocrystals and their nano–microstructure demonstrate high pseudocapacitive Na-storage capability and thus excellent rate performance (355.7 mAh/g at 20.0 A/g). A SIHC device fabricated using NiS2@OMGC and commercial activated carbon (AC) cathode exhibits ultrahigh energy densities (197.4 Wh/kg at 398.8 W/kg) and power densities (43.9 kW/kg at 41.3 Wh/kg), together with a long life span. This outcome exemplifies the rational architecture and composition design of this type of anode material. This strategy can be extended to the design and synthesis of a wide range of high-performance electrode materials for energy storage applications.
Neoadjuvant treatment in non-small-cell lung cancer—the earlier, the better
Authors: Terbuch Angelika , Absenger Gudrun
Published: August 2022

Neoadjuvant checkpoint inhibition in resectable non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is safe and high major pathologic response (MPR) and pathologic complete response (pCR) rates can be achieved in combination with chemotherapy. The Checkmate 816 trial gives evidence that pathologic response also leads to EFS benefit. This opens new opportunities in the curative setting but also raises questions: What is the value of adjuvant treatment with checkpoint inhibitors? Or should we treat our patients peri-operatively? Which biomarkers can we use for treatment decisions and monitoring of curative patients? Targeted therapies in the neoadjuvant setting lead to promising response rates and data for EFS and overall survival are eagerly awaited.
Artificial intelligence computer-aided detection enhances synthesized mammograms: comparison with original digital mammograms alone and in combination with tomosynthesis images in an experimental setting
Authors: Uematsu Takayoshi , Nakashima Kazuaki , Harada Taiyo Leopoldo , Nasu Hatsuko , Igarashi Tatsuya
Published: August 2022

Background

It remains unclear whether original full-field digital mammograms (DMs) can be replaced with synthesized mammograms in both screening and diagnostic settings. To compare reader performance of artificial intelligence computer-aided detection synthesized mammograms (AI CAD SMs) with that of DM alone or in combination with digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) images in an experimental setting.

Methods

We compared the performance of multireader (n = 4) and reading multicase (n = 388), in 84 cancers, 83 biopsy-proven benign lesions, and 221 normal or benign cases with negative results after 1-year follow-up. Each reading was independently interpreted with four reading modes: DM, AI CAD SM, DM + DBT, and AI CAD SM + DBT. The accuracy of probability of malignancy (POM) and five-category ratings were evaluated using areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) in the random-reader analysis.

Results

The mean AUC values based on POM for DM, AI CAD SM, DM + DBT, and AI CAD SM + DBT were 0.871, 0.902, 0.895, and 0.909, respectively. The mean AUC of AI CAD SM was significantly higher (P = 0.002) than that of DM. For calcification lesions, the sensitivity of SM and DM did not differ significantly (P = 0.204). The mean AUC for AI CAD SM + DBT was higher than that of DM + DBT (P = 0.082). ROC curves based on the five-category ratings showed similar proximity of the overall performance levels.

Conclusions

AI CAD SM alone was superior to DM alone. Also, AI CAD SM + DBT was superior to DM + DBT but not statistically significant.
HMMR promotes peritoneal implantation of gastric cancer by increasing cell–cell interactions
Authors: Yang Muwen , Chen Boyu , Kong Lingzhi , Chen Xiangfu , Ouyang Ying , Bai Jiewen , Yu Donglin , Zhang Huizhong , Li Xinghua , Zhang Dongsheng
Published: August 2022

Background

Distant metastasis is the prominent factor for cancer-induced death of gastric cancer in which peritoneum is one of the dominating targets of gastric cancer metastasis. However, there is still a lack of effective predictive indicators and treatment methods for gastric cancer patients with peritoneal metastasis.

Methods

A clustering assay was used to investigate the cell aggregates formation ability. While the soft agar assay and anoikis assay were performed to detect the anchorage-independent growth and anoikis-resistant ability respectively. Luciferase activity assay, western blotting and immunofluorescence were used to explore the effect of HMMR on AKT signaling activity. The peritoneal implantation model was examined to explore the role of HMMR in vivo.

Results

Silencing of HMMR expression markedly reduced the peritoneal metastasis of gastric cancer cells through reducing cell–cell interactions. Mechanistically, HA-HMMR could activate Akt signaling, thus succeeding in distant colonization and metastatic outgrowth. Importantly, inducible depletion of HMMR significantly abrogates peritoneal implantation of gastric cancer in vitro and in vivo.

Conclusion

Our study highlights that HMMR promotes peritoneal implantation of gastric cancer. A better understanding of HMMR’s functions and mechanism might provide a novel therapeutic target and prognostic marker for metastatic gastric cancer.
Improving the accuracy of satellite and reanalysis precipitation data by their ensemble usage
Authors: Jafarpour Mohammad , Adib Arash , Lotfirad Morteza
Published: August 2022

This study evaluated the outputs of five precipitation (PCP) datasets. These models are ECMWF reanalysis 5th generation (ERA5), precipitation estimation from remotely sensed information using artificial neural networks-climate data record (PERSIANN-CDR), Asian precipitation-highly resolved observational data integration toward evaluation (APHRODITE), The national centers for environmental prediction climate forecast system reanalysis (NCEP CFSR) and climatic research unit (CRU). The PCP outputs of these models were compared with data of nine synoptic stations in the Khuzestan province. The results indicated a better match between the APHRODITE outputs and the PCP data at most stations (R2 > 0.85, root-mean-square error (RMSE) < 17.049 mm and − 4.25 < Bias < 2.633 mm). However, CRU model has the highest critical success index (more than 0.711) and the lowest false alarm ratio (less than 0.2) and ERA5 has the highest probability of detection (more than 0.967) at most stations. Then, PCP outputs of five reanalysis (ERA5), interpolated (APHRODITE, NCEP CFSR and CRU) and satellite (PERSIANN-CDR) PCP datasets were combined to reduce the PCP estimation error. The multivariate adaptive regression splines models were employed for this purpose. The results show that the RMSE of all the stations, except Ahvaz station, decreased and the BIAS decreased too. Given the results, using ensemble data methods is a suitable way for reducing the error and increasing the accuracy of these models.
The impacts of environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues in achieving sustainable lithium supply in the Lithium Triangle
Authors: Petavratzi E. , Sanchez-Lopez D. , Hughes A. , Stacey J. , Ford J. , Butcher A.
Published: August 2022

The electrification transition will intensify the demand for lithium. The endowment in the Lithium Triangle is significant, and the expectations for the global supply are high in terms of resources and sustainability. In this paper, we investigate the impact of environmental, social and governance (ESG) challenges to the future of sustainable lithium extraction. We undertook a qualitative analysis to prioritise the risks associated with these challenges and discussed their interlinkages. We argue that a sustainable perspective for lithium extraction in the region requires continuous and informed dialogue among government, industry and community stakeholders and participatory processes that reduce the asymmetries of power and knowledge. We provide a list of urgent mitigation actions that could assist the move towards sustainability. These include the following. First is expanding our understandings of the water cycle of lithium brines in this region. This should be underpinned by baseline data and ongoing monitoring at the watershed scale, capacity building to strengthen institutions, improved regulations and data infrastructures to promote data transparency and accessibility. Second is integrating biodiversity impacts within existing mining practices and procedures (e.g. Environmental Impact Assessments — EIA). We propose the strategic implementation of the mitigation hierarchy and IFC’s Performance Standards to avoid, reduce and offset the risks of lithium extraction on ecosystem services and critically important biodiversity impacts. Third is strengthening social participatory processes that enable the local communities to become actors in decision-making and the ongoing management and monitoring of lithium projects. Fourth is establishing a framework to support a Strategic Environmental and Social Assessment (SESA) process specific to lithium with a regional approach in the Lithium Triangle.
Top 10 International Priorities for Physical Fitness Research and Surveillance Among Children and Adolescents: A Twin-Panel Delphi Study
Authors: Lang Justin J. , Zhang Kai , Agostinis-Sobrinho César , Andersen Lars Bo , Basterfield Laura , Berglind Daniel , Blain Dylan O. , Cadenas-Sanchez Cristina , Cameron Christine , Carson Valerie , Colley Rachel C. , Csányi Tamás , Faigenbaum Avery D. , García-Hermoso Antonio , Gomes Thayse Natacha Q. F. , Gribbon Aidan , Janssen Ian , Jurak Gregor , Kaj Mónika , Kidokoro Tetsuhiro , Lane Kirstin N. , Liu Yang , Löf Marie , Lubans David R. , Magnussen Costan G. , Manyanga Taru , McGrath Ryan , Mota Jorge , Olds Tim , Onywera Vincent O. , Ortega Francisco B. , Oyeyemi Adewale L. , Prince Stephanie A. , Ramírez-Vélez Robinson , Roberts Karen C. , Rubín Lukáš , Servais Jennifer , Silva Diego Augusto Santos , Silva Danilo R. , Smith Jordan J. , Song Yi , Stratton Gareth , Timmons Brian W. , Tomkinson Grant R. , Tremblay Mark S. , Wong Stephen H. S. , Fraser Brooklyn J.
Published: August 2022

Background

The measurement of physical fitness has a history that dates back nearly 200 years. Recently, there has been an increase in international research and surveillance on physical fitness creating a need for setting international priorities that could help guide future efforts.

Objective

This study aimed to produce a list of the top 10 international priorities for research and surveillance on physical fitness among children and adolescents.

Methods

Using a twin-panel Delphi method, two independent panels consisting of 46 international experts were identified (panel 1 = 28, panel 2 = 18). The panel participants were asked to list up to five priorities for research or surveillance (round 1), and then rated the items from their own panel on a 5-point Likert scale of importance (round 2). In round 3, experts were asked to rate the priorities identified by the other panel.

Results

There was strong between-panel agreement (panel 1: rs = 0.76, p < 0.01; panel 2: rs = 0.77, p < 0.01) in the priorities identified. The list of the final top 10 priorities included (i) “conduct longitudinal studies to assess changes in fitness and associations with health”. This was followed by (ii) “use fitness surveillance to inform decision making”, and (iii) “implement regular and consistent international/national fitness surveys using common measures”.

Conclusions

The priorities identified in this study provide guidance for future international collaborations and research efforts on the physical fitness of children and adolescents over the next decade and beyond.
Higher elastica: geodesics in jet space
Authors: Bravo-Doddoli Alejandro
Published: August 2022

Carnot groups are subRiemannian manifolds. As such, they admit geodesic flows, which are left-invariant Hamiltonian flows on their cotangent bundles. Some of these flows are integrable; some are not. The k-jets space of for real-valued functions on the real line forms a Carnot group of dimension $$k+2$$

k
+
2

. In this study, it is shown that its geodesic flow is integrable and that its geodesics generalize Euler’s elastica, with the case $$k=2$$

k
=
2

corresponding to the elastica.
A novel heat treatment of the additively manufactured Co28Cr6Mo biomedical alloy and its effects on hardness, microstructure and sliding wear behavior
Authors: Tonelli Lavinia , Ahmed Mohamed M. Z. , Ceschini Lorella
Published: August 2022

Co28Cr6Mo alloy (ASTM F75 and F1537) is one of the standard biomaterials for permanent orthopedic implants, utilized especially in case of joint replacement, such as knee and ankle prostheses. At the present, innovative Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies, such as laser-based powder bed fusion (LPBF), also known as selective laser melting (SLM), enable the production of customized medical devices with improved mechanical properties. When dealing with implants for joint replacement, wear resistance is critical and, unlike compressive and tensile properties, the knowledge on wear behavior of the LPBF Co28Cr6Mo alloy is currently limited. Furthermore, the effect of post-process heat treatment on tribological properties, that have to be customized on the peculiar microstructure induced by LPBF, needs to be assessed. In this view, the present work first focuses on a novel direct aging treatment of the LPBF Co28Cr6Mo alloy, performed in the range 600–900 °C up to 180 min, and investigates the effects on hardness and microstructural features, with the optimized heat-treated condition found in case of 850 °C for 180 min aging treatment. Then, the attention is driven to the dry sliding wear behavior of as-built and heat-treated LPBF Co28Cr6Mo alloy, considering the conventional wrought alloy as benchmark. For testing conditions closer to the in-service ones, the as-built LPBF alloy showed a wear resistance higher than the conventional wrought alloy. The optimized aging treatment significantly modified the as-built LPBF microstructure, it improved the alloy hardness and, in general, it positively affected its friction and wear behavior.
Experimental and numerical studies of fragmentation shells filled with advanced HMX-plastic explosive compared to various explosive charges
Authors: Elshenawy Tamer , Zaky M. Gaber , Elbeih Ahmed
Published: August 2022

The wide usage of TNT as a main charge for fragmentation shells has been eliminated due to its lower performance and exudation on the fuze thread and relevant safety measures inconvenience. These disadvantages have not become accepted anymore due to the desired safety requirements and the limited efficiency of the TNT, especially when different new explosives are introduced into researches. This research studies the fragmentation calculations of the 120 mm high explosive shell when its is loaded with different explosives rather than TNT. Different explosives have been used in the current research include the melt cast compositions such as Octol and composition B, a cast cured composition based on RDX with HTPB polymer matrix and the plastic explosive composition HMX-silicone. The fingerprint of the fragmentation pattern of each shell loaded with different explosive has been obtained using Autodyn smooth particle hydrodynamic (SPH) algorithm, whose numerical model has been validated with previous measurements using TNT explosive. Based on obtained numerical estimates, the HMX-silicone explosive has been proposed to replace the traditional TNT explosive material. This explosive has been then manufactured and casted into the studied 120 mm shell, where the experimental field pit test was established to collect, separate and analyse the resultant fragments. Current calculations and experimental results showed that the shell loaded by composition HMX-silicone produced the highest fragmentation velocities (i.e. 1.5 times that of TNT) and the largest number of fragments (i.e. 2.7 times that of TNT) with lower masses, which will be recommended for our next production stages instead of the traditional TNT.
Real-world experience with molnupiravir during the period of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant dominance
Authors: Flisiak Robert , Zarębska-Michaluk Dorota , Rogalska Magdalena , Kryńska Justyna Anna , Kowalska Justyna , Dutkiewicz Ewa , Dobrowolska Krystyna , Jaroszewicz Jerzy , Moniuszko-Malinowska Anna , Rorat Marta , Podlasin Regina , Tronina Olga , Rzymski Piotr
Published: August 2022

Background

The real-world effectiveness of molnupiravir (MOL) during the dominance of Omicron SARS-CoV-2 lineage is urgently needed since the available data relate to the period of circulation of other viral variants. Therefore, this study assessed the efficacy of MOL in patients hospitalized for COVID-19 in a real-world clinical practice during the wave of Omicron infections.

Methods

Among 11,822 patients hospitalized after 1 March 2020 and included in the SARSTer national database, 590 were treated between 1 January and 30 April 2022, a period of dominance of the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant. MOL was administered to 203 patients, whereas 387 did not receive any antiviral regimen. Both groups were similar in terms of sex, BMI and age allowing for direct comparisons.

Results

Patients who did not receive antiviral therapy significantly more often required the use of Dexamethasone and Baricitinib. Treatment with MOL resulted in a statistically significant reduction in mortality during the 28-day follow-up (9.9 vs. 16.3%), which was particularly evident in the population of patients over 80 years of age treated in the first 5 days of the disease (14.6 vs. 35.2%). MOL therapy did not affect the frequency of the need for mechanical ventilation, but patients treated with MOL required oxygen supplementation less frequently than those without antivirals (31.7 vs. 49.2%). The time of hospitalization did not differ between groups.

Conclusions

The use of molnupiravir in patients hospitalized for COVID-19 during the dominance of Omicron variant reduced mortality. This effect is particularly evident in patients over 80 years of age.
A Historical and Contemporary Review of Questionnaires Used in the Management of Post-Radical Prostatectomy Patients
Authors: Cooper Caleb A. , Sloan Matthew J. , Singh Armaan , Fantus Richard J. , Raheem Omer A.
Published: August 2022

Introduction

Patients undergoing radical prostatectomy (RP) face obstacles to recovery spanning the domains of erectile and sexual function; urinary function; and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Numerous patient-directed questionnaires exist that serve to assist in the care of these men.

Aim

To describe patient-directed questionnaires of historical and contemporary relevance involving the evaluation and treatment of men after radical prostatectomy.

Methods

A comprehensive review of peer-reviewed publications on the topic was performed. Using PubMed, the search terms used were: "radical prostatectomy; erectile function; lower urinary tract symptoms; sexual dysfunction; urinary incontinence; and health-related quality of life. Main Outcome Measure: We aimed to summarize questionnaires and survey devices of historical and contemporary importance for the care of men after RP.

Results

Many questionnaires have been developed specifically for, or conscripted for use in, the care of men after RP. Some of the oldest questionnaires relating to sexual function, urinary function, and general and cancer-specific QoL are important and still utilized in the routine clinical care of post-RP patients. However, recent devices that may offer clinicians a more comprehensive understanding to aid in the evaluation and care of these men.

Conclusions

Post-RP patients face numerous challenges that require a thoughtful approach, one that is broad enough to identify a variety of potential physical and emotional disturbances, yet granular enough to identify appropriate areas for intervention. While there is not a “best” questionnaire for this population, having an appropriate understanding of the current available instruments and what information they provide may help clinicians more thoroughly assess and treat these men.
Priapism or Prolonged Erection: Is 4 – 6 Hours of Cavernous Ischemia the Time Point of Irreversible Tissue Injury?
Authors: Dekalo Snir , Stern Noah , Broderick Gregory A. , Brock Gerald
Published: August 2022

Introduction

Ischemic priapism remains a significant cause of morbidity among men. To date, the precise time when penile ischemia results in permanent, non-reversible cavernosal smooth muscle injury, compromising subsequent erectile integrity, remains ill-defined.

Objectives

To review the medical literature pertaining to ischemic priapism, focusing on factors that predict the exact timeline of irreversible cavernous tissue injury.

Methods

A comprehensive literature search was performed. Our search included both publications on animal models and retrospective clinical series through January 2022. Articles were eligible for inclusion if they contained original data regarding nonreversible tissue injury on histology and/or provided a timeline of erectile function loss or preservation and had full text available in English.

Results

Innovative studies in the 1990s using invitro models with strips of rabbit, rat, canine and monkey corpus cavernosal tissue demonstrated that anoxia eliminated spontaneous contractile activity and reduced tissue responsiveness to electrical field stimulation or pharmacological agents. The same models demonstrated that the inhibitory effects of field stimulated relaxation, were mediated by nitric oxide. Subsequent studies using similar models demonstrated that exposure of corpus cavernosum smooth muscle to an acidotic environment impairs its ability to contract. A pH of 6.9 was chosen for these experiments based on a case series of men with priapism, in whom a mean pH of 6.9 was measured in corporal blood after 4–6 hours of priapism. Invivo animal studies demonstrated that after erection periods of 6–8 hours, microscopy shows sporadic endothelial defects but otherwise normal cavernous smooth muscle. In these studies, greater durations of ischemic priapism were shown to result in more pronounced ultrastructural changes and presumably irreversibility. In studies involving human corporal tissues, samples were obtained from men who had experienced priapism for at least 12 hours. Overall, erectile function outcome data is deficient in priapism reporting, especially within treatment windows less than 6 hours. Some reports on ischemic priapism have documented good erectile function outcomes with reversal by 12 hours.

Conclusion

Based on our extensive review of animal models and clinical reports, we found that many clinical papers rely on the same small set of animal studies to suggest the time point of irreversible ischemic damage at 4–6 hours. Our review suggests an equal number of retrospective clinical studies demonstrate that ischemic priapism reversed within 6–12 hours may preserve erectile function in many patients.
Associations Between Fear of Guilt and Obsessive–Compulsive Symptoms
Authors: Kenny Niamh C. , Starcevic Vladan , Berle David
Published: August 2022

Half of the people who seek treatment for Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder (OCD) do not benefit from first-line interventions. A better understanding of the factors associated with obsessions and compulsions may inform the development of more effective treatments. This study aimed to examine whether a fear of guilt is associated with obsessive–compulsive symptoms. Fear of guilt incorporates two domains: punishment (the tendency to believe that guilt means one is bad and to punish oneself for feelings of guilt) and harm prevention (the tendency to believe that guilt implies failure to be one's ideal self and the drive to prevent feelings of guilt). Online questionnaires assessing OCD symptoms, fear of guilt, and other related factors were administered to 192 adults. In contrast to previous studies, key conceptually relevant constructs, such as shame, anxiety, and depression symptoms, were also assessed. The punishment dimension of fear of guilt subscale was positively associated with OCD symptoms controlling for age, sex, guilt, shame, responsibility for harm, generalised anxiety, and depression. The punishment domain of fear of guilt may therefore be an important factor to consider and potentially target in treatments for OCD. Future investigations with clinical populations may clarify the importance of fear of guilt in OCD.
The Abelian/Nonabelian Correspondence and Gromov–Witten Invariants of Blow-Ups
Authors: Coates Tom , Lutz Wendelin , Shafi Qaasim
Published: August 2022

We prove the abelian/nonabelian correspondence with bundles for target spaces that are partial flag bundles, combining and generalising results by Ciocan-Fontanine–Kim–Sabbah, Brown, and Oh. From this, we deduce how genus-zero Gromov–Witten invariants change when a smooth projective variety X is blown up in a complete intersection defined by convex line bundles. In the case where the blow-up is Fano, our result gives closed-form expressions for certain genus-zero invariants of the blow-up in terms of invariants of X. We also give a reformulation of the abelian/nonabelian Correspondence in terms of Givental’s formalism, which may be of independent interest.
From Worker-Peasant to Reluctant Revolutionary Industrial Worker in the Establishment of Iran's Copper Industry: The Sarcheshmeh Copper Mine, 1960s–1970s
Authors: Alamdar Abdolreza
Published: August 2022

This paper studies the transformation of the worker-peasant to reluctant revolutionary industrial worker during the establishment of Iran's copper industry at the Sarcheshmeh copper mine from 1966 to 1979. It explores the procedural rules implemented by mine management, such as coercion and paternalism, and the nature of the employment relationship, including methods of control, bargaining, and dispute resolution. Consideration is given to engagement of different agents with welfare policy and industrial relations, including the nature of capital, the structure of ownership, the path of traditional labor relations, and international contributors on one side and workers’ agency and their structural power in the context of evolving domestic and international environments on the other. Also highlighted is the role played by the workers’ background and economic improvement and how these factors affected their political stance during the 1979 revolution.
Recognition of visual scene elements from a story text in Persian natural language
Authors: Hashemi-Namin Mojdeh , Jahed-Motlagh Mohammad Reza , Torkaman Rahmani Adel
Published: August 2022

Text-to-scene conversion systems map natural language text to formal representations required for visual scenes. The difficulty involved in this mapping is one of the most critical challenges for developing these systems. The current study mapped Persian natural language text as the headmost system to a conceptual scene model. This conceptual scene model is an intermediate semantic representation between natural language and the visual scene and contains descriptions of visual elements of the scene. It will be used to produce meaningful animation based on an input story in this ongoing study. The mapping task was modeled as a sequential labeling problem, and a conditional random field (CRF) model was trained and tested for sequential labeling of scene model elements. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no dataset for this task exists; thus, the required dataset was collected for this task. The lack of required off-the-shelf natural language processing modules and a significant error rate in the available corpora were important challenges to dataset collection. Some features of the dataset were manually annotated. The results were evaluated using standard text classification metrics, and an average accuracy of 85.7% was obtained, which is satisfactory.
Translated Emission Pathways (TEPs): Long‐Term Simulations of COVID‐19 CO2 Emissions and Thermosteric Sea Level Rise Projections
Authors: Gonzalez Alan R. , Lin Ting
Published: August 2022

Within the scientific community, climate models have been established to relate long‐term emission scenarios to their respective environmental response. Although data at high resolutions can be obtained, this research framework is often computationally complex and offers limited readability for the general public. With the COVID‐19 pandemic bringing forth a new sense of lifestyle and reduced human activity, the CO2 emission data related to this global event can be used to illustrate the context of climate science to a broader audience. This study proposes a series of translated emission pathways (TEPs) that consist of CO2 emission patterns from the various phases of COVID‐19 response and demonstrate a resemblance to the forcing scenarios utilized within climate research. A simple climate model and radiative forcing expression are used to parameterize the CO2 emission data from the TEPs to its respective atmospheric conditions. Thermosteric sea level rise is used as a metric of environmental impact to highlight the differences between the TEPs. By referencing the COVID‐19 pandemic and establishing a linear research framework, this study introduces climate research to the general public and serves as a call to action for environmental responsibility.
Azimuthal Motion of Poleward Moving Auroral Forms
Authors: Guo Jin , Wang Boyi , Lu San , Lu Quanming , Lin Yu , Wang Xueyi , Wang Rongsheng , Zhang Qinghe , Xing Zanyang , Nishimura Yukitoshi , Wu Yen‐Jung
Published: August 2022

Poleward moving auroral forms (PMAFs), the most common dayside auroral structure, images the process of energy and particle transport from the solar wind to the magnetosphere via magnetic reconnection. This form of aurora moves not only poleward, but also in the azimuthal (dawn‐dusk) direction. However, the underlying mechanism responsible for the azimuthal motion of PMAFs are not thoroughly investigated. Here based on all‐sky imager observations in the southern hemisphere, we statistically determine that the azimuthal motion of PMAFs is highly dependent on the dawn‐dusk component of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF By). Using three‐dimensional (3‐D) global hybrid simulations, we demonstrate that IMF By controls the azimuthal motion of PMAFs through plasma flow derived from magnetic tension of magnetopause flux ropes. Our study, by focusing on the azimuthal motion of PMAFs, allows a better understanding of space weather, especially from a 3‐D perspective.
RING-finger E3 ligases regulatory network in PI3K/AKT-mediated glucose metabolism
Authors: Wang Wenke , Shi Bei , Cong Ruiting , Hao Mingjun , Peng Yuanyuan , Yang Hongyue , Song Jiahui , Feng Di , Zhang Naijin , Li Da
Published: August 2022

The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT signaling pathway plays an essential role in glucose metabolism, promoting glycolysis and resisting gluconeogenesis. PI3K/AKT signaling can directly alter glucose metabolism by phosphorylating several metabolic enzymes or regulators of nutrient transport. It can indirectly promote sustained aerobic glycolysis by increasing glucose transporters and glycolytic enzymes, which are mediated by downstream transcription factors. E3 ubiquitin ligase RING-finger proteins are mediators of protein post-translational modifications and include the cullin-RING ligase complexes, the tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated family, the tripartite motif family and etc. Some members of the RING family play critical roles in regulating cell signaling and are involved in the development and progression of various metabolic diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, and dyslipidemia. And with the progression of modern research, as a negative or active regulator, the RING-finger adaptor has been found to play an indispensable role in PI3K/AKT signaling. However, no reviews have comprehensively clarified the role of RING-finger E3 ligases in PI3K/AKT-mediated glucose metabolism. Therefore, in this review, we focus on the regulation and function of RING ligases in PI3K/AKT-mediated glucose metabolism to establish new insights into the prevention and treatment of metabolic diseases.
Temporal dynamics of oropharyngeal microbiome among SARS-CoV-2 patients reveals continued dysbiosis even after Viral Clearance
Authors: Paine Suman Kalyan , Rout Usha Kiran , Bhattacharyya Chandrika , Parai Debaprasad , Alam Mahabub , Nanda Rasmi Ranjan , Tripathi Devashish , Choudhury Parveena , Kundu Chanakya Nath , Pati Sanghamitra , Bhattacharya Debdutta , Basu Analabha
Published: August 2022

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has posed multiple challenges to global public health. Clinical features and sequela of SARS-CoV-2 infection include long-term and short-term complications often clinically indistinguishable from bacterial sepsis and acute lung infection. Post-hoc studies of previous SARS outbreaks postulate secondary bacterial infections with microbial dysbiosis. Oral microbial dysbiosis, particularly the altered proportion of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria, observed in other respiratory virus infection, like influenza, has shown to be associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Oropharynx and lung share similar kinds of bacterial species. We hypothesized that alteration in the Human Oropharyngeal Microbiome in SARS-CoV-2 patients can be a clinical indicator of bacterial infection related complications. We made a longitudinal comparison of oropharyngeal microbiome of 20 SARS-CoV-2 patients over a period of 30 days; at three time points, with a 15 days interval; contrasting them with a matched group of 10 healthy controls. Present observation indicates that posterior segment of the oropharyngeal microbiome is a key reservoir for bacteria causing pneumonia and chronic lung infection on SARS-CoV-2 infection. Oropharyngeal microbiome is indeed altered and its α-diversity decreases, indicating reduced stability, in all SARS-CoV-2 positive individuals right at Day-1; i.e. within ~24 h of post clinical diagnosis. The dysbiosis persists long-term (30 days) irrespective of viral clearance and/or administration of antibiotics. There is a severe depletion of commensal bacteria phyla like Firmicutes among the patients and that depletion is compensated by higher proportion of bacteria associated with sepsis and severe lung infection from phyla Proteobacteria. We also found elevated proportions of certain genus that have previously been shown to be causal for lung pneumonia in studies of model organisms and human autopsies’ including Stenotrophomonas, Acenetobactor, Enterobactor, Klebsiella and Chryseobacterium that were to be elevated among the cases. We also show that responses to the antibiotics (Azithromycin and Doxycycline) are not uniform for all individuals.
Divergent genomic trajectories predate the origin of animals and fungi
Authors: Ocaña-Pallarès Eduard , Williams Tom A. , López-Escardó David , Arroyo Alicia S. , Pathmanathan Jananan S. , Bapteste Eric , Tikhonenkov Denis V. , Keeling Patrick J. , Szöllősi Gergely J. , Ruiz-Trillo Iñaki
Published: August 2022

Animals and fungi have radically distinct morphologies, yet both evolved within the same eukaryotic supergroup: Opisthokonta1,2. Here we reconstructed the trajectory of genetic changes that accompanied the origin of Metazoa and Fungi since the divergence of Opisthokonta with a dataset that includes four novel genomes from crucial positions in the Opisthokonta phylogeny. We show that animals arose only after the accumulation of genes functionally important for their multicellularity, a tendency that began in the pre-metazoan ancestors and later accelerated in the metazoan root. By contrast, the pre-fungal ancestors experienced net losses of most functional categories, including those gained in the path to Metazoa. On a broad-scale functional level, fungal genomes contain a higher proportion of metabolic genes and diverged less from the last common ancestor of Opisthokonta than did the gene repertoires of Metazoa. Metazoa and Fungi also show differences regarding gene gain mechanisms. Gene fusions are more prevalent in Metazoa, whereas a larger fraction of gene gains were detected as horizontal gene transfers in Fungi and protists, in agreement with the long-standing idea that transfers would be less relevant in Metazoa due to germline isolation3–5. Together, our results indicate that animals and fungi evolved under two contrasting trajectories of genetic change that predated the origin of both groups. The gradual establishment of two clearly differentiated genomic contexts thus set the stage for the emergence of Metazoa and Fungi.
Fos ensembles encode and shape stable spatial maps in the hippocampus
Authors: Pettit Noah L. , Yap Ee-Lynn , Greenberg Michael E. , Harvey Christopher D.
Published: August 2022

In the hippocampus, spatial maps are formed by place cells while contextual memories are thought to be encoded as engrams1–6. Engrams are typically identified by expression of the immediate early gene Fos, but little is known about the neural activity patterns that drive, and are shaped by, Fos expression in behaving animals7–10. Thus, it is unclear whether Fos-expressing hippocampal neurons also encode spatial maps and whether Fos expression correlates with and affects specific features of the place code11. Here we measured the activity of CA1 neurons with calcium imaging while monitoring Fos induction in mice performing a hippocampus-dependent spatial learning task in virtual reality. We find that neurons with high Fos induction form ensembles of cells with highly correlated activity, exhibit reliable place fields that evenly tile the environment and have more stable tuning across days than nearby non-Fos-induced cells. Comparing neighbouring cells with and without Fos function using a sparse genetic loss-of-function approach, we find that neurons with disrupted Fos function have less reliable activity, decreased spatial selectivity and lower across-day stability. Our results demonstrate that Fos-induced cells contribute to hippocampal place codes by encoding accurate, stable and spatially uniform maps and that Fos itself has a causal role in shaping these place codes. Fos ensembles may therefore link two key aspects of hippocampal function: engrams for contextual memories and place codes that underlie cognitive maps.