bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Deconvolution analysis of cell‐type expression from bulk tissues by integrating with single‐cell expression reference
Authors: Luo Yutong , Fan Ruzong
Published: July 2022

To understand phenotypic variations and key factors which affect disease susceptibility of complex traits, it is important to decipher cell‐type tissue compositions. To study cellular compositions of bulk tissue samples, one can evaluate cellular abundances and cell‐type‐specific gene expression patterns from the tissue transcriptome profiles. We develop both fixed and mixed models to reconstruct cellular expression fractions for bulk‐profiled samples by using reference single‐cell (sc) RNA‐sequencing (RNA‐seq) reference data. In benchmark evaluations of estimating cellular expression fractions, the mixed‐effect models provide similar results as an elegant machine learning algorithm named cell‐type identification by estimating relative subsets of RNA transcripts (CIBERSORTx), which is a well‐known and reliable procedure to reconstruct cell‐type abundances and cell‐type‐specific gene expression profiles. In real data analysis, the mixed‐effect models outperform or perform similarly as CIBERSORTx. The mixed models perform better than the fixed models in both benchmark evaluations and data analysis. In simulation studies, we show that if the heterogeneity exists in scRNA‐seq data, it is better to use mixed models with heterogeneous mean and variance–covariance. As a byproduct, the mixed models provide fractions of covariance between subject‐specific gene expression and cell types to measure their correlations. The proposed mixed models provide a complementary tool to dissect bulk tissues using scRNA‐seq data.
Adult patients with Ph+ ALL benefit from conditioning regimen of medium‐dose VP16 plus CY/TBI
Authors: Morita‐Fujita Mari , Arai Yasuyuki , Kondo Tadakazu , Harada Kaito , Uchida Naoyuki , Toya Takashi , Ozawa Yukiyasu , Fukuda Takahiro , Ota Shuichi , Onizuka Makoto , Kanda Yoshinobu , Maruyama Yumiko , Takada Satoru , Kawakita Toshiro , Ara Takahide , Ichinohe Tatsuo , Kimura Takafumi , Atsuta Yoshiko , Kako Shinichi
Published: July 2022

The medium‐dose etoposide (VP16) added on cyclophosphamide (CY)/total body irradiation (TBI) is one of the intensified myeloablative conditioning regimens used in allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo‐HSCT) for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). However, the patient subgroups who can actually benefit from VP16/CY/TBI compared to CY/TBI have not been precisely defined. Therefore, we conducted a multi‐center retrospective study using the Japanese nationwide registry database to elucidate the efficacy of VP16/CY/TBI on post‐transplant prognosis. Biological and clinical distinct subtypes (i.e., Philadelphia chromosome‐positive (Ph+) and ‐negative (Ph−) ALL) were evaluated separately, which included 820 Ph+ and 1463 patients with Ph− ALL, respectively. Compared with the CY/TBI group, the VP16/CY/TBI group showed superior progression‐free survival (PFS) in patients with Ph+ ALL (65% vs. 57% at 3 years after HSCT; adjusted hazard ratio (HR), 0.73; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.55–0.98; p = 0.03), along with significantly reduced incidence of relapse (adjusted HR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.37–0.90; p = 0.02) without the increase of non‐relapse mortality (NRM). By contrast, in patients with Ph− ALL, VP16/CY/TBI did not improve PFS nor incidence of relapse; addition of VP16 reduced relapse (HR, 0.65; p = 0.06) in patients with Ph− ALL transplanted at CR1, while improved PFS was not observed (HR, 0.90; p = 0.52) due to increased NRM. This study demonstrated that VP16/CY/TBI is a more effective and well‐tolerated regimen in comparison with CY/TBI in patients with myeloablative allo‐HSCT for adult Ph+ ALL. Our findings can provide a novel algorithm for conditioning regimen selection in patients with adult ALL.
Sarcomatoid variant of urothelial carcinoma of renal pelvis with direct invasion of the pancreas and descending colon
Authors: Nakano Yoshinori , Kitano Hiroyuki , Hieda Keisuke , Babasaki Takashi , Takemoto Kenshiro , Hayashi Tetsutaro , Kido Aya , Taniyama Daiki , Sentani Kazuhiro , Hinata Nobuyuki
Published: July 2022

Introduction

Sarcomatoid variant of urothelial carcinoma infiltrates the perimeter and occurs occasionally. However, there are only few case reports.

Case presentation

A left renal tumor was incidentally detected in a 75‐year‐old woman and protruded outside the kidney, infiltrating the pancreatic tail and spleen. Tumor invasion was observed in the adjacent organs; therefore, the left kidney, pancreatic tail, spleen, and, descending colon were resected. Histopathological examination revealed a sarcomatoid variant of invasive urothelial carcinoma. She received two cycles of gemcitabine and carboplatin combination chemotherapy but succumbed to the disease after 5 months.

Conclusion

Sarcomatoid variant of urothelial carcinoma is rare, with aggressive malignancy. The diagnosis was difficult and required surgery. This is the first case of a sarcomatoid variant of urothelial carcinoma with direct invasion into the pancreas and descending colon.
Stakeholder Alignment/Capability Based Security Engineering: Capability Engineering vs “Problemeering” and “Solutioneering” – Prioritizing Stakeholder Needs Over Requirements
Authors: Hause Matthew , Brooks Mitchell
Published: July 2022

When building systems, it is tempting to start with the stakeholder requirements and jump straight into implementing a preconceived solution and then mapping it to the requirements as best one can. This is “solutioneering.” To avoid this, systems engineers build models of the requirements, elaborating them into use cases, activity diagrams, IBDs, and other more concrete modeling steps. However, part of a system engineer's job is to validate these requirements against the stakeholder needs, capabilities, and goals to ensure you build the right system. This assumes that the stakeholder knows and understands their needs and problems, which we have dubbed “Problemeering.” The systems engineer can never take the requirements at face value, assume that they are correct and have captured the stakeholder needs and can solve their problems. This is true across many cross‐cutting aspects and domains, requiring a Subject Matter Expert (SME). This is especially true regarding security issues where is it unlikely that stakeholders are aware of the current threat landscape and risks and can fully elaborate them. This will require the knowledge and experience of a cyber‐security SME who can adequately analyze the system vulnerabilities from the right perspective. In this article, we will detail how Capability‐Based security engineering ensures the articulation of the true needs of the stakeholder so that the engineers ultimately implement the needs in the delivered system.
Multilayered Network Models for Security: Enhancing System Security Engineering with Orchestration
Authors: Williams Adam D.
Published: July 2022

Security engineering approaches can often focus on a particular domain—physical security, cyber security, or personnel security, for example. Yet, security systems engineering consistently faces challenges requiring socio‐technical solutions to address evolving and dynamic complexity. While some drivers of this complexity stem from complex risk environments, innovative adversaries, and disruptive technologies, other drivers are endogenous and emerge from the interactions across security engineering approaches. In response, INCOSE's Systems Security Working Group identified the need to better coordinate “disparate security solutions [that] operate independently” as one of eleven key concepts in their IS21 FuSE Security Roadmap. From this perspective, this need for “security orchestration” aligns with the perspective that security is a property that emerges from interactions within complex systems. Current efforts at Sandia National Laboratories are developing a systems security engineering approach that describes high consequence facility (HCF) security as a multidomain set of interacting layers. The result is a multilayered network (MLN)‐based approach that captures the interactions between infrastructure, physical components, digital components, and humans in nuclear security systems. This article will summarize the MLN‐based approach to HCF security and describe two preliminary results demonstrating potential benefits from incorporating interactions across disparate security solutions. Leveraging the logical structure of networks, this MLN model‐based approach provides an example of how security orchestration provides enhanced systems security engineering solutions.
Making the Puzzle Pieces Fit – Utilizing UAF to Model a Cybersecurity SoS
Authors: Brooks Mitchell , Hause Matthew
Published: July 2022

While there are security bundles on the market, most IT departments operate with a wide range of products (an average of 75) just to secure their network (Zurkus 2016). Companies developed the security products independently and offer little to no cross‐product integration. Although many people treat cybersecurity infrastructures as systems, it is far better to view them as a System of Systems (SoS) as many different parts of an organization develop, manage, and operate the systems they must protect. So, for system engineers attempting to secure systems, utilizing the Unified Architecture Framework (UAF) to create a map of these systems and software and how they must integrate is a far better practice than SysML. Not only is UAF specifically designed to handle an SoS, but it includes Security Viewpoints which can more easily represent the complex interactions between individual security systems. In this article, we will briefly discuss an introduction to UAF, explain its benefits when modeling integrated security for complex systems of systems, offer solutions to the most common issues encountered when attempting to model the interactions between security elements, and demonstrate how they address the FuSE concepts of security orchestration and architectural agility.
Preparation of Complex Ratio‐Dependent Nanomaterials from Polymerizable Hydrogen‐Bonded Liquid Crystal
Authors: Tao Lei , Xiao Anqi , Lyu Xiaolin , Tang Zhehao , Yu Zhen‐Qiang , Shen Zhihao , Fan Xinghe
Published: July 2022

A scalable approach to generating different nanomaterials from the same hydrogen‐bondeded complex by photo‐crosslinking is described. The hydrogen‐bonded complex exhibits a smectic or columnar mesophase, depending on the molar ratio between the donor and acceptor. The mesophase structure is effectively retained after photo‐crosslinking. Polymer nanosheets with negatively charged carboxylate groups can be prepared from the complex with the smectic mesophase after subsequent extraction and chemical treatment, and they show effective adsorption of Pd2+. Meanwhile, a nanoporous polymer is successfully achieved from the complex having the columnar mesophase by using the same technology of photo‐crosslinking and solvent treatment. This work provides a new strategy to fabricate different nanomaterials from the same hydrogen‐bonded complex system.
Yin Yang 1 promotes aggressive cell growth in high‐grade breast cancer by directly transactivating kinectin 1
Authors: Gao Lin , Zhou Wenbin , Xie Ni , Qiu Junying , Huang Jingyi , Zhang Zhe , Hong Malin , Xia Jinquan , Xu Jing , Zhao Pan , Fu Li , Luo Yuwei , Jiang Jing , Gong Hui , Wang Jigang , Dai Yong , Luo Dixian , Zou Chang
Published: July 2022

Invasive cancer growth and metastasis account for the poor prognosis of high‐grade breast cancer. Recently, we reported that kinectin 1 (KTN1), a member of the kinesin‐binding protein family, promotes cell invasion of triple‐negative breast cancer and high‐grade breast cancer cells by augmenting the NF‐κB signaling pathway. However, the upstream mechanism regulating KTN1 is unknown. Therefore, this functional study was performed to decipher the regulatory cohort of KTN1 in high‐grade breast cancer. Bioinformatic analysis indicated that transcription factor Yin Yang 1 (YY1) was a potential transactivator of KTN1. High YY1 expression correlated positively with pathological progression and poor prognosis of high‐grade breast cancer. Additionally, YY1 promoted cell invasive growth both in vitro and in vivo, in a KTN1‐dependent manner. Mechanistically, YY1 could transactivate the KTN1 gene promoter. Alternatively, YY1 could directly interact with a co‐factor, DEAD‐box helicase 3 X‐linked (DDX3X), which significantly co‐activated YY1‐mediated transcriptional expression of KTN1. Moreover, DDX3X augmented YY1‐KTN1 signaling‐promoted invasive cell growth of breast cancer. Importantly, overexpression of YY1 enhanced tumor aggressive growth in a mouse breast cancer model. Our findings established a novel DDX3X‐assisted YY1‐KTN1 regulatory axis in breast cancer progression, which could lead to the development novel therapeutic targets for breast cancer.
An experimental and numerical study to enhance the thermal characteristics of LA/CuO/Al2O3 nanocomposites as a phase change material for building cooling applications
Authors: Thangapandian Elangovan , Palanisamy Ponnusamy
Published: July 2022

To improve the thermophysical properties of lauric acid (LA), several loadings of copper oxide(CuO) and aluminum oxide (Al2O3) nanoparticles (1.25, 2.5, 5, and 10 wt%) were used. In this present study, the possibility of varied concentration nanoparticles to create LA embedded nanocomposite phase change material (NPCM) with increased performance is also studied and compared. The analytical expressions for estimating both thermal conductivity (TC) and dynamic viscosity of the NPCM were devised, and the findings were confirmed against the experiment. Employing a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model, the effects of nanoparticle concentration on LA's rate of melting and solidification are examined. The morphological structures of nanoparticles were seen using a field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), and their crystalline structure was determined using X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to verify NPCMs. The impact of nanoparticles on NPCM was demonstrated by the thermal conductivity (KD2 test) findings. The current results suggest that distributing nanoparticles in lower concentrations speeds up the HTR. Compared to copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles, the enhancement in the thermal performance of LA is more significant for aluminum oxide (Al2O3).
A Nonlinear Ultrasonic Method for Detection and Characterization of Dewetting Damage in Solid Propellant
Authors: Pan Yu , Qu Wen‐Zhong , Zhang Shou‐Cheng , Xiao Li , Chu Xi‐Hua
Published: July 2022

The dewetting damage of solid propellant under loading is a key factor affecting the constitutive properties of solid propellant, and it will weaken structural integrity of solid rocket motor charge. The quantitative characterization of its evolution process has always been a very active research field. In this study, a nonlinear ultrasonic (NLU) method is proposed to investigate and monitor in real‐time the nonlinear dynamic response of solid propellant. The NLU parameter, which can evolve dewetting damage, is expressed by some physical quantities such as the frequency peak, the propagation distance and so on, and is recorded at different strain in the tensile tests of the round rod solid propellant specimens. Then, the initial dewetting point, characteristic dewetting point and characteristic dewetting rate are defined to characterize the dewetting performance. The results show that NLU parameter changes continuously with the evolution of tensile process and increases sharply at the initial dewetting damage point. By analyzing the data, an empirical formula characterizing the variation law of NLU parameter with strain is proposed, which is well fitted to the experimental data under different strain rates. In addition, relevant numerical simulation is carried out, and the simulation results verify the feasibility of the NLU method.
A novel prognostic model predicting overall survival in patients with metastatic castration‐resistant prostate cancer receiving standard chemotherapy: A multi‐trial cohort analysis
Authors: Modonutti Daniele , Majdalany Sami E. , Corsi Nicholas , Li Pin , Sood Akshay , Dalela Deepansh , Jamil Marcus L. , Hwang Clara , Menon Mani , Rogers Craig G. , Trinh Quoc‐Dien , Novara Giacomo , Abdollah Firas
Published: July 2022

Purpose

Generalizable, updated, and easy‐to‐use prognostic models for patients with metastatic castration‐resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) are lacking. We developed a nomogram predicting the overall survival (OS) of mCRPC patients receiving standard chemotherapy using data from five randomized clinical trials (RCTs).

Methods

Patients enrolled in the control arm of five RCTs (ASCENT 2, VENICE, CELGENE/MAINSAIL, ENTHUSE 14, and ENTHUSE 33) were randomly split between training (n = 1636, 70%) and validation cohorts (n = 700, 30%). In the training cohort, Cox regression tested the prognostic significance of all available variables as a predictor of OS. Independent predictors of OS on multivariable analysis were used to construct a novel multivariable model (nomogram). The accuracy of this model was tested in the validation cohort using time‐dependent area under the curve (tAUC) and calibration curves.

Results

Most of the patients were aged 65–74 years (44.5%) and the median (interquartile range) follow‐up time was 13.9 (8.9–20.2) months. At multivariable analysis, the following were independent predictors of OS in mCRPC patients: sites of metastasis (visceral vs. bone metastasis, hazard ratio [HR]: 1.24), prostate‐specific antigen (HR: 1.00), aspartate transaminase (HR: 1.01), alkaline phosphatase (HR: 1.00), body mass index (HR: 0.97), and hemoglobin (≥13 g/dl vs. <11 g/dl, HR: 0.41; all p < 0.05). A nomogram based on these variables was developed and showed favorable discrimination (tAUC at 12 and 24 months: 73% and 72%, respectively) and calibration characteristics on external validation.

Conclusion

A new prognostic model to predict OS of patients with mCRPC undergoing first line chemotherapy was developed. This can help urologists/oncologists in counseling patients and might be useful to better stratify patients for future clinical trials.
Nervous habitat patches: The effect of hydropeaking on habitat dynamics
Authors: Bätz Nico , Judes Clarisse , Weber Christine
Published: July 2022

Alteration in the river flow regime due to intermittent hydropower production (i.e., hydropeaking) leads to biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation worldwide. Due to the increasing shear of volatile green energy (i.e., wind and solar), hydropeaking frequency is deemed to increase in the coming decades. However, our mechanistic understanding of how the frequency of repeated hydropeaking (i.e., series of multiple events) affects ecological processes is still limited. Here, we reflect on the impacts of altered flow frequency and relative duration on the persistency of aquatic habitats. We focus on the habitats at patch‐scale, being this the scale representing what organisms perceive when interacting with their environment. With a showcase we explore a temporally explicit approach to quantify altered habitat dynamics at patch‐scale due to hydropeaking. We then review how changes in habitat dynamics and persistency may affect ecological processes. Our findings suggest that (i) a time‐series approach allows to account for the inherent multi‐event nature of hydropeaking; (ii) hydropeaking can increase the dynamics of single habitat patches by at least one order of magnitude if compared to unregulated rivers; (iii) altered habitat dynamics at the patch scale can affect the survival of more sessile species and life cycle stages (e.g., invertebrates) or the energy budget of mobile species and life cycle stages (e.g., adult fish). However, the ecological significance and potential environmental thresholds of patch‐scale dynamics and persistency are still poorly investigated and need further attention. Moreover, methods for the aggregation of habitat dynamics and persistency from the patch to the reach‐scale are not available yet.
A New XGBoost Inference with Boundary Conditions in Real Estate Price Prediction
Authors: Iwai Koichi , Hamagami Tomoki
Published: July 2022

Real estate price prediction takes an important role in the economy that can drive up and down the stock prices and even generate disruptive economic events. Many researchers have tried to understand the pricing mechanism with machine learning techniques such as support vector machine, neural network, random forest, and AdaBoost. The boundary problem, on the other hand, makes the pricing scheme more complicated, and this trend is accelerated especially in the situation of population decline in Japan. In this paper, we discuss how we could approach the boundary problem in real estate prediction. We propose a new comprehensive inference model extending and adapting XGBoost to the domain that has the boundary conditions problem by utilizing the distance between the instances in the domain data set to make the layers of bumpy boundaries smooth for more accurate predictions and robustness against the domain data set. The experiments result showed our proposed method performed well on both hypothetical data sets and actual real estate price data. © 2022 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Disjointness through the Lens of Vapnik–Chervonenkis Dimension: Sparsity and Beyond
Authors: Bhattacharya Anup , Chakraborty Sourav , Ghosh Arijit , Mishra Gopinath , Paraashar Manaswi
Published: July 2022

The disjointness problem—where Alice and Bob are given two
subsets of $$\{1, \dots, n\}$$

{
1
,
⋯
,
n
}

and they have to check if their sets
intersect—is a central problem in the world of communication
complexity. While both deterministic and randomized communication
complexities for this problem are known to be $$\Theta(n)$$

Θ
(
n
)

, it is
also known that if the sets are assumed to be drawn from some
restricted set systems then the communication complexity can be much
lower. In this work, we explore how communication complexity
measures change with respect to the complexity of the underlying set
system. The complexity measure for the set system that we use in
this work is the Vapnik—Chervonenkis (VC) dimension. More
precisely, on any set system with VC dimension bounded by d, we
analyze how large can the deterministic and randomized communication
complexities be, as a function of d and n. The d-sparse set
disjointness problem, where the sets have size at most d, is one
such set system with VC dimension d. The deterministic and the
randomized communication complexities of the d-sparse set
disjointness problem have been well studied and are known to be
$$\Theta \left( d \log \left({n}/{d}\right)\right)$$

Θ

d
log

n
/
d

and $$\Theta(d)$$

Θ
(
d
)

,
respectively, in the multi-round communication setting. In this
paper, we address the question of whether the randomized
communication complexity of the disjointness problem is always upper
bounded by a function of the VC dimension of the set system, and
does there always exist a gap between the deterministic and
randomized communication complexities of the disjointness problem
for set systems with small VC dimension.

We construct two natural set systems of VC dimension d, motivated
from geometry. Using these set systems, we show that the deterministic and
randomized communication complexity can be $$\widetilde{\Theta}\left(d\log \left( n/d \right)\right)$$

Θ
~

d
log

n
/
d

for set systems of
VC dimension d and this matches the deterministic upper bound for all set
systems of VC dimension d. We also study the deterministic and randomized
communication complexities of the set intersection problem when sets belong to a set
system of bounded VC dimension. We show that there exist set systems of
VC dimension d such that both deterministic and randomized (one-way and
multi-round) complexities for the set intersection problem can be as high
as $$\Theta\left( d\log \left( n/d \right) \right)$$

Θ

d
log

n
/
d

.
Ischemic Lesion Growth in Patients with a Persistent Target Mismatch After Large Vessel Occlusion
Authors: Tomari Shinya , Lillicrap Thomas , Garcia-Esperon Carlos , Kashida Yumi Tomari , Bivard Andrew , Lin Longting , Levi Christopher R. , Spratt Neil J.
Published: July 2022

Background

Failure to reperfuse a cerebral occlusion resulting in a persistent penumbral pattern has not been fully described.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed patients with anterior large vessel occlusion who did not receive reperfusion, and underwent repeated perfusion imaging, with baseline imaging < 6 h after onset and follow-up scans from 16–168 h. A persistent target mismatch (PTM) was defined as core volume of < 100 mL, mismatch ratio > 1.2, and mismatch volume > 10 mL on follow-up imaging. Patients were divided into PTM or non-PTM groups. Ischemic core and penumbral volumes were compared between baseline and follow-up imaging between the two groups, and collateral flow status assessed using CT perfusion collateral index.

Results

A total of 25 patients (14 PTM and 11 non-PTM) were enrolled in the study. Median core volumes increased slightly in the PTM group, from 22 to 36 ml. There was a much greater increase in the non-PTM group, from 57 to 190 ml. Penumbral volumes were stable in the PTM group from a median of 79 ml at baseline to 88 ml at follow-up, whereas penumbra was reduced in the non-PTM group, from 120 to 0 ml. Collateral flow status was also better in the PTM group and the median collateral index was 33% compared with 44% in the non-PTM group (p = 0.043).

Conclusion

Multiple patients were identified with limited core growth and large penumbra (persistent target mismatch) > 16 h after stroke onset, likely due to more favorable collateral flow.
Protein kinase Ime2 is associated with mycelial growth, conidiation, osmoregulation, and pathogenicity in Fusarium oxysporum
Authors: Xiao Jiling , Zhang Yi , Yang Ke , Tang Yanying , Wei Lin , Liu Erming , Liang Zhihuai
Published: July 2022

Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. niveum is one of the most serious diseases impairing watermelon yield and quality. Inducer of meiosis 2 (Ime2) is the founding member of a family of serine/threonine protein kinases and plays important roles in yeasts and other filamentous fungi. In this study, we analyzed the functions of FoIme2, the ortholog of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Ime2 in F. oxysporum f.sp. niveum. The FoIme2-deleted mutants exhibited obvious morphological abnormalities, including slower vegetative growth, more branches in the edge hyphae and a reduction in conidia production. Compared to the wild type, the mutants were hypersensitive to the osmotic stressor NaCl but were more insensitive to the membrane stressor SDS. The deletion of FoIme2 also caused a reduction in pathogenicity. Transcriptional analysis revealed that FoIme2 acts downstream of FoOpy2 which is an upstream sensor of the MAPK kinase cascade. These results indicate that FoIme2 is important in the development and pathogenicity of F. oxysporum, and provide new insight for the analysis of the pathogenic mechanism of F. oxysporum.
Hidden Spectral Symmetries and Mode Stability of Subextremal Kerr(-de Sitter) Black Holes
Authors: Casals Marc , Teixeira da Costa Rita
Published: July 2022

We uncover hidden spectral symmetries of the Teukolsky equation in Kerr(-de Sitter) black holes, recently conjectured by Aminov, Grassi and Hatsuda (Ann. Henri Poincaré 23, 1951-1977, 2022, and Gen. Relativ. Grav. 53(10):93, 2021) in the zero cosmological constant case. Using these symmetries, we provide a new, simpler proof of mode stability for subextremal Kerr black holes. We also present a partial mode stability result for Kerr–de Sitter black holes.
The Challenges Experienced By Female Surgeons in Africa: A Systematic Review
Authors: Jesuyajolu Damilola Alexander , Okeke Charles Arinze , Obuh Otomi
Published: July 2022

Background

There are many challenges faced by female surgeons in Africa. These challenges, when brought to the forefront, can be tackled by the necessary stakeholders to increase the participation of women in surgery. This paper will review the existing literature, across the African continent, to bring to light the challenges experienced by women currently practicing as surgeons.

Methods

We conducted a search using keywords ‘Challenges’ ‘Female’ ‘Surgeon’ ‘Africa’ and ‘Bias’ on PubMed, Google Scholar, and AJOL from inception till the 21st of January 2022. We then searched the same keywords on the Google search engine in addition to the names of each of the 54 African countries.

Results

We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) in conducting this systematic review. Out of the 10 published papers that were deemed eligible, four (n = 4) originated from South Africa. Other countries that were represented include Nigeria, Rwanda, Zimbabwe and Ghana. 8 of the articles were cross‐sectional studies. Underrepresentation was the most common challenge (n = 4 articles). Disrespect from colleagues, poor work‐life balance, harassment, and stereotypes were also challenges identified in these articles.

Conclusion

Despite the increasing participation, female surgeons continue to face different challenges ranging from the unfavorable work environment to the pressures put on them by society. This narrative review serves as a stimulant for major health stakeholders in Global surgery to promote gender inclusivity in the African surgical workforce.
Bindungsdimensionen im Erwachsenenalter – beziehungsspezifische Unterschiede und ihre Zusammenhänge mit psychischer Gesundheit
Authors: Flemming Eva , Lübke Laura , Müller Sascha , Lorenzen Vera , Spitzer Carsten
Published: July 2022

Hintergrund

Empirische Befunde legen nahe, dass Bindung im Erwachsenenalter sowohl globale als auch beziehungsspezifische Aspekte aufweist. Bisher ist jedoch nicht ausreichend geklärt, inwieweit sich globale und spezifische Bindungsdimensionen in ihren Zusammenhängen mit psychischer Gesundheit unterscheiden.

Methodik

In einer Gelegenheitsstichprobe (n = 622; 86 % weiblich, Altersdurchschnitt 33 Jahre) wurden Bindungsangst und Bindungsvermeidung jeweils in den Beziehungen zu Mutter, Vater, PartnerIn und FreundIn und in einer globalen Form mittels des Selbstbeurteilungsinstruments Experiences in Close Relationships – Relationship Structures (ECR-RS) erhoben. Es wurde angenommen, dass sich die Ausprägungen der Bindungsdimensionen je nach Beziehungskontext voneinander unterscheiden. Mittels multipler Regression wurden die Zusammenhänge der Skalen des ECR-RS mit der Symptom-Checklist-Kurzversion (SCL-K9), dem Inventar Interpersonaler Probleme (IIP-32) und der Level of Personality Functioning Scale – Brief Form (LPFS-BF) untersucht.

Ergebnisse

Bindungsangst und Bindungsvermeidung wurden je nach Beziehungskontext unterschiedlich hoch eingeschätzt (Bindungsangst: ηp2 = 0,18, Bindungsvermeidung: ηp2 = 0,31). Globale Bindungsangst war der stärkste Prädiktor für aktuelle psychische Beschwerden (β = 0,48, p < 0,001), interpersonale Probleme (β = 0,49, p < 0,001) und Beeinträchtigungen im Persönlichkeitsfunktionsniveau (β = 0,48, p < 0,001). Globale Bindungsvermeidung zeigte keinen wesentlichen inkrementellen Effekt über die beziehungsspezifische Vermeidung hinaus. Hingegen stand insbesondere Bindungsvermeidung in der Partnerschaft mit den 3 Ergebnismaßen im Zusammenhang.

Diskussion

Die Bindungsdimensionen von Erwachsenen scheinen sich je nach dem Beziehungskontext, in dem sie beurteilt werden, zu unterscheiden. Für die Praxis könnte eine Kombination aus globalen und partnerschaftsbezogenen Bindungsfragebogen am aussagekräftigsten sein, um die unterschiedlichen Zusammenhänge von Bindungsangst und Bindungsvermeidung mit der psychischen Gesundheit ausreichend zu erfassen.
Effect of mindfulness yoga on anxiety and depression in early breast cancer patients received adjuvant chemotherapy: a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Liu Weimin , Liu Juan , Ma Lan , Chen Jing
Published: July 2022

Purpose

The objective of this study is to explore the effects of a mindfulness yoga treatment on emotional disorders, fatigue, pain, and health-related quality of life in early-stage breast cancer patients.

Methods

The eligible 136 participants were randomly assigned 1:1 to the experimental group (mindfulness yoga + conventional care) and the control group (conventional care). The hospital anxiety and depression scale was used to assess anxiety and depression symptoms as the primary outcome. Secondary results comprised fatigue (RPFS-CV), pain (BPI-C), and health-related quality of life (FACT-B). Assessments were performed at baseline time, the 8th week, and the 20th week.

Results

The Experimental group had a better prognosis in comparison with those in the control group, especially for anxiety [inter-group effect, T1: 1.18 (95% CI 0.20–2.17; P = 0.018)], depression [T1: 1.49 (95% CI 0.48–2.50; P = 0.004)] and health-related life quality [T1: − 6.34 (95% CI − 11.81 to − 0.87; P = 0.023)]. While fatigue [T1: 0.23 (95% CI − 0.24–0.69; P = 0.337); T2: 0.27 (95% CI − 0.16–0.71; P = 0.219)] and pain [T1: 1.11 (95% CI − 0.05–2.27; P = 0.060); T2: 0.68 (95% CI − 0.27–1.62; P = 0.159)] were not different between the two groups.

Conclusion

In patients with early-stage breast cancer who had received adjuvant chemotherapy, treatment with mindfulness yoga is as effective as conventional care in improving physical function. Along with other treatments, mindfulness yoga may help alleviate anxiety and depression to improve the overall physical and mental health and quality of life of early-stage breast cancer patients.

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry Registration number: ChiCTR2100052842, Reg. Date: 2021/11/6.
Brief report: community-acquired Friedlander’s pneumonia and pulmonary metastatic Klebsiella pneumoniae infection caused by hypervirulent ST23 in the Netherlands
Authors: Fliss Monika , van den Berg Charlotte H. S. B. , Kuijper Ed , Notermans Daan W. , Hendrickx Antoni P. A. , Schoots Mirthe H. , Bathoorn Erik
Published: July 2022

Infections with hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKp) commonly presents with primary liver infection, bacteremia, and metastatic abscesses. Here, we present 2 cases of severe community-acquired pulmonary infections by hvKp in patients in the Netherlands without recent travel history. Both bacterial isolates are closely related to an archetype ST23 hvKp reference isolate. Based on these findings, surveillance programs on hvKp may consider to include isolates from community-acquired pneumonia by K. pneumoniae.
Investigation of hydrogeological conditions of a fractured shale aquifer in Yala Area (SE Nigeria) characterized by saline groundwater
Authors: Edet Aniekan , Okereke Chiedu
Published: July 2022

Geological, hydrogeological and geophysical investigations were carried out in Yala Area (SE Nigeria) to delineate potential zones for future groundwater development. The area is underlain by Turonian fractured shale rock intruded by basaltic rocks and saline water. High lineament density (> 30 km−1) recorded in the north suggest high permeable zone, compared with low lineament density (< 10 km−1) in the south and east. Geophysical results reveal four types of aquifers: an upper weathered, fractured shale aquifer with mean resistivity and thickness in the range 27–40 Ω m and 20–28 m and a lower fractured shale aquifer with mean resistivity in the range 28.5 to 36.0 Ω m and unresolved thickness; fractured saline shale aquifer with mean resistivity and thickness of 21 Ω m and 50 m; fractured silty shale aquifer with mean resistivity and thickness of 54.4 Ω m and 10 m and basaltic intrusive fractured shale aquifer with mean resistivity and thickness of 135.6 Ω m and 6 m. A broad range of aquifer parameters were obtained from resistivity data and pumping test. Groundwater quality on the mean indicated alkaline and good fresh water for drinking and irrigation use with minor level of salinization. Concentration of dissolved ions in the area are enhanced through weathering and ion exchange. On the basis of these data, the potential zones for groundwater harnessing have been delineated in Yala Area.
Surfactant-laden film lining an oscillating cap: problem formulation and weakly nonlinear analysis
Authors: Bouchoris K. , Bontozoglou V.
Published: July 2022

A surfactant-laden liquid film that lines the inside of an oscillating spherical cap is considered as a model of lung alveoli. Pulmonary surfactant solubility is described by Langmuir adsorption kinetics, modified by incorporating the intrinsic compressibility of the adsorbed monolayer. A novel boundary condition, supported by experimental data and scaling arguments, is applied at the rim. The condition enforces mass conservation of water and surfactant by matching the ‘large-scale’ dynamics of the alveolus to ‘small-scale’ equilibrium over mid-alveolar septa of small but finite thickness. Linear and weakly nonlinear analysis around the conditions in a non-oscillating cap indicates that the occurrence of shearing motion in the liquid is related to the non-zero film thickness over the rim, and shearing velocity at the interface is predicted an order-of-magnitude lower than the velocity of radial oscillation. Marangoni stresses dominate the interfacial dynamics, but capillary stresses affect significantly the interior flow field. In particular, they produce spatial modulations in flow rate, surface concentration of surfactant and wall shear stress, whose length scale varies with

$Ca^{-1/3}$

, i.e. is determined by a balance between capillary and viscous forces. Non-zero adsorption kinetics modifies at first order only the amplitude and phase of surface concentration, but affects all other variables at second order. In particular, it sets a steady drift of surfactant away from the alveolus and towards the rim. Finally, an attempt is made to relate the present predictions to physiological findings about air flow and particle deposition inside alveoli, and about shear stress-inflicted damage in diseased lungs.
Tomb S181 in Cyrene and its Doric false peristyle
Authors: Cherstich Luca
Published: July 2022

Situated on the westernmost corner of the Southern Necropolis, Tomb S181 is an important rock-cut monument, unlike any other thus far known in Cyrene. The presence of a Doric false peristyle running all around the chamber is unique in the context of the Cyrenean funerary culture, as it seems to elaborate and modify the model of the Internal Doric Frieze (seen in famous tombs of the near-by Western Necropolis) in a new, previously unpublished solution. Tomb S181 casts further light on the complicated relationship with the Alexandrian funerary world. This paper describes the tomb and considers it from multiple and different points of view: traditional art-historical comparisons are sought in order to cast light on the chronology but, on the other hand, the display strategies are also analyzed to reconstruct the importance of this monument for the Cyrenean monumental funerary tradition. Tomb S181 is certainly a hybrid entity, the product of a local culture accepting but also deeply modifying Alexandrian influences in terms of architecture and, possibly, also of funerary ritual behaviours. Tomb S181 clearly attests the vitality of rock-cut funerary architecture in Cyrene during the Hellenistic period.
A Berestycki–Lions type result for a class of degenerate elliptic problems involving the Grushin operator
Authors: Alves Claudianor O. , de Holanda Angelo R. F.
Published: July 2022

In this work we study the existence of nontrivial solution for the following class of semilinear degenerate elliptic equations
\[ -\Delta_{\gamma} u + a(z)u = f(u) \quad \mbox{in}\ \mathbb{R}^{N}, \]where $\Delta _{\gamma }$ is known as the Grushin operator, $z:=(x,y)\in \mathbb {R}^{m}\times \mathbb {R}^{k}$ and $m+k=N\geqslant 3$, $f$ and $a$ are continuous function satisfying some technical conditions. In order to overcome some difficulties involving this type of operator, we have proved some compactness results that are crucial in the proof of our main results. For the case $a=1$, we have showed a Berestycki–Lions type result.
How do elderly people with malnutrition and their families perceive collaborative practice in primary care? A phenomenological study
Authors: Mawardi Fitriana , Lestari Ayuningtyas Satya , Onishi Hirotaka , Sasongko Elsa Pudji Setiawati , Kusnanto Hari , Hilmanto Dany
Published: July 2022

As a frequent and serious problem in elderly people, malnutrition is a complex health issue. It requires comprehensive care through interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP) engaging five health professionals in primary care consisting of a physician, dentist, nurse, dietitian and pharmacist. In Indonesia, the usual care involves monthly health screening in community programmes named Posyandu. The current study aimed to explore perceptions of elderly people with malnutrition and their families’ experiences with interprofessional teams compared with usual care in primary care. This qualitative study used the phenomenological approach based on Creswell. Interviews were conducted with fourteen elderly people and their families in the intervention group and fourteen elderly people with their families in the control group. Data were analysed using the four steps of descriptive qualitative analysis described by Giorgi, including comparing the experiences of both groups. Elderly people with malnutrition in the intervention group had more valued experiences regarding two-way communication with the IPCP team and felt it involved more comprehensive care for malnutrition management. Participants in the control group experienced communication between the health care providers and elderly people; however, it was not clear enough. There were overlapping roles among health care providers in the usual care. However, both groups shared the experience that family members are partners in nutritional management. Elderly people and their families in the intervention group have more valuable experiences related to two-way communication and comprehensive care. Family as partners was experienced in both the intervention and control groups.
Management of paediatric laryngotracheal trauma
Authors: Li H , Li Z , Zhao J , Wang G , Wang H , Zhang F , Sun N , Han Y , Zhang J , Ni X
Published: July 2022

Objective

To summarise and describe the clinical presentations, diagnostic approaches and airway management techniques in children with laryngotracheal trauma.

Methods

The clinical data related to laryngotracheal trauma diagnosed and treated at the Beijing Children's Hospital, between January 2013 and July 2018, were retrospectively reviewed. Disease diagnosis, treatment, management and outcomes were analysed.

Results

A total of 13 cases were enrolled, including 7 cases of penetrating laryngotracheal trauma. The six cases of blunt laryngotracheal trauma were caused by collisions with hard objects. In all cases, voice, airway and swallowing outcomes were graded as ‘good’, except for one patient who had residual paralysis of the vocal folds.

Conclusion

Flexible fibre-optic laryngoscopy and computed tomography can play an important role in diagnosing laryngotracheal trauma. The airway should be secured and, if necessary, opened by tracheal intubation or tracheostomy.
Redefining Health Technology Assessment: A Comment on “The New Definition of Health Technology Assessment: A Milestone in International Collaboration”
Authors: Culyer Anthony , Husereau Don
Published: July 2022

A new definition of health technology assessment (HTA), developed by an International Joint Task Group claims to be a “milestone,” “an historic achievement,” and “a cornerstone reference”—claims that we think to be unjustified. We too favor clear definitions, especially when confusion abounds. However, the Task Group seems to have developed a definition without the help of usual conventions regarding definitions and, in our view, through an ill-described process. A definition ought to differentiate the entity defined from other entities. This one fails to do so. It states traits that are true of HTA (e.g., that is interdisciplinary) but HTA is not alone in this. There are other concerns: examples of HTA’s use are embodied in the definition, precluding other uses; the adjectives used, although generally true of HTA, are not differentiating features; and attributing to HTA specific purposes, thereby excluding other purposes. We have sympathy for these purposes but cannot consider them HTA’sonlypurposes or even, itsmainpurpose. A newcomer to HTA, on reading this definition, will have no idea of HTA’s true potential. These numerous failings, we feel, send all the wrong signals, and could ultimately weaken, rather than strengthen perceptions of HTA’s legitimacy and objectivity. The production of a good definition remains, therefore, a work in progress.
For Profit or Patriotism? Balancing the Interests of the Chinese State, Host Country and Firm in the Lao Rubber Sector
Authors: Lu Juliet
Published: July 2022

Chinese state firms are expected not only to profit but also to serve state interests. But the Chinese state is fragmented: border provinces are taking on an expanded role in China's global expansion and a broad range of firm activities could be defined as patriotic contributions. Through the case of Yunnan State Farms (YSF), a province-level state-owned enterprise, this article explores how state firms interpret and navigate multiple state interests while also pursuing profit. The firm's ability to profit depends on balancing the demands and support of different Chinese state actors while depicting itself as a development partner to the Lao state and a contributor to Sino-Lao diplomatic relations and border region stability. This case thus shows that, instead of YSF's behaviour being directed by the state, the firm exercises considerable latitude in defining its contributions to state interests through the expansion of rubber production as a driver of development.
Identifying the Important Contributory Factors From Maintenance Error	Decision Aid (MEDA) Data
Authors: Newman Michael , Scott Steve
Published: July 2022

Abstract. Aviation maintenance organizations that monitor frequencies of contributory factor taxonomy codes historically struggle to identify which contributory factors are most potent. This research used Boeing’s Maintenance Error Decision Aid (MEDA) to categorize 138 aviation maintenance accident, incident, and occurrence report narratives. Analyses of contingency tables using Pearson’s chi-square, lambda, and odds ratio statistics revealed that a modest frequency of communication was highly significantly associated with leadership and supervision, individual factors, and technical knowledge contributory factors. The results demonstrate that use of these analyses goes beyond frequency and singular associative methods to identify the presence and strength of associations between contributory factors.