bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Regorafenib with or without a programmed cell death protein 1 antibody as third‐line treatment for microsatellite stable metastatic colorectal cancer
Authors: He Wen‐Zhuo , Wang Lei , Yin Chen‐Xi , Yi Jia‐Hong , Jin Ya‐Nan , Jiang Chang , Guo Gui‐Fang , Xia Liang‐Ping
Published: November 2022

Background

Although the use of regorafenib plus nivolumab demonstrates promising outcomes in patients with refractory microsatellite stable (MSS) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), this effect has not been substantiated in other studies. Moreover, a comparison between the outcomes of regorafenib and programmed cell death protein 1 (PD‐1) antibody combination therapy and regorafenib monotherapy remains unexplored. In this study, we aimed to assess whether regorafenib and PD‐1 antibody combination therapy is superior to regorafenib monotherapy as a third‐line treatment for MSS mCRC.

Methods

Patients with MSS mCRC who received regorafenib and PD‐1 antibody or regorafenib monotherapy as third‐line treatment were eligible for inclusion.

Results

In total, 179 patients were enrolled, of which 84 were administered regorafenib combined with a PD‐1 antibody and 95 were administered regorafenib monotherapy. Patients administered regorafenib combined with a PD‐1 antibody had similar progression‐free survival (PFS) as those on regorafenib monotherapy (median PFS was 2.4 months and 1.9 months, respectively, p = 0.086). The administration of regorafenib combined with a PD‐1 antibody resulted in significantly longer PFS than that seen with regorafenib monotherapy in both male (5.2 months vs. 2.4 months, p = 0.001) and female (3.9 months vs. 1.8 months, p = 0.037) patients without liver metastasis. Female patients with liver metastasis who were administered regorafenib combined with a PD‐1 antibody had shorter PFS than those administered regorafenib monotherapy (1.8 months vs. 2.0 months, p = 0.030).

Conclusion

Liver metastasis and sex are predictors of survival benefit following the addition of a PD‐1 antibody to regorafenib in patients with MSS mCRC.
Accuracy and prognostic impact of FDG PET/CT and biopsy in bone marrow assessment of follicular lymphoma at diagnosis: A Nation‐Wide cohort study
Authors: Ródenas‐Quiñonero Isabel , Chen‐Liang Tzu , Martín‐Santos Taida , Salar Antonio , Fernández‐González Marta , Celades Carolina , Navarro José‐Tomás , Martínez‐Garcia Ana Belén , Andreu Rafael , Balaguer Aitana , Martin García‐Sancho Alejandro , Baile Mónica , López‐Jiménez Javier , Marquet‐Palomanes Juan , Teruel Ana Isabel , Terol María José , Benet Carmen , Frutos Laura , Navarro José Luis , Uña Jon , Suarez Marina , Cortes Montserrat , Contreras José , Ruiz Cristina , Tamayo Pilar , Mucientes Jorge , Sopena‐Novales Pablo , Reguilón‐Gallego Laura , Sánchez‐Blanco José Javier , Pérez‐Ceballos Elena , Jerez Andrés , Ortuño Francisco José
Published: November 2022

Backgound

In the workup of follicular lymphoma (FL), bone marrow biopsy (BMB) assessment is a key component of FLIPI and FLIPI2, the most widely used outcome scores. During the previous decade, several studies explored the role of FDG‐PET/CT for detecting nodal and extranodal disease, with only one large study comparing both techniques.

Methods

The aim of our study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and the prognostic impact of both procedures in a retrospective cohort of 299 FL patients with both tests performed at diagnosis. In order to avoid a collinearity bias, FLIPI2 was deconstructed in its founding parameters, and the bone marrow involvement (BMI) parameter separately included as: a positive BMB, a positive PET/CT, the combined “PET/CT and BMB positive” or “PET/CT or BMB positive”. These variables were also confronted independently with the POD24 in 233 patients treated with intensive regimens.

Results

In the total cohort, bone marrow was involved in 124 and 60 patients by BMB and PET/CT, respectively. In terms of overall survival, age > 60 y.o. and the combined “PET/CT or BMB positive” achieved statistical independence as a prognostic factor. In patients treated with an intensive regimen, only the combined “PET/CT or BMB positive” added prognostic value for a shorter overall survival, when confronted with the POD24.

Conclusion

Our results show that in FL both BMB and PET/CT should be considered at diagnosis, as their combined assessment provides independent prognostic value in the context of the most widely use clinical scores.
Silica‐supported Catalyst System Rh−Mn−Ir−Li−Ti in Syngas to Ethanol Reaction: Reactivity Trends and Performance Optimization
Authors: Khatamirad Mohammad , Konrad Martin , Gentzen Manuel , Almer Christian , Boscagli Chiara , Bottke Nils , Geske Michael , Rosowski Frank , Kraehnert Ralph
Published: November 2022

Ethanol is a high‐value chemical that can be produced from syngas derived from fossil or renewable resources. Silica‐supported catalysts based on Rh are reported to show the best performance so far. We report a comprehensive investigation for influence of catalyst composition on performance in syngas conversion to ethanol. We evaluate 53 different silica‐supported catalysts with a varying degree of Rh, Mn, Ir, Li and Ti, via high‐throughput testing. Correlation analysis reveals that Li and Ir tend to increase the selectivity to C2+ oxygenates, and catalysts with a 0.95 molar ratio of Rh : Mn show a tendency for high CO conversion. The composition 2.8Rh, 0.45Mn, 1.3Ir, 0.04Li, where the numbers indicate weight percentage, is identified to yield one of the highest C2+ oxygenate values reported in the literature so far. Moreover, combining this catalyst with a hydrogenation catalyst and converting C2+ oxygenates to ethanol, provides one of the highest ethanol yields reported so far in literature.
Selective Oxidation of Methane into Formic Acid over ZIF‐8‐Encapsulated Mononuclear Fe Species under Mild Conditions
Authors: Lin Lu , Zhang Guikai , Kang Liqun , Yu Tao , Su Yang , Zeng Guang , Chu Shengqi , Luo Wenhao
Published: November 2022

The direct catalytic oxidation of methane into C1 oxygenates is a promising approach for methane valorization. However, the difficulties in CH4 activation and inhibition of over‐oxidation hinder the development of efficient catalysts for this transformation. Herein, highly dispersed Fe species confined by ZIF‐8 are developed for the direct transformation of methane into value‐added C1 oxygenates with H2O2 as oxidant at 323 K. The as‐obtained Fe‐ZIF‐8 can afford an optimal turnover rate (TOR) of ∼45 molC1 molFe−1 h−1. Note that the selectivity to HCOOH is ∼97 %, outstanding among the reported Fe‐based heterogeneous catalysts. Combined analysis of X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X‐ray absorption spectroscopy, ultraviolet‐visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy suggests that the catalytically active sites in Fe‐ZIF‐8 are mononuclear six‐coordinated Fe3+ species. The confinement of mononuclear Fe species within a porous metal‐organic framework material can provide an exquisite, enzyme‐like performance for highly selective oxidation of methane towards formic acid under mild conditions.
Survey on compressed sensing reconstruction method for3Ddata
Authors: Zhang Jingbo , Xie Liping
Published: November 2022

The information society has higher and higher requirements for the collection, transmission and storage of digital signals, and signal utilization efficiency has become an increasingly important part of the digital signal processing process. The traditional digital signal processing needs to satisfy the Nyquist sampling theorem to ensure the restoration of the signal, while the digital signal processing method based on compressed sensing can sample and reconstruct the signal under the conditions that much lower than the Nyquist sampling theorem. Undoubtedly, the utilization efficiency of digital signals has been greatly accelerated. In this article, taking hyperspectral images and videos as examples, we review the basic theory, reconstruction model, and reconstruction algorithm of 3D data compressed sensing. We analyze, summarize, and discuss the existing literature. Finally, the research status of compressive sensing reconstruction methods for hyperspectral images and videos is compared, and several important research directions for compressive sensing reconstruction of 3D data in the future are proposed.
Lipophilic N‐Hydroxyimide Derivatives: Design, Synthesis, and Application to Aerobic Alkane Oxidation Under Neat Conditions
Authors: Kaneiwa Takaya , Yamada Kaito , Nakano Ryo , Yamashita Makoto
Published: November 2022

This work reports the design and synthesis of a series of 5‐membered and 6‐membered N‐hydroxyimides flanked by lipophilic alkyl groups adjacent to carbonyl groups, aiming to endow lipophilicity and tolerance toward ring opening degradation. Their solubility in cyclohexane was 5–20 times higher than those of unsubstituted N‐hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI) and even 3–10 times higher than a formerly known lipophilic NHPI analog bearing a long alkyl ester. UV‐Vis spectroscopy determined the rate constants of first‐order decay of N‐oxyls, which revealed enhanced stability of 3,5‐di‐tert‐butyl‐NHPI and N‐hydroxyglutarimide flanked by spiro‐cyclohexanes compared with that of NHPI. Their bond dissociation energies were assessed by EPR spectroscopy and DFT calculation, suggesting these lipophilic N‐hydroxyimides catalyzed aerobic cyclohexane oxidation under neat conditions with up to 60 turnovers, which is the highest among hitherto reported reactions under neat conditions.
Revisiting the Fluorescence of Benzothiadiazole Derivatives: Anti‐Kasha Emission or Not?
Authors: Veys Koen , de Jong Flip , Adriaens Annelies , Coenen Gitte , Coenen Kylie , De Ligt Yvonne , Meysman Quinten , Paredis Trijntje , Stalmans Jesse , Dehaen Wim , Van der Auweraer Mark , Escudero Daniel
Published: November 2022

In this paper we revisit the fluorescent properties of two fluorophores, namely N‐butyl‐7‐(4‐ methoxyphenyl)‐2,1,3‐benzothiadiazole‐4‐amine (1) and 4‐[[7‐(4‐methoxyphenyl)‐2,1,3‐ benzothiadiazole‐4‐yl]amino]‐benzonitrile (2), whose emissive and fluorescent sensing properties were recently investigated by Peng et al. in Ref. [1]. Experimentally, these two fluorophores were reported to show excitation wavelength‐dependent emission properties, especially 1, which is a dual emitter. The authors of the original manuscript ascribed the excitation‐wavelength‐dependent emission properties to an emission from a higher‐lying excited state (i. e. anti‐Kasha emission). Our investigations, including steady‐state spectroscopy, lifetime measurements and time‐dependent density functional theory and second‐order algebraic diagrammatic construction [ADC(2)] calculations, unambiguously highlight that the fluorophores do not violate Kasha's rule but reveal instead that a protonated species is responsible for the higher‐lying emissive band. In addition, we have elucidated the actual fluorescent pH sensing mechanisms. More and more molecular systems are reported to violate Kasha's rule; sometimes without compelling proof. This study highlights the need to i) exhaustively investigate apparent anomalous cases reported in the literature that seemingly violate Kasha's rule and ii) propose good scientific practices to correctly assign anomalous photochemical events.
Science and RE teachers' perspectives on the purpose of RE on the secondary school curriculum in England
Authors: Woolley Mary , Bowie Robert A. , Hulbert Sabina , Thomas Caroline , Riordan John‐Paul , Revell Lynn
Published: November 2022

Renewed interest in curriculum in English schooling over the past decade has emanated from a particular focus on the place and role of knowledge in the classroom. Significant changes in policy and examination specifications have led to changes in religious education (RE). However, little is known about teachers' perspectives on the purpose of RE. We asked teachers of science and RE what they understood as the purpose of RE on the school curriculum. Data from 10 focus groups and a survey with 276 secondary teachers demonstrated that many secondary teachers of science have a different understanding to RE teachers of the purpose of RE on the school curriculum. Findings also show a lack of consensus from RE teachers on the purpose of RE, suggesting the impact of the knowledge turn in RE is not as strong as the Ofsted Research Review implies. Findings are significant as little is known about how knowledge works across disciplinary boundaries in schools. If students are to come to a full understanding of how knowledge works, teachers need to have some understanding of how knowledge is being constructed and utilised in other curriculum subjects. Knowledge of the intended purpose of RE is important for respectful co‐existence of subjects on the curriculum and essential when RE is declining as a subject in secondary schools.
The record of sea water chemistry evolution during the Ediacaran–Cambrian from early marine cements
Authors: Xiong Yi , Wood Rachel , Pichevin Laetitia
Published: November 2022

The Ediacaran–Cambrian Radiation marks the widespread appearance of metazoans and calcareous biomineralised hard parts. These innovations occurred during an interval of dynamic changes in marine redox and sea water chemistry. Here, changing carbonate mineralogy, Mg/Ca ratios and rare earth element concentrations including the relative abundance of cerium (Ce anomaly: Ceanom) are documented to track sea water oxygen levels, in well‐preserved early marine cements from shallow marine reefs from Cambrian Stages 2–4 (ca 525–512 Ma). First, integrating the mineralogical data with published records, several shifts in dominant carbonate mineralogy are inferred: ‘dolomite‐aragonite seas’ in the late Ediacaran; ‘aragonite/high‐Mg calcite seas’ in Cambrian Stage 2; a temporary shift to a ‘calcite sea’ during early Cambrian Stage 3; an ‘aragonite sea’ between late Cambrian Stage 3 and late Cambrian Stage 4, then a gradual shift from mixed ‘aragonite–calcite seas’ during the middle and upper Cambrian towards a ‘calcite sea’ by the early Ordovician. Second, based on measured mMg/Ca in early marine cements, calculated sea water mMg/Ca at 15 and 35°C ranges from 1.2 to 0.8 in Cambrian Stage 2, 0.7–0.4 in Stage 3 and 1.4–0.9 in Stage 4 respectively. Finally, analysed Ceanom data combined with existing Ceanom data suggest potentially three phases of global oxic expansion. First, a long‐lived phase of progressive oxygenation during the late Ediacaran to Fortunian (ca 550–540 Ma; average Ceanom from 0.99 to 0.41), and possibly two shorter phases during early Cambrian Stage 3 (ca 519 Ma; average Ceanom from 0.91 to 0.40) and Stage 4 (ca 512 Ma; average Ceanom from 1.02 to 0.49), bounded by intervals of more dominant anoxia. Summarising, these data demonstrate that early marine cements offer an underused and high‐resolution archive of shallow marine redox and sea water chemistry through this critical transition in Earth's evolution.
Excitatory and inhibitory neuron imbalance in the intrauterine growth restricted fetal guinea pig brain: Relevance to the developmental origins of schizophrenia and autism
Authors: Cumberland Angela , Hale Nadia , Azhan Aminath , Gilchrist Courtney P. , Chincarini Ginevra , Tolcos Mary
Published: November 2022

Neurodevelopmental disorders such as schizophrenia and autism are thought to involve an imbalance of excitatory and inhibitory signaling in the brain. Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is a risk factor for these disorders, with IUGR onset occurring during critical periods of neurodevelopment. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of IUGR on excitatory and inhibitory neurons of the fetal neocortex and hippocampus. Fetal brains (n = 2) were first collected from an unoperated pregnant guinea pig at mid‐gestation (32 days of gestation [dg]; term ∼67 dg) to visualize excitatory (Ctip2) and inhibitory (calretinin [CR] and somatostatin [SST]) neurons via immunohistochemistry. Chronic placental insufficiency (CPI) was then induced via radial artery ablation at 30 dg in another cohort of pregnant guinea pigs (n = 8) to generate IUGR fetuses (52 dg; n = 8); control fetuses (52 dg; n = 7) were from sham surgeries with no radial artery ablation. At 32 dg, Ctip2‐ and CR‐immunoreactive (IR) cells had populated the cerebral cortex, whereas SST‐IR cells had not, suggesting these neurons were yet to complete migration. At 52 dg, in IUGR versus control fetuses, there was a reduction in SST‐IR cell density in the cerebral cortex (p = .0175) and hilus of the dentate gyrus (p = .0035) but not the striatum (p > .05). There was no difference between groups in the density of Ctip2‐IR (cortex) or CR‐IR (cortex, hippocampus) neurons (p > 0.05). Thus, we propose that an imbalance in inhibitory (SST‐IR) and excitatory (Ctip2‐IR) neurons in the IUGR fetal guinea pig brain could lead to excitatory/inhibitory dysfunction commonly seen in neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and schizophrenia.
The effectiveness of lived experience involvement in eating disorder treatment: A systematic review
Authors: Pellizzer Mia L. , Wade Tracey D.
Published: November 2022

Objective

This systematic review sought to understand the effectiveness of lived experience mentoring, by people recovered from an eating disorder, with clinical samples currently receiving eating disorder treatment.

Methods

The systematic review was conducted using PsycINFO, MEDLINE, Scopus, and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global and reviewing reference lists of included papers. Articles were included if they: (1) were intervention studies that included peer (recovered from an eating disorder) involvement, (2) delivered the intervention to clinical samples (or carers with direct involvement in treatment), (3) were in English, and (4) included quantitative results.

Results

Eleven studies were included across randomized control trials (RCTs), case series, and a case study; there was variation in quality. Findings varied considerably with some concluding that lived experience mentoring led to significant improvements for mentees, while other studies found no significant differences. Mentor outcomes were often not evaluated. Of those that did assess mentors, there is preliminary evidence for some benefits to participation but also the potential for harm.

Discussion

There is a need for further research in this area using high‐quality RCTs that address the risk of bias. It is important that lived experience peer mentors are monitored on key outcomes, provided with adequate training and ongoing supervision, and are reimbursed for their involvement.

Public Significance

This systematic review is the first review to focus on the use of peer mentors recovered from an eating disorder contributing to interventions for people receiving treatment for an eating disorder. All included studies present quantitative results. Given the emerging interest of lived experience mentoring, understanding its effectiveness for both mentees and impacts on mentors continues to be of critical importance.
Soil microbial legacies influence plant survival and growth in mine reclamation
Authors: McMahen Katie , Guichon Shannon H. A. , Anglin C. D. , Lavkulich Les M. , Grayston Susan J. , Simard Suzanne W.
Published: November 2022

Plants alter soil biological communities, generating ecosystem legacies that affect the performance of successive plants, influencing plant community assembly and successional trajectories. Yet, our understanding of how microbe‐mediated soil legacies influence plant establishment is limited for primary successional systems and forest ecosystems, particularly for ectomycorrhizal plants. In a two‐phase greenhouse experiment using primary successional mine reclamation materials with or without forest soil additions, we conditioned soil with an early successional shrub with low mycorrhizal dependence (willow, Salix scouleriana) and a later‐successional ectomycorrhizal conifer (spruce, Picea engelmannii × glauca). The same plant species and later‐successional plants (spruce and/or redcedar, Thuja plicata, a mid‐ to late‐successional arbuscular mycorrhizal conifer) were grown as legacy‐phase seedlings in conditioned soils and unconditioned control soils. Legacy effects were evaluated based on seedling survival and biomass, and the abundance and diversity of root fungal symbionts and pathogens. We found negative intraspecific (same‐species) soil legacies for willow associated with pathogen accumulation, but neutral to positive intraspecific legacies in spruce associated with increased mycorrhizal fungal colonization and diversity. Our findings support research showing that soil legacy effects vary with plant nutrient acquisition strategy, with plants with low mycorrhizal dependence experiencing negative feedbacks and ectomycorrhizal plants experiencing positive feedbacks. Soil legacy effects of willow on next‐stage successional species (spruce and redcedar) were negative, potentially due to allelopathy, while ectomycorrhizal spruce had neutral to negative legacy effects on arbuscular mycorrhizal redcedar, likely due to the trees not associating with compatible mycorrhizae. Thus, positive biological legacies may be limited to scenarios where mycorrhizal‐dependent plants grow in soil containing legacies of compatible mycorrhizae. We found that soil legacies influenced plant performance in mine reclamation materials with and without forest soil additions, indicating that initial restoration actions may potentially exert long‐term effects on plant community composition, even in primary successional soils with low microbial activity.
Experimental application of a laser‐based manufacturing process to develop a free customizable, scalable thermoelectric generator demonstrated on a hot shaft
Authors: Abt Marvin , Kruppa Katharina , Wolf Mario , Feldhoff Armin , Overmeyer Ludger
Published: November 2022

Geometry, design, and processing in addition to the thermoelectric material properties have a significant influence on the economic efficiency and performance of thermoelectric generators (TEGs). While conventional BULK TEGs are elaborate to manufacture and allow only limited variations in geometry, printed TEGs are often restricted in their application and processing temperature due to the use of organic materials. In this work, a proof‐of‐concept for fabricating modular, customizable, and temperature‐stable TEGs is demonstrated by applying an alternative laser process. For this purpose, low temperature cofired ceramics substrates were coated over a large area, freely structured and cut without masks by a laser and sintered to a solid structure in a single optimized thermal post‐processing. A scalable design with complex geometry and large cooling surface for application on a hot shaft was realized to prove feasibility. Investigations on sintering characteristics up to a peak temperature of 1173 K, thermoelectric material properties and temperature distribution were carried out for a Ca3Co4O9/Ag‐based prototype and evaluated using profilometer, XRD, and IR measurements. For a combined post‐processing, an optimal sintering profile could be determined at 1073 K peak temperature with a 20 min holding time. Temperature gradients of up to 100 K could be achieved along a thermocouple. A single TEG module consisting of 12 thermocouples achieved a maximum power of 0.224 μW and open‐circuit voltage of 134.41 mV at an average hot‐side temperature of 413.6 K and temperature difference of 106.7 K. Three of these modules combined into a common TEG with a total of 36 thermocouples reached a maximum power of 0.58 K and open‐circuit voltage of 319.28 mV with a lesser average hot‐side temperature of 387.8 K and temperature difference of 83.4 K.
Enhanced semi‐supervised ensemble machine learning approach for earthwork construction simulation activity sequence automatically updating driven by weather data
Authors: Zhang Jun , Yu Jia , Yu Peng , Wang Xiaoling , Tong Dawei , Wang Jiajun
Published: November 2022

Construction activity sequence changes are among the most crucial considerations in establishing construction simulation models. However, conventional simulation models are designed with a fixed sequence of simulation activities, which is unable to update automatically. Existing machine learning methods require abundant time for manual labelling and are unsuitable for construction data with high‐dimensional and heterogeneous characteristics. The motivation for this work is to develop a labour‐saving activity sequence classification model for earthwork construction simulation which realizes flexibly modifying simulation activities according to different weather conditions. Three heterogeneous semi‐supervised classifiers with complementary characteristics were ensembled to reduce the workload of manual labelling and enhance the generalization ability of activity sequence classification based on weather data. Furthermore, Dempster–Shafer‐based evidence reasoning improved by a security filtering mechanism was adopted to enhance the accuracy of semi‐supervised classification. The proposed enhanced ensemble semi‐supervised activity sequence classification model was embedded in an earthwork construction simulation model, which was evaluated in a case study of rockfill dam construction. The proposed classifier outperformed four common semi‐supervised methods and two common supervised methods in terms of accuracy and generalization ability. Additionally, the proposed simulation method outperformed conventional simulation methods in terms of the construction schedule, construction intensity and consistency of the simulated activity sequence with the true values by 65.55%, 28.47% and 88.15%, respectively.
Doxycycline use and adverse pregnancy or neonatal outcomes: A descriptive study using the United States Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System database
Authors: Kaundinnyayana Sammodavardhana , Kamath Ashwin
Published: November 2022

Background and Aims

Doxycycline is recommended for use in rickettsial diseases. The available evidence regarding its safety for rickettsial infection in pregnancy is limited. Our study aimed to describe the adverse events of doxycycline when used during pregnancy for any indication, in terms of adverse maternal and/or neonatal outcomes, using the United States Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).

Methods

We used the OpenVigil software for extracting the safety reports from the United States submitted to the FAERS from 2004 to 2021. We manually reviewed reports of doxycycline use resulting in adverse pregnancy outcomes or congenital anomalies to describe the patient and safety event characteristics.

Results

From 2004 to 2021, 59 individual case safety reports containing preferred terms indicative of drug exposure during pregnancy or drug‐induced adverse fetal outcomes were identified in the FAERS database. Following deduplication and manual review, 20 relevant adverse event reports were obtained. Doxycycline was the suspect medication in 13/20 (65%) reports. The common adverse event terms reported were premature delivery/baby in 6 reports, spontaneous abortion in 6, intrauterine death in 2, and various congenital anomalies in the rest. Fifty percent of the safety reports contained other medications which could have potentially caused the outcome.

Conclusions

The number of reported events in the FAERS database of adverse pregnancy/neonatal outcomes following doxycycline use is small, similar to the numbers reported from large cohort or surveillance studies. Given the presence of concomitant medications that could have contributed to the outcome, there does not seem to be a strong signal of harm, although this needs to be confirmed by surveillance studies.
Epidemiology of suicide and suicide attempts in Jahrom district, Southern Iran in light of COVID pandemic: A prospective observational study
Authors: Sefid Fard Jahromi Mina , Eghbal Mohammad Hadi , Rahmanian Vahid
Published: November 2022

Background and Aims

Suicide is a global public health issue. The covid‐19 epidemic has led to disturbance in daily life and economic activity. It is assumed that increased stress and anxiety cause suicide. This study aimed to describe the causes and methods of committing suicide during the COVID pandemic.

Methods

This descriptive study was conducted on all outpatients, inpatients, and those who died during the period from March 21, 2021 to March 20, 2022 due to suicide attempts, referred to hospitals and clinics affiliated with Jahrom University of Medical Sciences or were identified by the social emergency and welfare organization.

Results

A total of 330 suicide attempters with an average age of 26.74 ± 0.64 years were studied. They were 220 women (66.67%), 159 single (48.18%), and 309 (73.64%) people who had diplomas and high school degrees. In general, the three main reasons for committing suicide were emotional issues and problems with 169 people (51.21%), family violence with 127 people (38.48%), and economic issues and problems with 90 people (27.27%). In terms of suicide manners, 283 people (85.76%) used medicine (or pharmaceuticals), 16 people (4.85%) used agricultural pesticides, and 11 people (3.33%) used rodenticides. Furthermore, 164 people (49.70%) suffered from depression, 94 people (28.49%) were children of divorce, 60 people (18.18%) were drug users, 151 people (45.76%) had a history of alcohol consumption, and 116 people (35.15%) had a history of committing suicide. A total of 6 cases of complete suicide (leading to death) have occurred.

Conclusion

The most important factors for suicide throughout the covid‐19 epidemic were emotional issues, marital incompatibility, and economic issues. Medicine poisoning was the most important method of committing suicide. In times of crisis, a multisectoral public health approach is needed to prevent increased anxiety, stress, and subsequent suicide attempts.
LPNet: A lightweight CNN with discrete wavelet pooling strategies for colon polyps classification
Authors: Sharma Pallabi , Das Dipankar , Gautam Anmol , Balabantaray Bunil Kumar
Published: November 2022

The traditional process of disease diagnosis from medical images follows a manual process, which is tedious and arduous. A computer‐aided diagnosis (CADs) system can work as an assistive tool to improve the diagnosis process. In this pursuit, this article introduces a unique architecture LPNet for classifying colon polyps from the colonoscopy video frames. Colon polyps are abnormal growth of cells in the colon wall. Over time, untreated colon polyps may cause colorectal cancer. Different convolutional neural networks (CNNs) based systems have been developed in recent years. However, CNN uses pooling to reduce the number of parameters and expand the receptive field. On the other hand, pooling results in data loss and is deleterious to subsequent processes. Pooling strategies based on discrete wavelet operations have been proposed in our architecture as a solution to this problem, with the promise of achieving a better trade‐off between receptive field size and computing efficiency. The overall performance of this model is superior to the others, according to experimental results on a colonoscopy dataset. LPNet with bio‐orthogonal wavelet achieved the highest performance with an accuracy of 93.55%. It outperforms the other state‐of‐the‐art (SOTA) CNN models for the polyps classification task, and it is lightweight in terms of the number of learnable parameters compared with them, making the model easily deployable in edge devices.
A comparative high‐resolution physicochemical analysis of commercially available fibrin sealants: Impact of sealant osmolality on biological performance
Authors: Reichsöllner Raffael , Heher Philipp , Hartmann Jaana , Manhartseder Stefan , Singh Rahul , Gulle Heinz , Slezak Paul
Published: November 2022

Fibrin sealants are well‐established components of the surgical toolbox, especially in procedures that harbor a high risk of perioperative bleeding. Their widespread use as hemostats, sealants or tissue‐adhesives in various surgical settings has shown that the choice of the appropriate sealant system affects the clinical outcome. While many studies have compared the hemostatic efficiency of fibrin sealants to that of other natural or synthetic sealants, there is still limited data on how subtle differences in fibrin sealant formulations relate to their biological performance. Here, we performed an in‐depth physicochemical and biological characterization of the two most commonly used fibrin sealants in the US and Europe: TISSEEL™ (“FS”) and VISTASEAL™/VERASEAL™ (“FS+Osm”). Our chemical analyses demonstrated differences between the two sealants, with lower fibrinogen concentrations and supraphysiological osmolality in the FS+Osm formulation. Rheological testing revealed FS clots have greater clot stiffness, which strongly correlated with network density. Ultrastructural analysis by scanning electron microscopy revealed differences between FS and FS+Osm fibrin networks, the latter characterized by a largely amorphous hydrogel structure in contrast to the physiological fibrillar network of FS. Cytocompatibility experiments with human fibroblasts seeded on FS and FS+Osm fibrin networks, or cultured in presence of sealant extracts, revealed that FS+Osm induced apoptosis, which was not observed with FS. Although differential sealant osmolality and amounts of fibrinogen, as well as the presence of Factor XIII or additives such as antifibrinolytics, may explain the mechanical and structural differences observed between the two fibrin sealants, none of these substances are known to cause apoptosis at the respective concentrations in the sealant formulation. We thus conclude that hyper osmolality in the FS+Osm formulation is the primary trigger of apoptosis—a mechanism that should be evaluated in more detail, as it may affect the cellular wound healing response in situ.
Rapid formation of 3D: Decellularized extracellular matrix spheroids for enhancing bone formation
Authors: Zhang Yanmin , Feng Yuting , Shao Qin , Jiang Zhiwei , Yang Guoli
Published: November 2022

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell sheet‐derived spheroids (BMSCs spheroids) have been widely studied as native bioactive scaffolds. However, the abundant cells in BMSCs spheroids cause immunogenicity and make them difficult to store. This paper aimed to construct a new bioactive scaffold called 3D‐decellularized extracellular matrix spheroids (ECM spheroids) via decellularization of BMSCs spheroids to enhance bone formation. Hematoxylin and eosin staining (HE), nuclear and cytoskeletal fluorescence, immunofluorescence (IF), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were utilized to detect the characteristics and components of ECM spheroids. Furthermore, the biological properties of migration, adhesion, and recellularization of cells in ECM spheroids were assessed in vitro, and bone formation was evaluated in rat calvarial defects. The results showed that both the nuclei and cytoskeleton in ECM spheroids were greatly altered and one of the major components of FN was intact. The migration, adhesion, and recellularization potential were improved in vitro. Meanwhile, ECM spheroids promoted osteogenesis in rat skull defects after 3 months (p < .01). In conclusion, ECM spheroids were successfully prepared and proven to promote cell migration, adhesion, and proliferation. Bone formation in vivo was also accelerated. We believe that ECM spheroids can be used as bioactive and biocompatible 3D scaffolds in the future.
Assessment of the modified O'Connor Tweezer Dexterity and Purdue Pegboard test for use among dental students
Authors: Levanon Yafi , Lugassy Diva , Pilo Raphael , Nassar Rya , Mhana Afnan , Maria Zidan , Willy Nadeen , Brosh Tamar
Published: November 2022

Objectives

The current study aimed to assess criteria validity and test–retest reliability of the modified O'Connor Tweezer Dexterity (O'Connor) and the Purdue Pegboard test (PPT) for use among dental students.

Occupational therapists were asked to assess dentist‐related skills due to the high percentage of students who failed the dental school exams that year.

The O'Connor and the PPT are suitable for these purposes, they aim to evaluate fine motor skills requirements. The original tests were modified for use under indirect visualization conditions (through a mirror) to mimic the typical dentists’ work environment.

Materials and methods

A total of 110 dentists were included in the present study (50 dentists for the O'Connor test and 60 for the PPT). Both tests were conducted twice. Initially, the original version of the tests was followed by the modified versions (through a mirror). For the test–retest reliability assessment, 21 participants (10 participants from the O'Connor group and 11 participants from the PPT group) repeated the evaluation within a 1‐week interval using the same settings (original followed by modified versions).

Results

Both versions of the O'Connor tests were significantly correlated (r = 0.54, p < 0.01), as were the two PPT versions (r = 0.640, p < 0.01). Significantly test–retest reliability was found for both tests. The interclass correlation ranged between 0.883 and 0.997, p < 0.000.

Conclusion

The results confirmed our hypothesis, demonstrating a criteria validity and test–retest reliability assessment of the modified O'Connor and the modified PPT for assessing dentists.
Varicella zoster virus reactivation following COVID‐19 vaccination in patients with autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases: A cross‐sectional Chinese study of 318 cases
Authors: Chen Jiali , Li Fen , Tian Jing , Xie Xi , Tang Qi , Chen Yiyue , Ge Yan
Published: November 2022

Recently, varicella‐zoster virus (VZV) reactivation has been observed after the administration of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) vaccines. Autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases (AIIRDs) patients are at a higher risk for VZV reactivation for immunocompromised status. The study aimed to investigate the adverse events (AEs), especially VZV reactivation, following vaccination against  severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus‐2 in a Chinese cohort of AIIRD patients. A cross‐sectional survey using an online questionnaire was conducted among AIIRD patients and healthy controls (HCs). Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify potential factors associated with VZV reactivation. 318 AIIRD patients and 318 age and sex‐matched HCs who got COVID‐19 inactivated vaccines were recruited. The main AIIRDs are rheumatoid arthritis (31.8%) and systemic lupus erythematous (23.9%). Most of patients (85.5%) had stable disease and 13.2% of them had aggravation after vaccination. Compared to HCs, patients had higher rates of rash (p = 0.001), arthralgia (p < 0.001) and insomnia (p = 0.007). In addition, there were 6 (1.9%) AIIRD patients and 5 (1.6%) HCs reported VZV reactivation after the COVID‐19 vaccination (p = 0.761). Multivariate logistic regression analysis illustrated that diabetes mellitus (odd ratio [OR], 20.69; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08−396.79; p = 0.044), chronic hepatitis B virus infection (OR, 24.34; 95% CI, 1.27−466.74; p = 0.034), and mycophenolate mofetil (OR, 40.61; 95% CI, 3.33−496.15; p = 0.004) independently identified patients with VZV reactivation. Our findings showed that the inactivated COVID‐19 vaccination was safe for AIIRD patients though some patients could suffer from VZV reactivation.
Task‐related functional neuroimaging contribution to sex/gender differences in cognition and emotion during development
Authors: Taddei Matilde , Bulgheroni Sara , Riva Daria , Erbetta Alessandra
Published: November 2022

Recent research has shown that sex/gender (s/g) influences on cognitive functions and related brain anatomy, functional responses, and connectivity are less clear than previously assumed, and most studies investigated adult population. In this mini‐review, we summarize research progress in the study of s/g differences in the human brain function as investigated by neuroimaging methods adopting a developmental perspective. In particular, we review original studies published from 2000 to 2021 investigating s/g differences in task‐related brain functional activation and connectivity in healthy children and adolescents. We summarize results about studies in the domains of language, visuospatial ability, social cognition, and executive functions. Overall, a clear relation between cognition and brain activation or connectivity pattern is far from being established and the few coherent results should be considered exploratory, despite in some cases, brain function seems to present specific patterns in comparison with what reported in adults. Moreover, future studies should address methodological limitations, such as fragmentation of tasks, lack of control for confounding variables, and lack of longitudinal designs to study developmental trajectories.
Motor cortical excitability and pre‐supplementary motor area neurochemistry in healthy adults with substantia nigra hyperechogenicity
Authors: Todd Gabrielle , Rae Caroline D. , Taylor Janet L. , Rogasch Nigel C. , Butler Jane E. , Hayes Michael , Wilcox Robert A. , Gandevia Simon C. , Aoun Karl , Esterman Adrian , Lewis Simon J. G. , Hall Julie M. , Matar Elie , Godau Jana , Berg Daniela , Plewnia Christian , von Thaler Anna‐Katharina , Chiang Clarence , Double Kay L.
Published: November 2022

Substantia nigra (SN) hyperechogenicity, viewed with transcranial ultrasound, is a risk marker for Parkinson's disease. We hypothesized that SN hyperechogenicity in healthy adults aged 50–70 years is associated with reduced short‐interval intracortical inhibition in primary motor cortex, and that the reduced intracortical inhibition is associated with neurochemical markers of activity in the pre‐supplementary motor area (pre‐SMA). Short‐interval intracortical inhibition and intracortical facilitation in primary motor cortex was assessed with paired‐pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation in 23 healthy adults with normal (n = 14; 61 ± 7 yrs) or abnormally enlarged (hyperechogenic; n = 9; 60 ± 6 yrs) area of SN echogenicity. Thirteen of these participants (7 SN− and 6 SN+) also underwent brain magnetic resonance spectroscopy to investigate pre‐SMA neurochemistry. There was no relationship between area of SN echogenicity and short‐interval intracortical inhibition in the ipsilateral primary motor cortex. There was a significant positive relationship, however, between area of echogenicity in the right SN and the magnitude of intracortical facilitation in the right (ipsilateral) primary motor cortex (p = .005; multivariate regression), evidenced by the amplitude of the conditioned motor evoked potential (MEP) at the 10–12 ms interstimulus interval. This relationship was not present on the left side. Pre‐SMA glutamate did not predict primary motor cortex inhibition or facilitation. The results suggest that SN hyperechogenicity in healthy older adults may be associated with changes in excitability of motor cortical circuitry. The results advance understanding of brain changes in healthy older adults at risk of Parkinson's disease.
Diffuse infiltrative hepatocellular carcinoma: Multimodality imaging manifestations
Authors: Madani Seyedeh Panid , Mirza‐Aghazadeh‐Attari Mohammad , Mohseni Alireza , Pawlik Timothy , Kamel Ihab R.
Published: November 2022

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most prevalent primary liver cancer, being the third most common cause of cancer‐related death globally. HCC most frequently develops in the context of hepatic cirrhosis. HCC can manifest as various morphologic subtypes. Each pattern exhibits distinct behaviors in terms of imaging features, disease progression, response to therapy, and prognosis. While the nodular pattern is the most frequent subtype, infiltrative HCC is the least prevalent and makes up about 8%−20% of all HCC cases. Infiltrative HCC manifests as small tumor nodules that often spread across the entire liver or across a hepatic segment/lobe and is not identified as a focal tumor. On ultrasonography, infiltrative HCC presents as a markedly heterogeneous area with ill‐defined echotexture, making it difficult to distinguish from background hepatic cirrhosis. On magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), infiltrating HCC typically manifests as a mild, poorly defined hepatic region with heterogeneous or homogenous aberrant signal intensity. Specifically, on T1‐weighted MRI scans, infiltrating HCC frequently appears as largely hypointense and typically homogenous and mildly to moderately hyperintense on T2‐weighted imaging. Infiltrative HCC frequently lacks a clearly defined boundary on cross‐sectional imaging and can consequently fade into the background of the cirrhotic liver. As a result, infiltrating HCC is frequently not discovered until an advanced stage and has an associated poor prognosis. Thus, understanding imaging features associated with infiltrative HCC diagnosis is crucial for abdominal radiologists to ensure effective and timely care. We herein review imaging characteristics of infiltrative HCC.
Semi‐Woven Structures via Dual Nozzle Melt Electrowriting
Authors: Diaz Raquel Sanchez , De‐Juan‐Pardo Elena M. , Dalton Paul D. , Dargaville Tim R.
Published: November 2022

Melt electrowriting is an additive manufacturing technique utilizing electrohydrodynamic forces to create nano‐ to micro‐scale fibrous polymer objects. It is a useful research tool but has yet to reach commercial scale‐up mainly due to the intrinsically slow nature of extruding a single polymer jet. Here the concept of dual nozzle melts electrowriting requiring no new hardware other than the nozzle is introduced. Experimental data using a dual nozzle shows the possibility of doubling throughput including the phenomenon of semi‐woven structures with fibers from one nozzle either on top or under the fiber from the other nozzle depending on programmed collector movement. The study highlights the complexity of melt electrowriting when using more than one nozzle, and provides a framework for multi‐nozzle, high‐throughput melt electrowriting.
Electrospun Nano‐CaO2/Polycaprolactone/Gelatin Nanofibers and Their Wound Healing Application through In Situ Supplying H2O2
Authors: Qi Lin , Huang Yong , Liu Zheng , Jiang Yulin , Du Meixuan , Liu Limin , Feng Ganjun , Li Yubao , Zhang Li
Published: November 2022

Skin is highly susceptible to foreign pathogens when damaged. Infections usually lead to serious damage to wounds and hinder wound healing, which results in nonhealing and inflammation of the wounds. Herein, a kind of fibrous membrane incorporated with calcium peroxide nanoparticles (n‐CaO2) is fabricated by electrospinning the polymer blend solution of polycaprolactone and gelatin. The obtained membranes show a randomly distributed nanofibrous structure with n‐CaO2 particles embedded in each fiber. Such a structure endows the membranes with medium hydrophilicity and improves blood clotting in comparison with the commonly used gauze, while the loading of n‐CaO2 achieves the in situ generation and rapid release of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), enabling FM‐10 to display a robust bacteria inhibition of over 90% elimination to E. coli. The in vitro cytocompatibility experiment on the fibrous membranes demonstrates low cytotoxicity to L929 fibroblasts. The in vivo assessment indicates that the fibrous membranes can distinctly accelerate the wound healing, of which FM‐5 exhibits the highest wound closure rate (>95%) after 14 days. This study provides a versatile approach, simply by varying the loading dosage of n‐CaO2 into fiber matrix, to fulfill different functions to meet the multiple needs of wound care.
The fundamental theorem for singular surfaces with limiting tangent planes
Authors: Medina‐Tejeda T. A.
Published: November 2022

In this paper, we prove a similar result to the fundamental theorem of regular surfaces in classical differential geometry, which extends the classical theorem to the entire class of singular surfaces in Euclidean 3‐space known as frontals. Also, we characterize in a simple way these singular surfaces and its fundamental forms with local properties in the differential of its parametrization and decompositions in the matrices associated to the fundamental forms. In particular, we introduce new types of curvatures that can be used to characterize wave fronts. The only restriction on the parametrizations that is assumed in several occasions is that the singular set has empty interior.