bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Review of instrumental texture measurements as phenotypic tool to assess textural diversity of root, tuber and banana food products
Authors: Ayetigbo Oluwatoyin , Arufe Santiago , Kouassi Antonin , Adinsi Laurent , Adesokan Michael , Escobar Andres , Delgado Luis Fernando , Tanimola Abiola , Oroniran Oluyinka , Kendine Vepowo Cédric , Nakitto Mariam , Khakasa Elizabeth , Chijioke Ugo , Nowakunda Kephas , Ngoh Newilah Gérard , Otegbayo Bolanle , Akissoe Noel , Lechaudel Mathieu , Tran Thierry , Alamu Emmanuel Oladeji , Maziya‐Dixon Busie , Mestres Christian , Dufour Dominique
Published: October 2023

Roots, tubers and bananas (RTBs) contribute immensely to food security and livelihoods in sub‐Saharan Africa, Asia and Latin America. The adoption of RTB genotypes in these regions relies on the interplay among agronomic traits, ease of processing and consumer preference. In breeding RTBs, until recently little attention was accorded key textural traits preferred by consumers. Moreover, a lack of standard, discriminant, repeatable protocols that can be used to measure the textural traits deter linkages between breeding better RTB genotypes and end user/consumer preferences. RTB products texture – that is, behaviour of RTB food products under unique deformations, such as disintegration and the flow of a food under force – is a critical component of these preferences. The preferences consumers have for certain product texture can be evaluated from expert sensory panel and consumer surveys, which are useful tools in setting thresholds for textural traits, and inform breeders on what to improve in the quality of RTBs. Textural characterization of RTBs under standard operating procedures (SOPs) is important in ensuring the standardization of texture measurement conditions, predictability of textural quality of RTBs, and ultimately definition of RTB food product profiles. This paper reviews current SOPs for the textural characterization of RTBs, including their various associated methods, parameters, challenges and merits. Case studies of texture characterized during development of SOPs and evaluation of texture of RTB populations are discussed, together with insights into key textural attributes and correlations between instrumental, sensory and consumer assessment of texture unique to various RTB food products. Hardness was considered a universal key textural attribute to discriminate RTBs. The review should provide adequate insight into texture of RTB food products and critical factors in their measurement. It aims to promote inclusion of texture in breeding pipelines by investigating which textural traits are prioritized by consumers, particularly since the inclusion of textural traits has recently gained prominence by breeders in improving RTBs. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
Development of a method based on ATR‐FTIR spectroscopy to detect maple syrup adulterated with added syrups
Authors: Bilamjian Shaghig , Bahadi Mazen , Ismail Ashraf , Tremblay Charles , Bayen Stéphane
Published: October 2023

BACKGROUND

Food adulteration is a global concern, whether it takes place intentionally or incidentally. In Canada, maple syrup is susceptible to being adulterated with cheaper syrups such as corn, beet, cane syrups, and many more due to its high price and economic importance.

RESULTS

In this study, the use of attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR‐FTIR) spectroscopy was investigated to detect maple syrups adulterated with 15 different sugar syrups at different concentration levels. The spectra were collected in the range of 4000–650 cm−1 in the absorbance unit. These spectra were used to build six libraries and three models. A method that is capable of performing a qualitative library search using a similarity search, which is based on the first derivative correlation search algorithm, was developed. This method was further evaluated and proved to be able to capture adulterated and reject non‐adulterated maple syrups, belonging to the color grades golden and amber maple syrups, with an accuracy of 93.9% and 92.3%, respectively. However, for the maple syrup belonging to the dark color grade, this method demonstrated low specificity of 33.3%, and for this reason it was only able to adequately detect adulterated samples from the non‐adulterated ones with an accuracy of 81.4%.

CONCLUSION

This simple and rapid method has strong potential for implementation in different stages of the maple syrup supply chain for early adulteration detection, particularly for golden and amber samples. Further evaluation and improvements are required for the dark color grade. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
Noninvasive Evaluation of Breast Tumor Response to Combined Ultrasound‐Stimulated Microbubbles and Hyperthermia Therapy Using Quantitative Ultrasound‐Based Texture Analysis Method
Authors: Sharma Deepa , Sannachi Lakshmanan , Osapoetra Laurentius Oscar , Cartar Holliday , Cui Wentao , Giles Anoja , Czarnota Gregory J.
Published: October 2023

Objectives

Quantitative ultrasound (QUS) is a noninvasive imaging technique that can be used for assessing response to anticancer treatment. In the present study, tumor cell death response to the ultrasound‐stimulated microbubbles (USMB) and hyperthermia (HT) treatment was monitored in vivo using QUS.

Methods

Human breast cancer cell lines (MDA‐MB‐231) were grown in mice and were treated with HT (10, 30, 50, and 60 minutes) alone, or in combination with USMB. Treatment effects were examined using QUS with a center frequency of 25 MHz (bandwidth range: 16 to 32 MHz). Backscattered radiofrequency (RF) data were acquired from tumors subjected to treatment. Ultrasound parameters such as average acoustic concentration (AAC) and average scatterer diameter (ASD), were estimated 24 hours prior and posttreatment. Additionally, texture features: contrast (CON), correlation (COR), energy (ENE), and homogeneity (HOM) were extracted from QUS parametric maps. All estimated parameters were compared with histopathological findings.

Results

The findings of our study demonstrated a significant increase in QUS parameters in both treatment conditions: HT alone (starting from 30 minutes of heat exposure) and combined treatment of HT plus USMB finally reaching a maximum at 50 minutes of heat exposure. Increase in AAC for 50 minutes HT alone and USMB +50 minutes was found to be 5.19 ± 0.417% and 5.91 ± 1.11%, respectively, compared to the control group with AAC value of 1.00 ± 0.44%. Furthermore, between the treatment groups, ΔASD‐ENE values for USMB +30 minutes HT significantly reduced, depicting 0.00062 ± 0.00096% compared to 30 minutes HT only group, showing 0.0058 ± 0.0013%. Further, results obtained from the histological analysis indicated greater cell death and reduced nucleus size in both HT alone and HT combined with USMB.

Conclusion

The texture‐based QUS parameters indicated a correlation with microstructural changes obtained from histological data. This work demonstrated the use of QUS to detect HT treatment effects in breast cancer tumors in vivo.
Relationship among low baseline muscle mass, skeletal muscle quality, and mortality in critically ill children
Authors: Xue Yang , Wang Tian‐Tian , Zhang Lei , Zheng Shuang , Mu Yue‐Ming , Jia Fei‐Yong , Du Lin
Published: October 2023

Background

Studies in adults have shown that low baseline muscle mass at intensive care unit (ICU) admission was associated with poor clinical outcomes. However, no information on the relationship between baseline muscle quality or mass and clinical outcomes in critically ill children was found.

Methods

3775 children were admitted to the pediatric ICU (PICU), 262 were eligible for inclusion. Abdominal computed tomography was performed to assess baseline skeletal muscle mass and quality. Patients were categorized to normal or low group based on the cutoff value for predicting hospital mortality of the skeletal muscle index (SMI; 30.96 cm2/m2) and skeletal muscle density (SMD; 41.21 Hounsfield units).

Results

Body mass index (BMI) (18.07 ± 4.44 vs 15.99 ± 4.51) and BMI‐for‐age z score (0.46 [−0.66 to 1.74] vs −0.87 [−1.69 to 0.05]) were greater in the normal‐SMI group, the length of PICU stay was longer in the low‐SMI group (16.00 days [8.50–32.50] vs 13.00 days [7.50–20.00]), and the in‐PICU mortality rate in the normal‐SMI group (10.00%) was lower than the low‐SMI group (22.6%). Children with low SMD had a higher in‐PICU mortality rate (25.6% vs 7.7%), were younger (36.00 months [12.00–120.00] vs 84.00 months [47.50–147.50]) and weighed less (16.40 kg [10.93–37.25] vs 23.00 kg [16.00–45.00]). Mortality was greater in patients with lower SMD and prolonged hospital stay (log‐rank, P = 0.007). SMD was an independent predictor for length of PICU stay and in‐PICU mortality.

Conclusions

Low baseline skeletal muscle quality in critically ill children is closely tied with a higher in‐PICU mortality and longer PICU stay and is an independent risk factor for unfavorable clinical outcomes.
Wireless data networking
Authors: Fay Giselle
Published: October 2023

We will first examine the concept behind Spread Spectrum Transmission (SST) and then focus our attention on the wireless connectivity products from Telesystems.
Views on planning information networks
Authors: Bokry Saad Haj , Samarkandy Mohammad K.
Published: October 2023

The function of network planning is considered to be governed by objectives and to use an approach that matches with the development of information technology. This article aims to enhance understanding of the subject and its various related issues.
Layoffs during a pandemic: Results from an experiment on the management practices of nonprofit organizations and business firms
Authors: Russell Allison R. , Frisone Michael , Frumkin Peter
Published: October 2023

Given the challenges of the COVID‐19 pandemic, both business and nonprofit organizations were forced to respond quickly with regard to organizational operations, resources, and workplace safety. The pandemic offers a unique context through which to examine how the public perceives organizational responses to unexpected crisis situations and whether they view them as socially responsible. Using a mixed experimental design, this study investigates the influence of organizational decision‐making during COVID‐19 on the public's perceptions of the organization. It also examines whether the type of organization—nonprofit or for‐profit—influences these perceptions and the willingness of participants to support the organization either by purchasing the product or donating to the organization.
Breaking the conformational ensemble barrier: Ensemble structure modeling challenges in CASP15
Authors: Kryshtafovych Andriy , Montelione Gaetano T. , Rigden Daniel J. , Mesdaghi Shahram , Karaca Ezgi , Moult John
Published: October 2023

For the first time, the 2022 CASP (Critical Assessment of Structure Prediction) community experiment included a section on computing multiple conformations for protein and RNA structures. There was full or partial success in reproducing the ensembles for four of the nine targets, an encouraging result. For protein structures, enhanced sampling with variations of the AlphaFold2 deep learning method was by far the most effective approach. One substantial conformational change caused by a single mutation across a complex interface was accurately reproduced. In two other assembly modeling cases, methods succeeded in sampling conformations near to the experimental ones even though environmental factors were not included in the calculations. An experimentally derived flexibility ensemble allowed a single accurate RNA structure model to be identified. Difficulties included how to handle sparse or low‐resolution experimental data and the current lack of effective methods for modeling RNA/protein complexes. However, these and other obstacles appear addressable.
Integrative species delimitation of the Selaginella sanguinolenta (Selaginellaceae) group with description of a new species, S. baodongii
Authors: Zhang Meng‐Hua , Zhang Xian‐Chun , Shalimov Alexander Petrovich , Shmakov Alexander Ivanovich , Xiang Qiao‐Ping
Published: October 2023

Selaginella sanguinolenta group is widely distributed from the Himalayas to Siberia and the Russian Far East, including four to nine taxa. Despite progress in recent phylogenetic studies of the S. sanguinolenta group, the problem of species delimitation in this group remains. We revise the taxonomy of the S. sanguinolenta group based on an integrative approach considering morphological, molecular, and geographical evidence. The sampling for molecular analysis based on rbcL, psbA, and 26S nrDNA sequence data involved 71 individuals, covering the geographical range of this group. A total of 21 morphological traits from 103 specimens were explored using principal component analysis and linear discriminant analysis (LDA). The LDA results indicate that the combination of ventral leaf cilium length and ventral/dorsal leaf carinate characteristics enable a success rate of more than 90% in distinguishing between S. aitchisonii (western Himalayas to northern China), S. jacquemontii (western Himalayas to southwest China), and S. sanguinolenta (Russian Far East regions to northeast China). The phylogenetic analysis results of nuclear and plastid DNA markers further disclose the clear molecular differentiation. Selaginella nummularifolia, S. rossii, and S. sajanensis are well‐defined species based on morphological and molecular evidence with narrow distribution ranges respectively. Based on molecular and morphological evidence, in combination with distribution information, we finally recognize seven species in the S. sanguinolenta group, including a new species, S. baodongii sp. nov. from the bordering regions of Russia and China in northeast Asia.
Use of wind energy for desalination of seawater for irrigation
Authors: Tanji Rajaa , Boutaibi Youssef
Published: October 2023

In the context of the scarcity of water resources and the population growth that the world is experiencing, the only resource still available in inexhaustible quantities is seawater. The exploitation of this resource is possible only through the use of desalination techniques. The cost of energy was always the main constraint to water desalination; scientists had to develop new techniques to use renewable energies, in particular wind energy, to satisfy the high energy consumption of desalination plants. Morocco enjoys a privileged geographical location. In fact, Morocco is surrounded by two seas: the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean. In terms of energy, Morocco has a large wind potential, especially in the south. In fact, according to the, Morocco is the fourth renewable energy producer in Africa with a capacity of 3061 MW. Within this framework, an ambitious project is currently being prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development and Water and Forests of Morocco, the construction of a desalination plant for irrigation and a 40‐MW wind farm in Dakhla, which will serve a new irrigated area in Dakhla of 5000 ha. This desalination station and sea intake will be located 75 km north of Dakhla and will have a capacity of 100,000 m3/d, 30 million cubic meters per year. It will use reverse osmosis technology to produce water that meets international standards for irrigation water quality. This megaproject will have a significant economic impact on the Dakhla‐Oued Eddahab region: first, the production of nearly 500,000 t of agricultural production for an added value of about 50 million USD per year and second, the creation of nearly 10,000 permanent jobs.
Introduction to Esports in the Asia-Pacific
Authors: Gilardi Filippo , Martin Paul
Published: October 2023

The introduction aims to provide an understanding of the status of the esports phenomenon in countries from the Asia-Pacific region. The chapter presents readers with the main objectives and topics of the book. It does this by reviewing extant research on esports, with a focus on outlining the main theoretical, industrial, and social concerns of esports practices. It then defines the gap this book aims to fill. The introduction finally describes the structure of the book, focusing on issues in specific local contexts as well as interconnections across the region.
Concircular Hypersurfaces and Concircular Helices in Space Forms
Authors: Lucas Pascual , Ortega-Yagües José Antonio
Published: October 2023

In this paper, we find a full description of concircular hypersurfaces in space forms as a special family of ruled hypersurfaces. We also characterize concircular helices in 3-dimensional space forms by means of a differential equation involving the concircular factor and their curvature and torsion, and we show that the concircular helices are precisely the geodesics of the concircular surfaces.
Hartogs-type theorems in real algebraic geometry, II
Authors: Bilski Marcin , Bochnak Jacek , Kucharz Wojciech
Published: October 2023

Let $$f:X\rightarrow \mathbb {R}$$

f
:
X
→
R

be a function defined on a connected nonsingular real algebraic set X in $$\mathbb {R}^n$$

R

n

with $$\textrm{dim}X\ge 2.$$

dim
X
≥
2
.

We prove that f is a regular function whenever the restriction $$f|_C$$

f
|

C

is a regular function for every algebraic curve C in X that is an analytic submanifold homeomorphic to the unit circle and has at most one singular point. We also have a suitable version of this result for X not necessarily connected.
Case series and literature review of primary hyperoxaluria type 1 in Chinese patients
Authors: Wu Jiayu , Song Jing , He Yanzhao , Zhong Cheng , Yang Qin , Li Qiu , Wang Mo
Published: October 2023

Based on the single-center case reports and all reported patients with primary hyperoxaluria type 1 (PH1) in China, this study discussed the clinical and genetic characteristics of this disease retrospectively. We reported and validated a novel genetic variation c.302 T > G: the clinical phenotypes of the two siblings were similar, in which both had onset in infancy, mainly manifested as renal insufficiency, and died within 6 months out of end-stage renal disease. The literature review is the first to summarize the Chinese patients with PH1 up to now. Forty-eight Chinese patients were included, containing 7 adults and 41 children. The median onset age was 51 months, and the ratio of male to female was 2.69:1. It showed a poor prognosis: 51.1% of Chinese primary hyperoxaluria type 1 patients suffered from end-stage renal disease, and 38.9% of patients died. Urolithiasis was the most common clinical manifestation both in adults and children, while infant-onset patients generally presented with renal insufficiency and had a higher mortality of 75.0%. One hundred and forty-nine AGXT mutant alleles are currently known in the Chinese population, c.33dupC and c.815_816insGA were the most common AGXT genes, accounting for 12.0% and 10.1% of allele frequencies, respectively. The exons 1, 2, 6, and 8 were the most common locations of gene variants, accounting for 78% of all variants, which will be promising targets of DNA sequencing for primary hyperoxaluria type 1.
Dual-band light-induced thermoelastic spectroscopy utilizing an antiresonant hollow-core fiber-based gas absorption cell
Authors: Bojęś Piotr , Jaworski Piotr , Pokryszka Piotr , Belardi Walter , Spagnolo Vincenzo , Krzempek Karol
Published: October 2023

In this paper, dual-band gas detection using a combination of the light-induced thermoelastic spectroscopy (LITES) and an antiresonant hollow-core fiber-based (ARHCF) gas absorption cell is demonstrated. The broad wavelength operation capability of a standard 32 kHz quartz tuning fork and the self-developed fiber-based gas absorption cell was exploited to demonstrate quasi-simultaneous detection of N2O and CO2, at 4570 nm (2188.2 cm−1) and 2006 nm (4985.9 cm−1), respectively. The signal analysis was based on the wavelength modulation spectroscopy technique, allowing to achieve a noise equivalent absorption coefficient (NEA) of 8.6 × 10–7 cm−1 and 1.7 × 10–6 cm−1 for N2O and CO2, respectively. The results indicate that the combination of ARHCFs with the LITES method is well suited for the design of broadband gas detectors and show remarkable potential in the fabrication of miniaturized, versatile and relatively inexpensive gas sensors operating over a wide spectral range, thus allowing multigas detection.
Acute effects of a chewable beetroot-based supplement on cognitive performance: a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled crossover clinical trial
Authors: Vaccaro Maria Grazia , Innocenti Bernardo , Cione Erika , Gallelli Luca , De Sarro Giovambattista , Bonilla Diego A. , Cannataro Roberto
Published: October 2023

Background

Dietary nitrate (NO3−) has been shown to be useful as an ergogenic aid with potential applications in health and disease (e.g., blood pressure control). However, there is no consensus about the effects of dietary NO3− or beetroot (BR) juice supplementation on cognitive function.

Objective

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a single dose of a chewable BR-based supplement on cognitive performance.

Methods

A double-blind randomized placebo-controlled two-period crossover clinical trial was carried out based on the extension of the CONSORT guidelines for randomized crossover trials. A total of 44 participants (24 F; 20 M; 32.7 [12.5] years; 66.3 [9.0] kg; 170 [9.2] cm; 22.8 [1.4] kg/m2) were randomly allocated to receive first either four BR-based chewable tablets (BR-CT) containing 3 g of a Beta vulgaris extract (RedNite®) or four tablets of a placebo (maltodextrin). A 4-day washout period was used before crossover. Ninety minutes after ingestion of the treatments, a neuropsychological testing battery was administered in each period. The trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov NCT05509075.

Results

Significant improvements with moderate effect size were found on memory consolidation at the short and long term only after BR-CT supplementation via the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test immediate (+ 20.69%) and delayed (+ 12.34%) recalls. Likewise, enhancement on both frontal lobe functions (+ 2.57%) and cognitive flexibility (+ 11.16%) were detected after BR-CT. There was no significant change (p < 0.05) on verbal memory of short-term digits, working memory and information processing speed. Mixed results were found on mood and anxiety through the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-Y1 and STAI-Y2); however, sequence and period effects were seen on STAI-Y2.

Conclusions

The acute administration of a chewable BR-based supplement improves certain aspects of cognitive function in healthy females and males, particularly memory capacity and frontal skills.
Relationship between night shift and sleep problems, risk of metabolic abnormalities of nurses: a 2 years follow-up retrospective analysis in the National Nurse Health Study (NNHS)
Authors: Zhang Heli , Wang Jingpin , Zhang Siwei , Tong Sumei , Hu Jinping , Che Ying , Zhuo Lin , Wang Peng , Geng Rongmei , Zhou Yujie , Wang Panfeng , Zhan Siyan , Li Baohua
Published: October 2023

Background and purpose

Efforts to improve nurses’ physical and mental health are critical to ensuring the safety and quality of the healthcare system. Long-term studies targeting the relevancy of nurses’ occupation characteristics with health conditions remain insufficient. This study aimed to examine the relationship between nurses’ night shift and sleep problems and metabolic abnormalities risk.

Methods

This study was a part of the National Nurse Health Study, an ambispective cohort study in China, in 2021. Based on an integration physical examination data system, this study carried out a retrospective analysis of 730 nurses from 2018 to 2020 and combined with a questionnaire survey in 2021. The STROBE guidelines were adopted for reporting.

Results

In the 23 (23.0, 24.0) months follow-up, higher night shift load was associated with more sleep problems such as shortened sleep duration, sleep disorders, poor sleep quality, and sleep deprivation. Moreover, night shift load was associated with chronic diseases risk factors, increasing body mass index and body fat, with more night shift density, increasing the occurrence of low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high triglyceride, triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio, and serum uric acid.

Conclusion

The night shift load has become an occupational health concern, contributing to chronic diseases relevant metabolic risk factors and negative influence on sleep health. Focus on the strategies to improve the sleep quality of nurses undergoing night shift work, optimize work scheduling and ongoing monitor the relevant risk factors are essential to enhance the stability and well-being of the nursing workforce.

Clinical Trials registration information: NCT04572347, on October 1, 2020. https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04572347
Percutaneous sacral screw fixation alone sufficient for mildly displaced U-type sacral fractures with preserved osseous fixation pathways
Authors: Saiz Augustine M. , Kellam Patrick J. , Amin Adeet , Arambula Zachary , Rashiwala Abhi , Gary Joshua L. , Warner Stephen J. , Routt Milton , Eastman Jonathan G.
Published: October 2023

Purpose

To describe U-type sacral fracture characteristics amenable to percutaneous sacral screw fixation.

Methods

U-type sacral fractures were identified from a trauma registry at a level 1 trauma center from 2014 to 2020. Patient demographics, injury mechanism, fracture characteristics, and fixation construct were retrospectively retrieved. Associations between fracture pattern and surgical fixation were identified.

Results

82 U-type sacral fractures were reviewed. Six treated with lumbopelvic fixation (LPF) and 76 were treated with percutaneous sacral screws (PSS) alone. Patients receiving LBF had greater sacral fracture displacement in coronal, sagittal, and axial planes compared to patients receiving PSS alone (P < 0.05), negating osseous fixation pathways. All patients went onto sacral union and there were no implant failures or unplanned reoperations for either group.

Conclusion

If osseous fixation pathways are present, U-type sacral fractures can be successfully treated with percutaneous sacral screws. LPF may be indicated in more displaced fractures with loss of spinopelvic alignment. Both techniques for U-type sacral fractures result in reliable fixation and healing without reoperations.
Identifying the best candidates for reduced port gastrectomy
Authors: Chung Jae Hun , Hwang Jawon , Park Sung Hyun , Kim Ki-Yoon , Cho Minah , Kim Yoo Min , Shin Hye Jung , Lee Si-Hak , Hwang Sun-Hwi , Hyung Woo Jin , Kim Hyoung-Il
Published: October 2023

Background

Previous studies have focused on the non-inferiority of RPG compared with conventional port gastrectomy (CPG); however, we assumed that some candidates might derive more significant benefit from RPG over CPG.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed the clinicopathological and perioperative parameters of 1442 patients with gastric cancer treated by gastrectomy between 2009 and 2022. The C-reactive protein level on postoperative day 3 (CRPD3) was used as a surrogate parameter for surgical trauma. Patients were grouped according to the extent of gastrectomy [subtotal gastrectomy (STG) or total gastrectomy (TG)] and lymph node dissection (D1+ or D2). The degree of surgical trauma, bowel recovery, and hospital stay between RPG and CPG was compared among those patient groups.

Results

Of 1442 patients, 889, 354, 129, and 70 were grouped as STGD1+, STGD2, TGD1+, and TGD2, respectively. Compared with CPG, RPG significantly decreased CRPD3 only among patients in the STGD1+ group (CPG: n = 653, 84.49 mg/L, 95% CI 80.53–88.45 vs. RPG: n = 236, 70.01 mg/L, 95% CI 63.92–76.09, P < 0.001). In addition, the RPG method significantly shortens bowel recovery and hospital stay in the STGD1+ (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001), STGD2 (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001), and TGD1+ (P = 0.026 and P = 0.007), respectively. No difference was observed in the TGD2 group (P = 0.313 and P = 0.740).

Conclusions

The best candidates for RPG are patients who undergo STGD1+, followed by STGD2 and TG D1+, considering the reduction in CRPD3, bowel recovery, and hospital stay.
A decade of digital maturity models: much ado about nothing?
Authors: Thordsen Tristan , Bick Markus
Published: October 2023

The topic of digital maturity has evolved into a full-grown hype in the last decade. It is widely assumed that the level of an organization’s digital maturity is directly linked to its performance. Digital Maturity Models (DMMs) have been designed specifically to assess an organization’s digital status quo and to provide concrete measures to increase its level of digital maturity. Given this relevance, a multitude of these models have emerged. Still, the development and application of DMMs is controversially discussed within the academic community leading to great uncertainty regarding their value for both theory and practice. In this systematic literature review, we seek to paint a comprehensive picture of the research field by identifying and contrasting the main contentious opinions among IS scholars. An analysis of detailed information regarding the research area – encompassing extensive DMM literature, academic discussion, and feedback – shows that various critical voices question the actual practical and theoretical value of DMMs, underlining the absence of objective evaluation criteria of these models and pointing out the lack of empirical data to prove the suggested relationship between maturity and performance. Based on our experience in this field, we provide a first synthesis of eleven years of DMMs and derive a research agenda.
Osteogenic potential of apical papilla stem cells mediated by platelet-rich fibrin and low-level laser
Authors: Ramírez David Gutiérrez , Inostroza Carolina , Rouabhia Mahmoud , Rodriguez Camilo Alfonso , Gómez Lina Andrea , Losada Mónica , Muñoz Ana Luisa
Published: October 2023

To evaluate the osteogenic potential of platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) and low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on human stem cells from the apical papilla (SCAP) we isolated, characterized, and then cultured in an osteogenic medium cells with PRF and/or LLLT (660 nm, 6 J/m2-irradiation). Osteogenic differentiation was assessed by bone nodule formation and expression of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP-2 and BMP-4), whereas the molecular mechanisms were achieved by qRT-PCR and RNA-seq analysis. Statistical analysis was performed by ANOVA and Tukey’s post hoc tests (p < 0.05* and p < 0.01**). Although PRF and LLLT increased bone nodule formation after 7 days and peaked at 21 days, the combination of PRF + LLLT led to the uppermost nodule formation. This was supported by increased levels of BMP-2 and -4 osteogenic proteins (p < 0.005). Furthermore, the PRF + LLLT relative expression of specific genes involved in osteogenesis, such as osteocalcin, was 2.4- (p = 0.03) and 28.3- (p = 0.001) fold higher compared to the PRF and LLLT groups, and osteopontin was 22.9- and 1.23-fold higher, respectively (p < 0.05), after 7 days of interaction. The transcriptomic profile revealed that the combination of PRF + LLLT induces MSX1, TGFB1, and SMAD1 expression, after 21 days of osteogenic differentiation conditions exposition. More studies are required to understand the complete cellular and molecular mechanisms of PRF plus LLLT on stem cells. Overall, we demonstrated for the first time that the combination of PRF and LLLT would be an excellent therapeutic tool that can be employed for dental, oral, and craniofacial repair and other tissue engineering applications.
Variability of cardioinhibition in vasovagal syncope: differences between subgroups during cardioinhibition and beyond
Authors: van Rossum Ineke A. , de Lange Frederik J. , Benditt David G. , van Zwet Erik W. , van Houwelingen Marc , Thijs Roland D. , van Dijk J. Gert
Published: October 2023

Purpose

We compared hemodynamic parameters between subjects with marked, intermediate and minimal cardioinhibition during vasovagal syncope.

Methods

The study included subjects with a decrease in heart rate while experiencing a complete vasovagal syncope during tilt-table testing. The subjects were classified as having marked, intermediate or minimal cardioinhibition, based on tertile values of the decrease in heart rate. Hemodynamic parameters between these groups were compared before tilt in the supine position, shortly after tilt and during cardioinhibition.

Results

A total of 149 subjects with a median age of 43 (interquartile range 24–60) years were included in the study. Among the three groups with different levels of cardioinhibition, the highest heart rate was observed in subjects with marked cardioinhibition both before and shortly after tilt and at the start of cardioinhibition. The heart rate decrease in these subjects was both larger and faster compared to subjects with minimal and intermediate cardioinhibition.

Conclusion

Subjects with marked cardioinhibition have both a larger and faster decrease in heart rate compared to subjects with intermediate and minimal cardioinhibition, as early as from the start of cardioinhibition. Marked cardioinhibition is related to differences in hemodynamic profiles already present well before the start of cardioinhibition.
An analysis of the effectiveness of rehabilitation protocols for patients with spinal cord injury: A systematic review
Authors: Lee Kyung Eun , Jeoung Bogja
Published: October 2023

Aim

SCI may cause loss of sensory function, paralysis, and limited functional mobility. The specificity of SCI has expanded the scope of medical trials and given rise to therapeutic options that incorporate new technologies with robotics and electronic devices. We aimed to identify various therapeutic options and develop effective treatment regimens.

Methods

We conducted the systematic review using the following digital databases: MEDLINE/PubMed and Google Scholar. We focused on publications published between 2012 and 2023 and The following primary terms were searched: “Spinal cord injury rehabilitation,” “Spinal cord injury exercise,” and “Spinal cord injury therapy,” with the Boolean operator “AND/OR” used for additional searches. A total of 110 relevant articles were identified during the selection process. After screening and assessing eligibility, the final 17 studies were included in this systematic review

Results & conclusion

The current paper gave a taxonomy of electrical instrumentation and traditional rehabilitation technologies. We also discovered that FES is used as a comprehensive regimen that involves both the upper and lower extremities, and that locomotor training using robots is beneficial in improving walking ability. We discovered that diversified training programs using conventional methods concentrated on the physical independence of patients with chronic SCI.
Characterization of breast changes in the early gestational period on automated breast ultrasound
Authors: Ohta Tomoyuki
Published: October 2023

Purpose

This study was conducted to determine the characteristics of milk duct development in early pregnancy on ultrasound images.

Methods

Automated breast ultrasound (ABUS) images used for breast cancer screening in 332 pregnant women were evaluated retrospectively to determine when and how ductal development becomes evident on ultrasonography. The diagnostic criteria used for mammary gland changes during the gestational period were extension of the ducts to the margins of the breast where little or no echogenic fibroglandular tissue is seen on sonograms and/or the appearance of ductal structures running along the ascending Cooper’s ligament tapering off or ending in a blind end at the superficial layer of the superficial fascia. The correlations between gestational stage and the prevalence of these criteria were verified by Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient (ρ). Assessments were performed by a single radiologist with experience reading ABUS images.

Results

With a few exceptions, the prevalence of the above findings increased sharply beginning at 10 weeks, and then increased with progression of gestation, reaching a plateau after 20 weeks (ρ = 0.766, P < 0.00001).

Conclusion

The findings in this study suggested that development of the milk ducts in early pregnancy can be observed using ABUS. These findings will be useful to gain a better understanding of breast ultrasound imaging characteristics during pregnancy.
Designing Optimal, Data-Driven Policies from Multisite Randomized Trials
Authors: Suk Youmi , Park Chan
Published: October 2023

Optimal treatment regimes (OTRs) have been widely employed in computer science and personalized medicine to provide data-driven, optimal recommendations to individuals. However, previous research on OTRs has primarily focused on settings that are independent and identically distributed, with little attention given to the unique characteristics of educational settings, where students are nested within schools and there are hierarchical dependencies. The goal of this study is to propose a framework for designing OTRs from multisite randomized trials, a commonly used experimental design in education and psychology to evaluate educational programs. We investigate modifications to popular OTR methods, specifically Q-learning and weighting methods, in order to improve their performance in multisite randomized trials. A total of 12 modifications, 6 for Q-learning and 6 for weighting, are proposed by utilizing different multilevel models, moderators, and augmentations. Simulation studies reveal that all Q-learning modifications improve performance in multisite randomized trials and the modifications that incorporate random treatment effects show the most promise in handling cluster-level moderators. Among weighting methods, the modification that incorporates cluster dummies into moderator variables and augmentation terms performs best across simulation conditions. The proposed modifications are demonstrated through an application to estimate an OTR of conditional cash transfer programs using a multisite randomized trial in Colombia to maximize educational attainment.
Quantitative assessment of human health risks from chemical pollution in the uMsunduzi River, South Africa
Authors: Ngubane Zesizwe , Dzwairo Bloodless , Moodley Brenda , Stenström Thor Axel , Sokolova Ekaterina
Published: October 2023

A quantitative chemical risk assessment was performed using published data as well as data from the official monitoring programme for the uMsunduzi River in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The chemicals assessed were organochlorinated pesticides (OCPs), pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), heavy metals, and nitrates and phosphates. The water from uMsunduzi River is used locally without treatment. Consequently, the exposure routes investigated were via ingestion during domestic drinking and incidental ingestion during recreational activities, which were swimming and non-competitive canoeing, for both adults and children. For the individual chemicals, non-carcinogenic risks using the hazard quotient (HQ) and carcinogenic risks using the cancer risk (CR) were quantified. It was found that the exposed population is likely to experience non-carcinogenic effects from pesticides and phosphates, but not from PPCPs, heavy metals and nitrates. This study also found that the carcinogenic risks for OCPs were higher than the tolerable limit of 10-5, while for lead the risk was below the tolerable limit. Some of the activities that potentially contribute to chemicals onto the uMsunduzi River are subsistence farming, small plantations, illegal dumping, industries, and broken sewers. The findings of this study may act as the technical foundation for the introduction of pollution reduction measures within the catchment, including public education.

Graphical Abstract
Inhibition of p53-MDM2 binding reduces senescent cell abundance and improves the adaptive responses of skeletal muscle from aged mice
Authors: Nolt Georgia L. , Keeble Alexander R. , Wen Yuan , Strong Aubrey C. , Thomas Nicholas T. , Valentino Taylor R. , Brightwell Camille R. , Murach Kevin A. , Patrizia Sini , Weinstabl Harald , Gollner Andreas , McCarthy John J. , Fry Christopher S. , Franti Michael , Filareto Antonio , Peterson Charlotte A. , Dungan Cory M.
Published: October 2023

Skeletal muscle adaptation to external stimuli, such as regeneration following injury and hypertrophy in response to resistance exercise, are blunted with advanced age. The accumulation of senescent cells, along with defects in myogenic progenitor cell (MPC) proliferation, have been strongly linked as contributing factors to age-associated impairment in muscle adaptation. p53 plays an integral role in all these processes, as upregulation of p53 causes apoptosis in senescent cells and prevents mitotic catastrophe in MPCs from old mice. The goal of this study was to determine if a novel pharmaceutical agent (BI01), which functions by upregulating p53 through inhibition of binding to MDM2, the primary p53 regulatory protein, improves muscle regeneration and hypertrophy in old mice. BI01 effectively reduced the number of senescent cells in vitro but had no effect on MPC survival or proliferation at a comparable dose. Following repeated oral gavage with 2 mg/kg of BI01 (OS) or vehicle (OV), old mice (24 months) underwent unilateral BaCl2 injury in the tibialis anterior (TA) muscle, with PBS injections serving as controls. After 7 days, satellite cell number was higher in the TA of OS compared to OV mice, as was the expression of genes involved in ATP production. By 35 days, old mice treated with BI01 displayed reduced senescent cell burden, enhanced regeneration (higher muscle mass and fiber cross-sectional area) and restoration of muscle function relative to OV mice. To examine the impact of 2 mg/kg BI01 on muscle hypertrophy, the plantaris muscle was subjected to 28 days of mechanical overload (MOV) in OS and OV mice. In response to MOV, OS mice had larger plantaris muscles and muscle fibers than OV mice, particularly type 2b + x fibers, associated with reduced senescent cells. Together our data show that BI01 is an effective senolytic agent that may also augment muscle metabolism to enhance muscle regeneration and hypertrophy in old mice.
Application of Situational Action Theory in Japan Using Vignette Survey
Authors: Fujino Kyoko
Published: October 2023

This study applied Wikström’s Situational Action Theory (SAT) of crime causation to Japanese people in their 30 s–40 s (N = 320). Participants in an internet survey were presented with three criminogenic scenarios—traffic crime, individualistic white-collar crime, and corporate white-collar crime—and were asked to rate the likelihood of them committing a crime in these scenarios. They were also asked to evaluate their morality, moral context, and degree of temptation in each scenario, as well as their tendency for self-control, interdependent view of self, and independent view of self. The results supported SAT in that the moral context positively and morality negatively predicted the likelihood of committing a crime. However, the results were inconsistent with SAT’s assertion that other variables influenced those with low morality more than those with high morality. Further, the tendency to have an interdependent view of self affected the likelihood of committing a crime in some scenarios. This result indicates that in some situations, some people are more influenced by expectations of their behavior from their surroundings, in addition to their morality. Future empirical studies of SAT are needed to examine the influence of self-control on criminal phenomena using the ability to exercise self-control in certain situations that conform to the concept of self-control advocated by SAT. Morality is also a crucial concept in the SAT. Therefore, future research should examine how the morality of trying to fulfill social role expectations and previously assessed morality influence the likelihood of committing a crime.
Monotonic and cyclic triaxial testing of untreated and polyurethane-treated soil and soil–rubber mixtures
Authors: Farooq Mohammad Adnan , Nimbalkar Sanjay
Published: October 2023

The present research focuses on developing alternate sustainable base materials for a high-speed slab track. In this study, a series of monotonic triaxial, cyclic triaxial and permeability tests were conducted on four types of materials, viz. mix-A (gravel soil), mix-B (soil mixed with rubber), mix-C (polyurethane foam adhesive (PFA)-treated soil), and mix-D (PFA-treated soil–rubber mixture). The influence of cyclic loading frequency, effective confining pressure, drainage condition and relative density on the deformation, excess pore water pressure, resilient modulus and damping ratio of these different mixes is evaluated. The monotonic triaxial test results indicate that the PFA treatment of mix-A and mix-B increased their shear strength and critical state strength. In contrast, incorporating rubber into mix-A and mix-C helped enhance their ductility. The cyclic triaxial test results show that the PFA treatment of mix-A and mix-B significantly reduced the magnitude of deformation and generation of excess pore water pressure, which caused these untreated mixes to fail prematurely under lower confinement to which a typical base layer is subjected. The influence of cyclic loading frequency and effective confining pressure on the material's response differed for untreated and treated soil. The permeability test results indicate good drainage for mix-D comparable to mix-A.
Frappe: fast fiducial detection on low cost hardware
Authors: Jones Simon , Hauert Sabine
Published: October 2023

Square fiducial markers are widely used in robotics to easily obtain pose and other information about the world from camera images. Processing the images to extract the markers is usually performed centrally with standard libraries but the code is typically aimed at PC-level hardware. Platforms with constrained processing power have difficulty handling multiple camera streams at real-time refresh rates. We introduce theFrappe(Fiducial Recognition Accelerated with Parallel Processing Elements) algorithm for detecting and decoding the popular ArUco tags. Designed to be implemented on the low cost hardware of the Raspberry Pi Zero, we show tag detection and decoding on images of 640 × 480 resolution exceeding 60 Hz, five times faster than the standard ArUco library, while maintaining similar detection performance and using much less energy. Using Frappe, we demonstrate improved real-world performance on a visual navigation task with our DOTS robot.
The Spectrum of Headache in Leptomeningeal Metastases: A Comprehensive Review with Clinical Management Guidelines
Authors: Wilcox Jessica A. , Estrera Rachel , Boire Adrienne
Published: October 2023

Purpose of Review

Headaches are a common, oftentimes debilitating symptom in patients with leptomeningeal metastases.

Recent Findings

The third edition of the International Classification of Headache Disorders provides a useful diagnostic framework for headaches secondary to leptomeningeal metastases based on the temporal relationship of headache with disease onset, change in headache severity in correlation with leptomeningeal disease burden, and accompanying neurologic signs such as cranial nerve palsies and encephalopathy. However, headaches in patients with leptomeningeal metastases can be further defined by a wide range of varying cancer- and treatment-related pathophysiologies, each requiring a tailored approach.

A thorough review of the literature and expert opinion on five observed headache sub-classifications in patients with leptomeningeal metastases is provided, with attention to necessary diagnostic testing, recommended first-line treatments, and prevention strategies.