bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Microarray analysis reveals the potential molecular mechanism of Lp299v in stable coronary atherosclerotic disease
Authors: Fu Zhenyang , Song Xiaolei , Shen Anna , Zhou Tao
Published: September 2022

A growing body of evidence has confirmed that inflammatory mechanisms are involved in the formation and treatment of coronary atherosclerotic disease (CAD). An increase in circulatory levels of inflammatory cytokines has been found in patients with CAD, while the molecular mechanisms of inflammation still remain elusive. This study was designed to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and to explore the molecular mechanism and hub genes that are involved in the effects of Lactobacillus plantarum 299v (Lp299v) supplementation. Microarray dataset (GSE156357) was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The DEGs were identified by the R software. Then, the Gene Ontology (GO) and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses and construction of protein–protein interaction (PPI) network were performed by DAVID, STRING, and Cytoscape software. In daily alcohol user (DAU) group, 7,541 DEGs were identified, including 206 up-regulated and 7,335 down-regulated DEGs. In non-daily alcohol user (non-DAU) group, 2,799 DEGs were identified (2,491 up-regulated and 308 down-regulated DEGs). The GO enrichment analysis revealed that miosis was up-regulated and immune response was down-regulated. The KEGG enrichment analysis showed that Lp299v supplementation reduced the levels of chemotactic cytokines, and weakened immune response. Proteins of G protein-coupled receptor, inflammatory response, regulation of cell proliferation and apoptosis-related proteins were found in the PPI network. The hub genes were associated with G protein-coupled receptor, inflammatory response, and cell proliferation and apoptosis. The weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) enriched the DEGs in 4 modules. This study indicated the expressions of chemokine receptors and regulation of immune response in the Lp299v supplementation. Meanwhile, it was supposed that chemokine receptors may have a cellular effect.
Reliable assessment of telomere maintenance mechanisms in neuroblastoma
Authors: Meeser Alina , Bartenhagen Christoph , Werr Lisa , Hellmann Anna-Maria , Kahlert Yvonne , Hemstedt Nadine , Nürnberg Peter , Altmüller Janine , Ackermann Sandra , Hero Barbara , Simon Thorsten , Peifer Martin , Fischer Matthias , Rosswog Carolina
Published: September 2022

Background

Telomere maintenance mechanisms (TMM) are a hallmark of high-risk neuroblastoma, and are conferred by activation of telomerase or alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT). However, detection of TMM is not yet part of the clinical routine, and consensus on TMM detection, especially on ALT assessment, remains to be achieved.

Methods

Whole genome sequencing (WGS) data of 68 primary neuroblastoma samples were analyzed. Telomere length was calculated from WGS data or by telomere restriction fragment analysis (n = 39). ALT was assessed by C-circle assay (CCA, n = 67) and detection of ALT-associated PML nuclear bodies (APB) by combined fluorescence in situ hybridization and immunofluorescence staining (n = 68). RNA sequencing was performed (n = 64) to determine expression ofTERTand telomeric long non-coding RNA (TERRA). Telomerase activity was examined by telomerase repeat amplification protocol (TRAP, n = 15).

Results

Tumors were considered as telomerase-positive if they harbored aTERTrearrangement,MYCNamplification or highTERTexpression (45.6%, 31/68), and ALT-positive if they were positive for APB and CCA (19.1%, 13/68). If all these markers were absent, tumors were considered TMM-negative (25.0%, 17/68). According to these criteria, the majority of samples were classified unambiguously (89.7%, 61/68). Assessment of additional ALT-associated parameters clarified the TMM status of the remaining seven cases with high likelihood: ALT-positive tumors had higher TERRA expression, longer telomeres, more telomere insertions, a characteristic pattern of telomere variant repeats, and were associated withATRXmutations.

Conclusions

We here propose a workflow to reliably detect TMM in neuroblastoma. We show that unambiguous classification is feasible following a stepwise approach that determines both, activation of telomerase and ALT. The workflow proposed in this study can be used in clinical routine and provides a framework to systematically and reliably determine telomere maintenance mechanisms for risk stratification and treatment allocation of neuroblastoma patients.
Early antibiotic therapy is associated with a lower probability of successful liberation from mechanical ventilation in patients with severe acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Deniel G. , Cour M. , Argaud L. , Richard J. C. , Bitker L.
Published: September 2022

Background

While antibiotic therapy is advocated to improve outcomes in acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) whenever mechanical ventilation is required, the evidence relies on small studies carried out before the era of widespread antibiotic resistance. Furthermore, the impact of systematic antibiotic therapy on successful weaning from mechanical ventilation was never investigated accounting for the competitive risk of death. The aim of the study was to assess whether early antibiotic therapy (eABT) increases successful mechanical ventilation weaning probability as compared to no eABT, in patients with AECOPD without pneumoniae, using multivariate competitive risk regression.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of patients admitted in 2 intensive care units (ICU) from 2012 to 2020 for AECOPD without pneumonia and requiring mechanical ventilation. eABT was defined as any anti-bacterial chemotherapy introduced during the first 24 h after ICU admission. The primary outcomes were the adjusted subdistribution hazard ratio (SHR) of the probability of being successfully weaned from mechanical ventilation (i.e. non-invasive and invasive ventilation) according to eABT status and accounting for the competitive risk of death.

Results

Three hundred and ninety-one patients were included, of whom 66% received eABT. eABT was associated with a lower probability of successful liberation from mechanical ventilation when accounting for the competing risk of death in multivariate analyses (SHR 0.71 [95% confidence interval, 0.57–0.89], p < 0.01), after adjustment with covariates of disease severity. This association was present in all subgroups except in patients under invasive mechanical ventilation on ICU day-1, in patients with ICU day-1 worst PaCO2 > 74 torr (median value) and in patients with a documented bacterial bronchitis at ICU admission. Ventilator-free days at day 28, ICU-free days at day 28 and invasive mechanical ventilation-free days at day 28, were significantly lower in the eABT group, while there was no significant difference in mortality at day 28 between patients who received eABT and those who did not.

Conclusions

eABT was independently associated with a lower probability of being successfully weaned from mechanical ventilation, suggesting that the clinician decision to overrule systematic administration of eABT was not associated with a detectable harm in AECOPD ICU patients without pneumonia.
Low-complexity hybrid interference cancellation for sparse code multiple access
Authors: Ghani Bilal , Launay Frederic , Pousset Yannis , Perrine Clency , Cances Jean Pierre
Published: September 2022

Sparse Code Multiple Access (SCMA) is one of Non Orthogonal Multiple Access (NOMA) candidates for 5G, the fifth generation mobile network. Multiple overlapped blocks of SCMA code are transmitted per frequency layer which compels the receiver to cancel unwanted SCMA code blocks. Thanks to the sparsity of SCMA, Message Passing Algorithm (MPA) achieves near-optimal performance. Nevertheless, this process is time-consuming and has a high degree of complexity even if Max-Log Algorithm is used. The major contribution of this paper is to propose a new decoding scheme called Hybrid Interference Cancellation (HIC) to reduce time processing without degrading a target Bit Error Rate (BER). The HIC decodes and removes the strongest user, reducing the complexity of Log Domain MPA decoding of remaining users, followed by a Low Density Parity Code (LDPC) decoder. The interference cancellation decoder is either a hard interference cancellation or a soft interference cancellation. The originality of the paper is to calculate a threshold value based on power measurements to decide whether hard decoder or soft decoder should be used to reach the BER target with a lower complexity. Results show a significant reduction in terms of complexity as compared to the traditional MPA process for the same values of BER.
Properties and applications of a conjugate transform on Schatten classes
Authors: Zhou Weiqi
Published: September 2022

We study a “conjugate” transform on matrix spaces. For Laurent/Toeplitz operators such a transform is a way of realizing the Hilbert transform on the torus. We establish its operator norm on Schatten classes and discuss the possibility of its boundedness upon permutations. Applications in the Rademacher–Menshov inequality and iterative methods are also included.
Analysis of a hybrid integro-differential inclusion
Authors: El-Sayed Ahmed , Hashem Hind , Al-Issa Shorouk
Published: September 2022

Our main objectives in this paper are to investigate the existence of the solutions for an integro-differential inclusion of second order with hybrid nonlocal boundary value conditions. The sufficient condition for the uniqueness of the solution will be given and the continuous dependence of the solution on the set of selections and on other functions will be proved. As an application, the nonlocal problem of the Chandrasekhar hybrid second-order functional integrodifferential inclusion and some particular cases will be presented. Also, we provide some examples to illustrate our results.
Automated all in one misspelling detection and correction system for Ethiopian languages
Authors: Demilie Wubetu Barud , Salau Ayodeji Olalekan
Published: September 2022

In this paper, a misspelling detection and correction system was developed for Ethiopian languages (Amharic, Afan Oromo, Tigrinya, Hadiyyisa, Kambatissa, and Awngi). For some of these languages, there have been few works on typo detection and correction systems. However, an effective and all-in-one typo detector and corrector system for Ethiopian languages have yet to be developed. A dictionary-based methodology is used to detect and rectify various forms of misspelling-related issues. The major characteristics of the proposed model can be outlined by presenting suggestions for detected flaws and automatically correcting them utilizing the first suggestion. In addition, the proposed model is evaluated using dictionary-based data sets for all languages. The corpora used were gathered from a variety of sources, including economic, political, social, and related publications, newspapers, and magazines. In this model, the users can perform all spelling-related issues within a single system (all-in-one). That means if the user(s) is (are) working on the Amharic language and then he/she/they can change the language she/he/they prefer(s) without shifting to another graphical user interface (GUI). Here, the users can save time and perform their tasks easily. Similarly, the user(s) can improve their skills in the selected languages accordingly. Finally, precision, recall, and f-measures for each language have been computed following a successful evaluation of the model. The system outperforms an f-measure of 89.57%, 87.57%, 88.31%, 86.83%, 81.83%, and 87.59% for Amharic, Afan Oromo, Tigrinya, Hadiyyisa, Kambatissa, and Awngi languages respectively. Furthermore, recommendations have been provided for future researchers.
Research on virtual machine consolidation strategy based on combined prediction and energy-aware in cloud computing platform
Authors: Wang Jinjiang , Gu Hangyu , Yu Junyang , Song Yixin , He Xin , Song Yalin
Published: September 2022

In the era of information explosion, the energy consumption of cloud data centers is significant. It’s critical to reduce the energy consumption of large-scale data centers while guaranteeing quality of service (QoS), especially the energy consumption of video cloud computing platforms. The application of virtual machine (VM) consolidation has been regarded as a promising approach to improve resource utilization and save energy of the data centers. In this paper, an energy efficient and QoS-aware VM consolidation method is proposed to address the issues. A combined prediction model based on grey model and ARIMA is applied to host status detection, and we provide a new scheme that VM placement policy based on resource utilization and varying energy consumption to search most suitable host and VM selection policy called AUMT selecting VM with low average CPU utilization and migration time. Extensive experimental results based on the cloudsim simulator demonstrate that proposed approach enables to achieve the objectives reducing energy consumption, number of migrations, SLAV and ESV by an average of 56.07%, 79.21%, 91.01% and 84.34% compared with the benchmark methods and the AUMT can reduce energy consumption, the number of migrations and ESV by an average of 15.46%, 28.11% and 3.96% compared with the state-of-the-art method.
Efficient and scalable patients clustering based on medical big data in cloud platform
Authors: Zhou Yongsheng , Varzaneh Majid Ghani
Published: September 2022

With the outbreak and popularity of COVID-19 pandemic worldwide, the volume of patients is increasing rapidly all over the world, which brings a big risk and challenge for the maintenance of public healthcare. In this situation, quick integration and analysis of the medical records of patients in a cloud platform are of positive and valuable significance for accurate recognition and scientific diagnosis of the healthy conditions of potential patients. However, due to the big volume of medical data of patients distributed in different platforms (e.g., multiple hospitals), how to integrate these data for patient clustering and analysis in a time-efficient and scalable manner in cloud platform is still a challenging task, while guaranteeing the capability of privacy-preservation. Motivated by this fact, a time-efficient, scalable and privacy-guaranteed patient clustering method in cloud platform is proposed in this work. At last, we demonstrate the competitive advantages of our method via a set of simulated experiments. Experiment results with competitive methods in current research literatures have proved the feasibility of our proposal.
Sustainability assessments of energy scenarios: citizens’ preferences for and assessments of sustainability indicators
Authors: Schmidt-Scheele Ricarda , Hauser Wolfgang , Scheel Oliver , Minn Fabienne , Becker Lisa , Buchgeister Jens , Hottenroth Heidi , Junne Tobias , Lehr Ulrike , Naegler Tobias , Simon Sonja , Sutardhio Claudia , Tietze Ingela , Ulrich Philip , Viere Tobias , Weidlich Anke
Published: September 2022

Background

Given the multitude of scenarios on the future of our energy systems, multi-criteria assessments are increasingly called for to analyze and assess desired and undesired effects of possible pathways with regard to their environmental, economic and social sustainability. Existing studies apply elaborate lists of sustainability indicators, yet these indicators are defined and selected by experts and the relative importance of each indicator for the overall sustainability assessments is either determined by experts or is computed using mathematical functions. Target group-specific empirical data regarding citizens’ preferences for sustainability indicators as well as their reasoning behind their choices are not included in existing assessments.

Approach and results

We argue that citizens’ preferences and values need to be more systematically analyzed. Next to valid and reliable data regarding diverse sets of indicators, reflections and deliberations are needed regarding what different societal actors, including citizens, consider as justified and legitimate interventions in nature and society, and what considerations they include in their own assessments. For this purpose, we present results from a discrete choice experiment. The method originated in marketing and is currently becoming a popular means to systematically analyze individuals’ preference structures for energy technology assessments. As we show in our paper, it can be fruitfully applied to study citizens’ values and weightings with regard to sustainability issues. Additionally, we present findings from six focus groups that unveil the reasons behind citizens’ preferences and choices.

Conclusions

Our combined empirical methods provide main insights with strong implications for the future development and assessment of energy pathways: while environmental and climate-related effects significantly influenced citizens’ preferences for or against certain energy pathways, total systems and production costs were of far less importance to citizens than the public discourse suggests. Many scenario studies seek to optimize pathways according to total systems costs. In contrast, our findings show that the role of fairness and distributional justice in transition processes featured as a dominant theme for citizens. This adds central dimensions for future multi-criteria assessments that, so far, have been neglected by current energy systems models.
The impact of economic-related freedoms on the national entrepreneurial activity
Authors: Dempere Juan M. , Pauceanu Alexandrina M.
Published: September 2022

This article aims to analyze the explanatory power of the constituent components of the Heritage Foundation’s Index of Economic Freedom over the Global Entrepreneurship and Development Institute’s Global Entrepreneurship Index and its sub-indexes. We analyze a sample of 118 countries with available historic data from 2014–2019. We evaluate the impact of the business, labor, monetary, trade, investment, and financial freedom indexes over the Global Entrepreneurship Index and its sub-indexes. We performed a cross-sectional analysis using generalized linear models and weighted least squares models. We also analyzed our panel data using panel-corrected standard error models. We find a significant and positive relationship between the Global Entrepreneurship Index and the business and financial freedom indexes. We also find a significant and positive relationship between the business and financial freedom indexes and the entrepreneurial attitudes, abilities, and aspirations sub-indexes. The limitations of our study include the diversity of national entrepreneurial ecosystems and the difficulty of measuring them with a few quantitative variables. Additionally, our results are heavily influenced by the selection of countries in our sample. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no previous research article has studied the explanatory power of the Index of Economic Freedom’s constituent components over the Global Entrepreneurship Index and its sub-indexes. Similarly, our sample of 118 countries with data from 2014–2019 makes our study the most comprehensive global analysis about the relationship between economic freedom and entrepreneurship so far.
Analysis of water–energy–crop nexus indicators in irrigated sugarcane of Awash Basin, Ethiopia
Authors: Kedir Yusuf , Berhanu Belete , Alamirew Tena
Published: September 2022

Pressures on limited resources of water and energy in agriculture forced researchers to look for alternative approaches towards the solutions integrating the resources. Since the development of the water–energy–food (WEF) nexus concept, several methods including indicator approaches have been developed and are in use to analyze their linkages. The aims of the study have been to determine and compare the performances of sugarcane producing irrigation schemes and technologies in Awash Basin of Ethiopia. Water applied, input energy used and productivity of eleven irrigation schemes found in Wonji, Metehara and Kessem sugar factories have been used and the performances of each scheme were evaluated. Based on statistical analyses, irrigation schemes were grouped into gravity surface, pump surface and pump sprinklers. After normalizing the original data through min–max, performance scores were determined based on equal weight and entropy methods. Categorical assessments revealed that gravity surface schemes had the highest total input energy use and energy productivity scores while pump sprinkler schemes were better on the water applied, relative irrigation supply and water productivity indicators. However, regarding composite performance indicators or WEF nexus indices, pump surface schemes scored the highest followed by gravity surface schemes while sprinklers were the least. The study proved the emphasis of the sugar factories of the basin for crop productivity with the expenses of energy and water utilizations. Hence, improvements in water management of gravity surface schemes and energy utilization of sprinkler schemes were recommended as key solutions for balanced resource use as well as the overall sustainability of the sector.
Novel cellular immunotherapies for hematological malignancies: recent updates from the 2021 ASH annual meeting
Authors: Wang Ji-nuo , Gu Tianning , Hu Yongxian , Huang He
Published: September 2022

Cellular immunotherapy, including the chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy and CAR- natural killer (CAR-NK) cell therapy, has undergone extensive clinical investigation and development in recent years. CAR-T cell therapy is now emerging as a powerful cancer therapy with enormous potential, demonstrating impressive anti-tumor activity in the treatment of hematological malignancies. At the 2021 ASH annual meeting, numerous breakthroughs were reported concerning acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), lymphoma, acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and multiple myeloma (MM). Universal CAR-T cell and CAR-NK cell therapy, as well as induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived immunotherapy, offer great “off-the-shelf” benefits. Major development and updates of cellular immunotherapy for hematological malignancies reported at the 2021 ASH annual meeting are summarized in this review.
Historical-graphical analysis and digital preservation of cultural heritage: case study of the baptismal font of the church of Santiago Apóstol in Montilla (Córdoba, Spain)
Authors: Calvo-Serrano María Araceli , Ortiz-Cordero Rafael , Hidalgo-Fernandez Rafael E. , Mesas-Carrascosa Francisco Javier , de Paula Montes-Tubío Francisco , Triviño-Tarradas Paula
Published: September 2022

Stone is a characteristic element in the construction of buildings and monuments in the Middle Ages in Spain. This is so mainly due to its durability and, in baptismal fonts, specifically, its symbolism: Jesus Christ is the cornerstone, he comes to save us and is the foundation of the life of the Christian and of the Universal Church. The application of virtual 3D reconstruction is essential in the conservation of this type of heritage, together with scientific techniques and methods, and the analysis of historical-graphic documentation. Focusing on these three aspects, the baptismal font of the church of Santiago Apóstol de Montilla will be taken as a reference. The baptismal font of the church of Santiago Apóstol in Montilla (Córdoba, Spain), whose exact origin is unknown, is one of the most important heritage assets. San Francisco Solano, known as the “Thaumaturge of the New World”, was baptised in it. For over four centuries, the temple has been the Main Church of the head of the Marquisate of Priego. This study aims to know, document and carry out a digital reconstruction of an important piece of the monumental heritage of the Catholic Church: the baptismal font of the church of Santiago Apóstol in Montilla. To this end, we searched a major literature review focused on the use of photogrammetry for reading old graphics and deciphering texts. After that we analysed the graphic documentation derived from the restoration process conducted by Cordovan restorer Vázquez Arjona in the late twentieth century. The application of 3D digitisation and documentation techniques has allowed not only to analyse this important heritage element in detail through a virtual reconstruction, but also to make a far-reaching discovery regarding one of its elements, the unknown inserted inscription in the baptismal font band.
Beyond “study skills”: a curriculum-embedded framework for metacognitive development in a college chemistry course
Authors: Gamby Sonja , Bauer Christopher F.
Published: September 2022

Background

There is a critical need for evidence-based metacognition instruction models with an ease of implementation. Three issues involved in advancing the implementation and assessment of metacognitive interventions are: (i) the lack of an operational framework for the development of metacognition; (ii) metacognition instruction models that lack a focus on explicitly engaging students’ self-perceptions; (iii) a lack of metacognitive interventions that are easy to implement and require minimal training. This study describes the development and implementation of a 10-week discussion-based module to promote metacognitive development as part of a general chemistry course at a community college. This curricular metacognition instruction model involved the explicit engagement of self-efficacy beliefs in addition to introducing metacognitive awareness and regulation through individual and group reflection. This approach involves a systematic framework which allowed students to confront their beliefs about their abilities, learn various task strategies, and practice these strategies along with their peers. This case study was designed to address the following: can explicit cognitive and metacognitive instruction and discussion serve as a catalyst for students to (1) build and adapt metacognitive knowledge about cognition, and (2) incorporate effective study strategies?.

Results

Students’ individual and collaborative reflections were analyzed using a thematic analysis. Written journal responses indicate that the module facilitated a shared discourse about cognition where metacognitive awareness was observed shifting from a tacit to explicit awareness. In addition, the framework facilitated the formation of support networks (cognitive and emotional) where students were observed exchanging cognitive strategies and encouraging one another to persevere through challenges.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that the metacognitive instruction model described here can serve as a mechanism to encourage student reflection on their beliefs and behaviors. Instructors looking to include metacognition instruction could use the framework presented as a template. The discussion-based module is embedded in the curriculum, delivered through the course management system, and has a low barrier to implementation.
Machine learning classification of mediastinal lymph node metastasis in NSCLC: a multicentre study in a Western European patient population
Authors: Laros Sara S. A. , Dieckens Dennis , Blazis Stephan P. , van der Heide Johannes A.
Published: September 2022

Background

[18F] FDG PET-CT has an important role in the initial staging of lung cancer; however, accurate differentiation between activity in malignant and benign intrathoracic lymph nodes on PET-CT scans can be challenging. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effect of incorporating primary tumour data and clinical features to differentiate between [18F] FDG-avid malignant and benign intrathoracic lymph nodes.

Methods

We retrospectively selected lung cancer patients who underwent PET-CT for initial staging in two centres in the Netherlands. The primary tumour and suspected lymph node metastases were annotated and cross-referenced with pathology results. Lymph nodes were classified as malignant or benign. From the image data, we extracted radiomic features and trained the classifier model using the extreme gradient boost (XGB) algorithm. Various scenarios were defined by selecting different combinations of data input and clinical features. Data from centre 1 were used for training and validation of the models using the XGB algorithm. To determine the performance of the model in a different hospital, the XGB model was tested using data from centre 2.

Results

Adding primary tumour data resulted in a significant gain in the performance of the trained classifier model. Adding the clinical information about distant metastases did not lead to significant improvement. The performance of the model in the test set (centre 2) was slightly but statistically significantly lower than in the validation set (centre 1).

Conclusions

Using the XGB algorithm potentially leads to an improved model for the classification of intrathoracic lymph nodes. The inclusion of primary tumour data improved the performance of the model, while additional knowledge of distant metastases did not. In patients in whom metastases are limited to lymph nodes in the thorax, this may reduce costly and invasive procedures such as endobronchial ultrasound or mediastinoscopy procedures.
Active bone marrow S-values for the low-energy electron emitter terbium-161 compared to S-values for lutetium-177 and yttrium-90
Authors: Hemmingsson Jens , Svensson Johanna , van der Meulen Nicholas P. , Müller Cristina , Bernhardt Peter
Published: September 2022

Background

Based on theoretical and preclinical results, terbium-161 may be a valid alternative to lutetium-177 and yttrium-90 in radionuclide therapies. The large low-energy electron emission from terbium-161 is a favorable feature in the treatment of disseminated disease, but its impact on the radiosensitive bone marrow needs to be evaluated. Using voxel-based skeletal dosimetry models in which active bone marrow is defined as regions containing stem cells and progenitor cells of the hematopoietic lineage, we generated S-values (absorbed dose per decay) for terbium-161 and evaluated its distribution-dependence in bone marrow cavities.

Methods

S-values in the active bone marrow were calculated for terbium-161, lutetium-177, and yttrium-90 irradiation using two (male/female) image-based bone marrow dosimetry models. The radionuclides were distributed to one of the three structures that define the spongiosa bone region in the skeletal models: (i) active bone marrow, (ii) inactive bone marrow, or (iii) surface or whole volume of the trabecular bone. Decay data from ICRP 107 were combined with specific absorbed fractions to calculate S-values for 13 skeletal sites. To increase the utility, the skeletal site-specific S-values were averaged to produce whole-body average S-values and spongiosa average S-values.

Results

For yttrium-90, the high-energy β particles irradiate the active marrow regardless of the source compartment, consistently generating the highest S-values (65–90% higher). Between terbium-161 and lutetium-177, the largest differences in S-values were with an active marrow source (50%), such as self-irradiation, due to the contribution of the short-ranged conversion and Auger electrons from terbium-161. Their influence decreased as the source moved to inactive marrow or the surface or volume of the trabecular bone, reducing the S-values and the differences between terbium-161 and lutetium-177 (15–35%).

Conclusion

The S-values of terbium-161 for active bone marrow and, consequently, the bone marrow toxicity profile were more dependent on the radionuclide distribution within the bone marrow cavity than the S-values of lutetium-177 and yttrium-90. This effect was attributed to the considerable low-energy electron emission of terbium-161. Therefore, it will be critical to investigate the bone marrow distribution of a particular radiopharmaceutical for accurate estimation of the active bone marrow dose.
Left hepatectomy with suprahepatic inferior vena cava resection and reconstruction under veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: a case report
Authors: Ariizumi Shunichi , Yamamoto Masakazu , Hamasaki Azumi , Kotera Yoshihito , Kato Takaaki , Egawa Hiroto , Niinami Hiroshi , Honda Goro
Published: September 2022

Background

Curative surgery is the most effective treatment for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). When an ICC involves the suprahepatic inferior vena cava (IVC), hepatectomy with suprahepatic IVC resection and reconstruction is challenging. For reconstruction of the suprahepatic IVC, total hepatic vascular exclusion (THVE), veno-venous bypass, and/or in situ hypothermic portal perfusion are required, but mortality and morbidity remain high.

Case presentation

We present a 73-year-old woman with mass-forming ICC which invaded the suprahepatic IVC and middle hepatic vein. Left hepatectomy, suprahepatic IVC resection, and reconstruction with an artificial graft were successfully performed during veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-A ECMO) to maintain blood pressure. While clamping the IVC diagonally, the right hepatic vein confluence could be preserved. No congestion in the right liver was seen; therefore, there was no requirement for the Pringle maneuver or THVE during reconstruction. No morbidity or mortality was seen after surgery.

Conclusions

Hepatectomy with suprahepatic IVC resection and reconstruction under V-A ECMO can be performed safely. When an ICC invades the suprahepatic IVC, V-A ECMO during resection and reconstruction of the suprahepatic IVC with an artificial graft is recommended as one of the options.
Swimming Warm-Up and Beyond: Dryland Protocols and Their Related Mechanisms—A Scoping Review
Authors: Cuenca-Fernández Francisco , Boullosa Daniel , López-Belmonte Óscar , Gay Ana , Ruiz-Navarro Jesús Juan , Arellano Raúl
Published: September 2022

In swimming, the beneficial effects of the in-water warm-up are often undermined by the long transition periods before competition (≥ 20 min). For that reason, studies comparing the effects of in-water warm-ups followed by dryland activities have been conducted in the swimming literature. This has brought conflicting evidence due to large combinations of supervised and unsupervised warm-up procedures used. Therefore, a scoping review was performed to discuss (1) why warm-up strategies are important for competitive swimming; to identify (2) what are the different warm-up approaches available in the literature, and; to establish (3) what are the main conclusions, considerations and gaps that should be addressed in further research to provide clearer guidance for interventions. The search was conducted on PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and SPORTDiscus databases. To be considered eligible, studies must have assessed acute short-term responses of warm-up procedures in swimmers by using randomized controlled trials or pre-post study designs. A total of 42 articles were included in this review. The effectiveness of warm-up responses was evaluated based on the inclusion or not of warm-up, the type of conditioning activity (in-water exercise, in-water exercise combined with dryland or dryland exercise only), its duration, and intensity. (1) Warm-up mechanisms have been mainly related to temperature changes associated to cardiovascular adaptations and short-term specific neuromuscular adaptations. Thus, maintaining muscle activity and body temperature during the transition phase immediately prior to competition could help swimmers' performance; (2) the most common approach before a race usually included a moderate mileage of in-water warm-up (~ 1000 m) performed at an intensity of ≤ 60% of the maximal oxygen consumption, followed by dryland protocols to keep the muscle activity and body temperature raised during the transition phase. Dryland activities could only optimize performance in sprint swimming if performed after the in-water warm-up, especially if heated clothing elements are worn. Using tethered swimming and hand-paddles during warm-ups does not provide superior muscular responses to those achieved by traditional in-water warm-ups, possibly because of acute alterations in swimming technique. In contrast, semi-tethered resisted swimming may be considered as an appropriate stimulus to generate post-activation performance enhancements; (3) nothing has yet been investigated in backstroke, butterfly or individual medley, and there is a paucity of research on the effects of experimental warm-ups over distances greater than 100 m. Women are very under-represented in warm-up research, which prevents conclusions about possible sex-regulated effects on specific responses to the warm-up procedures.
A pilot study investigating the effects of a manuka honey sinus rinse compared to a standard sinus rinse on sino-nasal outcome test scores in cystic fibrosis patients
Authors: Roberts Aled E. L. , Xanthe Cendl , Hopkins Alison L. , Bodger Owen , Lewis Paul , Mahenthiralingam Eshwar , Duckers Jamie , Jenkins Rowena E.
Published: September 2022

Background

People with cystic fibrosis (CF) are prone to bacterial respiratory infections; these are often antibiotic resistant, are difficult to treat, and impact on the quality of life and lung function. The upper respiratory tract can act as a reservoir for these pathogens, and as part of clinical care, sinus rinses are used to alleviate symptoms in the upper airway. We have developed a sinus rinse containing manuka honey, to identify whether it can help improve symptoms or reduce the bacterial load.

Methods

We will undertake a randomised controlled trial where 30 adults with CF will be recruited and randomised to either the control or intervention group. Both groups will follow a sinus rinse protocol for 30 days (± 7 days); the control group will use the standard of care rinse, and the intervention group will use a manuka honey rinse. Both groups will provide samples at day 0 and day 30. The primary outcome measure will be a change in the 22-item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) score. Secondary outcomes will include changes to quality of life (questionnaire), bacterial load/community composition, and sputum viscosity.

Discussion

This trial will look at the use of a manuka honey-infused sinus rinse solution on patients diagnosed with cystic fibrosis (CF) suffering with sinusitis; it will allow us to determine the efficacy of the manuka honey sinus rinse compared to standard rinse and will allow us to determine if molecular bacterial diversity analysis will provide in-depth information beyond the usual conventional microbiological. It will allow us to determine the feasibility of recruiting participants to this type of trial, allow us to check participant compliance with the protocol, and inform future studies.

Trial registration

Approval was obtained from the Research Ethics Committee Wales REC7 reference 18/WA/0319. Results of this study will be published at international conferences and in peer-reviewed journals; they will also be presented to the relevant stakeholders and research networks.

Trial registration number: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT04589897 (retrospectively registered)
The realities and expectations of community involvement in COVID-19 research: a Consumer Reference Group perspective
Authors: Adams Claire , Albert Paul , Benson Tim , Cordingley Anne , Daniels Barbara , Fynn Noreen , Gurgone Mary , Jeffery Chris , White Ann , Strobel Natalie
Published: September 2022

Background

Older adults have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 restrictions such as stay at home orders and physical distancing measures have been implemented to reduce older adults’ risk of infection, however, such measures can have negative effects on older adults’ mental health and social wellbeing. In 2020, the research team received funding as part of an Australian COVID-19 research grants program to investigate how services can better meet the mental health and social support needs of older adults during COVID-19. A Consumer Reference Group (CRG) was established to provide a community perspective on all research activities.

Main body

The CRG comprised of eight older adults aged 65 years and older living in Western Australia. Two members of the CRG were involved in the initial grant proposal, and one member worked for a not-for-profit organisation that provides support and advocacy for older adults. The CRGs role was to provide consumer and community perspectives on the research design, advise on study materials, facilitate links between consumers, the community, and researchers, and advocate on behalf of consumers and the community. The CRG was encouraged to reflect on the research project, their contributions, and the outcomes obtained. In this commentary, we document the CRGs contributions to the project, and record their reflections, including what went well, what were some challenges, the realities of conducting research during COVID-19, and lessons learnt.

Conclusion

The CRG were active participants in the research process. They shared their perspectives and made important contributions to the project. Through collaboration with the CRG, we were able to reach four key messages, underpinned by consumers lived experiences, that were used to co-develop knowledge translation products. These were disseminated to service providers and older adults.
The limited use of instructional design guidelines in healthcare simulation scenarios: an expert appraisal
Authors: de Melo Brena C. P. , Falbo Ana R. , Souza Edvaldo S. , Muijtjens Arno M. M. , Van Merriënboer Jeroen J. G. , Van der Vleuten Cees P. M.
Published: September 2022

Background

Systematic reviews on simulation training effectiveness have pointed to the need to adhere to evidence-based instructional design (ID) guidelines. ID guidelines derive from sound cognitive theories and aim to optimize complex learning (integration of knowledge, skills, and attitudes) and learning transfer (application of acquired knowledge and skills in the workplace). The purpose of this study was to explore adherence to ID guidelines in simulation training programs for dealing with postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), a high-risk situation and the leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide.

Methods

A total of 40 raters analyzed simulation training programs as described in 32 articles. The articles were divided into four subsets of seven articles and one subset of four articles. Each subset was judged by seven to ten raters on adherence to ID guidelines. The 5-point Likert score rating scale was based on Merrill’s First Principles of Instruction and included items relating to key ID features categorized into five subscales: authenticity, activation of prior knowledge, demonstration, application, and integration/transfer. The authors searched for articles published in English between January 2007 and March 2017 in PubMed, Eric, and Google Scholar and calculated the mean Likert-scale score, per subscale, and interrater reliability (IRR).

Results

The mean Likert-scale scores calculated for all subscales were < 3.00. For the number of raters used to judge the papers in this study (varying between 7 and 10), the IRR was found to be excellent for the authenticity and integration/transfer subscales, good-to-excellent for the activation of prior knowledge and application subscales, and fair-to-good for the demonstration subscale.

Conclusion

The results demonstrate a paucity of the description of adherence to evidence-based ID guidelines in current simulation trainings for a high-risk situation such as PPH.
Modeling of fire spread in sagebrush steppe using FARSITE: an approach to improving input data and simulation accuracy
Authors: Price Samuel “Jake” , Germino Matthew J.
Published: September 2022

Background

Model simulations of wildfire spread and assessments of their accuracy are needed for understanding and managing altered fire regimes in semiarid regions. The accuracy of wildfire spread simulations can be evaluated from post hoc comparisons of simulated and actual wildfire perimeters, but this requires information on pre-fire vegetation fuels that is typically not available. We assessed the accuracy of the Fire-Area Simulator (FARSITE) model parameterized with maps of fire behavior fuel models (FBFMs) obtained from the widely used LANDFIRE, as well as alternative means which utilized the classification of Rangeland Analysis Platform (RAP) satellite-derived vegetation cover maps to create FBFM maps. We focused on the 2015 Soda wildfire, which burned 113,000 ha of sagebrush steppe in the western USA, and then assessed the transferability of our RAP-to-FBFM selection process, which produced the most accurate reconstruction of the Soda wildfire, on the nearby 2016 Cherry Road wildfire.

Results

Parameterizing FARSITE with maps of FBFMs from LANDFIRE resulted in low levels of agreement between simulated and observed area burned, with maximum Sorensen’s coefficient (SC) and Cohen’s kappa (K) values of 0.38 and 0.36, respectively. In contrast, maps of FBFMs derived from unsupervised classification of RAP vegetation cover maps led to much greater simulated-to-observed burned area agreement (SC = 0.70, K = 0.68). The FBFM map that generated the greatest simulated-to-observed burned area agreement for the Soda wildfire was then used to crosswalk FBFMs to another nearby wildfire (2016 Cherry Road), and this FBFM selection led to high FARSITE simulated-to-observed burned area agreement (SC = 0.80, K = 0.79).

Conclusions

Using RAP to inform pre-fire FBFM selection increased the accuracy of FARSITE simulations compared to parameterization with the standard LANDFIRE FBFM maps, in sagebrush steppe. Additionally, the crosswalk method appeared to have regional generalizability. Flanking and backfires were the primary source of disagreements between simulated and observed fire spread in FARSITE, which are sources of error that may require modeling of lateral heterogeneity in fuels and fire processes at finer scales than used here.
Basic social justice orientations—measuring order-related justice in the European Social Survey Round 9
Authors: Adriaans Jule , Fourré Marie
Published: September 2022

Individuals hold normative ideas about the just distribution of goods and burdens within a social aggregate. These normative ideas guide the evaluation of existing inequalities and refer to four basic principles: (1) Equality stands for an equal distribution of rewards and burdens. While the principle of (2) need takes individual contributions into account, (3) equity suggests a distribution based on merit. The (4) entitlement principle suggests that ascribed (e.g., gender) and achieved status characteristics (e.g., occupational prestige) should determine the distribution of goods and burdens. Past research has argued that preferences for these principles vary with social position as well as the social structure of a society. The Basic Social Justice Orientations (BSJO) scale was developed to assess agreement with the four justice principles but so far has only been fielded in Germany. Round 9 of the European Social Survey (ESS R9 with data collected in 2018/2019) is the first time; four items of the BSJO scale (1 item per justice principle) were included in a cross-national survey program, offering the unique opportunity to study both within and between country variation. To facilitate substantive research on preference for equality, equity, need, and entitlement, this report provides evidence on measurement quality in 29 European countries from ESS R9. Analyzing response distributions, non-response, reliability, and associations with related variables, we find supportive evidence that the four items of the BSJO scale included in ESS R9 produce low non-response rates, estimate agreement with the four distributive principles reliably, and follow expected correlations with related concepts. Researchers should, however, remember that the BSJO scale, as implemented in the ESS R9, only provides manifest indicators, which therefore may not cover the full spectrum of the underlying distributive principles but focus on specific elements of it.