bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bilateral inflammatory recurrence of HER-2 positive breast cancer: a unique case report and literature review
Authors: Qin Rong , Wang Xiangyang , Fan Tingting , Wu Ting , Lu Chao , Shao Xun , Yin Liang
Published: January 2024

Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is an aggressive and rare form of breast cancer with a poor prognosis. The occurrence of bilateral IBC in a short period of time is extremely rare. In this case report, a 54-year-old woman diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma of the left breast underwent lumpectomy, lymph node dissection, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy but opted against trastuzumab treatment. Four years later, she experienced bilateral breast inflammation, skin changes, edema, and heat (calor). Biopsies confirmed breast cancer metastasis to both breasts. Whole-Exome Sequencing revealed genetic mutations, including PIK3CA and C4orf54, in both primary and recurrent tumors, with significant downregulation in the recurrent tumors. KEGG analysis suggested potential enrichment of axon guidance signal pathways in both tumors. The patient showed a partial response after treatment with liposome paclitaxel, along with targeted therapy using trastuzumab and pertuzumab. This case report sheds light on the rare occurrence of bilateral inflammatory breast cancer post-HER-2 treatment and highlights the importance of genetic profiling in understanding the disease. Further research on clinical targets for breast cancer management is warranted.
Sexual dimorphism in bladder cancer: a review of etiology, biology, diagnosis, and outcomes
Authors: Zhu Sheng , Zhao Huasheng
Published: January 2024

Bladder carcinoma represents a prevalent malignancy, wherein the influence of sex extends across its incidence, biological attributes, and clinical outcomes. This scholarly exposition meticulously examines pertinent investigations, elucidating the nuanced impact of sex on bladder cancer, and posits cogent avenues for future research and intervention modalities. In the initial discourse, an exhaustive scrutiny is undertaken of the etiological underpinnings of bladder cancer, encompassing variables such as tobacco consumption, occupational exposures, and genetic aberrations. Subsequently, a comprehensive dissection unfolds, delving into the intricate biological disparities inherent in sex vis-à-vis the initiation and progression of bladder cancer. This analytical framework embraces multifaceted considerations, spanning sex hormones, sex chromosomal dynamics, metabolic enzymatic cascades, and the intricate interplay with the microbiome. Lastly, a synthesized exposition encapsulates the ramifications of gender differentials on the diagnostic and prognostic landscapes of bladder cancer, underscoring the imperative for intensified investigative endeavors directed towards elucidating gender-specific variances and the formulation of tailored therapeutic strategies.
Psychedelics, epilepsy, and seizures: a review
Authors: Freidel Ninon , Kreuder Liliane , Rabinovitch Brenden Samuel , Chen Frank Yizhao , Huang Ryan S. T. , Lewis Evan Cole
Published: January 2024

Psychedelic compounds have been utilized by humans for centuries for medicinal, religious, and tribal purposes. Clinical trial data starting from the early 2000s and continuing today indicates that psychedelics are a clinically efficacious treatment for a variety of neurological and psychiatric disorders. However, all clinical trials examining these substances have excluded any individual with a past or current history of seizures, leaving a large cohort of epilepsy and non-epilepsy chronic seizure disorder patients without anywhere to turn for psychedelic-assisted therapy. These exclusions were made despite any significant evidence that clinically supervised psychedelic use causes or exacerbates seizures in this population. To date, no clinical trial or preclinical seizure model has demonstrated that psychedelics induce seizures. This review highlights several cases of individuals experiencing seizures or seizure remission following psychedelic use, with the overall trend being that psychedelics are safe for use in a controlled, supervised clinical setting. We also suggest future research directions for this field.
Enhancing performance: unveiling the physiological impact of submaximal and supramaximal tests on mixed martial arts athletes in the −61 kg and −66 kg weight divisions
Authors: Gonçalves Aleksandro Ferreira , Miarka Bianca , Maurício Clóvis de Albuquerque , Teixeira Rafael Pereira Azevedo , Brito Ciro José , Ignácio Valenzuela Pérez Diego , Slimani Maamer , Znazen Hela , Bragazzi Nicola Luigi , Reis Victor Machado
Published: January 2024

This study delves into the intricate details of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) by examining key variables such as maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 peak), aerobic energy (EAER), anaerobic energy (EAN), and accumulated O2 deficit (DOA). By investigating associations and comparing athletes in the −61 kg bantamweight and −66 kg featherweight weight divisions, we aim to shed light on their physiological characteristics. The sample consisted of 20 male volunteers separated into two paired groups: ten athletes in the category up to 61 kg (age: 27.7 ± 5.9 years old, height: 170.9 ± 3.4 cm, body mass: 72.8 ± 1.4 kg, fat percentage: 9.5% ± 3.0%, professional experience: 7.5 ± 7.1 years) and ten athletes up to 66 kg (age: 27.6 ± 2.9 years old, height: 176.0 ± 5.5 cm, body mass: 77.0 ± 1.5 kg, fat percentage: 7.85% ± 0.3%, professional experience: 5.5 ± 1.5 years). Remarkably, our findings revealed striking similarities between the two weight divisions. Furthermore, we discovered a negative correlation between VO2 peak and the number of MMA fights, indicating a potential impact of professional experience on aerobic capacity (r = −0.65, p < 0.01). Additionally, the number of fights exhibited negative correlations with anaerobic energy (r = −0.53, p < 0.05) and total energy cost (r = −0.54, p < 0.05). These results provide valuable insights for designing training programs in the context of MMA. While training both weight divisions together can be beneficial, it is equally crucial to incorporate specific weight-class-focused training to address each division’s unique physical demands and requirements.
Regulation of cardiac fibroblast cell death by unfolded protein response signaling
Authors: Rowland Mary B. , Moore Patrick E. , Correll Robert N.
Published: January 2024

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a tightly regulated organelle that requires specific environmental properties to efficiently carry out its function as a major site of protein synthesis and folding. Embedded in the ER membrane, ER stress sensors inositol-requiring enzyme 1 (IRE1), protein kinase R (PKR)-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK), and activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6) serve as a sensitive quality control system collectively known as the unfolded protein response (UPR). In response to an accumulation of misfolded proteins, the UPR signals for protective mechanisms to cope with the cellular stress. Under prolonged unstable conditions and an inability to regain homeostasis, the UPR can shift from its original adaptive response to mechanisms leading to UPR-induced apoptosis. These UPR signaling pathways have been implicated as an important feature in the development of cardiac fibrosis, but identifying effective treatments has been difficult. Therefore, the apoptotic mechanisms of UPR signaling in cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) are important to our understanding of chronic fibrosis in the heart. Here, we summarize the maladaptive side of the UPR, activated downstream pathways associated with cell death, and agents that have been used to modify UPR-induced apoptosis in CFs.
NIN—at the heart of NItrogen-fixing Nodule symbiosis
Authors: Shen Lisha , Feng Jian
Published: January 2024

Legumes and actinorhizal plants establish symbiotic relationships with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, resulting in the formation of nodules. Nodules create an ideal environment for nitrogenase to convert atmospheric nitrogen into biological available ammonia. NODULE INCEPTION (NIN) is an indispensable transcription factor for all aspects of nodule symbiosis. Moreover, NIN is consistently lost in non-nodulating species over evolutions. Here we focus on recent advances in the signaling mechanisms of NIN during nodulation and discuss the role of NIN in the evolution of nitrogen-fixing nodule symbiosis.
Automatic classification of ligneous leaf diseases via hierarchical vision transformer and transfer learning
Authors: Han Dianyuan , Guo Chunhua
Published: January 2024

Background

Identification of leaf diseases plays an important role in the growing process of different types of plants. Current studies focusing on the detection and categorization of leaf diseases have achieved promising outcomes. However, there is still a need to enhance the performance of leaf disease categorization for practical applications within the field of Precision Agriculture.

Methods

To bridge this gap, this study presents a novel approach to classifying leaf diseases in ligneous plants by offering an improved vision transformer model. The proposed approach involves utilizing a multi-head attention module to effectively capture contextual information about the images and their classes. In addition, the multi-layer perceptron module has also been employed. To train the proposed deep model, a public dataset of leaf disease is exploited, which consists of 22 distinct kinds of images depicting ligneous leaf diseases. Furthermore, the strategy of transfer learning is employed to decrease the training duration of the proposed model.

Results

The experimental findings indicate that the presented approach for classifying ligneous leaf diseases can achieve an accuracy of 85.0% above.

Discussion

In summary, the proposed methodology has the potential to serve as a beneficial algorithm for automated detection of leaf diseases in ligneous plants.
How Greens turn gray: Green Party politics and the depoliticization of energy and climate change
Authors: Marquardt Jens
Published: January 2024

Decarbonization efforts and sustainability transformations represent highly contested socio-political projects. Yet, they often encounter various forms of depoliticization. This article illuminates how a grand socio-ecological challenge like the energy transition gets depoliticized by an unusual suspect, namely Germany's Green Party. Based on a qualitative content analysis of Green Party programs, party conventions, and additional documents published between 1980 and 2021, this article traces how the Green Party has depoliticized the energy transition over time, emphasizing a shift from radical societal change to ecological modernization. The changing stance of the German Greens on the country's energy transition reflects more profound changes of a future society the party collectively envisions through their energy and climate change agenda. These changes result from a struggle between moderates advocating incremental political reforms and radicals aiming for more fundamental and systemic societal change. By merging sustainability transition research with science and technology studies, this article makes a twofold contribution: First, it proposes a conceptual framework to investigate social and political futures envisioned through energy and climate politics. Second, the article empirically demonstrates the long process of depoliticization for an unusual but critical case. Germany's Green Party has embraced a technocentric vision of the energy transition, thereby suppressing earlier notions of broader societal change, such as anti-capitalism and energy democracy. This article spells out implications for the wider field of energy and climate politics and concludes with suggestions for future research.
The benefits of shared leadership on minister-junior minister delegation and accountability
Authors: Silveira Pedro
Published: January 2024

The relationships between ministers and their junior ministers have hardly been addressed in the literature, yet they are crucial to understanding government departmental dynamics. Using a principal agent framework, this article analyses 144 minister-junior minister relationships in three Portuguese governments (2005–2015), uncovering serious divergences (agency losses). The results were obtained through a qualitative approach, using many sources, including 111 interviews with former Portuguese prime ministers, ministers and junior ministers, content analysis, and one Minister's direct observation. It concludes that sharing the decisional power (shared leadership) improves accountability (promoting preference alignment and reducing asymmetric information), preventing and dealing effectively with divergences.
The consumption of experiential gifts is construed as more autonomy supportive and leads to greater gratitude, especially when they are given out of love
Authors: Puente-Díaz Rogelio , Cavazos-Arroyo Judith
Published: January 2024

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the indirect influence of recalling the consumption of types of gifts, experiential and material, on gratitude by increasing autonomy support. In addition, we tested the conditional influence of the presumed motives of gift-givers from the perspective of gift recipients based on the postulates of Self-Determination Theory. First, participants were randomly to assigned to one of the following conditions: Consumption-of-experiential gift or consumption-of-material gift conditions. After, participants filled out a battery of questionnaires assessing autonomy support and gratitude. Results showed that the consumption of experiential gifts was construed as more autonomy supportive than the consumption of their material counterparts, which then had a positive relationship with gratitude. In experiment two, we tested the proposed mediator, autonomy support, by asking participants to either recall the consumption of the gift that was consistent with their true values or the consumption of an ordinary gift and completed a set of questions assessing autonomy support and gratitude. Results showed that recalling a gift consistent with consumers’ true values led to higher levels of autonomy support than recalling an ordinary gift, which was then positively correlated with gratitude. In the third experiment, we conducted a conceptual replication of experiment one and added the examination of the presumed motives of gift-givers as a potential moderator. Results replicated the significant mediation effect found in study 1 and showed that the conditional indirect effect was stronger when gift recipients attributed integrated motives to the gift-givers. The findings were discussed.
Development and psychometric validation of the hospitalized patients’ expectations for treatment scale-clinician version
Authors: Dai Bindong , Xiao Chunfeng , Wang Yufei , Li Tao , Duan Yanping , Jiang Yinan , Shi Lili , Hong Xia , Geng Wenqi , Hu Jiaojiao , Cao Jinya , Wei Jing
Published: January 2024

Objective

Patient safety management systems in general hospitals require a comprehensive tool for assessing the expectations of inpatients across different wards. This study aimed to develop and psychometrically validate a new scale, the hospitalized patients’ expectations for treatment scale-clinician version (HOPE-C), to meet this requirement.

Methods

We interviewed 35 experts and 10 inpatients while developing the HOPE-C scale. The scale was initially designed with three dimensions: clinicians’ expectations regarding doctor-patient communication, clinicians’ expectations regarding treatment outcome, and clinicians’ expectations regarding disease management. We recruited 200 inpatients from a general hospital in China. At the same time, 51 clinicians were assigned to the enrolled patients who completed the HOPE-C to examine the reliability, validity, and psychometric characteristics of the questionnaire. We applied item analysis, assessed construct validity, evaluated internal consistency, and conducted a test-retest reliability analysis over 7 days.

Results

Both exploratory and confirmatory analyses supported a 2-dimensional structure, comprising doctor-patient communication expectations and treatment outcome expectations, with favorable model fit parameters (root mean square residual [RMR] = 0.042, root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] = 0.049, comparative fit index [CFI] = 0.989, Tucker-Lewis index [TLI] = 0.984). Item analysis demonstrated appropriate item design (r = 0.744–0.961). The scale exhibited strong internal consistency, with Cronbach’s α values of 0.884, 0.816, and 0.840 for the overall scale, the doctor-patient communication expectation subscale, and the treatment outcome expectation subscale, respectively. The 7-day test-retest reliability was 0.996 (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that the HOPE-C is a reliable and valid assessment tool for measuring the expectations of inpatients in general hospitals. It effectively identifies patients’ expectations concerning doctor-patient communication and treatment outcomes.
Gender differences in borderline personality disorder: a narrative review
Authors: Bozzatello Paola , Blua Cecilia , Brandellero Davide , Baldassarri Lorenzo , Brasso Claudio , Rocca Paola , Bellino Silvio
Published: January 2024

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a severe and complex mental disorder that traditionally has been found to be more frequent in the female gender in clinical samples. More recently, epidemiological studies have provided conflicting data about the prevalence of borderline disorder in the two genders in community samples. In order to explain this heterogeneity, some authors hypothesized the presence of a bias in the diagnostic criteria thresholds (more prevalent in one gender than another), in the population sampling (community versus clinical), in the instruments of evaluation (clinician versus self-report measures), and in the diagnostic construct of BPD. Beyond the question of the different prevalence of the disorder between genders, the debate remains open as to how personality and clinical characteristics, and attitude toward treatments express themselves in the two genders. This narrative review is aimed to provide an updated overview of the differences among genders in BPD in terms of diagnosis, temperamental and clinical characteristics, comorbidities, findings of neuroimaging, and treatment attitudes. Studies that specifically investigated the gender differences in BPD patients are rather limited. Most of the investigations did not consider gender as a variable or were characterized by a significant imbalance between the two genders (more commonly in favor the female gender). The main results indicated that men were more likely to endorse the criteria “intense and inappropriate anger” and “impulsivity,” whereas women endorsed the criteria “chronic feelings of emptiness,” “affective instability,” and “suicidality/self-harm behaviors.” These findings reflect differences in temperament and symptoms of the two genders. Other relevant differences concern pattern of comorbidity, specific neurobiological mechanisms and attitude to treatments. Main limitations were that only one database was searched, time of publications was limited, non-English manuscripts were excluded, and the quality of each paper was not commented.
Green spaces and the impact on cognitive frailty: a scoping review
Authors: Fowler Davis Sally , Benkowitz Charlotte , Nield Lucie , Dayson Chris
Published: January 2024

Some literature indicates that contact with green spaces can benefit health and wellbeing, but it is unclear whether this is protective of cognitive health in older people. Using Arskey and O’Malley’s framework the aim was to investigate ageing, cognitive frailty and the effects of green access including any causality. The evidence was somewhat inconsistent but suggestive for a beneficial role of green space exposure on cognitive functions. Results suggested that globally, the poorer urban environments are high risk for older people’s mental health and these places often lack parks and green spaces. There is evidence that the level of activity and social participation may be greater with access to green spaces and therefore reduces health risks. Green spaces seem to have a role in preventing cognitive frailty, especially for more vulnerable older populations living in poorer urban environments.
A latent class analysis of community-based rehabilitation needs among Chinese older adults: a mixed study protocol
Authors: Xu Lei , Xue Caixiu , Yang Ke , Chen Lingyun , Chen Xidong , Xie Xiaohui , Wang Jia , Wang Xueting , Wang Lianhong
Published: January 2024

Background

Geriatric diseases (e.g., chronic diseases and geriatric syndromes) may result in impaired physical performance and a decline in the quality of life. The results of previous studies reported the positive effects of comprehensive community-based rehabilitation (CBR) services on physical and social functioning and psychosocial wellbeing. However, to provide adequate and personalised rehabilitation services, it is essential to understand the needs of the older adults population. There have been no studies on the need for CBR in older adults populations that consider their heterogeneity. Therefore, high-quality studies are required to recognise the heterogeneity and latent classes of CBR needs in older adults population groups. This study aims to identify the heterogeneity of the rehabilitation needs of older adults in the community and explore whether older adults with similar characteristics have similar needs through a cross-sectional survey and latent class analysis (LCA) to provide support for personalised rehabilitation services.

Methods

The study is structured into four phases. The first phase will focus on constructing a comprehensive questionnaire to assess rehabilitation needs. In the second phase, a pilot study will be conducted to evaluate the reliability and validity of the completed questionnaire. This step ensures the robustness of the instrument for data collection. The third phase will involve cross-sectional surveys using the finalised questionnaires to collect the necessary data from the targeted population. The fourth phase will focus on conducting LCA to determine the CBR needs of the older adult population.

Discussion

The results of this study will provide novel and critical information for a better understanding of the rehabilitation needs, potential categories, and influencing factors of older adults in the community. The study will be conducted in Guizhou Province in western China, where economic and social development is relatively low, and the results will inform and benefit other regions and developing countries facing similar challenges. However, because of the complete social security and rehabilitation service systems in developed areas, our research results may not fully reflect the situation in these areas. Future studies may need to be conducted in places with different levels of social development.

Clinical trial registration

https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=191398, ChiCTR2300071478.
Digital economy and high-quality development of the healthcare industry
Authors: Ding Zijing , Qu Xinyue , Li Chen
Published: January 2024

The high-quality development of the healthcare industry is of great significance for improving people’s health and promoting the construction of a harmonious society. This paper focuses on the relationship between the development of China’s digital economy and the high-quality development of the healthcare industry. Based on the panel data of 30 provinces in China from 2011 to 2020, this paper empirically studies whether the development of the digital economy promotes the high-quality development of the healthcare industry. This study finds that the development of digital economy has significantly promoted the high-quality development of the medical and health industry. The results of this study are still valid after a series of robustness tests including variable substitution, sample adjustment, and endogenous problem mitigation. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the effect of this policy is more significant in the eastern region and southern areas. The results of spatial econometric analysis show that the development of digital economy has obvious spatial spillover effect. The research in this paper can provide reference for developing countries to enhance the development level of digital health industry and improve people’s lives.
Applications of AI in multi-modal imaging for cardiovascular disease
Authors: Milosevic Marko , Jin Qingchu , Singh Akarsh , Amal Saeed
Published: January 2024

Data for healthcare is diverse and includes many different modalities. Traditional approaches to Artificial Intelligence for cardiovascular disease were typically limited to single modalities. With the proliferation of diverse datasets and new methods in AI, we are now able to integrate different modalities, such as magnetic resonance scans, computerized tomography scans, echocardiography, x-rays, and electronic health records. In this paper, we review research from the last 5 years in applications of AI to multi-modal imaging. There have been many promising results in registration, segmentation, and fusion of different magnetic resonance imaging modalities with each other and computer tomography scans, but there are still many challenges that need to be addressed. Only a few papers have addressed modalities such as x-ray, echocardiography, or non-imaging modalities. As for prediction or classification tasks, there have only been a couple of papers that use multiple modalities in the cardiovascular domain. Furthermore, no models have been implemented or tested in real world cardiovascular clinical settings.
Evaluating an Enterprise-Wide Initiative to enhance healthcare coordination for rural women Veterans using the RE-AIM framework
Authors: Relyea Mark R. , Kinney Rebecca L. , DeRycke Eric C. , Haskell Sally , Mattocks Kristin M. , Bastian Lori A.
Published: January 2024

Introduction

The Veterans Health Administration (VA) Office of Rural Health (ORH) and Office of Women's Health Services (OWH) in FY21 launched a three-year Enterprise-Wide Initiative (EWI) to expand access to preventive care for rural, women Veterans. Through this program, women's health care coordinators (WHCC) were funded to coordinate mammography, cervical cancer screening and maternity care for women Veterans at selected VA facilities. We conducted a mixed-methods evaluation using the RE-AIM framework to assess the program implementation.

Materials and methods

We collected quantitative data from the 14 program facilities on reach (i.e., Veterans served by the program), effectiveness (e.g., cancer screening compliance, communication), adoption, and maintenance of women's health care coordinators (WHCC) in FY2022. Implementation of the program was examined through semi-structured interviews with the facility WHCC funding initiator (e.g., the point of contact at facility who initiated the request for WHCC funding), WHCCs, and providers.

Results

Reach. The number of women Veterans and rural women Veterans served by the WHCC program grew (by 50% and 117% respectively). The program demonstrated effectiveness as screening rates increased for cervical and breast cancer screening (+0.9% and +.01%, respectively). Also, maternity care coordination phone encounters with Veterans grew 36%. Adoption: All facilities implemented care coordinators by quarter two of FY22. Implementation. Qualitative findings revealed facilitators and barriers to successful program implementation and care coordination. Maintenance: The EWI facilitated the recruitment and retention of WHCCs at respective VA facilities over time.

Implications

In rural areas, WHCCs can play a critical role in increasing Reach and effectiveness. The EWI demonstrated to be a successful care coordination model that can be feasibly Adopted, Implemented, and Maintained at rural VA facilities.
Acute effects of an instructional movie on drop jump performance and lower limb kinematic and kinetic variables
Authors: Yoshida T. , Zushi A. , Yoshida Y. , Maemura H. , Ono S. , Tanigawa S.
Published: January 2024

Objectives:Drop jump (DJ) is a typical exercise of plyometric training in which the state before takeoff (pre-set phase) influences the force exertion of the lower limbs during takeoff, as well as performance variables. This study aimed to examine the effects of watching an instructional movie during the pre-set phase on the performance and lower limb kinematic and kinetic variables during plyometric training.

Methods:Fourteen participants (age, 21.9 ± 2.1 years; height, 175.6 ± 2.6 cm; weight, 70.7 ± 4.9 kg) were enrolled in this study. Seven participants with a high rebound jump (RJ) index under normal conditions were classified into the high RJ-index group. Seven participants with a low RJ-index were classified into the low RJ-index group. DJs were performed under normal conditions and under the movie condition (DJ immediately after watching the instructional movie during the pre-set phase). Performance and kinematic and kinetic variables of the lower limb joints were measured.

Results:Compared with the normal condition, the movie condition was associated with a significantly high RJ-index, lesser degree of knee flexion (p< 0.011), and significantly larger concentric torque (p< 0.018) of the ankle. An interaction effect was observed for the eccentric torque (p< 0.025) and positive power (p< 0.004) of the ankle, which were significantly greater in the high RJ-index group under the movie condition.

Conclusion:Watching an instructional movie during the pre-set phase improves the movement and force production of the ankle and knee joint, which, in turn, improves the DJ performance. However, the effects may be more pronounced in participants with a high RJ-index.
From dry-land to the water: training and testing practices of strength and conditioning coaches in high level French sprint swimmers
Authors: Raineteau Yannis , Pla Robin , Bideau Benoit , Bideau Nicolas , Nicolas Guillaume
Published: January 2024

Introduction

The aim of this study was to explore training and testing practices from Strength & Conditioning (S&C) coaches who manage groups of high-level French swimmers in elite training centers. The transfer of abilities from dry-land to in situ condition was also investigated.

Methods

24 French S&C coaches completed a survey via an online platform. Frequency analyses were made for quantitative and qualitative responses, the level of significance set for this study was p ≤ 0.05.

Results

Core stability, Strength & Power were the three most targeted qualities. Core strengthening in all its forms, Bench Press & Squat were the three most prescribed exercises. 79% of S&C coaches adapted exercises according to different parameters. Most of the coaches indicated that dry-land S&C sessions were preferentially placed before in-water sessions. Very varied exercises were used in-water to make the transfer from dry-land more effective. 87% of participants monitored the training load and 38% assessed the force and velocity parameters for some S&C exercises.

Discussion

Dry-land training practices of S&C coaches were mostly in line with scientific recommendations. In the light of results of the questionnaire, it would appear that testing procedures might be a key issue for transferring qualities from dry-land to in situ.
Image Watermarking Using Discrete Wavelet Transform and Singular Value Decomposition for Enhanced Imperceptibility and Robustness
Authors: Begum Mahbuba , Shorif Sumaita Binte , Uddin Mohammad Shorif , Ferdush Jannatul , Jan Tony , Barros Alistair , Whaiduzzaman Md
Published: January 2024

Digital multimedia elements such as text, image, audio, and video can be easily manipulated because of the rapid rise of multimedia technology, making data protection a prime concern. Hence, copyright protection, content authentication, and integrity verification are today’s new challenging issues. To address these issues, digital image watermarking techniques have been proposed by several researchers. Image watermarking can be conducted through several transformations, such as discrete wavelet transform (DWT), singular value decomposition (SVD), orthogonal matrix Q and upper triangular matrix R (QR) decomposition, and non-subsampled contourlet transform (NSCT). However, a single transformation cannot simultaneously satisfy all the design requirements of image watermarking, which makes a platform to design a hybrid invisible image watermarking technique in this work. The proposed work combines four-level (4L) DWT and two-level (2L) SVD. The Arnold map initially encrypts the watermark image, and 2L SVD is applied to it to extract the s components of the watermark image. A 4L DWT is applied to the host image to extract the LL sub-band, and then 2L SVD is applied to extract s components that are embedded into the host image to generate the watermarked image. The dynamic-sized watermark maintains a balanced visual impact and non-blind watermarking preserves the quality and integrity of the host image. We have evaluated the performance after applying several intentional and unintentional attacks and found high imperceptibility and improved robustness with enhanced security to the system than existing state-of-the-art methods.
Aerodynamic Instabilities in High-Speed Air Intakes and Their Role in Propulsion System Integration
Authors: Philippou Aristia L. , Zachos Pavlos K. , MacManus David G.
Published: January 2024

High-speed air intakes often exhibit intricate flow patterns, with a specific type of flow instability known as ‘buzz’, characterized by unsteady shock oscillations at the inlet. This paper presents a comprehensive review of prior research, focused on unraveling the mechanisms that trigger buzz and its implications for engine stability and performance. The literature survey delves into studies concerning complex-shaped diffusers and isolators, offering a thorough examination of flow aerodynamics in unstable environments. Furthermore, this paper provides an overview of contemporary techniques for mitigating flow instability through both active and passive flow control methods. These techniques encompass boundary layer bleeding, the application of vortex generators, and strategies involving mass injection and energy deposition. The study concludes by discussing future prospects in the domain of engine-intake aerodynamic compatibility. This work serves as a valuable resource for researchers and engineers striving to address and understand the complexities of high-speed air induction systems.
Vitamin C: Rationale for Its Use in Sepsis-Induced Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)
Authors: Fowler Alpha A.
Published: January 2024

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a life-threatening event that occurs in patients suffering from bacterial, fungal, or viral sepsis. Research performed over the last five decades showed that ARDS is a consequence of severe unrestrained systemic inflammation, which leads to injury of the lung’s microvasculature and alveolar epithelium. ARDS leads to acute hypoxic/hypercapnic respiratory failure and death in a significant number of patients hospitalized in intensive care units worldwide. Basic and clinical research performed during the time since ARDS was first described has been unable to construct a pharmacological agent that will combat the inflammatory fire leading to ARDS. In-depth studies of the molecular pharmacology of vitamin C indicate that it can serve as a potent anti-inflammatory agent capable of attenuating the pathobiological events that lead to acute injury of the lungs and other body organs. This analysis of vitamin C’s role in the treatment of ARDS includes a focused systematic review of the literature relevant to the molecular physiology of vitamin C and to the past performance of clinical trials using the agent.
Retrieval of Plateau Lake Water Surface Temperature from UAV Thermal Infrared Data
Authors: Sima Ouyang , Tang Bo-Hui , He Zhi-Wei , Wang Dong , Zhao Jun-Li
Published: January 2024

The lake water surface temperature (LWST) is a critical parameter influencing lake ecosystem dynamics and addressing challenges posed by climate change. Traditional point measurement techniques exhibit limitations in providing comprehensive LWST data. However, the emergence of satellite remote sensing and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) Thermal Infrared (TIR) technology has opened new possibilities. This study presents an approach for retrieving plateau lake LWST (p-LWST) from UAV TIR data. The UAV TIR dataset, obtained from the DJI Zenmuse H20T sensor, was stitched together to form an image of brightness temperature (BT). Atmospheric parameters for atmospheric correction were acquired by combining the UAV dataset with the ERA5 reanalysis data and MODTRAN5.2. Lake Water Surface Emissivity (LWSE) spectral curves were derived using 102 hand-portable FT-IR spectrometer (102F) measurements, along with the sensor’s spectral response function, to obtain the corresponding LWSE. Using estimated atmospheric parameters, LWSE, and UAV BT, the un-calibrated LWST was calculated through the TIR radiative transfer model. To validate the LWST retrieval accuracy, the FLIR Infrared Thermal Imager T610 and the Fluke 51-II contact thermometer were utilized to estimate on-point LWST. This on-point data was employed for cross-calibration and verification. In the study area, the p-LWST method retrieved LWST ranging from 288 K to 295 K over Erhai Lake in the plateau region, with a final retrieval accuracy of 0.89 K. Results demonstrate that the proposed p-LWST method is effective for LWST retrieval, offering technical and theoretical support for monitoring climate change in plateau lakes.
Osteoblast Attachment on Bioactive Glass Air Particle Abrasion-Induced Calcium Phosphate Coating
Authors: Abushahba Faleh , Kylmäoja Elina , Areid Nagat , Hupa Leena , Vallittu Pekka K. , Tuukkanen Juha , Närhi Timo
Published: January 2024

Air particle abrasion (APA) using bioactive glass (BG) effectively decontaminates titanium (Ti) surface biofilms and the retained glass particles on the abraded surfaces impart potent antibacterial properties against various clinically significant pathogens. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of BG APA and simulated body fluid (SBF) immersion of sandblasted and acid-etched (SA) Ti surfaces on osteoblast cell viability. Another goal was to study the antibacterial effect against Streptococcus mutans. Square-shaped 10 mm diameter Ti substrates (n = 136) were SA by grit blasting with aluminum oxide particles, then acid-etching in an HCl-H2SO4 mixture. The SA substrates (n = 68) were used as non-coated controls (NC-SA). The test group (n = 68) was further subjected to APA using experimental zinc-containing BG (Zn4) and then mineralized in SBF for 14 d (Zn4-CaP). Surface roughness, contact angle, and surface free energy (SFE) were calculated on test and control surfaces. In addition, the topography and chemistry of substrate surfaces were also characterized. Osteoblastic cell viability and focal adhesion were also evaluated and compared to glass slides as an additional control. The antibacterial effect of Zn4-CaP was also assessed against S. mutans. After immersion in SBF, a mineralized zinc-containing Ca-P coating was formed on the SA substrates. The Zn4-CaP coating resulted in a significantly lower Ra surface roughness value (2.565 μm; p < 0.001), higher wettability (13.35°; p < 0.001), and higher total SFE (71.13; p < 0.001) compared to 3.695 μm, 77.19° and 40.43 for the NC-SA, respectively. APA using Zn4 can produce a zinc-containing calcium phosphate coating that demonstrates osteoblast cell viability and focal adhesion comparable to that on NC-SA or glass slides. Nevertheless, the coating had no antibacterial effect against S. mutans.
Carriers of Heterozygous Loss-of-Function ACE Mutations Are at Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Danilov Sergei M. , Adzhubei Ivan A. , Kozuch Alexander J. , Petukhov Pavel A. , Popova Isolda A. , Choudhury Ananyo , Sengupta Dhriti , Dudek Steven M.
Published: January 2024

We hypothesized that subjects with heterozygous loss-of-function (LoF) ACE mutations are at risk for Alzheimer’s disease because amyloid Aβ42, a primary component of the protein aggregates that accumulate in the brains of AD patients, is cleaved by ACE (angiotensin I-converting enzyme). Thus, decreased ACE activity in the brain, either due to genetic mutation or the effects of ACE inhibitors, could be a risk factor for AD. To explore this hypothesis in the current study, existing SNP databases were analyzed for LoF ACE mutations using four predicting tools, including PolyPhen-2, and compared with the topology of known ACE mutations already associated with AD. The combined frequency of >400 of these LoF-damaging ACE mutations in the general population is quite significant—up to 5%—comparable to the frequency of AD in the population > 70 y.o., which indicates that the contribution of low ACE in the development of AD could be under appreciated. Our analysis suggests several mechanisms by which ACE mutations may be associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Systematic analysis of blood ACE levels in patients with all ACE mutations is likely to have clinical significance because available sequencing data will help detect persons with increased risk of late-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Patients with transport-deficient ACE mutations (about 20% of damaging ACE mutations) may benefit from preventive or therapeutic treatment with a combination of chemical and pharmacological (e.g., centrally acting ACE inhibitors) chaperones and proteosome inhibitors to restore impaired surface ACE expression, as was shown previously by our group for another transport-deficient ACE mutation-Q1069R.
Double-Negative T (DNT) Cells in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Authors: Poddighe Dimitri , Dossybayeva Kuanysh , Kozhakhmetov Samat , Rozenson Rafail , Assylbekova Maykesh
Published: January 2024

Double-negative T (DNT) cells are a rare and unconventional T-lymphocyte subpopulation lacking both CD4 and CD8 markers. Their immunopathological roles and clinical relevance have yet to be elucidated. Beyond autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS), these cells may also play a role in rheumatic disorders, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE); indeed, these two diseases share several autoimmune manifestations (including nephritis). Moreover, one of the main experimental murine models used to investigate lupus, namely the MRL/lpr mouse, is characterized by an expansion of DNT cells, which can support the production of pathogenic autoantibodies and/or modulate the immune response in this context. However, lupus murine models are not completely consistent with their human SLE counterpart, of course. In this mini review, we summarize and analyze the most relevant clinical studies investigating the DNT cell population in SLE patients. Overall, based on the present literature review and analysis, DNT cell homeostasis seems to be altered in patients with SLE. Indeed, most of the available clinical studies (which include both adults and children) reported an increased DNT cell percentage in SLE patients, especially during the active phases, even though no clear correlation with disease activity and/or inflammatory parameters has been clearly established. Well-designed, standardized, and longitudinal clinical studies focused on DNT cell population are needed, in order to further elucidate the actual contribution of these cells in SLE pathogenesis and their interactions with other immune cells (also implicated and/or altered in SLE, such as basophils), and clarify whether their expansion and/or immunophenotypic aspects may have any immunopathological relevance (and, then, represent potential disease markers and, in perspective, even therapeutic targets) or are just an unspecific epiphenomenon of autoimmunity.
TAS2R38 Bitter Taste Receptor Polymorphisms in Patients with Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps Preliminary Data in Polish Population
Authors: Jeruzal-Świątecka Joanna , Borkowska Edyta Marta , Borkowska Martyna , Pietruszewska Wioletta
Published: January 2024

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) affects 5–12% of the general population, and the most challenging patients are those with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP). Its complexity, unpredictability, and difficulties in selecting a treatment plan individually for each patient prompted scientists to look for possible genetic causes of this disease. It was proven that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the TAS2R38 gene may affect the mobility and the activity of the ciliated epithelium of the upper respiratory tract what can contribute to individual differences in susceptibility to CRS. There are two common haplotypes: a “protective” type (PAV), and a “non-protective” type (AVI). CRS patients who are homozygous PAV/PAV are considered as less susceptible to the severe course of the disease, whereas patients with AVI/AVI haplotype are more vulnerable. The aim of this study was to examine TAS2R38 gene polymorphisms among CRSwNP patients and control group (N = 544) with the evaluation of the association between the distribution of studied polymorphic variants and the incidence as well as severity of CRSwNP in the study group. Whole blood samples from CRSwNP patients (N = 106) and the control group (N = 438) were analyzed for alleles of the TAS2R38 gene using real-time PCR single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping assays for rs713598, rs1726866, and rs10246939. PAV (SG: 41%; CG: 49%) and AVI (SG: 59%; CG: 51%) haplotypes were the only ones detected in the study. The AVI haplotypes were 1.5 times more frequent in the study group than in the control group (p = 0.0204; OR = 1.43). AVI/AVI individuals tended to have more severe symptoms in the VAS scale, less QoL in the SNOT-22 test, and a bigger nasal obstruction upon endoscopic examination. Patients with PAV/PAV were twice more likely to have minor changes in preoperative CT scans (p = 0.0158; OR = 2.1; Fi = 0.24). Our study confirmed that the PAV/PAV diplotype might have some protective properties and carrying the AVI haplotype might predispose to the development of CRSwNP.
Factors Associated with Unplanned Hospital Readmission after Discharge: A Descriptive and Predictive Study Using Electronic Health Record Data
Authors: Dafrallah Safaa , Akhloufi Moulay A.
Published: January 2024

Hospital readmission involves the unplanned emergency admission of patients within 30 days from discharge after the previous admission. According to the Canadian Health Institute (CIHI), 1 in 11 patients were readmitted within 30 days of leaving the hospital in 2021. In the USA, nearly 20% of Medicare patients were readmitted after discharge, where the average cost of readmission was approximately USD 15,000, as reported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHQR) in 2018. To tackle this issue, we first conducted a descriptive analysis study to understand the risk factors associated with hospital readmission, and then we applied machine learning approaches to predict hospital readmission by using patients’ demographic and clinical data extracted from the Electronic Health Record of the MIMIC-III clinical database. The results showed that the number of previous admissions during the last 12 months, hyperosmolar imbalance and comorbidity index were the top three significant factors for hospital readmission. The predictive model achieved a performance of 95.6% AP and an AUC = 97.3% using the Gradient Boosting algorithm trained on all features.