bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Economic evaluation of remote patient monitoring and organizational analysis according to patient involvement: a scoping review
Authors: Le Goff-Pronost Myriam , Bongiovanni-Delarozière Isabelle
Published: September 2023

Background

A literature review concerning the economic evaluation of telemonitoring was requested by the authority in charge of health evaluation in France, in a context of deployment of remote patient monitoring and identification of its financing. Due to the heterogeneity of existing telemonitoring solutions, it was necessary to stratify the evaluation according to patient involvement. Three levels of patient involvement are considered: weak (automated monitoring), medium (monitoring supported by a professional), and strong (active remote participation).

Objectives

We performed a scoping review to provide a comprehensive overview of different systems of telemonitoring and their reported cost-effectiveness.

Methods

Following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, a search was performed in four databases: PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library between January 1, 2013 and May 19, 2020. Remote patient monitoring should include the combination of three elements: a connected device, an organizational solution for data analysis and alert management, and a system allowing personalized interactions, and three degrees of involvement.

Results

We identified 61 eligible studies among the 489 records identified. Heart failure remains the pathology most represented in the studies selected (n = 24). The cost-utility analysis was chosen in a preponderant way (n = 41). Forty-four studies (72 percent) reported that the intervention was expected cost-effective. Heterogeneity has been observed in the remote monitoring solutions but all systems are reported cost-effective. The small number of long-term studies does not allow conclusions to be drawn on the transposability.

Conclusions

Remote patient monitoring is reported to be cost-effective whatever the system and patient involvement.
Assessment of suitable habitats using satellite imagery: example of the Northern Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita in south-eastern Turkey
Authors: Schenker Andre , Erhardt Andreas
Published: September 2023

The increase in the semi-wild Northern Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita population in Birecik, south-eastern Turkey motivated the Working Group of the Agreement on the Conservation of Africa-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) to propose the establishment of a second semi-wild Northern Bald Ibis population in Turkey. This paper presents an assessment approach that identifies potential suitable breeding sites and foraging habitats within a large geographical area of approximately 380 × 60 km (23,000 km2) in south-eastern Turkey, which includes former breeding sites. This approach makes use of open-source and easily available geographical information. The structured approach is based on three key parameters, namely: (1) suitable breeding rocks; (2) suitable foraging habitats: (3) available water-bodies. This led to the identification of three potentially suitable areas around Derik and Yesilli in the Mardin province and around Yarbasi in the Sirnak province. The occurrence and spatial distribution of the three key parameters were mostly identified using Google Earth Pro 2021 within a radius of 10–20 km around the three sites. This procedure allowed an initial, cost-effective identification of potentially suitable areas, providing the basis for subsequent geographically focused comprehensive feasibility studies and on-the-ground risk assessment. However, geopolitical and pragmatic constraints may further affect and restrict a final selection of sites.
„Ich fand die cool“ – Reflexionen Studierender über eigene didaktische Praxis
Authors: Rost Sebastian , Höke Julia
Published: September 2023

Zusammenfassung. Die Vermittlung von Inhalten in kindheitspädagogischen Studiengängen verfolgt das Ziel, evidenzbasiertes Wissen bei Studierenden aufzubauen und für die Gestaltung eigener Handlungspraxis fruchtbar zu machen. Inwieweit es Studierenden gelingt, theoretisches Wissen und empirische Befunde mit der Reflexion eigener Praxis im Sinne des „doing transfer“ zu verknüpfen, wurde in einer explorativ angelegten qualitativen Studie untersucht. Die Ergebnisse verweisen nicht nur auf spezifische Herausforderungen für die didaktische Gestaltung von Transformation, sondern auch auf die Verortungen kindheitspädagogischer Wissensbestände für die Disziplin an sich.
Generation Mechanism for Stratospheric Gravity Waves by Unbalanced Flow in Tropical Cyclones
Authors: Wang Xu , Zhang Lifeng , Wang Yuan , Guan Jiping , Zhang Yun
Published: September 2023

The generation mechanism of stratospheric gravity waves (SGWs) in tropical cyclones (TCs) is investigated with an idealized experiment using numerical model. The results show that there are two peaks of SGW amplitude during the mature period of TC, one above the eyewall and the other above the rainband. The SGWs can only exist in unbalanced flow, so a simplified balance equation suitable for the special structure of the TC is proposed to investigate the SGWs. Diagnosis of this equation shows there is significant unbalanced flow around the eyewall and rainband caused by the convection and the vertical shear between outflow and compensating inflow. Diagnosis of the source function indicates that diabatic heating and mechanical oscillations are the main mechanisms generating the SGWs above the eyewall and rainband. The Kelvin–Helmholtz instability induced by vertical shear also makes a non‐negligible contribution to the generation of SGWs above the rainband.
Mn‐Precipitates Found in a Martian Crustal Rock
Authors: Nakamura A. , Miyahara M. , Suga H. , Yamaguchi A. , Wakabayashi D. , Yamashita S. , Takeichi Y. , Kukihara K. , Takahashi Y. , Ohtani E.
Published: September 2023

Alteration minerals in one of the Martian meteorite nakhlites, Yamato (Y) 000802, were studied to understand the alteration process and conditions. Mn‐precipitates are discovered between altered plagioclase grains in Y 000802. Mn‐precipitates consist of hausmannite (), manganite (γ‐Mn3+OOH), rhodochrosite (Mn2+CO3), and a trace amount of Mn4+O2 mineral. Jarosite ) is also found. Mn2+ dissolved from olivine contributes to the formation of Mn‐precipitates. A weakly acidic‐neutral fluid containing a trace amount of altered the olivine, and Mn2+ was dissolved into the fluid. The fluid also reacted with plagioclase and probably induced dealkalization of plagioclase, causing a local strong alkaline environment. Plagioclase was altered to ferroan saponite‐nontronite + amorphous SiO2 under alkaline conditions. Simultaneously, Mn2+/3+‐precipitates were formed from the Mn2+‐containing fluid in the interstices between the altered plagioclase grains under the strong alkaline reducing environment. These alterations occurred in the deep part of the nakhlite body, where they are isolated from Martian subsurface water, including strong oxidants. The formation of Mn2+/3+‐precipitates may have been triggered by the melting of permafrost caused by an impact event around ∼633 Ma. Later, the nakhlite body was probably excavated by another impact, making it susceptible to water including strong oxidants. Pyrrhotite was dissolved and a highly acidic oxidizing fluid was formed, which would induce the formation of jarosite and the Mn4+O2 mineral between ∼633 Ma and ∼11 Ma.
The immunome of mobilized peripheral blood stem cells is predictive of long-term outcomes and therapy-related myeloid neoplasms in patients with multiple myeloma undergoing autologous stem cell transplant
Authors: Zanwar Saurabh , Jacob Eapen K. , Greiner Carl , Pavelko Kevin , Strausbauch Michael , Anderson Emilie , Arsana Arini , Weivoda Megan , Shah Mithun Vinod , Kourelis Taxiarchis
Published: September 2023

Upfront autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) is the standard of care for newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM) patients. However, relapse is ubiquitous and therapy-related myeloid neoplasms (t-MN) post-ASCT are commonly associated with poor outcomes. We hypothesized that the enrichment of abnormal myeloid progenitors and immune effector cells (IEC) in the peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs) is associated with a higher risk of relapse and/or development of t-MN. We performed a comprehensive myeloid and lymphoid immunophenotyping on PBSCs from 54 patients with MM who underwent ASCT. Median progression-free (PFS), myeloid neoplasm-free (MNFS), and overall survival (OS) from ASCT were 49.6 months (95% CI: 39.5-Not Reached), 59.7 months (95% CI: 55–74), and 75.6 months (95% CI: 62–105), respectively. Abnormal expression of CD7 and HLA-DR on the myeloid progenitor cells was associated with an inferior PFS, MNFS, and OS. Similarly, enrichment of terminally differentiated (CD27/CD28-, CD57/KLRG1+) and exhausted (TIGIT/PD-1+) T-cells, and inhibitory NK-T like (CD159a+/CD56+) T-cells was associated with inferior PFS, MNFS, and OS post-transplant. Our observation of abnormal myeloid and IEC phenotype being present even before ASCT and maintenance therapy suggests an early predisposition to t-MN and inferior outcomes for MM, and has the potential to guide sequencing of future treatment modalities.
Structural connectivity of grandiose versus vulnerable narcissism as models of social dominance and subordination
Authors: Schmidt Lisa , Pfarr Julia-Katharina , Meller Tina , Evermann Ulrika , Nenadić Igor
Published: September 2023

Social dominance and subordination have been linked to fronto-limbic and fronto-thalamic networks and are related to phenotypes such as grandiose vs. vulnerable narcissistic traits. The latter have been linked to clinical features such as empathy and emotional regulation. In this study we tested the hypotheses that narcissistic traits are associated with white matter integrity in fasciculus uncinate, cingulum, and anterior thalamic radiation (ATR). We applied the Pathological Narcissism Inventory (PNI) to assess narcissistic traits in a sample of 267 psychiatrically healthy individuals. We used 3 T MRI to acquire Diffusion Tensor Imaging data for analysis with TBSS in FSL applying TFCE to test for correlations of fractional anisotropy (FA) and PNI scales. We detected a significant positive correlation of PNI total and FA in the right posterior cingulum. PNI Vulnerability was significantly correlated with FA in the left anterior and right posterior cingulum. We did not find overall correlations with PNI Grandiosity, but additional analyses showed significant effects with FA of ATR. Our results strengthen network models for narcissism underlying both personality variation and pathology. Especially associations of narcissistic vulnerability within fronto-limbic tracts suggest overlaps within neural correlates of related phenotypes like neuroticism, social subordination, and negative emotionality.
Harnessing a mesopelagic predator as a biological sampler reveals taxonomic and vertical resource partitioning among three poorly known deep-sea fishes
Authors: Portner Elan J. , Mowatt-Larssen Tor , Carretero Alejandro Cano-Lasso , Contreras Emily A. , Woodworth-Jefcoats Phoebe A. , Frable Benjamin W. , Choy C. Anela
Published: September 2023

Pelagic predators are effective biological samplers of midtrophic taxa and are especially useful in deep-sea habitats where relatively mobile taxa frequently avoid observation with conventional methods. We examined specimens sampled from the stomachs of longnose lancetfish, Alepisaurus ferox, to describe the diets and foraging behaviors of three common, but poorly known deep-sea fishes: the hammerjaw (Omosudis lowii, n = 79, 0.3–92 g), juvenile common fangtooth (Anoplogaster cornuta, n = 91, 0.6–22 g), and juvenile Al. ferox (n = 138, 0.3–744 g). Diet overlap among the three species was high, with five shared prey families accounting for 63 ± 11% of the total prey mass per species. However, distinct differences in foraging strategies and prey sizes were evident. Resource partitioning was greatest between An. cornuta that specialized on small (mean = 0.13 ± 0.11 g), shallow-living hyperiid amphipods and O. lowii that specialized on large (mean = 0.97 ± 0.45 g), deep-dwelling hatchetfishes. Juvenile Al. ferox foraged on a high diversity of prey from both shallow and deep habitats. We describe the foraging ecologies of three midtrophic fish competitors and demonstrate the potential for biological samplers to improve our understanding of deep-sea food webs.
Environment and taxonomy shape the genomic signature of prokaryotic extremophiles
Authors: Arias Pablo Millán , Butler Joseph , Randhawa Gurjit S. , Soltysiak Maximillian P. M. , Hill Kathleen A. , Kari Lila
Published: September 2023

This study provides comprehensive quantitative evidence suggesting that adaptations to extreme temperatures and pH imprint a discernible environmental component in the genomic signature of microbial extremophiles. Both supervised and unsupervised machine learning algorithms were used to analyze genomic signatures, each computed as the k-mer frequency vector of a 500 kbp DNA fragment arbitrarily selected to represent a genome. Computational experiments classified/clustered genomic signatures extracted from a curated dataset of $$\sim 700$$

∼
700

extremophile (temperature, pH) bacteria and archaea genomes, at multiple scales of analysis, $$1\le k \le 6$$

1
≤
k
≤
6

. The supervised learning resulted in high accuracies for taxonomic classifications at $$2\le k \le 6$$

2
≤
k
≤
6

, and medium to medium-high accuracies for environment category classifications of the same datasets at $$3\le k \le 6$$

3
≤
k
≤
6

. For $$k=3$$

k
=
3

, our findings were largely consistent with amino acid compositional biases and codon usage patterns in coding regions, previously attributed to extreme environment adaptations. The unsupervised learning of unlabelled sequences identified several exemplars of hyperthermophilic organisms with large similarities in their genomic signatures, in spite of belonging to different domains in the Tree of Life.
Diffusion of hydrocarbons diluted in supercritical carbon dioxide
Authors: Saric Denis , Guevara-Carrion Gabriela , Gaponenko Yury , Shevtsova Valentina , Vrabec Jadran
Published: September 2023

Mutual diffusion of six hydrocarbons (methane, ethane, isobutane, benzene, toluene or naphthalene) diluted in supercritical carbon dioxide ($${\hbox {CO}}_{2}$$

CO
2

) is studied by molecular dynamics simulation near the Widom line, i.e., in the temperature range from 290 to 345 K along the isobar 9 MPa. The $${\hbox {CO}}_{2}$$

CO
2

 + aromatics mixtures are additionally sampled at 10 and 12 MPa and an experimental database with Fick diffusion coefficient data for those systems is provided. Taylor dispersion experiments of $${\hbox {CO}}_{2}$$

CO
2

with benzene, toluene, n-dodecane and 1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene are conducted along the $$p =$$

p
=

 10 MPa isobar. Maxwell–Stefan and Fick diffusion coefficients are analyzed, together with the thermodynamic factor that relates them. It is found that the peculiar behavior of the Fick diffusion coefficient of some $${\hbox {CO}}_{2}$$

CO
2

mixtures in the extended critical region is a consequence of the thermodynamic factor minimum due to pronounced clustering on the molecular scale. Further, the strong dependence of the Fick diffusion coefficient on the molecular mass of the solute as well as the breakdown of the Stokes–Einstein relation near the Widom line are confirmed. Eleven correlations for the prediction of the Fick diffusion coefficient of $${\hbox {CO}}_{2}$$

CO
2

mixtures are assessed. An alternative two-step approach for the prediction of the infinite dilution Fick diffusion coefficient of supercritical $${\hbox {CO}}_{2}$$

CO
2

mixtures is proposed. It requires only the state point in terms of temperature and pressure (or density) as well as the molecular solute mass as input parameters. First, entropy scaling is applied to estimate the self-diffusion coefficient of $${\hbox {CO}}_{2}$$

CO
2

. Subsequently, this coefficient is used to determine the infinite dilution Fick diffusion coefficient of the mixture, based on the finding that these two diffusion coefficients exhibit a linear relationship, where the slope depends only on the molecular solute mass.
Semantic guidance network for video captioning
Authors: Guo Lan , Zhao Hong , Chen ZhiWen , Han ZeYu
Published: September 2023

video captioning is a more challenging task that aims to generate abundant natural language descriptions, and it has become a promising direction for artificial intelligence. However, most existing methods are prone to ignore the problems of visual information redundancy and scene information omission due to the limitation of the sampling strategies. To address this problem, a semantic guidance network for video captioning is proposed. More specifically, a novel scene frame sampling strategy is first proposed to select key scene frames. Then, the vision transformer encoder is applied to learn visual and semantic information with a global view, alleviating information loss of modeling long-range dependencies caused in the encoder’s hidden layer. Finally, a non-parametric metric learning module is introduced to calculate the similarity value between the ground truth and the prediction result, and the model is optimized in an end-to-end manner. Experiments on the benchmark MSR-VTT and MSVD datasets show that the proposed method can effectively improve the description accuracy and generalization ability.
First report of Neoscytalidium dimidiatum as the causal agent of leaf blight on Clivia miniata
Authors: Zaeimian Zahra , Fotouhifar Khalil-Berdi
Published: September 2023

In this survey, the symptomatic leaves of Clivia miniata were collected from a greenhouse in Karaj city of Iran. The isolation and morphological investigation showed Scytalidium-like fungus associated with leaf blight symptom. The phylogenetic analysis of the internal transcribed spacer along with partial sequences of rDNA large subunit and translation elongation factor 1-α (tef-1α) genomic regions confirmed the identification of the recovered isolate as Neoscytalidium dimidiatum. The pycnidial morph of the fungus didn’t observe both in vitro and in vivo. The pathogenicity test on C. miniata and C. nobilis was also conducted to fulfill the Koch’s postulates. To our Knowledges, this is the first report of N. dimidiatum causing leaf blight disease on C. miniata and C. nobilis worldwide, as well as these host plants are new for N. dimidiatum in the world.
Pressure overload-induced systolic heart failure is associated with characteristic myocardial microRNA expression signature and post-transcriptional gene regulation in male rats
Authors: Ruppert Mihály , Korkmaz-Icöz Sevil , Benczik Bettina , Ágg Bence , Nagy Dávid , Bálint Tímea , Sayour Alex Ali , Oláh Attila , Barta Bálint András , Benke Kálmán , Ferdinandy Péter , Karck Matthias , Merkely Béla , Radovits Tamás , Szabó Gábor
Published: September 2023

Although systolic function characteristically shows gradual impairment in pressure overload (PO)-evoked left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy (LVH), rapid progression to congestive heart failure (HF) occurs in distinct cases. The molecular mechanisms for the differences in maladaptation are unknown. Here, we examined microRNA (miRNA) expression and miRNA-driven posttranscriptional gene regulation in the two forms of PO-induced LVH (with/without systolic HF). PO was induced by aortic banding (AB) in male Sprague–Dawley rats. Sham-operated animals were controls. The majority of AB animals demonstrated concentric LVH and slightly decreased systolic function (termed as ABLVH). In contrast, in some AB rats severely reduced ejection fraction, LV dilatation and increased lung weight-to-tibial length ratio was noted (referred to as ABHF). Global LV miRNA sequencing revealed fifty differentially regulated miRNAs in ABHF compared to ABLVH. Network theoretical miRNA-target analysis predicted more than three thousand genes with miRNA-driven dysregulation between the two groups. Seventeen genes with high node strength value were selected for target validation, of which five (Fmr1, Zfpm2, Wasl, Ets1, Atg16l1) showed decreased mRNA expression in ABHF by PCR. PO-evoked systolic HF is associated with unique miRNA alterations, which negatively regulate the mRNA expression of Fmr1, Zfmp2, Wasl, Ets1 and Atg16l1.
The C-terminal transactivation domain of MITF interacts promiscuously with co-activator CBP/p300
Authors: Brown Alexandra D. , Lynch Kyle , Langelaan David N.
Published: September 2023

The microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) is one of four closely related members of the MiT/TFE family (TFEB, TFE3, TFEC) that regulate a wide range of cellular processes. MITF is a key regulator of melanocyte-associated genes, and essential to proper development of the melanocyte cell lineage. Abnormal MITF activity can contribute to the onset of several diseases including melanoma, where MITF is an amplified oncogene. To enhance transcription, MITF recruits the co-activator CREB-binding protein (CBP) and its homolog p300 to gene promoters, however the molecular determinants of their interaction are not yet fully understood. Here, we characterize the interactions between the C-terminal MITF transactivation domain and CBP/p300. Using NMR spectroscopy, protein pulldown assays, and isothermal titration calorimetry we determine the C-terminal region of MITF is intrinsically disordered and binds with high-affinity to both TAZ1 and TAZ2 of CBP/p300. Mutagenesis studies revealed two conserved motifs within MITF that are necessary for TAZ2 binding and critical for MITF-dependent transcription of a reporter gene. Finally, we observe the transactivation potential of the MITF C-terminal region is reliant on the N-terminal transactivation domain for function. Taken together, our study helps elucidate the molecular details of how MITF interacts with CBP/p300 through multiple redundant interactions that lend insight into MITF function in melanocytes and melanoma.
The direction of effects between parenting and adolescent affective well-being in everyday life is family specific
Authors: Boele Savannah , Bülow Anne , Beltz Adriene M. , de Haan Amaranta , Denissen Jaap. J. A. , Keijsers Loes
Published: September 2023

Numerous theories and empirical studies have suggested that parents and their adolescent children reciprocally influence each other. As most studies have focused on group-level patterns, however, it remained unclear whether this was true for every family. To investigate potential heterogeneity in directionality, we applied a novel idiographic approach to examine the effects between parenting and adolescent well-being in each family separately. For 100 days, 159 Dutch adolescents (Mage = 13.31, 62% female) reported on affective well-being and four parenting dimensions. The family-specific effects of pre-registered (https://osf.io/7n2jx/) dynamic structural equation models indeed revealed that a reciprocal day-to-day association between parenting and adolescent affective well-being was present only in some families, with the proportion of families displaying a reciprocal association varying across the four parenting dimensions (11–55%). In other families, either parenting predicted the adolescent’s affective well-being (8–43%) or vice versa (10–27%), or no day-to-day associations were found (16–60%). Adolescents with higher trait levels of environmental sensitivity and neuroticism were more strongly affected by parenting. Thus, findings suggest that the ways in which parents and adolescents influence each other in everyday life are unique, stressing the need to move towards an idiographic parenting science.
Polydimethylsiloxane as a more biocompatible alternative to glass in optogenetics
Authors: Andersen Michael Aagaard , Schouenborg Jens
Published: September 2023

Optogenetics is highly useful to stimulate or inhibit defined neuronal populations and is often used together with electrophysiological recordings. Due to poor penetration of light in tissue, there is a need for biocompatible wave guides. Glass wave guides are relatively stiff and known to cause glia reaction that likely influence the activity in the remaining neurons. We developed highly flexible micro wave guides for optogenetics that can be used in combination with long-lasting electrophysiological recordings. We designed and evaluated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) mono-fibers, which use the tissue as cladding, with a diameter of 71 ± 10 µm and 126 ± 5 µm. We showed that micro PDMS fibers transmitted 9–33 mW/mm2 light energy enough to activate channelrhodopsin. This was confirmed in acute extracellular recordings in vivo in which optogenetic stimulation through the PDMS fibers generated action potentials in rat hippocampus with a short onset latency. PDMS fibers had significantly less microglia and astrocytic activation in the zone nearest to the implant as compared to glass. There was no obvious difference in number of adjacent neurons between size matched wave guides. Micro PDMS wave guide demonstrates in vivo functionality and improved biocompatibility as compared to glass. This enables the delivery of light with less tissue damage.
Deterministic field-free voltage-induced magnetization switching with self-regulated precession for low-power memory
Authors: Sin Stanislav , Oh Saeroonter
Published: September 2023

Spintronic devices are regarded as a promising solution for future computing and memory technologies. They are non-volatile, resilient to radiation, and compatible with the CMOS back-end process. However, the major drawbacks of modern current-driven spintronic devices are the long switching delay and relatively high power consumption. Recent progress in magnetoelectronics, particularly in voltage-controlled magnetism reveals a possible solution. Voltage-controlled magnetic anisotropy (VCMA) allows the manipulation of interface-mediated perpendicular anisotropy energy. However, most VCMA-based switching methods require pre-read operation, precise pulse-width control and have high write error rate. This study proposes a novel deterministic self-regulated precessional ferromagnet switching method, which overcomes these issues. In the discussed method, energy symmetry is broken by a dependence of MTJ resistance on the angle between magnetization vectors of free and pinned layers. Hence, the method does not require an external magnetic field and large electric current. The proposed method is verified through micromagnetic simulations and benchmarked with other methods typically reported in the literature. We report the write error rate is significantly improved compared to other VCMA switching methods. Moreover, the mean energy consumption is as low as 38.22 fJ and the mean switching delay is 3.77 ns.
The ratio of mesoscale convective system precipitation to total precipitation increases in future climate change scenarios
Authors: Haberlie Alex M. , Ashley Walker S. , Gensini Victor A. , Michaelis Allison C.
Published: September 2023

Mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) are a substantial source of precipitation in the eastern U.S. and may be sensitive to regional climatic change. We use a suite of convection-permitting climate simulations to examine possible changes in MCS precipitation. Specifically, annual and regional totals of MCS and non-MCS precipitation generated during a retrospective simulation are compared to end-of-21st-century simulations based on intermediate and extreme climate change scenarios. Both scenarios produce more MCS precipitation and less non-MCS precipitation, thus significantly increasing the proportion of precipitation associated with MCSs across the U.S.
Schistosoma mansoni excretory-secretory products induce protein kinase signalling, hyperkinesia, and stem cell proliferation in the opposite sex
Authors: Shakir Eman M. N. , Rinaldi Gabriel , Kirk Ruth S. , Walker Anthony J.
Published: September 2023

Adult male and female schistosomes in copula dwell within human blood vessels and lay eggs that cause the major Neglected Tropical Disease human schistosomiasis. How males and females communicate to each other is poorly understood; however, male-female physical interaction is known to be important. Here, we investigate whether excretory-secretory products (ESPs), released into the external milieu by mature Schistosoma mansoni, might induce responses in the opposite sex. We demonstrate that ESPs adhere to the surface of opposite sex worms inducing the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) pathways, particularly in the parasite tegument. Furthermore, we show that mature worms stimulated signalling in juvenile worms. Strikingly, we demonstrate that ESPs from the opposite sex promote stem cell proliferation, in an ERK- and p38 MAPK-dependent manner, in the tegument and within the testes of males, and the ovaries and vitellaria of females. Hyperkinesia also occurs following opposite sex ESP exposure. Our findings support the hypothesis that male and female schistosomes may communicate over distance to modulate key processes underlying worm development and disease progression, opening unique avenues for schistosomiasis control.
Single-polyp metabolomics reveals biochemical structuring of the coral holobiont at multiple scales
Authors: Roach Ty N. F. , Matsuda Shayle B. , Martin Christian , Huckeba Gintare , Huckeba Joel , Kahkejian Valerie , Santoro Erika P. , van der Geer Anneke , Drury Crawford , Quinn Robert A.
Published: September 2023

All biology happens in space, and spatial structuring plays an important role in mediating biological processes at all scales from cells to ecosystems. However, the metabolomic structuring of the coral holobiont has yet to be fully explored. Here, we present a method to detect high-quality metabolomic data from individual coral polyps and apply this method to study the patterning of biochemicals across multiple spatial (~1 mm - ~100 m) and organizational scales (polyp to population). The data show a strong signature for individual coral colonies, a weaker signature of branches within colonies, and variation at the polyp level related to the polyps’ location along a branch. Mapping metabolites to either the coral or algal components of the holobiont reveals that polyp-level variation along the length of a branch was largely driven by molecules associated with the cnidarian host as opposed to the algal symbiont, predominantly putative sulfur-containing metabolites. This work yields insights on the spatial structuring of biochemicals in the coral holobiont, which is critical for design, analysis, and interpretation of studies on coral reef biochemistry.
Algorithm for fast evaluation of in-plane fiber orientation in reinforced plastics using light microscopy images
Authors: Wiegel Klara , Schlink André , Eckel Elisabeth , Ayeb Mohamed , Brabetz Ludwig , Hartung Michael , Heim Hans-Peter
Published: September 2023

Methods for evaluating the orientation of carbon fibers in reinforced plastics vary in complexity and are application specific. Here, we report an algorithm that quickly evaluates in-plane fiber orientation based on determining the correlation coefficient of adjacent regions in microscopy images. The result is not the fiber orientation of individual fibers, but the principal fiber orientation of small image areas. This method is applicable to large areas due to its low computation time and captures varying fiber orientations, making it suitable for the study of injection molded samples with complex geometries. A great advantage is that no information about the fibers or the matrix, or their combination, is needed prior to the analysis. This approach is also suitable for samples with surface defects. Demonstrations of this technique are given for Polyamide 6 and Polypropylene with 30 weight % carbon fibers of different fiber lengths.
Association between cumulative exposure periods of flupentixol or any antipsychotics and risk of lung cancer
Authors: Chai Yi , Chu Rachel Yui Ki , Hu Yuqi , Lam Ivan Chun Hang , Cheng Franco Wing Tak , Luo Hao , Wong Martin Chi Sang , Chan Sandra Sau Man , Chan Esther Wai Yin , Wong Ian Chi Kei , Lai Francisco Tsz Tsun
Published: September 2023

Background

Preclinical evidence suggests that certain antipsychotic medications may inhibit the development of lung cancer. This study aims to investigate the association between incident lung cancer and different cumulative exposure periods of flupentixol or any antipsychotics.

Methods

Using electronic health records from the Hospital Authority in Hong Kong, this nested case-control study included case participants aged 18 years or older with newly diagnosed lung cancer after initiating antipsychotics between January 1, 2003, and August 31, 2022. Each case was matched to up to ten controls of the same sex and age, who were also antipsychotic users. Multivariable conditional logistic regression models were conducted to quantify the association between lung cancer and different cumulative exposure times of flupentixol (0–365 days [ref]; 366–1825 days; 1826+ days) and any antipsychotics (1–365 days [ref]; 366–1825 days; 1826+ days), separately.

Results

Here we show that among 6435 cases and 64,348 matched controls, 64.06% are males, and 52.98% are aged 65–84 years. Compared to patients with less than 365 days of exposure, those with 366–1825 days of exposure to flupentixol (OR = 0.65 [95% CI, 0.47–0.91]) and any antipsychotics (0.42 [0.38–0.45]) have a lower risk of lung cancer. A decreased risk is observed in patients who have 1826+ days of cumulative use of any antipsychotics (0.54 [0.47–0.60]).

Conclusions

A reduced risk of lung cancer is observed in patients with more than one year of exposure to flupentixol or any antipsychotics. Further research on the association between lung cancer and other antipsychotic agents is warranted.
N-Heterocyclic carbene-based porous polymer macroligand for the Ni-catalyzed C–H arylation of benzothiophenes
Authors: Samanta Partha , Beucher Remi , Kumari Riddhi Riddhi , Ranscht Alisa , Wisser Florian M. , Quadrelli Elsje Alessandra , Canivet Jerome
Published: September 2023

A novel single-site Ni(NHC) catalyst embedded within a porous polymer has been developed for the heterogeneous direct C–H arylation of (benzo)thiophenes with unprecedented stability and recyclability.
Spatio-temporal dynamics of anisotropic emission from nano-second laser produced aluminium plasma
Authors: Geethika B. R. , Thomas Jinto , Patel Milaan , Kumar R. Renjith , Joshi Hem Chandra
Published: September 2023

We report the polarization of spectral emission from aluminium plasma generated using a ns laser. The results show an interesting behaviour of polarization flips with the plasma plume propagation direction.
A wideband and high‐gain switched‐beam antenna system using active frequency selective surface
Authors: Chen Zhenzhen , Qiao Huimin , Chen Qiang , Chen Xing
Published: September 2023

Antennas using the active frequency selective surface (AFSS) can achieve fast beam‐scanning ability at a low cost. In this study, a switched beam antenna with a high gain and 360° coverage in the horizontal plane is proposed. Twelve columns of AFSS form a cylindrical cavity and are transmissive or reflective to the incident electromagnetic waves under the control of PIN diodes. Benefiting from a coaxial continuous transverse stub array placed at the cavity centre and using 4 units to generate a high gain omnidirectional radiation, the proposed antenna can realise a highly directive switched beam. An antenna prototype is designed, fabricated and measured. Results show that it achieves a |S11| < −10 dB bandwidth of 12.9% and is able to sweep its beam around the azimuth plane with a high gain up to 13.6 dBi at 5.8 GHz working frequency.
Retraction Note: A Study on the Effect of Digital Inclusive Finance on the Financial Restraint of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
Authors: Bo Huang
Published: September 2023

The author has expressed the wish to retract this article on the ground that he/she wants to proceed with major revision and further analysis.
The Publisher approved to the retraction.
Venöse Thromboembolien und Lungenkarzinom
Authors: Kretzschmar Alexander
Published: September 2023

Venöse Thromboembolien (VTE) sind eine häufige Komplikation bei Patienten mit Lungenkarzinom (NSCLC). Das Auftreten einer VTE ist mit einer rund 50 % höheren Mortalität assoziiert. Zur besseren Identifikation von VTE-Hochrisikopersonen entwickelte nun eine chinesische Arbeitsgruppe ein Nomogramm zur grafischen Darstellung des Risikos bei Patient*innen mit neu diagnostiziertem NSCLC Stadium I–IV.
Neue Biomarker und Therapie gesucht
Authors: Kretzschmar Alexander
Published: September 2023

Bislang gibt es beim nicht-kleinzelligen Lungenkarzinom (NSCLC) keine effektiven Biomarker zur Prognose und optimalen Behandlung für eine Überlebensverlängerung. In einer Studie wurde jetzt ein 7-Gen-Panel zur Frühdiagnose eines NSCLC mittels des RNA- und Proteom-Profils von 1016 Studienteilnehmer*innen validiert. Anhand der 7-Gen-Signatur wurden mehrere Zielstrukturen für eine zielgerichtete Therapie oder zur Induktion einer Immunantwort identifiziert.
Beim Ovarialkarzinom gibt es noch Luft nach oben
Authors: Klein Friederike
Published: September 2023

Die Kommission Ovar der Arbeitsgemeinschaft Gynäkologische Onkologie (AGO) führt seit 22 Jahren eigenverantwortlich und unabhängig Erhebungen zur Qualitätssicherung beim Ovarialkarzinom (QS-Ovar) durch. Die Entwicklung bis ins Jahr 2021 zeigt Erfolge, wirft aber auch Fragen auf.
Rezidivierendes/refraktäres Multiples Myelom
Authors: Freye Reimund
Published: September 2023

Immuntherapien werden bei der Behandlung des Multiplen Myeloms (MM) immer wichtiger. Dr. Salomon Manier, Lille (Frankreich), stellte auf dem diesjährigen Kongress der European Hematology Association (EHA) die neueren Medikamente und Strategien vor. Im Fokus standen Antikörper-Wirkstoff-Konjugate (ADC), bispezifische Antikörper (bsAk) und CAR-T-Zellen, die gegen das B-Zell-Reifungsantigen BCMA gerichtet sind.
Metastasiertes Kolorektalkarzinom
Authors: Arnheim Katharina
Published: September 2023

Die Phase-II-Studie DESTINY-CRC02 spricht für die vielversprechende Aktivität von Trastuzumab-Deruxtecan (T-DXd) auch beim metastasierten Kolorektalkarzinom (mCRC). Dabei überzeugte die Dosis von 5,4 mg/kg im Vergleich zu 6,4 mg/kg durch höhere Wirksamkeit bei gleichzeitig besserer Verträglichkeit.
Osimertinib beim resezierten NSCLC
Authors: Arnheim Katharina
Published: September 2023

Die adjuvante Therapie mit Osimertinib bedeutet für Patienten mit reseziertem, EGFR-mutiertem nicht-kleinzelligem Lungenkarzinom (NSCLC) neue Hoffnung: In der Studie ADAURA führte der Tyrosinkinase-Inhibitor (TKI) zu einer signifikanten Verlängerung des Gesamtüberlebens (OS).
Klarzelliges Nierenzellkarzinom
Authors: Arnheim Katharina
Published: September 2023

Das 5-Jahres-Update der Studie KEYNOTE-426 untermauert die Überlegenheit der Kombination Pembrolizumab plus Axitinib im Vergleich zu Sunitinib in der Erstlinientherapie von Patienten mit klarzelligem Nierenzellkarzinom (ccRCC).
Besonderheiten in der Therapie des TTF-1-negativen Adenokarzinoms der Lunge
Authors: Frost Nikolaj , Reck Martin
Published: September 2023

Die Identifikation Biomarker-stratifizierter Behandlungen hat das Überleben eines relevanten Anteils an Patient*innen mit metastasiertem Lungenkrebs in den letzten Jahren teils erheblich verbessert. Hierzu zählen Treibermutationen und bei Treiber-negativen Tumoren die Expression des „programmed death ligand 1“ (PD-L1) hinsichtlich des Ansprechens auf eine Therapie mit Checkpoint-Inhibitoren. Aufgrund der beim Lungenkarzinom bestehenden Korrelation zwischen PD-L1-Expression und Behandlungseffektivität kommt insbesondere bei geringer oder fehlender Expression der zusätzlich applizierten Chemotherapie eine wichtige Rolle zu. Derzeitig erhalten Patient*innen im Stadium IV mit einer PD-L1-Expression <50% auf den Tumorzellen eine Chemoimmuntherapie zur Erstlinienbehandlung. Hierzu stehen Pemetrexed- und Taxan-basierte Regime zur Auswahl. In retrospektiven Analysen zeigte sich bei für den thyroidalen Transkriptionsfaktor 1 (TTF-1)-negativen Patient*in ein im Vergleich zu Pemetrexed-basierter Therapie verbessertes Überleben bei Verwendung Taxan-haltiger Regime. Diese Beobachtung wird aktuell prospektiv randomisiert untersucht.
Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection of a Giant Rectal Adenoma Manifesting as McKittrick-Wheelock Syndrome
Authors: Kouladouros Konstantinos , Schneider Klaus , Kubicka Stefan , Hoerner Christian , Hirth Michael
Published: September 2023

McKittrick–Wheelock syndrome (MKWS) is an uncommon clinical manifestation of large, villous, epithelial lesions of the distal colon and rectum. Excessive secretion of electrolyte-rich mucus from these lesions leads to secretory diarrhea, electrolyte disorders and acute renal failure. Several cases of MKWS have been reported since its initial description in 1954. The definitive treatment for the great majority of MKWS cases has consisted of surgical resection of the affected part of the colorectum, usually in the form of a low anterior resection or an abdominoperineal resection with the formation of an ostomy. Recent developments in endoscopic resection techniques now offer new, minimally invasive treatment alternatives for MKWS patients. We present the first reported case in the Western world of MKWS caused by a rectal adenoma with a size of 19 × 10 cm, treated through endoscopic submucosal dissection. Through the lessons learned by this case, as well as by a thorough review of the literature, we discuss this uncommon syndrome, focusing on treatment alternatives.
Lipedema associated with Skin Hypoperfusion and Ulceration: Soft Tissue Debulking Improving Skin Perfusion
Authors: Alshomer Feras , Lee Seok Joon , Kim Yeongsong , Hong Dae Won , Pak Changsik John , Suh Hyunsuk Peter , Hong Joon Pio
Published: September 2023

Lipedema is a progressive connective tissue disease with enlargement of adipose tissue, fibrosis, fluid collection, and dermal thickening. Herein, we present a case of lipedema associated with skin hypoperfusion and ulceration in which soft tissue debulking with liposuction improved patients' symptoms. A 39-year-old female presented with asymmetric progressive initially unilateral lower limb swelling with severe pain with subsequent skin ulceration. Conservative management failed to improve her condition. After excluding other causes and detailed radiologic investigation, lipedema was diagnosed with an associated impaired skin perfusion. Trial of local wound care and compression therapy failed to improve the condition. Subsequent soft tissue debulking with circumferential liposuction and ulcer debridement and immediate compression showed dramatic improvement of the symptoms and skin perfusion. The unique nature of this case sheds light on lipedema as a loose connective tissue disease. Inflammation and microangiopathies explain the associated pain with hypoperfusion and ulceration being quite atypical and in part might be related to the large buildups of matrix proteins and sodium contents leading to fragility in microvessels with frequent petechiae and hematoma and subsequent tissue ischemia. Conservative measures like compression therapy plays a significant role in disease course. Surgical debulking with liposuction was shown to be efficacious in reducing the soft tissue load with improvement in limb pain, edema, circumference, and skin perfusion that was seen in our patient. Lipedema is a frequently misdiagnosed condition with disabling features. Skin involvement in lipedema with potential hypoperfusion was shown and it requires further investigation.
Efficient Synthesis of Natural Product Inspired Naphthoquinone-Fused Glycohybrids and Their In Silico Docking Studies
Authors: Sagar Ram , Khanna Ashish , Tiwari Ghanshyam , Mishra Vinay Kumar , Singh Kavita
Published: September 2023

Naphthoquinones, a diverse group of natural compounds with a 1,4-naphthoquinone core structure, have gained attention for their pharmacological properties. The anticancer activity of these compounds is attributed to their ability to accept electrons, leading to the generation of reactive oxygen species that cause DNA damage and cell death. In recent studies, hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone derivatives, including daunorubicin, have shown promising inhibitory effects against several human cancers, such as acute myeloid leukemia, chronic myelogenous leukemia, and Kaposi’s sarcoma. To further explore their potential as anticancer agents, this research article focuses on the design and synthesis of natural product inspired naphthoquinone-based glycohybrids. These glycohybrids are designed based on the structures of bioactive aryl glycosides and quinones, aiming to enhance their binding affinity and specificity towards cancer-related protein targets. The interactions between the synthesized glycohybrids and target proteins through computational docking simulations has been studied and better binding affinity was found.
Divide-and-conquer DNN approach for the inverse point source problem using a few single frequency measurements
Authors: Du Hang , Li Zhaoxing , Liu Juan , Liu Yanfang , Sun Jiguang
Published: September 2023

We consider the inverse problem to determine the number and locations of acoustic point sources from single low-frequency partial data. The problem is particularly challenging in the sense that the data is available only at a few locations which span a small aperture. Integrating the deep neural networks (DNNs) and Bayesian inversion, we propose a divide-and-conquer approach by dividing the inverse problem into three subproblems. The first subproblem is to determine the number of point sources, which is formulated as a common machine learning task—classification. A simple DNN is proposed and trained to predict the numbers of the point sources. The second subproblem is to reconstruct the (approximate) locations of the point sources. We formulate the problem as a nonlinear function with the input being the measured data and the output being a carefully elaborated location vector. Then a second DNN is proposed to learn the mapping and predict the location vector effectively. The location vector is post-processed to provide an indicator (image) function for the (approximate) locations of the point sources. The third subproblem is to improve the accuracy of the location prediction, for which we employ a Bayesian inversion algorithm. This divide-and-conquer approach can effectively treat both phase and phaseless data as demonstrated by various examples.
Absorption of hybrid fibre modes by Cs atoms in quadrupole transitions
Authors: Bougouffa S , Babiker M
Published: September 2023

We evaluate the rate of the absorption of an optical nanofibre mode by a Cs atom in an electric quadrupole transition. With the Cs atom localised near the outer surface of the optical nano-fibre, an interaction occurs between the atomic quadrupole tensor components and the gradients of the vector components of the electric field of a hybrid fibre mode. The absorption rate is evaluated as a function of the radial position of the atom from the fibre axis, assuming a specific value of the laser power and we use experimentally accessible parameters. We find that the absorption of the hybrid modes by the Cs atom decreases as the atom recedes away from the fibre axis and it formally vanishes at sufficiently large radial distances. Close to the fibre, however, the absorption rate for the input power chosen can be two orders of magnitude larger than the quadrupole de-excitation rate despite the moderate power used.