bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
European Artificial Intelligence Act: an AI security approach
Authors: Kalodanis Konstantinos , Rizomiliotis Panagiotis , Anagnostopoulos Dimosthenis
Published: November 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the key technical challenges that derive from the recently proposed European Artificial Intelligence Act and specifically, to investigate the applicability of the requirements that the AI Act mandates to high-risk AI systems from the perspective of AI security.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents the main points of the proposed AI Act, with emphasis on the compliance requirements of high-risk systems. It matches known AI security threats with the relevant technical requirements, it demonstrates the impact that these security threats can have to the AI Act technical requirements and evaluates the applicability of these requirements based on the effectiveness of the existing security protection measures. Finally, the paper highlights the necessity for an integrated framework for AI system evaluation.

Findings

The findings of the EU AI Act technical assessment highlight the gap between the proposed requirements and the available AI security countermeasures as well as the necessity for an AI security evaluation framework.

Originality/value

AI Act, high-risk AI systems, security threats, security countermeasures.
Professionalizing all-volunteer nonprofit organizations: an intervention study based on the competing values framework and self-determination theory
Authors: De Clerck Tom , Haerens Leen , Van Dyck Delfien , Devos Geert , Willem Annick
Published: November 2023

Purpose

Professionalization is an important issue in many all-volunteer nonprofit organizations (e.g. recreational sports clubs). Therefore, this study relied on the competing values framework and self-determination theory to investigate whether a newly developed intervention can effectively strengthen the management processes and leadership styles in all-volunteer sports clubs.

Design/methodology/approach

For this purpose, a rigorous non-equivalent pre-test post-test control group design was used. The intervention involved two sessions organized in sports clubs in which internal stakeholders (e.g. board members, coaches, volunteers) were invited to discuss change initiatives aimed at enhancing the organizational processes.

Findings

An effect on both the management processes and leadership styles was found. As for the management processes, the intervention had an impact on the internal processes, with especially the development of an internal communication plan and the annual assessment of the organization's operations being promoted by the intervention. Regarding the leadership styles, the intervention had an effect on the controlling and chaotic leadership style, with leaders becoming less chaotic and controlling in situations in which (respectively) the business plan was established and the tasks were distributed within the organization.

Originality/value

This intervention study adopted an innovative approach to organizational intervention research by focusing on the enhancement of both the management processes and the leadership styles. Its principles are also relevant and valuable to organizations operating in other organizational contexts.
Research on heavy-haul adaptive technology and strengthening measures for existing railway steel bridge
Authors: Ju Xiaochen
Published: November 2023

Purpose

This research addresses the diverse characteristics of existing railway steel bridges in China, including variations in construction age, design standards, structural types, manufacturing processes, materials and service conditions. It also focuses on prominent defects and challenges related to heavy transportation conditions, particularly low live haul reserves and severe fatigue problems.

Design/methodology/approach

The study encompasses three key aspects: (1) Adaptability assessment: It begins with assessing the suitability of existing railway steel bridges for heavy-haul operations through comprehensive analyses, experiments and engineering applications. (2) Strengthening: To combat frequent crack defects in the vertical stiffener end structure of girder webs, fatigue performance tests and reinforcement scheme experiments were conducted. These experiments included the development of a hot-spot stress S-N curve for this structure, validating the effectiveness of methods like crack stop holes, ultrasonic hammering and flange angle steel. (3) Service life extension: Research on the cruciform welded joint structure (non-fusion transfer type) focused on fatigue performance over the long life cycle. This led to the establishment of a fatigue S-N curve, enhancing Chinese design codes.

Findings

The research achieved several significant outcomes: (1) Successful implementation of strengthening and retrofitting measures on a 64-m single-span double-track railway steel truss girder on an existing heavy-duty line. (2) Post-reinforcement, a substantial 26% to 32% reduction in live haul stress on bridge members was achieved. (3) The strengthening and retrofitting efforts met design expectations, enabling the bridge to accommodate vehicles with a 30-ton axle haul on the railway line.

Originality/value

This research systematically tackles challenges and defects associated with Chinese existing railway steel bridges, providing valuable insights into adaptability assessment, strengthening techniques and service life extension methods. Furthermore, the development of fatigue S-N curves and the successful implementation of bridge enhancements have practical implications for improving the resilience and operational capacity of railway steel bridges in China.
Supply chain 4.0 ambidexterity and lean supply chain management: interrelationships and effect on the focal firm’s operational performance
Authors: Roldán Bravo María Isabel , Maqueira-Marin Juan Manuel , Moyano-Fuentes José
Published: November 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is twofold: firstly, to provide a measurement instrument for supply chain 4.0 ambidexterity by applying the theoretical perspective of ambidexterity to advance Industry 4.0; secondly, to empirically analyse how supply chain 4.0 ambidexterity and lean supply chain management contribute to enhancing the focal firm’s operational performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Empirical results are obtained through analysis of survey data from a sample of 209 Spanish focal firms in industrial sectors in an intermediate position in the supply chain. Structural equation modelling was performed to test the three proposed hypotheses.

Findings

Drawing on resource orchestration theory and the relational resource-based view, this study empirically demonstrates the full mediating role of lean supply chain management in the relationship between supply chain 4.0 ambidexterity and the focal firm’s operational performance.

Originality/value

Although recent research has highlighted the pertinence of applying inter-organisational ambidexterity to foster Industry 4.0 (Hofmann et al., 2019), to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first studies to apply this theoretical framework to explain the transition to supply chain 4.0. In addition, to date, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, no study exists that has developed a measurement scale and used this concept in an empirical analysis to advance theory development.
Biological characteristics and pathogenicity of a Staphylococcus aureus strain with an incomplete hemolytic phenotype isolated from bovine milk
Authors: Xu Xiuhua , Zhou Tingting , Fang Xueyao , Hu Longhua , Zhu Jin , Zheng Feng
Published: November 2023

Staphylococcus aureus is a common pathogen capable of infecting both humans and animals and causing various severe diseases. Here, we aimed to determine the biological features and pathogenicity of S. aureus strain Sa9, of the incomplete hemolysis phenotype, isolated from bovine milk. Sa9 was classified as ST97 by multilocus sequence typing, and it showed increased β‐hemolysin expression and lower Hla and Hld expression levels compared with that in the S. aureus USA300 strain LAC. RT‐PCR and ELISA results showed that the expression levels of inflammatory cytokines were higher in Sa9‐induced mouse primary peritoneal macrophages compared with those induced by the LAC strain. However, the Sa9 strain also mediated anti‐inflammatory effects by upregulating IL‐10 and IFN‐β in macrophages, which were not apparently induced by S. aureus culture supernatants. Phagocytosis and whole‐blood survival assays were also performed to assess the in vitro survival of bacteria, and the virulence was evaluated in mice. Although the Sa9 strain showed lower ability of intracellular survival in macrophages than LAC, similar multiplication in human whole blood and pathogenicity toward mice were observed. Taken together, we report that the distinctive immune response induced by the S. aureus strain with an incomplete hemolysis phenotype occurs in cattle, and its potential pathogenicity and risk of transmission to humans require attention.
Prediction of spontaneous preterm birth using supervised machine learning on metabolomic data: A case–cohort study
Authors: Al Ghadban Yasmina , Du Yuheng , Charnock‐Jones D. Stephen , Garmire Lana X. , Smith Gordon C. S. , Sovio Ulla
Published: November 2023

Objectives

To identify and internally validate metabolites predictive of spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB) using multiple machine learning methods and sequential maternal serum samples, and to predict spontaneous early term birth (sETB) using these metabolites.

Design

Case–cohort design within a prospective cohort study.

Setting

Cambridge, UK.

Population or sample

A total of 399 Pregnancy Outcome Prediction study participants, including 98 cases of sPTB.

Methods

An untargeted metabolomic analysis of maternal serum samples at 12, 20, 28 and 36 weeks of gestation was performed. We applied six supervised machine learning methods and a weighted Cox model to measurements at 28 weeks of gestation and sPTB, followed by feature selection. We used logistic regression with elastic net penalty, followed by best subset selection, to reduce the number of predictive metabolites further. We applied coefficients from the chosen models to measurements from different gestational ages to predict sPTB and sETB.

Main outcome measures

sPTB and sETB.

Results

We identified 47 metabolites, mostly lipids, as important predictors of sPTB by two or more methods and 22 were identified by three or more methods. The best 4‐predictor model had an optimism‐corrected area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) of 0.703 at 28 weeks of gestation. The model also predicted sPTB in 12‐week samples (0.606, 95% CI 0.544–0.667) and 20‐week samples (0.657, 95% CI 0.597–0.717) and it predicted sETB in 36‐week samples (0.727, 95% CI 0.606–0.849). A lysolipid, 1‐palmitoleoyl‐GPE (16:1)*, was the strongest predictor of sPTB at 12 weeks of gestation (0.609, 95% CI 0.548–0.670), 20 weeks (0.630, 95% CI 0.569–0.690) and 28 weeks (0.660, 95% CI 0.599–0.722), and of sETB at 36 weeks (0.739, 95% CI 0.618–0.860).

Conclusions

We identified and internally validated maternal serum metabolites predictive of sPTB. A lysolipid, 1‐palmitoleoyl‐GPE (16:1)*, is a novel predictor of sPTB and sETB. Further validation in external populations is required.
Single‐cell transcriptomes provide insights into expansion of glial cells in Bombyx mori
Authors: Liu Xiaojing , Zhang Zhongjie , Hu Bo , Chen Kai , Yu Ye , Xiang Hui , Tan Anjiang
Published: November 2023

The diversity of cell types in the brain and how these change during different developmental stages, remains largely unknown. The life cycle of insects is short and goes through 4 distinct stages including embryonic, larval, pupal, and adult stages. During postembryonic life, the larval brain transforms into a mature adult version after metamorphosis. The silkworm, Bombyx mori, is a lepidopteran model insect. Here, we characterized the brain cell repertoire of larval and adult B. mori by obtaining 50 708 single‐cell transcriptomes. Seventeen and 12 cell clusters from larval and adult brains were assigned based on marker genes, respectively. Identified cell types include Kenyon cells, optic lobe cells, monoaminergic neurons, surface glia, and astrocyte glia. We further assessed the cell type compositions of larval and adult brains. We found that the transition from larva to adult resulted in great expansion of glial cells. The glial cell accounted for 49.8% of adult midbrain cells. Compared to flies and ants, the mushroom body kenyon cell is insufficient in B. mori, which accounts for 5.4% and 3.6% in larval and adult brains, respectively. Analysis of neuropeptide expression showed that the abundance and specificity of expression varied among individual neuropeptides. Intriguingly, we found that ion transport peptide was specifically expressed in glial cells of larval and adult brains. The cell atlas dataset provides an important resource to explore cell diversity, neural circuits and genetic profiles.
Investigation of the reasons for patients who choose peritoneal dialysis as kidney replacement therapies to change their decisions
Authors: Altunok Murat , Çankaya Erdem , Sevinç Can , Uyanık Abdullah
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is one of the kidney replacement therapies (KRT). Patients' choice of KRT is influenced by personal causes, familial factors, factors related to healthcare professionals, and social factors.

Methods

This study included 341 patients. PD patients who changed their KRT selection were asked for the reasons to change with a questionnaire.

Results

Of the patients who initially chose PD, only 48.5% received KRT by PD. Five (20%) of the patients gave up PD compulsorily because they heard that the risk of infection with PD was higher, eight (40%) thought they could not do it, four (20%) because they needed to do assisted PD but had no relatives to do it, and three (15%) because they had abdominal surgery.

Conclusion

We believe that the fact that KRT training is carried out by a PD trained team and that patients are provided with assistance for PD will be effective in addressing the concerns of patients with PD undecided.
Out of stock: A brief clinical reference for rough equivalency of glucagon‐like peptide‐1 (GLP‐1) ± glucose‐dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor agonists for A1c and weight reduction in people with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Perreault Leigh , Bergman Bryan C.
Published: November 2023

Highlights

Despite the common practice of switching patients from one medicine to another—to improve efficacy, safety, or tolerability—guidance on how to do so is uncommon. During this time of global shortage of glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonist (GLP‐1 RA) ± glucose‐dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) RA therapies, this research letter offers a quick clinical reference of rough equivalency between GLP‐1 ± GIP RA for A1c and body weight reduction in people with type 2 diabetes.
Prevalence and treatment rate of gout by depressive symptom severity: A cross‐sectional analysis of NHANES 2007–2018
Authors: Lu Siyi , Qian Tangliang , Cao Fengjiao , Kang Tianlun , Liu Xiaoping , Wang Chaoxin , Xia Yun , Hou Xiujuan
Published: November 2023

Background

The co‐disease of depression and gout is becoming more common in the modern era. However, the relationship between the severity of depressive symptoms and gout prevalence and treatment rate was still unclear.

Objective

This study aimed to determine the relationship between the prevalence, treatment rate of gout, and the severity of depression in the United States.

Method

The cross‐sectional analysis of the 2007–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for participants with depression was performed. According to their Patient Health Questionnaire‐9 (PHQ‐9) scores, participants were categorized as none, mild, moderate, moderately severe, and severe. To learn the correlation between the severity of depressive symptoms and the prevalence and treatment rate of gout using multivariate logistic regression to control for confounder interference.

Results

A total of 25 022 patients were included in this study. As the severity of the depressive symptoms worsened (Mild, Moderate and Moderately severe), the risk of gout increased in non‐adjusted model and model 1,2,3 (p‐value for trend =.01 in non‐adjusted model, <.0001 in model 1, <.01 in models 2 and 3; prevalence group in Model 1, aOR1.71, 95% CI (1.40, 2.08) in the mild group, aOR1.68, 95% CI (1.19, 2.39) in the moderate group, aOR1.31,95% CI (0.82, 2.11) in the moderately severe group, aOR1.21, 95% CI (0.62, 2.38) in the severe group). However, the lower gout prevalence trend has no statistical significance after adjusting all factors in Model 4(p‐value for trend =.98). Compared with patients without depression, only a few patients received treatment, especially patients with severe depression (none, 80.1%; severe, 0.2%). The more severe the depression, the lower the treatment rate (p‐value for trend: non‐adjusted model, p < .001; model 1, p = .05; model 2, p = .02; model 3, p = .03).

Conclusion

Compared with patients without depression, the patients with depression had a higher risk of gout. With the aggravation of depression, the prevalence of gout and the rate of treatment both were decreased. Patients with gout and depression need to receive multidisciplinary care after diagnosis. However, currently, treatment cannot meet the needs of the current patients.
Posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in systemic autoimmune rheumatic disease patients during the early COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Oakes Emily G. , Ellrodt Jack , Yee Jeong , Guan Hongshu , Kubzansky Laura D. , Koenen Karestan C. , Costenbader Karen H.
Published: November 2023

Aim

Given reports of increased prevalence of PTSD symptoms at COVID‐19 pandemic onset, we aimed to assess the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms at pandemic onset in individuals with and without systemic autoimmune rheumatic disease (SARD).

Methods

In May 2020, we invited 6678 patients to complete the Brief Trauma Questionnaire and the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL‐5), validated PTSD symptom screenings. We compared responses from patients with and without SARD using multivariable logistic regression.

Results

We received 1473 responses (22% response rate) from 5/2020 to 9/2021 (63 with prior PTSD diagnoses, 138 with SARD history). The SARD population was more female (p .0001) and had a higher baseline prevalence of stress disorders (56% vs. 43%, p .004). SARD subjects reported more experiences with life‐threatening illness, 60%, versus 53% among those without SARD (p .13), and more antidepressant or anxiolytic medication use pre‐pandemic (78% vs. 59%, p .0001). Adjusting for pre‐pandemic PTSD diagnosis, younger age and history of stress disorder were the most significant predictors of PCL‐5 positivity. There were no significant differences in PCL‐5 score or positivity among those with or without SARD.

Conclusion

In this population, patients with SARD had a higher pre‐COVID‐19 prevalence of stress‐related conditions, but it was not the case that they had an increased risk of PTSD symptoms in the early pandemic. Younger individuals, those with baseline depression, anxiety, or adjustment disorders, and those taking antidepressant or anxiolytic medications were more likely to have PTSD symptoms in the first waves of the COVID‐19 pandemic.
The selection of statistical models for reporting count outcomes and intervention effects in brief alcohol intervention trials: A review and recommendations
Authors: Tan Lin , Luningham Justin M. , Huh David , Zhou Zhengyang , Tanner‐Smith Emily E. , Baldwin Scott A. , Mun Eun‐Young
Published: November 2023

Understanding the efficacy and relative effectiveness of a brief alcohol intervention (BAI) relies on obtaining a credible intervention effect estimate. Outcomes in BAI trials are often count variables, such as the number of drinks consumed, which may be overdispersed (i.e., greater variability than expected based on a given model) and zero‐inflated (i.e., greater probability of zeros than expected based on a given model). Ignoring such distribution characteristics can lead to biased estimates and invalid statistical conclusions. In this critical review, we identified and reviewed 64 articles that reported count outcomes from a systematic review of BAI trials for adolescents and young adults from 2013 to 2018. Given many statistical models to choose from when analyzing count outcomes, we reviewed the models used and reporting practices in the BAI trial literature. A majority (61.3%) of analyses with count outcomes used linear models despite violations of normality assumptions; 75.6% of outcome variables demonstrated clear overdispersion. We provide an overview of available count models (Poisson, negative binomial, zero‐inflated or hurdle, and marginalized zero‐inflated Poisson regression) and formulate practical guidelines for reporting outcomes of BAIs. We provide a visual step‐by‐step decision guide for selecting appropriate statistical models and reporting results for count outcomes. We list accessible resources to help researchers select an appropriate model with which to analyze their data. Recent advances in count distribution‐based models hold promise for evaluating count outcomes to gauge the efficacy and effectiveness of BAIs and identify critical covariates in alcohol epidemiologic research. We recommend that researchers report the distributional properties of count outcomes, such as the proportion of zero counts, and select an appropriate statistical analysis for count outcomes using the provided decision tree. By following these recommendations, future research may yield more accurate, transparent, and reproducible results.
Predicting fetal alcohol spectrum disorders in preschool‐aged children from early life factors
Authors: Bandoli Gretchen , Coles Claire , Kable Julie , Jones Kenneth Lyons , Wertelecki Wladimir , Yevtushok Lyubov , Zymak‐Zakutnya Natalya , Granovska Iryna , Plotka Larysa , Chambers Christina ,   The CIFASD
Published: November 2023

Background

Early life factors, including parental sociodemographic characteristics, pregnancy exposures, and physical and neurodevelopmental features measured in infancy are associated with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of a classifier model for diagnosing FASD in preschool‐aged children from pregnancy and infancy‐related characteristics.

Methods

We analyzed a prospective pregnancy cohort in Western Ukraine enrolled between 2008 and 2014. Maternal and paternal sociodemographic factors, maternal prenatal alcohol use and smoking behaviors, reproductive characteristics, birth outcomes, infant alcohol‐related dysmorphic and physical features, and infant neurodevelopmental outcomes were used to predict FASD. Data were split into separate training (80%: n = 245) and test (20%: n = 58; 11 FASD, 47 no FASD) datasets. Training data were balanced using data augmentation through a synthetic minority oversampling technique. Four classifier models (random forest, extreme gradient boosting [XGBoost], logistic regression [full model] and backward stepwise logistic regression) were evaluated for accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity in the hold‐out sample.

Results

Of 306 children evaluated for FASD, 61 had a diagnosis. Random forest models had the highest sensitivity (0.54), with accuracy of 0.86 (95% CI: 0.74, 0.94) in hold‐out data. Boosted gradient models performed similarly, however, sensitivity was less than 50%. The full logistic regression model performed poorly (sensitivity = 0.18 and accuracy = 0.65), while stepwise logistic regression performed similarly to the boosted gradient model but with lower specificity. In a hold‐out sample, the best performing algorithm correctly classified six of 11 children with FASD, and 44 of 47 children without FASD.

Conclusions

As early identification and treatment optimize outcomes of children with FASD, classifier models from early life characteristics show promise in predicting FASD. Models may be improved through the inclusion of physiologic markers of prenatal alcohol exposure and should be tested in different samples.
Electroconvulsive therapy related anxiety in patients with depression: The influence of cognitive coping styles
Authors: Verledens Chelsea , Obbels Jasmien , Van den Eynde Liese , Pilato Eva , Verspecht Shauni , Hebbrecht Kaat , De Schuyteneer Emma , Vansteelandt Kristof , Sienaert Pascal
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) related anxiety (ERA) is a common phenomenon with high individual variability. The way patients cognitively cope with the prospects of receiving ECT could be a mechanism explaining individual differences in ERA. Cognitive coping like monitoring (information seeking, paying attention to consequences) and blunting (seeking distraction and reassurance) has been linked to anxiety in various medical settings, with monitoring leading to more and blunting to less anxiety. How cognitive coping is related to ERA, is unknown.

Methods

The sample consisted of 71 patients with unipolar or bipolar depression referred for ECT. Cognitive coping was assessed at baseline, while ERA was measured each morning before the ECT session. Using a Linear Mixed Model, the influence of cognitive coping styles on ERA was investigated.

Results

Blunting was associated with lower levels of ERA (p = 0.037) and monitoring tended to be associated with higher levels of ERA (p = 0.057) throughout the ECT course. Patients with a depression with psychotic features scored significantly higher on monitoring, but even after controlling for monitoring they showed a stronger decline in ERA during treatment compared to patients without psychotic features.

Conclusion

Cognitive coping style contributes to individual differences in ERA. Blunting is a protective factor, leading to lower levels of ERA throughout the ECT course. On the contrary, patients with a higher monitoring style tend to experience higher levels of ERA. Further insights in these coping mechanisms may help to tailor future treatment to individual patients and reduce ERA before and during ECT treatment.
Anthropology's comparative value(s)
Authors: Lederman Rena
Published: November 2023

Anthropologists often have to justify their research to ethics and funding committees composed mostly of mainstream social‐behavioral scientists. In making their case, anthropologists face a dilemma in representing their discipline's distinctive research practices. For many anthropologists, the value of ethnographic work derives from its global comparativism and socially embedded realism; for students especially, ethnographic fieldwork's value relative to alternatives is rooted in field‐workers’ sustained relationships with their interlocutors. But from a conventionally objectivist social‐behavioral science perspective, being with and learning from people on the latter's terms is incoherent as science. Socially embedded research methods are also devalued by ethics review protocols, which situate replicability as the social‐behavioral research norm. A comparative understanding of anthropology's disciplinary neighborhood may provide students with critical resources for reinventing anthropology's distinctively grounded research value(s) for future generations.
Alterations in testicular positioning after normal descent: acquired cryptorchidism
Authors: Grande‐Moreillo Carme , Fuentes‐Carretero Sara , Margarit‐Mallol Jaume , Pérez‐López Carlos , Rodríguez‐Molinero Alejandro
Published: November 2023

Background

Acquired cryptorchidism or acquired undescended testis (UDT) is defined as the displacement of a testicle outside the scrotal sac after normal descent has been verified. There are still no clear guidelines on its management.

Objectives

To analyze patients who underwent surgery for UDT in our setting to determine the prevalence of acquired cryptorchidism and to analyze the demographic and clinical characteristics of the population of children diagnosed with both acquired and congenital cryptorchidism, the age of presentation of both entities and the percentage of bilateral involvement.

Materials and methods

This was a retrospective descriptive study using data from the clinical history of patients who underwent surgery for cryptorchidism between 2011 and 2022. The type of cryptorchidism, acquired or congenital, was recorded. Demographic and clinical data were collected.

Results

A total of 367 patients and 442 testicular units were included in the study (75 patients had bilateral involvement).

In 54.75% (95% CI: 50.09%–59.40%) of the cases analyzed, cryptorchidism was acquired, and the mean age at the time of surgery was 7.39 years (SD 2.95). Twenty percent (95% CI: 16.29%–24.58%) of the patients presented with bilateral cryptorchidism and 64% (95% CI: 52.88%–75.11%) out of them were acquired on both sides. The diagnosis was metachronous in 42.6% (95% CI: 31.21%–54.12%) of bilateral cryptorchidism cases.

Discussion and conclusion

Acquired cryptorchidism accounts for more than half of cryptorchidism cases requiring surgery in our setting, with a clearly different age of presentation than that for congenital cryptorchidism. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor the presence of the testes in the scrotal sac until adolescence. It is also important to monitor patients with a history of cryptorchidism, not only for the management of the operated testicle but also for the early identification of patients who will develop metachronous contralateral cryptorchidism.
Full robotic cholecystectomy: first worldwide experiences with HUGO RAS surgical platform
Authors: Caputo Damiano , Farolfi Tommaso , Molina Chiara , Coppola Roberto
Published: November 2023

Background

The Hugo RAS™ system (Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN, USA), approved for gynaecological and urological procedures, has been recently certified for the use in few general surgeries. Only bariatric and colorectal procedures have been described so far.

Methods

Here, we report the first worldwide experience with three cases of full‐robotic cholecystectomies with the Hugo RAS™ system.

Results

A description of the operative room setup, of the docking angles and details of the procedures is reported. Docking time was 12, 10, and 6 min, respectively. The total operative time was 105 min in the first case, 100 min in the second and 88 in the third case. Intra‐ and post‐operative courses were uneventful.

Conclusions

With this pre‐defined set up, the innovative conformation of Hugo RAS™ system can safely allow performing full robotic cholecystectomy avoiding the need for additional ports.
Are there gender differences in promotion–prevention self‐regulatory focus?
Authors: Gutermuth Dinah , Hamstra Melvyn R. W.
Published: November 2023

The purpose of this research is to examine gender differences in promotion/prevention self‐regulatory focus, a dispositional motivational orientation with major implications for human functioning. First, a review of literature using social cognitive theory as a framework suggests that, driven by socialization processes, (1) women may on average be more prevention focused than men – meaning more vigilant to maintain a secure status quo, whereas (2) men may on average be more promotion focused than women – meaning more eager to advance to a better situation than their status quo. Second, we provide data to examine these possible gender differences in self‐regulatory focus with secondary analyses of (a) our own existing data on dispositional regulatory focus and of (b) a large scale, representative panel study (LISS Survey). The data suggest a highly consistent difference with women being more prevention focused than men, while the difference in promotion focus is much smaller and is only found in European samples. Auxiliary data suggest promotion‐focused women hold less traditional gender role beliefs as well as showing that regulatory focus partially explains examples of behavioural differences between men and women. The analysis of gender difference in regulatory focus sheds new light on gender differences and biases already known, and on regulatory focus, and as such opens up many new and important areas of future inquiry.
Evaluation of ocular surface following PreserFlo Microshunt implantation: Functional outcomes and quality of life
Authors: Gambini Gloria , Carlà Matteo Mario , Giannuzzi Federico , Savastano Alfonso , Caporossi Tomaso , Baldascino Antonio , Iannetta Danilo , Vielmo Lorenzo , Rizzo Stanislao
Published: November 2023

Background

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of PreserFlo Microshunt on the ocular surface, focusing on both objective and subjective parameters.

Methods

Prospective‐observational study on 48 eyes undergoing PreserFlo Microshunt implantation, standalone or combined with phacoemulsification. At baseline, 1‐month, 6‐months and 12‐months post‐operative follow‐ups, we performed Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire, Schirmer's test (ST), Tear‐film break‐up time (TBUT), fluoresceine staining (FS), tear osmolarity and minimum corneal epithelial thickness (Epi‐ThkMIN.) measurements.

Results

OSDI score improved from 37.43 ± 17.49 at baseline, to 24.13 ± 12.55 at 1‐month (p = 0.003) and to 12.89 ± 8.54 and 13.09 ± 10.22 at 6‐months and 12‐months (p < 0.0001). TBUT and ST, in a similar way, non‐significantly increased at 1‐month, but then improved at 6‐months and 12‐months (p < 0.05 for both). Tear osmolarity significantly decreased from 308.2 ± 7.3 mOsm/L at baseline, to 303.3 ± 8.2 mOsm/L, 295.6.2 ± 7.0 mOsm/L and 297.6 ± 6.8 mOsm/L at 1‐month, 6‐months and 12‐months (p < 0.05 for all). Epi‐ThkMIN was stable when comparing baseline (44.9 ± 5.7 μm) and 1‐month (p = 0.28), and successively increased in 6‐months (47.8 ± 5.5 μm, p = 0.02) and 12‐months (48.0 ± 3.6 μm, p = 0.01). In subgroup analysis, OSDI score and tear osmolarity were significantly higher at 1‐month in combined group compared to standalone group (p = 0.03 and p = 0.02, respectively), but reaching comparable values in successive follow‐ups. Further, Oxford scale grades for FS were significantly improved when comparing baseline–6‐months and baseline–12‐months.

Conclusion

PreserFlo implantation improved ocular surface subjective symptoms, increased TBUT and ST, and reduced FS, highlighting the potential benefits of this surgical intervention. Moreover, we reported significant improvements of tear osmolarity and corneal epithelium.
A novel RNF125 variant associated with Tenorio syndrome alters ubiquitin chain binding
Authors: Barzak Fareeda M. , Lu Anita , Geltzeiler Alexa R. , Ledgerwood Elizabeth C. , Chung Wendy K. , Day Catherine L.
Published: November 2023

A key signalling pathway required for clearance of viruses from host cells relies on the receptor protein, retinoic acid‐inducible gene I (RIG‐I). The activity of RIG‐I is tightly controlled, and once bound to viral dsRNA, addition of lysine 63‐linked ubiquitin chains activates signalling. Meanwhile, the addition of lysine 48‐linked ubiquitin chains to RIG‐I is required to terminate signalling when the infection has been resolved. Really interesting new gene (RING) finger protein 125 (RNF125) is the E3 ligase responsible for addition of the ubiquitin chains that terminate signalling, with disruption of its function associated with Tenorio syndrome. Here we describe a novel RNF125 gene variant in an individual with clinical symptoms including intellectual disability, macrocephaly and congenital heart disease, consistent with Tenorio syndrome. The newly identified Tenorio syndrome‐associated variant [(NM_017831.4):c.670G>C p.Glu224Gln] is the first to be found in the ubiquitin interaction motif (UIM) of RNF125. While the E3 ligase activity of this RNF125 variant is retained, it has an impaired ability to interact with lysine 63‐linked ubiquitin chains. The function of the UIM in RNF125 is uncertain; however, this study suggests that the UIM binds lysine 63‐linked ubiquitin chains, and that this interaction is required for the normal function of RNF125.
Jawbone measurements of edentulous sites related to implant planning using magnetic resonance imaging compared to cone beam computed tomography: An ex vivo study
Authors: Fuglsig Joao Marcus de Carvalho e Silva , Schropp Lars , Hansen Brian , Wenzel Ann , Spin‐Neto Rubens
Published: November 2023

Aim

To compare measurements on images obtained by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and cone beam CT (CBCT) for height, width, and area in alveolar bone sites in human jaw specimens.

Material and Methods

Forty edentulous alveolar posterior sites in human cadaver specimens were imaged using CBCT scanners, and with zero‐echo‐time MRI (ZTE‐MRI). Semi‐automatic volume registration was performed to generate representative coronal sections of the sites related to implant planning. ZTE‐MRI sections were also presented after grayscale inversion (INV MRI). Three observers measured bone height, bone width 5 mm from the alveolar crest, and bone area stretching from the width measurement to the top of the alveolar crest in the images. Interobserver agreement was assessed by intra‐class correlation coefficients (ICC). The measurements were analyzed using two‐way repeated measures ANOVA factoring observer and image type.

Results

ICC was >0.95 for bone height, width, and bone area. No significant differences among observers (p = 0.14) or image type (p = 0.60) were found for bone height. For bone width, observer (p = 0.14) was not a significant factor, while ZTE‐MRI produced width estimates that were significantly different and systematically smaller than CBCT‐based estimates (p ≤ 0.001). Observer (p = 0.06) was not a significant factor regarding the bone area measurements, contrary to the imaging type where ZTE‐MRI led to significantly smaller area estimates than CBCT (p ≤ 0.001).

Conclusion

Bone height measurements were essentially equivalent using CBCT and MRI. This was found regardless of grayscale choice for the MRI. However, ZTE‐MRI resulted in smaller estimates of bone width and area.
Comparison of the effectiveness, safety, and costs of anti‐Parkinson drugs: A multiple‐center retrospective study
Authors: Li Wenting , Zhang Hua , Zhang Yuan , Wang Ke , Hui Jiaojiao , Yi Zhanmiao
Published: November 2023

Aims

This study aimed to systematically compare the effectiveness, safety, and costs of different anti‐Parkinson drugs (APDs).

Methods

This is a multi‐center study that retrospectively analyzed the data of 8420 outpatients with PD from 2014 to 2019 across 30 tertiary hospitals in China. The effectiveness was evaluated by changes in total dosages of APDs, normalized by levodopa equivalent dose (LED) and presented as ΔLEDs; levodopa equivalent dose cost (LEDc) represented the daily cost of APDs; and newly added diagnostics were represented as APDs‐related adverse events.

Results

A total of 384 patients with eligible medical records for three consecutive years were enrolled. Patients treated with carbidopa/levodopa or levodopa/benserazide had significantly lower mean ΔLEDs than other groups (p < 0.01), followed by pramipexole and selegiline. The piribedil group had the highest ΔLEDs, with mean differences of 112.56–355.04 mg compared to other groups (p < 0.01). Meanwhile, LEDc in the levodopa/benserazide, carbidopa/levodopa, and piribedil groups were significantly lower than those in pramipexole or selegiline groups ($0.088–0.135/day for levodopa/benserazide; $0.070–0.126/day for carbidopa/levodopa; $0.112–0.138/day for piribedil; $0.290–0.332/day for pramipexole; $0.229–0.544/day for selegiline; p < 0.01). Patients with piribedil had more adverse events, with an incidence rate of 35.7%, followed by levodopa/benserazide (25.6%), selegiline (23.5%), carbidopa/levodopa (23.3%), and pramipexole (16.4%). Pramipexole showed a lower incidence rate of adverse events than piribedil, including neuropsychiatric symptoms (p = 0.006), headache/dizziness (p = 0.016), and gastrointestinal symptoms (p = 0.031).

Conclusions

Carbidopa/levodopa or levodopa/benserazide might exhibit better clinical improvement with less medical cost, while piribedil presented less clinical improvement but a higher risk of headache/dizziness, gastrointestinal, and neuropsychiatric symptoms.
Academic seminars as tool for clinical and translational science education and dissemination: Perceptions and priorities in the COVID‐19 era
Authors: Chen Katherine L. , Oronce Carlos Irwin A. , Calderón Nancy E. , Kahn Katherine L.
Published: November 2023

Academic seminars are an important venue through which investigators in health services research (HSR) and other clinical and translational science disciplines can share their work, gather feedback, and connect with colleagues. However, the format and focus of these seminars shifted abruptly when the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic necessitated social distancing and underscored the salience of health equity. Little is known about how contemporary academic seminars are meeting the evolving needs of the HSR community. We surveyed 2021–2022 participants in a virtual HSR seminar series to understand experiences of and priorities for the seminars. We also compared results stratified by self‐reported under‐represented minority (URM) status. Of 45 respondents (including 26 faculty members, 8 trainees, 9 staff members, and 2 community partners), 38% self‐identified as URM. Participants reported high satisfaction with seminar quality, diversity of topics, and audience participation (median ≥4 for all outcomes in Likert‐scaled items where 5 = very satisfied). Knowledge acquisition, understanding of research methods, and collaboration were commonly cited as benefits of seminar attendance. Implementation science content and external collaboration were most often endorsed as priorities for future seminars. URM participants were over three times more likely than non‐URM participants to cite learning about engaging community stakeholders and historically excluded populations as a benefit of seminar participation. Virtual academic seminars can be an effective modality for knowledge sharing and collaboration worth continuing after COVID‐19 restrictions are lifted. Emphasizing equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) values in these seminars may hold potential for advancing academic departments' own EDI goals.
One nodule–one punction–one slide: Optimizing thyroid fine‐needle aspiration for a digital workflow
Authors: Maia Ariana , Carvalho Bárbara , Vale João , Curado Mónica , Ryan Carmel , Polónia António , Eloy Catarina
Published: November 2023

Objective

Interventional pathologists have expanded their expertise by acquiring proficiency in ultrasound‐guided thyroid fine‐needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) and are now required to optimize punction procedures due to low resources and digital workflows. The aim of this study is to compare FNAB sample adequacy in two series with one versus two slides available for cytopathological analysis and its influence on diagnosis categorization, time taken to reach a final diagnosis, scanning time and size of the digital files produced.

Methods

Patients were retrospectively selected based on the sampling of thyroid nodules using either two glass slides (two‐slide group) or one slide only (one‐slide group) and cytological diagnosis was performed using the second edition of the Bethesda system. For each group, the initial 15 cases were sorted to be scanned.

Results

From a total of 713 procedures, 328 were sampled into two slides and 385 on one slide only. No significant differences were found regarding nodule size, location or EU‐TIRADS classification between the two groups. The one‐slide group did not exhibit a higher prevalence of non‐diagnostic or atypia of undetermined significance (AUS) categories. As expected, the mean time taken to finalize diagnoses in cases where only one slide was prepared was 1.2 days faster. Scanning time and total file size were also significantly smaller in the one‐slide group.

Conclusions

Adopting the ‘one nodule–one puncture–one slide’ strategy for thyroid FNAB optimization enhances procedural efficiency in digital workflows, leading to cost savings without compromising diagnostic accuracy.
Short‐term outcomes of endoscopic resection for colorectal neuroendocrine tumors: Japanese multicenter prospective C‐NET STUDY
Authors: Ito Sayo , Hotta Kinichi , Sekiguchi Masau , Takeuchi Yoji , Oka Shiro , Yamamoto Hironori , Shinmura Kensuke , Harada Keita , Uraoka Toshio , Hisabe Takashi , Sano Yasushi , Kondo Hitoshi , Horimatsu Takahiro , Kikuchi Hidezumi , Kawamura Takuji , Nagata Shinji , Yamamoto Katsumi , Tajika Masahiro , Tsuji Shigetsugu , Kusaka Toshihiro , Okuyama Yusuke , Yoshida Naohisa , Moriyama Tomohiko , Hasebe Aki , So Suketo , Saito Yutaka , Nakahira Hiroko , Ishikawa Hideki , Matsuda Takahisa ,   the C‐NET STUDY Group
Published: November 2023

Objectives

The incidence of colorectal neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) has increased with colorectal cancer screening programs and increased colonoscopies. The management of colorectal NETs has recently shifted from radical surgery to endoscopic resection. We aimed to evaluate the short‐term outcomes of various methods of endoscopic resection for colorectal NETs.

Methods

Among those registered in the C‐NET STUDY, patients with colorectal NETs who underwent endoscopic treatment as the initial therapy were included. Short‐term outcomes, such as the en bloc resection rate and R0 resection (en bloc resection with tumor‐free margin) rate, were analyzed based on treatment modalities.

Results

A total of 472 patients with 477 colorectal NETs received endoscopic treatment. Of these, 418 patients with 421 lesions who met the eligibility criteria were included in the analysis. The median age of the patients was 55 years, and 56.9% of them were men. The lower rectum was the most commonly affected site (88.6%), and lesions <10 mm accounted for 87% of the cases. Endoscopic submucosal resection with a ligation device (ESMR‐L, 56.5%) was the most common method, followed by endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD, 31.4%) and endoscopic mucosal resection using a cap (EMR‐C, 8.5%). R0 resection rates <10 mm were 95.5%, 94.8%, and 94.3% for ESMR‐L, ESD, and EMR‐C, respectively. All 16 (3.8%) patients who developed treatment‐related complications could be treated conservatively. Overall, 23 (5.5%) patients had incomplete resection without independent clinicopathological risk factors.

Conclusion

ESMR‐L, ESD, and EMR‐C were equally effective and safe for colorectal NETs with a diameter <10 mm.
“I Can't Read This”: Plagiarism, Biopolitics, and The Production of The Trans‐Dividual Student
Authors: Iantosca Tony
Published: November 2023

In this paper, Tony Iantosca situates the academic integrity policies of US colleges and universities, as well as student plagiarism, in biopolitical frameworks. By examining the aporias that result from student plagiarism in the context of neoliberal knowledge production, which produces and depends upon individualized, skills‐bearing students, Iantosca interrogates what educators can learn philosophically and pedagogically from the mutual misrecognition that occurs between institutional policy and the transgressing student. He frames this discussion with Michel Foucault's classic work on biopolitics as well as Roberto Esposito's immunitary paradigm in order to examine the implications of student illegibility for what Bernard Stiegler has called education's trans‐individuating potential. The argument that emerges is that student plagiarism has multiple, contradictory significances that can nonetheless teach educators important lessons about property and individualism, and these lessons must be retained as we reinitiate, rather than punish, plagiarizing students. Iantosca then closes the paper with a brief consideration of the pedagogical implications of this argument.