bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of size and fragmentation of the anteroinferior glenoid rim on clinical and functional outcomes of non-operatively treated Bony Bankart lesions in middle-aged population
Authors: Secci Gregorio , Lazzarini Francesco , Distefano Marco , Porciatti Tommaso , Tonelli Filippo , Mugnaini Marco , Zanna Luigi
Published: August 2024

Introduction

The optimal treatment approach for Bony Bankart remains a subject of considerable debate among shoulder surgeons. Existing literature highlights low recurrence rates and high patient satisfaction with nonoperative treatment, particularly in the middle-aged population. This study aimed to evaluate the recurrence rate of dislocation, as well as the clinical and functional outcomes in middle-aged individuals treated nonoperatively following an acute bony Bankart fracture. Additionally, the impact of glenoid rim size and fragmentation on the treatment outcome was investigated.

Material and methods

A prospective analysis was conducted on 20 patients aged over 50 with nonoperatively treated bony Bankart fractures, ensuring a minimum follow-up of 24 months. The study population was categorized based on fragment size (small and medium) according to Kim classification and glenoid rim fragmentation (type 1b and 1c) according to Scheibel classification. Data including UCLA score, Rowe score, recurrence rate, clinical instability, and range of motion (ROM) were collected and analyzed.

Results

The average UCLA and Rowe scores were 32.15 ± 2.85 and 93.85 ± 2.19, respectively, with no instances of dislocation recurrence. The affected shoulder exhibited no significant reductions in ROM compared to the contralateral side, except for a loss of external rotation (ER) (13.08° ± 7.51; p = 0.005). No differences were observed based on fragment size, although patients with multifragmented glenoid rims showed a greater loss of ER compared to those with a solitary fragment, albeit not reaching statistical significance.

Conclusion

Nonoperative treatment appears to be a viable and effective option for middle-aged individuals with bony Bankart fractures, resulting in favorable functional outcomes and a low risk of recurrence. Additionally, a notable loss of external rotation was observed in fractures with glenoid rim fragmentation.

Level of evidence

IV.
Prognostic nutritional index (PNI) correlates with survival in head and neck cancer patients more precisely than other nutritional markers – real world data
Authors: Uri Imre , Horváth Angéla , Tamás László , Polony Gábor , Dános Kornél
Published: August 2024

Purpose

The survival benefit with higher body mass index (BMI) of patients suffering from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is documented as BMI paradox. As the early re-nourishment of high-risk patients determine survival, we searched for a nutritional status marker suitable for everyday screening. Grouping patients based on the 8th Edition of TNM Classification, we investigated for the first time the candidate nutritional status markers among TNM8 subgroups, including the newly introduced p16 positive oropharyngeal squamous cell cancer (OPSCC) patients.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study enrolling 661 patients and collecting anthropometric indices, laboratory parameters, clinical scores, nutritional risk scores. To discover the best one for screening survival analyses and correlation tests were executed.

Results

By performing univariate Cox regression, we found three nutritional markers significantly correlating with overall survival (OS) and cancer specific survival (CSS): BMI at diagnosis, percent of weight loss over six months and prognostic nutritional index (PNI). The latter proved to be independent of tumor stage. p16 negative OPSCC patient’s OS and CSS did not correlate with BMI, but it did correlate with PNI and percent of weight loss. BMI was the only marker correlating with OS, only in stage 4 hypopharyngeal cancer patients. All three markers significantly correlated with survival among p16 positive oropharyngeal and glottic cancer patients.

Conclusion

We found BMI, percent of weight loss and PNI good candidate markers for malnutrition. PNI proved to be superior in every aspect, enabling the treating physicians to discover high-risk patients in need of aggressive re-nourishment. The survival of supraglottic laryngeal squamous cancer patients seemed to be independent of these nutritional status markers, which observation should be a subject of further investigations.
Reliability, validity and normative data of the timed water swallow test accompanied by sEMG
Authors: Selen Akıl Dilan , Bengisu Serkan , Sezer Eyüp , Krespi Yakup , Topbaş Saime Seyhun
Published: August 2024

Purpose

Swallowing disorders are highly interrelated with increased morbidity and mortality rates; therefore, early detection is crucial. Most screening tools rely on subjective observation, thus making objective assessment tools more vital. Timed Water Swallowing Test (TWST) is a screening tool used in the field providing quantitative data. This study aimed to investigate the swallowing parameters in a wide age range by using TWST and to expand the already existing normative data pool accordingly. It is also aimed to examine the reliability of the TWST and assess its validity in stroke survivors.

Materials and methods

This study had a cross-sectional design. TWST carried out simultaneously along with surface EMG and laryngeal sensor on 196 healthy subjects aged 10 to 80 for normative data. Also, TWST carried out 30 patients having a history of recent stroke. Test-retest and inter-rater scoring analysis were used for reliability purposes, while Gugging Swallowing Screen (GUSS) test was used for validity purposes. Additionally, the correlations between the participants’ TWST scores and GUSS scores were examined using the Spearman correlation coefficient.

Results

The normative TWST data of healthy participants are tabulated and presented and their average swallowing capacity was found 13.73 ml/s. Furthermore, the mean swallowing capacity of stroke survivors was found 4.61 ml/s. As a result of validity analyses, a statistically strong and significant relationship was found between GUSS and TWST parameters (r = 0.775, p < 0.001). Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and correlation values were found between moderate to good agreement between test-retest measurement (ICC = 0.563 to 0.891, p < 0.05). Also, the agreement between the raters was found to be significant (ICC = 0.949 to 0.995, p < 0.05).

Conclusion

TWST is a valid and reliable screening tool to evaluate dysphagia on given population. Although the test’s performance on healthy individuals is adequate, more research is still needed to confirm that it can be used as a screening tool for stroke.
Distribution of angle alpha and angle kappa offsets among adult candidates for cataract surgery
Authors: Neuman Gil , Abulafia Adi , Wasser Lauren , Zadok David
Published: August 2024

Purpose

The current study aimed to describe the distribution of angle alpha and angle kappa offsets as well as their associated ocular biometric parameters in a large population of candidates for cataract surgery.

Methods

This cross-sectional retrospective study included 8,119 eyes of 4,781 candidates for cataract surgery (mean age 70.7 ± 12.9 years). There were 49.9% right eyes, and 53.0% patients were females. The angles offset and ocular biometric parameters were measured by the IOLMaster 700 (Carl Zeiss Meditec, AG, Germany).

Results

Patient’s age and gender, and most of their ocular biometric measurements were similar for the right and left eyes except for pupil diameter (4.01 ± 1.18 vs. 3.92 ± 1.14 mm, respectively, P < 0.001). The angle alpha offset magnitude was similar for the right and left eyes (0.50 ± 0.20 and 0.51 ± 0.21 mm, P = 0.08), whereas the angle kappa offset magnitude was greater in the right eyes (0.37 ± 0.21 vs. 0.33 ± 0.20 mm, P < 0.001). The angle kappa offset magnitudes were greater in the right eyes compared to the left eyes for both males (0.36 ± 0.21 vs. 0.33 ± 0.21 mm, respectively, P < 0.001) and females (0.37 ± 0.20 vs. 0.34 ± 0.20 mm, respectively, P < 0.001). The offset magnitudes of both angles varied significantly according to gender, eye laterality, angle location, and biometric parameters (e.g., axial length). The offset magnitudes of both angles were positively correlated in both right and left eyes.

Conclusions

The offset magnitudes of both the angle alpha and angle kappa present significant variations according to gender, eye laterality, angle location, and biometric parameters, such as AL. These values are also population-specific.
The future of general practice and family medicine in Austria
Authors: Rabady Susanne
Published: August 2024

General practice/family medicine has recently been recognized as a medical discipline in Austria. This paper is a short report on the prevailing understanding of its goals and subjects, comparing the Austrian perception with international definitions. It comments on shortcomings and introduces an outline for the development of a revised professional theory.

At present, there is no clear uniform image of the discipline, neither among the general public, nor among physicians, healthcare professionals or decision makers. The reason for this lies in the historical development which, with the triumph of specialization, has led to a loss of importance for generalist medicine. Now it is the fragmentation that extensive specialization entails that gives a new meaning to generalist, contextual and patient-centered medicine.

This change needs to be analyzed and understood. A description of the responsibilities, tasks and very specific methods unique to the discipline will be developed, which should enable the sensible, contemporary use of general practice/family medicine for the benefit of patients and the healthcare system.
Recognizing salat activity using deep learning models via smartwatch sensors
Authors: Vurgun Yasin , Kiran Mustafa Servet
Published: August 2024

In this study, we focus on human activity recognition, particularly aiming to distinguish the activity of praying (salat) from other daily activities. To achieve this goal, we have created a new dataset named HAR-P (Human activity recognition for Praying), which includes eight different activities: walking, running, sitting, standing, walking upstairs, walking downstairs, typing with a keyboard, and praying (salat). The HAR-P dataset was collected from 50 male individuals, who wore smartwatches on their dominant wrists. We compare the activity classification performance using three state-of-the-art algorithms from the literature: Long Short-Term Memory, Convolutional Long Short-Term Memory, and Convolutional Neural Network—Long Short-Term Memory. To assess the influence of sensors, data from accelerometer, gyroscope, linear acceleration sensor, and magnetic field sensor were utilized. The impact of individual sensor data as well as combinations thereof was investigated. The highest classification accuracy within single sensor groups, reaching 95.7%, was achieved using the accelerometer data with the Convolutional Long Short-Term Memory method. Combining two sensor groups resulted in an increase in accuracy of up to 9%. The highest accuracy of 96.4% was obtained by utilizing three sensor groups together with the Convolutional Neural Network—Long Short-Term Memory method. Furthermore, the evaluation of sensor and model performance was conducted using the stratified k-fold cross-validation method with 5-folds. These findings contribute significantly to evaluating the performance of sensor combinations and different algorithms in activity classification. This study may provide an effective foundation for the automatic recognition and tracking of human activities and offer an applicable model, particularly for the recognition of religious practices such as praying.
Early mitigation of CPU-optimized ransomware using monitoring encryption instructions
Authors: Enomoto Shuhei , Kuzuno Hiroki , Yamada Hiroshi , Shiraishi Yoshiaki , Morii Masakatu
Published: August 2024

Ransomware attacks pose a significant threat to information systems. Server hosts, including cloud infrastructure as a service, are prime targets for ransomware developers. To address this, security mechanisms, such as antivirus software, have proven effective. Moreover, research on ransomware detection advocates for behavior-based finding mechanisms while ransomware is in operation. In response to evolving detections, ransomware developers are now adapting an optimized design tailored for CPU architecture (CPU-optimized ransomware). This variant can rapidly encrypt files, potentially evading detection by traditional antivirus methods that rely on fixed time intervals for file scans. In ransomware detection research, numerous files can be encrypted by CPU-optimized ransomware until malicious activity is detected. This study proposes an early mitigation mechanism named CryptoSniffer, which is designed specifically to counter CPU-optimized ransomware attacks on server hosts. CryptoSniffer focuses on the misuse of CPU architecture-specific encryption instructions for swift file encryption by CPU-optimized ransomware. This can be achieved by capturing the ciphertext in user processes and thwarting file encryption by scrutinizing the content intended for writing. To demonstrate the efficacy of CryptoSniffer, the mechanism was implemented in the latest Linux kernel, and its security and performance were systematically evaluated. The experimental results demonstrate that CryptoSniffer successfully prevents real-world CPU-optimized ransomware, and the performance overhead is well-suited for practical applications.
Convergence of Numerical Methods for the Navier–Stokes–Fourier System Driven by Uncertain Initial/Boundary Data
Authors: Feireisl Eduard , Lukáčová-Medvid’ová Mária , She Bangwei , Yuan Yuhuan
Published: August 2024

We consider the Navier–Stokes–Fourier system governing the motion of a general compressible, heat conducting, Newtonian fluid driven by random initial/boundary data. Convergence of the stochastic collocation and Monte Carlo numerical methods is shown under the hypothesis that approximate solutions are bounded in probability. Abstract results are illustrated by numerical experiments for the Rayleigh–Bénard convection problem.
Maintenance therapy for cytogenetically high-risk multiple myeloma: landscape in the era of novel drugs
Authors: Gu Xinyuan , Tang Wenjiao , Zhang Li , Zheng Yuhuan , Pan Ling , Niu Ting
Published: August 2024

Although the significant strides in novel therapeutic approaches have prolonged the survival of multiple myeloma (MM) patients, the unfavorable prognosis of cytogenetically high-risk newly diagnosed MM (NDMM) remains intractable with the lack of consensus regarding the choice of maintenance regimens. Therefore, this study was initiated with the aim of examining the effectiveness of various maintenance treatments for this group of patients in jeopardy. Overall, 17 studies with 1937 high-risk NDMM patients were included in the network meta-analysis. Combination therapies involving novel drugs presented encouraging prospects in the maintenance phase, while the patients and circumstances for the application of different regimens still needed to be further distinguished and clarified. To investigate the current status of maintenance therapy of high-risk NDMM patients in clinical practice, a real-world cohort of high-risk NDMM was retrospectively incorporated 80 patients with lenalidomide maintenance and 53 patients with bortezomib maintenance, presenting the median PFS of 31.7 months and 30.4 months, respectively (p = 0.874, HR = 0.966, 95% CI: 0.628–1.486). Collectively, this study illuminated the present constraints of conventional approaches during the maintenance phase for high-risk NDMM patients while highlighting the future potential associated with enhanced regimens integrating novel medications.
Angiogenesis in breast cancer: insights and innovations
Authors: Elayat Ghada , Selim Abdel
Published: August 2024

This review explores the pivotal role of angiogenesis in breast cancer progression and treatment. It covers biomarkers, imaging techniques, therapeutic approaches, resistance mechanisms, and clinical implications. Key topics include Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors, angiopoietins, microRNA signatures, and circulating endothelial cells as biomarkers, along with Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Computed Tomography Angiography, Ultrasound, and Positron Emission Tomography for imaging. Therapeutic strategies targeting VEGF, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and the intersection of angiogenesis with immunotherapy are discussed. Challenges such as resistance mechanisms and personalized medicine approaches are addressed. Clinical implications, prognostic value, and the future direction of angiogenesis-targeted therapies are highlighted. The article concludes with reflections on the transformative potential of understanding angiogenesis.
Fast bias-corrected conductivity mapping using stimulated echoes
Authors: Iyyakkunnel Santhosh , Weigel Matthias , Bieri Oliver
Published: August 2024

Objective

To demonstrate the potential of a double angle stimulated echo (DA-STE) method for fast and accurate “full” homogeneous Helmholtz-based electrical properties tomography using a simultaneous $${B}_{1}^{+}$$

B

1

+

magnitude and transceive phase measurement.

Methods

The combination of a spin and stimulated echo can be used to yield an estimate of both $${B}_{1}^{+}$$

B

1

+

magnitude and transceive phase and thus provides the means for “full" EPT reconstruction. An interleaved 2D acquisition scheme is used for rapid acquisition. The method was validated in a saline phantom and compared to a double angle method based on two single gradient echo acquisitions (GRE-DAM). The method was evaluated in the brain of a healthy volunteer.

Results

The $${B}_{1}^{+}$$

B

1

+

magnitude obtained with DA-STE showed excellent agreement with the GRE-DAM method. Conductivity values based on the “full” EPT reconstruction also agreed well with the expectations in the saline phantom. In the brain, the method delivered conductivity values close to literature values.

Discussion

The method allows the use of the “full” Helmholtz-based EPT reconstruction without the need for additional measurements. As a result, quantitative conductivity values are improved compared to phase-based EPT reconstructions. DA-STE is a fast complex-$${B}_{1}^{+}$$

B

1

+

mapping technique that could render EPT clinically relevant at 3 T.
Scale-up of Global Child and Youth Mental Health Services: A Scoping Review
Authors: Walker Sarah Cusworth , Wissow Lawrence , Gubner Noah R. , Ngo Sally , Szatmari Peter , Servili Chiara
Published: August 2024

Numerous influential policy and scientific bodies are calling for more rapid advances in the scale-up of child and youth mental health services (CYMHS). A number of CYMHS innovations hold promise for advancing scale-up but little is known about how real-world efforts are progressing. We conducted a scoping review to identify promising approaches to CYMHS scale-up across the globe. Searches were completed in six databases (Academic Search Complete, CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsychInfo, PubMed, and Web of Science). Article selection and synthesis were conducted in accordance to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist. A second search focused on low-and-middle-income countries (LMIC) was conducted based on the Cochrane Library recommended search filters of the World Bank listed LMIC countries. Authors used a double coding strategy during the title/abstract and full-text review. Twenty-eight articles meeting the eligibility criteria were identified that described 22 initiatives (in 11 different countries). Our review found the majority of published scale-up studies in CYMHS were not informed by scale-up frameworks in design or reporting. The methods and outcomes used in the identified articles were highly variable and limited our ability to draw conclusions about comparative effectiveness although promising approaches emerged. Successes and failures identified in our review largely reflect consensus in the broader literature regarding the need for strategies to better navigate the complexities of system and policy implementation while ensuring CYMHS interventions fit local contexts.
Do Sex and Gender Have Separate Identities?
Authors: Quintana Gonzalo R. , Pfaus James G.
Published: August 2024

The largely binary nature of biological sex and its conflation with the socially constructed concept of gender has created much strife in the last few years. The notion of gender identity and its differences and similarities with sex have fostered much scientific and legal confusion and disagreement. Settling the debate can have significant repercussions for science, medicine, legislation, and people’s lives. The present review addresses this debate though different levels of analysis (i.e., genetic, anatomical, physiological, behavioral, and sociocultural), and their implications and interactions. We propose a rationale where both perspectives coexist, where diversity is the default, establishing a delimitation to the conflation between sex and gender, while acknowledging their interaction. Whereas sex in humans and other mammals is a biological reality that is largely binary and based on genes, chromosomes, anatomy, and physiology, gender is a sociocultural construct that is often, but not always, concordant with a person’ sex, and can span a multitude of expressions.
Linda’s Cars versus Dominik’s Dolls: How Do Pedagogical Educators in Training React to Children’s Violations of Gender Stereotypes?
Authors: Streck Hannah , Kessels Ursula
Published: August 2024

The gender stereotypes adults hold can influence whether they approve or disapprove of behavior shown by children, depending on whether this behavior is in line with stereotypes. Adults report negative evaluations toward children whose behavior does not adhere to gender stereotypes, particularly toward feminine boys. Whether pedagogical educators in training show negative reactions toward children who violate gender stereotypes has not been examined. We investigate this question by firstly assessing what gender stereotypes adults hold about children in Germany. In Study 1, we assessed descriptive, prescriptive, and proscriptive gender stereotypes identified by adults for children in German society. Stereotypes gathered from this first study were used to construct four vignettes of stereotypical and nonstereotypical boys and girls in order to examine how pedagogical educators in training (N = 414) evaluated these children in Study 2. We investigated ratings of one of these vignettes (2 × 2 between-participants design) regarding liking, perceived competence, creativity, self-esteem, prosocial behavior, as well as internalizing and externalizing problems. A series of ANOVAs revealed that girls displaying masculine behavior received advantageous ratings on competence, creativity, and self-esteem, while boys showing femininity were perceived as the most prosocial. More than gender nonconformity, masculinity and femininity strongly related to externalizing and internalizing problems, respectively. We review how our results in Germany differ from the literature originating in the USA, as we did not find backlash for feminine boys. Possible bias against femininity and toward masculinity within society and cultural and sampling factors is discussed.
Sex difference in mitral valve prolapse regurgitant volume is resolved by normalization of regurgitant volume to left ventricular end-diastolic volume
Authors: House Chad M. , Moriarty Katie A. , Nelson William B.
Published: August 2024

Women with primary mitral insufficiency have a smaller regurgitant volume at the same regurgitant fraction than men. We hypothesized that normalizing regurgitant volume with left ventricular end-diastolic volume or allometric scaling would eliminate the difference in regurgitant volume between women and men. The study cohort consisted of 101 patients with mitral valve prolapse undergoing cardiac MRI. Descriptive statistics and linear regression were performed to assess differences between sexes. Of the 101 patients, 46 (46%) were women. Women had a significantly smaller left and right ventricular end-diastolic volume, end-systolic volume, and stroke volume. While there was no difference in regurgitant fraction between women and men (34 ± 13% vs. 35 ± 14%; p = 0.71), women had a significantly smaller regurgitant volume (36 ± 18 ml vs. 49 ± 26 ml; p = 0.005). The slope-intercept relationship between regurgitant fraction and regurgitant volume revealed unique slopes and y-intercept values for men and women (p-value < 0.0001). Normalizing regurgitant volume to left ventricular end-diastolic volume (RVol/LVEDV), body surface area1.5 (RVol/BSA1.5) and height2.7 (RVol/height2.7) all had essentially identical slope-intercept relationships with regurgitant fraction for men and women, but RVol/LVEDV had the smallest effect size. In mitral insufficiency secondary to mitral valve prolapse women have a significantly smaller regurgitant volume than men despite no difference in regurgitant fraction. The significant difference in regurgitant volume between women and men is secondary to women having a smaller left ventricular end-diastolic volume.
Peer-assisted learning augmented by peer counseling to foster academic and personal development in flipped classroom
Authors: Avcı Mehmet
Published: August 2024

In recent decades, under the influence of technological advancements, evolving student demographics, and shifting societal demands, the landscape of higher education has undergone significant transformations. Among numerous learning approaches, Flipped Learning (FL) has gained particular prominence due to its ability to enhance students’ performance through active engagement and self-directed learning. Another teaching and learning linked to indicators of students’ academic achievements is Peer-Assisted Learning (PAL). However, previous research on PAL remains scarce. To fill this gap in the literature, the effects of the integration of Peer Counseling (PC) activity into PAL on both academic and personal development within the flipped classroom setting over time were investigated in the present study. The study participants were counseling students (n = 91), including 60 students in the PAL-integrated flipped classroom and 31 in traditional classroom used as the control group. The results revealed that, over a 14-week period, PAL-integrated flipped classroom led to improvement in students’ Solution-Focused Thinking (SFT) skills, self-efficacy, and effective counselor characteristics, with medium to large effect sizes. The results also indicated the positive effect of PC on students’ counseling performance and achievement scores. These findings offer important implications for creating a collaborative learning environment. The paper concludes with a discussion of challenges typically associated with the implementation of flipped classroom in higher education.
Between Understanding and Control: Science as a Cultural Product
Authors: Santo Flavio Del
Published: August 2024

Since the early days of humankind, people have been asking questions about Nature of two kinds: why did that happen? And how can that be used? In a broad sense, science was born that day. We show indeed that science has two complementary and interdependent souls that aim, respectively, to how to understand and how to control Nature. Through a broad historical analysis, this essay aims to (1) give an account of the development of science as an oscillation and an interplay between its two intrinsic natures, (2) demonstrate that this happened already in ancient times starting from the 6th century BC, and (3) the fact that in different periods one of the two natures was largely favored over the other is a consequence of science being a cultural product of the different social-historical contexts.
How to Assess Mathematics Teachers’ TPACK? A Comparison Between Self-Reports and Knowledge Tests
Authors: Kadluba Alina , Obersteiner Andreas
Published: August 2024

Teachers need technology-related knowledge to effectively use technology in the classroom. Previous studies have often used self-reports to assess such knowledge. However, it is questionable whether self-reports are valid measures for this purpose. This study investigates how mathematics teachers’ self-reports correlate with their scores in a paper–pencil knowledge test regarding TPCK (technological pedagogical content knowledge), CK (content knowledge), pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), and technological knowledge (TK). Participants were

$$N = 173$$

N
=
173

pre- and in-service mathematics teachers. To assess self-reports, we adapted an existing survey from the literature. We also compiled a knowledge test based on items from existing test instruments. To increase comparability between the two instruments, both the self-report and the paper–pencil knowledge test addressed the specific topic of fractions. The four subscales in both instruments had sufficient reliability. The correlations between the self-reports and the paper–pencil test scores were low or very low for all subscales

$$\left(r=.00-.23\right)$$

r
=
.
00
-
.
23

, suggesting that the two instruments captured different underlying constructs. While paper–pencil tests seem more suitable for assessing knowledge, self-reports may be influenced more strongly by participants’ personal traits such as self-efficacy. Our findings raise concerns about the validity of self-reports as measures of teachers’ professional knowledge, and the comparability of studies that use distinct assessment instruments. We recommend that researchers should be more cautious when interpreting self-reports as knowledge and rely more strongly on externally assessed tests.
Study of thermally induced interactions between active substances from the sartans class and various excipients
Authors: Cernușcă Bianca-Denisa , Bradu Ionela-Amalia , Pahomi Alexandru , Okolisan Dorinel , Budiul Mihaela Maria , Vlase Gabriela , Vlase Titus
Published: August 2024

Sartans, also known as angiotensin receptor blockers, comprise a category of antihypertensive medications designed to inhibit the actions of angiotensin II (Ang II) in the body, ultimately reducing blood pressure levels. This class of compounds is derived from 2-(1-benzyl-1H-imidazol-5-yl)-acetic acid, with its origin characterized by an imidazole core that underwent various substitutions at specific positions within the heterocyclic nucleus. We investigated the behavior of Losartan, Valsartan and Irbesartan and their compatibility with various excipients used in pharmaceutical tablet formulations by FTIR spectroscopic studies, thermal behavior by thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry. The aim of the study was to determine the excipients to be used in pharmaceutical formulations containing drugs from the class of sartans as active ingredients. Our study concludes by recommending precautionary measures in elaborating new solid formulations containing lactose in the case of Losartan.
Non-isothermal crystallization kinetics of biocomposites based on PLA/PHBV and spent coffee grounds
Authors: Novak Jan , Behalek Lubos , Hlozek Jiri , Boruvka Martin , Brdlik Pavel , Lenfeld Petr
Published: August 2024

This study deals with the modification of a predominantly amorphous poly(lactic acid) (PLA) by blending it with a semi-crystalline biopolymer, polyhydroxybutyrate-co-valerate (PHBV), which has a high crystallinity. The blends with different concentrations of PLA and PHBV were compounded with spent coffee grounds (SCGs) and processed by injection moulding. The structural, thermal and mechanical properties of the produced samples were investigated. Particular attention was paid to the effect of the presence of SCG and the concentration of PHBV in the blend on the crystallization kinetics and the heat deflection temperature (HDT). For equimolar blends, only a slight increase in HDT (about 5 °C) was observed, but the addition of PHBV suppressed the cold crystallization of PLA, which otherwise negatively affects the dimensional stability of injection moulded parts. A similar effect, but to a lesser extent, was achieved by adding SCG to the PLA matrix. Thus, it is clear that the material structures of PLA/PHBV blends and composites help to minimize additional shrinkage of the parts and increase their dimensional stability. Due to the co-continuous structure of the symmetric PLA/PHBV blends and the increase in the degree of crystallinity from 36 to 47% by annealing the produced samples, the heat deflection temperature increased from 65 up to 90 °C.
Development of dual-effect AW/Ag/CHI bioactive and antibacterial coating for orthopedic implant surfaces
Authors: Türk Serbülent , Yılmaz Eren , Semerci Alican Bahadır , Kırkbınar Mine , İbrahimoğlu Erhan , Çalışkan Fatih
Published: August 2024

Titanium implants, which are widely used in orthopedic implant applications, require surface treatments due to their low osteoinduction properties and the risk of postoperative infection. In this study, apatite wollastonite (AW)-based coatings with chitosan (CHI) and silver (Ag) added were applied to the titanium surface using dip coating and drop casting techniques. The obtained coating surfaces were characterized by FESEM, EDS, XRD, FTIR, and TGA–DSC. Biomineralization behaviors were examined by immersing the resulting coatings in simulated body fluid with pH 7.2–7.4. The antibacterial activities of the coatings obtained using S. aureus and E. coli bacterial colonies were examined. Following the successful coating of AW nanoparticles on the Ag and CHI implant substrate, the Ca/P ratio of the coated surface was obtained as 1.4–1.92% after the biomineralization process performed at 37° for 7 days. Ag particles were successfully distributed homogeneously with a 40–50-nm diameter in Ag-doped coatings. It was concluded that the successfully produced composite coating with bioactive and antibacterial properties is a suitable candidate material for metallic implant surfaces.

Graphical abstract
Measuring wellbeing in the Global Flourishing Study: insights from a cross-national analysis of cognitive interviews from 22 countries
Authors: Cowden Richard G. , Skinstad Deborah , Lomas Tim , Johnson Byron R. , VanderWeele Tyler J.
Published: August 2024

Prior research suggests that cross-national cognitive interviewing can provide preliminarily insights into the extent to which survey items that will be employed in large-scale global research might be understood similarly or differently across countries. Against the backdrop of the recently launched Global Flourishing Study, we used multinational cognitive interview data from 116 individuals (M = 41.4 years, SD = 14.9, female = 50.9%) in 22 countries to explore similarities and differences in item difficulty and comprehension of five of the Global Flourishing Study survey items that are related to personal wellbeing. Interviewer observations indicated that most participants (≥ 90%) did not experience a lot of difficulty responding to each of the items. Focusing on a specific comprehension probe that was common across the five items (i.e., “In your own words, what is this question asking?”), we applied the constant comparative analytic method to generate an overarching theme for each item that captured the common core or essence of how participants across the countries interpreted the items. However, there was some variability—both between and within countries—in how responses to the probe in the different countries related to the overarching theme for each item. Given the richness of the Global Flourishing Study as a possible data resource, including its broad representativeness of the global population and availability as an open access dataset, these findings will be useful to researchers who are interested in using data from the Global Flourishing Study to study human wellbeing in different parts of the world.
A novel AP2/ERF transcription factor, NtERF10, positively regulates plant height in tobacco
Authors: Xu Li , Xu Yong , Jiang Jia-rui , Cheng Chang-xin , Yang Wen-wu , Deng Le-le , Mi Qi-li , Zeng Wan-li , Li Jing , Gao Qian , Xiang Hai-ying , Li Xue-mei
Published: August 2024

Ethylene response factors have been shown to be involved in the effects of plant developmental processes and to regulate stress tolerance. The aim of this study was to recognize the regulatory mechanisms of ethylene response factors on tobacco plant height. In this study, a gene-edited mutant (ERF10-KO) and wild type (WT) were utilized as experimental materials. Transcriptome and metabolome analyses were used to investigate the regulatory mechanism of NtERF10 gene editing on plant height in tobacco. Here, through the analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs), 2051 genes were upregulated and 1965 genes were downregulated. We characterized the different ERF10-KO and WT plant heights and identified key genes for photosynthesis, the plant hormone signal transduction pathway and the terpene biosynthesis pathway. NtERF10 was found to affect the growth and development of tobacco by regulating the expression levels of the PSAA, PSBA, GLY17 and GGP3 genes. Amino acid metabolism was analyzed by combining analyses of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs). In addition, we found that members of the bHLH, NAC, MYB, and WRKY transcription factor families have vital roles in regulating plant height. This study not only provides important insights into the positive regulation of the ethylene response factor NtERF10 on plant height during plant growth and development but also provides new research ideas for tobacco molecular breeding.
Analysis of the 72-h ultramarathon using a predictive XG Boost model
Authors: Knechtle Beat , Villiger Elias , Weiss Katja , Valero David , Gajda Robert , Scheer Volker , de Lira Claudio Andre Barbosa , Braschler Lorin , Nikolaidis Pantelis T. , Vancini Rodrigo Luiz , Cuk Ivan , Rosemann Thomas , Thuany Mabliny
Published: August 2024

Background

Ultramarathon running enjoys unwavering popularity. This includes the 72-h run, the longest time-limited ultramarathon based on hours and not days, yet this specific race format remains understudied. In particular, we are still determining where the fastest 72-h ultra-marathoners originate or where the fastest races are held. The aim of the present study was to investigate the origins of the best performers and the locations of the fastest races.

Methods

A machine learning model based on the XG Boost algorithm was built to predict running speed based on the athlete´s gender, age group, country of origin, the country where the race was held, the kind of race course (road, trail, track), and the elevation (flat, hilly). Model explainability tools were then used to investigate how each independent variable would influence the predicted running speed.

Results

A total of 2,857 race records from 1,870 unique runners from 36 different countries participating in 55 races held in 22 countries between 1989 and 2022 were analyzed. Athletes from the USA account for more than 2/3 of the sample size. Also, more than 3/4 of the participants competed in USA-based races. Athletes from Ireland, Japan, and Ukraine were the fastest. In respect of the fastest races, they were held in Ukraine, The Netherlands, and Japan. The model rated the country of event as the most important predictor followed by the race characteristics of elevation and race course, athlete country of origin, age group, and gender. On average, men were 0.33 km/h faster than women. The fastest running speeds were achieved by runners in age group 45–49 years.

Conclusions

The country of the event was found to be the most important predictor in the 72-h run. Despite the dominance of runners from USA and the predominance of courses in the USA in terms of participation, athletes from Ireland, Japan, and Ukraine achieved the fastest times, while Ukraine, The Netherlands, and Japan were found to host the fastest courses.
Conflict Detection in Language Processing: Using Affect Control Theory to Predict Neural Correlates of Affective Incongruency in Social Interactions
Authors: Schauenburg Gesche , Aryani Arash , Hsu Chun-Ting , Schröder Tobias , Conrad Markus , von Scheve Christian , Jacobs Arthur M.
Published: August 2024

Affect control theory (ACT) is a sociological theory of meaning processing in social interactions. Meaning, according to ACT, derives from cultural institutions and situational affordances, having denotative (declarative) as well as connotative (affective) properties. Mathematical formalizations of ACT allow predictions of affective incongruency (in the terminology of ACT, deflection), which arises from conflicting institutional and situational meanings in a given interaction context. Although ACT is theoretically consistent, its propositions regarding cognitive and affective processing have rarely been tested. The present study fills this gap by investigating the neural processing of affective incongruency in linguistic descriptions of social interactions. Following a neurosociological paradigm, the study draws on neurocognitive evidence on the effects of words’ affective content on word processing as well as on a previous electroencephalography study that investigated processing of affective incongruency using event-related brain potentials. We hypothesized that affective incongruency is associated with activation in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a brain area known for conflict processing. To test this hypothesis, we replicated the electroencephalography study using functional magnetic resonance imaging: We visually presented sentences describing social interactions to 23 participants in a silent reading task while measuring differences in the hemodynamic response in two conditions of affective congruency. Results show expected increases in neural activity for affectively incongruent sentences in the left ACC, supporting the assumption that affective language content influences meaning-making at very early semantic processing stages. The results also add to the emerging neuroscientific evidence for ACT’s mathematical model of impression formation.
Effect of Stainless Steel Substrate Preparation on the Adhesion Strength and Morphology of Electrophoretically Deposited Sodium Alginate Coatings
Authors: Fiołek Aleksandra , Cudak Tomasz , Kowalski Kazimierz , Moskalewicz Tomasz
Published: August 2024

In this study, the influence of various mechanical and chemical surface treatments on the adhesion strength and surface properties of sodium alginate coatings electrophoretically deposited (EPD) on 316L stainless steel substrates was investigated. XPS and TEM results revealed the presence of oxide layers containing elements from the substrates, with thicknesses varying from 1 to 45 nm, depending on the treatment used. Most substrates exhibited high roughness and hydrophilic properties (CA with water 62.8–82.6 deg). Sodium alginate coatings with uniform morphology were deposited with the same process parameters, i.e., 5 V and 300 s. The surface topography of the coatings was closely related to that of the substrate on which they were deposited. All coatings exhibited higher hydrophilicity (CA with water 29.5–49.7 deg) compared to the substrates (CA with water 62.8–82.6 deg). The coatings on the etched and anodized substrates demonstrated the highest adhesion strength (class 4B), attributed to the very low oxide layer thickness and the specific substrate surface topography. Mechanical interlocking was identified as the primary adhesion mechanism for these coatings. This work provides insight into optimizing surface treatments for improved adhesion of sodium alginate coatings to stainless steel substrates widely used for temporary bone implants. The results obtained will also be helpful in providing high adhesion of sodium alginate-based composite coatings to steel substrates.
Reduction of surgical complications via 3D models during robotic assisted radical prostatectomy: review of current evidence and meta-analysis
Authors: Sarhan Kenaan , Khan Nawal , Prezzi Davide , Antonelli Michela , Hyde Eoin , MacAskill Findlay , Bunton Christopher , Byrne Nick , Diaz-Pinto Andres , Stabile Armando , Briganti Alberto , Gandaglia Giorgio , Raison Nicholas , Montorsi Francesco , Ourselin Sebastien , Dasgupta Prokar , Granados Alejandro
Published: August 2024

The use of 3-dimensional (3D) technology has become increasingly popular across different surgical specialities to improve surgical outcomes. 3D technology has the potential to be applied to robotic assisted radical prostatectomy to visualise the patient’s prostate anatomy to be used as a preoperative and peri operative surgical guide. This literature review aims to analyse all relevant pre-existing research on this topic. Following PRISMA guidelines, a search was carried out on PubMed, Medline, and Scopus. A total of seven studies were included in this literature review; two of which used printed-3D models and the remaining five using virtual augmented reality (AR) 3D models. Results displayed variation with select studies presenting that the use of 3D models enhances surgical outcomes and reduces complications whilst others displayed conflicting evidence. The use of 3D modelling within surgery has potential to improve various areas. This includes the potential surgical outcomes, including complication rates, due to improved planning and education.
Real-world accuracy of robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty and its impact on expedited recovery
Authors: Wong Wai Kit , Abu Bakar Sajak Azliana , Chua Hwa Sen
Published: August 2024

Despite total knee arthroplasty (TKA) being the gold standard for end-stage knee osteoarthritis, 20% of patients remain dissatisfied. Robotic-assisted arthroplasty promises unparalleled control of the accuracy of bone cuts, implant positioning, control of gap balance, and resultant hip–knee–ankle (HKA) axis. Patients underwent clinical and radiological assessments, including knee CT scans and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), preoperatively. Follow-up assessments were conducted at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, and 3 months post-operatively, with imaging repeated at 6 weeks. A total of 155 patients underwent robotic-assisted TKA and have completed 3 months of follow-up. Mean pre-operative HKA axis was 7.39 ± 5.52 degrees varus, improving to 1.34 ± 2.22 degrees varus post-operatively. Restoration of HKA axis was 0.76 ± 1.9 degrees from intra-operative planning (p < 0.0005). Implant placement accuracy in the coronal plane was 0.08 ± 1.36 degrees (p = 0.458) for the femoral component and 0.71 ± 1.3 degrees (p < 0.0005) for the tibial component. Rotational alignment mean deviation was 0.39 ± 1.49 degrees (p = 0.001). Most patients (98.1%) had ≤ 2 mm difference in extension–flexion gaps. PROM scores showed improvement and exceeded pre-operative scores by 6 weeks post-surgery. Robotic-assisted knee arthroplasty provides precise control over traditionally subjective factors, demonstrating excellent early post-operative outcomes.

Level of evidence Prospective observational study—II.