bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Can a meta sustainability label facilitate more sustainable consumer choices?
Authors: Torma Gabriele , Thøgersen John
Published: June 2023

The current sustainability labeling landscape has been accused of creating unnecessary consumer confusion due to too much, too complex, too similar, and too ambiguous information. Meta‐sustainability labeling is proposed as a solution. We provide the first evidence on the added value of this instrument based on a survey in the USA (N = 518) and Germany (N = 520). Participants were randomly allocated to one of four different conditions: (1) traditional labeling, (2) new, common label design, (3) traditional labeling plus meta label, and (4) new, common label design plus meta label. The study confirms the preference for sustainability‐labeled products in both countries. In the USA, the new, common label design outperforms traditional labeling. Adding a meta label reduced the effect. In Germany, both the common labeling design and the meta label improved the effectiveness of sustainability labeling for some consumer segments. The new designs are built on the branding of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, which makes them practically relevant for global implementation.
Physical properties of Scarpa's fascia
Authors: Valença‐Filipe Rita , Mendes Joaquim , Pereira Francisco , Vardasca Ricardo , Amarante José , Costa‐Ferreira António
Published: June 2023

Preservation of Scarpa's fascia has improved clinical outcomes in abdominoplasty procedures and in other body contour surgeries. However, the physical properties of Scarpa's fascia have not yet been described, and grafts are still underexplored. Fresh surgical specimens from five female patients subjected to classical abdominoplasty were dissected and analyzed. A grid was drawn on the fascia surface, dividing it into equal upper and lower halves; four Scarpa's fascia samples (30 × 10 mm) were collected from each half, 40 mm apart. The thickness was measured with a caliper. A strain/stress universal testing machine was used for mechanical tests. Twenty‐five samples were obtained (nine from the upper half, 16 from the lower). The average thickness was 0.56 ± 0.11 mm. The average values for stretch, stress, strain, and Young's Modulus were, respectively, 1.436, 4.198 MPa, 43.6%, and 23.14 MPa. The upper half showed significantly greater thickness and strain values (p = 0.020 and p = 0.048; Student's t‐test). The physical and biomechanical properties of Scarpa's fascia can make it a donor area for fascial grafts as an alternative to fascia lata, as it is always available and has minimal donor‐site morbidity. Further studies are needed to validate this statement. It seems advantageous to use the lower half of the abdomen instead of the upper part as a donor site.
MFN2 suppresses clear cell renal cell carcinoma progression by modulating mitochondria‐dependent dephosphorylation of EGFR
Authors: Luo Li , Wei Denghui , Pan Yihui , Wang Qiu‐Xia , Feng Jian‐Xiong , Yu Bing , Kang Tiebang , Luo Junhang , Yang Jiefeng , Gao Song
Published: June 2023

Background

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most lethal renal cancer. An overwhelming increase of patients experience tumor progression and unfavorable prognosis. However, the molecular events underlying ccRCC tumorigenesis and metastasis remain unclear. Therefore, uncovering the underlying mechanisms will pave the way for developing novel therapeutic targets for ccRCC. In this study, we sought to investigate the role of mitofusin‐2 (MFN2) in supressing ccRCC tumorigenesis and metastasis.

Methods

The expression pattern and clinical significance of MFN2 in ccRCC were analyzed by using the Cancer Genome Atlas datasets and samples from our independent ccRCC cohort. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments, including cell proliferation, xenograft mouse models and transgenic mouse model, were used to determine the role of MFN2 in regulating the malignant behaviors of ccRCC. RNA‐sequencing, mass spectrum analysis, co‐immunoprecipitation, bio‐layer interferometry and immunofluorescence were employed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms for the tumor‐supressing role of MFN2.

Results

we reported a tumor‐suppressing pathway in ccRCC, characterized by mitochondria‐dependent inactivation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling. This process was mediated by the outer mitochondrial membrane (OMM) protein MFN2. MFN2 was down‐regulated in ccRCC and associated with favorable prognosis of ccRCC patients. in vivo and in vitro assays demonstrated that MFN2 inhibited ccRCC tumor growth and metastasis by suppressing the EGFR signaling pathway. In a kidney‐specific knockout mouse model, loss of MFN2 led to EGFR pathway activation and malignant lesions in kidney. Mechanistically, MFN2 preferably binded small GTPase Rab21 in its GTP‐loading form, which was colocalized with endocytosed EGFR in ccRCC cells. Through this EGFR‐Rab21‐MFN2 interaction, endocytosed EGFR was docked to mitochondria and subsequently dephosphorylated by the OMM‐residing tyrosine‐protein phosphatase receptor type J (PTPRJ).

Conclusions

Our findings uncover an important non‐canonical mitochondria‐dependent pathway regulating EGFR signaling by the Rab21‐MFN2‐PTPRJ axis, which contributes to the development of novel therapeutic strategies for ccRCC.
Magnetic resonance imaging findings of intracranial extraventricular ependymoma: A retrospective multi‐center cohort study of 114 cases
Authors: Li Liyan , Fu Yan , Zhang Yinping , Mao Yipu , Huang Deyou , Yi Xiaoping , Wang Jing , Tan Zeming , Jiang Muliang , Chen Bihong T.
Published: June 2023

Background

Intracranial extraventricular ependymoma (IEE) is an ependymoma located in the brain parenchyma outside the ventricles. IEE has overlapping clinical and imaging characteristics with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) but different treatment strategy and prognosis. Therefore, an accurate preoperative diagnosis is necessary for optimizing therapy for IEE.

Methods

A retrospective multicenter cohort of IEE and GBM was identified. MR imaging characteristics assessed with the Visually Accessible Rembrandt Images (VASARI) feature set and clinicopathological findings were recorded. Independent predictors for IEE were identified using multivariate logistic regression, which was used to construct a diagnostic score for differentiating IEE from GBM.

Results

Compared to GBM, IEE tended to occur in younger patients. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified seven independent predictors for IEE. Among them, 3 predictors including tumor necrosis rate (F7), age, and tumor‐enhancing margin thickness (F11), demonstrated higher diagnostic performance with an Area Under Curve (AUC) of more than 70% in distinguishing IEE from GBM. The AUC was 0.85, 0.78, and 0.70, with sensitivity of 92.98%, 72.81%, and 96.49%, and specificity of 65.50%, 73.64%, and 43.41%, for F7, age, and F11, respectively.

Conclusion

We identified specific MR imaging features such as tumor necrosis and thickness of enhancing tumor margins that could help to differentiate IEE from GBM. Our study results should be helpful to assist in diagnosis and clinical management of this rare brain tumor.
Nonparametric simulation extrapolation for measurement‐error models
Authors: Spicker Dylan , Wallace Michael P. , Yi Grace Y.
Published: June 2023

The presence of measurement error is a widespread issue, which, when ignored, can render the results of an analysis unreliable. Numerous corrections for the effects of measurement error have been proposed and studied, often under the assumption of a normally distributed, additive measurement‐error model. In many situations, observed data are nonsymmetric, heavy‐tailed, or otherwise highly non‐normal. In these settings, correction techniques relying on the assumption of normality are undesirable. We propose an extension of simulation extrapolation that is nonparametric in the sense that no specific distributional assumptions are required on the error terms. The technique can be implemented when either validation data or replicate measurements are available, and is designed to be immediately accessible to those familiar with simulation extrapolation.
Hyperbranched Polymers for Organic Semiconductors
Authors: Zhou Zhaoqiong , Luo Nan , Shao Xiangfeng , Zhang Hao‐Li , Liu Zitong
Published: June 2023

Hyperbranched polymers (HBPs) have attracted increasing attention owing to their distinct highly branched topological structures, resulting in unique properties and wide applications in organic semiconductors (OSCs). In this Review, recent progress in functional HBPs is outlined in the field of OSCs, including organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs), organic photovoltaics (OPVs), dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), and organic field effect transistors (OFETs), among others. Prospects of HBPs‐based materials in OSCs are examined. The results revealed that multi‐dimensional topologies not only regulate the electron (hole) transport but also adjust the film morphology, thereby affecting the efficiency and long life of organic electronic devices. Many studies showed the usefulness of HBPs as hole transport materials but reports dealing with n‐type and ambipolar materials are still lacking. In addition, the interchain covalent bond in hyperbranched polymers could mitigate the damage caused by stretching, conducive to building stable flexible stretchable devices with long‐term durability and good safety under harsh environmental conditions. Overall, the flexible stretchable design may enrich the applications of HBPs in organic semiconductors and provide new ideas for guiding the future design of functional organic semiconductor materials.
Growth and Characterization of Lanthanum Germanide Thin Films by the Thermal Evaporation Technique
Authors: Alkhamisi Manal M. , Qasrawi A. F. , Khanfar Hazem K.
Published: June 2023

Lanthanum germanide (La6Ge) thin films are successfully fabricated using the thermal evaporation technique under a vacuum pressure of 10−5 mbar. The resulting films display an orthorhombic structure, characterized by lattice parameters of a = 8.725 Å, b = 8.063 Å, and c = 5.569 Å. Optical analysis of the La6Ge thin films reveal their high transparency, with an energy bandgap of 3.75±0.04 eV. The bandgap exhibits indirect allowed transitions and featured energy band tails with widths measuring (1.64±0.14) eV. In addition, dielectric dispersion analyses indicate the presence of two dominant dielectric resonance peaks centered at 3.15 and 2.08 eV. Moreover, the La6Ge films demonstrate a terahertz (THz) cutoff frequency of 1.0 THz when illuminated with infrared and visible light. This cutoff frequency increases to 45.6 THz in the ultraviolet range. Furthermore, by utilizing the Drude–Lorentz method, the investigation of optical conductivity parameters reveals that the lanthanum germanide optical filters can achieve free hole density and drift mobility values of 14.44 cm2 V−1 s−1 and 2.8×1018 cm−3, respectively, under infrared light irradiation. The outstanding optical and dielectric properties exhibited by the La6Ge thin films make them excellent candidates for highly transparent optical filters suitable for terahertz technology.
Effect of CZT Powder Burying CZT Crystal on Annealing in Cd Atmosphere
Authors: Meng Yupu , Liang Xiaoyan , Xie Chen , Yu Chao , Zhang Jijun , Yin Liang , Dai Lingen , Chen Jun , Xu Run , Wang Linjun , Min Jiahua
Published: June 2023

Due to the inevitable formation of the second phase of Te in the growth process of Cadmium zinc telluride (CdZnTe/CZT) crystal, the Te related defects are usually treated by Cd atmosphere annealing to improve the crystal quality. In this paper, the influence of different powder burying crystals on the annealing effect in Cd atmosphere is studied by analyzing the change of crystal surface components, removal effect of Te inclusion, electric field distribution and carrier transport characteristics. The results show that burying the crystal with powder helps to maintain the crystal surface composition in annealing, but the Te inclusion can be eliminated only by controlling the amount of powder. Moreover, it is found that the uniformly distributed Te inclusions tend to migrate to the surface during the annealing process, while the Te inclusions at dislocation or crystal boundary are difficult to eliminate. It is speculated that the internal Te loading is more inclined to the reaction of diffused Cd atom, which makes the Te inclusions decrease continuously. After annealing with proper amount of powder, due to the elimination of Te inclusion defects, the electric field distribution inside the crystal is more uniform and the carrier lifetime product is improved.
Multi‐objective Bayesian algorithm automatically discovers low‐cost high‐growth serum‐free media for cellular agriculture application
Authors: Cosenza Zachary , Block David E. , Baar Keith , Chen Xingyu
Published: June 2023

In this work, we applied a multi‐information source modeling technique to solve a multi‐objective Bayesian optimization problem involving the simultaneous minimization of cost and maximization of growth for serum‐free C2C12 cells using a hyper‐volume improvement acquisition function. In sequential batches of custom media experiments designed using our Bayesian criteria, collected using multiple assays targeting different cellular growth dynamics, the algorithm learned to identify the trade‐off relationship between long‐term growth and cost. We were able to identify several media with more growth of C2C12 cells than the control, as well as a medium with 23% more growth at only 62.5% of the cost of the control. These algorithmically generated media also maintained growth far past the study period, indicating the modeling approach approximates the cell growth well from an extremely limited data set.
Virtual screening of the natural antifoulants: In silico approach to screen lichen metabolites against marine biofoulers
Authors: Subbaiyan Rubavathi , Ganesan Ayyappadasan , Dhanuskodi Saranya , Prakash Harsha pradha , Varadharajan Venkatramanan
Published: June 2023

The present study aims to explore the inhibitory action of lichen metabolites against important protein targets of marine fouling organisms using computational methods. Lichens with their unique ability to produce various secondary metabolites find versatile applications in Biotechnology and allied fields. The 3D structure of target proteins associated with fouling activity of marine organism were collected from the protein data bank (PDB) and the computational docking analysis was performed using the PyRx software with 40 lichen compounds that are collected from PubChem. The lichen compounds were docked against the following protein targets—mannose‐specific lectin CGL1 of Crassostrea gigas, Proximal thread matrix protein 1 PTMP 1 of Mytilus galloprovincialis, and G protein‐coupled receptor (GPCR) of Balanus amphitrite. As there was no experimentally determined structure available for GPCR of B. amphitrite, homology modeling was performed to predict the protein structure. The docking study showed effective binding of lichen compounds to various fouling targets with the binding energies in the range of −10.1 to −5 kcal/mol. Among the lichen compounds studied, roccanin showed the least binding energy for CGL1, PTMP1 and GPCR. The correlation assessments predict a positive relationship between binding energy, molecular weight and retention time. MD Simulation studies were performed using LARMD online tool and the RMSD and radius of gyration (Rg) values was recorded. This study proves that the compounds produced by lichens have high antifouling effect against marine foulers under in silico conditions.
Decadal Assessment of Microplastics, Pharmaceuticals, and Pesticides as Contaminants of Emerging Concern in Kenya's Surface Waters: A Review
Authors: Githaiga Kelvin Babu , Njuguna Samwel Maina , Bargul Joel Ltilitan , Liu Fan , Gituru Robert Wahiti , Yan Xue
Published: June 2023

Studies investigating microplastics, pharmaceuticals, and pesticides as contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in surface water sources in Kenya are reviewed. Contaminants of emerging concern are chemicals that have recently been discovered that may pose a threat to the environment, aquatic life, and human life. Microplastics in surface waters range from 1.56 to as high as 4520 particles/m3, with high concentrations recorded in coastal waters. The dominant microplastics are fibers, fragments, and films, with foams, granules, and pellets making up only a small percentage. The main source of pharmaceuticals in water sources is not wastewater-treatment plants but rather raw untreated sewage because high concentrations are found near informal settlements with poor sewage connectivity. Antibiotics are detected in the range of the limit of quantification to 320 μg/L, with sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, and ciprofloxacin being the most abundant antibiotics. The high frequency of detection is attributed to the general misuse of antibiotics in the country. A health risk assessment indicated that only ciprofloxacin and acetaminophen posed noncarcinogenic health risks in the Ndarugo River and Mombasa periurban creeks, respectively. Similarly, the detection of antiretroviral drugs, mainly lamivudine, nevirapine, and zidovudine, is associated with human immunodeficiency virus prevalence in Kenya. In the Lake Naivasha, Nairobi River, and Lake Victoria basins, frequently detected organochloride pesticides (OCPs) are methoxychlor, alachlor, endrin, dieldrin, endosulfan, endosulfan sulfate, α-hexachlorocyclohexane (α-HCH), γ-HCH, and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), some of which occur above permissible concentrations. The presence of DDT in some sites translates to illegal use or historical application. The majority of individual OCPs posed no noncarcinogenic health risk, except dieldrin and aldrin which had a hazard quotient >1 in two sites. Therefore, more surveying and regular monitoring in different regions in Kenya concerning CECs is essential to determine the spatial variability and effective measures to be taken to reduce pollution. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;42:2105–2118. © 2023 SETAC.
A CRISPR/dCas9‐enabled, on‐site, visual, and bimodal biosensing strategy for ultrasensitive and self‐validating detection of foodborne pathogenic bacteria
Authors: Li Yaru , Qiao Jiali , Zhao Zhiying , Zhang Qiang , Zhang Wenlu , Man Shuli , Ye Shengying , Chen Kai , Ma Long
Published: June 2023

It is imperative to develop practicable pathogenic bacteria detection methods. We devised a biosensor for the ultrasensitive detection of Salmonella typhimurium (S. typhi), termed as SCOUT‐dCas9 (ultrasensitive, cross‐validating, on‐site, and dUal‐mode test using CRISPR/dCas9). Simply, the species‐specific invA gene of S. typhi was amplified using loop‐mediated isothermal amplification with a biotinylated primer, which can be specifically “pulled down” by “antibody‐like” dCas9‐single guide RNA to form a ternary complex. SYBR Green I and streptavidin‐modified alkaline phosphatase were used to functionalize them to generate fluorescent and colorimetric signals, respectively. With this strategy, the target could be dexterously converted into bimodal signals that were cross‐validated to afford more reliable results. For both modes, SCOUT‐dCas9 was able to detect as low as 1 CFU/mL with a dynamic range from 1 to 109 CFU/mL. Lastly, SCOUT‐dCas9 had satisfactory selectivity and was capable of detecting S. typhi‐contaminated real food samples. SCOUT‐dCas9 provides a robust platform for bacterial detection.
How can Health in All Policies approaches support the transition to the well‐being economy?
Authors: Valentine Nicole , Williams Carmel , Vega Jeanette , Solar Orielle , Told Michaela
Published: June 2023

Health in All Policies approaches support the integration of health considerations into the policies of traditionally siloed governance systems. These siloed systems are often ignorant of the fact that health is created outside of the health system and starts long before you see a health professional. Thus, the purpose of Health in All Policies approaches is to raise the importance of the broad‐based impacts on health from these public policies and to implement healthy public policy that delivers human rights for all. This approach requires significant adjustments to current economic and social policy settings. A well‐being economy similarly aspires to create policy incentives that increase the importance of social and non‐monetized outcomes, such as increased social cohesion environmental sustainability and health. These outcomes can evolve deliberately alongside economic benefits and are impacted by economic and market activities. The principles and functions underpinning Health in All Policies approaches, such as joined‐up policy making can be helpful to transition towards a well‐being economy. Governments will need to move beyond the currently held principle of “economic growth and profit above all else” if countries are to tackle growing societal inequity and catastrophic climate changes. Rapid digitization and globalization have further entrenched the focus on monetary economic outcomes rather than other aspects of human welfare. This has created an increasingly difficult context within which to prioritize social policies and efforts aimed to achieve primarily social and not profit‐oriented goals. In the face of this larger context, alone, Health in All Policies approaches will not bring about the needed transformation to achieve healthy populations and economic transition. However, Health in All Policies approaches do offer lessons and a rationale that is aligned with, and can support the transition to, a well‐being economy. Transforming current economic approaches to a well‐being economy is imperative to achieve equitable population health, social security and climate sustainability.
Engaging culturally diverse fathers in maternal and family healthcare: Experiences and perspectives of healthcare professionals
Authors: Forbes Faye , Wynter Karen , Zeleke Berihun M. , Fisher Jane
Published: June 2023

Issue Addressed

Australian maternal, family and child services increasingly espouse the value of being ‘father‐inclusive’. However, fathers report feeling excluded or marginalised during healthcare visits with their partners/infants, and experience barriers to engaging in perinatal healthcare at the community, individual and healthcare service level. These barriers may be amplified in men who are members of minority groups, such as those from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds.

Methods

This research investigated healthcare professionals' perceptions and experiences of providing perinatal health services to families from CALD backgrounds. Semi‐structured interviews were held with healthcare professionals from multiple disciplinary backgrounds providing services to families in the perinatal period. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and analysed thematically to identify key themes and sub‐themes.

Results

Ten healthcare professionals were interviewed. Participants acknowledged that inclusion of fathers in care is important as involvement enables fathers to support their pregnant partners and children, manage their own mental health, and helps to transform harmful gender roles.

Conclusions

Overall, healthcare professionals are willing to include culturally diverse fathers. However, the ability of culturally diverse families to engage with healthcare services is impacted by the cultural competency of the services. So what? Healthcare delivered during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum year may be improved by adopting a whole‐family approach, which considers the needs and perspectives of fathers and partners. However, particular attention is needed to ensure healthcare policies and practices are culturally competent to meet the needs of fathers from culturally diverse backgrounds.
How Large Scale Agile Can Operate Systems Engineering in the Future
Authors: Alt Laurent , Le Mouëlli Mikaël
Published: June 2023

The significant shift happening today towards more connected, more automated, and more autonomous systems is bringing software inside all systems, and at the same time agile practices. Our experience of large‐scale agile deployments in companies building or operating complex systems in automotive and aerospace shows that, whereas both approaches can easily coexist in isolated teams within the same company, major problems arise when coordinating them at the leadership level, where they are perceived as antagonist, and create misalignments, friction and quality issues. In this article, we propose to describe why it is important to make agile and systems engineering work together, how to do it, and how this impacts how we see value, systems, digital twins, and leadership. The following concepts of the FuSE agile roadmaps are addressed:

▪ Agility with long lead time components and dependencies

▪ Agility across organizations boundaries

▪ Orchestrating agile operations.
Retinal alterations in evaluation of rheumatoid arthritis with chloroquine treatment: A new approach
Authors: Liu Li‐Qi , Shi Wen‐Qing , Chen Jun , Li Qing‐Jian , Qian‐Ling  , Wei Hong , Xu San Hua , Kang Min , Huang Hui , Chen Xu , Wang Yi‐Xin , Shao Yi
Published: June 2023

Objective

To evaluate the effect of hydroxychloroquine on conjunctival and retinal microvascular density in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.

Methods

Ten healthy controls, 10 RA patients who had not been treated with hydroxychloroquine, and 10 RA patients who had been treated with chloroquine for more than 5 years were recruited. Optical coherence tomography (OCTA) was used to examine the conjunctival and superficial and deep retinal microvascular density and compared the differences in microvascular density between the three groups.

Results

The vascular density in RA group in superficial microvascular was significantly lower than that in control group (p < 0.001). Compared with RA group, the chloroquine group showed statistically significantly lower microvascular (p < 0.001) and deep microvascular (p = 0.018). Superficial microvascular was positively correlated with conjunctival vessel density in RA patients (r = 0.868, p = 0.0048).

Conclusions

The use of chloroquine could further reduce the vascular density in the absence of statistical difference in the course of the disease.
Optimizing fabrication parameters via Taguchi method for production of high yield hydroxyapatite microsphere scaffolds using Drop‐on‐Demand inkjet method
Authors: Wee Chien Yi , Lim Quentin Ray Tjieh , Zhao Yun , Xu Xin , Yang Zhijie , Wang Dong , Thian Eng San
Published: June 2023

Drop on demand (DOD) inkjet method is a cost‐efficient way of producing hydroxyapatite (HAp) microsphere scaffolds with narrow size distribution. However, DOD fabrication parameters may influence the yield and characteristics of the microsphere scaffolds. Testing different permutations and combinations of fabrication parameters is costly and time consuming. Taguchi method could be used as a predictive tool for optimizing the key fabrication parameters to produce HAp microspheres with desired yield and properties, minimizing the number of experimental combinations to be tested. The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of the fabrication parameters on the characteristics of the microspheres formed and determine optimum parameter conditions for producing high yield HAp microsphere scaffolds with the desired properties intended to serve as potential bone substitutes. We aimed to achieve microspheres with high production yield, microsphere size of <230 μm, micropore sizes <1 μm, rough surface morphology and high sphericity. Experiments were conducted using Taguchi method with a L9 orthogonal array at three levels per parameter to determine optimum parameter values for (1) operating pressure, (2) shutter speed duration, (3) nozzle height and (4) CaCl2 concentration. Based on signal‐to‐noise (S/N) ratio analysis, the identified optimum parameter conditions for operating pressure, shutter speed duration, nozzle height and CaCl2 concentration to be 0.9–1.3 bar, 100 ms, 8 cm and 0.4 M respectively. The microspheres obtained had an average size of 213 μm, 0.45 μm micropore size, high sphericity index of 0.95 and high production yield of 98%. Confirmation tests and ANOVA results affirms the validity of Taguchi method in optimizing HAp microspheres with high yield, desired size, micropore size and shape. HAp microsphere scaffolds produced by optimum conditions were subjected to a 7‐day in‐vitro study. Cells remained viable and continued to proliferate (increased 1.2‐fold) over 7 days with microspheres maintaining high cell density with cells bridging between microspheres. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) assay increased 1.5‐fold from day 1, suggesting good osteogenic potency of HAp microspheres as potential bone substitutes.
Hypocitraturia and Risk of Bone Disease in Patients With Kidney Stone Disease
Authors: Ganesan Calyani , Thomas I‐Chun , Montez‐Rath Maria E , Chertow Glenn M , Leppert John T , Pao Alan C
Published: June 2023

Patients with kidney stone disease are at higher risk for bone disease. Hypocitraturia is common in patients with kidney stone disease and a key risk factor for stone recurrence. In this retrospective cohort study, we sought to determine whether hypocitraturia is also a risk factor for incident bone disease in patients with kidney stone disease. We used nationwide data from the Veterans Health Administration and identified 9025 patients with kidney stone disease who had a 24‐hour urine citrate measurement between 2007 and 2015. We examined clinical characteristics of patients by level of 24‐hour urine citrate excretion (<200, 200–400, and >400 mg/d) and the time to osteoporosis or fracture according to 24‐hour urine citrate excretion level. Almost one in five veterans with kidney stone disease and a 24‐hour urine citrate measurement had severe hypocitraturia, defined as <200 mg/d. Patients with severe hypocitraturia were at risk for osteoporosis or fracture (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.23; confidence interval [CI] 1.03–1.48), but after adjustment for demographic factors, comorbid conditions, and laboratory abnormalities associated with hypocitraturia, the association was no longer statistically significant (HR = 1.18; CI 0.98–1.43). Our results in a predominantly male cohort suggest a modest association between hypocitraturia and osteoporosis or fracture; there are likely to be other explanations for the potent association between kidney stone disease and diminished bone health. © 2023 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
The use of weather nowcasting convolutional neural network extrapolators in cardiacPETimaging
Authors: Sloka Scott
Published: June 2023

Introduction

Algorithms to predict short‐term changes in local weather modalities have been used in meteorology for many years. These algorithms predict the temporospatial change in the movement of weather patterns such as cloud cover or precipitation. This paper extends convolutional neural network models for weather prediction/nowcasting to predict evolution in the extrapolation of sequentially acquired count data seen with cardiac positron tomography (PET) data to expected value temporally rather than spatially.

Methods

Six different algorithms used for nowcasting were modified and applied to confirm the approach. These algorithms were trained on an image data set of both simulated ellipsoids and simulated cardiac PET data. The peak signal‐to‐noise ratio (PSNR) and structural similarity (SSIM) were calculated for each of these trained models. They were compared to the BM3D denoising algorithm as a baseline comparison to a standard method of image denoising.

Results

Most of the implemented algorithms showed a significant improvement in both PSNR and SSIM when compared with the baseline standard, especially when the algorithms were implemented in combination. The best results were obtained with a combination of the ConvLSTM and TrajGRU algorithms with a PSNR improvement over the standard of 5 and more than double the SSIM metric.

Conclusion

This approach of using serially acquired count data to extrapolate a future expected representation through convolutional neural networks has been shown to produce accurate representations of the expected value when compared with a baseline analytic methodology. This paper confirms that algorithms such as these can be used to substantially improve image estimation and shows significant improvement over a baseline standard.
A real‐world retrospective observational study exploring resource use for secondary care management of moderate‐to‐severe atopic dermatitis in children and adolescents at a single site in Ireland
Authors: Irvine Alan D. , Surendranathan Thishi , Hennessy Liz , Rajkovic Ivana , Durkan Annette , Coughlan Dearbhla , Conlon Sean , Hudson Richard
Published: June 2023

Background

Management of paediatric atopic dermatitis (AD) remains challenging, and presents a considerable healthcare resource utilisation (HCRU) burden.

Objectives

To describe secondary HCRU for children and adolescents with moderate‐to‐severe AD in Ireland.

Methods

This was a single‐centre chart review of children (age 6–11 years) and adolescents (age 12–17 years) with clinician‐confirmed moderate‐to‐severe AD. Eligible patients were selected consecutively, starting with the most recently consulting patient, and working backwards until patient identification for the study was complete. From first secondary care appointment post 1 January 2014, at least 12 months' medical record data were abstracted, including patient demographics/clinical characteristics, treatments, HCRU, and patient‐reported outcomes.

Results

Data were abstracted for 31 patients (22 children). Mean (SD) duration of observation was 4.4 (1.9) years. Most patients (74.2%) had severe AD at first referral, a mean (SD) of 2.7 (1.5) comorbid conditions, 2.2 (1.1) patient‐reported flare episodes/patient/year‐of‐observation, and 18.5 (12.2) tests/scans/procedures/patient/year‐of‐observation. Patients had tried a mean (SD) of 7.9 (5.3) treatments/patient/year‐of‐observation. Topical corticosteroids (TCS; 48.5% of prescriptions) were most frequently prescribed. Mean (SD) use (duration) of TCS, nonsteroidal topicals (tacrolimus, 4.1% of prescriptions), systemic corticosteroids (prednisolone, 2.2%), and systemic immunosuppressants (10.7%, of which methotrexate was 68.2%) was 38.6 (41.1), 54.4 (41.1), 2.0 (3.1), and 27.6 (21.1) months. Mean (SD) consultations/patient/year‐of‐observation was 15.3 (6.3); 28 (5.9%) for flare. Eight (25.8%) patients were hospitalised (including six children). There were 0.03 hospitalisations/patient/year‐of‐observation, and 4.4 nights spent in hospital, mostly for flare. Earliest mean (SD) Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index score was 9.7 (6.2); latest was 6.6 (5.5).

Conclusion

This is the first study examining paediatric AD HCRU in an Irish healthcare setting. Moderate‐to‐severe paediatric AD results in complex treatment, with high healthcare burden in hospital outpatient care. Despite treatment and a low hospitalisation rate, patients experience flare, lengthy hospital stays, and minor changes in quality of life.
Laryngological Symptomatology in Patients with Ehlers–Danlos Syndrome
Authors: Sharma Anu , Bryson Paul C. , Adessa Michelle
Published: June 2023

Laryngological manifestations of connective tissue diease with hypermobility such as ehlers‐danlos syndrome (EDS) are not well defined in the literature. EDS is an inherited, hetrogeneous, connective tissue disorder characterized by joint hypermobility, skin extensibility, and joint dislocations. A case series of 9 patients is presented with varying laryngological complaints. Common comorbities include postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)/laryngopharyngeal reflux disease (LPRD). Six patients were singers. Videostroboscopic parameters and treatment courses are described. It may be beneficial to view patients with EDS and laryngological complaints through a holistic lens as many may need interdisciplinary assessment and management. Laryngoscope, 134:894–896, 2024
Usefulness of a newly developed endoscope for the observation of the posterior tracheal wall
Authors: Tamai Tomoe , Yoshimi Kanako , Nakagawa Kazuharu , Yanagida Ryosuke , Okumura Takuma , Yamaguchi Kohei , Ishii Miki , Nagasawa Yuki , Tohara Haruka
Published: June 2023

Objective

Videoendoscopic evaluation of swallowing is an objective swallowing function evaluation method used in dysphagia rehabilitation. However, it is anatomically difficult to detect the entry of foreign substances through the posterior tracheal wall using a conventional endoscope (CE). In this study, we developed an endoscope that can observe the posterior tracheal wall and investigated its reliability and validity in healthy adults.

Methods

Twenty healthy adults were included. The trachea was observed from inside the larynx using a CE and a portable, flexible two‐step angulation endoscope (two‐AE) with a two‐step curved shaft tip. The visibility of the anterior and posterior walls was recorded. The time from the endoscope tip entering the larynx to the posterior tracheal wall was measured. Additionally, discomfort events were assessed after the examination. McNemar's test and a paired t‐test were used for statistical analysis. Kappa coefficients and concordance rates were calculated.

Results

The anterior tracheal wall was observed using both endoscopes. The posterior tracheal wall was significantly observed in 18 participants with the two‐AE (p < .001), compared to only three of 20 participants with the CE. The time to observation of the posterior tracheal wall for examiners 1 and 2 was 13.3 ± 6.5 and 12.0 ± 6.7 s, respectively, with no difference between groups (p = .400). The kappa coefficients of examiners 1 and 2 and between the examiners were 0.444, 0.643, and 0.643, respectively, with concordance rates of 90%, 95%, and 95%, respectively.

Conclusion

Regardless of the examiner's years of experience, we observed that the two‐AE could observe the posterior tracheal wall.

Level of Evidence

Step 5.
The Rotational Doppler Effect of Twisted Photons in Scattered Fields
Authors: Zhai Yanwang , Fan Jingtao , Qiao Hui , Zhou Tiankuang , Wu Jiamin , Dai Qionghai
Published: June 2023

Along with broad applications of the linear Doppler effect, the rotational Doppler effect (RDE) of a structured light source carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM) has attracted significant attention for applications ranging from optical sensors to Doppler cooling. However, the high‐purity structured source's low energy efficiency and unknown optimal OAM parameters have significantly degraded the RDE's performance in previous work. Here, instead of utilizing an optical vortex source, the Doppler features are analyzed in scattered twisted photons carrying OAM with a common light source, and it is demonstrated that the RDE induced by a typical rotator can be extracted using a spiral phase spatial filter (SPSF) at the receiver. This model reveals that a rotating rough surface scatters abundant twisted photons carrying varied OAM values, and the OAM spectrum distribution is modulated by its angular coherence of spatial signature. Furthermore, common surfaces with different autocorrelation structures on received signals using the SPSF method are analyzed theoretically and experimentally. Such a scheme facilitates rotator detection with a generalized nonvortex simple source and dozen–fold improved efficiency with robustness against noncoaxial problems. These demonstrations open a path for studying and applying scattered twisted photons during light detection.
Assessing the Severity of Cervical Dystonia: Ask the Doctor or Ask the Patient?
Authors: Cotton Adam C. , Scorr Laura , McDonald William , Comella Cynthia , Perlmutter Joel S. , Goetz Christopher G. , Jankovic Joseph , Marsh Laura , Factor Stewart , Jinnah H.A.
Published: June 2023

Background

Assessing disease severity can be performed using either clinician‐rated scales (CRS) or patient‐rated outcome (PRO) tools. These two measures frequently demonstrate poor correlations.

Objectives

To determine if the correlation between a CRS and PRO for motor features of cervical dystonia (CD) improves by accounting for non‐motor features.

Methods

Subjects with CD (N = 209) were evaluated using a CRS (Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale, TWSTRS) and a PRO (Cervical Dystonia Impact Profile, CDIP‐58).

Results

Linear regression revealed a weak correlation between the two measures, even when considering only the motor subscales of each. The strength of this relationship improved with a regression model that included non‐motor symptoms of pain, depression, and disability.

Conclusions

These results argue that the results of motor assessments in a PRO for CD cannot be fully appreciated without simultaneous assessment of non‐motor co‐morbidities. This conclusion might apply to other disorders, especially those with frequent non‐motor co‐morbidities.
Evaluating efficient SENSE algorithms to deblur spiral MRI with fat/water separation
Authors: Chao Tzu Cheng , Peng Xi , Wang Dinghui , Pipe James G.
Published: June 2023

Purpose

The combination of SENSE and spiral imaging with fat/water separation enables high temporal efficiency. However, the corresponding computation increases due to the blurring/deblurring operation across the multi‐channel data. This study presents two alternative models to simplify computational complexity in the original full model (model 1). The performances of the models are evaluated in terms of the computation time and reconstruction error.

Methods

Two approximated spiral MRI reconstruction models were proposed: the comprehensive blurring before coil operation (model 2) and the regional blurring before coil operation (model 3), respectively, by altering the order of coil‐sensitivity encoding process to distribute signals among the multi‐channel coils. Four subjects were recruited for scanning both fully sampled T1‐ and T2‐weighted brain image data with simulated undersampling for testing the computational efficiency and accuracy on the approximation models.

Results

Based on the examples, the computation time can be reduced to 31%–47% using model 2, and to 39%–56% using model 3. The quality of the water image remains unchanged among the three models, whereas the primary difference in image quality is in the fat channel. The fat images from model 3 are consistent with those from model 1, but those from model 2 have higher normalized error, differing by up to 4.8%.

Conclusion

Model 2 provides the fastest computation but exhibits higher error in the fat channel, particularly in the high field and with long acquisition window. Model 3, an abridged alternative, is also faster than the full model and can maintain high accuracy in reconstruction.
Reducing the ambiguity of field inhomogeneity and chemical shift effect for fat–water separation by field factor
Authors: Peng Hao , Cheng Chuanli , Wan Qian , Liang Dong , Liu Xin , Zheng Hairong , Zou Chao
Published: June 2023

Purpose

To reduce the ambiguity between chemical shift and field inhomogeneity with flexible TE combinations by introducing a variable (field factor).

Theory and Methods

The ambiguity between chemical shift and field inhomogeneity can be eliminated directly from the multiple in‐phase images acquired at different TEs; however, it is only applicable to few echo combinations. In this study, we accommodated such an implementation in flexible TE combinations by introducing a new variable (field factor). The effects of the chemical shift were removed from the field inhomogeneity in the candidate solutions, thus reducing the ambiguity problem. To validate this concept, multi‐echo MRI data acquired from various anatomies with different imaging parameters were tested. The derived fat and water images were compared with those of the state‐of‐the‐art fat–water separation algorithms.

Results

Robust fat–water separation was achieved with the accurate solution of field inhomogeneity, and no apparent fat–water swap was observed. In addition to the good performance, the proposed method is applicable to various fat–water separation applications, including different sequence types and flexible TE choices.

Conclusion

We propose an algorithm to reduce the ambiguity of chemical shift and field inhomogeneity and achieved robust fat–water separation in various applications.
Variational multiscale super‐resolution: A data‐driven approach for reconstruction and predictive modeling of unresolved physics
Authors: Pradhan Aniruddhe , Duraisamy Karthik
Published: June 2023

The variational multiscale (VMS) formulation formally segregates the evolution of the coarse‐scales from the fine‐scales. VMS modeling requires the approximation of the impact of the fine‐scales in terms of the coarse‐scales. In linear problems, our formulation reduces the problem of learning the subscales to learning the projected element Green's function basis coefficients. For this approximation, a special neural‐network structure—the variational super‐resolution N‐N (VSRNN)—is proposed. The VSRNN constructs a super‐resolution model of the unresolved scales as a sum‐of‐the‐products of individual functions of coarse‐scales and physics‐informed parameters. Combined with a set of locally nondimensional features obtained by normalizing the input coarse‐scale and output subscale basis coefficients, the VSRNN provides a general framework for the discovery of closures for different Galerkin discretizations. By training it on a sequence of projected data and using the subscale to compute the continuous Galerkin subgrid terms, and the super‐resolved state to compute the discontinuous Galerkin fluxes, we improve the optimality and the accuracy of these methods for the convection‐diffusion and linear advection problems. Finally, we demonstrate that the VSRNN allows generalization to out‐of‐sample initial conditions and nondimensional numbers.
Long‐term effects of asparaginase‐associated pancreatitis
Authors: Skipper Mette Tiedemann , Albertsen Birgitte Klug , Schmiegelow Kjeld , Andrés‐Jensen Liv
Published: June 2023

Pancreatitis is a common and severe toxicity that occurs during asparaginase treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and has received increasing attention during the last decades. However, no consensus regarding follow‐up exists. In this commentary, we highlight potential long‐term health‐related effects following asparaginase‐associated pancreatitis, thereby providing clinicians with a framework when following these patients during and after cessation of therapy.
Application of topical gentamicin ointment in the treatment of Nagashima‐type palmoplantar keratosis in children with a nonsense mutation
Authors: Wang Shan , Yang Zhou , Liu Ying , Zhang Huan , Liu Zongyang , Wang Xiaoling , Li Ying , Liu Haihong , Yang Yonghong , Ma Lin
Published: June 2023

Importance

Nagashima‐type palmoplantar keratosis (NPPK) is a hereditary dermatosis mostly caused by a nonsense mutation in SERPINB7. Despite the increasing interest in readthrough gentamicin treatment of NPPK, clinical evidence for this treatment is limited.

Objective

This study aimed to provide further evidence for the use of topical gentamicin in the treatment of NPPK in children with nonsense mutations.

Methods

We designed a bilaterally controlled study of topical gentamicin ointment. Children diagnosed with NPPK carrying nonsense mutations were enrolled in this study. A 0.1% gentamicin ointment was applied to one hand and an emollient to the other for 3 months. A bilateral comparison of the visual analog scale scores for clinical manifestations and safety was performed.

Results

Ten children with NPPK were included in this study. In comparison with the emollient side, the topical gentamicin side showed significant improvements in hyperkeratosis, erythema, maceration, and desquamation after 1 and 3 months of treatment (P < 0.05). However, hyperhidrosis and odor did not improve significantly. No adverse events were observed during the systemic safety monitoring examinations.

Interpretation

Topical gentamicin ointment showed good safety in the treatment of NPPK with nonsense mutations, indicating that it is a promising therapeutic choice in children with NPPK.