bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quasilinear Schrödinger equations with bounded coefficients
Authors: Jing Yongtao , Liu Haidong , Zhang Zhitao
Published: September 2022

We study quasilinear elliptic equations of the form

−
div

A

(

u

)

∇
u

+

1

2

A

′

(

u

)

|
∇
u

|

2

+
V

(

x

)

u
=
h

(

u

)

,

u
∈

H

1

(

R

N

)

, where

N
⩾
3
,

A
∈

C

1

(

R
,

R

+

)

is a bounded function, V(x) is allowed to be singular at the origin, and

h
∈
C

(

R
,
R

)

is a general nonlinearity. Such type of equations has been derived as models of several physical phenomena corresponding to various types of

A

. Despite the lack of a priori compactness condition for the energy functional, we develop a new variational approach to deal with the issues of multiple radial solutions, nonradial solutions and sign-changing solutions.
A multiple time renewal equation for neural assemblies with elapsed time model
Authors: Torres Nicolás , Perthame Benoît , Salort Delphine
Published: September 2022

We introduce and study an extension of the classical elapsed time equation in the context of neuron populations that are described by the elapsed time since last discharge. In this extension, we incorporate the elapsed time since the penultimate discharge and we obtain a more complex system of integro-differential equations. For this new system, we prove convergence with exponential rate to stationary state by means of Doeblin’s theory in the case of weak non-linearities using an appropriate functional setting, inspired by the case of the classical elapsed time equation. Moreover, we present some numerical simulations to observe how different firing rates can give different types of behaviors and to contrast them with theoretical results of both the classical and extended models.
Integrable lattice hierarchies behind Cauchy two-matrix model and Bures ensemble
Authors: Li Shi-Hao , Yu Guo-Fu
Published: September 2022

This paper focuses on different reductions of the two-dimensional (2d)-Toda hierarchy. Symmetric and skew-symmetric moment matrices are first considered, resulting in differential relations between symmetric/skew-symmetric tau functions and 2d-Toda’s tau functions, respectively. Furthermore, motivated by the Cauchy two-matrix model and Bures ensemble from random matrix theory, we study the rank-one shift condition in the symmetric case and rank-two shift condition in the skew-symmetric case, from which the C-Toda and B-Toda hierarchies are determined, together with their special Lax matrices and integrable structures.
Dimension of the singular set of wild Hölder solutions of the incompressible Euler equations
Authors: De Rosa Luigi , Haffter Silja
Published: September 2022

For

β
<

1

3

, we consider

C

β

T

3

×

[

0
,
T

]

weak solutions of the incompressible Euler equations that do not conserve the kinetic energy. We prove that for such solutions the closed and non-empty set of singular times

B

satisfies

dim

H

(

B

)

⩾

2
β

1
−
β

. This lower bound on the Hausdorff dimension of the singular set in time is intrinsically linked to the Hölder regularity of the kinetic energy and we conjecture it to be sharp. As a first step in this direction, for every

β
<

β

′

<

1

3

we are able to construct, via a convex integration scheme, non-conservative

C

β

T

3

×

[

0
,
T

]

weak solutions of the incompressible Euler system such that

dim

H

(

B

)

⩽

1

2

+

1

2

2

β

′

1
−

β

′

. The structure of the wild solutions that we build allows moreover to deduce non-uniqueness of

C

β

T

3

×

[

0
,
T

]

weak solutions of the Cauchy problem for Euler from every smooth initial datum.
Multi-domain CT translation by a routable translation network
Authors: Kim Hyunjong , Oh Gyutaek , Beom Seo Joon , Jeon Hwang Hye , Min Lee Sang , Yun Jihye , Chul Ye Jong
Published: September 2022

Objective. To unify the style of computed tomography (CT) images from multiple sources, we propose a novel multi-domain image translation network to convert CT images from different scan parameters and manufacturers by simply changing a routing vector. Approach. Unlike the existing multi-domain translation techniques, our method is based on a shared encoder and a routable decoder architecture to maximize the expressivity and conditioning power of the network. Main results. Experimental results show that the proposed CT image conversion can minimize the variation of image characteristics caused by imaging parameters, reconstruction algorithms, and hardware designs. Quantitative results and clinical evaluation from radiologists also show that our method can provide accurate translation results. Significance. Quantitative evaluation of CT images from multi-site or longitudinal studies has been a difficult problem due to the image variation depending on CT scan parameters and manufacturers. The proposed method can be utilized to address this for the quantitative analysis of multi-domain CT images.
Thermal squeezing and nonlinear spectral shift of magnons in antiferromagnetic insulators
Authors: Shiranzaei Mahroo , Troncoso Roberto E , Fransson Jonas , Brataas Arne , Qaiumzadeh Alireza
Published: September 2022

We investigate the effect of magnon–magnon interactions on the dispersion and polarization of magnon modes in collinear antiferromagnetic (AF) insulators at finite temperatures. In two-sublattice AF systems with uniaxial easy-axis and biaxial easy-plane magneto-crystalline anisotropies, we implement a self-consistent Hartree–Fock mean-field approximation to explore the nonlinear thermal interactions. The resulting nonlinear magnon interactions separate into two-magnon intra- and interband scattering processes. Furthermore, we compute the temperature dependence of the magnon bandgap and AF resonance modes due to nonlinear magnon interactions for square and hexagonal lattices. In addition, we study the effect of magnon interactions on the polarization of magnon modes. We find that although the noninteracting eigenmodes in the uniaxial easy-axis case are circularly polarized, but in the presence of nonlinear thermal interactions the U(1) symmetry of the magnon Hamiltonian is broken. The attractive nonlinear interactions squeeze the low energy magnon modes and make them elliptical. In the biaxial easy-plane case, on the other hand, the bare eigenmodes of low energy magnons are elliptically polarized but thermal nonlinear interactions squeeze them further. Direct measurements of the predicted temperature-dependent AF resonance modes and their polarization can be used as a tool to probe the nonlinear interactions. Our findings establish a framework for exploring the effect of thermal magnon interactions in technologically important magnetic systems, such as magnetic stability of recently discovered two-dimensional magnetic materials, coherent transport of magnons, Bose–Einstein condensation of magnons, and magnonic topological insulators.
Computer-aided quantization and numerical analysis of superconducting circuits
Authors: Chitta Sai Pavan , Zhao Tianpu , Huang Ziwen , Mondragon-Shem Ian , Koch Jens
Published: September 2022

The development of new superconducting circuits and the improvement of existing ones rely on the accurate modeling of spectral properties which are key to achieving the needed advances in qubit performance. Systematic circuit analysis at the lumped-element level, starting from a circuit network and culminating in a Hamiltonian appropriately describing the quantum properties of the circuit, is a well-established procedure, yet cumbersome to carry out manually for larger circuits. We present work utilizing symbolic computer algebra and numerical diagonalization routines versatile enough to tackle a variety of circuits. Results from this work are accessible through a newly released module of the scqubits package.
Systematic calculations of cluster radioactivity half-lives in trans-lead nuclei*
Authors: Qi Lin-Jing , Zhang Dong-Meng , Luo Song , Li Xiao-Hua , Wu Xi-Jun , Liang Chun-Tian
Published: September 2022

In the present work, based on the Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin (WKB) theory, considering the cluster preformation probability (

), we systematically investigate the cluster radioactivity half-lives of 22 trans-lead nuclei ranging from 221Fr to 242Cm. When the mass number of the emitted cluster

28,

is obtained by the exponential relationship of

to the α decay preformation probability (

) proposed by R. Blendowskeis

[Phys. Rev. Lett. 61, 1930 (1988)], while

is calculated through the cluster-formation model (CFM). When

28,

is calculated through the charge-number dependence of

on the decay products proposed by Ren

[Phys. Rev. C 70, 034304 (2004)]. The half-lives of cluster radioactivity have been calculated by the density-dependent cluster model [Phys. Rev. C 70, 034304 (2004)] and by the unified formula of half-lives for alpha decay and cluster radioactivity [Phys. Rev. C 78, 044310 (2008)]. For comparison, a universal decay law (UDL) proposed by Qi

[Phys. Rev. C 80, 044326 (2009)], a semi-empirical model for both α decay and cluster radioactivity proposed by Santhosh [J. Phys. G: Nucl. Part. Phys. 35, 085102 (2008)], and a unified formula of half-lives for alpha decay and cluster radioactivity [Phys. Rev. C 78, 044310 (2008)] are also used. The calculated results of our work, Ni's formula , and the UDL can well reproduce the experimental data and are better than those of Santhosh's model. In addition, we extend this model to predict the half-lives for 51 nuclei, whose cluster radioactivity is energetically allowed or observed but not yet quantified in NUBASE2020.
Helium-induced morphology evolution in tungsten under thermal treatment
Authors: Ialovega Mykola , Bernard Elodie , Barthe Marie-France , Bisson Régis , Campos Andrea , Cabié Martiane , Neisius Thomas , Sakamoto Ryuichi , Kreter Arkadi , Grisolia Christian , Angot Thierry , Martin Celine
Published: September 2022

Surface and near-surface morphology evolution of helium-irradiated tungsten due to thermal cycling up to the ITER-relevant temperature of 1350 K was studied using electron microscopy and positron annihilation spectroscopy techniques. Holes at the surface and bubbles in the near-surface of recrystallized polycrystalline tungsten samples were created by 75 eV helium plasma irradiation with the fluence of 3 × 1023 He m−2 at the surface temperature of 1073 K. Subsequent annealing experiments were combined with a detailed electron microscopy analysis to investigate the shape and density changes of holes and helium bubbles with respect to grain orientation. We show that the initially circular holes and round bubbles became faceted upon heating with 1 K s−1 ramp up to 870 K. Annealing cycles up to 1350 K induced resulted in bubbles removal in the first 5 nm below the surface and surface smoothing. Electron energy loss spectroscopy measurements allowed estimation of helium gas density and pressure inside bubbles. Positron annihilation spectroscopy allowed to investigate the nature of defects and their evolution in the helium-irradiated tungsten with thermal cycling.
Measuring the perceptual features of coastal streets: a case study in Qingdao, China
Authors: Lyu Mei , Meng Yumeng , Gao Weijun , Yu Yiqing , Ji Xiang , Li Qingyu , Huang Gonghu , Sun Dong
Published: September 2022

The coastal streets are the most attractive urban space, improving spatial quality and public perception of coastal streets is an important work of urban regeneration. The study used machine learning semantic segmentation, GIS and Semantic difference (SD) etc methods to obtain the spatial data and perceptual evaluation of coastal streets in Qingdao. Each of the six perceptual features, imageability, enclosure, human scale, transparency, complexity and nature, was taken as dependent variables and the corresponding physical features was taken as independent variables. The six regression models were established and the influence rules of spatial parameters on public perception were obtained. Meanwhile, based on the results of perceptual features evaluation, the overall coastal streets are divided into three types, open streets, mixed streets and biophilic streets. In all the three types coastal streets, the nature was the most significant perceptual feature due to the high greenness; the complexity was the lowest perceptual feature because of the low landscape diversity. The research results provided theoretical and technical support for the urban regeneration and spatial quality improvement of coastal streets in Qingdao.
Mechanical property and biological behaviour of additive manufactured TiNi functionally graded lattice structure
Authors: Tan Chaolin , Deng Cheng , Li Sheng , Abena Alessandro , Jamshidi Parastoo , Essa Khamis , Wu Likang , Xu Guohua , Attallah Moataz M , Liu Jia
Published: September 2022

Bio-inspired porous metallic scaffolds have tremendous potential to be used as artificial bone substitutes. In this work, a radially graded lattice structure (RGLS), which mimics the structures of natural human bones, was designed and processed by laser powder bed fusion of martensitic Ti-rich TiNi powder. The asymmetric tension-compression behaviour, where the compressive strength is significantly higher than the tensile strength, is observed in this Ti-rich TiNi material, which echoes the mechanical behaviour of bones. The morphologies, mechanical properties, deformation behaviour, and biological compatibility of RGLS samples were characterised and compared with those in the uniform lattice structure. Both the uniform and RGLS samples achieve a relative density higher than 99%. The graded porosities and pore sizes in the RGLS range from 40%–80% and 330–805 μm, respectively, from the centre to the edge. The chemical etching has significantly removed the harmful partially-melted residual powder particles on the lattice struts. The compressive yield strength of RGLS is 71.5 MPa, much higher than that of the uniform sample (46.5 MPa), despite having a similar relative density of about 46%. The calculated Gibson–Ashby equation and the deformation behaviour simulation by finite element suggest that the dense outer regions with high load-bearing capability could sustain high applied stress, improving the overall strength of RGLS significantly. The cell proliferation study suggests better biological compatibility of the RGLS than the uniform structures. The findings highlight a novel strategy to improve the performance of additively manufactured artificial implants by bio-inspiration.
Explicit calculation of singular integrals of tensorial polyadic kernels
Authors: Perrin M. , Gruy F.
Published: September 2022

The Riesz transform of

u
u

:

S

(

R

n

)
→

S
′

(

R

n

)

\mathcal {S}(\mathbb {R}^n) \rightarrow \mathcal {S’}(\mathbb {R}^n)

is defined as a convolution by a singular kernel, and can be conveniently expressed using the Fourier transform and a simple multiplier. We extend this analysis to higher order Riesz transforms, i.e. some type of singular integrals that contain tensorial polyadic kernels and define an integral transform for functions

S

(

R

n

)
→

S
′

(

R

n
×
n
×
…
n

)

\mathcal {S}(\mathbb {R}^n) \rightarrow \mathcal {S’}(\mathbb {R}^{ n \times n \times \dots n})

. We show that the transformed kernel is also a polyadic tensor, and propose a general method to compute explicitely the Fourier mutliplier. Analytical results are given, as well as a recursive algorithm, to compute the coefficients of the transformed kernel. We compare the result to direct numerical evaluation, and discuss the case

n
=
2

n=2

, with application to image analysis.
Many-body excitations in trapped Bose gas: A non-Hermitian approach
Authors: Grillakis Manoussos , Margetis Dionisios , Sorokanich Stephen
Published: September 2022

We study a physically motivated model for a trapped dilute gas of Bosons with repulsive pairwise atomic interactions at zero temperature. Our goal is to describe aspects of the excited many-body quantum states of this system by accounting for the scattering of atoms in pairs from the macroscopic state. We start with an approximate many-body Hamiltonian,

H

a
p
p

\mathcal {H}_{\mathrm {app}}

, in the Bosonic Fock space. This

H

a
p
p

\mathcal {H}_{\mathrm {app}}

conserves the total number of atoms. Inspired by Wu [J. Math. Phys. 2 (1961), 105–123], we apply a non-unitary transformation to

H

a
p
p

\mathcal {H}_{\mathrm {app}}

. Key in this procedure is the pair-excitation kernel, which obeys a nonlinear integro-partial differential equation. In the stationary case, we develop an existence theory for solutions to this equation by a variational principle. We connect this theory to a system of partial differential equations for one-particle excitation (“quasiparticle”-) wave functions derived by Fetter [Ann. Phys. 70 (1972), 67–101], and prove existence of solutions for this system. These wave functions solve an eigenvalue problem for a

J
J

-self-adjoint operator. From the non-Hermitian Hamiltonian, we derive a one-particle nonlocal equation for low-lying excitations, describe its solutions, and recover Fetter’s energy spectrum. We also analytically provide an explicit construction of the excited eigenstates of the reduced Hamiltonian in the

N
N

-particle sector of Fock space.
A syngeneic MC38 orthotopic mouse model of colorectal cancer metastasis
Authors: Greenlee Joshua D , King Michael R
Published: September 2022

While subcutaneous tumor models remain the standard for studying drug efficacy in vivo, these tumors rarely metastasize and lack physiological relevance due to differences in the tumor microenvironment, vascularization, immune landscape, and physiological cues associated with the organ of interest. Orthotopic tumors, grown from the organ corresponding with the cancer type, provide a more translational approach to study disease progression and drug efficacy. Utilization of a syngeneic mouse model allows for a complete immune landscape, key for adaptive immunotherapy studies. MC38 and CT26 cells are commonly used murine colorectal cancer cell lines with clinically relevant mutations. While CT26 cells have been orthotopically implanted with high fidelity, successful engraftment of orthotopic MC38 tumors varies greatly between studies. Thus, we have developed a detailed protocol for MC38 orthotopic tumor inoculation via intracecal injection. Nine C57BL/6 mice were injected with 2 × 106 cells into the cecal wall and sacrificed after 7 weeks. Survival after surgery was 100%, and one mouse died before the 7-week study end point from tumor burden and metastatic spread. We observed a successful tumor engraftment rate of 67%. Half of mice presenting with tumors were found to have macroscopic metastatic lesions in clinically relevant foci, including the mesenteric lymph nodes, liver, and peritoneum. These mice also presented with very large tumors and an enlarged spleen. The other half of the mice presented with small, localized tumors that did not metastasize. Herein, we describe tips specific for the intracecal injection of MC38 cells to improve the engraftment rate consistency in this model.
Elevated perioptic lipocalin-type prostaglandin D synthase concentration in patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension
Authors: Pircher Achmed , Montali Margherita , Berberat Jatta , Huber Andreas , Miller Neil R , Mader Thomas H , Gibson C Robert , Neutzner Albert , Remonda Luca , Killer Hanspeter E
Published: September 2022

The pathophysiology of vision loss and loss of visual field in patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension with papilloedema is not fully understood. Although elevated CSF pressure induces damage to the optic nerve due to stasis of axoplasmic flow, there is no clear relationship between the severity of papilloedema and CSF pressure. Furthermore, there are cases of purely unilateral papilloedema and cases without papilloedema despite significantly elevated intracranial pressure as well as papilloedema that can persist despite a successfully lowered intracranial pressure. We hypothesize that at least in some of such cases, in addition to purely pressure-induced damage to the optic nerve, the biochemical composition of the CSF in the subarachnoid space surrounding the orbital optic nerve may play a role in the pathogenesis of vision loss. In this retrospective study, we report on lipocalin-type prostaglandin D synthase concentrations in the CSF within the perioptic and lumbar subarachnoid space in 14 patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (13 females, mean age 45 ± 13 years) with chronic persistent papilloedema resistant to maximum-tolerated medical therapy and visual impairment. CSF was collected from the subarachnoid space of the optic nerve during optic nerve sheath fenestration and from the lumbar subarachnoid space at the time of lumbar puncture. CSF was analysed for lipocalin-type prostaglandin D synthase and the concentrations compared between the two sites using nephelometry. The mean lipocalin-type prostaglandin D synthase concentration in the perioptic subarachnoid space was significantly higher compared with the concentration in the lumbar subarachnoid space (69 ± 51 mg/l without correction of serum contamination and 89 ± 67 mg/l after correction of serum contamination versus 23 ± 8 mg/l; P < 0.0001, Mann–Whitney U-test). These measurements demonstrate a change and imbalance in the biochemical environment of the optic nerve. Its possible effect is discussed.
124. LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF POSTOPERATIVE SYMPTOMS AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN PATIENTS WITH ESOPHAGEAL SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA
Authors: Miao Yan
Published: September 2022

Patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma have a variety of symptoms after surgery, which will affect the normal performance of various functions of patients for a long time, affect the quality of life of patients, and even affect the survival time of patients. In the past, we paid more attention to patients’ symptoms and quality of life at a single time point after surgery, which lacked continuity and long-term nature.

In this study, 244 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who received thoracoscopic radical resection of esophageal carcinoma in Sichuan Tumor Hospital from April to December 2019 were selected by convenience sampling method. Adopt Chinese VERSION MD Anderson Symptom Inventory, European Organization for Research and teatment of cancer quality of life Questionnaire, EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-OES18 were used to investigate the patients at 10 time points one year after surgery, and Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between postoperative symptoms and quality of life.

Postoperative role and emotional function of the patients recovered to the baseline level 1 month after surgery, cognitive and social function recovered to the baseline level 3 months after surgery, and physical function and overall health status did not recover to the baseline level 1 year after surgery. Sleep restlessness, distress, drowsiness, and dry mouth recovered to baseline 3 months after surgery, while pain and fatigue did not recover to baseline 1 year after surgery. One year after surgery, the main symptoms were negatively correlated with body, role, emotion, cognition, social function and overall health status (P < 0.05).

laparoscopic thoracic esophageal cancer radical surgery in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinomas there were different degree of symptoms within one year after surgery, and multiple symptoms one year after surgery still exists, the serious influence the patient’s quality of life, health care workers should pay attention to the symptoms of patients with postoperative longitudinal change characteristic, value assessment and management of patients with symptoms, improve patient quality of life after surgery.
171. DELAYED DIAGNOSIS OF EOSINOPHILIC ESOPHAGITIS IN THOSE PRESENTING TO THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT WITH FOOD BOLUS IMPACTION
Authors: Gyimah Dominic Ayi , Khan Humza , Abdalla Badr , Haboubi Hasan
Published: September 2022

Food bolus impaction can be a manifestation of chronic untreated inflammation in those with underlying eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). The eosinophil predominant inflammation of the esophagus is associated with a higher prevalence of fibrosis when it remains undetected and untreated. Non-malignant food bolus impaction is strongly associated with an underlying diagnosis of EoE, but outside of gastroenterology and other esophageal interested specialists there remains poor understanding of how to diagnose and manage this condition.

We conducted a retrospective study of patients presenting to a tertiary emergency unit with esophageal food bolus impaction between November 2018 and May 2021. Electronic attendance records and the endoscopy database were examined to determine the associations between demographics, comorbidities, endoscopic findings, biopsy findings and follow up. We also evaluated the effect of the pandemic on food bolus management with statistical analysis undertaken using IBM SPSS software.

Of the 938 patients who presented to the emergency department with food bolus impaction, 83.6% were sent home with no follow up. Only 7.2% went on to have an endoscopy. In those with macroscopic evidence of inflammation, only 35.8% of patients had the correct number of biopsies taken to establish a histological cause for their symptoms. 1.6% of patients demonstrated histological evidence of EoE, of whom 80% were male and 20% female. The COVID-19 lockdown did not negatively impact access to endoscopy with mean wait time improving from 121-days prior to lockdown compared to 69-days during lockdown, p < 0.01.

Our findings highlight significant shortcomings in the management of those presenting emergently with food bolus impaction and possible undiagnosed EoE. There remains a need for clear management pathways to aid risk-stratification, discharge planning and endoscopic practices in the diagnosis of EoE. We therefore propose an algorithm for food bolus management to facilitate early endoscopy, effective diagnosis, and appropriate follow-up, ensuring optimal management for patients with non-malignant dysphagia requiring emergency admission for resolution of food impaction.
214. PRE-EXISTING MESH AT THE HIATUS INCREASES MORBIDITY DURING AND AFTER REVISIONAL ANTIREFLUX SURGERY: A NATIONAL COHORT STUDY
Authors: Liu David , Goh Su Kah , Wong Darren , Stevens Sean , Aly Ahmad , Bright Tim , Watson David ,   Other PROTECTinG Antireflux Surgery Study Group
Published: September 2022

Revisional antireflux surgery including hiatus hernia repair is increasingly common. Mesh augmented hiatal closure at the time of index operation is controversial but commonly performed. Whilst metanalysis of randomized data has demonstrated no additional benefit of routine mesh placement, it is unclear whether this practice results in harm, particularly at the time of revisional antireflux surgery. In this study, we determined whether pre-existing mesh at the hiatus increases morbidity during and after revisional antireflux surgery.

Analysis of prospectively-maintained databases and medical records of all elective revisional antireflux surgery cases in 36 hospitals across Australia over 10 years. The outcomes of patients with and without pre-existing mesh at the hiatus were compared. Study endpoints included intraoperative adverse events (bleeding, unplanned oesophago-gastric resection, open conversion, and injury to liver, pleura, oesophagus, stomach, spleen, lung, heart, major venous and arterial structures) and postoperative complications (defined by the Esophagectomy Complication Consensus Guidelines). Propensity score matched analysis was used to validated primary findings.

346 revisional cases (35 with pre-existing mesh) were analyzed. The two groups had comparable baseline characteristics. In total, 77 (22.2%) patients had 148 intraoperative adverse events. Pre-existing mesh was associated with a higher risk of intraoperative adverse events (48.6% versus 22.5%, OR 3.25, 95% CI 1.63–6.38, p = 0.002), secondary to bleeding, and injury to pleura, lung, and liver. Overall, 63 (18.2%) patients developed postoperative complications. Pre-existing mesh was associated with increased postoperative morbidity (37.1% versus 16.1%, OR 3.09, 95% CI 1.50–6.43, p = 0.005), particularly due to bleeding and respiratory complications. Importantly, pre-existing mesh independently predicted the occurrence of intraoperative and postoperative complications.

Pre-existing mesh at the hiatus significantly increases morbidity during and after revisional antireflux surgery. Given that revisional surgery is increasingly being performed, our findings further discourage the use of mesh around the hiatus during antireflux surgery.
281. COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT TOOL FOR MINIMALLY INVASIVE ESOPHAGECTOMY: DEVELOPMENT, CONSTRUCT VALIDITY, RELIABILITY AND VERSION 2
Authors: Ketel Mirte , Eddahchouri Yassin , Klarenbeek Bastiaan ,   MIE-CAT Collaboration Group, Hannink Gerjon , Rosman Camiel , van Workum Frans
Published: September 2022

Minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) is a complex and technically demanding procedure and implementation is associated with substantial learning curves. In other complex minimally invasive procedures suboptimal surgical performance, assessed by video-based peer reviewing, has convincingly been related to less favorable patient outcomes. A validated procedure-specific competency assessment tool (CAT) for MIE could provide structured feedback to evaluate surgical performance and be used for training, safe implementation, learning curve assessment, research and to improve patient outcome.

Based on key steps from a Delphi study and validated CATs, the MIE-CAT was composed. Final content was approved by eighteen independent international MIE experts (> 120 MIEs performed). These experts assessed 32 MIE videos from the same surgical team (2010–2020) with the MIE-CAT. For construct validity, videos were divided into groups based on the surgical team’s experience (novice, intermediate, advanced and expert). For reliability assessment, inter- and intra-rater reliability was determined. Based on discrepancies in MIE-CAT’s scores and a focus group, the MIE-CAT 2.0 was composed. MIE-CAT 2.0’s reliability was analyzed based on four experts assessing five videos each.

The MIE-CAT contains eight procedural phases. Per phase four quality components are scored on a 1–4 Likert scale, with a total score between [32–128]. Eighty-four assessments were used for analysis. Median MIE-CAT scores were 80 [IQR 75–94], 91 [85–107], 101 [91–106] and 101 [96–106] for respectively novice, intermediate, advanced and expert group. Intra-rater reliability of 0.75 (ICC, 95% CI 0.64–0.83) and inter-rater reliability of 0.52 (ICC, 95% CI 0.38–0.65) was observed. Expert opinions from a utility questionnaire highlighted a useful and practical feedback tool. Results from the MIE-CAT 2.0 are expected in May 2022.

The MIE-CAT was developed and validated in this study. Results indicate good reliability within observers and moderate reliability between observers. The MIE-CAT can be used for clinical, training and research purposes. Future work will focus on optimizing the MIE-CAT to increase inter-rater reliability and clinical validation by correlating MIE-CAT scores to patient outcomes.
341. SEX-RELATED DIFFERENCES IN TREATMENT STRATEGY AND OUTCOMES AFTER ESOPHAGECTOMY FOR CANCER
Authors: Mantziari Styliani , Elliott Jessie A , Markar Sheraz R , Klevebro Fredrik , Goense Lucas , Johar Asif , Lagergren Pernilla , Zaninotto Giovanni , van Hillegersberg Richard , van Berge Henegouwen Mark I , Nilsson Magnus , Hanna George B , Schäfer Markus , Reynolds John V ,   ENSURE Study Group
Published: September 2022

Esophageal cancer predominantly occurs in men, accounting for 75–89% of patients. Chosen treatment modalities and their related toxicities among male and female esophago-gastric cancer patients show significant variabilities, but there are only scarce data on the outcomes. This multicenter study aimed to assess potential sex-related differences in treatment allocation and outcomes, i.e. long-term survival in a large cohort of esophageal cancer patients.

All consecutive patients who underwent oncological esophagectomy from 2009 to 2015 in the 20 ENSURE study group centers (NCT03461341) were included bar patients with missing data on gender, histologic type and treatment protocol. We used univariable and multivariable logistic regression for gender-related differences in treatment allocation and types, such as surgical approach, neoadjuvant treatment regimen, and use of cancer-specific treatment in case of tumor recurrence. Time-to-event outcomes, such as overall survival (OS), disease free survival (DFS), and disease-specific survival (DSS) were assessed with univariate and multivariate Cox regression. Results are shown as hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Overall, 3974 patients were analyzed, 3083 males (77.6%) and 891 females (22.4%). The median age was similar, whereas the histological type was adenocarcinoma in 77.5% of male and 52.2% of female patients. Gender was not predictive for neoadjuvant treatment or systemic cancer-specific therapy in case of tumor recurrence. Minimally invasive surgery was performed more frequently in male patients compared to females (OR 1.29, 95%CI 1.00–1.66). In multivariate analysis, even after adjustment for age, histology, postoperative complications and treatment protocol, male patients had poorer OS (HR 1.29 95%CI 1.12–1.48), DFS (HR 1.26, 95%CI 1.09–1.46) and DSS (HR 1.34, 95%CI 1.15–1.56).

Patient sex was not associated with the use of systemic cancer-related treatment, although minimally invasive surgery was more frequently performed in male patients. Females had more favorable long-term overall and cancer-specific survival, even when age, histology, treatment modalities, and complications were accounted for. This sex-related prognostic difference has been previously suggested, especially for squamous cell cancer, although the precise mechanism by which gender influences esophageal cancer outcomes remains poorly understood and warrants further assessment.
Reference long-read isoform-aware transcriptomes of 4 human peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets
Authors: Woolley Cassandra R , Chariker Julia H , Rouchka Eric C , Ford Easton E , Hudson Elizabeth A , Waigel Sabine J , Smith Melissa L , Mitchell Thomas C
Published: September 2022

Long-read sequencing technologies such as isoform sequencing can generate highly accurate sequences of full-length mRNA transcript isoforms. Such long-read transcriptomics may be especially useful in investigations of lymphocyte functional plasticity as it relates to human health and disease. However, no long-read isoform-aware reference transcriptomes of human circulating lymphocytes are readily available despite being valuable as benchmarks in a variety of transcriptomic studies. To begin to fill this gap, we purified 4 lymphocyte populations (CD4+ T, CD8+ T, NK, and Pan B cells) from the peripheral blood of a healthy male donor and obtained high-quality RNA (RIN > 8) for isoform sequencing and parallel RNA-Seq analyses. Many novel polyadenylated transcript isoforms, supported by both isoform sequencing and RNA-Seq data, were identified within each sample. The datasets met several metrics of high quality and have been deposited to the Gene Expression Omnibus database (GSE202327, GSE202328, GSE202329) as both raw and processed files to serve as long-read reference transcriptomes for future studies of human circulating lymphocytes.
Differential Associations Between the Area Deprivation Index and Measures of Physical Health for Older Black Adults
Authors: Allan Alexa C , Gamaldo Alyssa A , Wright Regina S , Aiken-Morgan Adrienne T , Lee Anna K , Allaire Jason C , Thorpe Roland J , Whitfield Keith E
Published: September 2022

Objectives

This study explored the association between place-based characteristics (e.g., neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation) and physical health within older Black adults, a critical gap in the literature as identified by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities.

Methods

The sample was from Wave 1 data of Baltimore Study of Black Aging: Patterns of Cognitive Aging (N = 450; Mage = 68.34). Variables included the area deprivation index (ADI), objective (e.g., average blood pressure) and subjective (e.g., self-rated health) measures of physical health. Multiple linear regression models were conducted controlling for key sociodemographic characteristics.

Results

Participants reporting better self-rated health and less likely to need help with activities of daily living were significantly more likely to be living in more disadvantaged neighborhoods based on national and state ADI, respectively, even after adjusting for covariates. A significant age and ADI interaction revealed better self-rated health was associated with a more disadvantaged neighborhood particularly for individuals ≤66 years. There was no significant association between ADI and objective physical health measures.

Discussion

The findings suggest that national- and state-level place-based characteristics should be considered along with individual-level factors, which can enrich the scientific understanding of how neighborhood characteristics relate to varying health indicators among older Black adults.
Framing Effects in Older Adults’ Medical Decision-Making: Social Distance Matters
Authors: Chen Yunjiao , Xu Jie , Xing Cai
Published: September 2022

Objectives

The present study sought to explore how decision making is influenced by aging, framing, and social distance in the medical domain. Based on Socioemotional Selectivity Theory, we predicted that social distance would moderate age differences of framing effects as a result of older adults’ emphasis on close partners.

Methods

Younger and middle-aged (N = 206) and older (N = 208) adults from Shanghai, China completed 2 medical decision tasks in which they were presented with different descriptions of social distance, namely deciding for close relatives or for strangers. Participants’ risk preferences were measured.

Results

The results showed that framing effects were a function of social distance in older adults. Older adults showed smaller framing effects when making decisions for strangers as their preference for the riskier option was reduced in the loss-framed condition. For younger and middle-aged adults, framing effects existed consistently regardless of social distance.

Discussion

These findings suggest that social distance moderates age differences in framing effects in medical decision-making. It also highlights a potential way to improve older adults’ medical decision-making quality: having older adults imagine as if they are making medical decisions for a stranger.
GWAS provides new insights into the genetic mechanisms of phytochemicals production and red skin colour in apple
Authors: Kumar Satish , Molloy Claire , Hunt Martin , Deng Cecilia Hong , Wiedow Claudia , Andre Christelle , Dare Andrew , McGhie Tony
Published: September 2022

Understanding the genetic architecture of apple phytochemicals, and their interplay with conventional selection traits, is critical for the development of new apple cultivars with enhanced health benefits. Apple accessions (n = 344) used for this genome-wide association study (GWAS) represented the wide diversity of metabolic profiles in the domesticated and wild Malus genepools. Fruit samples were phenotyped for 34 metabolites, including a stable vitamin C glycoside “ascorbic acid 2-β-glucoside” (AA-2βG), and the accessions were genotyped using the Apple 20 K SNP Array. Several fruit quality traits, including red skin over-colour (OCOL), were also assessed. Wild Malus accessions showed at least 2-fold higher average content of several metabolites (e.g. ascorbic acid, chlorogenic acid, phloridzin, and trilobatin) than Malus domestica accessions. Several new genomic regions and potential candidate genes underpinning the genetic diversity of apple phytochemicals were identified. The percentage of phenotypic variance explained by the best SNP ranged between 3% and 21% for the different metabolites. Novel association signals for OCOL in the syntenic regions on chromosomes 13 and 16 suggested that whole genome duplication has played a role in the evolution of apple red skin colour. Genetic correlations between phytochemicals and sensory traits were moderate. This study will assist in the selection of Malus accessions with specific phytochemical profiles to establish innovative genomics-based breeding strategies for the development of apple cultivars with enhanced nutritional value.
Linear optimal transport embedding: provable Wasserstein classification for certain rigid transformations and perturbations
Authors: Moosmüller Caroline , Cloninger Alexander
Published: September 2022

Discriminating between distributions is an important problem in a number of scientific fields. This motivated the introduction of Linear Optimal Transportation (LOT), which embeds the space of distributions into an $L^2$-space. The transform is defined by computing the optimal transport of each distribution to a fixed reference distribution and has a number of benefits when it comes to speed of computation and to determining classification boundaries. In this paper, we characterize a number of settings in which LOT embeds families of distributions into a space in which they are linearly separable. This is true in arbitrary dimension, and for families of distributions generated through perturbations of shifts and scalings of a fixed distribution. We also prove conditions under which the $L^2$ distance of the LOT embedding between two distributions in arbitrary dimension is nearly isometric to Wasserstein-2 distance between those distributions. This is of significant computational benefit, as one must only compute $N$ optimal transport maps to define the $N^2$ pairwise distances between $N$ distributions. We demonstrate the benefits of LOT on a number of distribution classification problems.
Temperature Profiles of Sunlight-Exposed Surfaces in a Desert Climate: Determining the Risk for Pavement Burns
Authors: Chestovich Paul J , Saroukhanoff Richard Z , Moujaes Samir F , Flores Carmen E , Carroll Joseph T , Saquib Syed F
Published: September 2022

Plentiful sunlight and high temperatures in desert climates cause burn injuries from contact with sun-exposed surfaces. The peak temperature, times, and surfaces of greatest risk are not well described. This work recorded temperature measurements of six materials in a desert climate. Surface temperatures of asphalt, brick, concrete, sand, porous rock, and galvanized metal were measured throughout the summer, along with ambient temperature, and sunlight intensity. Samples were placed in both shade and direct sunlight for evaluation of sunlight effect. Seventy-five thousand individual measurements were obtained from March to August 2020. Maximum recorded temperatures for sunlight-exposed porous rock were 170°F, asphalt 166°F, brick 152°F, concrete 144°F, metal 144°F, and sand 143°F, measured on August 6, 2020 at 2:10 pm, when ambient temperature was 120°F and solar irradiation 940 W/m2. Sunlight-exposed materials ranged 36 to 56°F higher than shaded materials measured at the same time. The highest daily temperatures were achieved between 2:00 and 4:00 pm due to maximum solar irradiance. Contour plots of surface temperature as a function of both solar irradiation and time of day were created for all materials tested. A computational fluid dynamics model was created to validate the data and serve as a predictive model based upon temperature and sunlight inputs. This information is useful to inform the public of the risks of contact burn due to sunlight-exposed surfaces in a desert climate.
Treatise on International Criminal Law
Authors: Ambos Kai
Published: September 2022

International Criminal Law and Justice is a flourishing field, with the birth of new international criminal tribunals and both accountability and investigative mechanisms, increasing and consolidated case law, and burgeoning substantive scholarship. This expansion also left its mark in the international crimes and sentencing dealt with in this new edition. The previous edition has been completely revised and updated. The new edition includes largely extended sections on sexual and gender-based crimes; detailed elaborations on the crime of aggression, including its complicated jurisdictional regime; a reference to a better protection of the environment through the introduction of a crime of ‘ecocide’; an elaboration on the nexus requirement in war crimes and asymmetrical conflicts as well as the commission of war crime against the same party; reference to the newly introduced war crimes of the ICC Statute and of the peculiarities of cyber-attacks, and more. The authors have strived to include all relevant case law up to September 2021, sometimes even beyond.
The Crime of Aggression
Authors: Ambos Kai
Published: September 2022

This chapter discusses the crime of aggression that was prosecuted for the first time under the title of crime against peace by the Nuremberg and Tokyo Tribunals. The crime of aggression was then defined as planning, preparation, initiation or waging of a war of aggression, or a war in violation of international treaties, agreements, or assurances. In the Nuremberg Trials, to initiate a war of aggression was considered to be the supreme international crime, while before the International Military Tribunal for the Far East (IMTFE) aggression belonged to the major war crimes. The chapter mentions the UN General Assembly (GA) that adopted a groundbreaking definition of an act of aggression in Resolution 3314 (XXIX), which served as the basis for all subsequent discussion leading up to the Kampala compromise as adopted by Art. 8bis ICC Statute. This new crime of aggression and its complicated jurisdictional provisions will be discussed in detail.
Treaty Crimes
Authors: Ambos Kai
Published: September 2022

This chapter describes a series of other crimes whose suppression is of interest to the international community and which are the objects of multilateral treaties but for which no supranational criminal jurisdiction exists. It looks at treaty-based crimes that are established by special, so-called suppression conventions, such as the UN Torture Convention, the Terrorist Bombing Convention, and the UN Drugs Conventions. There are over 200 of these conventions all dealing with very specific aspects of criminal conduct with actual or potential transboundary effect. The chapter examines relevant conventions that do not contain autonomous crimes but only oblige the State Parties to criminalize the respective conduct under their domestic penal laws. A failure of a State Party to comply with this obligation entails its responsibility under the rules of State responsibility.
Concursus Delictorum and Sentencing
Authors: Ambos Kai
Published: September 2022

This chapter reviews the law of concours (dealing with multiple acts and offences) that can be located in the border zones of the general rules of imputation, the crimes, and the sentencing rules. It considers the law of concours as the least developed area of international criminal law, but it is certainly not the least important one. The law of concours determine the crimes which are charged, which crimes may lead to convictions, and which crimes, ultimately, form the basis of sentencing. The sentencing regime of the ICC and other international tribunals will then be analyzed in the second part of the chapter. The sentencing principles are discussed and a five-step approach to find an adequate sentence is proposed.