bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Laparoscopic treatment for a prostatic cyst in a dog
Authors: Comas Collgrós Núria , Carbonell Rosselló Gabriel , Jiménez Peláez Manuel
Published: September 2021

Treatment of choice for prostatic cysts is partial or complete resection, drainage and omentalisation, commonly performed through a caudal laparotomy. The aim of this case report is to describe for the first time the laparoscopic treatment of a prostatic cyst in a dog. Laparoscopy was elected to avoid the morbidity and disadvantages related to a parapreputial laparotomy approach. Partial resection, drainage and omentalisation of a prostatic cyst was performed through four abdominal 5 mm ports situated on midline caudal umbilical, mid left abdominal region and two on the right caudal abdomen. The patient recovered quickly, uneventfully and without recurrence during the 15‐month follow‐up period.
Metro Manila's 2019 water crisis: Of efficiency traps and dry taps
Authors: Torio Philamer C. , Mendoza Ronald U. , Torres Ayn G.
Published: September 2021

In 2019, Metro Manila experienced a water supply crisis, barely 2 years after the government and its private concessionaires were given international recognition for a successful water privatization, with success defined in terms of high operating efficiencies and improved service levels. These service‐level improvements, however, brought about a surge in consumer demand, which necessitated the construction of a new water supply infrastructure. Regulatory failures resulting in nondelivery of the infrastructure effectively negated and trapped the efficiency gains that were built slowly over the years, at a cost of US$5.4 billion. Such failures resulted in public indignation over dry household taps, as well as a presidential anger that threatened to cancel the program in its entirety. Using the lessons learned from this crisis, the paper enumerates measures to help unlock the traps set by these regulatory failures.
Population Design for Synthetic Gene Circuits
Authors: Turpin Baptiste , Bijman Eline Y. , Kaltenbach Hans-Michael , Stelling Jörg
Published: September 2021

Synthetic biologists use and combine diverse biological parts to build systems such as genetic circuits that perform desirable functions in, for example, biomedical or industrial applications. Computer-aided design methods have been developed to help choose appropriate network structures and biological parts for a given design objective. However, they almost always model the behavior of the network in an average cell, despite pervasive cell-to-cell variability. Here, we present a computational framework to guide the design of synthetic biological circuits while accounting for cell-to-cell variability explicitly. Our design method integrates a NonLinear Mixed-Effect (NLME) framework into an existing algorithm for design based on ordinary differential equation (ODE) models. The analysis of a recently developed transcriptional controller demonstrates first insights into design guidelines when trying to achieve reliable performance under cell-to-cell variability. We anticipate that our method not only facilitates the rational design of synthetic networks under cell-to-cell variability, but also enables novel applications by supporting design objectives that specify the desired behavior of cell populations.
BioFVM-X: An MPI+OpenMP 3-D Simulator for Biological Systems
Authors: Saxena Gaurav , Ponce-de-Leon Miguel , Montagud Arnau , Vicente Dorca David , Valencia Alfonso
Published: September 2021

Multi-scale simulations require parallelization to address large-scale problems, such as real-sized tumor simulations. BioFVM is a software package that solves diffusive transport Partial Differential Equations for 3-D biological simulations successfully applied to tissue and cancer biology problems. Currently, BioFVM is only shared-memory parallelized using OpenMP, greatly limiting the execution of large-scale jobs in HPC clusters. We present BioFVM-X: an enhanced version of BioFVM capable of running on multiple nodes. BioFVM-X uses MPI+OpenMP to parallelize the generic core kernels of BioFVM and shows promising scalability in large 3-D problems with several hundreds diffusible substrates and $$\approx $$
≈
0.5 billion voxels. The BioFVM-X source code, examples and documentation, are available under the BSD 3-Clause license at https://gitlab.bsc.es/gsaxena/biofvm_x.
T
$$ \overline{T} $$-flow effects on torus partition functions
Authors: He Song , Sun Yuan , Zhang Yu-Xuan
Published: September 2021

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate the partition functions of conformal field theories (CFTs) with the T$$ \overline{T} $$

T
¯

deformation on a torus in terms of the perturbative QFT approach. In Lagrangian path integral formalism, the first- and second-order deformations to the partition functions of 2D free bosons, free Dirac fermions, and free Majorana fermions on a torus are obtained. The corresponding Lagrangian counterterms in these theories are also discussed. The first two orders of the deformed partition functions and the first-order vacuum expectation value (VEV) of the first quantum KdV charge obtained by the perturbative QFT approach are consistent with results obtained by the Hamiltonian formalism in literature.
Spontaneously broken boosts in CFTs
Authors: Komargodski Zohar , Mezei Márk , Pal Sridip , Raviv-Moshe Avia
Published: September 2021

Abstract

Conformal Field Theories (CFTs) have rich dynamics in heavy states. We describe the constraints due to spontaneously broken boost and dilatation symmetries in such states. The spontaneously broken boost symmetries require the existence of new low-lying primaries whose scaling dimension gap, we argue, scales as O(1). We demonstrate these ideas in various states, including fluid, superfluid, mean field theory, and Fermi surface states. We end with some remarks about the large charge limit in 2d and discuss a theory of a single compact boson with an arbitrary conformal anomaly.
Revisiting Coleman-de Luccia transitions in the AdS regime using holography
Authors: Ghosh Jewel K. , Kiritsis Elias , Nitti Francesco , Witkowski Lukas T.
Published: September 2021

Abstract

Coleman-de Luccia processes for AdS to AdS decays in Einstein-scalar theories are studied. Such tunnelling processes are interpreted as vev-driven holographic RG flows of a quantum field theory on de Sitter space-time. These flows do not exist for generic scalar potentials, which is the holographic formulation of the fact that gravity can act to stabilise false AdS vacua. The existence of Coleman-de Luccia tunnelling solutions in a potential with a false AdS vacuum is found to be tied to the existence of exotic RG flows in the same potential. Such flows are solutions where the flow skips possible fixed points or reverses direction in the coupling. This connection is employed to construct explicit potentials that admit Coleman-de Luccia instantons in AdS and to study the associated tunnelling solutions. Thin-walled instantons are observed to correspond to dual field theories with a parametrically large value of the dimension ∆ for the operator dual to the scalar field, casting doubt on the attainability of this regime in holography. From the boundary perspective, maximally symmetric instantons describe the probability of symmetry breaking of the dual QFT in de Sitter. It is argued that, even when such instantons exist, they do not imply an instability of the same theory on flat space or on R × S3.
Derivative corrections to the Heisenberg-Euler effective action
Authors: Karbstein Felix
Published: September 2021

Abstract

We show that the leading derivative corrections to the Heisenberg-Euler effective action can be determined efficiently from the vacuum polarization tensor evaluated in a homogeneous constant background field. After deriving the explicit parameter-integral representation for the leading derivative corrections in generic electromagnetic fields at one loop, we specialize to the cases of magnetic- and electric-like field configurations characterized by the vanishing of one of the secular invariants of the electromagnetic field. In these cases, closed-form results and the associated all-orders weak- and strong-field expansions can be worked out. One immediate application is the leading derivative correction to the renowned Schwinger-formula describing the decay of the quantum vacuum via electron-positron pair production in slowly-varying electric fields.
Extract the energy scale of anomalous γγ → W+W− scattering in the vector boson scattering process using artificial neural networks
Authors: Yang Ji-Chong , Chen Jin-Hua , Guo Yu-Chen
Published: September 2021

Abstract

As a model independent approach to search for the signals of new physics (NP) beyond the Standard Model (SM), the SM effective field theory (SMEFT) draws a lot of attention recently. The energy scale of a process is an important parameter in the study of an EFT such as the SMEFT. However, for the processes at a hadron collider with neutrinos in the final states, the energy scales are difficult to reconstruct. In this paper, we study the energy scale of anomalous γγ → W+W− scattering in the vector boson scattering (VBS) process pp → jjℓ+ℓ−ν$$ \overline{\nu} $$

ν
¯

at the large hadron collider (LHC) using artificial neural networks (ANNs). We find that the ANN is a powerful tool to reconstruct the energy scale of γγ → W+W− scattering. The factors affecting the effects of ANNs are also studied. In addition, we make an attempt to interpret the ANN and arrive at an approximate formula which has only five fitting parameters and works much better than the approximation derived from kinematic analysis. With the help of ANN approach, the unitarity bound is applied as a cut on the energy scale of γγ → W+W− scattering, which is found to has a significant suppressive effect on signal events. The sensitivity of the process pp → jjℓ+ℓ−ν$$ \overline{\nu} $$

ν
¯

to anomalous γγWW couplings and the expected constraints on the coefficients at current and possible future LHC are also studied.
Time-dependent study of KS → π+π− decays for flavour physics measurements
Authors: Pakhlov P. , Popov V.
Published: September 2021

Abstract

Nowadays High Energy Physics experiments can accumulate unprecedented statistics of heavy flavour decays that allows to apply new methods, based on the study of very rare phenomena, which used to be just desperate. In this paper we propose a new method to measure composition of K0-$$ \overline{K} $$

K
¯

0, produced in a decay of heavy hadrons. This composition contains important information, in particular about weak and strong phases between amplitudes of the produced K0 and $$ \overline{K} $$

K
¯

0. We consider possibility to measure these parameters with time-dependent K0 → π+π− analysis. Due to C P -violation in kaon mixing time-dependent decay rates of K0 and $$ \overline{K} $$

K
¯

0 differ, and the initial amplitudes revealed in the CP-violating decay pattern. We perform phenomenological study of K0 decay evolution initially produced as a combination $$ a\left.|{K}^0(t)\right\rangle +b\left.|{\overline{K}}^0(t)\right\rangle $$
a

K
0

t

+
b

K
¯

0

t

, where a and b, complex amplitudes, could also be dependent on decay time of heavy mother particle. In particular we consider cases of charmed hadrons decays: D+ → K0π+, $$ {D}_s^{+} $$

D
s
+

→ K0K+, Λ → pK0 and with some assumptions D0 → K0π0. This can be used to test the sum rule for charmed mesons and to obtain input for the full constraint of the two body amplitudes of D-mesons.
Health-related quality of life and return to work 1 year after major trauma from a network perspective
Authors: van Ditshuizen Jan C. , van Lieshout Esther M. M. , van Beeck Ed F. , Verhofstad Michiel H. J. , den Hartog Dennis ,   Dutch Trauma Registry Southwest, Soesman N. M. R. , Jakma T. S. C. , Waleboer M. , Staarink M. , Bruijninckx M. M. M. , Cardon A. Y. M. V. P. , den Hoed P. T. , Roukema G. R. , van der Vlies C. H. , Schep N. W. L. , van de Schoot L.
Published: September 2021

Introduction

Major trauma often results in long-term disabilities. The aim of this study was to assess health-related quality of life, cognition, and return to work 1 year after major trauma from a trauma network perspective.

Methods

All major trauma patients in 2016 (Injury Severity Score > 15, n = 536) were selected from trauma region Southwest Netherlands. Eligible patients (n = 365) were sent questionnaires with the EQ-5D-5L and questions on cognition, level of education, comorbidities, and resumption of paid work 1 year after trauma.

Results

A 50% (n = 182) response rate was obtained. EQ-US and EQ-VAS scored a median (IQR) of 0.81 (0.62–0.89) and 70 (60–80), respectively. Limitations were prevalent in all health dimensions of the EQ-5D-5L; 90 (50%) responders reported problems with mobility, 36 (20%) responders reported problems with self-care, 108 (61%) responders reported problems during daily activities, 129 (73%) responders reported pain or discomfort, 70 (39%) responders reported problems with anxiety or depression, and 102 (61%) of the patients reported problems with cognition. Return to work rate was 68% (37% full, 31% partial). A median (IQR) EQ-US of 0.89 (0.82–1.00) and EQ-VAS of 80 (70–90) were scored for fully working responders; 0.77 (0.66–0.85, p < 0.001) and 70 (62–80, p = 0.001) for partial working respondents; and 0.49 (0.23–0.69, p < 0.001) and 55 (40–72, p < 0.001) for unemployed respondents.

Conclusion

The majority experience problems in all health domains of the EQ-5D-5L and cognition. Return to work status was associated with all health domains of the EQ-5D-5L and cognition.
Sitting less elicits metabolic responses similar to exercise and enhances insulin sensitivity in postmenopausal women
Authors: Remie Carlijn M. E. , Janssens Georges E. , Bilet Lena , van Weeghel Michel , Duvivier Bernard M. F. M. , de Wit Vera H. W. , Connell Niels J. , Jörgensen Johanna A. , Schomakers Bauke V. , Schrauwen-Hinderling Vera B. , Hoeks Joris , Hesselink Matthijs K. C. , Phielix Esther , Houtkooper Riekelt H. , Schrauwen Patrick
Published: September 2021

Aims/hypothesis

In our current society sedentary behaviour predominates in most people and is associated with the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. It has been suggested that replacing sitting time by standing and walking could be beneficial for individuals with type 2 diabetes but the underlying mechanisms are unknown and direct comparisons with exercise are lacking. Our objective was to directly compare metabolic responses of either sitting less or exercising, relative to being sedentary.

Methods

We performed a randomised, crossover intervention study in 12 overweight women who performed three well-controlled 4 day activity regimens: (1) sitting regimen (sitting 14 h/day); (2) exercise regimen (sitting 13 h/day, exercise 1 h/day); and (3) sitting less regimen (sitting 9 h/day, standing 4 h/day and walking 3 h/day). The primary outcome was insulin sensitivity measured by a two-step hyperinsulinaemic–euglycaemic clamp. We additionally performed metabolomics on muscle biopsies taken before the clamp to identify changes at the molecular level.

Results

Replacing sitting time by standing and walking over 4 days resulted in improved peripheral insulin sensitivity, comparable with the improvement achieved by moderate-to-vigorous exercise. Specifically, we report a significant improvement in peripheral insulin sensitivity in the sitting less (~13%) and the exercise regimen (~20%), compared with the sitting regimen. Furthermore, sitting less shifted the underlying muscle metabolome towards that seen with moderate-to-vigorous exercise, compared with the sitting regimen.

Conclusions/interpretations

Replacing sitting time by standing and walking is an attractive alternative to moderate-to-vigorous exercise for improving metabolic health.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03912922.

Graphical abstract
Good clinical outcomes after patellar cartilage repair with no evidence for inferior results in complex cases with the need for additional patellofemoral realignment procedures: a systematic review
Authors: Burger Daniel , Feucht Matthias , Muench Lukas N. , Forkel Philipp , Imhoff Andreas B. , Mehl Julian
Published: September 2021

Purpose

Focal, patellar cartilage defects are a challenging problem as most cases have an underlying multifactorial pathogenesis. This systematic review of current literature analysed clinical results after regenerative cartilage repair of the patella with a special focus on the assessment and treatment of existing patellofemoral malalignment.

Methods

A systematic review was conducted to identify articles reporting clinical results after cartilage regenerative surgeries of the patella using the PubMed and Scopus database. The extracted data included patient-reported outcome measures (PROMS) and whether cartilage repair was performed alone or in combination with concomitant surgeries of underlying patellofemoral co-pathologies. In cases of isolated cartilage repair, specific exclusion criteria regarding underlying co-pathologies were screened. In cases of concomitant surgeries, the type of surgeries and their specific indications were extracted.

Results

A total of 35 original articles were included out of which 27 (77%) were cohort studies with level IV evidence. The most frequently used technique for cartilage restoration of the patella was autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI). Results after isolated cartilage repair alone were reported by 15 (43%) studies. Of those studies, 9 (60%) excluded patients with underlying patellofemoral malalignment a priori and 6 (40%) did not analyse underlying co-pathologies at all. Among the studies including combined surgeries, the most frequently reported concomitant procedures were release of the lateral retinaculum, reconstruction of the medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL), and osteotomy of the tibial tubercle. In summary, these studies showed lower preoperative PROMS but similar final PROMS in comparison with the studies reporting on isolated cartilage repair. The most frequently used PROMS were the IKDC-, Lysholm- and the Modified Cincinnati Score.

Conclusion

This comprehensive literature review demonstrated good clinical outcomes after patellar cartilage repair with no evidence of minor results even in complex cases with the need for additional patellofemoral realignment procedures. However, a meaningful statistical comparison between isolated patellar cartilage repair and combined co-procedures is not possible due to very heterogeneous patient cohorts and a lack of analysis of specific subgroups in recent literature.

Level of evidence

Level IV.
New insights on manipulating the material removal characteristics of Jet-Electrochemical machining through nozzle design
Authors: Kendall Thomas , Diver Carl , Gillen David , Bartolo Paulo
Published: September 2021

Jet-Electrochemical machining (Jet-ECM) is a novel variation of traditional electrochemical machining in which electrically conductive material is removed through anodic dissolution by means of a fine jet of electrolyte. In this study, the effect of nozzle geometry on material removal characteristics are investigated through physical experiments performed on a Jet-ECM system under development at the university of Manchester. A total of 8 nozzles with holes encompassing converging, diverging and rounded features are studied at flow rates between 0.125 and 0.225 l/min. The results show that the nozzle hole geometry has a significant effect on the machined profile produced due to variations in flow velocity, pressure, and electric current distribution with converging hole nozzles providing an increased depth of cut than the symmetrical cylindrical channel by up to 9.7%. A 2D Star CCM+ simulation is also proposed, and numerical results developed and compared with experimental ones to investigate the feasibility of using simulation to develop future nozzle designs. The simulated results show good profile comparison to the experimental results, however, the model needs developing to improve the process repeatability for future use in nozzle design.
The importance of individual variation for the interpretation of behavioural studies: ethanol effects vary with basal activity level in zebrafish larvae
Authors: Davis Raissa , Luchtenburg Floris , Richardson Michael , Schaaf Marcel , Tudorache Christian , Slabbekoorn Hans
Published: September 2021

Standardization and reduction of variation is key to behavioural screening of animal models in toxicological and pharmacological studies. However, individual variation in behavioural and physiological phenotypes remains in each laboratory population and can undermine the understanding of toxicological and pharmaceutical effects and their underlying mechanisms. Here, we used zebrafish (ABTL-strain) larvae to explore individual consistency in activity level and emergence time, across subsequent days of early development (6–8 dpf). We also explored the correlation between these two behavioural parameters. We found inter-individual consistency over time in activity level and emergence time, but we did not find a consistent correlation between these parameters. Subsequently, we investigated the impact of variation in activity level on the effect of a 1% ethanol treatment, suitable for our proof-of-concept case study about whether impact from pharmacological treatments might be affected by inter-individual variation in basal locomotion. The inter-individual consistency over time in activity level did not persist in this test. This was due to the velocity change from before to after exposure, which turned out to be a dynamic individual trait related to basal activity level: low-activity individuals raised their swimming velocity, while high-activity individuals slowed down, yielding diametrically opposite response patterns to ethanol exposure. We therefore argue that inter-individual consistency in basal activity level, already from 6 dpf, is an important factor to take into account and provides a practical measure to improve the power of statistical analyses and the scope for data interpretation from behavioural screening studies.
Turning Point Principle for Relativistic Stars
Authors: Hadžić Mahir , Lin Zhiwu
Published: September 2021

Upon specifying an equation of state, spherically symmetric steady states of the Einstein-Euler system are embedded in 1-parameter families of solutions, characterized by the value of their central redshift. In the 1960’s Zel’dovich (Voprosy Kosmogonii 9:157–170, 1963) and Harrison et al. (Gravitation Theory and Gravitational Collapse. The University of Chicago press, Chicago, 1965) formulated a turning point principle which states that the spectral stability can be exchanged to instability and vice versa only at the extrema of mass along the mass-radius curve. Moreover the bending orientation at the extrema determines whether a growing mode is gained or lost. We prove the turning point principle and provide a detailed description of the linearized dynamics. One of the corollaries of our result is that the number of growing modes grows to infinity as the central redshift increases to infinity.
Enhancement of task-switching performance with transcranial direct current stimulation over the right lateral prefrontal cortex
Authors: Prehn Kristin , Skoglund Anja , Strobach Tilo
Published: September 2021

Switching between two or more tasks is a key component in our modern world. Task switching, however, requires time-consuming executive control processes and thus produces performance costs when compared to task repetitions. While executive control during task switching has been associated with activation in the lateral prefrontal cortex (lPFC), only few studies so far have investigated the causal relation between lPFC activation and task-switching performance by modulating lPFC activation. In these studies, the results of lPFC modulation were not conclusive or limited to the left lPFC. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effect of non-invasive transcranial direct current stimulation [tDCS; anodal tDCS (1 mA, 20 min) vs. cathodal tDCS (1 mA, 20 min) vs. sham tDCS (1 mA, 30 s)] over the right inferior frontal junction on task-switching performance in a well-established task-switching paradigm. In response times, we found a significant effect of tDCS Condition (atDCS, ctDCS vs. sham) on task-switching costs, indicating the modulation of task-switching performance by tDCS. In addition, we found a task-unspecific tDCS Condition effect in the first experimental session, in which participants were least familiar with the task, indicating a general enhancement of task performance in both task repetitions and task-switching trials. Taken together, our study provides evidence that the right lPFC is involved in task switching as well as in general task processing. Further studies are needed to investigate whether these findings can be translated into clinically relevant improvement in older subjects or populations with executive function impairment.
Necrotizing Enterocolitis in Children with Congenital Heart Disease: A Literature Review
Authors: Kelleher Sean T. , McMahon Colin J. , James Adam
Published: September 2021

Infants with congenital heart disease (CHD) are at an increased risk of developing necrotising enterocolitis (NEC), a serious inflammatory intestinal condition classically associated with prematurity. CHD not only increases the risk of NEC in preterm infants but is one of the most commonly implicated risk factors in term infants. Existing knowledge on the topic is limited largely to retrospective studies. This review acts to consolidate existing knowledge on the topic in terms of disease incidence, pathophysiology, risk factors, outcomes and the complex relationship between NEC and enteral feeds. Potential preventative strategies, novel biomarkers for NEC in this population, and the role of the intestinal microbiome are all explored. Numerous challenges exist in the study of this complex multifactorial disease which arise from the heterogeneity of the affected population and its relative scarcity. Nevertheless, its high related morbidity and mortality warrant renewed interest in identifying those infants most at risk and implementing strategies to reduce the incidence of NEC in infants with CHD.
Non-linear dielectric spectroscopy for detecting and evaluating structure-property relations in a P(VDF-TrFE-CFE) relaxor-ferroelectric terpolymer
Authors: Raman Venkatesan Thulasinath , Smykalla David , Ploss Bernd , Wübbenhorst Michael , Gerhard Reimund
Published: September 2021

Non-linear dielectric spectroscopy (NLDS) is employed as an effective tool to study relaxation processes and phase transitions of a poly(vinylidenefluoride-trifluoroethylene-chlorofluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE-CFE)) relaxor-ferroelectric (R-F) terpolymer in detail. Measurements of the non-linear dielectric permittivity$${\varepsilon _{2}^{'}}$$ε2′reveal peaks at 30 and 80$$\,^\circ$$∘C that cannot be identified in conventional dielectric spectroscopy. By combining the results from NLDS experiments with those from other techniques such as thermally stimulated depolarization and dielectric-hysteresis studies, it is possible to explain the processes behind the additional peaks. The former peak, which is associated with the mid-temperature transition, is found in all other vinylidene fluoride-based polymers and may help to understand the non-zero$$\varepsilon _\mathrm {2}^{'}$$ε2′values that are detected on the paraelectric phase of the terpolymer. The latter peak can also be observed during cooling of P(VDF-TrFE) copolymer samples at 100$$\,^\circ$$∘C and is due to conduction and space-charge polarization as a result of the accumulation of real charges at the electrode–sample interface.
Impaired pulmonary vasomotor control in exercising swine with multiple comorbidities
Authors: van de Wouw Jens , Steenhorst Jarno J. , Sorop Oana , van Drie Ruben W. A. , Wielopolski Piotr A. , Kleinjan Alex , Hirsch Alexander , Duncker Dirk J. , Merkus Daphne
Published: September 2021

Pulmonary hypertension is common in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Here, we tested the hypothesis that comorbidities [diabetes mellitus (DM, streptozotocin), hypercholesterolemia (HC, high-fat diet) and chronic kidney disease (CKD, renal microembolization)] directly impair pulmonary vasomotor control in a DM + HC + CKD swine model. 6 months after induction of DM + HC + CKD, pulmonary arterial pressure was similar in chronically instrumented female DM + HC + CKD (n = 19) and Healthy swine (n = 18). However, cardiac output was lower both at rest and during exercise, implying an elevated pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) in DM + HC + CKD swine (153 ± 10 vs. 122 ± 9 mmHg∙L−1∙min∙kg). Phosphodiesterase 5 inhibition and endothelin receptor antagonism decreased PVR in DM + HC + CKD (− 12 ± 12 and − 22 ± 7 mmHg∙L−1∙min∙kg) but not in Healthy swine (− 1 ± 12 and 2 ± 14 mmHg∙L−1∙min∙kg), indicating increased vasoconstrictor influences of phosphodiesterase 5 and endothelin. Inhibition of nitric oxide synthase produced pulmonary vasoconstriction that was similar in Healthy and DM + HC + CKD swine, but unmasked a pulmonary vasodilator effect of endothelin receptor antagonism in Healthy (− 56 ± 26 mmHg∙L−1∙min∙kg), whereas it failed to significantly decrease PVR in DM + HC + CKD, indicating loss of nitric oxide mediated inhibition of endothelin in DM + HC + CKD. Scavenging of reactive oxygen species (ROS) had no effect on PVR in either Healthy or DM + HC + CKD swine. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging, under anesthesia, showed no right ventricular changes. Finally, despite an increased contribution of endogenous nitric oxide to vasomotor tone regulation in the systemic vasculature, systemic vascular resistance at rest was higher in DM + HC + CKD compared to Healthy swine (824 ± 41 vs. 698 ± 35 mmHg∙L−1∙min∙kg). ROS scavenging induced systemic vasodilation in DM + HC + CKD, but not Healthy swine. In conclusion, common comorbidities directly alter pulmonary vascular control, by enhanced PDE5 and endothelin-mediated vasoconstrictor influences, well before overt left ventricular backward failure or pulmonary hypertension develop.
Outcome for sinonasal malignancies: a population-based survey
Authors: Hafström Anna , Sjövall Johanna , Persson Simon S. , Nilsson Johan S. , Svensson Christer , Brun Eva , Greiff Lennart
Published: September 2021

Purpose

Sinonasal malignancies (SNM) represent a rare and complex group of cancers that includes a wide range of histopathological subtypes. Data from population-based cohorts are scarce but warranted as a basis for randomized controlled treatment trials (RCTs). Our aim was to assess overall and histology subset-specific outcomes for SNM patients treated at a tertiary referral centre.

Methods

A retrospective, population-based, consecutive cohort of patients with SNMs diagnosed from 2001 through 2019 was examined. Outcome was analysed in relation to age, gender, site, stage, histopathology, and treatment.

Results

Two-hundred and twenty-six patients were identified, whereof 61% presented with stage IV disease. 80% completed treatment with curative intent, which comprised surgery with neoadjuvant (29%) or adjuvant (37%) radiotherapy, monotherapy with surgery (22%), definitive chemoradiotherapy (7%), or radiotherapy (5%). Median follow-up was 106 months. The 5- and 10-year overall survival rates were 57% and 35%, respectively. Median overall survival was 76 months (esthesioneuroblastoma: 147 months; adenocarcinoma: 117; salivary carcinoma: 88; mucosal melanoma: 69; squamous cell carcinoma: 51, undifferentiated carcinoma: 42; neuroendocrine carcinoma: 9; and NUT-carcinoma 5). The 5- and 10-year disease-free survival rates were 63% and 54%, respectively, and disease-specific survival 83% and 66%. Increasing age, stage IVB, melanoma histopathology, and treatment with definitive chemoradiotherapy emerged as significant independent prognostic risk factors for disease-specific mortality (p ≤ 0.001).

Conclusion

The results indicate a seemingly good outcome in comparison to previous reports, particularly for mucosal melanoma, adenocarcinoma, and undifferentiated carcinoma. The study provides additional background for future RCTs focusing on histology subset-specific treatment for SNM.
Left ventricular depression and pulmonary edema in rats after short-term normobaric hypoxia: effects of adrenergic blockade and reduced fluid load
Authors: Appelt Peter , Gabriel Philipp , Bölter Christian , Fiedler Nicole , Schierle Katrin , Salameh Aida , Rassler Beate
Published: September 2021

Acute normobaric hypoxia may induce pulmonary injury with edema (PE) and inflammation. Hypoxia is accompanied by sympathetic activation. As both acute hypoxia and high plasma catecholamine levels may elicit PE, we had originally expected that adrenergic blockade may attenuate the severity of hypoxic pulmonary injury. In particular, we investigated whether administration of drugs with reduced fluid load would be beneficial with respect to both cardiocirculatory and pulmonary functions in acute hypoxia. Rats were exposed to normobaric hypoxia (10% O2) over 1.5 or 6 h and received 0.9% NaCl or adrenergic blockers either as infusion (1 ml/h, increased fluid load) or injection (0.5 ml, reduced fluid load). Control animals were kept in normoxia and received infusions or injections of 0.9% NaCl. After 6 h of hypoxia, LV inotropic function was maintained with NaCl injection but decreased significantly with NaCl infusion. Adrenergic blockade induced a similar LV depression when fluid load was low, but did not further deteriorate LV depression after 6 h of infusion. Reduced fluid load also attenuated pulmonary injury after 6 h of hypoxia. This might be due to an effective fluid drainage into the pleural space. Adrenergic blockade could not prevent PE. In general, increased fluid load and impaired LV inotropic function promote the development of PE in acute hypoxia. The main physiologic conclusion from this study is that fluid reduction under hypoxic conditions has a protective effect on cardiopulmonary function. Consequently, appropriate fluid management has particular importance to subjects in hypoxic conditions.
Caregiver burden by treatment and clinical characteristics of patients with glioblastoma
Authors: Au Trang H. , Willis Connor , Reblin Maija , Peters Katherine B. , Nghiemphu Phioanh Leia , Taylor Jennie W. , Colman Howard , Cohen Adam L. , Ormond D. Ryan , Chakravarti Arnab , Willmarth Nicole , Menon Jyothi , Ma Junjie , Bauer Hillevi , Watanabe Alexandre H. , Ulrich Cornelia M. , Singh Prianka , Marshall Alexander , Korytowsky Beata , Stenehjem David , Brixner Diana
Published: September 2021

Background

Glioblastoma is an incurable disease with a poor prognosis. For caregivers of people with glioblastoma, the burden of care can be high. Patients often present with different clinical characteristics, which may impact caregiver burden in different ways. This study aimed to evaluate associations between patient clinical characteristics and caregiver burden/quality of life (QoL).

Methods

Caregiver–patient dyads were enrolled at 7 academic cancer centers in the United States. Eligible caregiver participants were self-reported as the primary caregiver of an adult living with glioblastoma and completed a caregiver burden survey. Eligible patients were age ≥ 18 years at glioblastoma diagnosis and alive when their respective caregiver entered the study, with the presence of cognitive dysfunction confirmed by the caregiver. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and multivariable analyses.

Results

The final cohort included 167 dyads. Poor patient performance status resulted in patient difficulty with mental tasks, more caregiving tasks, and increased caregiving time. Language problems were reported in patients with left-sided lesions. Patient confusion was negatively associated with all caregiver domains: emotional health, social health, general health, ability to work, confidence in finances, and overall QoL. Better caregiver QoL was observed in patients with frontal lobe lesions versus non-frontal lobe lesions.

Conclusion

This study reinforced that patient performance status is a critical clinical factor that significantly affects caregiver burden, caregiving tasks, and caregiver time. Additionally, patient confusion affects multiple facets of caregiver burden/QoL. These results could be used to support guided intervention for caregiver support, customized to the patient experience.
Sparse data-based image super-resolution with ANFIS interpolation
Authors: Ismail Muhammad , Shang Changjing , Yang Jing , Shen Qiang
Published: September 2021

Image processing is a very broad field containing various areas, including image super-resolution (ISR) which re-represents a low-resolution image as a high-resolution one through a certain means of image transformation. The problem with most of the existing ISR methods is that they are devised for the condition in which sufficient training data is expected to be available. This article proposes a new approach for sparse data-based (rather than sufficient training data-based) ISR, by the use of an ANFIS (Adaptive Network-based Fuzzy Inference System) interpolation technique. Particularly, a set of given image training data is split into various subsets of sufficient and sparse training data subsets. Typical ANFIS training process is applied for those subsets involving sufficient data, and ANFIS interpolation is employed for the rest that contains sparse data only. Inadequate work is available in the current literature for the sparse data-based ISR. Consequently, the implementations of the proposed sparse data-based approach, for both training and testing processes, are compared with the state-of-the-art sufficient data-based ISR methods. This is of course very challenging, but the results of experimental evaluation demonstrate positively about the efficacy of the work presented herein.
Evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease/nonalcoholic steatohepatitis 2020
Authors: Tokushige Katsutoshi , Ikejima Kenichi , Ono Masafumi , Eguchi Yuichiro , Kamada Yoshihiro , Itoh Yoshito , Akuta Norio , Yoneda Masato , Iwasa Motoh , Yoneda Masashi , Otsuka Motoyuki , Tamaki Nobuharu , Kogiso Tomomi , Miwa Hiroto , Chayama Kazuaki , Enomoto Nobuyuki , Shimosegawa Tooru , Takehara Tetsuo , Koike Kazuhiko
Published: September 2021

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become a serious public health issue not only in Western countries but also in Japan. Within the wide spectrum of NAFLD, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a progressive form of disease that often develops into liver cirrhosis and increases the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). While a definite diagnosis of NASH requires liver biopsy to confirm the presence of hepatocyte ballooning, hepatic fibrosis is the most important prognostic factor in NAFLD. With so many NAFLD patients, it is essential to have an effective screening method for NAFLD with hepatic fibrosis. As HCC with non-viral liver disease has increased markedly in Japan, effective screening and surveillance of HCC are also urgently needed. The most common death etiology in NAFLD patients is cardiovascular disease (CVD) event. Gastroenterologists must, therefore, pay close attention to CVD when examining NAFLD patients. In the updated guidelines, we propose screening and follow-up methods for hepatic fibrosis, HCC, and CVD in NAFLD patients. Several drug trials are ongoing for NAFLD/NASH therapy, however, there is currently no specific drug therapy for NAFLD/NASH. In addition to vitamin E and thiazolidinedione derivatives, recent trials have focused on sodium glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogues, and effective therapies are expected to be developed. These practical guidelines for NAFLD/NASH were established by the Japanese Society of Gastroenterology in conjunction with the Japan Society of Hepatology. Clinical evidence reported internationally between 1983 and October 2018 was collected, and each clinical and background question was evaluated using the Grades of Recommendation Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system. This English summary provides the core essentials of these clinical practice guidelines, which include the definition and concept, screening systems for hepatic fibrosis, HCC and CVD, and current therapies for NAFLD/NASH in Japan.
Generalized Kramers–Kronig relations and sum rules for moments and powers of degenerate four wave mixing susceptibility
Authors: Saarinen Jarkko J.
Published: September 2021

Generalized Kramers–Kronig (K–K) type dispersion relations and sum rules are derived in the static limit for the moments of the degenerate four wave mixing susceptibility. The degenerate nonlinear susceptibility is different from a typical use of the conventional K–K dispersion relations, which assume absence of complex poles of a function in the upper half of complex frequency plane, whereas degenerate susceptibility has simultaneous poles in both half planes. In the derivation of the generalized K–K relations the poles and their order are taken into account by utilization of the theorem of residues. The conventional K–K relations can be used to estimate the real and imaginary parts of the second and higher powers of the susceptibility as the effect of the poles is reduced due to a faster convergence of the dispersion relations. The present theory is directly applicable to higher order susceptibilities and can be used in testing of theoretical models describing the degenerate four wave mixing susceptibility in nonlinear optical and terahertz spectroscopy.
Pillenmüdigkeit? Fakten und Auswirkungen
Authors: Tschudin Sibil
Published: September 2021

Hintergrund

In den letzten Jahren scheint sich ein Trend zu Alternativen für die „Pille“ abzuzeichnen.

Fragestellung

Es stellt sich die Frage, was es mit der postulierten „Pillenmüdigkeit“ auf sich hat, ob tatsächlich eine Abkehr von der hormonellen Kontrazeption stattfindet, was mögliche Gründe dafür sein könnten und ob sich Auswirkungen feststellen lassen.

Material und Methoden

Es wurde eine Literaturrecherche zu folgenden Punkten durchgeführt: 1. Hinweise auf Veränderungen im Verhütungsverhalten in Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz, 2. Evidenz in Bezug auf die zurzeit viel diskutierten Auswirkungen hormoneller Kontrazeptiva auf Psyche und Sexualität und 3. Hinweise auf eine Zunahme der Schwangerschaftsabbrüche.

Ergebnisse

Die Verwendung der Pille zeigt eine rückläufige Tendenz. Zurzeit lässt sich keine Aussage machen, ob es zu einer signifikant häufigeren Anwendung der Kupferspirale gekommen ist. Die Sorge vor Nebenwirkungen ist für einen beträchtlichen Prozentsatz der befragten Frauen ein wesentlicher Grund, hormonelle Verhütungsmittel zu vermeiden. Gemäß aktuellen Übersichtsbeiträgen verzeichnen die meisten Frauen, die kombinierte orale Kontrazeptiva verwenden, keine oder eine positive Wirkung auf die Stimmung, die Inzidenz einer depressiven Symptomatik ist gering und nur in Untergruppen relevant. Die Auswirkungen hormoneller Kontrazeptiva auf die Sexualität der Frau sind nicht ausreichend untersucht und die verfügbaren Daten deuten darauf hin, dass nur eine Minderheit eine positive oder negative Veränderung wahrnimmt. Eine Zunahme der Schwangerschaftsabbrüche zeichnet sich nicht ab.

Schlussfolgerung

In Anbetracht des Stellenwerts, den unter anderem die Nebenwirkungen bezüglich Zufriedenheit mit und Adhärenz zur Verhütungsmethode haben, ist eine individuell zugeschnittene Kontrazeptionsberatung essenziell.
Clinical outcomes of surgical resection for recurrent lesion after curative esophagectomy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a nationwide, large-scale retrospective study
Authors: Kudou Kensuke , Saeki Hiroshi , Nakashima Yuichiro , Kimura Yasue , Oki Eiji , Mori Masaki , Shimokawa Mototsugu , Kakeji Yoshihiro , Toh Yasushi , Doki Yuichiro , Matsubara Hisahiro
Published: September 2021

Background

Several studies have reported the efficacy of resection for recurrent lesions. However, they involved a limited number of subjects. This study aimed to identify a subset of patients who benefit from surgical resection of recurrent lesions after curative esophagectomy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Methods

Clinicopathological features of 186 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who underwent surgical treatment for postoperative recurrent lesions at 37 accredited institutions of the Japanese Esophageal Society were evaluated.

Results

The most common recurrence site was the lymph node (106 cases; 58.6%), followed by the lung (40 cases; 22.1%). Univariate analyses revealed that pN 0–1 at esophagectomy (P = 0.0348), recurrence-free interval of ≥ 550 days (P = 0.0306), R0 resection (P < 0.0001), and absence of severe complications after resection for recurrent lesions (Clavien–Dindo grade < IIIa) (P = 0.0472) were associated with better overall survival after surgical resection. According to multivariate analyses, pN 0–1 (P = 0.0146), lung metastasis (P = 0.0274), recurrence-free interval after curative esophagectomy of ≥ 550 days (P = 0.0266), R0 resection (P = 0.0009), and absence of severe complications after resection for recurrent lesions (Clavien–Dindo grade < IIIa) (P = 0.0420) were independent predictive factors for better overall survival.

Conclusions

Surgical resection of recurrent esophageal squamous cell carcinoma lesions is a useful option, especially for cases involving lower pN stage, lung metastasis, long recurrence-free intervals after esophagectomy, and technically resectable lesions. Surgical risks should be minimized as much as possible.