bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Organizational and technological features of geodetic observations of earth surface deformations
Authors: Bobkina Valerya , Yakovlev Vladimir
Published: June 2024

The article examines a complex of organizational, technological and economic measures to ensure observations of deformations of the earth's surface. The authors provide an overview of issues of improving the safety of buildings located in seismically active and landslide zones of the Russian Federation, and offer recommendations for improving monitoring methods. The need for careful consideration of the geodynamic factor during the construction and operation of not only especially critical unique objects, but also mass housing construction projects is substantiated. To study geodynamic processes occurring in the territories of populated areas or in the territories of large industrial enterprises and engineering structures, it is proposed to create specialized observation systems - geodynamic polygons. The authors propose an organizational and technological scheme for observations at the geodynamic site. Research methods for making organizational and technological decisions are discussed. Effective organization of work will allow us to study abnormal vertical and horizontal movements and prevent possible damage to infrastructure. The authors of the article also discuss and justify recommendations for performing and processing geodetic observations of deformations of the earth's surface.
Textile and apparel enterprises sustainable development strategy: focus on ecologic monitoring strategic communications
Authors: Khvorostyanaya Anna
Published: June 2024

Strategy determines the success of the long-term development of any enterprise. In the context of sustainability, the consumer wants to be aware of what strategic principles the company adheres to, including questions about the use of environmental materials, technological innovation, corporate social responsibility, and other aspects. All these aspects should be reflected in the sustainability strategy, which, like any document, is in closed mode. In order to broadcast certain business practices in the field of sustainable development, any brand of light industry and fashion industry needs a system of strategic communications. This paper analyzes the corporate experiences of famous brands in the industry, examining their mission, vision, principles, ideology, philosophy and so on. The study has created a unique model that can help brands with sustainability information policy from the perspective of privacy in terms of partial disclosure of their sustainability strategy. In the future, the study can be extended to quantitative and qualitative analysis of the effects of changes in the communication system.
“Green bonds” as a key instrument for sustainable investment and eco-innovation
Authors: Bisultanova Aza
Published: June 2024

The article analyses the peculiarities of using green bonds as one of the effective tools for maintaining environmental sustainability, stresses the need for further development of innovative financial instruments to support sustainable development goals. The author notes the opinion of leading academic economists on the necessity and usefulness of introducing green finance instruments. The article analysed the key aspects of green bonds, their role in the modern economy, as well as the factors affecting their effectiveness and demand in the market. The author also reviewed the main standards that establish criteria for classifying projects as sustainable development projects, certification mechanisms, and requirements for issuing green securities. The author emphasised the need for further research in the field of green finance, as current research is insufficient to provide a clear picture of the implementation of the mechanism of issue and circulation of green finance instruments.
Organizational and technological aspects of major repairs in the maintenance and operation of the housing fund
Authors: Zilberova Inna , Bobkina Valeriya , Sukhinin Sergey , Novoselova Irina
Published: June 2024

One of the tasks of a state is to create decent living conditions for the population, which includes providing people with high-quality and comfortable housing. However, over time, housing is subject to wear and tear, becomes outdated and unsuitable for use. Major repair measures are being implemented with the goal to slow down and prevent rapid deterioration of housing. Such measures are aimed at restoration, reconstruction and replacement of structural elements of residential buildings that have fallen into disrepair. Major repair of housing is a set of organizational, technological and economic measures aimed at reducing and eliminating the physical wear and tear of an apartment building. Major repairs were studied using the example of the Russian Federation, where there are two forms of deduction of contributions for major repairs of apartment buildings by the owners of premises therein: either to a special account opened by the owners of apartment owners of the building at a special bank, or deductions to the so-called “common pool”, i.e., to a general account of the regional major repair system operator. The system of major repairs of apartment buildings in the Russian Federation is based and implemented on a regional principle. Regional funds and regional major repair programs are formed within the regions. Provision of decent living conditions for the population and preservation of the housing fund of municipalities, being the most important task of modern socio-economic development of society, depends on the efficiency of the major repair system.
Application of the controlling mechanism and sustainable development principles in the implementation of construction projects
Authors: Manukhina Lyubov , Nezametdinov Ilgiz , Sergeeva Svetlana
Published: June 2024

The relevance of the study is determined by the need to ensure sustainable functioning of construction enterprises by increasing the efficiency of investment projects through the use of controlling mechanisms and application of the ESG concept. As a result of the research, the interrelation of project implementation processes by management phases was analyzed, problems in terms of control of investment and construction projects were identified and directions for improving the control mechanism with the application of the ESG concept were proposed. The purpose and main result of the study is to develop measures to improve the methods of control over the timing of implementation of investment and construction projects, taking into account compliance with the principles of the ESG concept.
Building practice of energy efficient earthquake-resistance buildings
Authors: Pugach Evgeniy , Levinskov Konstantin , Shipov Dmitriy
Published: June 2024

The article discusses technologies for constructing energy-efficient, earthquake-resistant buildings that have increased rigidity and strength in their main components. These technologies utilize structures with enhanced damping and active seismic insulation systems. Practical implementations, design features, and technological aspects are examined. An analysis is conducted on the characteristics of current technologies, the conditions for production and installation, repairability, and their impact on the building's energy efficiency during operation. Technologies are systematized and categorized based on their principles of seismic protection during the analysis process. The analysis was conducted based on the following main criteria: steel consumption, suitability of repairable technologies used, possibility of implementing seismic protection during building reconstruction, ability to withstand seismic effects, feasibility of implementation, and energy efficiency. It has been determined that traditional technical solutions to increase rigidity and strength, such as introducing structures with increased damping used for buildings with precast, monolithic, and precast-monolithic frames, require a significant amount of additional resources. These solutions are characterized by accumulation of failures in individual hidden elements due to seismic loads, low maintainability, and often decrease the energy efficiency of the building. The use of seismic energy-absorbing mechanisms with high efficiency can significantly reduce resource costs for construction and increase maintainability, thus improving the overall sustainability of the structure. Based on the findings of the analysis, the following recommendations are made for conducting further studies on active protection systems in terms of design, development of construction technology, and potential application in the renovation of existing buildings.
Environmental crimes: theoretical and legal analysis and problem definition
Authors: Osipov Danila
Published: June 2024

The article reviews the provisions of domestic legislation and legal doctrine on the concept and classification of environmental crimes. The authors' positions and approaches concerning attributive and substantive characteristics of environmental crimes are presented, the problems of realisation of legal responsibility for their commission are outlined, and the ways of their resolution in the foreseeable future are outlined.
Ecological education of students of oil and chemical technology majors
Authors: Semushina Elena
Published: June 2024

Tatarstan is one of the leaders of oil industry in Russia as well as chemical industry but has certain ecological problems such as pollution of the air, earth and water, destroying natural reservations and garbage throwing. The system of forming ecological style of mind of students of the region includes special subjects as well as a list of humanitarian subjects such as “English for special purpose” and “Literature”. The purpose of the paper is to present a system of forming ecological way of thinking of students of oil and chemical technology majors through lessons of English, paying special attention to formation of productive skills. The methodology of the study is based on a set of methods: the research method, the comparative typological method, and the heuristic method. The elements of ecological education are included in any stage of training English skills and the local ecological problems are reflected. The tasks in question are presented in the form of texts of ecological theme with open tasks and partially open tasks following. The climax is the defending of diploma work in English which includes ecological issues.
Increasing competitiveness of enterprises by optimizing business processes as a factor of sustainable development of industrial region
Authors: Panfilov Ilia , Fedorova Natalya , Moiseeva Elena , Divaeva Anna , Degtyareva Ksenia
Published: June 2024

This paper presents the results of research of enterprise business processes using analysis and optimization methods. The paper applies matrices of pairwise comparisons of tasks and symbols, as well as the responsibility matrix to identify weaknesses and optimize the workloads of employees. Measures to improve business processes were developed and implemented, which allowed to equalize the workload between employees and improve the efficiency of the enterprise. In the end, ideal models of business processes were created and a set of diagrams was developed for them, reflecting the future state of the organization. The results of the research can be used to optimize the work of other enterprises in the food industry and improve their competitiveness in the market.
The concept of a university’s scientific and educational mechanism with elements of Industry 5.0
Authors: Babkin Alexandr , Batukova Louisa , Bagdasaryan Lusine , Mikhailov Pavel , Karimov Diyor
Published: June 2024

In the modern world, the sustainable development of the state and society largely depends on the ability of its economic and economic mechanism to successfully evolve in a strategic historical perspective, taking into account and adequately responding to global challenges and threats. The most important condition and organic component of effective socio-economic development of the country is the timely transition of its university system to the model of “smart university” - University 4.0 with elements of Industry 5.0 and ESG principles. This approach will allow: to attract a significant proportion of creatively minded teachers and scientists of the university sphere to research and development, as well as to rally creatively minded specialists around them; to base educational processes on advanced achievements of science and technology, including the processes of digitalization and digital transformation, the introduction of the principles of Industry 5.0 and ESG development of cybersocial digital ecosystems; to form and use advanced forms of organization of science, scientific and innovative collaborations reflecting a single science- education-industry complex. The article presents and substantiates the conceptual provisions on the transition of the university from an earlier model to a 4.0 model with elements of Industry 5.0 and ESG for the development of cybersocial digital ecosystems. The article presents the results: a provision has been developed on the objective contradiction of the development of scientific and technological knowledge of society, which determines the need for universities to switch to the 4.0 model based on Industry 5.0 and the principles of ESG development; the principles of scientific and self-growing scientific and educational value of the 4.0 model university have been substantiated; the creation of a chain of scientific and educational value is justified.
Price trends for forest products
Authors: Sushko Olga
Published: June 2024

The forest complex, as a subject of study, possesses unique characteristics and distinct features that are related to its multi-layered structure. This structure connects primary industries and secondary industries that are dependent on the forest resource base. One key characteristic of both the national and global forest products markets is the significant fluctuation in prices for various types of forest products, both on a global and domestic scale. The ban on imports of forest products to European countries from 2022 has led to negative trends in price fluctuations for forest products in the domestic market. Prices for many types of forest products decreased by 1.5 – 2 times during the period of 2022-2023. The Russian Federation faces challenges in the sustainable and efficient development of the forest industry due to the unpredictable fluctuations in global and domestic prices for forest products. Therefore, in such conditions, the study of pricing and the development of an optimal mechanism for pricing timber products becomes an important aspect of management.
Platelet-Rich Plasma in Fat Graft Type-1 Tympanoplasty – Should We or Should We Not?
Authors: Choudhury Bikram , Gupta Palak , Mandal Saptarshi , Sharma Vidhu , Soni Kapil , Kaushal Darwin
Published: June 2024

Introduction Fat grafts have been in used since 1962 for small central perforations, with a success rate ranging from 86 to 100%. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) containing platelet concentrations greater than 1 million platelets/μL assist the healing process by various means. Current data suggests improved healing when tympanoplasty is performed using temporalis fascia grafts if PRP is added during surgery.

Objective To assess the effect of PRP on fat grafts in small and moderate-sized central perforations.

Methods The present prospective observational study was conducted with 36 patients who underwent fat graft tympanoplasty with PRP under local anesthesia. Clinical and audiological observations were carried out after 4, 8, and 12 weeks, and a statistical analysis of the observations was performed.

Results We assessed 23 patients with small central perforations and 11 patients with moderate central perforations. An overall success rate of 76.4% was observed, with an 82.6% success rate among patients with small central perforations and 63.6% among those with moderate central perforations. There was no statistically significant difference in the uptake regarding the location of the perforation, but a statistically significant difference was found in terms of hearing improvement following the procedure.

Conclusion The morbidity of conventional tympanoplasty in cases of small-to-moderate central perforations in patients with chronic otitis media vis a vis the results of the procedure needs to be revisited, as in the present study fat grafts placed with PRP under local anesthesia could lead to surgical and audiological outcomes that are as good as those reported in the literature.
Three-dimensional calculation method on local slurry wall stability of diaphragm wall trench based on minimum potential energy principle
Authors: Wang Lin , Shao Guojian , Su Jingbo , Sun Yang , Guan Dawei , Yao Sen , Li Chunyu
Published: June 2024

Because the soft weak soil layer rich in confined groundwater is prone to local instability and failure in the construction of diaphragm wall trenches, in order to check the local slurry wall stability in the construction of diaphragm wall trenches, a new three-dimensional (3D) calculation method on the local stability safety factor (LSF) of slurry walls is proposed based on the minimum potential energy principle. After the new method is applied to two engineering cases, the value of the LSF solved is 0.82 for engineering case 1, and the values of the LSF solved are 0.84 and 1.05 when the phreatic water levels are 2 and 4.5 m, respectively, for engineering case 2. These results are very close to the calculation results in the existing references, so the rationality of the new method is verified. Then the sensitivity of the LSFs obtained from the new method to various parameters has been analyzed and clarified on the basis of ten design examples. Finally, the new method is used to check the local slurry wall stability in the construction of diaphragm wall trenches for a practical project, and the obtained values of the LSF for three concerned weak soil layers are 1.37, 1.19, and 0.82, respectively. These results are in agreement with the actual situation in the construction site. This reveals that both the 3D model established and the 3D calculation method proposed in this paper are suitable for application in practical projects.
On the engulfment of antifreeze proteins by ice
Authors: Thosar Aniket U. , Cai Yusheng , Marks Sean M. , Vicars Zachariah , Choi Jeongmoon , Pallath Akash , Patel Amish J.
Published: June 2024

Antifreeze proteins (AFPs) are remarkable biomolecules that suppress ice formation at trace concentrations. To inhibit ice growth, AFPs must not only bind to ice crystals, but also resist engulfment by ice. The highest supercooling,

Δ

T
∗

, for which AFPs are able to resist engulfment is widely believed to scale as the inverse of the separation,

L

, between bound AFPs, whereas its dependence on the molecular characteristics of the AFP remains poorly understood. By using specialized molecular simulations and interfacial thermodynamics, here, we show that in contrast with conventional wisdom,

Δ

T
∗

scales as

L

−
2

and not as

L

−
1

. We further show that

Δ

T
∗

is proportional to AFP size and that diverse naturally occurring AFPs are optimal at resisting engulfment by ice. By facilitating the development of AFP structure–function relationships, we hope that our findings will pave the way for the rational design of AFPs.
Applying cognitive grammar to the Count/Mass Distinction
Authors: Romero Muñoz Eloy , Decorte Remy , Dachet Dylan
Published: June 2024

This exploratory case study contributes to the ongoing “methodological consolidation” in Applied Cognitive
Linguistics (Wirag et al. 2022). It does so by examining the relationship
between pre-service English language teachers’ attitudes toward grammar teaching and their acceptance of an innovative pedagogical
approach to the Count/Mass Distinction (CMD) inspired by Cognitive Grammar (CG). Eleven first-year college students at a
teacher-training University College in Belgium participated in the study. A questionnaire was used to determine the participants’
beliefs about grammar and grammar teaching. Elements of a CG approach to the CMD were integrated into a lesson plan and presented
to the participants. The participants were then divided into two random focus groups. The interviews followed a semi-structured
format, and a thematic analysis was performed on the transcripts. The data suggests that the participants’ prior knowledge and
experience, the ecological validity of the innovation, and their perceived capacity to integrate the resource into their practice,
all affect their assessment of a CG-informed innovation, with the latter being the most likely to impede application. The study
sheds light on how pre-service teachers’ beliefs impact the adoption of innovative pedagogical methods for teaching grammar and
suggests ways to make CG more accessible to practitioners.
Use of parametric X-ray radiation of electrons in crystals to determine the parameters of imaging-plates
Authors: Berdnichenko A.V. , Budko A.V. , Kolodochkin V.V. , Skliarova A.S. , Takabayashi Y. , Vnukov I.E.
Published: June 2024

Good agreement between experimental data and the results of calculations of the yield and angular distributions of parametric X-ray radiation of electrons in crystals within the framework of kinematic theory enables us to use the measurement results to determine the photon energy dependence of the sensitivity of X-ray plates. The results of measurements of the angular distributions of parametric X-ray radiation of electrons with an energy of 255 MeV in a Si crystal using imaging plates of several types were compared with the results of calculations that take into account all currently known experimental factors that influence the measurement results. The spectral dependence of the sensitivity of the studied X-ray plates was determined for photon energies of two orders of reflection and for the (111), (1̅1̅1), and (110) reflection planes.
Downstream natural gas composition across U.S. and Canada: implications for indoor methane leaks and hazardous air pollutant exposures
Authors: Rowland Sebastian T , Lebel Eric D , Goldman Jackson S W , Domen Jeremy K , Bilsback Kelsey R , Ruiz Angélica , Jaeger Jessie M , Hill Lee Ann L , Kashtan Yannai S , Finnegan Colin , Nicholson Metta , Ouyang Zutao , Jackson Robert B , Shonkoff Seth B C , Michanowicz Drew R
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Previous research has shown that natural gas (NG) leaks from residential appliances are common, affecting greenhouse gas emission inventories and indoor air quality. To study these implications, we collected and analyzed 587 unburned NG samples from 481 residences over 17 North American cities for hydrocarbons, hazardous air pollutants, and organosulfur odorants. Nearly all (97% of) gas samples contained benzene (between-city mean: 2335 ppbv [95% CI: 2104, 2607]) with substantial variability between cities. Vancouver, Los Angeles, Calgary, and Denver had at least 2x higher mean benzene concentrations than other cities sampled, with Vancouver exhibiting a nearly 50x greater mean benzene level than the lowest-concentration city (Boston). We estimate that current U.S. and Canadian emissions inventories are missing an additional 25 000 [95% CI: 19 000, 34 000] and 4000 [95% CI: 3700, 5200] lbs benzene yr−1 through downstream NG leakage, respectively. Concentrations of odorants added for leak detection varied substantially across cities, indicating a lack of standardization. Houston, for instance, had 5x higher mean tert-butyl mercaptan levels than Toronto. Using these odorant measurements, we found that methane emissions as high as 0.0080–0.28 g h−1 and indoor benzene enhancements 0.0096–0.11 ppbv could go undetected by persons with an average sense of smell, with large uncertainties driven by smelling sensitivity, gas composition, and household conditions. We also observed larger leaks (>10 ppm ambient methane) in ∼4% of surveyed homes, confirming that indoor leakage occurs at varying degrees despite the presence of odorants. Overall, our results illustrate the importance of downstream NG composition to understand potential emissions, exposures, and odor-mediated leak detection levels. Given methane’s global warming potency, benzene’s toxicity, and wide variation in smelling abilities, our findings highlight the deficiencies regarding the sole reliance on odorization to alert and protect all occupants from indoor leaks.
The role of manufacturing-induced texture on the tribological performance of cold work tool steels
Authors: de Oliveira Lopes Angélica Paola , Tolotti de Almeida Diego , Johnson Santiago Maya , D’Oliveira Ana Sofia Clímaco Monteiro , Costa Henara Lillian , Scheuer Cristiano José
Published: June 2024

Manufacturing operations produce surface characteristics that, although stochastic, can significantly affect functionality, especially in forming tools, impacting contact and lubrication conditions during operation. This study investigates the influence of stochastic microtextures resulting from milling on the tribological performance of cold work tool steels with two different carbon contents (0.8 and 2 wt%). Different surface textures were observed resulting from the different C contents, with 3D roughness parameters indicating rougher surfaces for the 2.0% wt. C steel. Tribological behavior was assessed using the strip drawing test to analyze friction, wear coefficients, and wear mechanisms. Surface analysis before and after testing was executed employing SEM, EDX, and CLSM, with CLSM also used to determine 3D roughness parameters of the worn tracks. Post-test macrographic analyses and 2D roughness measurements were conducted on the pulled sheets. Tribological test data revealed lower friction and wear coefficients for the 2.0 wt% C tool steel, with susceptibility to abrasion wear, while the 0.8 wt% C tool exhibited a higher tendency towards adhesion wear. Post-test analysis suggested smoother surfaces for the 2.0 wt% C steel compared to the 0.8 wt% C steel. Macrographic analysis showed no visible wear marks on sheets tested with the 2.0 wt% C steel, contrasting with wear grooves visible on sheets pulled against the 0.8 wt% C steel. Additionally, 2D roughness measurements indicated higher roughness after pulling against the 0.8 wt% C tool compared to the 2.0 wt. C tool. Overall, the study demonstrates that manufacturing-induced textures without the need of post-manufacturing texturing influence the tribological performance of the evaluated steels, opening an avenue to be explored to improve the tribological performance of forming tools.
Non-unitary Trotter circuits for imaginary time evolution
Authors: Leadbeater Chiara , Fitzpatrick Nathan , Muñoz Ramo David , Thom Alex J W
Published: June 2024

We propose an imaginary time equivalent of the well-established Pauli gadget primitive for Trotter-decomposed real time evolution, using mid-circuit measurements on a single ancilla qubit. Imaginary time evolution (ITE) is widely used for obtaining the ground state (GS) of a system on classical hardware, computing thermal averages, and as a component of quantum algorithms that perform non-unitary evolution. Near-term implementations on quantum hardware rely on heuristics, compromising their accuracy. As a result, there is growing interest in the development of more natively quantum algorithms. Since it is not possible to implement a non-unitary gate deterministically, we resort to the implementation of probabilistic ITE (PITE) algorithms, which rely on a unitary quantum circuit to simulate a block encoding of the ITE operator—that is, they rely on successful ancillary measurements to evolve the system non-unitarily. Compared with previous PITE proposals, the suggested block encoding in this paper results in shorter circuits and is simpler to implement, requiring only a slight modification of the Pauli gadget primitive. This scheme was tested on the transverse Ising model and the fermionic Hubbard model and is demonstrated to converge to the GS of the system.
The effects of climate and climate change on electric vehicle charging demand in Toronto, Canada
Authors: Henrique Daniel B , Zhang Xuesong , Wang An , Lagacé Elise , Lee Kyup , Kushner Paul J , Posen I Daniel
Published: June 2024

Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) influence total and peak electricity demand, but few studies account for climate when studying these effects. This study quantifies BEV charging demand in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area using a detailed trip level approach, accounting for the effect of present and future temperatures on BEV energy consumption. The impact of temperature on charging demand was largest in winter. In 2019, charging demand increases by 52% on an average January day, and up to 82% on extreme days (relative to mild weather conditions). At 30% penetration, BEVs increase peak demand on January’s coldest day by 600–3600 MW (3%–5%), of which 300–700 MW is driven by temperature, depending on the charging scenario. Climate change introduces small changes, increasing summer and decreasing winter charging demand. These results highlight the importance of adjusting for regional climate variation and temperature extremes when analyzing the impact of BEVs on the grid.
On the Physiology of High-altitude Flight and Altitudinal Migration in Birds
Authors: Ivy Catherine M , Williamson Jessie L
Published: June 2024

Synopsis

Many bird species fly at high altitudes for short periods and/or shift seasonally in altitude during migration, but little is known about the physiology of these behaviors. Transient high-altitude flight, or short-term flight at extreme altitudes, is a strategy used by lowland-native birds, often in the absence of topographic barriers. Altitudinal migration, or seasonal roundtrip movement in altitude between the breeding and non-breeding seasons, is a form of migration that occurs as a regular part of the annual cycle and results in periods of seasonal residency at high altitudes. Despite their nuanced differences, these two behaviors share a common challenge: exposure to reduced oxygen environments during at least part of the migratory journey. In this perspective piece, we compare what is known about the physiology of oxygen transport during transient high-altitude flight and altitudinal migration by highlighting case studies and recent conceptual advances from work on captive and wild birds. We aim to open avenues for integrative research on the ecology, evolution, and physiology of high-flying and mountain-climbing birds.
Observation of Positive Trap Charge by Electron Holography in PMOS Device
Authors: Wang Yun-Yu , Sankaranarayanan Sandeep , Kaushik Naveen , Wang Zhouguang , Smith Mike , Jin Qiang , Rossi Tommaso
Published: June 2024

It has been hypothesized that trap charge plays an important role in PMOS (positive-channel metal oxide semiconductor) device reliability. By using electron holography, trap charge in a spacer oxide was observed to cause an inversion of junction in an un-stressed PMOS device prepared using a Ga+ focused ion beam (FIB). Through 400°C annealing for 10 min in vacuum, trap charge in the spacer oxide dispersed and the junction recovered. Technology computer-aided design (TCAD) simulation was used to confirm the positive trap charge effect on the junction. Furthermore, the simulation showed that a low concentration of positive trap charge at the Si/SiO2 interface under the spacer led to a higher tunneling current due to an abrupt junction near the Si surface through a very localized junction inversion.
Basivertebral Nerve Radiofrequency Ablation (Intracept)
Authors: Stolzenberg David , Issa Tariq Z. , Boyd Jeffrey , Boctor Michael J. , Tran David , Kitei Paul M. , Schroeder Gregory D.
Published: June 2024

Intraosseous basivertebral nerve ablation is indicated for the treatment of chronic vertebrogenic low back pain with failure of at least 6 months of conservative treatment. This article details patient positioning and setup, step-by-step instructions for the procedure, and postoperative management. Pearls and pitfalls are also discussed. In addition, an instructional procedure video accompanies this paper and can be found online (at https://vimeo.com/791578426/de0e90cfbe).
Multiomics Analysis of Interleukin-21 as a Potential Immunologic and Biomarker in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Ma Yonghui , Shao Guanming , Xie Yuwei , Yang Dongxia , Li Kun , Tan Bin , Wang Cong , Sun Peng , Cao Jingyu
Published: June 2024

Interleukin-21 (IL-21) is an important antitumor cytokine that contributes to the proliferation and differentiation of CD8+ T cells. It has been proven to enhance the response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in various solid tumors. However, its role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not yet been clarified. In this research, we aimed to investigate the antitumor effect of IL-21 in HCC and its effect on ICI treatment. Through transcriptome sequencing analysis and immunohistochemistry validation, we found that patients with high IL-21 expression had a better prognosis. HCCs with high expression of IL-21 had higher infiltration of CD8+ T cells, increased expression of immune checkpoints, and an improved response to ICI treatment. In conclusion, IL-21 can enhance the efficacy of ICI treatment and improve the prognosis of patients by promoting the infiltration of CD8+ T cells and the expression of immune checkpoint-related genes.
Head and neck melanoma: the eyelid region has a better prognosis and easier management: a retrospective survey and systematic review
Authors: Dini Federica , Susini Pietro , Zuccaro Biancamaria , Nisi Giuseppe , Cuomo Roberto , Grimaldi Luca , Perillo Gabriella , Tinunin Luca , Antonini Pietro , Innocenti Alessandro , Cecchi Giovanni , Gambale Elisabetta , Doni Laura , Mazzini Cinzia , Santoro Nicola , De Giorgi Vincenzo
Published: June 2024

Eyelid melanoma (EM) is a malignant neoplasm accounting for around 1% of eyelid malignancies. Because of its rarity, most of our knowledge of EM is currently based on studies of cutaneous melanomas located elsewhere. Accordingly, this study aimed to specifically evaluate EM characteristics, management strategies, and prognosis. A retrospective study was carried out on patients diagnosed with EM at Careggi University Hospital, Florence between May 2012 and May 2022. In addition, a systematic review of relevant literature was conducted, encompassing studies published from 2013 to 2023. Clinical, histopathological, therapeutical, and prognostic data were analyzed to assess the metastasis rate and the 5-year survival rate of patients with EM. Separate data were extracted for in situ and invasive disease. Our original study included 19 patients diagnosed with EM with a 5-year survival rate of 100% for in situ and 83.3% for invasive EM. The literature review identified five poorly detailed large database reviews and 14 original studies on EM with an overall 5-year survival rate of 79.7%. The present research indicates that EM is a challenging malignancy, but has a relatively better prognosis and easier management than other melanomas of the head and neck region. These are probably related to the anatomical location which leads to early diagnosis. Therefore, EM should be considered as a specific disease requiring dedicated treatment. Based on the personal authors’ experience and comprehensive overview of the current knowledge, a dedicated protocol is proposed.
Effects of goal-directed analgesia using the analgesia nociception index in children undergoing surgery for moyamoya disease
Authors: Park Jung-Bin , Kang Pyoyoon , Ji Sang-Hwan , Jang Young-Eun , Lee Ji-Hyun , Kim Jin-Tae , Kim Hee-Soo , Kim Eun-Hee
Published: June 2024

BACKGROUND

The potential benefits of Analgesia Nociception Index guided intra-operative analgesia on intra-operative opioid consumption remains to be demonstrated in paediatric anaesthesia.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to explore the effects of Analgesia Nociception Index guided analgesia on sufentanil consumption during anaesthesia and postoperative pain scores in paediatric patients with moyamoya disease.

DESIGN

A prospective randomised controlled study.

SETTING

Seoul National University Children's Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

PATIENTS

A total of 40 children scheduled for encephaloduroarteriosynangiosis.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcome was total intra-operative sufentanil consumption, and the secondary outcomes included postoperative pain scores and incidence of opioid-related adverse events.

RESULTS

The Analgesia Nociception Index group showed lower intra-operative sufentanil consumption (in μg kg−1 h−1) compared with the Standard group (0.30 ± 0.12 and 0.39 ± 0.17, respectively; mean difference, –0.09; 95% confidence interval, –0.19 to 0.00; P = 0.049). Postoperatively, compared with the Standard group, the Analgesia Nociception Index group reported lower median pain scores at 18 and 24 h and maximum pain within 24 h (1 [0 to 2] vs. 3 [2 to 5]; P = 0.004, 1 [0 to 2] vs. 3 [1 to 4]; P = 0.041, and 4 [3 to 5] vs. 5 [4 to 7]; P = 0.045, respectively), with fewer patients experiencing nausea (3 [15%] vs. 10 [50%], P = 0.043).

CONCLUSION

The Analgesia Nociception Index guided analgesic protocol can reduce intra-operative sufentanil consumption and postoperative pain within 24 h with fewer nausea symptoms in paediatric patients with moyamoya disease who undergo encephaloduroarteriosynangiosis.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT05672212 (registered at clinicaltrials, principal investigator: K.E.H., registration date: 2 January 2023)
Mood Tracker: A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Self-Monitoring Intervention for Emotional Distress After Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Sherer Mark , Juengst Shannon , Sander Angelle M. , Leon-Novelo Luis , Liu Xiangyi , Bogaards Jay , Chua Wilma , Tran Kim
Published: June 2024

Objective:

Persons with traumatic brain injury (TBI) frequently experience emotional distress (ED) manifested in anxiety and depression. However, they may not access mental health services due to external (eg, access, transportation, and cost) or internal (eg, stigma and discomfort with traditional counseling) barriers. Based on substantial literature indicating that self-monitoring can ameliorate several health conditions, we conducted a randomized, parallel group, wait-list control (WLC) trial of a self-monitoring intervention to decrease ED after TBI.

Setting:

Community in the southwestern United States.

Participants:

Persons with medically documented complicated mild, moderate, and severe TBI.

Design:

About 127 participants were randomized in blocks of 6 to an active treatment (AT) group, wherein they completed multiple assessments of ED each week over a 6-week period via a smartphone app, or a WLC group in a parallel group, controlled trial. Participants received weekly support calls to promote self-monitoring of ED using ecological momentary assessment.

Main Measures:

ED (Patient Health Questionnaire—9 and Generalized Anxiety Disorder—7), Satisfaction with Life Scale, and Participation Assessment with Recombined Tools—Objective.

Results:

Analysis of the primary study outcome at 6 weeks after initiation of treatment for the AT group did not demonstrate that self-monitoring was effective in decreasing ED as compared to the WLC group. Brief support calls made weekly to promote compliance with self-monitoring were effective in achieving the target number of self-assessments. About 80% of support calls lasted less than 5 minutes. Greater ED was associated with lower life satisfaction and lower participation indicating the importance of addressing ED in persons with TBI.

Conclusion:

Additional work is needed to develop nontraditional interventions to circumvent barriers that prevent persons with TBI from accessing care for ED. Brief support calls may be an effective, low-cost intervention to improve compliance with self-monitoring or self-management interventions.
Klenkia sesuvii sp. nov., isolated from leaves of halophyte Sesuvium portulacastrum
Authors: Chantavorakit Tanatorn , Thanompreechachai Jirun , Suriyachadkun Chanwit , Duangmal Kannika
Published: June 2024

During a study on the diversity of culturable actinobacteria from coastal halophytes in Thailand, strain LSe6-5T was isolated from leaves of sea purslane (Sesuvium portulacastrum L.), and a polyphasic approach was employed to determine its taxonomic position. The 16S rRNA gene sequences analysis indicated that the strain was most closely related to Klenkia brasiliensis Tu 6233T (99.2 %), Klenkia marina YIM M13156T (99.1 %), and Klenkia terrae PB261T (98.7 %). The genome of strain LSe6-5T was estimated to be 4.33 Mbp in size, with DNA G+C contents of 74.3%. A phylogenomic tree based on whole-genome sequences revealed that strain LSe6-5T formed a clade with Klenkia marina DSM 45722T, indicating their close relationship. However, the average nucleotide identity (ANI)-blast, ANI-MUMmer, and dDDH values between strain LSe6-5T with K. marina DSM 45722T (87.1, 88.9, and 33.0 %) were below the thresholds of 95–96 % ANI and 70 % dDDH for identifying a novel species. Furthermore, strain LSe6-5T showed morphological and chemotaxonomic characteristics of the genus Klenkia. Cells were motile, rod-shaped, and Gram-stain-positive. Optimal growth of strain LSe6-5T occurred at 28 °C, pH 7.0, and 0–3 % NaCl. The whole-cell hydrolysates contained meso-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid, with galactose, glucose, mannose, and ribose as whole-cell sugars. The predominant menaquinones were MK-9(H4) and MK-9(H0). The polar lipid profile was composed of diphosphatidylglycerol, hydroxyphosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, glycophosphatidylinositol, an unidentified phospholipid, and an unidentified lipid. Major cellular fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0, iso-C16 : 0, and iso-C17 : 0. From the distinct phylogenetic position and combination of genotypic and phenotypic characteristics, it is supported that strain LSe6-5T represents a novel species of the genus Klenkia, for which the name Klenkia sesuvii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is strain LSe6-5T (=TBRC 16417T= NBRC 115929T).
Multimodal Deep Learning for Low-Resource Settings: A Vector Embedding Alignment Approach for Healthcare Applications
Authors: Restrepo David , Wu Chenwei , Cajas Sebastián Andrés , Nakayama Luis Filipe , Celi Leo Anthony , López Diego M
Published: June 2024

Objective

Large-scale multi-modal deep learning models and datasets have revolutionized various domains such as healthcare, underscoring the critical role of computational power. However, in resource-constrained regions like Low and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), GPU and data access is limited, leaving many dependent solely on CPUs. To address this, we advocate leveraging vector embeddings for flexible and efficient computational methodologies, aiming to democratize multimodal deep learning across diverse contexts.

Background and Significance

Our paper investigates the computational efficiency and effectiveness of leveraging vector embeddings, extracted from single-modal foundation models and multi-modal Vision-Language Models (VLM), for multimodal deep learning in low-resource environments, particularly in health-care applications. Additionally, we propose an easy but effective inference-time method to enhance performance by further aligning image-text embeddings.

Materials and Methods

By comparing these approaches with traditional multimodal deep learning methods, we assess their impact on computational efficiency and model performance using accuracy, F1-score, inference time, training time, and memory usage across 3 medical modalities such as BRSET (ophthalmology), HAM10000 (dermatology), and SatelliteBench (public health).

Results

Our findings indicate that embeddings reduce computational demands without compromising the model’s performance, and show that our embedding alignment method improves the performance of the models in medical tasks.

Discussion

This research contributes to sustainable AI practices by optimizing computational resources in resource-constrained environments. It highlights the potential of embedding-based approaches for efficient multimodal learning.

Conclusion

Vector embeddings democratize multimodal deep learning in LMICs, especially in healthcare. Our study showcases their effectiveness, enhancing AI adaptability in varied use cases.
Endogenously produced hydrogen cyanide serves as a novel mammalian gasotransmitter
Authors: Zuhra Karim , Petrosino Maria , Janickova Lucia , Ascenção Kelly , Vignane Thibaut , Petric Jovan , Khalaf Moustafa , Philipp Thilo M. , Ravani Stella , Anand Abhishek , Martins Vanessa , Santos Sidneia , Erdemir Serkan , Malkondu Sait , Sitek Barbara , Kelestemur Taha , Kieronska-Rudek Anna , Majtan Tomas , Filgueira Luis , Maric Darko , Chlopicki Stefan , Hoogewijs David , Haskó György , Papapetropoulos Andreas , Logue Brian A. , Boss Gerry R. , Filipovic Milos R. , Szabo Csaba
Published: June 2024

Small, gaseous molecules, known as gasotransmitters (NO, CO, H2S), are produced endogenously in mammalian cells and serve important biological roles. Hydrogen cyanide, traditionally considered a cytotoxic molecule in mammals, serves as an endogenous mediator in several plants and bacterial species. Here we show that low concentrations of cyanide are generated endogenously in mouse liver and human hepatocytes. Cyanide production is stimulated by glycine, occurs at the low pH of lysosomes and requires peroxidase activity. Cyanide, in turn, is detectable in several cellular compartments. Cyanide is also detectable basally in the blood of mice; its levels increase after treatment of the animals with glycine. Rhodanese activity regulates endogenous cyanide levels. Cyanide, when generated endogenously at an optimal level, exerts stimulatory effects on mitochondrial bioenergetics, cell metabolism and cell proliferation. Dysregulation of endogenous cyanide, either below or above optimal levels, impairs cellular bioenergetics. The regulatory effects of cyanide are in part mediated by posttranslational modification of cysteine residues via protein cyanylation; cyanylated protein residues can be detected basally, and increase after treatment with glycine. Controlled low-dose cyanide supplementation exhibits cytoprotective effects, as demonstrated in hypoxia and reoxygenation modelsin vitroandin vivo. However, pathologically elevated cyanide production, as demonstrated in nonketotic hyperglycinemia – an autosomal recessive disease of glycine metabolism – is deleterious to the cells.
Beam dynamics framework incorporating acceleration to define the minimum aperture in two focusing schemes for proton radiotherapy linac
Authors: Southerby M. , Apsimon R.
Published: June 2024

In this paper, a self-consistent transverse beam dynamics framework is demonstrated that incorporates acceleration into the transverse beam dynamics studies for a proton linac machine. Two focusing schemes are developed and discussed: the FODO-like scheme and the minimum aperture scheme. The FODO-like scheme is a simple scheme, requiring only one quadrupole per cavity. The scheme is analytically solved to minimize the beam size at the cavity entrance/exit and ensures a constant beam size along the lattice, with respect to adiabatic damping due to longitudinally accelerating rf cavities. The minimum aperture scheme describes the regime that matches the beam ellipse to the acceptance ellipse of a cavity, allowing for the smallest possible aperture, for a given cavity length. A simple approximation of an rf cavity map is determined to allow changes in particle energy along a lattice, and acceleration is assumed only in the longitudinal direction.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024