bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
COVID‐19 vaccine effectiveness by HIV status and history of injection drug use: a test‐negative analysis
Authors: Puyat Joseph H. , Wilton James , Fowokan Adeleke , Janjua Naveed Zafar , Wong Jason , Grennan Troy , Chambers Catharine , Kroch Abigail , Costiniuk Cecilia T. , Cooper Curtis L. , Lauscher Darren , Strong Monte , Burchell Ann N. , Anis Aslam , Samji Hasina ,   COVAXHIV Study Team
Published: October 2023

Introduction

People living with HIV (PLWH) and/or who inject drugs may experience lower vaccine effectiveness (VE) against SARS‐CoV‐2 infection.

Methods

A validated algorithm was applied to population‐based, linked administrative datasets in the British Columbia COVID‐19 Cohort (BCC19C) to ascertain HIV status and create a population of PLWH and matched HIV‐negative individuals. The study population was limited to individuals who received an RT‐PCR laboratory test for SARS‐CoV‐2 between 15 December 2020 and 21 November 2021 in BC, Canada. Any history of injection drug use (IDU) was ascertained using a validated administrative algorithm. We used a test‐negative study design (modified case−control analysis) and multivariable logistic regression to estimate adjusted VE by HIV status and history of IDU.

Results

Our analysis included 2700 PLWH and a matched population of 375,043 HIV‐negative individuals, among whom there were 351 and 103,049 SARS‐CoV‐2 cases, respectively. The proportion of people with IDU history was much higher among PLWH compared to HIV‐negative individuals (40.7% vs. 4.3%). Overall VE during the first 6 months after second dose was lower among PLWH with IDU history (65.8%, 95% CI = 43.5–79.3) than PLWH with no IDU history (80.3%, 95% CI = 62.7–89.6), and VE was particularly low at 4–6 months (42.4%, 95% CI = −17.8 to 71.8 with IDU history vs. 64.0%; 95% CI = 15.7–84.7 without), although confidence intervals were wide. In contrast, overall VE was 88.6% (95% CI = 88.2–89.0) in the matched HIV‐negative population with no history of IDU and remained relatively high at 4–6 months after second dose (84.6%, 95% CI = 83.8–85.4). Despite different patterns of vaccine protection by HIV status and IDU history, peak estimates were similar (≥88%) across all populations.

Conclusions

PLWH with a history of IDU may experience lower VE against COVID‐19 infection, although findings were limited by a small sample size. The lower VE at 4–6 months may have implications for booster dose prioritization for PLWH and people who inject drugs. The immunocompromising effect of HIV, substance use and/or co‐occurring comorbidities may partly explain these findings.
Effect of water and protic solvents on polysaccharide‐based column efficiency
Authors: dos Santos Pereira Alberto
Published: October 2023

In the present study, polysaccharide‐based columns were used to evaluate the efficiency of columns in response to the introduction of water and protic solvents (methanol and ethanol) into the mobile phase, replacing acetonitrile. While increasing water content frequently enhances enantiomer resolution, the inclusion of water, particularly when combined with methanol and ethanol in the mobile phase, has an adverse impact on mass transfer, thus influencing the column plate height. These effects are more pronounced with ethanol, and in many cases, van Deemter plots exhibit the absence of a minimum point optimal in the explored range. Consequently, acetonitrile and its water mixtures are the preferred choices to mitigate these effects for situations in which the chiral column is operated at a relatively high flow rate (> 1 mL/min in a 4.6 mm column).
Creative tourism and visitor motivation
Authors: Li Pierce Qiang , Kovacs Jason F.
Published: October 2023

Creative tourism has been explained as a new genre of tourism that offers the visitor an opportunity to develop their creative potential through an engaged experience in the destination visited. Despite a growing literature on the topic, little attention has been given to examining what motivates creative tourists to visit particular places and events. This paper aims to address this research gap by applying the push‐pull framework to investigate the travel motivations of creative tourists. To do so, the responsive interviewing model was employed to survey 20 of such tourists who had visited creative spaces and spectacles in three of China's UNESCO‐designated creative cities. Through a qualitative thematic analysis of the transcribed interviews, a new push‐pull framework is introduced to conceptualise the travel motivations of creative tourists. Our paper concludes with practical considerations for destination managers seeking to design and market creative tourism experiences.
A chat about actinic keratosis: Examining capabilities and user experience of ChatGPT as a digital health technology in dermato‐oncology
Authors: Lent Heather C. , Ortner Vinzent K. , Karmisholt Katrine E. , Wiegell Stine R. , Nissen Christoffer V. , Omland Silje H. , Kamstrup Maria R. , Togsverd‐Bo Katrine , Haedersdal Merete
Published: October 2023

Background

The potential applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in dermatology are evolving rapidly. Chatbots are an emerging trend in healthcare that rely on large language models (LLMs) to generate answers to prompts from users. However, the factuality and user experience (UX) of such chatbots remain to be evaluated in the context of dermato‐oncology.

Objectives

To examine the potential of Chat Generative Pretrained Transformer (ChatGPT) as a reliable source of information in the context of actinic keratosis (AK) and to evaluate clinicians' attitudes and UX with regard to the chatbot.

Methods

A set of 38 clinical questions were compiled and entered as natural language queries in separate, individual conversation threads in ChatGPT (OpenAI, default GPT 3.5). Questions pertain to patient education, diagnosis, and treatment. ChatGPT's responses were presented to a panel of 7 dermatologists for rating of factual accuracy, currency of information, and completeness of the response. Attitudes towards ChatGTP were explored qualitatively and quantitatively using a validated user experience questionnaire (UEQ).

Results

ChatGPT answered 12 questions (31.6%) with an accurate, current, and complete response. ChatGPT performed best for questions on patient education, including pathogenesis of AK and potential risk factors, but struggled with diagnosis and treatment. Major deficits were seen in grading AK, providing up‐to‐date treatment guidance, and asserting incorrect information with unwarranted confidence. Further, responses were considered verbose with an average word count of 198 (SD 55) and overly alarming of the risk of malignant transformation. Based on UEQ responses, the expert panel considered ChatGPT an attractive and efficient tool, scoring highest for speed of information retrieval, but deemed the chatbot inaccurate and verbose, scoring lowest for clarity.

Conclusions

While dermatologists rated ChatGPT high in UX, the underlying LLMs that enable such chatbots require further development to guarantee accuracy and concision required in a clinical setting.
Statistical post‐processing of visibility ensemble forecasts
Authors: Baran Sándor , Lakatos Mária
Published: October 2023

To be able to produce accurate and reliable predictions of visibility has crucial importance in aviation meteorology, as well as in water‐ and road transportation. Nowadays, several meteorological services provide ensemble forecasts of visibility; however, the skill and reliability of visibility predictions are far reduced compared with other variables, such as temperature or wind speed. Hence, some form of calibration is strongly advised, which usually means estimation of the predictive distribution of the weather quantity at hand either by parametric or nonparametric approaches, including machine learning‐based techniques. As visibility observations—according to the suggestion of the World Meteorological Organization—are usually reported in discrete values, the predictive distribution for this particular variable is a discrete probability law, hence calibration can be reduced to a classification problem. Based on visibility ensemble forecasts of the European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts covering two slightly overlapping domains in Central and Western Europe and two different time periods, we investigate the predictive performance of locally, semi‐locally and regionally trained proportional odds logistic regression (POLR) and multilayer perceptron (MLP) neural network classifiers. We show that while climatological forecasts outperform the raw ensemble by a wide margin, post‐processing results in further substantial improvement in forecast skill, and in general, POLR models are superior to their MLP counterparts.
Classification of tastants: A deep learning based approach
Authors: Dutta Prantar , Jain Deepak , Gupta Rakesh , Rai Beena
Published: October 2023

Predicting the taste of molecules is of critical importance in the food and beverages, flavor, and pharmaceutical industries for the design and screening of new tastants. In this work, we have built deep learning models to classify sweet, bitter, and umami molecules– the three basic tastes whose sensation is mediated by G protein‐coupled receptors. An extensive dataset containing 1466 bitter, 1764 sweet, and 238 umami tastants was curated from existing literature. We analyzed the chemical characteristics of the molecules, with special focus on the presence of different functional groups. A deep neural network model based on molecular descriptors and a graph neural network model were trained for taste prediction. The class imbalance due to fewer umami molecules was tackled using special sampling techniques. Both models show comparable performance during evaluation, but the graph‐based model can learn task‐specific representations from the molecular structure without requiring handcrafted features. We further explain the deep neural network predictions using Shapley additive explanations. Finally, we demonstrated the applicability of the models by screening bitter, sweet, and umami molecules from a large food database. This study develops an in‐silico approach to classify molecules based on their taste by leveraging the recent progress in deep learning, which can serve as a powerful tool for tastant design.
Dietary Amino Acid Source Elicits Sex‐Specific Metabolic Response to Diet‐Induced NAFLD in Mice
Authors: Rives Clémence , Martin Céline Marie Pauline , Evariste Lauris , Polizzi Arnaud , Huillet Marine , Lasserre Frédéric , Alquier‐Bacquie Valérie , Perrier Prunelle , Gomez Jelskey , Lippi Yannick , Naylies Claire , Levade Thierry , Sabourdy Frédérique , Remignon Hervé , Fafournoux Pierre , Chassaing Benoit , Loiseau Nicolas , Guillou Hervé , Ellero‐Simatos Sandrine , Gamet‐Payrastre Laurence , Fougerat Anne
Published: October 2023

Scope

Non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a sexually dimorphic disease influenced by dietary factors. Here, the metabolic and hepatic effects of dietary amino acid (AA) source is assessed in Western diet (WD)‐induced NAFLD in male and female mice.

Methods and results

The AA source is either casein or a free AA mixture mimicking the composition of casein. As expected, males fed a casein‐based WD display glucose intolerance, fasting hyperglycemia, and insulin‐resistance and develop NAFLD associated with changes in hepatic gene expression and microbiota dysbiosis. In contrast, males fed the AA‐based WD show no steatosis, a similar gene expression profile as males fed a control diet, and a distinct microbiota composition compared to males fed a casein‐based WD. Females are protected against WD‐induced liver damage, hepatic gene expression, and gut microbiota changes regardless of the AA source.

Conclusions

Free dietary AA intake prevents the unhealthy metabolic outcomes of a WD preferentially in male mice.
Development and construction of an open‐platform, open‐source low‐cost portable uroflowmeter: The OpenFlow device
Authors: Gallo Germano Adelino , Cabral Dias Filho Aderivaldo , Cruz Pedro Rincon Cintra da , Moraes Clayton Franco
Published: October 2023

Background

Uroflowmetry is useful to screen for and manage many voiding disorders. Home‐based uroflowmetry might better represent the patient's true voiding pattern and be more widely adopted if an accurate low‐cost portable device was available.

Objective

Development and initial evaluation of an open‐platform, open‐source low‐cost portable uroflowmeter.

Materials and Methods

We designed and built an uroflowmeter comprising of a load cell and digital memory card unit connected to a programmable microcontroller board mounted upon a 3D printed frame. It generated date‐stamped tables which were processed and plotted. Twenty urologists were recruited to assess the device. Each participant received the equipment that was returned, along with a bladder diary, after at least 24 consecutive hours of homemade uroflowmetry recording. Additionally, were assessed with the International Prostatic Symptom Score (I‐PSS) and Peeling diagram, whereas the device's ease of use, robustness, and portability were evaluated with a Likert‐type questionnaire. Two experienced urodynamicists independently evaluated the tracings' quality rated with a 3° ordinal scale: (1) Interpretable without artifacts; (2) Interpretable with artifacts; (3) Uninterpretable.

Results

Participants' median age was 36.6 years old, none having an I‐PSS > 5 or Peeling > 2. Overall 138 voidings were recorded (77 daytime, 61 nightly episodes). The device's ease of use, robustness, and portability obtained maximum score in 80% of evaluations. Most (98%) of the tracings were considered interpretable. Limitations included its small study population and short monitoring times.

Conclusion

The construction of a cheap (<50 USD), accurate user‐friendly portable uroflowmeter proved feasible, which could facilitate access to portable uroflowmetry.
Assessing the impact of bag‐of‐words versus word‐to‐vector embedding methods and dimension reduction on anomaly detection from log files
Authors: Qiu Ziyu , Zhou Zhilei , Niblett Bradley , Johnston Andrew , Schwartzentruber Jeffrey , Zincir‐Heywood Nur , Heywood Malcolm I.
Published: October 2023

In terms of cyber security, log files represent a rich source of information regarding the state of a computer service/system. Automating the process of summarizing log file content represents an important aid for decision‐making, especially given the 24/7 nature of network/service operations. We perform benchmarking over eight distinct log files in order to assess the impact of the following: (1) different embedding methods for developing semantic descriptions of the original log files, (2) applying dimension reduction to the high‐dimensional semantic space, and (3) assessing the impact of using different unsupervised learning algorithms for providing a visual summary of the service state. Benchmarking demonstrates that (1) word‐to‐vector embeddings identified by bidirectional encoder representation from transformers (BERT) without “fine‐tuning” are sufficient to match the performance of Bag‐or‐Words embeddings provided by term frequency‐inverse document frequency (TF‐IDF) and (2) the self‐organizing map without dimension reduction provides the most effective anomaly detector.
Robust exponential stabilization and L2‐gain analysis for saturated switched nonlinear systems subject to actuator failure under asynchronous switching
Authors: Chen Wenxiang , Zhang Xinquan
Published: October 2023

For the nonlinear continuous‐time switched system with input saturation under asynchronous switching action, the problem of actuator failure is investigated in the presence of external disturbances. Firstly, a sufficient condition for the robust exponential stabilization of system is obtained by using the minimum dwell‐time method combining the piecewise Lyapunov function method. Secondly, a sufficient condition for the tolerance disturbances of the system is obtained by using the similar approach. Thirdly, the weighted ‐gain is analysed. Then, we maximize the estimation of the domain of attraction for the closed‐loop system by taking the shape of a set into consideration. Furthermore, the fault‐tolerant state feedback controllers are designed, which aim at enlarging the estimation of domain of attraction for the closed‐loop system and obtaining the maximum value of tolerance disturbance and the minimum upper bound on the weighted ‐gain. Last but not least, we give a numerical example to verify the effectiveness of the proposed approach and compare the state responses curve under the action of the fault‐tolerant and the standard controller.
Tobacco Cessation Following Laryngeal Cancer Diagnosis Predicts Response to Treatment and Laryngectomy‐Free Survival
Authors: Krutz Matthew , Acharya Pawan , Elliott Jacey , Zhao Daniel , Mhawej Rachad , Queimado Lurdes
Published: October 2023

Objective

To determine the effect of tobacco cessation following laryngeal cancer diagnosis on response to first‐line therapy, laryngectomy‐free survival, and overall survival in patients who were current smokers at the time of diagnosis.

Study Design

Retrospective, case‐control study.

Setting

OU Stephenson Cancer Center, National Cancer Institute‐Designated Cancer Center.

Methods

We included 140 patients diagnosed with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma, who were current smokers at the time of diagnosis, and were treated with first‐line definitive radiation or chemo/radiation with the intent to cure. The association between patient characteristics and treatment response was assessed using the χ2 test and logistic regression analysis. Survival outcomes were analyzed using Kaplan‐Meier methods and Cox proportional‐hazards models.

Results

Of the 140 current smokers, 61 patients (45%) quit smoking prior to treatment initiation. In adjusted logistic regression analysis, quitters had 3.7 times higher odds of achieving a complete response to first‐line therapy than active smokers (odds ratio: 3.694 [1.575‐8.661]; P = .003). In the adjusted Cox proportional‐hazards model, quitters were 54% less likely to require salvage laryngectomy within 7 years of diagnosis than active smokers (hazard ratio: 0.456 [0.246‐0.848]; P = .013). Quitters had a statistically significant increase in 7‐year overall survival compared to active smokers (P = .02).

Conclusion

This is the first study to show that in newly diagnosed laryngeal cancer patients who are current smokers at the time of diagnosis, tobacco cessation significantly increases therapy response, laryngectomy‐free survival, and overall survival. These data stress the importance of systematically incorporating tobacco cessation programs into laryngeal cancer treatment plans.
Norepinephrine transporter and vesicular monoamine transporter 2 tumor expression as a predictor of response to 131I‐MIBG in patients with relapsed/refractory neuroblastoma
Authors: Batra Vandana , Gikandi Ajami , Pawel Bruce , Martinez Daniel , Granger M. Meaghan , Marachelian Araz , Park Julie R. , Maris John M. , Vo Kieuhoa T. , Matthay Katherine K. , DuBois Steven G.
Published: October 2023

Background

Prior studies suggest that norepinephrine transporter (NET) and vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) mediate meta‐iodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) uptake and retention in neuroblastoma tumors. We evaluated the relationship between NET and VMAT2 tumor expression and clinical response to 131I‐MIBG therapy in patients with neuroblastoma.

Methods

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to evaluate NET and VMAT2 protein expression levels on archival tumor samples (obtained at diagnosis or relapse) from patients with relapsed or refractory neuroblastoma treated with 131I‐MIBG. A composite protein expression H‐score was determined by multiplying a semi‐quantitative intensity value (0–3+) by the percentage of tumor cells expressing the protein.

Results

Tumor samples and clinical data were available for 106 patients, of whom 28.3% had partial response (PR) or higher. NET H‐score was not significantly associated with response (≥PR), though the percentage of tumor cells expressing NET was lower among responders (median 80% for ≥PR vs. 90% for <PR; p = .0014). VMAT2 H‐score was not significantly associated with PR or higher versus less than PR, though patients with PR or higher had lower VMAT2 staining intensity (p = .005). VMAT2 H‐score was significantly lower in patients with complete response (median 40 vs. 210 for patients with <complete response; p = .0049). VMAT2 H‐scores were significantly higher in ganglioneuroblastoma (vs. neuroblastoma; p = .037), differentiated/poorly differentiated tumors (vs. undifferentiated; p = .0047), and tumors lacking MYCN amplification (vs. MYCN amplified; p = .0011).

Conclusions

Markers of lower NET and VMAT2 protein expression are associated with higher likelihood of response to 131I‐MIBG therapy in patients with relapsed/refractory neuroblastoma. Increased VMAT2 protein expression is associated with a more differentiated disease phenotype.
Registration of ‘GemCraft’ spring malting barley cultivar
Authors: Hu Gongshe , Evans Chris P. , Satterfield Kathy , Ellberg Sherry , Marshall Juliet M. , Schroeder Kurtis L. , Obert Don E.
Published: October 2023

‘GemCraft’ (Reg. no CV‐379, PI 701910), is a two‐rowed spring malt barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) developed by the USDA‐ARS, Aberdeen, ID, in cooperation with the University of Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station, in 2023. The release is derived from the cross of 2B98‐5312/98Ab11993 and was advanced through the bulk pedigree method F1–F5. GemCraft has been tested at the USDA‐ARS, and all other cooperative trials, as line 2Ab08‐X05M010‐65. This cultivar has been tested across 32 location years under irrigated conditions and 13 location years in dryland conditions. GemCraft has shown similar yield to the current malting barley cultivar checks Voyager, Merit 57, M69, Conrad, and AC Metcalfe but has higher yield potential than ‘CDC Copeland’, M69, and ‘Harrington’ under irrigated conditions. In dryland trials, GemCraft has similar yield to the checks of Voyager and Conrad but higher yield than other checks. Malting quality evaluation results showed GemCraft has high extract, low protein, and competent values in other traits. All the evaluations suggested that GemCraft would be a good choice as a malting cultivar for craft brewers.
Grassland‐use intensity maps for Switzerland based on satellite time series: Challenges and opportunities for ecological applications
Authors: Weber Dominique , Schwieder Marcel , Ritter Lukas , Koch Tiziana , Psomas Achilleas , Huber Nica , Ginzler Christian , Boch Steffen
Published: October 2023

Land‐use intensification in grassland ecosystems (i.e. increased mowing frequency, intensified grazing) has a strong negative effect on biodiversity and ecosystem services. However, accurate information on grassland‐use intensity is difficult to acquire and restricted to the local or regional level. Recent studies have shown that mowing events can be mapped for large areas using satellite image time series. The transferability of such approaches, especially to mountain areas, has been little explored, however, and the relevance for ecological applications in biodiversity and conservation has hardly been investigated. Here, we used a rule‐based algorithm to produce annual maps for 2018–2021 of grassland‐management events, that is, mowing and/or grazing, for Switzerland using Sentinel‐2 and Landsat 8 satellite data. We assessed the detection of management events based on independent reference data, which we acquired from daily time series of publicly available webcams that are widely distributed across Switzerland. We further examined the relationships between the generated grassland‐use intensity measures and plant species richness and ecological indicator values derived from a nationwide field survey. The webcam‐based verification for 2020 and 2021 revealed that most detected management events were actual mowing/grazing events (≥78%), but that a substantial number of events were not detected (up to 57%), particularly grazing events at higher elevations. We found lower plant species richness and higher mean ecological indicator values for nutrients and mowing tolerance with more frequent management events and those starting earlier in the year. A large proportion of the variance was explained by our use‐intensity measures. Our findings therefore highlight that remotely assessed management events can characterise land‐use intensity at fine spatial and temporal resolutions across broad scales and can explain plant biodiversity patterns in grasslands.
A Blood Drying Process for DNA Amplification
Authors: Lim Jongwon , Zhou Shuaizhen , Baek Janice , Kim Alicia Yeaeun , Valera Enrique , Sweedler Jonathan , Bashir Rashid
Published: October 2023

The presence of numerous inhibitors in blood makes their use in nucleic acid amplification techniques difficult. Current methods for extracting and purifying pathogenic DNA from blood involve removal of inhibitors, resulting in low and inconsistent DNA recovery rates. To address this issue, a biphasic method is developed that simultaneously achieves inhibitor inactivation and DNA amplification without the need for a purification step. Inhibitors are physically trapped in the solid‐phase dried blood matrix by blood drying, while amplification reagents can move into the solid nano‐porous dried blood and initiate the amplification. It is demonstrated that the biphasic method has significant improvement in detection limits for bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Methicillin‐Sensitive Staphylococcus aureus using loop‐mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA). Several factors, such as drying time, sample volume, and material properties are characterized to increase sensitivity and expand the application of the biphasic assay to blood diagnostics. With further automation, this biphasic technique has the potential to be used as a diagnostic platform for the detection of pathogens eliminating lengthy culture steps.
The Superaerophobic N‐Doped Carbon Nanocage with Hydrogen Spillover Effort for Enhanced Hydrogen Evolution
Authors: Zhang Yanyun , Yu Wenhao , Zhang Hao , Shi Yue , Zhu Jiawei , Wang Tiantian , Sun Yuyao , Zhan Tianrong , Lai Jianping , Wang Lei
Published: October 2023

Under the high current density, the excessive strong adsorption of H* intermediates and H2 accumulation the catalysts are the major obstacle to the industrial application of hydrogen evolation reaction (HER) catalysts. Herein, through experimental exploration, it is found that the superaerophobic Nitrogen (N)‐doped carbon material can promote the rapid release of H2 and provide H* desorption site for the hydrogen spillover process, which makes it have great potential as the catalysts support for hydrogen spillover. Based on this discovery, this work develops the hydrogen spillover catalyst with electron‐rich Pt sites loaded on N‐doped carbon nanocage (N‐CNC) with adjustable work function. Through a series of comprehensive electrochemical tests, the existence of hydrogen spillover effort has been proved. Moreover, the in situ tests showed that pyrrolic‐N can activate adjacent carbon sites as the desorption sites for hydrogen spillover. The Pt@N‐1‐CNC with the minimum work function difference (ΔΦ) between Pt NPs and support shows superior hydrogen evolution performance, only needs overpotential of 12.2 mV to reach current density of 10 mA cm−2, outstanding turnover frequency (TOF) (44.7 s−1@100 mV) and superior durability under the 360 h durability tests at current density of 50 mA cm−2.
Photo‐Controllable Smart Hydrogels for Biomedical Application: A Review
Authors: Zhao Yiwen , Ran Bei , Lee Dashiell , Liao Jinfeng
Published: October 2023

Nowadays, smart hydrogels are being widely studied by researchers because of their advantages such as simple preparation, stable performance, response to external stimuli, and easy control of response behavior. Photo‐controllable smart hydrogels (PCHs) are a class of responsive hydrogels whose physical and chemical properties can be changed when stimulated by light at specific wavelengths. Since the light source is safe, clean, simple to operate, and easy to control, PCHs have broad application prospects in the biomedical field. Therefore, this review timely summarizes the latest progress in the PCHs field, with an emphasis on the design principles of typical PCHs and their multiple biomedical applications in tissue regeneration, tumor therapy, antibacterial therapy, diseases diagnosis and monitoring, etc. Meanwhile, the challenges and perspectives of widespread practical implementation of PCHs are presented in biomedical applications. This study hopes that PCHs will flourish in the biomedical field and this review will provide useful information for interested researchers.
Redox‐Activatable Magnetic Nanoarchitectonics for Self‐Enhanced Tumor Imaging and Synergistic Photothermal‐Chemodynamic Therapy
Authors: Zheng Chongyang , Wang Zhen , Xu Hongtao , Huang Hailong , Tao Xiaofeng , Hu Yongjie , He Yue , Zhang Zhiyuan , Huang Xiaojuan
Published: October 2023

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a prevalent malignancy of the head and neck region associated with high recurrence rates and poor prognosis under current diagnostic and treatment methods. The development of nanomaterials that can improve diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic efficacy is of great importance for OSCC. In this study, a redox‐activatable nanoarchitectonics is designed via the construction of dual‐valence cobalt oxide (DV‐CO) nanospheres, which can serve as a contrast agent for magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, and exhibit enhanced transverse and longitudinal relaxivities through the release and redox of Co3+/Co2+ in an acidic condition with glutathione (GSH), resulting in self‐enhanced T1/T2‐weighted MR contrast. Moreover, DV‐CO demonstrates properties of intracellular GSH‐depletion and hydroxyl radicals (•OH) generation through a Fenton‐like reaction, enabling strengthened chemodynamic (CD) effect. Additionally, DV‐CO displays efficient near‐infrared laser‐induced photothermal (PT) effect, thereby exhibiting synergistic PT‐CD therapy for suppressing OSCC tumor cells. It further investigates the tumor‐specific self‐enhanced MR imaging of DV‐CO both in subcutaneous and orthotopic OSCC mouse models, and demonstrate the therapeutic effects of DV‐CO in orthotopic OSCC mouse models. Overall, the in vitro and in vivo findings highlight the excellent theranositc potentials of DV‐CO for OSCC and offer new prospects for future advancement of nanomaterials.
Adaptation to Change in Reindeer Husbandry in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Russia
Authors: Gerasimova Alena , Avelova Svetlana , Lutz Julia , Moiakunova Anisiia , Petrova Aleksandra , Pogodaev Mikhail , Popova Lena , Shadrin Vyacheslav , Shishigina Anna , Zhozhikov Anatoly , Mathiesen Svein Disch
Published: October 2023

With 170,000 domestic reindeer and 1295 reindeer herders, the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) is a vital region for the reindeer herding economy. The Republic is the homeland of five Indigenous peoples that herd reindeer – Evenki, Even, Dolgan, Yukaghir, and Chukchi.

The paper looks at the history and characteristics of Yakutia’s reindeer herding and herding peoples and analyzes the transformation of the traditional reindeer husbandry model into a collectivized industry from the 1930s. Loss of pastures, predators, and decline of traditional knowledge are affecting reindeer herders, with climate change exacerbating the problems. Another aim of the paper is to show the impact of climate change on the reindeer herding development through the example of four reindeer herding regions of Yakutia from the north to the south. In this regard, the article examines the climate change trends and, in a historical retrospective, the economic settings of this traditional nature management sector, which employs only the Indigenous peoples of the North. The identified climate change trends suggest that climate warming combined with other economic transformations has diverse effects on reindeer husbandry in the four districts under investigation.

The findings indicate that challenges such as loss to predators, loss of grazing land, and decline in traditional knowledge preservation affect herding communities already affected by climate change. The authors highlight the relevance of engaging Indigenous reindeer herding communities and their traditional knowledge in developing mechanisms for adaptation to climate change and predation. It is essential to support herders in their aspiration to decide their destiny and strengthen the family-based economy.
Historical Aspects of Cross-Border Cooperation Between Nordic and Soviet Experts in Reindeer Husbandry
Authors: Mathiesen Svein Disch , Aikio Pekka , Degteva Anna , Romanenko Tatyana , Tonkopeeva Marina
Published: October 2023

Nordic experts on Sámi reindeer husbandry cooperated with the reindeer husbandry experts from the Soviet Union, exchanging knowledge, experiences, and insights from 1957 until 1974. The Soviet Union had been collectivizing Indigenous reindeer herders’ property since the 1930s, using results from experimental research and collectivization as a method to increase the rationalization and efficiency of reindeer meat production. The Soviet reindeer husbandry expert professor Andreev first visited Finland in 1957, starting cooperation that would last for years. In 1960, after the Sámi leader from Røros Anders Fjellheim visited the USSR, he articulated that “the Russians are far ahead of us in the practice of reindeer herding. The reindeer herding industry receives more support than us.” Later, after another Norwegian delegation visited the Nenets National District in 1965, the local newspaper Naryana Vynder reported: “Everything looked new and significant for Norwegians: our planned economy, accounting principles, and the new system of organizing herding.” Expert Sven Skjenneberg from Norway said in an interview with this newspaper: “Reindeer herding is no longer romance, but the economy; and we are striving to study your best practices and learn your lessons, for we share common problems, and you are solving them quite successfully.” Later in 1968, Soviet experts documented the views of their Norwegian colleagues who stated that “it is not easy to teach the former Sámi nomads to use houses and property correctly, to transit to a sedentary way of life”…“Norway began making a lot of efforts…to thoroughly understand the herd structure in Norwegian reindeer herding, which is developing chaotically now.” After this cross-border cooperation, Sámi reindeer husbandry in Finland and Norway was reformed to increase the efficiency of meat production. This chapter argues that neither the Norwegian nor the Finnish experts had insights into the Indigenous knowledge and practices of the reindeer herders in the Soviet Union to understand the limitation of reforms that affected the Sámi reindeer herders’ practices and society.
Reindeer Herding in Norway: Cyclicality and Permanent Change vs. Governmental Rigidities
Authors: Reinert Erik S. , Oskal Anders
Published: October 2023

Reindeer herding is a complex, highly mobile, and environmentally adaptive form of livestock management, and a traditional way of life, practiced by indigenous peoples across the circumpolar Arctic. Given its distinctive characteristics, appropriate economic governance and regulation of the practice demands a clear understanding of its social, cultural, and environmental characteristics. In the following, we outline some of these and discuss their implications for economic management of the practice, with reference to the case of Norway in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. In closing, we identify some key current threats and challenges that confront reindeer herding and present some suggestions for enhancing its economic viability and resilience, based on a strategy of revitalizing core economic and social mechanisms.
Kindliche Bedürfnisse nach körperlicher Versorgung und Nähe als Anlass der Thematisierung von sexueller Gewalt in Institutionen: „wo der kinderarzt dann auch sagt, ja sie sollen sogar den, (.) penis eincremen“
Authors: Wittfeld Meike
Published: October 2023

Alle Teams der Untersuchung legen in ihren Erzählungen einen Schwerpunkt auf Berichte und Erzählungen aus ihrem Handlungsalltag. In Bezug auf die Kinder und Jugendlichen ist die körperliche Versorgung der erste Anlass, also die pure Tatsache, dass die pädagogischen Fachkräfte mit der Unterbringung in der Wohngruppe die Aufgabe übernehmen, für die Körper der Kinder zu sorgen. Auf die Herausforderungen, die die Übernahme dieser elterlichen Aufgabe mit sich bringt, geht das Abschnitt 10.1 ein. Im zweiten Teil dieses Kapitels (10.2) wird das Bedürfnis der Kinder und Jugendlichen nach emotional engen Beziehungen beschrieben.
Inventur
Authors: Wittfeld Meike
Published: October 2023

Das Forschungsinteresse dieser Dissertation wurde geweckt durch den 2010 begonnen, neuen Diskurs um sexuelle Gewalt in pädagogischen Institutionen. Angesichts zunehmender Kritik an institutionellen Konstellationen und der Infragestellung von pädagogischer Fachlichkeit durch die Medien stellte sich die Frage, vor welchen Herausforderungen pädagogische Fachkräfte in der Heimerziehung angesichts des neuen, öffentlichen Diskurses über sexuelle Gewalt gegen Schutzbefohlene stehen. Am Schluss der Analyse gilt es nun, eine Inventur durchzuführen. Welche zentralen Ergebnisse lassen sich für diese Studie identifizieren und wie kann die Forschungsfrage beantwortet werden? Das ist Ziel des ersten Teils dieses Kapitels (vgl. 13.1).
Weiter fragt dieses letzte Kapitel nach der Relevanz der Ergebnisse in Bezug auf den einleitend umfassend dargestellten Forschungsstand. Wo sind die Ergebnisse anschlussfähig? Wo stellen sie Fragen an vorherige theoretische und empirische Erkenntnisse? Und wo bleiben auch Fragen offen? (vgl. 13.2).
Probing supersymmetric black holes with surface defects
Authors: Chen Yiming , Heydeman Matthew , Wang Yifan , Zhang Mengyang
Published: October 2023

Abstract

It has long been conjectured that the large N deconfinement phase transition of $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 4 SU(N) super-Yang-Mills corresponds via AdS/CFT to the Hawking-Page transition in which black holes dominate the thermal ensemble, and quantitative evidence of this has come through the recent matching of the superconformal index of $$ \frac{1}{16} $$

1
16

-BPS states to the supersymmetric black hole entropy. We introduce the half-BPS Gukov-Witten surface defect as a probe of the superconformal index, which also serves as an order parameter for the deconfinement transition. This can be studied directly in field theory as a modification of the usual unitary matrix model or in the dual description as a D3-brane probe in the background of a (complex) supersymmetric black hole. Using a saddle point approximation, we determine our defect index in the large N limit as a simple function of the chemical potentials and show independently that it is reproduced by the renormalized action of the brane in the black hole background. Along the way, we also comment on the Cardy limit and the thermodynamics of the D3-brane in the generalized ensemble. The defect index sharply distinguishes between the confining and the deconfining phases of the gauge theory and thus is a supersymmetric non-perturbative order parameter for these large N phase transitions which deserves further investigation. Finally, our work provides an example where the properties of a black hole coupled to an external system can be analyzed precisely.
Renormalization group equations for the SMEFT operators up to dimension seven
Authors: Zhang Di
Published: October 2023

Abstract

In this paper, we propose a Green’s basis and also a new physical basis for dimension-seven (dim-7) operators, which are suitable for the matching of ultraviolet models onto the Standard Model effective field theory (SMEFT) and the deviation of renormalization group equations (RGEs) for dim-7 operators in the SMEFT. The reduction relations to convert operators in the Green’s basis to those in the physical basis are achieved as well, where some redundant dim-6 operators in the Green’s basis are involved if the dim-5 operator exists. Working in these two bases for dim-7 operators and with the help of the reduction relations, we work out the one-loop RGEs resulting from the mixing among different dimensional operators for the dim-5 and dim-7 operators up to $$ \mathcal{O} $$
O
(Λ−3) in the SMEFT. These new results complete the previous results for RGEs of the dim-5 and dim-7 operators and hence can be used for a consistent one-loop analysis of the SMEFT at $$ \mathcal{O} $$
O
(Λ−3).
Probing the electroweak symmetry breaking history with gravitational waves
Authors: Zhao Zizhuo , Di Yuefeng , Bian Ligong , Cai Rong-Gen
Published: October 2023

Abstract

We perform three dimensional lattice simulation of the electroweak symmetry breaking process through two-step vacuum-like phase transitions with one step being first-order. Our results show that: 1) when the electroweak symmetry breaking is driven by the beyond Standard Model theories through the Higgs-portal, the gravitational wave spectra produced from the phase transitions are of broken power-law shape; 2) when the electroweak symmetry breaking is induced by a first-order phase transition of a high-scale theory respecting the global U(1) symmetry, cosmic strings can form and then decay through particle radiation. The two scenarios can be distinguished through probing the stochastic gravitational wave backgrounds. Our study suggests that the stochastic gravitational wave backgrounds provide an alternative way to probe the beyond Standard Model theories relevant to the electroweak symmetry breaking in the early Universe.
On the causality paradox and the Karch-Randall braneworld as an EFT
Authors: Neuenfeld Dominik , Srivastava Manu
Published: October 2023

Abstract

Holography on cutoff surfaces can appear to be in tension with causality. For example, as argued by Omiya and Wei [1], double holography seemingly allows for superluminal signalling. In this paper we argue that the brane description of double holography should be treated as an effective theory and demonstrate that causality violations due to faster-than-light communication are not visible above the associated cutoff length scale. This suggests that end-of-the-world brane models are consistent with causality and that the apparent superluminal signalling is a UV effect. Moreover, we argue that short distance non-localities generically give rise to apparent faster-than-light propagation of signals in Anti-de Sitter space.

Nonetheless, superluminal signalling indicates that the causal structure on holographic cutoff surfaces needs to be modified. We propose and study three different candidate regions that might replace the domain of dependence in the brane EFT of the Karch-Randall model. These regions are defined by unitarity on the brane, through bulk entanglement wedges and through the nice slice criterion, respectively. In all dimensions, these candidate regions exclude those parts of the domain of dependence which are affected by superluminal signalling. While all three definitions agree in two dimensions, they are different in higher dimensions.
Successful implementation of online educational lectures of the German Society for Radiation Oncology (DEGRO)
Authors: Büttner Marcel , Melton Philip , Fietkau Rainer , Petersen Cordula , Krause Mechthild , Borgmann Kerstin , Wolf Ulrich , Niyazi Maximilian , Christiansen Hans , Höller Ulrike , Schmitt Daniela , Käsmann Lukas , Linde Philipp , Fleischmann Daniel F. , Ziegler Sonia , Bresch Angelique , Mäurer Matthias
Published: October 2023

Purpose

Modern digital teaching formats have become increasingly important in recent years, in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In January 2021, an online-based webinar series was established by the German Society for Radiation Oncology (DEGRO) and the young DEGRO (yDEGRO) working group. In the monthly 120-minute courses, selected lecturers teach curricular content as preparation for the board certification exam for radiation oncology.

Methods

The evaluation of the 24 courses between 01.2021 and 12.2022 was performed using a standardized questionnaire with 21 items (recording epidemiological characteristics of the participants, didactic quality, content quality). A Likert scale (1–4) was used in combination with binary and open-ended questions.

Results

A combined total of 4200 individuals (1952 in 2021 and 2248 in 2022) registered for the courses, and out of those, 934 participants (455 in 2021 and 479 in 2022) later provided evaluations for the respective courses (36% residents, 35% specialists, 21% medical technicians for radiology [MTR], 8% medical physics experts [MPE]). After 2 years, 74% of the DEGRO Academy curriculum topics were covered by the monthly webinars. The overall rating by participants was positive (mean 2021: 1.33 and 2022: 1.25) and exceeded the curriculum offered at each site for 70% of participants. Case-based learning was identified as a particularly well-rated method.

Conclusion

The DEGRO webinar expands the digital teaching opportunities in radiation oncology. The consistently high number of participants confirms the need for high-quality teaching and underlines the advantages of e‑learning methods. Optimization opportunities were identified through reevaluation of feedback from course participants. In its design as a teaching format for a multiprofessional audience, the webinar series could be used as a practice model of online teaching for other disciplines.
Einsatz der kontrastmittelverstärkten Mammographie in der Brustkrebsdiagnostik
Authors: Fischer Uwe , Diekmann Felix , Helbich Thomas , Preibsch Heike , Püsken Michael , Wenkel Evelyn , Wienbeck Susanne , Fallenberg Eva Maria
Published: October 2023

Hintergrund

Die kontrastmittelverstärkte Mammographie (CEM) ist ein Untersuchungsverfahren, das nach peripher-venöser Applikation eines iodhaltigen Kontrastmittels (iKM) die verbesserte Darstellung intramammärer Tumoren ermöglicht.

Fragestellung und Methode

Die Autor:innen diskutieren den aktuellen Stellenwert der CEM.

Ergebnisse

In Studien konnten für die CEM Vorteile bei der Brustkrebsdiagnostik gegenüber der Mammographie insbesondere bei Frauen mit sehr dichtem Drüsengewebe gezeigt werden. Das Indikationsspektrum zur CEM kann gegenwärtig in Abhängigkeit davon gesehen werden, ob eine qualitätsgesicherte Magnetresonanztomographie (MRT) der Mamma zur Verfügung steht oder nicht. Mit Option auf eine qualitätsgesicherte Mamma-MRT reduzieren sich die Indikationen für eine CEM auf Konstellationen, in denen die MRT nicht einsetzbar ist. Für das Brustkrebs-Screening wird der Einsatz der CEM gegenwärtig kritisch gesehen. Dies kann sich ändern, wenn in Kürze Ergebnisse und aktualisierte Bewertungen umfangreicher CEM-Studien in Europa und USA vorliegen. Patientinnen sind über die iKM-Gabe aufzuklären. Da die iKM-Gabe bei der CEM in ähnlicher Art und Weise erfolgt wie bei anderen etablierten Bildgebungsverfahren, ist aus Sicht der Autoren davon auszugehen, dass die Verwendung der iKM für die CEM unter Berücksichtigung der allgemeinen Kontraindikationen unproblematisch ist.

Schlussfolgerung

Künftig könnte der CEM in der Brustkrebsdiagnostik eine größere Bedeutung zukommen, da dieses Verfahren diagnostische Vorteile gegenüber der konventionellen Mammographie aufweist. Als Vorteil der CEM gilt die hohe Verfügbarkeit. Für MR-Nutzer füllt die CEM schon jetzt bestehende Lücken bei Vorliegen von Kontraindikationen oder Nichtdurchführbarkeit der MRT aus anderen Gründen.