bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Factors influencing nurse spiritual care practices at the end of life: A systematic review
Authors: Mascio Rita , Best Megan , Lynch Sandra , Phillips Jane , Jones Kate
Published: December 2021

Objectives

The aim was to identify determinants of nurse spiritual/existential care practices toward end-of-life patients. Nurses can play a significant role in providing spiritual/existential care, but they actually provide this care less frequently than desired by patients.

Methods

A systematic search was performed for peer-reviewed articles that reported factors that influenced nurses’ spiritual/existential care practices toward adult end-of-life patients.

Results

The review identified 42 studies and included the views of 4,712 nurses across a range of hospital and community settings. The most frequently reported factors/domains that influenced nurse practice were patient-related social influence, skills, social/professional role and identity, intentions and goals, and environmental context and resources.

Significance of results

A range of personal, organizational, and patient-related factors influence nurse provision of spiritual/existential care to end-of-life patients. This complete list of factors can be used to gauge a unit's conduciveness to nurse provision of spiritual/existential care and can be used as inputs to nurse competency frameworks.
Chronic unilateral arm lymphedema correlates with increased	intima-media thickness in the brachial artery
Authors: Klüsch Victoria , Boyle Erin C. , Rustum Saad , Franz Maximilian , Park-Simon Tjoung-Won , Haverich Axel , Bara Christoph
Published: December 2021

Summary: Drainage of the arterial wall via adventitial lymphatic vessels has been shown to play a pivotal role for vessel wall homeostasis. Also, retrograde cholesterol transport is ensured via this route, but no studies exist to demonstrate that lymphatic stasis would represent a mechanism to initiate atherosclerotic lesion formation in human arteries. To test this hypothesis, we embarked on a simple clinical experiment, assessing wall thickness in limb arteries with lymphedema after surgical intervention, with the contralateral limb serving as control. Using ultrasound imaging, the differential thickness was assessed separately for the three arterial wall layers. The potential of disease progression by lymphostasis was addressed by depiction of longitudinal results according to the time after lymph dissection.
Faulting and Folding Signals in Seismic Data
Authors: Wheeling Kate
Published: December 2021

A novel numerical model simulates folding in Earth’s crust throughout the earthquake cycle.
Two‐Stage Mafic‐Felsic Magma Interactions and Related Magma Chamber Processes in the Arc Setting: An Example From the Enclave‐Bearing Calc‐Alkaline Plutons, Chinese Altai
Authors: Cui Xing , Sun Min , Zhao Guochun , Zhang Yunying , Yao Jinlong
Published: December 2021

A systematic data set of petrography, mineralogy, geochronology, and geochemistry is reported for typical arc granitoids and associated mafic microgranular enclaves (MME) from the Chinese Altai, Central Asian Orogenic Belt. Zircon U‐Pb dating indicates that they crystallized coevally at ∼395 Ma. Magma hybridization modeling suggests that the granitoid parental magma formed by mixing between a mafic and a felsic endmember. The sharp decrease of An values from cores to rims (e.g., from ca. 80 to 40) of plagioclase crystals points to polybaric crystallization accompanied by degassing. Petrographic evidence and plagioclase in situ Sr isotopic compositions ((87Sr/86Sr)i = 0.7053–0.7071) confirm the interaction of at least two isotopically different magmas during the mineral crystallization. A model for the formation of the enclave‐bearing calc‐alkaline plutons in arc settings is presented: At depth, mantle and crustal melting and efficient magma mixing controlled the principal chemical compositions of the granitoid intrusions. Then in the higher level chamber, decompression‐dominated crystallization and the mingling and limited mixing between blobs of mafic magma and the enclosing granitoid magma ultimately determined the texture, mineral composition, and enclave morphology. The MME have (87Sr/86Sr)i of 0.7048–0.7062, εNd(t) of −0.5 to +2.6, and zircon εHf(t) of +2.3 to +5.4, while the host granitoids have similar Sr isotopic compositions ((87Sr/86Sr)i = 0.7054–0.7064), but generally lower whole‐rock εNd(t) and zircon εHf(t) values (−2.2 to +0.4 and +0.6 to +4.6, respectively). The petrogenetic analysis and isotopic characters suggest that granitoid emplacement was a means of crustal growth in the Chinese Altai orogen.
Dynamical Characterization of the Loop Current Attractor
Authors: Liu G. , Falasca F. , Bracco A.
Published: December 2021

The Gulf of Mexico circulation is modulated by a mesoscale current, the Loop Current (LC), and large anticyclonic eddies that detach from it. The LC dynamics are recurrent, and its evolution is in and from a few preferential states. This observation points to the existence of a low‐dimensional dynamical attractor. Building upon advancements in dynamical system theory, this work characterizes the average and instantaneous dimensions of such an attractor. The instantaneous dimension and its evolution in time are compared among an altimeter‐based data set, an ocean reanalysis and an operational hindcast. The LC complexity, measured by its dimension, differs among them, especially when the dimension is high. During shedding events, differences between datasets emerge in the second principal component. The information provided by this analysis is relevant to operational ocean forecasts and points to where improvement should occur.
Transmission of an ICME Sheath Into the Earth's Magnetosheath and the Occurrence of Traveling Foreshocks
Authors: Ala‐Lahti Matti , Dimmock Andrew P. , Pulkkinen Tuija I. , Good Simon W. , Yordanova Emilya , Turc Lucile , Kilpua Emilia K. J.
Published: December 2021

The transmission of a sheath region driven by an interplanetary coronal mass ejection into the Earth's magnetosheath is studied by investigating in situ magnetic field measurements upstream and downstream of the bow shock during an ICME sheath passage on 15 May 2005. We observe three distinct intervals in the immediate upstream region that included a southward magnetic field component and are traveling foreshocks. These traveling foreshocks were observed in the quasi‐parallel bow shock that hosted backstreaming ions and magnetic fluctuations at ultralow frequencies. The intervals constituting traveling foreshocks in the upstream survive transmission to the Earth's magnetosheath, where their magnetic field, and particularly the southward component, was significantly amplified. Our results further suggest that the magnetic field fluctuations embedded in an ICME sheath may survive the transmission if their frequency is below ∼0.01 Hz. Although one of the identified intervals was coherent, extending across the ICME sheath and being long‐lived, predicting ICME sheath magnetic fields that may transmit to the Earth's magnetosheath from the upstream at L1 observations has ambiguity. This can result from the strong spatial variability of the ICME sheath fields in the longitudinal direction, or alternatively from the ICME sheath fields developing substantially within the short time it takes the plasma to propagate from L1 to the bow shock. This study demonstrates the complex interplay ICME sheaths have with the Earth's magnetosphere when passing by the planet.
Disparities in COVID-19 infection, hospitalisation and death in people with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder: a cohort study of the UK Biobank
Authors: Hassan Lamiece , Peek Niels , Lovell Karina , Carvalho Andre F. , Solmi Marco , Stubbs Brendon , Firth Joseph
Published: December 2021

People with severe mental illness (SMI; including schizophrenia/psychosis, bipolar disorder (BD), major depressive disorder (MDD)) experience large disparities in physical health. Emerging evidence suggests this group experiences higher risks of infection and death from COVID-19, although the full extent of these disparities are not yet established. We investigated COVID-19 related infection, hospitalisation and mortality among people with SMI in the UK Biobank (UKB) cohort study. Overall, 447,296 participants from UKB (schizophrenia/psychosis = 1925, BD = 1483 and MDD = 41,448, non-SMI = 402,440) were linked with healthcare and death records. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to examine differences in COVID-19 outcomes by diagnosis, controlling for sociodemographic factors and comorbidities. In unadjusted analyses, higher odds of COVID-19 mortality were seen among people with schizophrenia/psychosis (odds ratio [OR] 4.84, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.00–7.34), BD (OR 3.76, 95% CI 2.00–6.35), and MDD (OR 1.99, 95% CI 1.69–2.33) compared to people with no SMI. Higher odds of infection and hospitalisation were also seen across all SMI groups, particularly among people with schizophrenia/psychosis (OR 1.61, 95% CI 1.32–1.96; OR 3.47, 95% CI 2.47–4.72) and BD (OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.16–1.85; OR 3.31, 95% CI 2.22–4.73). In fully adjusted models, mortality and hospitalisation odds remained significantly higher among all SMI groups, though infection odds remained significantly higher only for MDD. People with schizophrenia/psychosis, BD and MDD have higher risks of COVID-19 infection, hospitalisation and mortality. Only a proportion of these disparities were accounted for by pre-existing demographic characteristics or comorbidities. Vaccination and preventive measures should be prioritised in these particularly vulnerable groups.
A computational approach for the discovery of significant cancer genes by weighted mutation and asymmetric spreading strength in networks
Authors: Cutigi Jorge Francisco , Evangelista Adriane Feijo , Reis Rui Manuel , Simao Adenilso
Published: December 2021

Identifying significantly mutated genes in cancer is essential for understanding the mechanisms of tumor initiation and progression. This task is a key challenge since large-scale genomic studies have reported an endless number of genes mutated at a shallow frequency. Towards uncovering infrequently mutated genes, gene interaction networks combined with mutation data have been explored. This work proposes Discovering Significant Cancer Genes (DiSCaGe), a computational method for discovering significant genes for cancer. DiSCaGe computes a mutation score for the genes based on the type of mutations they have. The influence received for their neighbors in the network is also considered and obtained through an asymmetric spreading strength applied to a consensus gene network. DiSCaGe produces a ranking of prioritized possible cancer genes. An experimental evaluation with six types of cancer revealed the potential of DiSCaGe for discovering known and possible novel significant cancer genes.
Higher-rate relativistic quantum key distribution
Authors: Bebrov Georgi
Published: December 2021

One of the major problems in the field of quantum key distribution (QKD) is the low key rates at which the systems operate. The reasons for this are the processes used to ensure the key distribution itself: sifting, parameter estimation, key reconciliation, and privacy amplification. So, this reduction in the rate of communication is inherent to all existing quantum key distribution schemes. This paper is concerned with proposing a solution to mitigate the rate reduction of the so-called relativistic QKD. To mitigate the reduction, we introduce a modified relativistic QKD protocol, which is based on Mach–Zehnder interferometer being used as a probabilistic basis selection system (basis misalignment occurs between the parties in approximately half of the transferred qubits). The interferometric scheme allows the participating parties to correlate the mutual unbiased bases (MUBs) chosen by them. In this regard, a qubit could be used to transfer more than one bit of information. To be precise, by implementing the proposed interferometric scheme into a relativistic QKD protocol, a qubit is able to transfer two bits of information. This results in achieving a protocol, which is characterized with a greater rate of communication, two times greater than the usual rate. The modified protocol is proven to be secure against intercept-resend and collective attacks.
Validation of reference genes for quantitative PCR in the forest pest, Ips calligraphus
Authors: Wallace Mary , Rieske Lynne K.
Published: December 2021

The six-spined ips, Ips calligraphus, is a North American bark beetle that can exploit most eastern North American Pinus species and can cause mortality. Biotic and abiotic disturbances weaken trees, creating breeding substrate that promotes rapid population growth. Management historically relied on silvicultural practices, but as forests become increasingly stressed, innovative management is needed. Manipulation of the cellular RNA interference (RNAi) pathway to induce gene silencing is an emerging means of insect suppression, and is effective for some bark beetles. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) is a powerful tool for analysis of gene expression, and is essential for examining RNAi. To compare gene expression among individuals, stably expressed reference genes must be validated for qPCR. We evaluated six candidate reference genes (18s, 16s, 28s, ef1a, cad, coi) for stability under biotic (beetle sex, developmental stage, and host plant), and abiotic (temperature, photoperiod, and dsRNA exposure) conditions. We used the comprehensive RefFinder tool to compare stability rankings across four algorithms. These algorithms identified 18s, 16s, and 28s as the most stably expressed. Overall, 16s and 28s were selected as reference genes due to their stability and moderate expression levels, and can be used for I. calligraphus gene expression studies using qPCR, including those evaluating RNAi.
Serial CT changes in different components of lung cancer associated with cystic airspace in patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy
Authors: Dou Peipei , Meng Yankai , Zhao Hengliang , Zhang Shuai , Liu Zhongxiao , Zhu Lili , Xu Kai
Published: December 2021

The aim of this study was to observe changes in different components (solid, cystic airspace, or entire tumor) in lung cancer associated with cystic airspace following treatment with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NC), using computerized tomography (CT). We analyzed serial (baseline, first-time follow-up, and last-time follow-up) clinical data and CT imaging in six patients treated with NC. The diameters, areas, and volumes of different tumor components (solid, cystic airspace, and entire tumor) were measured. Delta (Δ) was used to represent changes in these parameters between two examinations: Δ1(%) represents the change from baseline to first follow-up after NC, and Δ2(%) represents the change from baseline to last follow-up after NC. We used the intra-group correlation coefficient (ICC) to test for consistency between parameters as measured by two radiologists. The diameter of solid components in all lesions showed a trend of continuous reduction compared with baseline (Δ1 ranged from − 8.3 to − 46.0%, Δ2 from − 30.8 to − 69.2%). For cystic airspace and entire tumors, different lesions showed different trends over the course of treatment. For diameter, area, and volume, Δ1 of changes in the solid component ranged from − 8.3 to − 46.9%, − 19.4 to − 70.8%, and − 19.1 to − 94.7%, respectively; Δ2 ranged from − 30.8 to − 69.2%, − 50.8 to − 92.1%, and − 32.7 to − 99.8% in diameter, area, and volume, respectively. Results were inconsistent between different components of lung cancer associated with cystic airspace that was treated with NC, but the diameter, area, and volume of solid components were continuously reduced during treatment. Furthermore, area and volume measurements showed more-significant variation than diameter measurements.
FLT3-ITD allelic ratio and HLF expression predict FLT3 inhibitor efficacy in adult AML
Authors: Kivioja Jarno , Malani Disha , Kumar Ashwini , Kontro Mika , Parsons Alun , Kallioniemi Olli , Heckman Caroline A.
Published: December 2021

FLT3 internal tandem duplication (FLT3-ITD) is a frequent mutation in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and remains a strong prognostic factor due to high rate of disease recurrence. Several FLT3-targeted agents have been developed, but determinants of variable responses to these agents remain understudied. Here, we investigated the role FLT3-ITD allelic ratio (ITD-AR), ITD length, and associated gene expression signatures on FLT3 inhibitor response in adult AML. We performed fragment analysis, ex vivo drug testing, and next generation sequencing (RNA, exome) to 119 samples from 87 AML patients and 13 healthy bone marrow controls. We found that ex vivo response to FLT3 inhibitors is significantly associated with ITD-AR, but not with ITD length. Interestingly, we found that the HLF gene is overexpressed in FLT3-ITD+ AML and associated with ITD-AR. The retrospective analysis of AML patients treated with FLT3 inhibitor sorafenib showed that patients with high HLF expression and ITD-AR had better clinical response to therapy compared to those with low ITD-AR and HLF expression. Thus, our findings suggest that FLT3 ITD-AR together with increased HLF expression play a role in variable FLT3 inhibitor responses observed in FLT3-ITD+ AML patients.
A computational pipeline for functional gene discovery
Authors: Colon Aolani , Hirday Rishabh , Patel Ami , Poddar Amrita , Tuberty-Vaughan Emma , Fu Tianyue , Ai Xin , Li Wei Vivian , Cai Li
Published: December 2021

Many computational pipelines exist for the detection of differentially expressed genes. However, computational pipelines for functional gene detection rarely exist. We developed a new computational pipeline for functional gene identification from transcriptome profiling data. Key features of the pipeline include batch effect correction, clustering optimization by gap statistics, gene ontology analysis of clustered genes, and literature analysis for functional gene discovery. By leveraging this pipeline on RNA-seq datasets from two mouse retinal development studies, we identified 7 candidate genes involved in the formation of the photoreceptor outer segment. The expression of top three candidate genes (Pde8b, Laptm4b, and Nr1h4) in the outer segment of the developing mouse retina were experimentally validated by immunohistochemical analysis. This computational pipeline can accurately predict novel functional gene for a specific biological process, e.g., development of the outer segment and synapses of the photoreceptor cells in the mouse retina. This pipeline can also be useful to discover functional genes for other biological processes and in other organs and tissues.
High stability resistive switching mechanism of a screen-printed electrode based on BOBZBT2 organic pentamer for creatinine detection
Authors: Khushaini Muhammad Asif Ahmad , Azeman Nur Hidayah , Ismail Ahmad Ghadafi , Teh Chin-Hoong , Salleh Muhammad Mat , Bakar Ahmad Ashrif A. , Aziz Tg Hasnan Tg Abdul , Zain Ahmad Rifqi Md
Published: December 2021

The resistive switching (RS) mechanism is resulted from the formation and dissolution of a conductive filament due to the electrochemical redox-reactions and can be identified with a pinched hysteresis loop on the I–V characteristic curve. In this work, the RS behaviour was demonstrated using a screen-printed electrode (SPE) and was utilized for creatinine sensing application. The working electrode (WE) of the SPE has been modified with a novel small organic molecule, 1,4-bis[2-(5-thiophene-2-yl)-1-benzothiopene]-2,5-dioctyloxybenzene (BOBzBT2). Its stability at room temperature and the presence of thiophene monomers were exploited to facilitate the cation transport and thus, affecting the high resistive state (HRS) and low resistive state (LRS) of the electrochemical cell. The sensor works based on the interference imposed by the interaction between the creatinine molecule and the radical cation of BOBzBT2 to the conductive filament during the Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) measurement. Different concentrations of BOBzBT2 dilution were evaluated using various concentrations of non-clinical creatinine samples to identify the optimised setup of the sensor. Enhanced sensitivity of the sensor was observed at a high concentration of BOBzBT2 over creatinine concentration between 0.4 and 1.6 mg dL−1—corresponding to the normal range of a healthy individual.
Early identification of disease progression in ALK-rearranged lung cancer using circulating tumor DNA analysis
Authors: Angeles Arlou Kristina , Christopoulos Petros , Yuan Zhao , Bauer Simone , Janke Florian , Ogrodnik Simon John , Reck Martin , Schlesner Matthias , Meister Michael , Schneider Marc A. , Dietz Steffen , Stenzinger Albrecht , Thomas Michael , Sültmann Holger
Published: December 2021

Targeted kinase inhibitors improve the prognosis of lung cancer patients with ALK alterations (ALK+). However, due to the emergence of acquired resistance and varied clinical trajectories, early detection of disease progression is warranted to guide patient management and therapy decisions. We utilized 343 longitudinal plasma DNA samples from 43 ALK+ NSCLC patients receiving ALK-directed therapies to determine molecular progression based on matched panel-based targeted next-generation sequencing (tNGS), and shallow whole-genome sequencing (sWGS). ALK-related alterations were detected in 22 out of 43 (51%) patients. Among 343 longitudinal plasma samples analyzed, 174 (51%) were ctDNA-positive. ALK variant and fusion kinetics generally reflected the disease course. Evidence for early molecular progression was observed in 19 patients (44%). Detection of ctDNA at therapy baseline indicated shorter times to progression compared to cases without mutations at baseline. In patients who succumbed to the disease, ctDNA levels were highly elevated towards the end of life. Our results demonstrate the potential utility of these NGS assays in the clinical management of ALK+ NSCLC.
Long-term dynamics of aberrant neuronal activity in awake Alzheimer’s disease transgenic mice
Authors: Korzhova V. , Marinković P. , Njavro J. Rudan , Goltstein P. M. , Sun F. , Tahirovic S. , Herms J. , Liebscher S.
Published: December 2021

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is associated with aberrant neuronal activity, which is believed to critically determine disease symptoms. How these activity alterations emerge, how stable they are over time, and whether cellular activity dynamics are affected by the amyloid plaque pathology remains incompletely understood. We here repeatedly recorded the activity from identified neurons in cortex of awake APPPS1 transgenic mice over four weeks during the early phase of plaque deposition using in vivo two-photon calcium imaging. We found that aberrant activity during this stage largely persisted over the observation time. Novel highly active neurons slowly emerged from former intermediately active neurons. Furthermore, activity fluctuations were independent of plaque proximity, but aberrant activity was more likely to persist close to plaques. These results support the notion that neuronal network pathology observed in models of cerebral amyloidosis is the consequence of persistent single cell aberrant neuronal activity, a finding of potential diagnostic and therapeutic relevance for AD.
An upgraded 2D nanosheet-based FRET biosensor: insights into avoiding background and eliminating effects of background fluctuations
Authors: Jia Suli , Wang Chengquan , Qian Jing , Zhang Xingcai , Cui Haining , Zhang Qi , Tian Yunmeng , Hao Nan , Wei Jie , Wang Kun
Published: December 2021

We demonstrate a new class of 2D nanosheet-based FRET biosensor utilizing Fe3O4@MoS2 hybrids. This upgraded biosensor can avoid the background signal of the system and eliminate the effects of background fluctuations.
Spatially isolated CoNx quantum dots on carbon nanotubes enable a robust radical-free Fenton-like process
Authors: Yang Jia-Cheng E. , Zhu Min-Ping , Sun Darren Delai , Fu Ming-Lai , Zheng Yu-Ming
Published: December 2021

A pioneering demonstration of facile and pyrolysis-free synthesis of spatially separated CoNx nanodots on carbon nanotubes (CoNx-CNTs) and the CoNx-CNT-enabled non-radical oxidation process.
High performance piezoelectric crystal cut designed using LiNbO3 for high temperature acoustic emission sensing application
Authors: Wang Guoliang , Xie Linfang , Jiang Chao , Liu Xueliang , Li Yanlu , Yu Fapeng , Zhao Xian
Published: December 2021

An optimal piezoelectric crystal cut designed using LiNbO3 possessed stable electro-elastic performance over a wide temperature range of 20–500 °C.
CH2 + O2: reaction mechanism, biradical and zwitterionic character, and formation of CH2OO, the simplest Criegee intermediate
Authors: Mazarei Elham , Barker John R.
Published: December 2021

The singlet and triplet potential surfaces for the title reaction were investigated using the CBS-QB3 level of theory.
A review on two-dimensional (2D) perovskite material-based solar cells to enhance the power conversion efficiency
Authors: Elahi Ehsan , Dastgeer Ghulam , Siddiqui Abdul Subhan , Patil Supriya A. , Iqbal Muhammad Waqas , Sharma Pradeep Raj
Published: December 2021

With perovskite materials, rapid progress in power conversion efficiency (PCE) to reach 25% has gained a significant amount of attention from the solar cell industry.
Phonon confinement and interface lattice dynamics of ultrathin high-k rare earth sesquioxide films: the case of Eu2O3 on YSZ(001)
Authors: Stankov Svetoslav , Merkel Dániel G. , Kalt Jochen , Göttlicher Jörg , Łażewski Jan , Sternik Małgorzata , Jochym Paweł T. , Piekarz Przemysław , Baumbach Tilo , Chumakov Aleksandr I. , Rüffer Rudolf
Published: December 2021

We demonstrate that sub-nanometer-thick layers exhibiting exotic crystal phases that might form at the interface between two materials constitute a source of novel vibrational dynamics of thin films and multilayers.
Stabilizing XPbI3 (X = MA, FA and Cs) cubic perovskites by monolayer Ag4Se2 deposition
Authors: Chang Yee Hui Robin , Yeoh Keat Hoe , Lim Thong Leng , Lim Kok-Geng , Tuh Moi Hua
Published: December 2021

Monolayer Ag4Se2 deposition also leads to a synergistical enhancement of their carrier mobility and absorption coefficient within the visible light range.
Introduction to materials chemistry at Xi’an Jiaotong University
Authors: Dang Dongfeng , Zhang Yanfeng , Ding Shujiang , Zhang Zhicheng
Published: December 2021

Dongfeng Dang, Yanfeng Zhang, Shujiang Ding and Zhicheng Zhang introduce the Materials Chemistry Frontiers themed collection on materials chemistry research at Xi’an Jiaotong University.
Cell3: a new vision for study of the endomembrane system in mammalian cells
Authors: Mysior Margaritha M. , Simpson Jeremy C.
Published: December 2021

The endomembrane system of mammalian cells provides massive capacity for the segregation of biochemical reactions into discrete locations. The individual organelles of the endomembrane system also require the ability to precisely transport material between these compartments in order to maintain cell homeostasis; this process is termed membrane traffic. For several decades, researchers have been systematically identifying and dissecting the molecular machinery that governs membrane trafficking pathways, with the overwhelming majority of these studies being carried out in cultured cells growing as monolayers. In recent years, a number of methodological innovations have provided the opportunity for cultured cells to be grown as 3-dimensional (3D) assemblies, for example as spheroids and organoids. These structures have the potential to better replicate the cellular environment found in tissues and present an exciting new opportunity for the study of cell function. In this mini-review, we summarize the main methods used to generate 3D cell models and highlight emerging studies that have started to use these models to study basic cellular processes. We also describe a number of pieces of work that potentially provide the basis for adaptation for deeper study of how membrane traffic is coordinated in multicellular assemblies. Finally, we comment on some of the technological challenges that still need to be overcome if 3D cell biology is to become a mainstream tool toward deepening our understanding of the endomembrane system in mammalian cells.
Commentary on Urinary l-erythro-β-hydroxyasparagine: a novel serine racemase inhibitor and substrate of the Zn2+-dependent d-serine dehydratase
Authors: Tamaki Fabio K.
Published: December 2021

The analysis of the urine contents can be informative of physiological homoeostasis, and it has been speculated that the levels of urinary d-serine (d-ser) could inform about neurological and renal disorders. By analysing the levels of urinary d-ser using a d-ser dehydratase (DSD) enzyme, Ito et al. (Biosci. Rep.(2021) 41, BSR20210260) have described abundant levels of l-erythro-β-hydroxyasparagine (l-β-EHAsn), a non-proteogenic amino acid which is also a newly described substrate for DSD. The data presented support the endogenous production l-β-EHAsn, with its concentration significantly correlating with the concentration of creatinine in urine. Taken together, these results could raise speculations that l-β-EHAsn might have unexplored important biological roles. It has been demonstrated that l-β-EHAsn also inhibits serine racemase with Ki values (40 μM) similar to its concentration in urine (50 μM). Given that serine racemase is the enzyme involved in the synthesis of d-ser, and l-β-EHAsn is also a substrate for DSD, further investigations could verify if this amino acid would be involved in the metabolic regulation of pathways involving d-ser.
Biometrics and the metaphysics of personal identity
Authors: Kind Amy
Published: December 2021

The vast advances in biometrics over the past several decades have brought with them a host of pressing concerns. Philosophical scrutiny has already been devoted to many of the relevant ethical and political issues, especially ones arising from matters of privacy, bias, and security in data collection. But philosophers have devoted surprisingly little attention to the relevant metaphysical issues, in particular, ones concerning matters of personal identity. This paper aims to take some initial steps to correct this oversight. After discussing the philosophical problem of personal identity, the ways in which the notion of biometric identity connects with, or fails to connect with, the philosophical notion of personal identity is explored. Though there may be some good reasons to use biometric identity to track personal identity, it is contended that biometric identity is not the same thing as personal identity and thus that biometrics researchers should stop talking as if it were.
A deep learning‐based low complexity approach for joint transceiver beamforming
Authors: Wang Yibiao , Shi Junchao , Wang Wenjin , Gao Xiqi , Wu Ye
Published: December 2021

In this paper, massive multiple‐input‐multiple‐output (MIMO) wireless communication systems are considered to investigate joint transceiver beamforming. A base station (BS) equipped with a uniform planar array (UPA) serves several multi‐antennas users in a single cell. Based on the channel state information (CSI), the low complexity design of transceiver beamforming to minimize the transmit power subject to some quality of service (QoS) constraints is investigated. As the upper bound of the transmit power performance, the existing iteration‐based algorithms are leveraged as a reference. A general deep learning (DL)‐based framework and deep neural network (DNN) structure are proposed to reduce the complexity of the existing algorithms, where the properly trained DNN structure can learn directly from CSI. Consider the complexity of the DNN structure itself, a heuristic algorithm is proposed to replace the DNN structure, which takes the max‐eigenvalue‐eigenvector of the CSI as the direction of receive beamforming directly. The DNN structure is trained in the offline stage, therefore, only the complexity in the online stage is taken into consideration. Based on the numerical simulation, the complexity of the proposed DL‐based framework and the transceiver beamforming algorithms is reduced significantly while maintaining nearly the optimal performance compared with the existing iterative algorithms.
Impact of the ridge etching‐depth on GaSb‐based laser diodes
Authors: Monge‐Bartolome Laura , Cerutti Laurent , Tournié Eric
Published: December 2021

We have fabricated from the same epitaxial wafer series of GaSb‐based Fabry–Pérot laser diodes emitting near 2.3 μm with different ridge etching‐depths. The analysis of the device performances allows quantifying the detrimental impact of deep ridge etching. The threshold current density is increased, whereas the external differential quantum efficiency is reduced, due to a reduced internal quantum efficiency and higher optical losses.
A reliable and straightforward index to avoid nuisance trip of the conventional Z‐based loss‐of‐field relay in synchronous generators
Authors: Rostami Ali , Rezaei Navid
Published: December 2021

The conventional impedance (Z)‐based relay which is the well‐known relay to preserve the power plant's synchronous generator (PPSG) against loss of field (LOF) accident may fail during some stable power swing (SPS); on the other hand, most of the previously introduced schemes may fail during the happening of hybrid events. In this paper to overcome the raised problems, a straightforward index is developed for reliable detection of the hybrid events, and it is combined with an AND‐logic cluster with the Z‐relay to avoid its spurious trip during SPS events. The reactive power (QSG) of the faulty PPSG is continuously decreased during LOF, while it oscillates under both SPS and hybrid events, leading to non‐detection of the hybrid event. Hence, using the integral operator and arithmetic mean value are suggested to eliminate the swinging variations of QSG as a Z‐relay blocking function (ZRBF). Thus, QSG decreases during both LOF and hybrid events and does not decrease under SPS events. Therefore, by combination of ZRBF with the Z‐relay, the PPSG is properly tripped out during the both LOF and hybrid events, and wrong tripping under SPS is reliably hindered. The reliable performance of developed scheme is completely approved thorough performed simulation studies.
The spectrally modulated self-coherent camera (SM-SCC): Increasing throughput for focal-plane wavefront sensing
Authors: Haffert S. Y.
Published: December 2021

Context.The detection and characterization of Earth-like exoplanets is one of the major science drivers for the next generation of telescopes. Direct imaging of the planets will play a major role in observations. Current direct imaging instruments are limited by evolving non-common path aberrations (NCPAs). The NCPAs have to be compensated for by using the science focal-plane image. A promising sensor is the self-coherent camera (SCC). An SCC adds a pinhole to the Lyot stop in the coronagraph to introduce a probe electric field. The pinhole has to be separated by at least 1.5 times the pupil size to separate the NCPA speckles from the probe electric field. However, such a distance lets through very little light, which makes it difficult to use an SCC at high speed or on faint targets.

Aims.A spectrally modulated self-coherent camera (SM-SCC) is proposed as a solution to the throughput problem. The SM-SCC uses a pinhole with a spectral filter and a dichroic beam splitter, which creates images with and without the probe electric field. This allows the pinhole to be placed closer to the pupil edge and increases the throughput. Combining the SM-SCC with an integral field unit (IFU) can be used to apply more complex modulation patterns to the pinhole and the Lyot stop. A modulation scheme with at least three spectral channels can be used to change the pinhole to an arbitrary aperture with higher throughput. This adds an additional degree of freedom in the design of the SM-SCC.

Methods.The performance of the SM-SCC is investigated analytically and through numerical simulations.

Results.Numerical simulations show that the SM-SCC increases the pinhole throughput by a factor of 32, which increases the wavefront sensor sensitivity by a factor of 5.7. The reconstruction quality of the sensor is tested by varying the central wavelength of the spectral channels. A smaller separation between the wavelength channels leads to better results. The SM-SCC reaches a contrast of 1 × 10−9for bright targets in closed-loop control with the presence of photon noise, phase errors, and amplitude errors. The contrast floor on fainter targets is photon-noise-limited and reaches 1 × 10−7. The SM-SCC with an IFU can handle randomly generated reference field apertures. For bright targets, the SM-SCC-IFU reaches a contrast of 3 × 10−9in closed-loop control with photon noise, amplitude errors, and phase errors.

Conclusions.The SM-SCC is a promising focal-plane wavefront sensor for systems that use multiband observations, either through integral field spectroscopy or dual-band imaging.
Morphology of metallic foams synthetized by plasma electrolysis deposition
Authors: Pinot Julien , Botrel Ronan , Durut Frederic , Reverdy Ludovic , Pescayre Laurent , Vignal Vincent
Published: December 2021

The aim of our work is to understand the mechanism governing the growth of metallic foams synthetized by plasma electrolysis deposition. This paper reports the influence of the applied voltage on the morphology and microstructure of copper and gold foams. The evolution of strands morphology and size is investigated by field emission scanning electronic microscopy (FE-SEM). The role of the voltage in the growth of metallic foams is then discussed. Finally, the crystalline structure of the strands is determined by transmission electronic microscopy (TEM) and selected area electron diffraction.
Adipositas bei Kindern – die Rolle des Hungerhormons Leptin
Authors: Wabitsch Martin
Published: December 2021

Anlässlich der 6. Deutschen Hormonwoche, die von der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Endokrinologie e. V. (DGE) vom 18. bis 25. September 2021 ausgerichtet wurde, gab Prof. Dr. Martin Wabitsch vom Universitätsklinikum Ulm einen Überblick über den Einfluss von Leptin im Zusammenhang mit kindlicher Adipositas.
Nährstoffversorgung in Deutschland und Auswirkung auf die Gesundheit
Authors: Eggersdorfer Manfred , Schettler Thomas
Published: December 2021

Betrachtet man die Ernährungssituation der allgemeinen Bevölkerung in Deutschland, so zeigt sich, dass die Menschen zwar gut mit Nahrungsmitteln versorgt sind, aber keinen „guten“ Lebensstil bezüglich Bewegung, Körpergewicht und der Zufuhr von essenziellen Mikronährstoffen haben. Dasselbe gilt auch für bestimmte Risikogruppen wie Ältere, Schwangere oder Personen mit chronischen Erkrankungen. Eine gute Nährstoffversorgung wirkt sich jedoch auf viele Lebensbereiche aus, z. B. dem Schutz vor kardiometabolischen Erkrankungen, Diabetes mellitus Typ 2 oder auch der Widerstandsfähigkeit gegen Infektionen und allgemeine physische und psychische Stressoren.
Ambulante Rehabilitation nach Schlaganfall – Anspruch und Wirklichkeit
Authors: Langemeyer Jürgen
Published: December 2021

Laut Gesundheitsberichterstattung des Bundes werden in deutschen Kliniken jährlich mehr als 300 000 Schlaganfälle mit individuell sehr unterschiedlichen Folgen diagnostiziert. Betroffene haben häufig einen langjährigen Rehabilitationsbedarf.
Arbeitsplatz OP-Saal – Was muss der Chirurg über die Arbeitsmedizin wissen?
Authors: Darius Sabine , Heinemann Franziska , Meyer Frank , Boeckelmann Irina
Published: December 2021

In der Chirurgie gibt es zahlreiche Gesundheitsgefährdungen für das Personal.

Ziel des Artikels ist, die Risiken für die Gesundheit und die Arbeitsfähigkeit des chirurgischen Personals und die Möglichkeiten für die Verbesserung des Arbeitsschutzes im Sinne der
Verhaltens- und Verhältnisprävention sowie der Sekundär- und Tertiärprävention vor allem im Hinblick auf die Zusammenarbeit mit dem Betriebsarzt am Beispiel des Arbeitsplatzes OP-Saal
aufzuzeigen.

Die narrative Kurzübersicht basiert auf eigenen arbeitsmedizinischen, chirurgischen und interdisziplinären Erfahrungen aus der täglichen Praxis und selektiven Referenzen der aktuellen
medizinisch-wissenschaftlichen Literatur.

Die mögliche tätigkeitsbedingte Gesundheitsgefährdung und die Risiken für die Arbeitsfähigkeit des medizinischen Personals sowie die Möglichkeiten für den Arbeitsschutz im Sinne der
Verhaltens- und Verhältnisprävention sind eine bedeutsame, nicht zu unterschätzende (da teils auch gesetzlich vorgeschriebene) Angelegenheit im interdisziplinären Status der Chirurgie. Vor
allem den Berührungspunkten zur Arbeitsmedizin muss sich diese Disziplin (neben eigenem Kenntniserwerb von chirurgischer Seite) verantwortungsvoll widmen.
Aphasie und Beruf
Authors: Greitemann Georg , Claros-Salinas Dolores
Published: December 2021

Zur Beantwortung der Frage, wie neurologische Reha zukünftig aussehen sollte, welche Weiterentwicklungen von Konzepten, Verfahren und Rahmenbedingungen notwendig oder wünschenswert sind, kann es hilfreich sein, retrospektiv Entwicklungen, die über einen längeren Zeitraum stattgefunden haben, zu betrachten.
Varianten der Geschlechtsentwicklung im Sport: Eine medizinische Bewertung der Regelung des Internationalen Leichtathletikverbands (IAAF) zur Teilnahme intergeschlechtlicher Leichtathlet_innen an offiziellen Wettkämpfen
Authors: Gollnast Lisa-Jane , Richter-Appelt Hertha , Schweizer Katinka
Published: December 2021

Von Intergeschlechtlichkeit oder Varianten der Geschlechtsentwicklung (VdG) spricht man, wenn sich die geschlechtsspezifischen Merkmale des Körpers untypisch entwickeln. Im Rahmen der VdG können bei Sportler_innen erhöhte Testosteronspiegel vorliegen. Da Testosteron im Sport als leistungssteigernd angesehen wird, gilt für Athletinnen mit VdG aktuell ein Testosterongrenzwert von 5 nmol/l. Bei Überschreitung dieses Grenzwertes schreibt der Internationale Leichtathletikverband (IAAF) eine medikamentöse Testosteronsenkung vor, ansonsten wird die betroffene Athletin für offizielle Wettläufe der Frauen auf der Mittelstrecke gesperrt. Diese Arbeit befasst sich mit der Bewertung dieser Regelung aus medizinischer Sicht. Zu diesem Zweck erfolgten eine Literaturrecherche sowie zwei Experteninterviews mit einem Endokrinologen und einem Sportmediziner. Sowohl die Interviewpartner als auch Autor_innen anderer Veröffentlichungen lehnen die aktuelle Regelung des IAAF ab. Doch über ein alternatives Vorgehen bei der Eingliederung intergeschlechtlicher Athlet_innen besteht noch Unklarheit.
Exercise Training Increases Serum Cardiac Troponin T Independent of
Left Ventricular Mass
Authors: Kong Zhaowei , Zhang Haifeng , Nie Jinlei , Wen Li , Shi Qingde , Ng San Fan , Huang Chuanye , George Keith
Published: December 2021

The purpose of this study was to determine whether exercise training mediated
cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and whether this was associated with increases in left
ventricular mass (LVM). Fifty-four sedentary obese women were randomised to
high-intensity interval training (HIIT, repeated 4–min cycling at
90% V̇O2max interspersed with 3–min rest),
work-equivalent continuous aerobic training (CAT, continuous cycling at
60% V̇O2max) or a control group (CON). Resting serum
cTnT was assessed using a high-sensitivity assay before and after 12 weeks of
training. LVM was determined from 2D echocardiography at the same timepoints.
Both HIIT and CAT induced a similar elevation (median 3.07 to
3.76 ng.l−1, p<0.05) in resting
cTnT compared with pre-training and the CON (3.49 to
3.45 ng.l−1, p>0.05). LVM index in
HIIT increased (62.2±7.8 to
73.1±14.1 g.m−2, p<0.05),
but not in CAT (66.1±9.7 to
67.6±9.6 g.m−2, p>0.05)
and CON (67.9±9.5 to 70.2±9.1 g.m−2,
p>0.05). Training-induced changes in resting cTnT did not
correlate with changes in LVM index (r=−0.025,
p=0.857). These findings suggest that twelve weeks of either HIIT
or CAT increased resting cTnT, but the effects were independent of any changes
in LVM in sedentary obese women.
Post-Covid und Komplementärmedizin in der Psychiatrie
Authors: Brunnhuber Stefan , Michalsen Andreas
Published: December 2021

Nicht nur die Intensivstationen, sondern auch die psychiatrischen Einrichtungen haben mit den Folgen der Corona-Pandemie zu kämpfen. Sowohl die Kollateralschäden der Pandemie als auch die Virusinfektion selbst haben Auswirkungen auf Körper und Seele. Menschen, bei denen auch nach durchgemachter Infektion noch Post- oder Long-Covid-Symptome bestehen, leiden häufig unter Beschwerden wie einer geringen körperlichen Belastbarkeit, Fatigue, kognitiven Einschränkungen und Fehlregulationen des autonomen Nervensystems. Im Bereich der Komplementärmedizin kommen unter anderem achtsamkeitsbasierte und bewegungsgestützte Programme zum Einsatz, um die Symptome der Patienten zu behandeln.
Regulation of the Effect of Physical Activity Through MicroRNAs in
Breast Cancer
Authors: Hong Bok Sil
Published: December 2021

Physical activity and exercise can induce beneficial molecular and biological
regulations that have been associated with an incidence of various diseases,
including breast cancer. Recent studies demonstrated that the potential links
between physical activity-induced circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) and cancer risk
and progression. Here, we investigated whether altered miRNAs by exercise could
influence breast cancer progression. After primary searching in PubMed and
reviewing the full-text papers, candidate miRNAs altered by exercise in breast
cancer were identified. Analysis of expression profiles and clinical outcomes of
altered miRNAs using The Cancer Genome Atlas datasets showed altered miRNAs
expressions were significantly associated with the patient's prognosis,
whereas prognostic values of each miRNA varied in different stages and subtypes.
In addition, altered miRNAs profiles regulated various target genes and key
signaling pathways in tumorigenesis, including pathways in cancer and the
PI3K-Akt signaling pathway; however, miRNAs regulated the expression of target
genes differently according to tumor stages and subtypes. These results indicate
that circulating miRNAs are promising noninvasive stable biomarkers for early
detection, diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring the response to clinical
therapies of breast cancer. Moreover, stages and subtype-stratified approaches
for breast cancer progression would be needed to evaluate the prognostic value
of miRNAs for biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
Mehr Gelassenheit und weniger Konflikte im Büro
Authors: Rieken Christian
Published: December 2021

Allmählich kehrt Normalität in das Arbeitsleben zurück und Arbeitnehmer lassen die Homeoffice-Ära teilweise hinter sich. Persönlichen Kontakt gab es während der Zeit im Homeoffice kaum bis gar nicht. Zurück im Büro- oder Praxisalltag treffen nun wieder verschiedene Menschen aufeinander, wodurch immer wieder Konflikte und Zusammenstöße entstehen.
Flora und Fauna: Unterstützer bei der Bewältigung psychischer Erkrankungen
Authors: Steffes-Holländer Sven
Published: December 2021

Der Aufenthalt in der Natur hat viele positive Effekte auf den Körper und die Seele des Menschen. Wissenschaftliche Studien belegen, dass Aktivitäten in der Natur unter anderem den Stressabbau unterstützen und die kognitiven Fähigkeiten verbessern können. Daher wird Naturtherapie auch zur Behandlung von Menschen mit psychischen Erkrankungen eingesetzt.

Ähnliche Effekte zeigt die tiergestützte Therapie. Sie kommt in vielen klinischen Bereichen zum Einsatz. Untersuchungen zeigen, dass die Interaktion mit Tieren eine Stressreduktion sowie eine Verringerung von Ängsten und depressiven Symptomen bewirken kann.