bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Cooperação Internacional Como Ferramenta De Proteção Dos Direitos Humanos Em Regiões De Conflitos: Desafios E Perspectivas
Authors: Junior Waldyr Barcellos , Lopes Liliam Dos Reis , Oliveira José Humberto Gomes De , Tavares Thiago Daniel Ribeiro , Lima Odaize Do Socorro Ferreira Cavalcante
Published: January 2025

A cooperação internacional é um mecanismo essencial para a proteção dos direitos humanos, especialmente em
regiões de conflitos armados e crises humanitárias. Desde a adoção da Carta das Nações Unidas em 1945 e da
Declaração Universal dos Direitos Humanos em 1948, os princípios fundamentais de dignidade e direitos
universais guiam os esforços globais para mitigar violações e promover a paz. No entanto, a implementação
prática desses princípios enfrenta desafios significativos, incluindo a tensão entre soberania estatal e a
responsabilidade de proteger, questões de financiamento insuficiente e a fragmentação de atores locais. A
soberania, muitas vezes usada como barreira contra intervenções humanitárias, permanece um dos maiores
obstáculos à ação coletiva eficaz, como evidenciado nos casos da Síria e de Myanmar, onde interesses
geopolíticos comprometeram a capacidade de resposta global. Paralelamente, o financiamento inadequado, com
apenas 0,33% do Produto Nacional Bruto global alocado para ajuda oficial ao desenvolvimento em 2022, limita
a capacidade das missões humanitárias de responder rapidamente às crises e sustentar esforços de reconstrução.
Além disso, a falta de coordenação entre atores locais e internacionais enfraquece a legitimidade e a eficácia
das iniciativas de cooperação. Contudo, há exemplos de sucesso, como a missão de paz na Libéria, que
demonstram como abordagens integradas e planejadas podem estabilizar regiões devastadas. O papel das
organizações regionais também se destaca, fornecendo soluções mais contextualizadas e legítimas para os
desafios locais, embora frequentemente enfrentem limitações financeiras. Ferramentas tecnológicas emergentes,
como imagens de satélite e inteligência artificial, oferecem novas possibilidades para monitoramento de
violações e responsabilização de perpetradores, mas levantam questões éticas que exigem regulamentação
robusta. A integração de comunidades locais no planejamento e execução das iniciativas é crucial para garantir
que sejam culturalmente apropriadas e sustentáveis. Além disso, o fortalecimento de mecanismos de
accountability e a expansão do financiamento multilateral são essenciais para o futuro da cooperação
internacional. O estudo conclui que, embora a cooperação internacional enfrente desafios significativos, ela
permanece indispensável para a proteção dos direitos humanos. O sucesso dessas iniciativas depende de
estratégias colaborativas e adaptativas que combinem inovação tecnológica, engajamento local e reformas institucionais para construir um sistema internacional mais justo e eficaz. Assim, a cooperação internacional
The Role Of Business Analytics In Enhancing Marketing Strategies For Food Products: A Systematic Review
Authors: Adesiyan Kehinde Teniade
Published: January 2025

The shift towards a more data-driven culture is a key progenitor of business success in today's technological era.
Business analytics has emerged as a transformative force in the marketing sphere, offering the potential to
enhance decision-making and drive innovation. Therefore, the study aims to systematically review the role of
business analytics in marketing strategies for food products with a focus on applications, technologies, and
barriers to adoption. The review highlights applications such as customer segmentation, demand forecasting,
personalized marketing, and campaign performance analysis. It identified common tools like Customer
Relationship Management (CRM) systems, AI-powered analytics platforms, and data visualization tools while
addressing the technical, regulatory, and organizational barriers that hinder their effectiveness. The findings
show the importance of a holistic approach to business analytics that integrates technological, organizational,
and ethical dimensions. Addressing these challenges by investing in robust data infrastructure, enhancing
workforce capabilities, and fostering industry collaboration, the food sector can unlock the full potential for business analytics, enabling firms to develop targeted, innovative, and ethical marketing strategies that resonate with consumers and drive sustainable growth.
Durability Analysis of Concrete with the Substitution of Natural Aggregates by Copper and Pig Iron Waste
Authors: Pinheiro Joana Claudia Zandonadi , Neto Sabino Alves de Aguiar , Lima João Carlos Lisboa de , Picanço Marcelo de Souza , Macedo Alcebíades Negrão
Published: January 2025

Background: The global scenario demands immediate actions to mitigate the environmental imbalances
threatening the planet, reflected in natural disasters such as storms, floods, and severe droughts. This study
evaluates the durability of concrete in the face of these challenges through carbonation, chloride penetration,
and alkali-aggregate reaction tests, exploring the feasibility of producing sustainable concretes using copper
ore waste and pig iron slag, available in the southern and southeastern regions of Pará due to the local mining
activity.
Materials and Methods: The methodology of the study involved the collection of copper waste and blast furnace
slag, which were characterized through granulometric analysis, X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and X-ray
Fluorescence (XRF). These materials were used as partial substitutes for fine and coarse aggregates in the
production of concretes with different dosages. Durability tests were conducted, including accelerated
carbonation, chloride penetration, and alkali-aggregate reaction. The analysis of the results aimed to assess the
feasibility of these wastes as sustainable alternatives for civil construction.
Results: The statistical results showed significance in the substitution of waste materials, highlighting copper
waste and blast furnace slag as promising alternatives. The accelerated carbonation tests revealed that
concretes with 75% and 100% waste exhibited lower susceptibility to CO₂ due to reduced porosity. In the
chloride penetration test, concretes with 25% and 75% waste demonstrated lower NaCl penetration, indicating
superior resistance. Furthermore, in the alkali-aggregate reaction test, the waste samples showed no reactive
potential, as per NBR 15577-4, confirming their suitability for concrete production.
Conclusion: A comparative analysis of the properties of these concretes in relation to conventional concrete revealed significant potential for replacing natural aggregates with waste materials that would otherwise be discarded, contributing to the reduction of environmental impact.
Physical and Behavioral Factors Associated With Improvement in Physical Health and Function Among US Women During Midlife
Authors: Santacroce Leah M. , Avis Nancy E. , Colvin Alicia B. , Ruppert Kristine , Karvonen-Gutierrez Carrie , Solomon Daniel H.
Published: May 2023

Importance

Women often experience physiological and functional changes in their health during midlife. Identifying women who have clinically important improvements in physical health and function and evaluating the factors associated with these improvements can identify intervention targets at midlife.

Objective

To identify factors associated with improvements in physical health and function among women during midlife.

Design, Setting, and Participants

Participants were part of the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN), a diverse cohort of US women early in midlife, and followed up annually for up to 21 years between 1996 and 2017. Analyses were based on visit 8 (2004-2006) through visit 15 (2015-2017). Statistical analysis was conducted from October 2021 to March 2023.

Exposures

Sociodemographic indicators, health status measures, and comorbidities measured at visit 8.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The main outcome was a clinically important (≥5 points) improvement in the physical component score (PCS) of the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey between visit 8 and visit 15.

Results

Of the 1807 women (at visit 8: mean [SD] age, 54.5 [2.7] years; 898 [50%] White participants) in SWAN who qualified for analysis, 265 (15%) experienced a clinically important improvement in PCS over a median of 11.1 years (IQR, 10.9-11.4 years). Factors associated with improvement in PCS included no financial strain (odds ratio [OR], 1.73; 95% CI, 1.18-2.52), no sleep disturbances (OR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.05-1.96), no osteoarthritis (OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.01-1.99), and having a higher physical activity score (OR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.00-1.37) as assessed at visit 8. Women who had a higher PCS at visit 8 (OR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.83-0.86), who had a higher body mass index (OR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.93-0.97), or who were taking more medications (OR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.88-0.98) had lower odds of an improved PCS.

Conclusions and Relevance

This cohort study of women in midlife suggests that approximately 15% of women experienced clinically important improvements in health and function over an 11-year period. Several potentially modifiable factors associated with improvements may inform women of variables to target for future interventions.
Evolution Over Revolution: Eliel Saarinen as Architect and Educator
Authors: Adkisson Kevin
Published: May 2023

The Cranbrook campus is designed with a concerted effort to integrate art, craft and architecture. Cranbrook Center for Collections and Research curator Kevin Adkisson shares some of its stories and explores a variety of its external and internal spaces and the conceptual rigour that went into them. Collectively, the campus provides an inspiring backdrop to individual students’ creative journeys.
Schooling Fishy Knowledge
Authors: Ednie‐Brown Pia
Published: May 2023

There is much debate about architectural education and its usefulness in the face of vexing global issues and problems. Pia Ednie Brown examines the roots of Cranbrook's pedagogy and assesses its relevance in this contemporary context. Her polemic piece calls for a fresh approach to architectural education, and the development of imaginative ecosystems to help it on its way.
Risk factors for dementia and self‐harm: A linkage study
Authors: Walker Adrian R. , Srasuebkul Preeyaporn , Trollor Julian N. , Wand Anne P. F. , Draper Brian , Cvejic Rachael C. , Moxey Annette , Reppermund Simone
Published: May 2023

Introduction

People living with dementia experience poor mental health and high rates of self‐harm. We investigated risk factors for self‐harm in people aged > 40 years living with dementia and risk factors for dementia after self‐harm.

Methods

Using linked hospital data from New South Wales, Australia, we defined a dementia cohort (n = 154,811) and a self‐harm cohort (n = 28,972). Using survival analyses, we investigated predictors of self‐harm for the dementia cohort, and predictors of dementia for the self‐harm cohort.

Results

We found self‐harm or dementia diagnoses occurred most often within 24 months of a dementia diagnosis or initial self‐harm presentation, respectively. Men living with dementia, and people with complex psychiatric profiles, had the greatest risk of self‐harm. Men who had self‐harmed had the greatest risk of dementia diagnoses.

Discussion

Men and people with complex psychiatric profiles and dementia may particularly benefit from post‐diagnosis mental and behavioral support to reduce risk of self‐harm.
Cinnamoyl Dipyrromethenes as Fluorescence Zinc(II) Ion Sensor
Authors: Firmansyah Dikhi , Qolby Denisa Shofihatul , Juliawaty Lia Dewi , Yuliarto Brian
Published: May 2023

Friedel‐Crafts acylation of dipyrromethane with cinnamoyl chloride was conducted to obtain dicinnamoyl dipyrromethane compounds 3 and 4. Both compounds were subsequently oxidized by DDQ to produce dicinnamoyl dipyrromethene ligands (DC‐1 and DC‐2). A large bathochromic shift compared to dipyromethene (D) was observed at 95 nm for DC‐1 and 67 nm for DC‐2. Both compounds showed remarkable chelation‐enhanced fluorescence (CHEF) upon addition of zinc(II) ions. Similar to the quadrupolar system, DC‐1 exhibited absorption and emission near the optical windows of the tissue. However, asymmetrical DC‐2 had a better “turn‐on” CHEF, with a fluorescence intensity that was 22 times higher than that of compound D. The DC‐2 ligand also showed a limit of detection (LOD) of up to 3.0×10−8 M and selectivity toward zinc(II) ions compared to alkali and alkaline earth metal ions.
C−H Bond Functionalization of Aryl Acids and Amines by ‘On‐water’ Reaction: Bi‐dentate Directing Group Enabled Synthesis of Biaryl and m‐Teraryl Carboxamides
Authors: Verma Ashutosh , Elias Anil J.
Published: May 2023

Herein, we report a palladium‐catalyzed ‘on‐water’ methodology for the synthesis of biaryl and m‐teraryl derivatives of aryl carboxamides by selective mono and bis C−H bond functionalization. 8‐aminoquinoline and 2‐thiomethylaniline were used as directing groups for C−H bond functionalization of aryl carboxamides with various aryl and alkyl iodides using 3.0–4.0 mol% of Pd(OAc)2 as catalyst and water as the solvent resulting in 45–97% isolated yields of the mono and bis C−H bond functionalized products. Using an 8‐aminoquinoline carboxamide core, C−H bond functionalization of indole‐3‐carboxylic acid and a late‐stage functionalization of aspirin molecule have also been carried out. Reactions of benzyl/naphthyl picolinamides with aryl iodides gave 60–96% yield of the arylated products using the picolinamide directing group. Moreover, the insoluble nature of products in an aqueous medium enabled us to explore the reusability of the solvent, i. e., water and the catalyst. Control experiments and structural studies were carried out which confirmed the in situ formation of unique palladacycles during the reaction. Removal of the directing groups has been carried out to convert the functionalized products into amines and fluorenone compounds useful in industrial and pharmaceutical applications.
A Systematic Design and Synthesis of PET‐based Fluorescent Probes for Monitoring pH During Mitophagy
Authors: Yadav Rashmi , Munan Subrata , Ali Mudassar , Mapa Koyeli , Samanta Animesh
Published: May 2023

Mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cell and function at pH ∼8.0. Dysfunctions of mitochondria, includes mitochondrial damage, leading to pH alteration. Hence, researchers aim to develop efficient pH probes for tracking mitochondrial pH dynamics. Herein, we developed a PET‐based fluorescent probe for pH monitoring during mitochondrial dysfunctions. Three derivatives were synthesized with a variable spacer's length in pentacyclic pyridinium fluorophores (PM‐C2, PM‐C3, and PM‐C6). An efficient electron transfers from the receptor (tertiary amine) was observed in the case of PM‐C2 compared to the other two derivatives. This PET process was inhibited when tertiary amine was protonated in acidic pH. However, PM‐C3 showed minimal fluorescence intensity at similar conditions and almost negligible change in case of PM‐C6, suggesting poor PET process for both the derivatives. Furthermore, DFT/TD‐DFT quantum chemical calculation well supported this optical phenomena and PET process. Biocompatible, photostable, and mitochondria‐specific PM‐C2 could monitor pH dynamics during mitochondrial damage which were engulfed by lysosome, also known as mitophagy. This mitophagy process were induced by rapamycin and starvation, which can be monitored by turn‐on fluorescence enhancement. This process was further validated by tracking Parkin‐protein translocation from cytoplasm to damaged mitochondria using our developed probe.
A tale of two ASDs—Compliance matters
Authors: Qureshi Athar M. , Gowda Srinath T.
Published: May 2023

Key Points

Patients with secundum atrial septal defects (ASDs) who have pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum or critical pulmonary stenosis, exhibit different ASD physiology compared to patients with isolated secundum ASDs.

The indication and timing of secundum ASD closure in these patients should be made on a case‐by‐case basis.

Long‐term assessment of the physiological consequences of secundum ASD closure in this group of patients should be kept in mind, as these patients have right ventricles that represent a spectrum ranging from significantly restrictive right ventricles, to right ventricles with normal compliance.
Engineering Oxygen Vacancies on VO2 Multilayered Structures for Efficient Zn2+ Storage
Authors: Si Rui , Yi Shangjun , Liu He , Yu Feng , Bao Weizhai , Guo Cong , Li Jingfa
Published: May 2023

Vanadium dioxide (VO2(B)) is a proper cathode for aqueous zinc‐ion batteries (ZIBs) due to its shear structure and high theoretical capacity. However, the sluggish kinetics and structure instability derived from the strong electrostatic interaction between Zn2+ and the VO2 host hinder its further application. Defect engineering is a useful way to circumvent the limitations. Herein, oxygen‐defect VO2 (Od‐VO2) with tunable oxygen vacancy concentration are obtained via a facile one‐step hydrothermal method by adjusting ascorbic acid addition. It is proved that oxygen vacancies can provide extra active sites for Zn2+ storage and reduced electrostatic barrier for Zn2+ transportation, but excessive vacancy content would lead to a reverse effect. The Od‐VO2 cathode with optimum oxygen vacancy concentration achieves an outstanding performance with a high capacity of 380 mAhg−1 at 0.2 A g−1, excellent cycle stability with 92.6 % capacity retention after 2000 cycles at 3 A g−1 and a high energy density of 197 Wh kg−1 at the power density of 0.641 kW kg−1. Therefore, this defect engineering method for Od‐VO2 provides an attractive way for high‐performance aqueous ZIB cathodes.
Scalable and Chromatography‐Free Synthesis of Efflux Pump Inhibitor Phenylalanine Arginine β‐Naphthylamide for Its Validation in Wild‐Type Bacterial Strains
Authors: Russo Christopher M. , Howey Kelsey G. , O'Reilly Matthew C.
Published: May 2023

Phenylalanine arginine β‐naphthylamine, or PAβN, is a C‐terminus capped dipeptide discovered in 1999 as an RND‐type efflux pump inhibitor (EPI). Since then, PAβN has become a standard tool compound in EPI research and development. Despite this, PAβN lacks a detailed or efficient synthesis, and standard parameters for its use in wild‐type bacterial strains are inconsistent or non‐existent. Therefore, a scalable and chromatography‐free synthesis of PAβN was developed using streamlined traditional solution‐phase peptide coupling chemistry. With this procedure, gram scale quantities of PAβN were synthesized alongside analogues and stereoisomers to build a focused library to evaluate simple structure activity relationships. While most analogues were less active than the broadly utilized L,L‐PAβN itself, we identified that its enantiomer, D,D‐PAβN, also provided 8‐ to 16‐fold potentiation of the antibiotic levofloxacin at 40 to 50 μg/mL concentrations of EPI in various wild‐type Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains. Additionally, D,D‐PAβN was shown to be significantly more hydrolytically stable than L,L‐PAβN, indicating that it may be a useful, and now readily synthesized, tool compound facilitating future EPI research.
An Asymmetric Perylene Diimide Dimer Acceptor for High Performance Organic Solar Cells
Authors: You Xiaoxiao , Shen Hao , Li Yu , Wu Di , Xia Jianlong
Published: May 2023

The vinylene‐bridged helical perylene diimide (PDI) dimer (PDI2) with a build‐in twisted configuration is an alternative building block to the parent PDI for the construction of efficient non‐fullerene acceptor (NFAs). Moreover, it has been proved asymmetric strategy plays a vital role in the development of NFAs. Herein, we designed and synthesized a pair of acceptor‐donor‐acceptor (A−D‐A) type PDI2 derivatives, namely IDTIC‐PDI and IDT‐diPDI2, which contain asymmetric and symmetric end‐cap units, respectively. To determine the structure–performance relationships of asymmetric strategy, the organic solar cells (OSCs) based on these two molecules were fabricated and measured. The asymmetric IDTIC‐PDI based device exhibits a much higher PCE of 8.23 % than that of symmetric IDT‐diPDI2 (5.21 %). These results reveal that symmetry breaking provides an effective way to optimize the photovoltaic performances of PDI2 based OSCs.
A Magnetically Separable Fe3O4@EDTA‐gC3N4 Versatile Mesoporous Photocatalyst for CO2 Reduction and Water Splitting into Solar Fuels**
Authors: Mishra Ankit , Verma Vikas , Khan Azeem , Sinha Anil Kumar
Published: May 2023

This study discusses CO2 valorization and water splitting via photocatalysis using non‐noble metal magnetically separable Fe‐supported EDTA‐g‐C3N4. A mesoporous and magnetically separable Fe3O4@EDTA‐g‐C3N4 (F‐E‐g‐CN ) hybrid photocatalyst was synthesized for the first time with abundant catalytic sites. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) played crucial roles in the heterostructured catalysts, such as linking Fe3O4 and g‐CN together and enhancing charge transfer facilitating a reduced band gap from 2.23 to 0.67 eV in F‐E‐g‐CN (1 : 1). The results indicate a promising yield of methanol (375.56 μmol g−1cat), formic acid (18.70 μmol g−1cat), and hydrogen (59.49 μmol hg−1cat) under the optimized reaction conditions. The catalyst revealed an increase in photoactivity for CO2 conversion and water splitting by factor of 12.38 and 12.05 for methanol and 100‐fold higher for hydrogen production than the pure g‐CN and E‐g‐CN, respectively. An isotopic tracer experiment was carried out using 13CO2, confirming the carbon source of methanol. This research will offer additional in‐depth insights into the design of photocatalytic CO2 reduction and water‐splitting reactions based on g‐CN.
Moving Bermudagrass into Temperate Regions
Authors: Baxter Lisa
Published: May 2023

Georgia has been historically dominated by two perennial forage grass production systems: tall fescue in the north and bermudagrass in the south. Climatologists have documented notable changes in temperature and precipitation patterns in the state that have contributed to an invasion of warm‐season species in the northern portion of the state. This article documents the expansion of warm‐season bermudagrass into northern Georgia, explores the climatic factors driving this transition, and highlights previous and ongoing research. Earn 0.5 CEUs in Crop Management by reading this article and taking the quiz at https://web.sciencesocieties.org/Learning‐Center/Courses.
Single‐Strip Spatial Evaluation Approach for Easier, More Meaningful On‐Farm Research
Authors: Srinivasagan Subhashree , Tanchez Juan Carlos Ramos , Marcaida Manuel , Shajahan Sunoj , Workman Kirsten , Ketterings Quirine
Published: May 2023

On‐farm research helps farmers make more informed management decisions in their operations for increased productivity and sustainability. While conventional on‐farm research designs are scientifically sound, the power to determine significant differences among various treatments is limited by the number of replications that can be put in place (more replications increase the chance to detect differences). In addition, major barriers to adoption of on‐farm research have been the space (larger fields) and the time required to conduct trials during planting and harvest. As these logistical and potentially economic challenges might discourage farmers from engaging in on‐farm research and be part of on‐farm research networks, a new way to conduct trials was developed that makes use of yield monitor technology and advances in spatial statistics. Earn 0.5 CEUs in Crop Management by reading this article and taking the quiz at https://web.sciencesocieties.org/Learning‐Center/Courses.
A quantitative risk assessment approach for developing contingency plans at a geologic carbon storage site
Authors: Mitchell Nate , Lackey Greg , Schwartz Brandon , Strazisar Brian , Dilmore Robert
Published: May 2023

Geologic carbon storage (GCS) is an increasingly important technology for reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to the atmosphere. The leakage risks associated with GCS are an environmental and human health concern, however, and site operators must develop contingency plans that thoroughly consider leakage risks and identify potential mitigation strategies. Here, we use a GCS system model (the National Risk Assessment Partnership's Open‐Source Integrated Assessment Model, NRAP‐Open‐IAM) to evaluate different contingency plans for a hypothetical GCS site. In the scenario considered, an unplugged legacy well is discovered near the site after 5 years of CO2 injection. Our simulations show that the planned operation has a relatively high chance of causing brine leakage through the legacy well and into the two overlying aquifers, the shallower of which has potable water—an unacceptable outcome. To reduce this risk, we consider five remedial response scenarios that manipulate reservoir pressures through brine extraction, injection rate reduction, and early injection stopping. NRAP‐Open‐IAM is used to quantify the degree to which each scenario reduces the probability of brine leakage at the site amidst reservoir uncertainty. Evaluation of the different scenarios suggests that reduction of injection rates effectively reduces leakage risks while maintaining a substantial fraction of the initially intended cumulative CO2 storage. In the event of an emergency, the reservoir pressure management strategies considered here can provide operators more time while they pursue a more permanent solution. The analyses demonstrated here fit into a larger workflow we propose for evaluating the contingency plans of GCS sites. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A qualitative exploration of caregivers’ experiences with the Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch‐up (ABC) parenting program
Authors: Bagwell‐Gray Meredith E. , Grube Whitney , Mendenhall Amy , Jen Sarah , Olaleye Omowunmi , Sattler Patricia
Published: May 2023

In the face of childhood adversity, services and interventions can improve a child's life trajectory by promoting healthy development, enhancing protective factors, and building resilience through stable and supportive relationships. One such service, a specific and highly researched home visiting intervention, Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch‐up (ABC), is often provided to families through home visiting service programs. This qualitative descriptive study examines the experiences of caregivers (N = 18) who received ABC as part of a statewide early childhood initiative in one midwestern state. Participants provided insight into the context of their lives before and during the intervention. They described their perspectives of the utility of the program and its influence on their family's behaviors and interactions. Findings demonstrate that coaching support bolstered caregivers’ confidence in effective strategies and guided them through caregiving challenges. Caregivers observed growth in their caregiving practices, their infants’ and young children's social and emotional skills, and their dyadic caregiver‐child relationships, demonstrating the benefits of participating in and completing the ABC intervention.
Evaluation of the effect of vitamin D level on greater tuberosity primary bone marrow edema
Authors: Başbuğ Veysel , Yaka Haluk , Tekin Alper Aziz , Duman Numan , Demiryürek Mehmet , Özer Mustafa
Published: May 2023

Introduction

The anabolic effects of vitamin D on bone tissue have been demonstrated in experimental studies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between greater tuberosity primary bone marrow edema (GTPBMO) and vitamin D levels.

Materials and Methods

Thirty‐nine patients (22 females and 17 males; mean age 49.02 ± 13.08 years) with isolated GTPBMO between March 2016 and March 2018 were included in the study. Sixty patients (34 females and 26 males; mean age 43.45 ± 12.61 years) who did not have any shoulder complaints and fulfilled the study criteria were selected as the control group. Both groups were compared in terms of vitamin D levels.

Results

The mean vitamin D level was 13.43 ± 9.02 ng/mL in the GTPBMO group. In contrast, mean vitamin D level was 21.54 ± 8.03 ng/mL in the control group (p < 0.001). In the GTPBMO group, vitamin D deficiency was detected in 31 (79.5%) patients, vitamin D insufficiency was detected in 5 (12.8%) patients, and vitamin D levels were normal in 3 (7.7%) patients. In the control group, vitamin D deficiency was detected in 29 (48.3%) patients, vitamin D insufficiency was detected in 16 (26.7%) patients, and vitamin D levels were normal in 15 (25%) patients.

Conclusion

The etiology of GTPBMO has not yet been fully understood, but the results obtained in this study show that vitamin D levels were significantly lower in patients with GTPBMO. The findings suggest that low vitamin D levels may be one of the contributing factors in the etiology of GTPBMO.
In situ thermo‐Raman spectroscopy and ab initio vibrational assignment calculations of cubanite CuFe2S3
Authors: Pankrushina Elizaveta A. , Votyakov Sergey L. , Aksenov Sergey M. , Komleva Evgenia V. , Uporova Natalya S. , Vaitieva Yulia A.
Published: May 2023

In situ thermo‐Raman spectroscopy is used to study a single crystal of natural orthorhombic cubanite from the Talnakh copper‐nickel sulfide deposit (Norilsk, Russia). The dependence of the wavenumbers and FWHMs of vibrational modes on temperature, including the cubanite → isocubanite phase transition region, is studied in the range of 83–873 K. For the first time, the polarized Raman spectra of cubanite have been interpreted according to ab initio calculations performed using the density functional theory (DFT) implemented in the VASP package. In spite of the tetrahedral environment of Cu and Fe atoms in cubanite, the spectra demonstrate the presence of different types of bending (twisting, wagging, scissoring, etc.) and stretching vibrations in two different triatomic (S2‐Cu‐S2) and (Fe‐S1‐Fe) fragments for Ag and B2g symmetries, and in three‐ and four‐atomic (S1‐Cu‐S1) and FeS(2)3 fragments, respectively, for B1g and B3g symmetries.
Body composition profiling at 0.55T: Feasibility and precision
Authors: Nayak Krishna S. , Cui Sophia X. , Tasdelen Bilal , Yagiz Ecrin , Weston Sarah , Zhong Xiaodong , Ahlgren André
Published: May 2023

Purpose

Body composition MRI captures the distribution of fat and lean tissues throughout the body, and provides valuable biomarkers of obesity, metabolic disease, and muscle disorders, as well as risk assessment. Highly reproducible protocols have been developed for 1.5T and 3T MRI. The purpose of this work was to demonstrate the feasibility and test–retest repeatability of MRI body composition profiling on a 0.55T whole‐body system.

Methods

Healthy adult volunteers were scanned on a whole‐body 0.55T MRI system using the integrated body RF coil. Experiments were performed to refine parameter settings such as TEs, resolution, flip angle, bandwidth, acceleration, and oversampling factors. The final protocol was evaluated using a test–retest study with subject removal and replacement in 10 adult volunteers (5 M/5F, age 25–60, body mass index 20–30).

Results

Compared to 1.5T and 3T, the optimal flip angle at 0.55T was higher (15°), due to the shorter T1 times, and the optimal echo spacing was larger, due to smaller chemical shift between water and fat. Overall image quality was comparable to conventional field strengths, with no significant issues with fat/water swapping or inadequate SNR. Repeatability coefficient of visceral fat, subcutaneous fat, total thigh muscle volume, muscle fat infiltration, and liver fat were 11.8 cL (2.2%), 46.9 cL (1.9%), 14.6 cL (0.5%), 0.1 pp (2%), and 0.2 pp (5%), respectively (coefficient of variation in parenthesis).

Conclusions

We demonstrate that 0.55T body composition MRI is feasible and present optimized scan parameters. The resulting images provide satisfactory quality for automated post‐processing and produce repeatable results.
Robust breast quantitative susceptibility mapping in the presence of silicone
Authors: Böhm Christof , Stelter Jonathan K. , Weiss Kilian , Meineke Jakob , Komenda Alexander , Borde Tabea , Makowski Marcus R. , Fallenberg Eva M. , Karampinos Dimitrios C.
Published: May 2023

Purpose

To (a) develop a preconditioned water–fat–silicone total field inversion (wfsTFI) algorithm that directly estimates the susceptibility map from complex multi‐echo data in the breast in the presence of silicone and to (b) evaluate the performance of wfsTFI for breast quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) in silico and in vivo in comparison with formerly proposed methods.

Methods

Numerical simulations and in vivo multi‐echo gradient echo breast measurements were performed to compare wfsTFI to a previously proposed field map‐based linear total field inversion algorithm (lTFI) with and without the consideration of the chemical shift of silicone in the field map estimation step. Specifically, a simulation based on an in vivo scan and data from five patients were included in the analysis.

Results

In the simulation, wfsTFI is able to significantly decrease the normalized root mean square error from lTFI without (4.46) and with (1.77) the consideration of the chemical shift of silicone to 0.68. Both the in silico and in vivo wfsTFI susceptibility maps show reduced shadowing artifacts in local tissue adjacent to silicone, reduced streaking artifacts and no erroneous single voxels of diamagnetic susceptibility in proximity to silicone.

Conclusion

The proposed wfsTFI method can automatically distinguish between subjects with and without silicone. Furthermore wfsTFI accounts for the presence of silicone in the QSM dipole inversion and allows for the robust estimation of susceptibility in proximity to silicone breast implants and hence allows the visualization of structures that would otherwise be dominated by artifacts on susceptibility maps.
Destroyed bladders: Characterization of progressive inflammatory cystitis
Authors: Faris Anna , Lane Giulia I. , Mehra Rohit , Dadhania Vipulkumar , Crescenze Iryna , Clemens J. Quentin , Romo Paholo Barboglio , Stoffel John , Malaeb Bahaa , Blair Yooni , Goh Meidee , Gupta Priyanka , Cameron Anne P.
Published: May 2023

Purpose

We identified a subset of patients with noninfectious cystitis who develop refractory symptoms marked by diffuse inflammatory changes, reduced bladder capacity, and vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), termed here as “progressive inflammatory cystitis” (PIC). Our objective was to describe the phenotype, disease outcomes, and pathologic findings of PIC.

Material and Methods

A single institution retrospective cohort study of patients with PIC. Patients with a history of pelvic radiation, urologic malignancy, or neurogenic bladder were excluded. We describe cohort characteristics and use bivariate analyses to compare subgroups. Kaplan–Meier methods estimate time to urinary diversion.

Results

From 2008 to 2020, 46 patients with PIC were identified. The median age of symptom onset was 63 years old (interquartile range [IQR]: 56, 70) and the most common presenting symptoms were urinary urgency/frequency (54%) and incontinence (48%). Urodynamics showed a median maximum bladder capacity of 80 mL (IQR: 34, 152), commonly with VUR (68%) and hydronephrosis (59%). Ultimately 36 patients (78%) underwent urinary diversion at a median of 4.5 years (IQR: 2, 6.5) after symptom onset. Significant pathologic findings include presence of ulceration (52%), acute and chronic inflammation (68%), including eosinophils (80%), lymphoid follicles (56%), and mast cells in both lamina and muscularis propria (76%).

Conclusions

PIC is a newly defined entity characterized by significantly diminished bladder capacity, upper tract changes, and relatively quick progression to urinary diversion. Larger prospective cohort studies are required to further characterize this severe phenotype of chronic noninfectious cystitis, aid earlier diagnosis, and guide management decisions.
Solutions for zero‐sum two‐player games with noncompact decision sets and unbounded payoffs
Authors: Feinberg Eugene A. , Kasyanov Pavlo O. , Zgurovsky Michael Z.
Published: May 2023

This article provides sufficient conditions for the existence of solutions for two‐person zero‐sum games with inf/sup‐compact payoff functions and with possibly noncompact decision sets for both players. Payoff functions may be unbounded, and we do not assume any convexity/concavity‐type conditions. For such games expected payoff may not exist for some pairs of strategies. The results of this article imply several classic facts. The article also provides sufficient conditions for the existence of a value and solutions for each player. The results of this article are illustrated with the number guessing game.
Azithromycin Mechanisms of Action in CRS Include Epithelial Barrier Restoration and Type 1 Inflammation Reduction
Authors: Renteria Axel E. , Valera Fabiana C.P. , Maniakas Anastasios , Adam Damien , Filali‐Mouhim Ali , Ruffin Manon , Mfuna Leandra Endam , Brochiero Emmanuelle , Desrosiers Martin Y.
Published: May 2023

Objective

Previous in vitro transcriptomic profiling suggests azithromycin exerts its effects in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) via modulation of type 1 inflammation and restoration of epithelial barrier function. We wished to verify these postulated effects using in vitro models of epithelial repair and in vivo transcriptional profiling.

Study Design

Functional effects of azithromycin in CRS were verified using in vitro models of wounding. The mechanism of the effect of azithromycin was assessed in vivo using transcriptomic profiling.

Setting

Academic medical center.

Methods

Effects of azithromycin on the speed of epithelial repair were verified in a wounding model using primary nasal epithelial cells (pNEC) from CRS patients. Nasal brushings collected pre‐and posttreatment during a placebo‐controlled trial of azithromycin for CRS patients unresponsive to surgery underwent transcriptomic profiling to identify implicated pathways.

Results

Administration of azithromycin improved the wound healing rates in CRS pNECs and prevented the negative effect ofStaphylococcus aureuson epithelial repair. In vivo, response to azithromycin was associated with downregulation in pathways of type 1 inflammation, and upregulation of pathways implicated in the restoration of the cell cycle.

Conclusion

Restoration of healthy epithelial function may represent a major mode of action of azithromycin in CRS. In vitro models show enhanced epithelial repair, while in vivo transcriptomics shows downregulation of pathways type 1 inflammation accompanied by upregulation of DNA repair and cell‐cycle pathways. The maximal effect in patients with high levels of type 1‐enhanced inflammation suggests that azithromycin may represent a novel therapeutic option for surgery‐unresponsive CRS patients.
Mass spectrometry‐based extracellular vesicle micromolecule detection in cancer biomarker discovery: An overview of metabolomics and lipidomics
Authors: Bai Liyi , Bu Fanqin , Li Xiangji , Zhang Shutian , Min Li
Published: May 2023

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) become one of the most important sources of cancer biomarkers during the past decade due to their wide distribution in body fluids and physiological stability. Previous studies mainly focused on nucleic acids and proteins, while lipids and metabolites were largely neglected. Noticeably, many of those micromolecules exhibited a high abundance in EVs. Revealing the metabolomics and lipidomics of EVs would provide more comprehensive information for biomarker discovery. With the rapid development of mass spectrometry (MS) facilities, MS‐based micromolecule detection has become an emerging technique for EVs studies. Increasing evidence demonstrated the presence of EV‐associated metabolites and lipids in different types of samples (e.g., cell, urine, serum, stool), which exhibited promising performance in cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and prediction of treatment responses. This review aims to summarize advances in micromolecule profiling of EVs for cancer biomarker discovery, with an emphasis on MS‐based metabolomic and lipidomic analytical techniques. Challenges in this field, including the minimum sample quantity, normalization methods, and compound identifications, are also discussed along with possible solutions.
Cutaneous neutrophilic panniculitis and vasculitis in a shar‐pei with autoinflammatory disease
Authors: Cabré Maria , Ordeix Laura , Ferrer Lluís
Published: May 2023

An 8‐year‐old, spayed, female shar‐pei with an earlier clinical diagnosis of shar‐pei autoinflammatory disease presented with fever and plaque‐nodular ulcerative dermatitis. Dermatopathological examination was compatible with diffuse, non‐septal, neutrophilic panniculitis and leukocytoclastic vasculitis, and bacterial culture was negative. Good response to prednisone treatment was seen. Based on this case, cutaneous sterile neutrophilic panniculitis and leukocytoclastic vasculitis may be associated with shar‐pei autoinflammatory disease.
Most modifiable risk factors for hamstring muscle injury in women’s elite football are extrinsic and associated with the club, the team, and the coaching staff and not the players themselves: the UEFA Women’s Elite Club Injury Study
Authors: Ekstrand Jan , Hallén Anna , Marin Vittoria , Gauffin Håkan
Published: May 2023

Purpose

To describe the perceived importance of suggested hamstring injury risk factors according to chief medical officers (CMOs) of European women’s professional football clubs. A secondary objective was to compare if these perceptions differed between teams with a lower-than-average and higher-than-average hamstring injury burden.

Methods

The CMOs of eleven European professional women’s football clubs were initially asked to suggest modifiable risk factors for hamstring injury. These risk factors were rated in according with their perceived importance on a 5-graded Likert scale. Participating teams were divided in two groups depending on their hamstring injury burden during the 2020/21 season. The LOW group consisted of six teams that had a lower-than-average hamstring injury burden. The HIGH group consisted of five teams that had a higher-than-average hamstring injury burden.

Results

Twenty-one risk factors were suggested, most of which were extrinsic in nature, hence associated with the coaching staff, the team or the club organization rather than with the players themselves. The risk factors with the highest average importance were: “lack of communication between medical staff and coaching staff” and “load on players” (each with a weighted average of 3.9), followed by “lack of regular exposure to high-speed football actions during training” and “playing matches 2–3 times a week” (weighted average of 3.8 and 3.7). Differently from the LOW group, the HIGH group perceived the coaching factors (style of coach leadership, training/exercise surveillance by coaching staff) as more important.

Conclusion

In accordance to the eleven CMOs recruited in this study, most risk factors for hamstring injuries are extrinsic in nature and associated with the club, the team, and the coaching staff, and not the players themselves.

Level of evidence

Level III.
Deep learning segmentation results in precise delineation of the putamen in multiple system atrophy
Authors: Rau Alexander , Schröter Nils , Rijntjes Michel , Bamberg Fabian , Jost Wolfgang H. , Zaitsev Maxim , Weiller Cornelius , Rau Stephan , Urbach Horst , Reisert Marco , Russe Maximilian F.
Published: May 2023

Objectives

The precise segmentation of atrophic structures remains challenging in neurodegenerative diseases. We determined the performance of a Deep Neural Patchwork (DNP) in comparison to established segmentation algorithms regarding the ability to delineate the putamen in multiple system atrophy (MSA), Parkinson’s disease (PD), and healthy controls.

Methods

We retrospectively included patients with MSA and PD as well as healthy controls. A DNP was trained on manual segmentations of the putamen as ground truth. For this, the cohort was randomly split into a training (N = 131) and test set (N = 120). The DNP’s performance was compared with putaminal segmentations as derived by Automatic Anatomic Labelling, Freesurfer and Fastsurfer. For validation, we assessed the diagnostic accuracy of the resulting segmentations in the delineation of MSA vs. PD and healthy controls.

Results

A total of 251 subjects (61 patients with MSA, 158 patients with PD, and 32 healthy controls; mean age of 61.5 ± 8.8 years) were included. Compared to the dice-coefficient of the DNP (0.96), we noted significantly weaker performance for AAL3 (0.72; p < .001), Freesurfer (0.82; p < .001), and Fastsurfer (0.84, p < .001). This was corroborated by the superior diagnostic performance of MSA vs. PD and HC of the DNP (AUC 0.93) versus the AUC of 0.88 for AAL3 (p = 0.02), 0.86 for Freesurfer (p = 0.048), and 0.85 for Fastsurfer (p = 0.04).

Conclusion

By utilization of a DNP, accurate segmentations of the putamen can be obtained even if substantial atrophy is present. This allows for more precise extraction of imaging parameters or shape features from the putamen in relevant patient cohorts.

Clinical relevance statement

Deep learning-based segmentation of the putamen was superior to currently available algorithms and is beneficial for the diagnosis of multiple system atrophy.

Key Points

• A Deep Neural Patchwork precisely delineates the putamen and performs equal to human labeling in multiple system atrophy, even when pronounced putaminal volume loss is present.

• The Deep Neural Patchwork–based segmentation was more capable to differentiate between multiple system atrophy and Parkinson’s disease than the AAL3 atlas, Freesurfer, or Fastsurfer.
Consequences of squash (Cucurbita argyrosperma) domestication for plant defence and herbivore interactions
Authors: Jaccard Charlyne , Ye Wenfeng , Bustos-Segura Carlos , Glauser Gaetan , Kaplan Ian , Benrey Betty
Published: May 2023

Main conclusion

Cucurbita argyrosperma domestication affected plant defence by downregulating the cucurbitacin synthesis-associated genes. However, tissue-specific suppression of defences made the cultivars less attractive to co-evolved herbivores Diabrotica balteata and Acalymma spp.

Plant domestication reduces the levels of defensive compounds, increasing susceptibility to insects. In squash, the reduction of cucurbitacins has independently occurred several times during domestication. The mechanisms underlying these changes and their consequences for insect herbivores remain unknown. We investigated how Cucurbita argyrosperma domestication has affected plant chemical defence and the interactions with two herbivores, the generalist Diabrotica balteata and the specialist Acalymma spp. Cucurbitacin levels and associated genes in roots and cotyledons in three wild and four domesticated varieties were analysed. Domesticated varieties contained virtually no cucurbitacins in roots and very low amounts in cotyledons. Contrastingly, cucurbitacin synthesis-associated genes were highly expressed in the roots of wild populations. Larvae of both insects strongly preferred to feed on the roots of wild squash, negatively affecting the generalist’s performance but not that of the specialist. Our findings illustrate that domestication results in tissue-specific suppression of chemical defence, making cultivars less attractive to co-evolved herbivores. In the case of squash, this may be driven by the unique role of cucurbitacins in stimulating feeding in chrysomelid beetles.