bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Proposal for modified inguinofemoral lymphadenectomy derived from investigation of anatomic distribution of sentinel and metastatic nodes in vulvar cancer
Authors: Gu Hai‐Feng , Liu Guo‐Chen , Chen Jie‐Ping , Li Jun‐Yun , Zhang Xin‐Ke , Liu Zhi‐Min , Tu Hua
Published: November 2020

Objective

We aimed to develop a less invasive inguinofemoral lymphadenectomy (IFL) approach for vulvar cancer based on the investigation of the anatomic distribution of sentinel and metastatic nodes.

Methods

Patients with vulvar cancer treated by surgery between 1995 and 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. A seven‐field method was adopted to assign the anatomic locations for lymph nodes removed via IFL or sentinel node biopsy. Only patients with nodal metastasis or sentinel nodes were included.

Results

A total of 102 patients with eligible data were analyzed. Nodal metastasis was confirmed in 118 groins undergoing IFL; sentinel node detection succeeded in 46 groins. The medial‐inguinal field had the highest rate of nodal metastasis involvement (59.3%, 70/118) and sentinel nodes present (73.9%, 34/46). The inferior‐femoral field was involved only in one groin with quadruple‐field metastases. The lateral‐inguinal field was not involved in any groin. Neither the lateral‐inguinal nor the inferior‐femoral field presented sentinel nodes.

Conclusion

The lateral‐inguinal and inferior‐femoral fields of the groins have a low risk of developing nodal metastasis. Therefore, a modified IFL preserving these fields can be established to reduce surgical morbidity without sacrificing its therapeutic effect.
Suspension Microesophagoscopy for Foreign Body Removal in Children
Authors: Propst Evan J. , Papsin Blake C. , Wolter Nikolaus E.
Published: November 2020

View Video S1 Laryngoscope, 131:E2066–E2068, 2021
A surgeon‐scientist's perspective and review of cognitive‐linguistic contributions to adult cochlear implant outcomes
Authors: Moberly Aaron C.
Published: November 2020

Objective(s)

Enormous variability in speech recognition outcomes persists in adults who receive cochlear implants (CIs), which leads to a barrier to progress in predicting outcomes before surgery, explaining “poor” outcomes, and determining how to provide tailored rehabilitation therapy for individual CI users. The primary goal of my research program over the past 9 years has been to extend our understanding of the contributions of “top‐down” cognitive‐linguistic skills to CI outcomes in adults, acknowledging that “bottom‐up” sensory processes also contribute substantially. The main objective of this invited narrative review is to provide an overview of this work. A secondary objective is to provide career “guidance points” to budding surgeon‐scientists in Otolaryngology.

Methods

A narrative, chronological review covers work done by our group to explore top‐down and bottom‐up processing in adult CI outcomes. A set of ten guidance points is also provided to assist junior Otolaryngology surgeon‐scientists.

Results

Work in our lab has identified substantial contributions of cognitive skills (working memory, inhibition‐concentration, speed of lexical access, nonverbal reasoning, verbal learning and memory) as well as linguistic abilities (acoustic cue‐weighting, phonological sensitivity) to speech recognition outcomes in adults with CIs. These top‐down skills interact with the quality of the bottom‐up input.

Conclusion

Although progress has been made in understanding speech recognition variability in adult CI users, future work is needed to predict CI outcomes before surgery, to identify particular patients' strengths and weaknesses, and to tailor rehabilitation approaches for individual CI users.

Level of Evidence

4
Inter‐ and intra‐fractional stability of rectal gas in pelvic cancer patients during MRIgRT
Authors: Shortall J. , Vasquez Osorio E. , Cree A. , Song Y. , Dubec M. , Chuter R. , Price G. , McWilliam A. , Kirkby K. , Mackay R. , van Herk M.
Published: November 2020

Purpose

Due to the electron return effect (ERE) during magnetic resonance imaging guided radiotherapy (MRIgRT), rectal gas during pelvic treatments can result in hot spots of over‐dosage in the rectal wall. Determining the clinical impact of this effect on rectal toxicity requires estimation of the amount and mobility (and stability) of rectal gas during treatment. We therefore investigated the amount of rectal gas and local inter‐ and intra‐fractional changes of rectal gas in pelvic cancer patients.

Methods

To estimate the volume of gas present at treatment planning, the rectal gas contents in the planning computed tomography (CT) scans of 124 bladder, 70 cervical and 2180 prostate cancer patients were calculated.

To estimate inter‐ and intra‐fractional variations in rectal gas, 174 and 131 T2‐w MRIs for six cervical and eleven bladder cancer patients were used. These scans were acquired during four scan‐sessions (~20–25 min each) at various time‐points. Additionally, 258 T2‐w MRIs of the first five prostate cancer patients treated using MRIgRT at our center, acquired during each fraction, were analyzed. Rectums were delineated on all scans.

The area of gas within the rectum delineations was identified on each MRI slice using thresholding techniques. The area of gas on each slice of the rectum was used to calculate the inter‐ and intra‐fractional group mean, systematic and random variations along the length of the rectum.

The cumulative dose perturbation as a result of the gas was estimated. Two approaches were explored: accounting or not accounting for the gas at the start of the scan‐session.

Results

Intra‐fractional variations in rectal gas are small compared to the absolute volume of rectal gas detected for all patient groups. That is, rectal gas is likely to remain stable for periods of 20–25 min. Larger volumes of gas and larger variations in gas volume were observed in bladder cancer patients compared with cervical and prostate cancer patients.

For all patients, local cumulative dose perturbations per beam over an entire treatment in the order of 60 % were estimated when gas had not been accounted for in the daily adaption. The calculated dose perturbation over the whole treatment was dramatically reduced in all patients when accounting for the gas in the daily set‐up image.

Conclusion

Rectal gas in pelvic cancer patients is likely to remain stable over the course of an MRIgRT fraction, and also likely to reappear in the same location in multiple fractions, and can therefore result in clinically relevant over‐dosage in the rectal wall. The over‐dosage is reduced when accounting for gas in the daily adaption.
The Increasing Value of Biomass: Moving From C6 Carbohydrates to Multifunctionalized Building Blocks via 5‐(hydroxymethyl)furfural
Authors: Galkin Konstantin I. , Ananikov Valentine P.
Published: November 2020

Recent decades have been marked by enormous progress in the field of synthesis and chemistry of 5‐(hydroxymethyl)furfural (HMF), an important platform chemical widely recognized as the “sleeping giant” of sustainable chemistry. This multifunctional furanic compound is viewed as a strong link for the transition from the current fossil‐based industry to a sustainable one. However, the low chemical stability of HMF significantly undermines its synthetic potential. A possible solution to this problem is synthetic diversification of HMF by modifying it into more stable multifunctional building blocks for further synthetic purposes.
Guidelines for prolonged disorders of consciousness: a paradigm shift
Authors: Gaber Tarek
Published: November 2020

Caring for PDOC patients present the clinical team with challenges from a clinical, ethical and legal perspective. In March, The Royal College of Physicians launched updated guidelines for PDOC management that represent a paradigm shift in the philosophy and medicolegal framework for clinical practice, Dr Gaber analyses the key messages for practitioners.
Physical fitness and quality of life in adolescents with asthma and fixed airflow obstruction
Authors: Sousa Andrey Wirgues , Cabral Anna Lucia Barros , Silva Ronaldo Aparecido , Fonseca Alfredo José , Grindler José , Martins Milton Arruda , Carvalho Celso R. F.
Published: November 2020

Asthma is a disease characterized by reversible bronchoconstriction, but some subjects develop fixed airflow obstruction (FAO). Subjects with FAO present more asthma symptoms and may have increased sedentary behavior; however, the effect of FAO on aerobic fitness and physical activity levels (PAL) remains poorly understood.

Aim

To compare adolescents with asthma and FAO and adolescents with asthma without FAO in terms of aerobic fitness, PAL, muscle strength, and health‐related quality of life (HRQoL).

Methods

This cross‐sectional study included adolescents with asthma, both sexes, and aged 12–18 years. They were divided into two groups: FAO and non‐FAO groups. The adolescents were diagnosed with asthma according to the Global Initiative for Asthma guidelines and underwent optimal pharmacological treatment for at least 12 months. FAO was diagnosed when the forced expiratory volume in the first second/forced vital capacity ratio was below the lower limit of the normal range after optimal treatment. Aerobic fitness, PAL, peripheral and respiratory muscle strength, and HRQoL were evaluated.

Results

No significant differences were observed between FAO and non‐FAO groups regarding the peak oxygen uptake (34.6 ± 8.5 vs. 36.0 ± 8.4 mLO2/min/kg), sedentary time (578 ± 126 vs. 563 ± 90 min/day), upper limb muscle strength (29.1 ± 5.9 vs. 28.1 ± 5.7 kilograms of force [kgf]), lower limb muscle strength (42.8 ± 8.6 vs. 47.6 ± 9.6 kgf), or HRQoL (5.1 ± 1.3 vs. 4.7 ± 1.4 score; p > .05). However, the FAO group exhibited a higher maximal expiratory pressure than the non‐FAO group (111.5 ± 15.5 vs. 101.5 ± 15.0 cmH2O, respectively).

Conclusion

Our results suggest that FAO does not impair aerobic fitness, PAL, peripheral muscle strength, or HRQoL in adolescents with asthma. Furthermore, adolescents with asthma were physically deconditioned.
Effects of Pressure on the Structural, Mechanical, and Electronic Properties and Debye Temperature of Pd‐Based Alloy: First‐Principles Calculation
Authors: Wang Zihan , Zhang Jianxin , Li Pan , Zhang Youjian , Jin Huixin , Xu Cheng
Published: November 2020

Herein, the structural, mechanical, and electronic properties of Pd doped with Ti under different pressures are studied, using first‐principles calculations. The formation enthalpy is negative, demonstrating that the structure of the Pd–Ti alloy is thermodynamically stable. The corresponding mechanical stability conditions prove that the Pd–Ti alloy is mechanically stable. Moreover, the shear modulus, bulk modulus, ratios of bulk modulus to shear modulus, hardness, and Poisson's ratio are calculated. The results indicate that the hardness, ductility, and plasticity of the Pd–Ti alloy improve. In addition, the density of states, bond population, and Debye temperature as functions of pressure are investigated, revealing that the Pd–Ti alloy is metallic and the pressure does not make a huge change to the structure of the Pd–Ti alloy and makes the thermal conductivity and interatomic bonding of the Pd–Ti alloy improved. Theoretical basis is also provided for further research on Pd‐based alloys which probably have good prospects for superalloys.
Protective effects of propolis on hepatic steatosis and fibrosis among patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) evaluated by real‐time two‐dimensional shear wave elastography: A randomized clinical trial
Authors: Soleimani Davood , Rezaie Mitra , Rajabzadeh Farnood , Gholizadeh Navashenaq Jamshid , Abbaspour Mohammadreza , Miryan Mahsa , Razmpour Farkhondeh , Ranjbar Golnaz , Rezvani Reza , Jarahi Lida , Hashemy Seyed Isaac , Goshayeshi Ladan , Nematy Mohsen
Published: November 2020

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease, while no drugs have been approved for its treatment. The pieces of evidence indicate that propolis as a novel anti‐inflammatory agent might be a promising candidate to treat NAFLD. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of propolis on hepatic steatosis and fibrosis in patients with NAFLD. This randomized clinical trial was conducted on 54 patients with NAFLD. Patients were randomly assigned to receive propolis tablets at a dose of 250 mg twice daily for 4 months or placebo. The improvement in hepatic steatosis and fibrosis was evaluated using two‐dimensional shear wave elastography. Improvement in the hepatic steatosis was significantly higher in the propolis group than the placebo group, even after adjustment for baseline value and changes in weight, energy intake, and physical activity (odds ratio [OR]: 5.67; 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 1.41–22.8; p = .014). A significant reduction was observed on the liver stiffness in the propolis group (−0.65 ± 0.56 kPa; p = .001), whereas it increased in the placebo group (0.27 ± 0.59 kPa; p = .037). Also, the intake of propolis significantly decreased high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hs‐CRP) levels compared with the placebo group (−0.371; 95%CI: −0.582 to −0.16 mg/L; p = .01). Changes in serum levels of fasting blood sugar, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, cholesterol, and triglyceride did not differ significantly between the two groups (p > .05). There was no significant improvement in insulin resistance in both groups (p > .05). Propolis seems to have protective effects on hepatic steatosis and fibrosis and to reduce the serum levels of hs‐CRP in patients with NAFLD.
Chemomodulatory effect of neferine on DMBA‐induced squamous cell carcinogenesis: Biochemical and molecular approach
Authors: Wang Jingxuan , Hu Yan , Yuan Jieying , Zhang Yan , Wang Yifan , Yang Yingshun , Alahmadi Tahani Awad , Ali Alharbi Sulaiman , Zhuang Zhizheng , Wu Fan
Published: November 2020

Background

Neferine (NEF) is nontoxic, bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid is derived from the seed embryo of lotus, a familiar medicinal plant. Although several mechanisms have been planned, an evident antitumor action pathway of NEF on the oral tumor is still not known. In the current study, we aimed at investigating the protecting effect of NEF against experimental oral carcinoma and clarify its possible mechanism through the induction of apoptosis, proliferation, and inflammatory signaling pathways.

Methods

The experimental hamsters were divided into four groups (I‐IV) containing six hamsters each. The group I was control group, group II and III hamsters treated with 7,12‐dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) (0.5%) alone, thrice in a week for 10 weeks, and group III and IV hamsters received oral supplementation of NEF at a concentration of 15 mg/kg bw. All the hamsters were sacrificed after 16 weeks.

Results

Our results revealed that DMBA treated hamsters exhibited 100% oral tumor cell formation with high‐tumor incidence (TI), tumor number (TN), tumor volume (TV), decreased levels of antioxidants, increased status of lipid peroxidation (LPO), and modulated the activities of liver marker agents as well as NF‐kB, cell proliferation (PCNA), and p53 proteins. NEF supplementation in DMBA treated hamsters, resulted in delayed lesion synthesis, and brought back the levels of the biochemical parameters. In addition, immunostaining of NF‐kB, PCNA, and p53 showed that they were inhibited by NEF.

Conclusion

Thus, NEF might be considered a better chemopreventive drug in an experimental model of home‐based primary care (HBPC). More research is necessary to study other pathways implicated in oral carcinomas and their modulation by NEF.
Deutschland als nachhaltigen Wirtschaftsraum gibt es nur als führende Technologienation
Authors: Dirzus Dagmar
Published: November 2020

Damit Deutschland nachhaltiger Wirtschaftsraum bleibt, muss in Forschung und Entwicklung, Geschäftsmodellinnovation und Kompetenzentwicklung im Bereich hybrider Leistungsbündel sowie der Plattform-Ökosysteme breitflächig investiert werden.

Dahinter steht das Ziel, Deutschland wieder zu einer der führenden Technologienationen zu machen, denn diese Position hat Deutschland, als die Digitalisierung Einzug erhielt, in vielen Feldern verloren. Nun gilt es, Boden wieder gut zu machen und nach den Bereichen Daten-Hosting und B2C-Plattformen, die fest in US-amerikanischer und chinesischer Hand sind, jetzt das bedeutende Feld der Plattform-Ökonomie zu gestalten, in denen Prozess-Know-how mit Fertigungs-Wissen kombiniert wird, Expertenwissen im Anlagenbau und Produktionsplanung zusammenkommen sowie die Erfahrungen mit produktionsnahen und produktspezifischen Dienstleistungen die Basis hybrider Leistungsbündel darstellen. Der Wettkampf um dieses weltweit bedeutende, weiße Feld auf der Landkarte der webbasierten und mit Plattformen verbundenen Business Ecosystems und mit diesen den hybriden Leistungsbündel im B2B- sowie B2C-Bereich, hat gerade erst begonnen – und Deutschland startet dazu aus einer hervorragenden Ausgangslage.

Damit diese Pole-Position ausgebaut werden kann, müssen die technologischen Enabler (Modularität, Konnektivität, Digitaler Zwilling und Autonomie) sowie die Geschäftsmodell-Enabler (Denken in Geschäftsmodellen, Resilienz sowie Wertschöpfungsnetze und Plattform-Ökonomie) konsequent angegangen werden. Dabei wird die Fähigkeit, Kooperationen einzugehen, zu einer Kernkompetenz, denn nur durch das schnelle, flexible Zusammenbringen von Kompetenzen, schaffen wir den eigentlichen und nicht schnell kopierbaren Mehrwert für hybride Leistungsbündel, in denen physische Produkte und smarte Services verschmelzen und neue Geschäftsmodelle ermöglicht werden.

Offene Datennetze, die Bereitschaft, Daten zu teilen und Open-Source-Ansätze werden mit diesen Kooperationen zur kritischen Voraussetzung für die Wertschöpfung von heute und morgen. IT Security und Intellectual Property müssen gewahrt bleiben, doch darf die Angst vor dem Missbrauch von Daten nicht dazu führen, dass ad hoc und für spezielle Produkte zu gestaltende Supply Chains nicht organisiert, den wahrgenommenen Kundennutzen bietende Services zu physischen Produkten nicht erstellt oder freie Produktionskapazitäten nicht genutzt werden. „Mehrwert“ heißt morgen „Kooperation“!
Automatische Programmierung von Produktionsmaschinen
Authors: Eiling Florian , Huber Marco
Published: November 2020

Heutige Methoden der Programmierung von Produktionsmaschinen erfordern großen manuellen Aufwand. Dies hat zur Konsequenz, dass der Einsatz heutiger Automatisierungslösungen nur bei großen Stückzahlen wirtschaftlich ist. Im Zuge der Massenpersonalisierung kommt es gleichzeitig zu immer höheren Anforderungen an die Flexibilität der Produktion. Damit kann der Produktionsstandort Deutschland nur mittels einer gesteigerten digitalen Souveränität über die eigenen Produktionsmaschinen durch eine aufwandsreduzierte, flexible Programmiermöglichkeit von Produktionsmaschinen gehalten werden.

Zur Reduzierung des Programmieraufwands sind Methoden des Maschinellen Lernens geeignet, insbesondere das Teilgebiet des Reinforcement Learning (RL). Beides verspricht eine deutlich gesteigerte Produktivität. Im Folgenden werden die Möglichkeiten und die Hindernisse auf dem Weg zur RL-gestützten, flexiblen, autonom handelnden Produktionsmaschine analysiert.

Besonders im Fokus stehen dabei Aspekte der Zuverlässigkeit von Systemen aus dem Feld der Künstlichen Intelligenz (KI). Ein zentraler Aspekt der Zuverlässigkeit ist die Erklärbarkeit der KI-Systeme. Diese Erklärbarkeit ist wiederum eine tragende Säule der digitalen Souveränität auf der Ebene der das System nutzenden Menschen.
Wollen, Können und Dürfen der Kunden – Digitale Souveränität durch Kundenentwicklung
Authors: Joecks-Laß Denise , Hadwich Karsten
Published: November 2020

Der Einsatz von Informationstechnologien im Unternehmenskontext hat eine weitreichende Vernetzung von Unternehmen, Personen und Objekten zur Folge und erfordert entsprechend den Aufbau notwendiger technologischer Fähigkeiten und Ressourcen, um unabhängig und eigenständig zu handeln, d. h. digital souverän zu sein. Aufgrund der engen Zusammenarbeit von Anbieter und Kunde im Industriegüterkontext müssen Industriegüteranbieter nicht nur die eigene digitale Souveränität, sondern auch die digitale Souveränität des Kunden entwickeln. Wesentliche Voraussetzung der kundenseitigen digitalen Souveränität ist die Existenz der notwendigen Kompetenzen sowie das Vorhandensein des erforderlichen Wissens, um souverän handeln zu können. Die Kompetenzen und das Wissen können dabei von den Kunden zum einen selbst erlernt werden, zum anderen können Industriegüteranbieter durch eine systematische Kundenentwicklung den Aufbau der digitalen Souveränität von Kunden aktiv unterstützen. Ziel ist es daher, mögliche Instrumente der Kundenentwicklung zu analysieren, um den Kunden beim Aufbau von notwendigem Wissen und Kompetenzen für die Ausübung der digitalen Souveränität zu unterstützen.
Gravitational dual of averaged free CFT’s over the Narain lattice
Authors: Pérez Alfredo , Troncoso Ricardo
Published: November 2020

Abstract

It has been recently argued that the averaging of free CFT’s over the Narain lattice can be holographically described through a Chern-Simons theory for U (1)D×U (1)D with a precise prescription to sum over three-dimensional handlebodies.

We show that a gravitational dual of these averaged CFT’s would be provided by Einstein gravity on AdS3 with U (1)D−1× U (1)D−1 gauge fields, endowed with a precise set of boundary conditions closely related to the “soft hairy” ones. Gravitational excitations then go along diagonal SL (2, ℝ) generators, so that the asymptotic symmetries are spanned by U (1)D× U (1)D currents. The stress-energy tensor can then be geometrically seen as composite of these currents through a twisted Sugawara construction. Our boundary conditions are such that for the reduced phase space, there is a one-to-one map between the configurations in the gravitational and the purely abelian theories. The partition function in the bulk could then also be performed either from a non-abelian Chern-Simons theory for two copies of SL (2, ℝ) × U (1)D−1 generators, or formally through a path integral along the family of allowed configurations for the metric. The new boundary conditions naturally accommodate BTZ black holes, and the microscopic number of states then appears to be manifestly positive and suitably accounted for from the partition function in the bulk. The inclusion of higher spin currents through an extended twisted Sugawara construction in the context of higher spin gravity is also briefly addressed.
The prevalence of cardiac autonomic neuropathy in prediabetes: a systematic review
Authors: Eleftheriadou Aikaterini , Williams Scott , Nevitt Sarah , Brown Emily , Roylance Rebecca , Wilding John P. H. , Cuthbertson Daniel J. , Alam Uazman
Published: November 2020

Aims/hypothesis

Cardiac autonomic neuropathy (CAN) is independently associated with silent myocardial ischaemia, major cardiovascular events, myocardial dysfunction and cardiovascular mortality. Several studies have highlighted the increased prevalence of CAN in prediabetes (impaired glucose tolerance and/or impaired fasting glucose). Considering the exponential rise of prediabetes, we aimed to determine the prevalence of CAN through a systematic literature review.

Methods

This systematic review was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42019125447). An electronic literature search was performed using MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and Cochrane databases. Published full text, English language articles that provide CAN prevalence data of studies in individuals with prediabetes and aged over 18 years were included. Prevalence data for normal glucose tolerance and diabetes were also extracted from the selected articles, if present. All articles were screened by two independent reviewers using a priori criteria. Methodological quality and risk of bias were evaluated using a critical appraisal tool.

Results

Database searches found 4500 articles; subsequently, 199 full text articles were screened, 11 of which fulfilled the inclusion criteria (4431 total participants, 1730 people with prediabetes, 1999 people with normal glucose tolerance [NGT] and 702 people with predominantly type 2 diabetes). Six of the selected studies reported definite CAN prevalence data (9–39%). Only a single large population-based study by Ziegler et al (KORA S4 study, 1332 participants) determined definite CAN based on two or more positive autonomic function tests (AFTs), with a mean prevalence of 9% in all prediabetes groups (isolated impaired glucose tolerance 5.9%; isolated impaired fasting glucose 8.1%; impaired fasting glucose plus impaired glucose tolerance 11.4%), which was higher than NGT (4.5%). This study is most likely to provide a reliable population-specific estimate of CAN in prediabetes. There was a higher than expected prevalence of CAN in prediabetes (9–38%) when compared with normal glucose tolerance (0–18%) within the same studies (n = 8). There was a wide prevalence of possible CAN based on one positive AFT (n = 5). There was heterogeneity between the studies with variations in the definition of CAN, methodology and characteristics of the populations, which likely contributed to the diversity of prevalence estimates. The overall risk of bias was low.

Conclusions/interpretation

There is a higher than expected prevalence of CAN in prediabetes. Early detection of CAN in prediabetes through population screening needs careful consideration in view of the excess morbidity and mortality risk associated with this condition.
Mental disorders among young adults of immigrant background: a nationwide register study in Norway
Authors: Ekeberg Karoline Anette , Abebe Dawit Shawel
Published: November 2020

Purpose

Previous research indicates increased risk of various mental disorders in immigrant populations, particularly for schizophrenia and PTSD. However, findings are inconclusive due to variations in contextual factors, characteristics of immigrant groups and study design. Our study aims to investigate prevalence differences of receiving an ICD-10 psychiatric diagnosis between 2008 and 2016 among four first-generation immigrant groups and one second-generation immigrant group compared to ethnic Norwegians.

Methods

Linked register data from the Norwegian Patient Registry and Statistics Norway were utilised. The sample (age 18–35) comprises 758,774 ethnic Norwegians, 61,124 immigrants originating from Poland, Somalia, Iran and Pakistan and 4630 s-generation Pakistani immigrants. Age- and gender-adjusted binary logistic regression models were applied.

Results

The odds of schizophrenia were significantly elevated for all groups except for Poles. The highest odds were observed for second-generation Pakistani immigrants (adjusted OR 2.72, 95% CI 2.21–3.35). For PTSD, the odds were significantly increased for Somalis (aOR 1.31, 95% CI 1.11–1.54), second-generation Pakistani immigrants (aOR 1.37, 95% CI 1.11–1.70), and in particular for Iranians (aOR 3.99, 95% CI 3.51–4.54). While Iranians showed similar or higher odds of receiving the vast majority of psychiatric diagnoses, the remaining groups showed lower or similar odds compared to ethnic Norwegians.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest considerable prevalence differences in receiving a psychiatric diagnosis according to country of origin and generational status compared to ethnic Norwegian controls. The general pattern was lower prevalence of most ICD-10 mental disorders for the majority of immigrant groups compared to ethnic Norwegians, except for schizophrenia and PTSD.
A quotient of the Lubin–Tate tower II
Authors: Johansson Christian , Ludwig Judith , Hansen David
Published: November 2020

In this article we construct the quotient$$\mathcal {M}_\mathbf {1}/P(K)$$M1/P(K)of the infinite-level Lubin–Tate space$$\mathcal {M}_\mathbf {1}$$M1by the parabolic subgroup$$P(K) \subset \mathrm {GL} _n(K)$$P(K)⊂GLn(K)of block form$$(n-1,1)$$(n-1,1)as a perfectoid space, generalizing the results of Ludwig (Forum Math Sigma 5:e17, 41, 2017) to arbitrarynand$$K/{\mathbb {Q}} _p$$K/Qpfinite. For this we prove some perfectoidness results for certain Harris–Taylor Shimura varieties at infinite level. As an application of the quotient construction we show a vanishing theorem for Scholze’s candidate for the modpJacquet–Langlands and modplocal Langlands correspondence. An appendix by David Hansen gives a local proof of perfectoidness of$$\mathcal {M}_\mathbf {1}/P(K)$$M1/P(K)when$$n=2$$n=2, and shows that$$\mathcal {M}_\mathbf {1}/Q(K)$$M1/Q(K)is not perfectoid for maximal parabolicsQnot conjugate toP.
Electroencephalographic neurofeedback training can decrease conscious motor control and increase single and dual-task psychomotor performance
Authors: Sidhu Amanpreet , Cooke Andrew
Published: November 2020

The control of human movements is thought to automize with repetition, promoting consistent execution and reduced dual-task costs. However, contingencies such as illness or constraints to regular movement patterns can promote conscious motor control, which can reduce movement proficiency and make dual-task situations more difficult. This experiment evaluated whether electroencephalographic neurofeedback training can reduce the adverse effects of conscious motor control. Twenty-five participants completed the timed-up-and-go task while wearing a leg brace to de-automize their regular movement, under both single and dual-task (walking + serial sevens) conditions, both before and after 30-min of neurofeedback training. Three different types of neurofeedback were prescribed across three laboratory visits. We hypothesised that training to decrease central EEG alpha-power at scalp sites above the supplementary motor area would facilitate performance compared to opposite (increase central EEG alpha-power) or sham neurofeedback training. Results revealed a pre-test to post-test improvement in performance on the single-task and on both aspects of the dual-task when participants were trained to decrease central EEG alpha-power. There were no benefits of opposite or sham neurofeedback training. Mediation analyses revealed that the improvement in dual-task motor performance was mediated by the improvement in cognitive performance. This suggests that the neurofeedback protocol was beneficial because it helped to reduce conscious control of the motor task. The findings could have important implications for rehabilitation and high-performance (e.g., elite sport) domains; neurofeedback could be prescribed to help alleviate the problems that can arise when individuals exert conscious motor control.
Prevalence and Impact of Sarcopenia in Chronic Pancreatitis: A Review of the Literature
Authors: Kuan Li Lian , Dennison Ashley R. , Garcea Giuseppe
Published: November 2020

Introduction

Malnutrition is a common sequela of chronic pancreatitis (CP). Alterations in body composition and the assessment of sarcopenia have gained the interest of clinicians in recent years. There is a scarcity of data currently available concerning sarcopenia in patients with CP. This review aims to investigate the prevalence and impact of sarcopenia in CP.

Methods

Embase and Medline databases were used to identify all studies that evaluated sarcopenia and outcomes in patients with chronic pancreatitis. Due to paucity of data, conference abstracts were included. PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews were followed.

Results

Six studies, with a total of 450 individuals were reviewed. Three full‐text studies and three conference abstracts met the predetermined eligibility criteria. The prevalence of sarcopenia in CP from all studies ranged from 17–62%. Pancreatic exocrine insufficiency was associated as an independent and significant risk factor for sarcopenia. Sarcopenia was found to be associated with a reduced quality of life, increased hospitalisation, and reduced survival. It was associated with significantly lower islet yield following total pancreatectomy with islet auto transplantation in CP.

Conclusion

The review of these existing studies amalgamates the limited data on sarcopenia and its impact on CP. It has shown that sarcopenia is exceedingly prevalent and an important risk factor in CP patients. The data presented emphasises that sarcopenia has a significant prognostic value and should be included in future prospective analyses in the outcomes of CP.
The untwining of immunosenescence and aging
Authors: Xu Weili , Wong Glenn , Hwang You Yi , Larbi Anis
Published: November 2020

From a holistic point of view, aging results from the cumulative erosion of the various systems. Among these, the immune system is interconnected to the rest as immune cells are present in all organs and recirculate through bloodstream. Immunosenescence is the term used to define the remodelling of immune changes during aging. Because immune cells—and particularly lymphocytes—can further differentiate after their maturation in response to pathogen recognition, it is therefore unclear when senescence is induced in these cells. Additionally, it is also unclear which signals triggers senescence in immune cells (i) aging per se, (ii) specific response to pathogens, (iii) underlying conditions, or (iv) inflammaging. In this review, we will cover the current knowledge and concepts linked to immunosenescence and we focus this review on lymphocytes and T cells, which represent the typical model for replicative senescence. With the evidence presented, we propose to disentangle the senescence of immune cells from chronological aging.
EfficientPose: Scalable single-person pose estimation
Authors: Groos Daniel , Ramampiaro Heri , Ihlen Espen AF
Published: November 2020

Single-person human pose estimation facilitates markerless movement analysis in sports, as well as in clinical applications. Still, state-of-the-art models for human pose estimation generally do not meet the requirements of real-life applications. The proliferation of deep learning techniques has resulted in the development of many advanced approaches. However, with the progresses in the field, more complex and inefficient models have also been introduced, which have caused tremendous increases in computational demands. To cope with these complexity and inefficiency challenges, we propose a novel convolutional neural network architecture, called EfficientPose, which exploits recently proposed EfficientNets in order to deliver efficient and scalable single-person pose estimation. EfficientPose is a family of models harnessing an effective multi-scale feature extractor and computationally efficient detection blocks using mobile inverted bottleneck convolutions, while at the same time ensuring that the precision of the pose configurations is still improved. Due to its low complexity and efficiency, EfficientPose enables real-world applications on edge devices by limiting the memory footprint and computational cost. The results from our experiments, using the challenging MPII single-person benchmark, show that the proposed EfficientPose models substantially outperform the widely-used OpenPose model both in terms of accuracy and computational efficiency. In particular, our top-performing model achieves state-of-the-art accuracy on single-person MPII, with low-complexity ConvNets.
Characterisation and durability of contemporary unsized Xuan paper
Authors: Luo Yujia , Cigić Irena Kralj , Wei Quan , Strlič Matija
Published: November 2020

In China, Xuan paper has been the paper of choice as artwork support and for conservation, for several centuries. However, little is known about its material properties, especially given the many grades of sized and unsized Xuan paper. In addition, there is a lack of information on its degradation. In this research, a selection of contemporary unsized Xuan papers was investigated, representing diverse raw materials. Seven out of twelve contemporary unsized Xuan papers were determined to be approximately neutral and contain > 2% alkaline reserve, indicating good durability. Viscometry was used to determine the degree of polymerisation (DP) as none of the samples gave significant reactions to the phloroglucinol spot test. The average DP of ten contemporary unsized Xuan papers is ~ 1700, excluding two papers that have presumably been sun-bleached, and that exhibit significantly lower DP. Using X-ray fluorescence, it can be demonstrated that Ca and Si are the dominant elements and interestingly, Ca content is directly correlated with ash content and with alkaline reserve. Accelerated degradation was performed at two sets of environmental conditions, i.e. 90 °C, 30% RH and 60 °C, 70% RH, and the established degradation rates agreed with the Collections Demography model of paper degradation meaning that degradation of Xuan papers proceeds in the same way as other types of paper. This research gives fundamental insights into contemporary unsized Xuan papers, which exhibit good stability during accelerated degradation despite the low starting DP in the context of the samples used in this study. Our findings may inform methods of Xuan paper production, selection of Xuan paper for conservation purposes, as well as preventive conservation of Xuan paper-based artefacts.
PIMP My Many-Core: Pipeline-Integrated Message Passing
Authors: Mische Jörg , Frieb Martin , Stegmeier Alexander , Ungerer Theo
Published: November 2020

To improve the scalability, several many-core architectures use message passing instead of shared memory accesses for communication. Unfortunately, Direct Memory Access (DMA) transfers in a shared address space are usually used to emulate message passing, which entails a lot of overhead and thwarts the advantages of message passing. Recently proposed register-level message passing alternatives use special instructions to send the contents of a single register to another core. The reduced communication overhead and architectural simplicity lead to good many-core scalability. After investigating several other approaches in terms of hardware complexity and throughput overhead, we recommend a small instruction set extension to enable register-level message passing at minimal hardware costs and describe its integration into a classical five stage RISC-V pipeline.
Are Children With Autism More Likely to Retain Object Names When Learning From Colour Photographs or Black-and-White Cartoons?
Authors: Carter Cheriece K. , Hartley Calum
Published: November 2020

For the first time, this study investigated whether children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and typically developing (TD) children matched on language comprehension (M age equivalent =  ~ 44 months) are more likely to retain words when learning from colour photographs than black-and-white cartoons. Participants used mutual exclusivity to fast map novel word-picture relationships and retention was assessed following a 5-min delay. Children with ASD achieved significantly greater retention accuracy when learning from photographs rather than cartoons and, surprisingly, responded more accurately than TD children when learning from photographs. Our results demonstrate that children with ASD benefit from greater iconicity when learning words from pictures, providing a data-grounded rationale for using colour photographs when administering picture-based interventions.
Thoughts on the popularity of ICSI
Authors: Haddad Mounia , Stewart Joshua , Xie Philip , Cheung Stephanie , Trout Aysha , Keating Derek , Parrella Alessandra , Lawrence Sherina , Rosenwaks Zev , Palermo Gianpiero D.
Published: November 2020

Purpose

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is the most widely utilized assisted reproductive technique (ART) worldwide. In this feature, we review the early assisted fertilization attempts that eventually led to the development of ICSI, and discuss its current utilization in cases of male and non-male factor infertility.

Methods

We researched the literature related to the development, indications, and current use of ICSI, such as sperm structural abnormalities, male genetic indications, surgically retrieved sperm, high sperm chromatin fragmentation, oocyte dysmorphism, and preimplantation genetic testing (PGT). We also describe the potential future applications of ICSI.

Results

This review summarizes the early micromanipulation techniques that led to the inception of ICSI. We also explore its current indications, including non-male factor infertility, where its use is more controversial. Finally, we consider the benefits of future advancements in reproductive biology that may incorporate ICSI, such as in vitro spermatogenesis, neogametogenesis, and heritable genome editing.

Conclusion

The versatility, consistency, and reliability of ICSI have made it the most prevalently utilized ART procedure worldwide.
A real-time prediction model for macroseismic intensity in China
Authors: Weixiao Xu , Weisong Yang , Dehu Yu
Published: November 2020

The macroseismic intensity spatial distribution is an important input for most rapid loss modeling and emergency work. Data from a total of 175 earthquakes (Ms ≥ 5.0) in China from 1966 to 2014 were collected, and the rapid assessment method of macroseismic intensity distribution was studied. First, simple relationships among the epicentral intensity, magnitude, and focal depth were established. A greater amount of database is used in this study than that in a previous work (Fu and Liu in Sci R 4(5): 350-354 (1960), Mei in Chin J Geophys 9(1): 1–18 (1960), and Yan et al. in Sci Chin 11: 1050-1058 (1984)), and the studied earthquakes all occurred in the last 50 years, providing more accurate and uniform parameter information. As the seismic intensity-attenuation relationship is traditionally used to estimate the intensity distribution, the macroseismic intensity-attenuation relationship for mainland China was fitted by the earthquake data collected in this region. The deviation of the intensity assessment by the macroseismic intensity-attenuation relationship was examined for 43 earthquakes (Ms ≥ 6.0). In addition, seismic damage emergency assessment work requires the isoseismal lines to be constantly modified according to the updated information. Therefore, an improved ellipse intensity-attenuation model was proposed in this study, completed by the establishment of a semimajor axis and semiminor axis length matrix. Based on the initial value of the length matrix obtained by the regression of historical data and survey data from the site, the least mean squares (LMS) algorithm is used to revise the length matrix. In the end, the practicability of this method is verified by a case study of the Lijiang 7.0 earthquake.
Going concern modifications and related disclosures in the Italian stock market: do regulatory improvements help investors in capturing financial distress?
Authors: Brunelli Sandro , Carlino Chiara , Castellano Rosella , Giosi Alessandro
Published: November 2020

This paper investigates the investor reaction to audit reports containing a going concern modification (GCM) in the Italian market following new amendments regarding auditing regulations and public financial information disclosures. We applied the event study (ES) methodology to short event windows considering Italian listed companies during the period 2009–2015. Our findings partially contradict previous studies revealing a systematic negative impact of GCMs, especially when a GCM is attached to unqualified opinions. We clearly observe that Italian auditors have a strong higher propensity to issue a GCM than to express a qualification. Moreover, we find other interesting results that contradict the mainstream literature, detecting a stronger negative reaction in the case of recurring GCMs and when the modification is issued by non-Big 4 auditing firms. These differences could be explained considering the environmental characteristics of the Italian market such as the ownership structure, governance mechanisms and accounting culture, where minority investors act against ownership in accordance with the type II agency problem. Our empirical results suggest that the domestic and international regulatory amendments during the study period have increased the value relevance of GCMs and the usefulness of financial disclosures. This study might be of interest to practitioners and regulators in regard to contributing to the introduction of further regulatory interventions that will enhance both the informativeness of audit reports and awareness of investors in regard to going concern uncertainty.
Nitrate uptake and carbon exudation – do plant roots stimulate or inhibit denitrification?
Authors: Rummel Pauline Sophie , Well Reinhard , Pfeiffer Birgit , Dittert Klaus , Floßmann Sebastian , Pausch Johanna
Published: November 2020

Background and aims

Plant growth affects soil moisture, mineral N and organic C availability in soil, all of which influence denitrification. With increasing plant growth, root exudation may stimulate denitrification, while N uptake restricts nitrate availability.

Methods

We conducted a double labeling pot experiment with either maize (Zea mays L.) or cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum L.) of the same age but differing in size of their shoot and root systems. The 15N gas flux method was applied to directly quantify N2O and N2 fluxes in situ. To link denitrification with available C in the rhizosphere, 13CO2 pulse labeling was used to trace C translocation from shoots to roots and its release by roots into the soil.

Results

Plant water and N uptake were the main factors controlling daily N2O + N2 fluxes, cumulative N emissions, and N2O production pathways. Accordingly, pool-derived N2O + N2 emissions were 30–40 times higher in the treatment with highest soil NO3− content and highest soil moisture. CO2 efflux from soil was positively correlated with root dry matter, but we could not detect any relationship between root-derived C and N2O + N2 emissions.

Conclusions

Root-derived C may stimulate denitrification under small plants, while N and water uptake become the controlling factors with increasing plant and root growth.
Evaluating cost-effectiveness in the management of neuroendocrine neoplasms
Authors: White B. E. , Mujica-Mota R. , Snowsill T. , Gamper E. M. , Srirajaskanthan R. , Ramage J. K.
Published: November 2020

The rapid evolution of novel, costly therapies for neuroendocrine neoplasia (NEN) warrants formal high-quality cost-effectiveness evaluation. Costs of individual investigations and therapies are high; and examples are presented. We aimed to review the last ten years of standalone health economic evaluations in NEN. Comparing to published standards, EMBASE, Cochrane library, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE), NHS Economic Evaluation Database and the Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Database were searched for health economic evaluations (HEEs) in NEN published between 2010 and October 2019. Of 12 economic evaluations, 11 considered exclusively pharmacological treatment (3 studies of SSAs, 7 studies of sunitinib, everolimus and/or 177Lu-DOTATATE and 1 study of telotristat ethyl) and 1 compared surgery with intraarterial therapy. 7 studies of pharmacological treatment had placebo or best supportive care as the only comparator. There remains a paucity of economic evaluations in NEN with the majority industry funded. Most HEEs reviewed did not meet published health economic criteria used to assess quality. Lack of cost data collected from patient populations remains a significant factor in HEEs where clinical expert opinion is still often substituted. Further research utilizing high-quality effectiveness data and rigorous applied health economic analysis is needed.