bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Case report: a robotic-vaginal approach for total vaginectomy and hysterectomy with pelvic sentinel lymph node dissection in primary vaginal melanoma: a 10-step technique and literature review
Authors: Van Trappen Philippe , Lebbe Ines , De Cuypere Eveline , Claes Nele
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Primary vaginal melanoma is extremely rare, has a poor prognosis, and occurs mostly in elderly women. The diagnosis is based on histology and immunohistochemistry of a biopsy. Given the rarity of vaginal melanoma, no standardized treatment guidelines are established; however, surgery is the primary treatment modality in the absence of metastatic disease. Most reports in the literature are retrospective single cases, case series, and population-based studies. The open surgical approach is the main modality reported. Here, we report for the first time a 10-step combined robotic-vaginal technique, with en bloc resection of the uterus and total vagina, for treating clinically early-stage primary vaginal melanoma. In addition, the patient in our case underwent a robotic pelvic bilateral sentinel lymph node dissection. The literature on the surgical approach for vaginal melanoma is reviewed.

Case presentation

A 73-year-old woman was referred to our tertiary cancer center and was clinically staged according to the 2009 International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) staging for vaginal cancer as FIGO-stage I (cT1bN0M0) and according to the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) for (cutaneous) Melanoma Staging as clinical stage IB. Preoperative imaging with magnetic resonance imaging, FDG-positron emission tomography-computed tomography, and ultrasound of the groins did not reveal any adenopathy nor metastases. The patient was planned for a combined vaginal and robotic en bloc total vaginectomy and hysterectomy, as well as a pelvic bilateral sentinel lymph node dissection.

Results

The surgical procedure was performed in 10 steps described in this case report. The pathology revealed free surgical margins and negative test results for all sentinel lymph nodes. The postoperative recovery process was uneventful, and the patient was discharged on day 5.

Conclusion

The main surgical approach reported for primary early-stage vaginal melanoma is open surgery. A minimally invasive surgical approach, described here as a combined vaginal-robotic en bloc total vaginectomy and hysterectomy, for the surgical treatment of early-stage vaginal melanoma enables precise dissection, low surgical morbidity, and fast recovery for the patient.
Phylogenomic analysis supports Mycobacterium tuberculosis transmission between humans and elephants
Authors: Rajbhandari Rajesh Man , Napit Rajindra , Manandhar Prajwol , Raut Roji , Gurung Anupama , Poudel Ajit , Shrestha Nisha , Sadaula Amir , Karmacharya Dibesh , Gortázar Christian , Alves Paulo Célio , de la Fuente José , Queirós João
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by a group of acid-fast bacilli known as Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC), which has a major impact on humans. Transmission of MTC across the human-animal interface has been demonstrated by several studies. However, the reverse zoonotic transmission from humans to animals (zooanthroponosis) has often been neglected.

Methods

In this study, we used Nanopore MinION and Illumina MiSeq approaches to sequence the whole genome of M. tuberculosis strains isolated from two deceased Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) and one human in Chitwan, Nepal. The evolutionary relationships and drug resistance capacity of these strains were assessed using the whole genome data generated by the stand-alone tool Tb-Profiler. Phylogenomic trees were also constructed using a non-synonymous SNP alignment of 2,596 bp, including 94 whole genome sequences representative of the previously described M. tuberculosis lineages from elephants worldwide (lineages 1 and 4) and from humans in Nepal (lineages 1, 2 and 3).

Results and Discussion

The new genomes achieved an average coverage of 99.6%, with an average depth of 55.67x. These M. tuberculosis strains belong to lineage 1 (elephant DG), lineage 2 (elephant PK) and lineage 4 (human), and none of them were found to have drug-resistant variants. The elephant-derived isolates were evolutionarily closely related to human-derived isolates previously described in Nepal, both in lineages 1 and 2, providing additional support for zooanthroponosis or bidirectional transmission between humans and elephants. The human-derived isolate clustered together with other published human isolates from Argentina, Russia and the United Kingdom in the lineage 4 clade. This complex multi-pathogen, multi-host system is challenging and highlights the need for a One Health approach to tuberculosis prevention and control at human-animal interface, particularly in regions where human tuberculosis is highly endemic.
Experimental Analysis of Rotor Blade Noise in Edgewise Turbulence
Authors: Jamaluddin Nur Syafiqah , Celik Alper , Baskaran Kabilan , Rezgui Djamel , Azarpeyvand Mahdi
Published: May 2023

This paper presents an experimental investigation into the effects of turbulence ingestion on the aerodynamic noise characteristics of rotor blades in edgewise flight. A small-scaled, two-bladed rotor was used in the study. The test utilised two turbulence-generating grids, to generate turbulence inflows with different characteristics, and to compare them to the baseline configuration of the laminar inflow. The experiments were set at forwarding edgewise flight configuration, with freestream inflow velocity ranging from 10 m/s to 22 m/s. Simultaneous measurements of far-field acoustic pressure and load were conducted, along with a separate flow measurement using particle image velocimetry. The acoustic spectra demonstrated a larger contribution to the tonal noise radiation at blade passing frequency, and to the broadband noise radiation at the mid-frequency domain, due to turbulence ingestion. However, the broadband responses in the high-frequency domain were comparable between the tested laminar and turbulence inflow cases, with similar broadband humps featuring in the acoustic spectra. The directivity patterns of the overall sound pressure level showed that the noise radiation was lowest near the plane of rotation, and highest downstream. Turbulence ingestion effects could also be seen in the elevated noise levels throughout the observation positions for the grid inflow cases, particularly at larger advance ratios.
Effect of a Co-Feed Liquid Whey-Integrated Diet on Crossbred Pigs’ Fecal Microbiota
Authors: Sutera Anna Maria , Arfuso Francesca , Tardiolo Giuseppe , Riggio Valentina , Fazio Francesco , Aiese Cigliano Riccardo , Paytuví Andreu , Piccione Giuseppe , Zumbo Alessandro
Published: May 2023

This study assessed the potential effect of a co-feed liquid whey-integrated diet on the fecal microbiota of 14 crossbred pigs. The experimental design was as follows: seven pigs were in the control group, fed with a control feed, and seven were in the experimental group, fed with the same control feed supplemented daily with liquid whey. The collection of fecal samples was conducted on each animal before the dietary treatment (T0) and one (T1), and two (T2) months after the beginning of the co-feed integration. In addition, blood samples were collected from each pig at the same time points in order to evaluate the physiological parameters. Taxonomic analysis showed a bacterial community dominated by Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Spirochaetes, and Proteobacteria phyla that populated the crossbred pig feces. The diversity metrics suggested that the co-feed supplementation affected some alpha diversity indexes of the fecal microbiota. In addition, the differential abundance analysis at the genus level revealed significant differences for various genera, suggesting that the liquid whey supplementation potentially influenced a part of the bacterial community over time. Spearman’s correlations revealed that the differential abundant genera identified are positively or negatively correlated with the physiological parameters.
Social Network Changes in Cotton-Top Tamarins (Saguinus oedipus) after the Birth of New Infants
Authors: Díaz Sergio , Sánchez Susana , Fidalgo Ana
Published: May 2023

Cotton-top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus) are characterized by a system of cooperative breeding where helpers, in addition to the reproductive pair, contribute to infant care. Grooming interactions between individuals play an important role in establishing social relationships, creating an interconnected social network in the group. We used social network analysis to investigate the social structure of two groups of cotton-top tamarins with different sizes and compositions and study whether they remain stable after the birth of new infants. We also investigated the possible correlation between the time spent carrying infants and an increase in the grooming centrality. We found that group A (n = 13) had a stable grooming network that showed consistent stability after the birth, although group B (n = 8 and no adult helpers) changed its grooming network and showed a lower density after the birth. Infant carrying was not correlated with increased grooming centrality after the birth. These findings highlight the usefulness of social network analysis in the study of group structure in cooperatively breeding primates and suggest that the birth of offspring has a greater impact on the stability of groups without adult helpers.
Clinical Features, Antibiotic Susceptibilities, and Outcomes of Endophthalmitis Caused by Streptococcal Infection: Children vs. Adults
Authors: Yang Yao , Wong Yuenying , Li Yujie , Duan Fang , Ma Xinqi , Wong Hiufong , Sun Rongsha , Zeng Jieting , Liu Manli , Yuan Zhaohui , Lin Xiaofeng
Published: May 2023

Streptococcus spp. are common causative organisms of endophthalmitis. Analysis of the clinical features, antibiotic susceptibilities, and outcomes of streptococcal endophthalmitis in children and adults may guide future management. Sixty-seven patients (67 eyes) with streptococcal endophthalmitis who were admitted to the Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center between January 2013 and December 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. The mean age was 20.7 ± 21.6 years, and 59.7% were children. Streptococcal infection accounted for 13.9% of culture-proven bacterial endophthalmitis cases; the proportion was higher in children than in adults (32.3% vs. 7.6%, p < 0.01) and increased from 8.1% in 2013–2017 to 20.1% in 2018–2022 (p < 0.01). Eye trauma was the most common etiology in both children and adults (82.5% and 66.7%, respectively). Viridans group streptococci were the most common isolates, followed by S. pneumoniae. The susceptibility rates of the streptococci to vancomycin, cefuroxime, and levofloxacin were 100%, 95.5%, and 93.0%, respectively. The overall mean best-corrected visual acuity increased from 2.74 ± 0.19 logMAR initially to 2.32 ± 0.75 logMAR at the last follow-up (p < 0.05). In conclusion, streptococcal infections have increased in cases of bacterial endophthalmitis in recent years and are more common in children. The commonly used antibiotics, vancomycin, cefuroxime, and fluoroquinolone, showed higher antibiotic susceptibility. After prompt treatment, visual outcomes improved.
Co-Production of Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) and Gluconic Acid from Glucose by Halomonas elongata
Authors: Leandro Tânia , Oliveira M. , da Fonseca M. , Cesário M.
Published: May 2023

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are biopolyesters regarded as an attractive alternative to petroleum-derived plastics. Nitrogen limitation and phosphate limitation in glucose cultivations were evaluated for poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (P(3HB)) production by Halomonas elongata 1H9T, a moderate halophilic strain. Co-production of P(3HB) and gluconic acid was observed in fed-batch glucose cultivations under nitrogen limiting conditions. A maximum P(3HB) accumulation of 53.0% (w/w) and a maximum co-production of 133 g/L of gluconic acid were attained. Fed-batch glucose cultivation under phosphate limiting conditions resulted in a P(3HB) accumulation of only 33.3% (w/w) and no gluconic acid production. As gluconic acid is a valuable organic acid with extensive applications in several industries, this work presents an interesting approach for the future development of an industrial process aiming at the co-production of an intracellular biopolymer, P(3HB), and a value-added extracellular product, gluconic acid.
Tissue Engineering Strategies Applied in Bone Regeneration and Bone Repair
Authors: Delpierre Alexis , Savard Guillaume , Renaud Matthieu , Rochefort Gael Y.
Published: May 2023

Bone regeneration and repair present significant challenges in the field of regenerative medicine [...]
Hyperpolarized Xenon-129: A New Tool to Assess Pulmonary Physiology in Patients with Pulmonary Fibrosis
Authors: Qing Kun , Altes Talissa A. , Mugler John P. , Mata Jaime F. , Tustison Nicholas J. , Ruppert Kai , Bueno Juliana , Flors Lucia , Shim Yun M. , Zhao Li , Cassani Joanne , Teague William G. , Kim John S. , Wang Zhixing , Ruset Iulian C. , Hersman F. William , Mehrad Borna
Published: May 2023

Purpose: The existing tools to quantify lung function in interstitial lung diseases have significant limitations. Lung MRI imaging using inhaled hyperpolarized xenon-129 gas (129Xe) as a contrast agent is a new technology for measuring regional lung physiology. We sought to assess the utility of the 129Xe MRI in detecting impaired lung physiology in usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP). Materials and methods: After institutional review board approval and informed consent and in compliance with HIPAA regulations, we performed chest CT, pulmonary function tests (PFTs), and 129Xe MRI in 10 UIP subjects and 10 healthy controls. Results: The 129Xe MRI detected highly heterogeneous abnormalities within individual UIP subjects as compared to controls. Subjects with UIP had markedly impaired ventilation (ventilation defect fraction: UIP: 30 ± 9%; healthy: 21 ± 9%; p = 0.026), a greater amount of 129Xe dissolved in the lung interstitium (tissue-to-gas ratio: UIP: 1.45 ± 0.35%; healthy: 1.10 ± 0.17%; p = 0.014), and impaired 129Xe diffusion into the blood (RBC-to-tissue ratio: UIP: 0.20 ± 0.06; healthy: 0.28 ± 0.05; p = 0.004). Most MRI variables had no correlation with the CT and PFT measurements. The elevated level of 129Xe dissolved in the lung interstitium, in particular, was detectable even in subjects with normal or mildly impaired PFTs, suggesting that this measurement may represent a new method for detecting early fibrosis. Conclusion: The hyperpolarized 129Xe MRI was highly sensitive to regional functional changes in subjects with UIP and may represent a new tool for understanding the pathophysiology, monitoring the progression, and assessing the effectiveness of treatment in UIP.
Improving Breast Cancer Detection and Diagnosis through Semantic Segmentation Using the Unet3+ Deep Learning Framework
Authors: Alam Taukir , Shia Wei-Chung , Hsu Fang-Rong , Hassan Taimoor
Published: May 2023

We present an analysis and evaluation of breast cancer detection and diagnosis using segmentation models. We used an advanced semantic segmentation method and a deep convolutional neural network to identify the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) lexicon for breast ultrasound images. To improve the segmentation results, we used six models to analyse 309 patients, including 151 benign and 158 malignant tumour images. We compared the Unet3+ architecture with several other models, such as FCN, Unet, SegNet, DeeplabV3+ and pspNet. The Unet3+ model is a state-of-the-art, semantic segmentation architecture that showed optimal performance with an average accuracy of 82.53% and an average intersection over union (IU) of 52.57%. The weighted IU was found to be 89.14% with a global accuracy of 90.99%. The application of these types of segmentation models to the detection and diagnosis of breast cancer provides remarkable results. Our proposed method has the potential to provide a more accurate and objective diagnosis of breast cancer, leading to improved patient outcomes.
Stereotactic Radiotherapy Boost in Treatment of Persistent Periocular Sebaceous Carcinoma after Surgery
Authors: Polanowski Paweł , Nasiek Aleksandra , Grządziel Aleksandra , Chmielik Ewa , Pietruszka Agnieszka , Składowski Krzysztof , Polanowska Katarzyna
Published: May 2023

Sebaceous carcinoma is a rare malignancy that should be treated with surgical resection. Nonetheless, a dynamic and aggressive course of the disease may disqualify a patient from this treatment. Applying radiotherapy with the escalation dose using a stereotactic boost is worthy of consideration as a radical treatment. In this paper, we present the case study of a young patient with a tumor localized in the periocular area. The patient was treated with operation two times without a satisfactory effect. Conventional radiotherapy, 60 Gy in 30 fractions, combined with chemotherapy based on cisplatin 40 mg/m2 and the addition of a stereotactic radiosurgery boost were administered. The tolerance of this treatment was acceptable. During the 2-year follow-up, local and distant recurrences were not diagnosed. The presented case shows the usefulness of an individualized approach in the radical treatment of sebaceous carcinoma with the use of the stereotactic radiotherapy boost. This is a subsequent example of the implementation of the boost in head and neck carcinoma, which yields a positive result.
A TEC Cooling Soft Robot Driven by Twisted String Actuators
Authors: Zhao Shun , Lu Xuewei , Wang Kunyang , Zhao Di , Wang Xu , Ren Lei , Ren Luquan
Published: May 2023

Similar to biological muscles in nature, artificial muscles have unique advantages for driving bionic robots. However, there is still a large gap between the performance of existing artificial muscles and biological muscles. Twisted polymer actuators (TPAs) convert rotary motion from torsional to linear motion. TPAs are known for their high energy efficiency and large linear strain and stress outputs. A simple, lightweight, low-cost, self-sensing robot powered using a TPA and cooled using a thermoelectric cooler (TEC) was proposed in this study. Because TPA burns easily at high temperatures, traditional soft robots driven by TPAs have low movement frequencies. In this study, a temperature sensor and TEC were combined to develop a closed-loop temperature control system to ensure that the internal temperature of the robot was 5 °C to cool the TPAs quickly. The robot could move at a frequency of 1 Hz. Moreover, a self-sensing soft robot was proposed based on the TPA contraction length and resistance. When the motion frequency was 0.01 Hz, the TPA had good self-sensing ability and the root-mean-square error of the angle of the soft robot was less than 3.89% of the measurement amplitude. This study not only proposed a new cooling method for improving the motion frequency of soft robots but also verified the autokinetic performance of the TPAs.
The Automated Test of Embodied Cognition: Concept, Development, and Preliminary Findings
Authors: Bell Morris David , Hauser Alexander J. , Weinstein Andrea J.
Published: May 2023

(1) Background: The Automated Test of Embodied Cognition (ATEC) uses video administration of cognitively demanding physical tasks and motion capture technology to assess cognition in action. Embodied cognition is a radical departure from conventional approaches to cognitive assessment and is in keeping with contemporary neuroscience. (2) Methods: ATEC was administered to a convenience sample of 20 patients with substance use disorder and 25 age-matched community controls. Patients were administered concurrent cognitive assessments. (3) Results: Psychometric analysis revealed excellent internal consistency, test–retest reliability and small practice effects. Groups were significantly different on ATEC scores and ATEC scores significantly related to concurrent measures of cognition. (4) Conclusions: The preliminary results support the reliability and validity of ATEC for older adults.
Neurodevelopmental Model Explaining Associations between Sex Hormones, Personality, and Eating Pathology
Authors: Zhao Ziyu , Gobrogge Kyle
Published: May 2023

Clinical scientists have been investigating the relationships between sex hormones, personality, and eating disorders for decades. However, there is a lack of direct research that addresses whether personality mediates or moderates the relationships between sex hormones and eating pathology. Moreover, the neural mechanisms that underlie the interactive associations between these variables remain unclear. This review aims to summarize the associations between these constructs, describe a neural mechanism mediating these relationships, and offer clinical strategies for the early identification and intervention of eating disorders. The gathered evidence shows that aggressiveness, impulsivity, and obsessive-compulsiveness may mediate or moderate the relationships between sex hormones and eating pathology, but only among females. Furthermore, sex hormone receptor density in the mesocorticolimbic dopamine pathway may explain the neural mechanism of these associations. Future research should use more comprehensive personality measurements and assess the mediation and moderation effects of temperament while taking the hormone levels of women across menstrual cycles into account. Additionally, electroencephalography and functional magnetic resonance imaging should be implemented to directly assess brain activity and corroborate these findings.
Radiotherapy in Combination with Systemic Therapy for Multiple Myeloma—A Critical Toxicity Evaluation in the Modern Treatment Era
Authors: Oertel Michael , Schlusemann Tom , Shumilov Evgenii , Reinartz Gabriele , Bremer Anne , Rehn Stephan , Lenz Georg , Khandanpour Cyrus , Eich Hans Theodor
Published: May 2023

Radiotherapy (RT) is an established treatment modality in the management of patients with multiple myeloma (MM), aiming at analgesia and stabilization of osteolytic lesions. As a multifocal disease, the combined use of RT, systemic chemotherapy, and targeted therapy (ST) is pivotal to achieve better disease control. However, adding RT to ST may lead to increased toxicity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the tolerability of ST given concurrently with RT. Overall, 82 patients treated at our hematological center with a median follow-up of 60 months from initial diagnosis and 46.5 months from the start of RT were evaluated retrospectively. Toxicities were recorded from 30 days before RT up to 90 days after RT. 54 patients (65.9%) developed at least one non-hematological toxicity, with 50 patients (61.0%) showing low-grade (grade I or II) and 14 patients (17.1%) revealing high-grade (grade III and IV) toxicities. Hematological toxicities were documented in 50 patients (61.0%) before RT, 60 patients (73.2%) during RT, and 67 patients (81.7%) following RT. After RT, patients who had received ST during RT showed a significant increase in high-grade hematological toxicities (p = 0.018). In summary, RT can be safely implemented into modern treatment regimens for MM, but stringent monitoring of potential toxicities even after completion of RT has to be ensured.
Identification of Immunoglobulin Gene Rearrangement Biomarkers in Multiple Myeloma through cfDNA-Based Liquid Biopsy Using tchDNA-Seq
Authors: Buenache Natalia , Sánchez-delaCruz Andrea , Cuenca Isabel , Giménez Alicia , Moreno Laura , Martínez-López Joaquín , Rosa-Rosa Juan Manuel
Published: May 2023

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematological malignancy characterized by the clonal proliferation of pathogenic CD138+ plasma cells (PPCs) in bone marrow (BM). Recent years have seen a significant increase in the treatment options for MM; however, most patients who achieve complete the response ultimately relapse. The earlier detection of tumor-related clonal DNA would thus be very beneficial for patients with MM and would enable timely therapeutic interventions to improve outcomes. Liquid biopsy of “cell-free DNA” (cfDNA) as a minimally invasive approach might be more effective than BM aspiration not only for the diagnosis but also for the detection of early recurrence. Most studies thus far have addressed the comparative quantification of patient-specific biomarkers in cfDNA with PPCs and BM samples, which have shown good correlations. However, there are limitations to this approach, such as the difficulty in obtaining enough circulating free tumor DNA to achieve sufficient sensitivity for the assessment of minimal residual disease. Herein, we summarize current data on methodologies to characterize MM, and we present evidence that targeted capture hybridization DNA sequencing (tchDNA-Seq) can provide robust biomarkers in cfDNA, including immunoglobulin (IG) rearrangements. We also show that detection can be improved by prior purification of the cfDNA. Overall, liquid biopsies of cfDNA to monitor IG rearrangements have the potential to provide important diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive information in patients with MM.
Clinical Applications of Magnetic Resonance-Guided Radiotherapy: A Narrative Review
Authors: Ladbury Colton , Amini Arya , Schwer Amanda , Liu An , Williams Terence , Lee Percy
Published: May 2023

Magnetic resonance-guided radiotherapy (MRgRT) represents a promising new image guidance technology for radiation treatment delivery combining an onboard MRI scanner with radiation delivery technology. By enabling real-time low-field or high-field MRI acquisition, it facilitates improved soft tissue delineation, adaptive treatment, and motion management. Now that MRgRT has been available for nearly a decade, research has shown the technology can be used to effectively shrink treatment margins to either decrease toxicity (in breast, prostate cancer, and pancreatic cancer) or facilitate dose-escalation and improved oncologic outcomes (in pancreatic and liver cancer), as well as enabling indications that require clear soft tissue delineation and gating (lung and cardiac ablation). In doing so, the use of MRgRT has the potential to significantly improve the outcomes and quality of life of the patients it treats. The present narrative review aims to describe the rationale for MRgRT, the current and forthcoming state of technology, existing studies, and future directions for the advancement of MRgRT, including associated challenges.
New Actions on Actionable Mutations in Lung Cancers
Authors: Le Xiuning , Elamin Yasir Y. , Zhang Jianjun
Published: May 2023

Actionable mutations refer to DNA alterations that, if detected, would be expected to affect patients’ response to treatments [...]
Application of Biophysical Techniques to Cellular and Molecular Oncology
Authors: Lidke Diane S. , Gillette Jennifer M. , Cambi Alessandra
Published: May 2023

Dysregulated cellular processes drive malignant transformation, tumor progression, and metastasis, and affect responses to therapies [...]
The Meaning of a Group Facilitation Training to Creative Arts Therapists Working in the Public Education System
Authors: Roginsky Efrat , Ben-Haim Atara , Cooper Talya , Ben-Simon Shoval , Regev Dafna , Snir Sharon
Published: May 2023

Many creative arts therapists who provide group therapy to children and adolescents in the Israeli education system do not feel they were sufficiently trained as group facilitators. Group facilitation training was provided over the course of two consecutive years by a regional support center to over 40 creative arts therapists and their clinical supervisors working in the Israel Ministry of Education. A two-stage qualitative research project examined the participants’ experiences during this training. Interviews were conducted regarding the therapists’ first-year experiences. A questionnaire was administered at the end of the second year. Both were analyzed according to the Consensual Qualitative Research method. The research findings pertain to the participants’ perceptions of group arts therapy in the Israeli education system and included the development of unique group models, the advantages and power of group therapy at school, and the intimidating and disruptive experiences of school settings. The participants also provided their impressions of the training course: their growing confidence and skills, and the many changes required in group arts therapy at public schools to provide more professional and efficient service. The discussion centers on the value of group arts therapy in the education system and the steps needed to enhance therapists’ confidence and efficiency in this field.
Investigating the Effects of a Physical Education (PE) Kit Intervention on Female Adolescent Body Esteem
Authors: McIntosh-Dalmedo Sharon , Lane Andrew M. , Nicholls Wendy , Devonport Tracey J.
Published: May 2023

It is widely acknowledged that adolescent females are particularly at risk of low body esteem. Low body esteem is associated with poor mental health and other negative outcomes. Interventions to help raise body esteem could have a considerable impact, especially if the intervention is low cost, easy to implement, and scalable. We investigated the efficacy of an intervention where participants could choose their clothes to wear during a physical education lesson (PE). PE is a context associated with low body esteem, a finding that is particularly evident among females. We hypothesized that body esteem would improve with choice. To show that body esteem does not randomly change, we tested its stability when assessed in a test–retest design when completed in a classroom setting, hypothesizing that body esteem would be stable. Participants (n = 110; Age M = 14.9 years; SD = 0.68 years) completed a 14-item body esteem scale eight times: (a) wearing the school uniform in a classroom and (b) during a PE lesson on two occasions in each context within a week. This was repeated at the re-test, which was separated by a two-week gap. The intervention was implemented and students were given a choice of PE kit and could wear their own (non-designer) clothes. The findings indicate that the choice of PE kit intervention was associated with improved body esteem in a PE context but was stable in a classroom context, which we hypothesized to be stable. We argue that this low-cost and scalable intervention represents a useful starting point for helping to support females with low body esteem among a potentially vulnerable population.
Children with Disabilities in Canada during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Analysis of COVID-19 Policies through a Disability Rights Lens
Authors: Shikako Keiko , Lencucha Raphael , Hunt Matthew , Jodoin-Pilon Sébastien , Chandra Ananya , Katalifos Anna , Gonzalez Miriam , Yamaguchi Sakiko , Cardoso Roberta , Elsabbagh Mayada , Hudon Anne , Martens Rachel , Cogburn Derrick , Seth Ash , Currie Genevieve , Roth Christiane , Finlay Brittany , Zwicker Jennifer
Published: May 2023

Children with disabilities were especially vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic, and policies designed to mitigate its effects were limited in addressing their needs. We analyzed Canadian policies related to children with disabilities and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic to identify the extent to which these policies aligned with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) and responded to their mental health needs by conducting a systematic collection of Canadian provincial/territorial policies produced during the pandemic, building a categorization dictionary based on the UN CRPD, using text mining, and thematic analysis to identify policies’ alignment with the UN CRPD and mental health supports. Mental health was addressed as a factor of importance in many policy documents, but specific interventions to promote or treat mental health were scarce. Most public health policies and recommendations are related to educational settings, demonstrating how public health for children with disabilities relies on education and community that may be out of the healthcare system and unavailable during extended periods of the pandemic. Policies often acknowledged the challenges faced by children with disabilities and their families but offered few mitigation strategies with limited considerations for human rights protection.
Relationship between Osteoblast Proliferation and the Surface Properties of Polymer-like Carbon Films Deposited at Different Ar/CH4 Mixed-Gas Ratios in the Radio-Frequency Plasma CVD Process
Authors: Alanazi Ali , Kanasugi Kazuya , Eguchi Hiroaki , Manome Yoshinobu , Ohgoe Yasuharu , Hirakuri Kenji
Published: May 2023

In the deposition of polymer-like carbon (PLC) films on Si substrates via radio-frequency plasma CVD (RF-PCVD), the effect of the Ar/CH4 gas mixture ratio on the bio-interface of the PLC films remains unclear and the effectiveness of introducing Ar gas must be proven. In this study, five types of PLC films are prepared on Si substrates via RF-PCVD with an Ar/CH4 gas mixture. The effects of the Ar/CH4 gas ratio on the structure, surface properties, and osteoblast proliferation of the PLC films are investigated. The PLC film structure is graphitized as the hydrogen content in the PLC film decreases with the increasing Ar gas ratio. Based on in vitro cell culture tests, a PLC film with a higher Ar gas ratio promotes the osteoblast proliferative potential after 72 h compared with a PLC film with a relatively low Ar gas ratio. Moreover, the surface roughness and hydrophilicity of the PLC film increase with the Ar gas ratio. Accordingly, we demonstrate the effectiveness of Ar gas incorporation into the RF-PCVD process to promote the biological responsiveness of PLC films. PLC coatings are expected to be widely applied for surface modification to improve the mechanical characteristics and biological responses of orthopedic implant devices.
Study of Wear and Corrosion Resistance of Cold Sprayed TC4 Coating on the Surface of Mg-Li Alloy
Authors: Bao Yongtao , Fu Binguo , Jiao Yunlei , Dong Tianshun , Li Jingkun , Li Guolu
Published: May 2023

Mg-Li alloys have achieved vital applications in aerospace, automotive, and 3C fields for their prominent properties. However, the Mg-Li alloy exhibits poor corrosion and wear resistance due to the high activity of Mg and Li elements and low hardness of Mg. Accordingly, TC4 alloy coating was prepared on the surface of Mg-Li alloy using the cold spray technique to enhance the surface properties. Moreover, the microstructure, microhardness, tribological properties, and corrosion resistance of the coating were systematically investigated. As indicated by the results, the interface between the coating and the Mg-Li alloy substrate was mechanical bonding without significant defects. Several pores exist in the cold sprayed TC4 coating for its high elasticity, toughness, and passivation, resulting in a porosity of 4.3%. The microhardness of the cold sprayed TC4 coating reached 296.3 HV, marking a notable increase in comparison with the substrate. The TC4 alloy coating has better wear resistance than the Mg-Li alloy substrate. The wear volume of the cold sprayed TC4 alloy only accounted for 38% of that of Mg-Li alloy. Abrasive wear was the major wear mechanism of the TC4 alloy coating. In electrochemical tests, the corrosion current density of the TC4 alloy coating (1.426 × 10−5 A/cm2) was two orders of magnitude lower than that of the magnesium-lithium alloy substrate (1.008 × 10−3 A/cm2), and the corrosion potential of the TC4 alloy coating was higher, which indicates that the coating has excellent corrosion resistance.
The Role of Immunotherapy in the Treatment of Rare Central Nervous System Tumors
Authors: Rodriguez Andrew , Kamiya-Matsuoka Carlos , Majd Nazanin K.
Published: May 2023

Establishing novel therapies for rare central nervous system (CNS) tumors is arduous due to challenges in conducting clinical trials in rare tumors. Immunotherapy treatment has been a rapidly developing field and has demonstrated improvements in outcomes for multiple types of solid malignancies. In rare CNS tumors, the role of immunotherapy is being explored. In this article, we review the preclinical and clinical data of various immunotherapy modalities in select rare CNS tumors, including atypical meningioma, aggressive pituitary adenoma, pituitary carcinoma, ependymoma, embryonal tumor, atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor, and meningeal solitary fibrous tumor. Among these tumor types, some studies have shown promise; however, ongoing clinical trials will be critical for defining and optimizing the role of immunotherapy for these patients.
Target Screening of Chemicals of Emerging Concern (CECs) in Surface Waters of the Swedish West Coast
Authors: Inostroza Pedro A. , Carmona Eric , Arrhenius Åsa , Krauss Martin , Brack Werner , Backhaus Thomas
Published: May 2023

The aquatic environment faces increasing threats from a variety of unregulated organic chemicals originating from human activities, collectively known as chemicals of emerging concern (CECs). These include pharmaceuticals, personal-care products, pesticides, surfactants, industrial chemicals, and their transformation products. CECs enter aquatic environments through various sources, including effluents from wastewater treatment plants, industrial facilities, runoff from agricultural and residential areas, as well as accidental spills. Data on the occurrence of CECs in the marine environment are scarce, and more information is needed to assess the chemical and ecological status of water bodies, and to prioritize toxic chemicals for further studies or risk assessment. In this study, we describe a monitoring campaign targeting CECs in surface waters at the Swedish west coast using, for the first time, an on-site large volume solid phase extraction (LVSPE) device. We detected up to 80 and 227 CECs in marine sites and the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent, respectively. The dataset will contribute to defining pollution fingerprints and assessing the chemical status of marine and freshwater systems affected by industrial hubs, agricultural areas, and the discharge of urban wastewater.
MicroRNA Profiling of Fresh Lung Adenocarcinoma and Adjacent Normal Tissues from Ten Korean Patients Using miRNA-Seq
Authors: Park Jihye , Na Sae Jung , Yoon Jung Sook , Kim Seoree , Chun Sang Hoon , Kim Jae Jun , Kim Young-Du , Ahn Young-Ho , Kang Keunsoo , Ko Yoon Ho
Published: May 2023

MicroRNA transcriptomes from fresh tumors and the adjacent normal tissues were profiled in 10 Korean patients diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma using a next-generation sequencing (NGS) technique called miRNA-seq. The sequencing quality was assessed using FastQC, and low-quality or adapter-contaminated portions of the reads were removed using Trim Galore. Quality-assured reads were analyzed using miRDeep2 and Bowtie. The abundance of known miRNAs was estimated using the reads per million (RPM) normalization method. Subsequently, using DESeq2 and Wx, we identified differentially expressed miRNAs and potential miRNA biomarkers for lung adenocarcinoma tissues compared to adjacent normal tissues, respectively. We defined reliable miRNA biomarkers for lung adenocarcinoma as those detected by both methods. The miRNA-seq data are available in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database under accession number GSE196633, and all processed data can be accessed via the Mendeley data website.
Measurement of Cracks in Concrete Bridges by Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Image Registration
Authors: Li Hsuan-Yi , Huang Chih-Yuan , Wang Chung-Yue
Published: May 2023

Crack development is a clear indicator of the durability of concrete bridges. Traditional bridge inspections that rely inspectors to climb on bridges with lift cars are unsafe for inspectors and also time- and labor-consuming. Therefore, this research proposes a solution that applies unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and high-resolution digital cameras to measure concrete bridge cracks. An experiment was conducted on an Ai-He concrete bridge located in Yangmei District, Taoyuan City, Taiwan. Two types of images were taken. Close-up images observed cracks more clearly, and long-range images covered the ground control points. We registered these two types of images to establish the absolute coordinate system with ground control points and tie points through block triangulation. This research examines three approaches of generating tie points: (1) manually select tie points with features on the bridge such as nails and dots, (2) randomly input tie points generated from Scale-Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT), and (3) randomly input tie points generated from SIFT as the initial tie points and perform automatic tie generation with the ERDAS Leica Photogrammetry Suite (LPS) image matching module (automatic tie generation). Afterwards, close-up images were processed into orthorectified images with 0.1 mm pixel size for crack size measurements. Crack sizes were determined by a manual measurement approach and an inflection point approach for comparison. This research established a workflow for UAV bridge inspection that locates and measures cracks in concrete bridges, which consequently provides a safe and cost-efficient concrete bridge crack monitoring solution with acceptable accuracies.
Learning to Propose and Refine for Accurate and Robust Tracking via an Alignment Convolution
Authors: Mo Zhiyi , Li Zhi
Published: May 2023

Precise and robust feature extraction plays a key role in high-performance tracking to analyse the videos from drones, surveillance and automatic driving, etc. However, most existing Siamese network-based trackers mainly focus on constructing complicated network models and refinement strategies, while using comparatively simple and heuristic conventional or deformable convolutions to extract features from the sampling positions that may be far away from a target region. Consequently, the coarsely extracted features may introduce background noise and degrade the tracking performance. To address this issue, we present a propose-and-refine tracker (PRTracker) that combines anchor-free style proposals at the coarse level, and alignment convolution-driven refinement at the fine level. Specifically, at the coarse level, we design an anchor-free model to effectively generate proposals that provide more reliable interested regions for further verifying. At the fine level, an alignment convolution-based refinement strategy is adopted to improve the convolutional sampling positions of the proposals, thus making the classification and regression of them more accurate. Through using alignment convolution, the convolution sampling positions of the proposals can be efficiently and effectively re-localized, thus improving the accuracy of the extracted features. Finally, a simple yet robust target mask is designed to make full use of the initial state of a target to further improve the tracking performance. The proposed PRTracker achieves a competitive performance against six tracking benchmarks (i.e., UAV123, VOT2018, VOT2019, OTB100, NfS and LaSOT) at 75 FPS.
Parametric Study of Structured UTM Separation Recommendations with Physics-Based Monte Carlo Distribution for Collision Risk Model
Authors: Wang Chung-Hung John , Deng Chao , Low Kin Huat
Published: May 2023

With the increasing demand for unmanned aircraft system (UAS) traffic management (UTM) airspace comes the need to ensure the safe operation and management of said airspace. One layer of defense against mid-air-collision and the ensuing third-party injury or fatality is the pre-flight separation assurance. This could be achieved by establishing the separation requirements for the UTM traffic based on the flight dynamics and communication navigation surveillance (CNS) performance that could be achieved in the airspace in question. A modified Reich collision risk model, typically used in civil aviation for separation minima evaluation, was used for the evaluation of the initial separation that would meet the target level of safety within a prescribed look-ahead time. This paper presents the parametric evaluation of using this physics-based and Monte Carlo-driven Reich collision risk model to evaluate the separation recommendation needed to achieve 10−7 mid-air-collision risk in UTM. The evaluation was conducted for an encounter pair consisting of identical ∼1.2 kg quadrotors with various encounter geometries, cruise velocities, navigation uncertainties, and communication latency.
Bandit Algorithm Driven by a Classical Random Walk and a Quantum Walk
Authors: Yamagami Tomoki , Segawa Etsuo , Mihana Takatomo , Röhm André , Horisaki Ryoichi , Naruse Makoto
Published: May 2023

Quantum walks (QWs) have a property that classical random walks (RWs) do not possess—the coexistence of linear spreading and localization—and this property is utilized to implement various kinds of applications. This paper proposes RW- and QW-based algorithms for multi-armed-bandit (MAB) problems. We show that, under some settings, the QW-based model realizes higher performance than the corresponding RW-based one by associating the two operations that make MAB problems difficult—exploration and exploitation—with these two behaviors of QWs.
Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises’ Readiness for Digital Transformation in Indonesia
Authors: Anatan Lina , Nur
Published: May 2023

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR4) and the COVID-19 pandemic have become triggers for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to conduct digital transformation even though there are many problems that need to be resolved, particularly those related to the readiness of MSMEs in facing digitalization. This study aims to investigate Indonesian MSMEs and identify problems and types of knowledge transfer activities. By involving 101 MSMEs selected using convenience sampling and collected through an online survey, the hypotheses testing shows that the perception of higher drivers for IR4 promoting IR4 readiness is supported, while the perception of higher barriers to IR4 decreasing IR4 readiness is not supported. The problems faced by MSMEs in Indonesia are related to financial, human resources, marketing, operational, administrative, and organizational management. To solve these problems and enhance the readiness for digitalization, knowledge transfer activities from universities to MSMEs are needed. This study provides a theoretical contribution to the strategic management literature to fill the lack of studies on MSMEs’ e-readiness in developing countries and a practical contribution to assist decision-makers in formulating strategies to support MSMEs in facing IR4 and solving internal problems through knowledge transfer activities.
Towards Digital Twins of Small Productive Processes in Microgrids
Authors: Espín-Sarzosa Danny , Palma-Behnke Rodrigo , Valencia-Arroyave Felipe
Published: May 2023

In microgrids (MGs), energy management systems (EMSs) have been using increasingly detailed models of generation units, loads, and networks to make decisions on the power/energy contribution of each available unit to meet the electrical energy demand. This work aims to investigate the use of digital twins (DT) of small productive processes (SPPs) to regulate endogenous process variables to ensure final product quality, while the expected power consumption is estimated and communicated to the EMS so that it can make its decisions on the participation of each power source in meeting the electrical energy demand. The literature review reveals that this is one of the first attempts, in the context of MGs, to generate DT for SPPs that combine not only the electrical energy consumption, but also link it with the energy/mass balances taking place in the SPPs, highlighting the complexity that SPPs have as electrical loads. The results demonstrate that environmental conditions significantly influence the final electrical consumption of the SPPs. Additionally, the MG exhibits better economic performance when the SPP DT supports EMS decision-making, which is of great importance in MGs due to the special conditions they have for electric power generation, being more challenging in isolated MGs.