bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Honey bees find the shortest path: a collective flow-mediated approach
Authors: Nguyen Dieu My T. , Fard Golnar Gharooni , Atkins Ashley , Bontempo Paul , Iuzzolino Michael L. , Peleg Orit
Published: October 2022

Honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) are social insects that makes frequent use of volatile pheromone signals to collectively navigate unpredictable and unknown environments. Ants have been shown to effectively use pheromone trails to find the shortest path between two points, the nest and the food source. The ant pheromone trails are accomplished by depositing pheromones which are then diffused passively, creating isotropic (i.e., non-directional and axi-symmetric) signals. In this study, we report the first instance of the honey bees’ ability to solve the shortest path problem to localize the queen and aggregate around her by using a collective flow-mediated scenting strategy. In this strategy, individual bees not only emit pheromones but also fan their wings to actively direct the flow of the signals, providing colony members with directional messages to the queen’s location. We use computer vision and deep learning approaches to perform automatic and accurate image analysis. As a result, we quantify the number of bees in the short and long paths, and show that the short path is frequented by significantly more bees over time. We also reconstruct attractive surfaces using the positions and directions of scenting bees, and show that this surface is more “attractive” along the short path and around the queen as scenting bees send out directional messages and the swarm makes their way to the queen. Overall, we show that honey bees can effectively use the collective scenting behavior to overcome local and volatile pheromone communication and find the shortest path to the queen.
Robust portfolio optimization for banking foundations: a CVaR approach for asset allocation with mandatory constraints
Authors: Arcuri Maria Cristina , Gandolfi Gino , Laurini Fabrizio
Published: October 2022

This paper focuses on an innovative asset allocation strategy for risk averse investors who operate on very long-time horizons, such as endowments and the Italian foundations of banking origin (FBOs). FBOs play a pivotal role in supporting economic, financial and sustainable growth in the long term. In the search for a model which optimizes FBO portfolio choices in the light of regulatory constraints on their sizeable investable portfolio, we highlight the risk-adjusted performances obtained using a robust conditional VaR (R-CVaR) approach—assuming different risk profiles—which corrects some of the Markowitz approach pitfalls and accounts for tail risk. We compare the two models using a buy and hold strategy: the R-CVaR delivers better returns than a Markowitz portfolio, even when those performances are measured with a mean–variance metric.
On enterprise coherence governance with GEA: a 15-year co-evolution of practice and theory
Authors: Proper Henderik A. , Wagter Roel , Bekel Joost
Published: October 2022

General Enterprise Architecting (GEA) is an enterprise architecture method which has emerged out of a need in practice, and has been developed and matured over the past 15 years. The GEA method differs from other enterprise architecture approaches in that it has a strong focus on enterprise coherence and the explicit governance thereof. This focus followed from the observed need to move beyond the Business-IT alignment and ‘Business-to-IT’ stack thinking that is embodied in most of the existing enterprise architecture approaches. The main objective of this paper is to report, and reflect on, the development of the GEA method (so-far), which involved a co-evolution between theory and practice. In doing so, we also present core elements of (the current version of) GEA, and illustrate these in terms of a real-world (social housing) case. We will, furthermore, also discuss some of the lessons learned in applying GEA across different organizations.
Impact of body mass index and diabetes on myocardial fat content, interstitial fibrosis and function
Authors: Dong Xin , Strudwick Mark , Wang William YS , Borlaug Barry A. , van der Geest Rob J , Ng Austin CC , Delgado Victoria , Bax Jeroen J. , Ng Arnold CT
Published: October 2022

Purpose

We hypothesize that both increased myocardial steatosis and interstitial fibrosis contributes to subclinical myocardial dysfunction in patients with increased body mass index and diabetes mellitus.

Background

Increased body weight and diabetes mellitus are both individually associated with a higher incidence of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. However, it is unclear how increased myocardial steatosis and interstitial fibrosis interact to influence myocardial composition and function.

Methods

A total of 100 subjects (27 healthy lean volunteers, 21 healthy but overweight volunteers, and 52 asymptomatic overweight patients with diabetes) were prospectively recruited to measure left ventricular (LV) myocardial steatosis (LV-myoFat) and interstitial fibrosis (by extracellular volume [ECV]) using magnetic resonance imaging, and then used to determine their combined impact on LV global longitudinal strain (GLS) analysis by 2-dimensional (2D) speckle tracking echocardiography on the same day.

Results

On multivariable analysis, both increased body mass index and diabetes were independently associated with increased LV-myoFat. In turn, increased LV-myoFat was independently associated with increased LV ECV. Both increased LV-myoFat and LV ECV were independently associated with impaired 2D LV GLS.

Conclusion

Patients with increased body weight and patients with diabetes display excessive myocardial steatosis, which is related to a greater burden of myocardial interstitial fibrosis. LV myocardial contractile function was determined by both the extent of myocardial steatosis and interstitial fibrosis, and was independent of increasing age. Further study is warranted to determine how weight loss and improved diabetes management can improve myocardial composition and function.
Interrupting the Cycle: Association of Parental Stress and Child/Youth Psychotropic Medication Nonadherence
Authors: Theall Laura , Ninan Ajit , Arbeau Kim , Mannone Jessica , Stewart Shannon L.
Published: October 2022

Efficacy of psychotropic medication depends in large part on successful adherence to prescribed regimens. This study investigated child/youth nonadherence in relation to family dynamics and informal support. The participants were 10,225 children and youth prescribed psychotropic medication and receiving services from 50 Ontario mental health agencies, assessed with the interRAI™ Child and Youth Mental Health (ChYMH) and ChYMH-Developmental Disability (ChYMH-DD) tools. Findings suggest a cycle of parental stress and child/youth medication nonadherence possibly leading to or even perpetuated by worsening psychiatric symptoms. Informal supports do not appear to moderate this cycle. While the present data cannot speak to causes of medication nonadherence in children/youth or where the cycle begins, the results are consistent with the extant literature calling for attention to parental wellbeing to support children/youth for optimal therapeutic benefits. Understanding home dynamics related to nonadherence can assist care planning that engages the family to achieve best possible child/youth outcomes.
Heterogeneous sets in dimensionality reduction and ensemble learning
Authors: Reeve Henry W. J. , Kabán Ata , Bootkrajang Jakramate
Published: October 2022

We present a general framework for dealing with set heterogeneity in data and learning problems, which is able to exploit low complexity components. The main ingredients are (i) A definition of complexity for elements of a convex union that takes into account the complexities of their individual composition – this is used to cover the heterogeneous convex union; and (ii) Upper bounds on the complexities of restricted subsets. We demonstrate this approach in two different application areas, highlighting their conceptual connection. (1) In random projection based dimensionality reduction, we obtain improved bounds on the uniform preservation of Euclidean norms and distances when low complexity components are present in the union. (2) In statistical learning, our generalisation bounds justify heterogeneous ensemble learning methods that were incompletely understood before. We exemplify empirical results with boosting type random subspace and random projection ensembles that implement our bounds.
Real-time human action recognition using raw depth video-based recurrent neural networks
Authors: Sánchez-Caballero Adrián , Fuentes-Jiménez David , Losada-Gutiérrez Cristina
Published: October 2022

This work proposes and compare two different approaches for real-time human action recognition (HAR) from raw depth video sequences. Both proposals are based on the convolutional long short-term memory unit, namely ConvLSTM, with differences in the architecture and the long-term learning. The former uses a video-length adaptive input data generator (stateless) whereas the latter explores thestatefulability of general recurrent neural networks but is applied in the particular case of HAR. This stateful property allows the model to accumulate discriminative patterns from previous frames without compromising computer memory. Furthermore, since the proposal uses only depth information, HAR is carried out preserving the privacy of people in the scene, since their identities can not be recognized. Both neural networks have been trained and tested using the large-scale NTU RGB+D dataset. Experimental results show that the proposed models achieve competitive recognition accuracies with lower computational cost compared with state-of-the-art methods and prove that, in the particular case of videos, the rarely-used stateful mode of recurrent neural networks significantly improves the accuracy obtained with the standard mode. The recognition accuracies obtained are 75.26% (CS) and 75.45% (CV) for the stateless model, with an average time consumption per video of 0.21 s, and 80.43% (CS) and 79.91%(CV) with 0.89 s for the stateful one.
Development, implementation and evaluation of the digital transformation of renal services in Wales: the journey from local to national
Authors: Mantzourani E. , Brooks O. , James D. , Richards A. , Hodson K. , Akhtar H. , Wakelyn M. , White L. , Williams R. , O’Gorman G. , Kervin A. , Chess J. , Brown C.
Published: October 2022

Background

Treatment for people with kidney disease is often associated with complicated combinations of medicines. Logistical challenges with traditiona paper-based prescribing means that these patients are particularly susceptible to medication-relation errors and harm.

Aim

To improve the quality of care that people with kidney disease receive across Wales through a Value-Based digital transformation programme.

Setting

Renal units within the National Welsh Renal Clinical Network (WRCN).

Development

A novel Electronic Prescribing & Medicines Administration (EPMA) system, integrated into a patient care record and linked to a patient portal was developed in South West Wales (SWW) region of the WRCN, enabled by the Welsh Government (WG) Efficiency Through Technology Fund. National upscale was enabled through the WG Transformation Fund.

Implementation

EPMA was designed and rolled out initially in SWW region of the WRCN (2018). A dedicated delivery team used the blueprint to finalise and implement a strategy for successful national roll-out eventually across all Wales (completed 2021).

Evaluation

A multi-factorial approach was employed, as both the technology itself and the healthcare system within which it would be introduced, were complex. Continuous cycles of action research involving informal and formal qualitative interviews with service-users ensured that EPMA was accessible and optimally engaging to all target stakeholders (patients and staff). Results confirmed that EPMA was successful in improving the quality of care that people with kidney disease receive across Wales, contributed to Value-Based outcomes, and put people who deliver and access care at the heart of transformation.

Conclusion

Key findings of this study align directly with the national design principles to drive change and transformation, put forward by the WG in their plan for Health and Social Care: prevention and early intervention; safety; independence; voice; seamless care.
Pandemic transit: examining transit use changes and equity implications in Boston, Houston, and Los Angeles
Authors: Paul Julene , Taylor Brian D.
Published: October 2022

While the COVID-19 pandemic upended many aspects of life as we knew it, its effects on U.S. public transit were especially dramatic. Many former transit commuters began to work from home or switched to traveling via private vehicles. But for those who continued to work outside the home and could not drive—who were more likely low-income and Black or Hispanic—transit remained an important means of mobility. However, most transit agencies reduced service during the first year of the pandemic, reflecting reduced ridership demand, increasing costs, and uncertain budgets. To analyze the effects of the pandemic on transit systems and their users, we examine bus ridership changes by neighborhood in Boston, Houston, and Los Angeles from 2019 to 2020. Combining aggregated stop-level boarding data, passenger surveys, and census data, we identify associations between shifting travel patterns and neighborhoods. We find that early in the pandemic, neighborhoods with more poor and non-white households lost proportionally fewer riders; however, this gap between high- and low-ridership-loss neighborhoods shrank as the pandemic wore on. We also model ridership change controlling for multiple factors. Ridership in Houston and LA generally outperformed Boston, with built environment and demographic factors accounting for some of the observed differences. Neighborhoods with high shares of Hispanic and African American residents retained more riders in the pandemic, while those with higher levels of auto access and with more workers able to work from home lost more riders, all else equal. We conclude that transit’s social service role elevated during the pandemic, and that serving travelers in disadvantaged neighborhoods will likely remain paramount emerging from it.
Drought-tolerant Sphingobacterium changzhouense Alv associated with Aloe vera mediates drought tolerance in maize (Zea mays)
Authors: Hagaggi Noura Sh. A. , Abdul-Raouf Usama M.
Published: October 2022

Drought severity and duration are expected to increase as a result of ongoing global climate change. Therefore, finding solutions to help plants to deal with drought stress and to improve growth in the face of limited water resources is critical. In this study, a drought tolerant- plant growth promoting endophytic bacterium was isolated from Aloe vera roots. It was identified as Sphingobacterium changzhouense based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing and was deposited into NCBI database with accession number (ON944028). The effect of S. changzhouense inoculation on maize growth under drought stress was investigated. The results revealed that inoculation significantly (p ≤ 0.05) enhanced root and shoot elongation by 205 and 176.19% respectively. Photosynthesis rate, stomatal conductance and water use efficiency were improved in inoculated plants. interestingly, inoculation resulted in significant increase in total chlorophyll, total carbohydrates, proline, total proteins, total phenolics and total flavonoids by 64, 31.5, 25.1, 75.07, 83.7 and 65.4% respectively. Total antioxidant capacity of inoculated plants (51.2 mg/g FW) was higher than that of non-inoculated plants (11.87 mg/g FW), which was found to be positively correlated to the levels of phenolics and flavonoids. Our finding suggests that S. changzhouense could be used to improve crop growth and assist plants to resist drought stress in arid agricultural lands.
High Resolution Interferometric Imaging of Liquid-Solid Interfaces with HOTNNET
Authors: Kaviani R. , Kolinski J.M.
Published: October 2022

Background

A variety of imaging methods are available to obtain kinematic data at an interface, with a widely varying range of spatial and temporal resolution. These methods require a trade-off between imaging rate and resolution.

Objective

A deep learning framework trained on synchronous profilometry data acquired using two imaging modalities at two different spatial resolutions to enhance spatial resolution while maintaining temporal resolution is desired.

Methods

Fizeau interferometry (FIF) and frustrated total internal reflection (FTIR) are used to overcome the resolution-rate trade-off via a deep learning framework. The FTIR imaging data are recorded at high resolution, while the FIF imaging data are recorded with a lesser resolved, larger field of view. We apply a deep learning framework using a multi-layer convolutional neural network to enhance the FIF image resolution.

Results

With the deep learning framework, we achieve the high spatial resolution of measurements obtained by FTIR imaging in all three dimensions from the lower resolution FIF data. A high-order overset technique ultimately yields full up-scaled images from the network outputs without losing precision. The accuracy of the super-resolved image is evaluated using test data.

Conclusions

This hybrid framework, called HOTNNET, is implemented in its entirety on high-speed imaging profilometry data acquired in the study of droplet impacts on a smooth, solid surface, and is used to recover full, high-resolution images at high rates by unwrapping the phase of the interferometry. This framework can be readily adapted to other paired datasets by retraining the network on the novel data.
Characterisation of AMB-FUBINACA metabolism and CB1-mediated activity of its acid metabolite
Authors: Webb Hunter D. J. , Finlay David B. , Chen Shuli , Vernall Andrea J. , Sparkes Eric , Banister Samuel D. , Rosengren Rhonda J. , Glass Michelle
Published: October 2022

Purpose

AMB-FUBINACA is a synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonist (SCRA) which is primarily metabolised by hepatic enzymes producing AMB-FUBINACA carboxylic acid. The metabolising enzymes associated with this biotransformation remain unknown. This study aimed to determine if AMB-FUBINACA metabolism could be reduced in the presence of carboxylesterase (CES) inhibitors and recreational drugs commonly consumed with it. The affinity and activity of the AMB-FUBINACA acid metabolite at the cannabinoid type-1 receptor (CB1) was investigated to determine the activity of the metabolite.

Methods

The effect of CES1 and CES2 inhibitors, and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) on AMB-FUBINACA metabolism were determined using both human liver microsomes (HLM) and recombinant carboxylesterases. Radioligand binding and cAMP assays comparing AMB-FUBINACA and AMB-FUBINACA acid were carried out in HEK293 cells expressing human CB1.

Results

AMB-FUBINACA was rapidly metabolised by HLM in the presence and absence of NADPH. Additionally, CES1 and CES2 inhibitors both significantly reduced AMB-FUBINACA metabolism. Furthermore, digitonin (100 µM) significantly inhibited CES1-mediated metabolism of AMB-FUBINACA by ~ 56%, while the effects elicited by Δ9-THC were not statistically significant. AMB-FUBINACA acid produced only 26% radioligand displacement consistent with low affinity binding. In cAMP assays, the potency of AMB-FUBINACA was ~ 3000-fold greater at CB1as compared to the acid metabolite.

Conclusions

CES1A1 was identified as the main hepatic enzyme responsible for the metabolism of AMB-FUBINACA to its less potent carboxylic acid metabolite. This biotransformation was significantly inhibited by digitonin. Since other xenobiotics may also inhibit similar SCRA metabolic pathways, understanding these interactions may elucidate why some users experience high levels of harm following SCRA use.
The Influence of Process Parameters on the Low-Cycle Fatigue Properties of 316L Steel Parts Produced by Powder Bed Fusion
Authors: Kluczyński Janusz , Śnieżek Lucjan , Grzelak Krzysztof , Torzewski Janusz , Szachogłuchowicz Ireneusz , Wachowski Marcin
Published: October 2022

In this paper, the influence of the additive manufacturing (AM), powder bed fusion (PBF) process parameters on the low-cycle fatigue (LCF) properties of 316L steel samples is shown. Based on the previous research, five parameter groups were selected. To make this analysis broader, research results of AM parts have been compared to the conventionally made counterparts. Such an approach allowed analyzing the manner different parameters affect the tensile and LCF behavior. The preliminary tests indicated that AM specimens are characterized by 65 pct of the total LCF strength in comparison to the conventionally made material. Further LCF tests indicated differences in the dissipated energy of some samples, which was visible in the hysteresis loops generated during testing in the total strain amplitude range from 0.30 to 0.45 pct. Based on the Morrow approach, it was possible to register an increased share of the plastic component during the fracture process in the Additive Manufacturing (AM) parts in the LCF tests with the total strain amplitude above 0.45 pct. The final microscopical investigation of parts’ fractures surfaces indicated the influence of the layered structure, and internal imperfections (such as unmelted powder particles and lack of fusion) of the as-built AM parts on the cracking process, which caused an increased number of multiplanar cracks and generation of the complex fracture morphology characterized by the layered structure of AM parts and share of imperfections—mostly porosity caused by unmelted powder particles which potentially was a base of secondary stage cracks.
Weyl Sets in a Truncated Matricial Stieltjes Moment Problem
Authors: Wall Michaela , Fritzsche Bernd , Kirstein Bernd , Mädler Conrad
Published: October 2022

Given a point w in the open upper complex half-plane $$\Pi _{\mathord {+}}$$

Π
+

, we describe the set of possible values $$F_\sigma \left( {w}\right) $$

F
σ

w

of Stieltjes transforms $$F_\sigma \left( {z}\right) :=\int _{[\alpha ,\infty )}\left( {x-z}\right) ^{-1}\sigma \left( {\textrm{d}x}\right) $$

F
σ

z

:
=

∫

[
α
,
∞
)

x
-
z

-
1

σ

d
x

, $$z\in \Pi _{\mathord {+}}$$

z
∈

Π
+

, corresponding to solutions $$\sigma $$
σ
to a truncated matricial Stieltjes moment problem as intersection of two matrix balls.
Series of problems in Clairaut’s Elements of Geometry: interaction between historical analysis and mathematics education research
Authors: Gosztonyi Katalin
Published: October 2022

In this paper, I propose an analysis of the structure of Clairaut’s Éléments de Géométrie (1741), a book presenting geometrical knowledge organized around problems, with rich metadiscourse connecting problems and other elements of mathematical content. This analysis is inspired both by the “Series of problems at the crossroad of cultures” interdisciplinary history of sciences project, in which texts from various cultures structured around problems were analysed, and by ongoing mathematics educational research on the Hungarian Guided Discovery approach, where “series of problems” play a central role in the planning and implementation of teaching trajectories. I show how a dialog between the analysis of Clairaut’s historical text and mathematics educational research contributes to the reflection on the construction and analysis of inquiry based teaching trajectories in mathematics education.
High Purity Grade Phycocyanin Recovery by Decupling Cell Lysis from the Pigment Extraction: an Innovative Approach
Authors: Lauceri Rosaria , Cavone Cristina , Chini Zittelli Graziella , Kamburska Lyudmila , Musazzi Simona , Torzillo Giuseppe
Published: October 2022

Phycocyanin, a phycobiliprotein, is one of the few natural blue pigments available as food colourant, and it is largely used in food industry. We have devised an innovative two-step extraction process which allowed to obtain bright blue phycocyanin crude extracts with high purity grade P (within 2.5 and 3.5) directly from fresh biomass of Arthrospira platensis Gomont 1892 (commonly named Spirulina). We found out and for the first time exploited ammonium sulphate capability to minimize the release of water soluble phycobiliproteins in aqueous medium during ultrasound-assisted cell lysis/purification phase. The conventional sequence which is, extraction followed by purification, was reversed. The extraction phase was decoupled from biomass cell lysis. Cell lysis, accomplished by ultrasonication in ammonium sulphate solution, was merged with purification in a single step, before the pigment extraction/recovering phase. The process was entirely carried out in aqueous solutions. No downstream purification was required to obtain products suitable for the most common phycocyanin applications (i.e. foods, nutraceuticals). Production time, hours instead of days, was reduced to the advantage of the product quality. The process has the great advantages of (1) direct use of extracting solutions that cannot be used in the ordinary ultrasound-assisted extraction of phycocyanin (because of the extensive simultaneous extraction of contaminant molecules), (2) gain of high commercial value phycocyanin due to the elevated purity grade and (3) direct production of highly concentrated bright blue pigment crude extracts (up to about 5 mg mL−1) immediately in hand to the market.

Graphical Abstract
Global Catastrophic Risk and the Drivers of Scientist Attitudes Towards Policy
Authors: Nathan Christopher , Hyams Keith
Published: October 2022

An anthropogenic global catastrophic risk is a human-induced risk that threatens sustained and wide-scale loss of life and damage to civilisation across the globe. In order to understand how new research on governance mechanisms for emerging technologies might assuage such risks, it is important to ask how perceptions, beliefs, and attitudes towards the governance of global catastrophic risk within the research community shape the conduct of potentially risky research. The aim of this study is to deepen our understanding of emerging technology research culture as it relates to global catastrophic risks, and to shed new light on how new research governance mechanisms might be developed. We analyse in-depth interviews with leading AI and biotech researchers both from universities and the private sector. We develop new insights in terms of four salient themes. First, ‘engineering mindset’, which highlights the premium placed by many interviewees on pursuing interesting research about the physical world for its own sake. Second, ‘self-government’, which looks at how self-regulation of technological development currently occurs. Third, ‘pure incentives’, focussing on how career and other incentives shapes research. Fourth, ‘norms and persuasion’, which examines the role of moral considerations in guiding the research choices of scientists. We end by considering the implications of these findings for future research on governance of anthropogenic global catastrophic risk.
Comparison of updated birth weight, length and head circumference charts by gestational age in China with the INTERGROWTH-21st NCSS charts: a population-based study
Authors: Zhang Ya-Qin , Li Hui , Zong Xin-Nan , Wu Hua-Hong
Published: October 2022

Background

INTERGROWTH-21st Newborn Cross-Sectional Study (NCSS) charts were established and recommended for global application. However, whether one international reference is appropriate for all populations is still unclear. We aim to compare the updated Chinese birth size charts by gestational age with INTERGROWTH-21st NCSS charts.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was carried out, and the birth weight, length and head circumference of 24,375 infants born after uncomplicated pregnancies at gestational age ranging from 24+0 to 42+6 weeks were measured in 13 cities in China from 2015 to 2018. Growth charts were constructed. The measurements of all these infants were evaluated by the methods of calculating their Z scores using the INTERGROWTH-21st standards. The prevalence of small for gestational age (SGA) and large for gestational age (LGA) based on birth weight was analyzed using Chinese charts and INTERGROWTH-21st charts.

Results

The mean Z scores were 0.10 for birth weight, 0.35 for length and − 0.02 for head circumference. Compared to the INTERGROWTH-21st charts, the Chinese birth weight percentile curves were higher except for the 90th percentile at 29–37 weeks gestational age, and the length percentile curves were higher after 33 weeks gestational age, while the 10th percentile of the head circumference was lower and the other percentiles were similar. The prevalence of SGA was 10.1% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 9.7%–10.5%] using the Chinese birth weight chart and 6.5% (95% CI = 6.2%–6.8%) using the INTERGROWTH-21st birth weight chart. The prevalence of LGA was 9.9% (95% CI = 9.5%–10.2%) and 8.2% (95% CI = 7.9%–8.6%) using the Chinese and INTERGROWTH-21st birth weight charts, respectively.

Conclusions

Chinese birth size charts based on infants born after uncomplicated pregnancies were different from the INTERGROWTH-21st charts. Differences in the classification of newborns by the two charts should receive attention, and whether the application of INTERGROWTH-21st in Chinese newborns will lead to misclassification needs to be validated in future clinical practice.
Impact of sarcopenia on the prognosis and treatment of lung cancer: an umbrella review
Authors: Lin Ting-Yu , Chen Yen-Fu , Wu Wei-Ting , Han Der-Sheng , Tsai I.-Chen , Chang Ke-Vin , Özçakar Levent
Published: October 2022

Background

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Sarcopenia, defined as the loss of muscle mass and function, is known to cause adverse health outcomes. The purpose of this umbrella review was to integrate published systematic reviews and meta-analyses exploring sarcopenia and lung cancer to provide comprehensive knowledge on their relationship.

Methods

Eligible studies were searched from scientific databases until June 28, 2022. Critical appraisal was performed using A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) 2. The impact of sarcopenia on the pathophysiology, prevalence, and prognosis of lung cancer is summarized at the level of systematic reviews or meta-analyses.

Results

Fourteen reviews and meta-analyses were conducted. The methodological quality was high for one review, low for nine, and critically low for four. The most common standard for diagnosing sarcopenia in the lung cancer population is computed tomography (CT) to measure the skeletal muscle index at the third lumbar vertebra (L3). Sarcopenia was highly prevalent among patients with lung cancer, with a pooled prevalence ranging from 42.8% to 45.0%. The association between sarcopenia and increased postoperative complications and decreased disease control rates with immune checkpoint inhibitors has been demonstrated. Mortality was significantly higher in sarcopenic patients than in non-sarcopenic patients with lung cancer, regardless of the stage of disease or type of treatment.

Conclusions

Sarcopenia is a poor prognostic factor for lung cancer. Future studies are necessary to clarify the pathophysiology of sarcopenia and develop effective interventions for sarcopenia in patients with lung cancer.
Stigma Regarding HIV and Sexual Identity as Barriers to Accessing HIV Testing and Prevention Services Among Gay and Bisexual Migrants in Australia
Authors: Philpot Steven P. , Mao Limin , Cifali Donatella , Power Cherie , Templeton David J. , Robinson Sharon , Varma Rick , Grulich Andrew E. , Aung Eithandee , Bavinton Benjamin R.
Published: October 2022

Introduction

Stigma is a significant contributor to the HIV diagnosis disparities experienced among migrants who are gay and bisexual men (GBM) living in high-income countries.

Methods

We conducted interviews with 24 migrant GBM in Australia diagnosed with HIV from 2017 onwards, who since their diagnosis had become well-connected to sexual health services and participation in research. Interviews were conducted between October 2018 and December 2019. We aimed to identify how HIV and sexual identity stigmas were barriers to accessing HIV testing and prevention.

Results

These stigmas were deeply embedded into social, cultural, and institutional settings in participants’ countries of origin, resulting in poor HIV literacy, reluctance to access HIV-related services, including HIV testing, and fears of being identified as gay/bisexual publicly. Underpinned by internalised stigma, these fears and poor outcomes often persisted after moving to Australia. Other barriers to accessing HIV-related services in Australia included apprehension about a potential HIV-positive result and the possibility of visa cancellation, concerns about confidentiality, and a lack of confidence and support in navigating the healthcare system, including how to access pre-exposure prophylaxis.

Conclusion

Addressing these multifaceted HIV testing and prevention barriers requires policies, systems, and interventions that increase health literacy about HIV testing, prevention, and treatment; build trust and confidence when navigating Australian health services; and reduce the impacts of HIV and sexual identity stigmas in migrants’ countries of origin on their experiences in Australia.
The non-commutative Robertson–Schrödinger uncertainty principle
Authors: Hatzinikitas Agapitos N.
Published: October 2022

We investigate properties of the covariance matrix in the framework of non-commutative quantum mechanics for an one-parameter family of transformations between the familiar Heisenberg–Weyl algebra and a particular extension of it. Employing as a measure of the Robertson–Schrödinger uncertainty principle the linear symplectic capacity of the Weyl ellipsoid (and its dual), we determine its corresponding bounds. Inequalities between the capacities for non-commutative phase-spaces are established. We also present a constructive example based on a simple model to justify our theoretical predictions.
Some remarks on the periodic motions of a bouncing ball
Authors: Marò Stefano
Published: October 2022

We consider the vertical motion of a free falling ball bouncing elastically on a racket moving in the vertical direction according to a regular 1-periodic function f. For fixed coprime p, q we study existence, stability in the sense of Lyapunov and multiplicity of p periodic motions making q bounces in a period. If f is real analytic we prove that one periodic motion is unstable and give some information on the set of these motions.
Thermal De-coating Pre-treatment for Loose or Compacted Aluminum Scrap and Consequences for Salt-Flux Recycling
Authors: Vallejo-Olivares Alicia , Høgåsen Solveig , Kvithyld Anne , Tranell Gabriella
Published: October 2022

In aluminum recycling, thermal de-coating pre-treatments remove moisture and organic contamination before re-melting. If the scrap is compacted into bales or briquettes before the thermal treatment and re-melting processes, less surface area is exposed to oxidation in contact with air. However, compaction may also limit the efficiency of the de-coating process. In this study, coated sheets of aluminum were thermally de-coated at varied temperatures and durations. Observations of changes in coating thickness, mass, color, and composition revealed a maximum de-coating efficiency of close to 75% wt due to remaining oxide residues. The relationship between de-coating and compaction was investigated by thermally treating loose shreddings (chips) and briquettes of various densities. The briquettes were compacted by three methods: uniaxial, moderate-pressure torsion (MPT), and MPT at 450 °C (Hot MPT); and the de-coating efficiency was calculated from the mass loss. Subsequently, the samples were re-melted under salt-flux and compared with another set of samples which were re-melted without thermal pre-treatment. The results showed that thermal de-coating significantly promotes the coalescence of loose chips and briquettes compacted uniaxially, up to similar coalescences than initially uncoated aluminum samples. Thermally treating the MPT briquettes, which were more densely compacted, led to less de-coating, and subsequently lower coalescences. The analysis of re-melted material revealed that the coating residues did not significantly affect the composition, while the compaction prevented Mg loss for the uncoated materials.

Graphical Abstract
Joint Attention Networks with Inherent and Contextual Preference-Awareness for Successive POI Recommendation
Authors: Zhong Haiting , He Wei , Cui Lizhen , Liu Lei , Yan Zhongmin , Zhao Kun
Published: October 2022

Nowadays recording and sharing personal lives using mobile devices on the Internet is becoming increasingly popular, and successive POI recommendation is gaining growing attention from academia and industry. In mobile scenarios, multiple influencing factors including the diversity of user preferences, the changeability of user behavior and the dynamic of spatiotemporal context bring great challenges to the POI recommender system. In order to accurately capture both the stable and the contextual preferences of mobile users in dynamic contexts, we propose a fusion framework JANICP (Joint Attention Networks with Inherent and Contextual Preferences) for successive POI recommendation by jointly training an offline/nearline user inherent interest perception model and an online user contextual interest prediction model. The offline model is trained based on the global historical behavior data to achieve stable interest representation, while the online model is trained based on the instantly selected context-sensitive data to achieve dynamic interest perception. An attention aggregation and matching module is used to fully connect the two kinds of preference representations and generate the final POI recommendation. Extensive experiments were conducted on three real datasets and experimental results show that the proposed JANICP outperforms existing state-of-the-art methods.
Systematic Review on Wearable Lower Extremity Robotic Exoskeletons for Assisted Locomotion
Authors: Qiu Shuang , Pei Zhongcai , Wang Chen , Tang Zhiyong
Published: October 2022

Lower extremity robotic exoskeletons (LEEX) can not only improve the ability of the human body but also provide healing treatment for people with lower extremity dysfunction. There are a wide range of application needs and development prospects in the military, industry, medical treatment, consumption and other fields, which has aroused widespread concern in society. This paper attempts to review LEEX technical development. First, the history of LEEX is briefly traced. Second, based on existing research, LEEX is classified according to auxiliary body parts, structural forms, functions and fields, and typical LEEX prototypes and products are introduced. Then, the latest key technologies are analyzed and summarized, and the research contents, such as bionic structure and driving characteristics, human–robot interaction (HRI) and intent-awareness, intelligent control strategy, and evaluation method of power-assisted walking efficiency, are described in detail. Finally, existing LEEX problems and challenges are analyzed, a future development trend is proposed, and a multidisciplinary development direction of the key technology is provided.
Uniform and non-uniform sampling of bandlimited functions at minimal density with a few additional samples
Authors: Al-Hammali Hussain , Faridani Adel
Published: October 2022

A family of sampling theorems for the reconstruction of bandlimited functions from their samples is presented. Taking one or more additional samples is shown to yield more rapidly convergent series with lower truncation errors, as well as to facilitate the reconstruction of bandlimited functions with polynomial growth on the real line. The theorems apply to both uniform sampling and a large class of non-uniform sampling sets, i.e., complete interpolating sequences for the Paley–Wiener space. A number of examples and numerical illustrations accompany the general theory. These include uniform sampling, uniform sampling with finitely many points moved, periodic non-uniform sampling, and sampling at the zeros of Bessel functions$$J_\nu (\pi x)$$Jν(πx)for non-integer$$v > -1$$v>-1.
Rare findings in ectopic breast tissue: A case study of 7 patients
Authors: Katoof Firas Majeed , Abdulmajeed Mustafa Usama , Jasim Hasanain Abdulameer
Published: October 2022

Abstract

Background

Ectopic Breast Tissue is a rare condition; it can be present anywhere along the milk line during adult life. Although rare, pathological conditions including breast carcinoma or benign breast disease can occur in Ectopic breast tissue.

Aim

Identify the most proper approach to the management of malignant conditions affecting ectopic breast tissue.

Patients and methods

A prospective cohort study including 7 patients who presented with a mass in their Ectopic Breast Tissue visited the breast clinic and general surgery clinic at Al-Yarmouk teaching hospital for a period of five years. All the patients were subjected to triple assessment. Treatment was done according to the findings. All patients were followed for 1–2 years.

Result

Five patients complained of a painful mass (3 in the axilla and 2 were infra-mammary). The remaining two cases were painless axillary mass. Histopathology and cytology revealed that 1 patient presented with fibroadenoma, 5 patients had Invasive ductal carcinoma, and 1pateint was diagnosed with Invasive lobular carcinoma. Modified radical mastectomy was done in 3 cases, wide local excision with axillary clearance in 2 cases, and wide local excision alone for 2 patients. Distant metastasis occurs in 2 cases of Modified radical mastectomy, in addition to local and distant metastasis in 1 patient with wide local excision alone.

Conclusion

In ectopic breast carcinoma, modified radical mastectomy is indicated only in the presence of concurrent ipsilateral breast carcinoma and when there is an extension to the normal pectoral breast or chest wall. Otherwise, wide local excision with axillary clearance seems to be sufficient treatment with no recurrence or survival rate difference.

Highlights
The Lives of Ancient Villages
Authors: Thonemann Peter
Published: October 2022

Our conception of the culture and values of the ancient Greco-Roman world is largely based on texts and material evidence left behind by a small and atypical group of city-dwellers. The people of the deep Mediterranean countryside seldom appear in the historical record from antiquity, and almost never as historical actors. This book is the first extended historical ethnography of an ancient village society, based on an extraordinarily rich body of funerary and propitiatory inscriptions from a remote upland region of Roman Asia Minor. Rural kinship structures and household forms are analysed in detail, as are the region's demography, religious life, gender relations, class structure, normative standards and values. Roman north-east Lydia is perhaps the only non-urban society in the Greco-Roman world whose culture can be described at so fine-grained a level of detail: a world of tight-knit families, egalitarian values, hard agricultural labour, village solidarity, honour, piety and love.
A conceptual framework for clinical and translational virtual community engagement research
Authors: Rubyan Michael , Trinidad M. Grace , Ryan Kerry A. , Spiroff Meghan , Goold Susan , Burns Jade , Calhoun Karen , Rowe Zachary , Büyüktür Ayşe G. , Piechowski Patricia , Platt Jodyn
Published: October 2022

Introduction:

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated a trend for clinical and translational community-engaged research in adapting to an increasingly virtual landscape. This requires a framework for engagement distinct from in-person research and program activities. We reflect on four case studies of community engagement activities that inform a conceptual framework to better integrate the virtual format into community-engaged research reflecting key tenets of health equity and antiracist praxis.

Methods:

Four projects were selected by community-engaged research stakeholders for an in-depth review based on how much the virtual transition impacted activities such as planning, recruitment, and data collection for each project. Transitions to virtual engagement were assessed across ten areas in which community engagement has been demonstrated to make a positive impact.

Results:

Our analysis suggests a conceptual evaluation framework in which the ten community engagement areas cluster into four interrelated domains: (1) development, design, and delivery; (2) partnership and trust building; (3) implementation and change; and (4) ethics and equity.

Conclusions:

The domains in this conceptual framework describe critical elements of community engaged research and programs consistent with recommendations for health equity informed meaningful community engagement from the National Academy of Medicine. The conceptual framework and case studies can be used for evaluation and to develop guidelines for clinical and translational researchers utilizing the virtual format in community-engaged research.
Fostering diversity and a culture of inclusion in clinical research by training and hiring community members as clinical research assistants
Authors: Collinger Katelyn , Yasko Laurel L. , Smalley Denise , Rassau Kimberly , Strickland William E. , Reis Steven E.
Published: October 2022

The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) and the nonprofit Bidwell Training Center co-developed a new program for translational workforce diversification and development to foster diversity and inclusion in clinical research. The STricklAnd Research Training (START) program provides students in the Medical Assistant program at Bidwell a career path in clinical research. We created a 12-hour didactic package that covers responsible conduct of human subjects research and good clinical practice as an add-on to existing vocational curriculums. Students have the option of completing a clinical research-related externship at Pitt, which includes mentoring, shadowing, and protocol-specific training on a study team whose intention is to hire them as a clinical research assistant. Those who accept a position at Pitt receive continued mentorship, education, and professional development through Pitt CTSI. In the first three cohorts, two of which had access to research externships at Pitt, 92% of students successfully completed the instruction in clinical research. We plan to expand START to new venues to train and hire local community members from diverse backgrounds who can bring their lived experience to research programs.
Wreckage Installation: Towards an Archaeology of Southern Sweden's Heterotopias
Authors: Papoli-Yazdi Leila , Hogland William
Published: October 2022

During a survey on the island of Öland in south-eastern Sweden, whose aim was to study the local waste-disposal practices, the authors recorded abandoned machinery and cars dating from the 1940s to today in locations close to residential areas and farms, and complemented the investigation by interviewing informants. This led them to conclude that dumping redundant objects in the surroundings of villages forms an entangled network with other behaviour, i.e. collecting things which had outlived their usefulness and embedding them in the landscape. The behaviour observed in Öland is compared with two other cases of collecting abandoned objects in Öland and southern Sweden. Using the location and chronology of the finds, the authors interpret the behaviour by borrowing the concept of heterotopia, as defined by Foucault.