bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Residing without settling: Housing market and tactics of Syrian forced migrants in Turkey
Authors: Kurfalı Merve Akdemir , Özçürümez Saime
Published: August 2023

How do forced migrants from Syria cope with structural barriers to housing in urban centres in Turkey? More than 3.6 million Syrian refugees have lived in different cities in Turkey since the closing of the temporary accommodation centres in 2018. This study examines the agency of Syrians and their housing pathways in securing accommodation in a neoliberal housing market amidst increasing unwelcoming attitudes by the local population, no social housing, high dependence on rental housing prone to price hikes, and “temporary protection” legal status. Based on analysis of data from 34 semi‐structured interviews with forced migrant Syrians and 20 expert interviews in Gaziantep, a city close to the Turkey‐Syria border with a substantial Syrian population, the research identifies four tactics that characterise housing pathways of Syrian forced migrants: (1) acting through local community members, (2) working with a Syrian mediator, (3) settling down in Syrian‐only buildings or informal settlements, and (4) purchasing a house through circumventing the legal ban on property ownership. The study concludes by highlighting that while these tactics are necessary for meeting forced migrants’ immediate housing needs, they are far from sufficient in preventing exclusion in the Turkish housing market.
A simple method for rapid removal of the memory effect in cavity ring‐down spectroscopy water isotope measurements
Authors: Keinan Jonathan , Goldsmith Yonaton
Published: August 2023

Rationale

The accuracy determined in the routine analysis of water isotopes (δ17O, δ18O, δ2H) using cavity ring‐down spectroscopy is greatly affected by the memory effect (ME), a sample‐to‐sample carryover that biases measurements. This study aims to develop a simple method that rapidly removes the ME.

Methods

We developed a method, designed for the Picarro L2140‐i, that removes the ME by injecting small amounts of water with an extreme isotopic value (“kick”) in the opposite direction of the ME. We conducted 11 experiments to identify the optimal kick for pairs of isotopically enriched and depleted samples. Once quantified, the optimal kick was used to create an ME‐free, unbiased calibration curve, which was verified using international and internal lab standards.

Results

Our kick method removes the ME very efficiently in half the time it takes for experiments without a kick. The optimal number of kick injections required to minimize stabilization time between standards of different compositions is three injections of δ2H ≈ −1000‰ water per a 100‰ difference between standards. Three runs of routine measurements using the kick method resulted in uncertainties of 0.03‰, 0.2‰, and 5 permeg for δ18O, δ2H, and 17O‐excess, respectively.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates a new method for rapidly removing the ME. Our kick protocol is a readily available, cheap, and efficient approach to reduce instrumental bias and improve measurement accuracy.
Mycobacteroides abscessus infection in a patient with tetralogy of Fallot
Authors: Akaba Tomohiro , Onizawa Fumi , Shiota Yuno , Arakawa Naoko , Tagaya Etsuko
Published: August 2023

A 58‐year‐old woman with tetralogy of Fallot was referred to our hospital with a 2‐month history of hemoptysis and low‐grade fever. The sputum smear on admission showed positive results for acid‐fast bacilli, and comparative genomic analysis of the cultured sputum confirmed Mycobacteroides abscessus subsp. abscessus infection. Long‐term combination antimicrobial therapy gradually improved the patient's symptoms. Although non‐tuberculous mycobacteria infection is rarely observed in patients with cyanotic congenital heart disease, a worldwide increase in non‐tuberculous mycobacteria infections may increase the incidence of this rare combination.
Design, Fabrication, and Performance Analysis of Fire‐resistant Damping Polyurethane
Authors: Qu Linlin , Min Yuanyuan , Hu Jin , Hong Ling
Published: August 2023

To improve the noise reduction and fire resistance of marine coating materials, some fire‐resistant polyurethane damping materials were prepared by varying the ratio of esterified branched polyols (EBP) and the 1,4 butanediol (1,4 BD), the content, and the particle size of the mica filler. The effects of branch chain, mica filler content, and particle size in polyurethane structure on the mechanical, dynamic mechanical properties, and fire resistance of polyurethane and its polymerization process were studied. The experimental results showed that the effective damping temperature range of polyurethane material widened from 42.1 °C to 76.6 °C, and then narrowed to 31.2 °C with the increase in EBP ratio. And the maximum loss factor (tanδmax) of these samples is 0.989. The increase of mica content and the decrease of mica particle size in polyurethane damping materials make the dynamic mechanical properties of polyurethane damping materials present a trend of first improving and then impairing. Moreover, the mechanical properties of polyurethane enhanced with the increase of EBP and weakened with the increase of mica mass fraction. This research is expected to advance the development of marine coatings and address noise reduction and fire protection challenges for marine materials.
Pyrazole‐Imidazopyridine Hydrazones: Synthesis, α‐Glucosidase, α‐Amylase Inhibitory Activity and Computational Studies
Authors: D Ganavi , Patil Shashank M. , Kumar Vasantha , Ramu Ramith , Poojary Boja
Published: August 2023

Diabetic complications poses major threat to mankind which found to be dangerously fatal all over the world. It is thought vital to find new class of molecules to combat diabetic problems. Thus, in continuation of our efforts in identifying new class of α‐glucosidase and α‐amylase inhibitors, a novel series of hybrid molecules comprising of imidazo[1,2‐a]pyridine and pyrazoles, i. e. (3‐(Substituted phenyl)‐1H‐pyrazol‐4‐yl)methylene)‐2,7‐dimethyl‐1H‐imidazo[1,2‐a]pyridine‐3‐carbohydrazide derivatives (8 a–m) were designed through a acyl hydrazone bridge. The compound (Z)‐N′‐({3‐[4‐(2‐Fluorobenzyloxy)phenyl]‐1H‐pyrazol‐4‐yl}methylene)‐2,7‐dimethyl‐imidazo[1,2‐a]pyridine‐3‐carbohydrazide (8 m) emerged as potent inhibitor of α‐glucosidase and α‐amylase enzyme with IC50 5.00±0.10 μg/mL and 15±0.35 μg/mL respectively. The enzyme kinetics studies revealed reversible non‐competitive mode of inhibition of 8 m against both enzymes. In addition, these compounds were subjected to detailed in‐silico studies to understand their interaction with respective target proteins.
Several Fundamental Aspects of MXene: Synthesis and Their Applications
Authors: Bharali Linkon , Kalita Juri , Sankar Dhar Siddhartha
Published: August 2023

MXene, a new member of the 2D material family, has stimulated research and been used in a variety of fields since its inception. It is a two dimensional transition metal‐based layered material made of carbides and nitrides. From the beginning of its discovery, the specific etching of the MAX phase and various predecessors have been employed to generate distinct compositions, with several compositions being theoretically envisaged. Due to their unique features, the MXene family is a prospective contender for a variety of applications, including, interference shielding by electromagnet, energy storage, electrocatalysis, water purification, environmental remediation, medicine and so on. The pure MXene as well as MXene based materials can be easily prepared from their MAX phases and easy implementation in broad range of areas. The review article includes the properties, MAX phase synthesis, selection of precursor materials, as well as commonly used preparation methods of MXene. A few applications of MXene based materials in variety of fields have been covered in this review. Additionally, the limitations and future prospects of MXene and MXene‐based compounds have been discussed.
Precooking Technology and Product Development of Coarse Cereals
Authors: Sun Juntao , Wei Quanzeng , Wang Deguo , Xiao Fugang , Zhou Mingming
Published: August 2023

The purpose of this study is to develop instant coarse cereal porridge to improve the convenience of coarse cereals by precooking. The effects of cooking time on the rehydration rate and gelatinization degree of coix seeds, red beans, lotus seeds, wheat kernels, and glutinous rice are investigated using the atmospheric pressure precooking process. Cooking time and quality variations of the coarse cereals are analyzed before and after precooking. The optimal cooking times for coix seeds, red beans, lotus seeds, wheat kernels, and glutinous rice under atmospheric pressure cooking are 110, 65, 40, 40, and 35 minutes (abbr. min), respectively. The rehydration rates are 171.5%, 190%, 170.67%, 224%, and 182.67%, respectively, and the gelatinization degrees are 90%, 74.54%, 80.1%, 92.85%, and 96.97%, respectively. The cooking times of pre‐cooked and pressed coix seeds, red beans, lotus seeds, wheat kernels, and glutinous rice are 10, 8, 12, 10, and 6 min, respectively. Compared to coarse cereals without precooking, the cooking time is reduced by 6.6, 6.5, 3, 4, and 2.3 times, respectively. Instant porridge prepared by combining precooked coarse cereals and dried fruits and vegetables can be consumed after soaking in boiling water for 20 min or boiling for 10 min.
Curcumin alleviates bisphenol AF‐induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in caprine endometrial epithelial cells via the Nrf2 signaling pathway
Authors: Liu Ming , Zhou Xu , Wang Xiao‐Jie , Wang Yong‐Sheng , Yang Sheng‐Ji , Ding Zhi‐Ming , Zhang Shou‐Xin , Zhang Li‐Dan , Duan Ze‐Qun , Liang Ai‐Xin , Huo Li‐Jun
Published: August 2023

Bisphenol AF (BPAF), a BPA‐substitute, has been widely used in industrial compounds throughout the world. Several studies have shown that BPAF has endocrine interference and reproductive toxicity. However, the toxic effects of BPAF on pregnancy and placenta of goats are still unclear. Therefore, the objective of this study was to reveal the toxic effect of BPAF by using an in vitro culture model of caprine endometrial epithelial cells (EECs) and further attempted to alleviate the toxicity by curcumin pretreatment. The results showed that BPAF induces significant effects on EECs, including decreased cell viability and mitochondrial membrane potential (△ψm), elevating intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), promoting cell apoptosis through upregulating the expression of Bax, Cytochrome c, and downregulating the expression of Bcl‐2. Meanwhile, BPAF induced dysregulation of oxidative stress by increasing the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH‐Px) but decreasing the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD). However, curcumin pretreatment could significantly attenuate BPAF‐induced toxic effects in EECs. Further study revealed that BPAF treatment could activate mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway and nuclear factor‐erythroid 2‐related factor 2 (Nrf2) expression, but curcumin pretreatment significantly inhibited the activation of MAPK signal pathway and Nrf2 expression induced by BPAF. Overall, this study indicated that curcumin could prevent BPAF‐induced EECs cytotoxicity, which provides a potential therapeutic strategy for female infertility associated with BPAF exposure.
Production and characterization of biodiesel from Chlorococcum sp.: A green microalgae
Authors: Oyelami Seun , Azeez Nurudeen A. , Adekanmi Abideen A. , Adeleke Kehinde M. , Oyewo Abideen T. , Adeyi Abiola J.
Published: August 2023

Present dependence on fossil sources for meeting energy demand globally is unsustainable as a result of non‐renewable and depleting supplies. Therefore, this study focuses on production and characterization of biodiesel by Chlorococcum littorale (Chlorococcum sp.) isolated from fish pond in Owode fish farm, Nigeria. Biomass concentration, lipid extraction and quantification were determined by filtration, solvent extraction and gravimetric methods. Extracted lipid was transesterified to diesel through process catalyzed by concentrated tetraoxosulphate (VI) acid. The constituents of fats in biodiesel produced were examined through chromatography of gas and spectroscopy of mass. Model prediction was used to assess physical and chemical parameters of biodiesel. The data gathered was subjected to statistical analysis. Chlorococcum sp. had biomass concentration (4.42 ± 0.02 g/L), Lipid content (67.75% and biodiesel yield (96.33%). Biodiesel had 48.3%, 29.20%, and 22.50% fatty acids that are saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated, respectively. The biodiesel produced has the kinematic viscosity (2.74 mm2/s at 40°C); point of flash (245°C); point of cloud (7°C); point of pour (−2°C) and density (0.8760 g/cm3). Furthermore, the acidity level (0.44 mgKOH/g), value of saponification (186.49 mgKOH/g), value of peroxide (3.25 meq/kg), iodine content (38.27 mgI2/g) as well as the free fatty acid (1.34%), number of cetane (65.78), oxidative resistance (7.33 h), saturated factor of long chain (28.16°C), plugging point of cold filter (35.62°C) and high heating value (43.24°C) fell within required standard by international body. Thus, Chlorococcum sp. is ideal microalgae isolate for the biodiesel production. The biodiesel produced conform satisfactorily with the acceptable global standard.
Consensus protocol for management of early and late twin–twin transfusion syndrome: Delphi study
Authors: Krispin E. , Javinani A. , Odibo A. , Carreras E. , Emery S. P. , Sepulveda Gonzalez G. , Habli M. , Hecher K. , Ishii K. , Miller J. , Papanna R. , Johnson A. , Khalil A. , Kilby M. D. , Lewi L. , Bennasar Sans M. , Otaño L. , Zaretsky M. V. , Sananes N. , Turan O. M. , Slaghekke F. , Stirnemann J. , Van Mieghem T. , Welsh A. W. , Yoav Y. , Chmait R. , Shamshirsaz A. A.
Published: August 2023

Objective

Fetoscopic laser photocoagulation (FLP) is a well‐established treatment for twin–twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) between 16 and 26 weeks' gestation. High‐quality evidence and guidelines regarding the optimal clinical management of very early (prior to 16 weeks), early (between 16 and 18 weeks) and late (after 26 weeks) TTTS are lacking. The aim of this study was to construct a structured expert‐based clinical consensus for the management of early and late TTTS.

Methods

A Delphi procedure was conducted among an international panel of experts. Participants were chosen based on their clinical expertise, affiliation and relevant publications. A four‐round Delphi survey was conducted using an online platform and responses were collected anonymously. In the first round, a core group of experts was asked to answer open‐ended questions regarding the indications, timing and modes of treatment for early and late TTTS. In the second and third rounds, participants were asked to grade each statement on a Likert scale (1, completely disagree; 5, completely agree) and to add any suggestions or modifications. At the end of each round, the median score for each statement was calculated. Statements with a median grade of 5 without suggestions for change were accepted as the consensus. Statements with a median grade of 3 or less were excluded from the Delphi process. Statements with a median grade of 4 were modified according to suggestions and reconsidered in the next round. In the last round, participants were asked to agree or disagree with the statements, and those with more than 70% agreement without suggestions for change were considered the consensus.

Results

A total of 122 experts met the inclusion criteria and were invited to participate, of whom 53 (43.4%) agreed to take part in the study. Of those, 75.5% completed all four rounds. A consensus on the optimal management of early and late TTTS was obtained. FLP can be offered as early as 15 weeks' gestation for selected cases, and can be considered up to 28 weeks. Between 16 and 18 weeks, management should be tailored according to Doppler findings.

Conclusions

A consensus‐based treatment protocol for early and late TTTS was agreed upon by a panel of experts. This protocol should be modified at the discretion of the operator, according to their experience and the specific demands of each case. This should advance the quality of future studies, guide clinical practice and improve patient care. © 2023 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Collaboration for source water protection in the United States: Community water systems engagement in nitrate pollution reduction
Authors: Rauh Eleanor , Hughes Sara
Published: August 2023

Contaminated source water for cities contributes to negative human health impacts and rising water treatment costs. Nutrient pollution is the primary source of surface water quality impairment in the United States and agriculture is the largest source of nutrient pollution (specifically nitrogen or nitrate) entering waterways. Solutions to source water contamination have historically centered on nutrient removal at the drinking water plant, which often requires additional investment. Pollution prevention through watershed management may be more cost‐effective in some contexts and has greater co‐benefits, and some drinking water managers and agricultural stakeholders have collaborated to create successful prevention programs. However, drinking water managers must balance several service requirements and regulatory standards, and may lack the resources or capacity needed to effectively engage in or initiate regional collaborations. This paper serves as an introduction to nutrient contamination of source waters and protection measures in the United States and provides a discussion of watershed‐scale collaboration, particularly the engagement of municipal drinking water managers.

This article is categorized under:

Human Water > Water Governance

Water and Life > Conservation, Management, and Awareness

Science of Water > Water Quality
Digesters as heat storage: Effects of the digester temperature on the process stability, sludge liquor quality, and the dewaterability
Authors: Steiniger Bettina , Hubert Christian , Schaum Christian
Published: August 2023

Variation of the digester temperature during the year enables the operation of digesters as seasonal heat storage contributing to a holistic heat management at water resource recovery facilities. Full‐ and lab‐scale process data were conducted to examine the effect of the digester temperature on process stability, sludge liquor quality, and dewaterability. Both full‐ and lab‐scale digesters show a stable anaerobic degradation process with a hydraulic retention time of more than 20 days and organic load rates up to 2.2‐kg COD/(m3·day) at temperatures between 33 and 53°C. The concentrations of soluble COD and ammonium‐nitrogen in the sludge liquor digested at 53°C are 2.6 to 5.8 times and 1.3 times higher, respectively, than in the sludge liquor digested at 37°C. Dewatering tests show an enhancement of the dewaterability but a clear increase in the polymer demand at increased digester temperature.

Practitioner Points

Digesters can operate as seasonal heat storage within mesophilic and thermophilic temperatures

Stable anaerobic degradation process for HRT above 20 days

Maintenance of process stability as well as quantity and quality of biogas

Increase of soluble COD in sludge liquor at higher temperatures

Better dewaterability but higher demand for polymers with increasing temperature
Recent developments in the use of centrifugal spinning and pressurized gyration for biomedical applications
Authors: Ahmed Jubair , Gultekinoglu Merve , Edirisinghe Mohan
Published: August 2023

Centrifugal spinning is a technology used to generate small diameter fibers and has been extensively studied for its vast applications in biomedical engineering. Centrifugal spinning is known for its rapid production rate and has inspired the creation of other technologies which leverage the high‐speed rotation, namely Pressurized Gyration. Pressurized gyration incorporates a unique applied gas pressure which serves to provide additional control over the fiber production process. The resulting fibers are uniquely suitable for a range of healthcare‐related applications that are thoroughly discussed in this work, which involve scaffolds for tissue engineering, solid dispersions for drug delivery, antimicrobial meshes for filtration and bandage‐like fibrous coverings for wound healing. In this review, the notable recent developments in centrifugal spinning and pressurized gyration are presented and how these technologies are being used to further the range of uses of biomaterials engineering, for example the development of core‐sheath fabrication techniques for multi‐layered fibers and the combination with electrospinning to produce advanced fiber mats. The enormous potential of these technologies and their future advancements highlights how important they are in the biomedical discipline.

This article is categorized under:

Implantable Materials and Surgical Technologies > Nanotechnology in Tissue Repair and Replacement

Nanotechnology Approaches to Biology > Nanoscale Systems in Biology

Biology‐Inspired Nanomaterials > Lipid‐Based Structures
Global constraints on non-standard neutrino interactions with quarks and electrons
Authors: Coloma Pilar , Gonzalez-Garcia M. C. , Maltoni Michele , Pinheiro João Paulo , Urrea Salvador
Published: August 2023

Abstract

We derive new constraints on effective four-fermion neutrino non-standard interactions with both quarks and electrons. This is done through the global analysis of neutrino oscillation data and measurements of coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CEνNS) obtained with different nuclei. In doing so, we include not only the effects of new physics on neutrino propagation but also on the detection cross section in neutrino experiments which are sensitive to the new physics. We consider both vector and axial-vector neutral-current neutrino interactions and, for each case, we include simultaneously all allowed effective operators in flavour space. To this end, we use the most general parametrization for their Wilson coefficients under the assumption that their neutrino flavour structure is independent of the charged fermion participating in the interaction. The status of the LMA-D solution is assessed for the first time in the case of new interactions taking place simultaneously with up quarks, down quarks, and electrons. One of the main results of our work are the presently allowed regions for the effective combinations of non-standard neutrino couplings, relevant for long-baseline and atmospheric neutrino oscillation experiments.
Correlation functions in $$ \textrm{T}\overline{\textrm{T}} $$-deformed Conformal Field Theories
Authors: Aharony Ofer , Barel Netanel
Published: August 2023

Abstract

We study the correlation functions of local operators in unitary $$ \textrm{T}\overline{\textrm{T}} $$
T

T
¯

-deformed field theories, using their formulation in terms of Jackiw-Teitelboim gravity. The position of the operators is defined using the dynamical coordinates of this formalism. We focus on the two-point correlation function in momentum space, when the undeformed theory is a conformal field theory. In particular, we compute the large momentum behavior of the correlation functions, which manifests the non-locality of the $$ \textrm{T}\overline{\textrm{T}} $$
T

T
¯

-deformed theory. The correlation function has UV-divergences, which are regulated by a point-splitting regulator. Renormalizing the operators requires multiplicative factors depending on the momentum, unlike the behavior in local QFTs. The large momentum limit of the correlator, which is the main result of this paper, is proportional to $$ {\left|q\right|}^{-\frac{q^2}{\pi \left|\Lambda \right|}} $$

q

−

q
2

π

Λ

, where q is the momentum and 1/|Λ| is the deformation parameter. Interestingly, the exponent here has a different sign from earlier results obtained by resummation of small q computations. The decay at large momentum implies that the operators behave non-locally at the scale set by the deformation parameter.
Harvest location has a minimal impact on differences in cross‐sectional area of quadriceps tendon in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction
Authors: Inoue Jumpei , Takeuchi Satoshi , Dadoo Sahil , Takaba Keishi , Lesinak Bryson P. , Musahl Volker , Onishi Kentaro
Published: August 2023

Purpose

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction with quadriceps tendon (QT) has been gaining popularity. However, it is unknown how differences in harvest location of the QT affect its thickness and cross‐sectional area (CSA). The present study aimed to clarify the differences in thickness and CSA of the QT based on location of tendon harvesting.

Methods

Patients scheduled for, or who underwent, ACL reconstruction were prospectively included in the study. The short‐axis images on ultrasound were used to assess the CSA of the QT at 30 and 60 mm proximal to the superior pole of the patella. QT autografts with CSAs greater than or equal to 10 mm of width were included and measured at three different locations, namely the center, medial one‐third, and lateral one‐third at the widest diameter of the QT. Patients with less than 10‐mm width of the QT at 60 mm proximal to the superior pole of the patella were excluded. The thickness and CSA were compared based on the location of tendon harvest.

Results

Thirty‐seven patients were recruited for the study. The mean thickness and CSA were larger in the center of the QT compared to the lateral one‐third at 30 mm proximal to the superior pole of the patella (thickness, 6.7 ± 1.3 mm vs. 5.9 ± 1.3 mm; P = 0.009; CSA, 65.6 ± 11.4 mm2 vs. 58.8 ± 11.9 mm2; P = 0.036). There were no significant differences in thickness and CSA of the QT among the three assessment locations at 60 mm proximal to the superior pole of the patella (n.s.).

Conclusion

The thickness and CSA of QT was greater in the center compared to the lateral one‐third at 30 mm proximal to the QT insertion point. However, the difference in value was clinically non‐significant, and therefore, harvest location of the QT autograft may not meaningfully impact intraoperative graft diameter. As a result, surgeons may choose the harvest location without concern for resultant graft diameter as long as the enough length of QT is secured.

Level of evidence

III.
NAVIO RATKA shows similar rates of hemoglobin‐drop, adverse events, readmission and early revision vs conventional TKA: a single centre retrospective cohort study
Authors: Vandenberk Jim , Mievis Jan , Deferm Jorien , Janssen Daniël , Bollars Peter , Vandenneucker Hilde
Published: August 2023

Purpose

Despite widespread adoption of NAVIO robotic‐assisted total knee arthroplasty (NAVIO RATKA) in clinical practice, clinical outcome in terms of adverse events and complications remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to compare adverse events, length of stay, surgical time, hemoglobin drop, early readmission rate and revision rate between conventional TKA (CTKA) and NAVIO RATKA.

Methods

This single‐centre retrospective cohort analysis compared 230 NAVIO RATKA patients to 489 CTKA patients with a minimal follow‐up of 12 months. Baseline demographic and comorbidity parameters were collected, as well as length of stay, revision rate and reason for revision, early readmission rate (< 6w) and reason for readmission, post‐operative hemoglobin levels, adverse events, surgical time and operating room time. Data were compared using Mann–Whitney U test for continuous data without normal distribution and ordinal data, categorical variables were compared using the Chi‐square or Fisher exact test.

Results

There were no clinically relevant baseline demographic or comorbidity differences between groups. CTKA had shorter length of stay than NAVIO RATKA (5.0 days vs 5.4 days, p = 0.010) but trended towards a higher reoperation rate (4.1% vs 1.7%, p = .144, n.s). No differences were found in hemoglobin drop, readmission rate or overall incidence of adverse events, but CTKA showed more hematoma formation (1.6% vs 0%, p = .044) and higher incidence of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) (1% vs 0%, p = n.s.), whilst NAVIO RATKA showed more periprosthetic fractures and persistent wound drainage (0.4% vs 2.2%, p = .038 and 0.6% vs 4.3%, p = .001, respectively). Surgical time remained significantly longer in NAVIO RATKA during all 230 cases (87 min vs 67.6 min) and showed a continuous downward trend.

Conclusions

This study further validates the usage of NAVIO RATKA as a safe method to perform TKA, with comparable short term outcomes to CTKA in terms of early revisions and adverse events. Surgeons should be mindful of the differing adverse event profile in NAVIO RATKA and adjust their patient selection accordingly to ensure optimal outcomes. In addition, surgeons using NAVIO RATKA should expect a linear learning curve and a surgical time exceeding that of CTKA.

Level of evidence

Level III (therapeutic retrospective cohort study).
Infrared in-line monitoring of flaws in steel welded joints: a preliminary approach with SMAW and GMAW processes
Authors: Santoro Luca , Sesana Raffaella , Molica Nardo Rosario , Curá Francesca
Published: August 2023

The non-destructive full-field non-contact thermographic technique is applied for non-destructive flaw detection of the welded joints, in real-time and offline configuration. In this paper, a thermographic procedure for real-time flaw detection in manual arc welding process is presented. Surface temperature acquisitions by means of an IR camera were performed during arc welding process of 8 specimen both for calibration and validation of the numerical model. The investigated variables are the technique (manual stick arc (SMAW) and gas arc (GMAW) welding) and the joint shape (butt and T joint) for steel joints, in sound conditions and with artificial flaws. Numerical simulation of welding thermal transients was run to obtain the expected surface temperature fields and thermal behavior for different welding parameter configurations. Hardness measurement and micro-graphic analysis were performed to validate numerical simulation results. The real-time thermographic study of the weld pool gives direct indications of anomalies; local studies of the thermal transient and thermal profiles can detect some kind of flaws; microstructural analysis of Heat-Affected Zone (HAZ) and surrounding areas higlights the presence of austenite and martensite distribution which justifies the thermal transients and thermal profiles for different welding configurations. Comparing real-time IR acquisition of the welding process with simulated thermal contours of sound processes provides information of presence of some kind of flaws. Since most of the flaws are generated in the weld pool, it is possible to recognize anomalies directly from the thermal acquisitions or with post-processing the acquired data.
Machine learning models for online detection of wear and friction behaviour of biomedical graded stainless steel 316L under lubricating conditions
Authors: Korkmaz Mehmet Erdi , Gupta Munish Kumar , Singh Gurminder , Kuntoğlu Mustafa , Patange Abhishek , Demirsoz Recep , Ross Nimel Sworna , Prasad Brijesh
Published: August 2023

Particularly in sectors where mechanisation is increasing, there has been persistent effort to maximise the use of existing assets. Since maintenance management is accountable for the accessibility of assets, it stands to acquire prominence in this setting. One of the most common methods for keeping equipment in good working order is predictive maintenance with machine learning methods. Failures can be spotted before they cause any downtime or extra expenses, and with this aim, the present work deals with the online detection of wear and friction characteristics of stainless steel 316L under lubricating conditions with machine learning models. Wear rate and friction forces were taken into account as reaction parameters, and biomedical-graded stainless steel 316L was chosen as the work material. With more testing, the J48 method’s accuracy improves to 100% in low wear conditions and 99.27% in heavy wear situations. In addition, the graphic showed the accuracy values for several models. The J48 model is the most precise amongst all others, with a value of 100% (minimum wear) and an average of 98.92% (higher wear). Amongst all the models tested under varying machining conditions, the J48’s 98.92% (low wear) and 98.92% (high wear) recall scores stand out as very impressive (higher wear). In terms of F1-score, J48 performs better than any competing model at 99.45% (low wear) and 98.92% (higher wear). As a result, the J48 improves the model’s overall performance.
Testing under information manipulation
Authors: Martinez-Gorricho Silvia , Oyarzun Carlos
Published: August 2023

A principal makes a binary decision based on evidence that can be manipulated by a privately informed agent. The principal’s objective is to minimize the expected loss associated to type I and II errors. When the principal can commit to an acceptance standard, the optimal test features ex-post inefficient standards, to internalize the agent’s manipulation incentives. We provide conditions for the principal to set soft or harsh standards, that is, lower or higher standards, respectively, than the ex-post optimal standard. When misaligned manipulation (i.e., manipulation by the low type) is dominant, the principal sets soft standards when the prior probability that the candidate is low type is relatively small. In contrast, when aligned manipulation (i.e., manipulation by the high type) is dominant, the principal sets soft standards when the prior probability that the candidate is low type is relatively large. In both scenarios, these soft standards result in that the non-commitment equilibrium outcome is Pareto dominated by the equilibrium outcome under commitment. We also provide conditions for the optimal revelation mechanism to Pareto dominate commitment when the prior probability that the agent is low type is relatively large.
Does vitamin D protect or treat Parkinson’s disease? A narrative review
Authors: Al-kuraishy Hayder M. , Al-Gareeb Ali I. , Selim Hend Mostafa , Alexiou Athanasios , Papadakis Marios , Negm Walaa A. , Batiha Gaber El-Saber
Published: August 2023

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative brain disease (NBD) developed due to dopaminergic neuron loss in the substantia nigra (SN). Vitamin D (VD), VD receptor (VDR), and VD metabolites are highly expressed in the human brain and play a critical role in maintaining different brain functions. VDRs are highly expressed in the SN that regulates the activity of dopaminergic neurons and synaptic plasticity. VD exerts protective and therapeutic effects against the development of PD by modulating dopaminergic neurons of SN. VD reduces oxidative stress and neuroinflammation in PD because of its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. Different studies revealed the protective effect of VD in the management of PD. However, the potential therapeutic effect of VD in well-established PD remains controversial. Therefore, this review aims to elucidate VD’s preventive and therapeutic roles in PD. In conclusion, VD deficiency is associated with increased PD risk, but VD supplementation in well-established PD plays little role.
Stabilization-free HHO a posteriori error control
Authors: Bertrand Fleurianne , Carstensen Carsten , Gräßle Benedikt , Tran Ngoc Tien
Published: August 2023

The known a posteriori error analysis of hybrid high-order methods treats the stabilization contribution as part of the error and as part of the error estimator for an efficient and reliable error control. This paper circumvents the stabilization contribution on simplicial meshes and arrives at a stabilization-free error analysis with an explicit residual-based a posteriori error estimator for adaptive mesh-refining as well as an equilibrium-based guaranteed upper error bound (GUB). Numerical evidence in a Poisson model problem supports that the GUB leads to realistic upper bounds for the displacement error in the piecewise energy norm. The adaptive mesh-refining algorithm associated to the explicit residual-based a posteriori error estimator recovers the optimal convergence rates in computational benchmarks.
Biunit pairs in semiheaps and associated semigroups
Authors: Rybołowicz Bernard , Zapata-Carratalá Carlos
Published: August 2023

The notion of neutral element generalizes to a pair of elements in ternary algebras. Biunit pairs are introduced as pairs of elements in a semiheap that generalize the notion of Mal’cev element. In order to generalize the known correspondences between semiheaps and certain kinds of semigroups, families of functions generalizing involutions and conjugations, called switches and warps, are investigated. The main theorem establishes that there is a one-to-one correspondence between monoids equipped with a particular switch and semiheaps with a fixed biunit pair. This generalizes the celebrated result in semiheap theory that gives a one-to-one correspondence between involuted monoids and semiheaps with a fixed biunit element. A novel, previously undocumented, algebra is motivated by this result: diheaps are introduced as semiheaps whose elements belong to biunit pairs, which generalize the well-known case of heaps. Diheaps are of great interest since they are shown to be isomorphic to heaps only when they are heaps themselves and explicit non-heap examples are constructed from abelian groups and hypermatrices.
Tricuspid Valve Repair Can Restore the Prognosis of Patients with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome and Tricuspid Valve Regurgitation: A Meta-analysis
Authors: Ponzoni Matteo , Azzolina Danila , Vedovelli Luca , Gregori Dario , Vida Vladimiro L. , Padalino Massimo A.
Published: August 2023

To date, evidence supporting the efficacy of tricuspid valve (TV) repair in interrupting the progression of systemic right ventricular (RV) adverse remodeling in hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) is conflicting. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of scientific literature to assess the impact of TV repair in effectively modifying the prognosis of patients with HLHS. We conducted a systematic review of PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases. A random-effect meta-analysis was performed and transplant-free survival, freedom from TV regurgitation, and TV reoperation data were reconstructed using the published Kaplan–Meier curves. Nine studies were included, comprising 203 HLHS patients undergoing TV repair and 323 HLHS controls. The estimated transplant-free survival at 1, 5, and 10 years of follow-up was 75.5% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 67.6–84.3%], 63.6% [95% CI = 54.6–73.9%], and 61.9% [95% CI = 52.7–72.6%], respectively. Transplant-free survival was comparable to HLHS peers without TV regurgitation (p = 0.59). Five-year freedom from recurrence of TV regurgitation and freedom from TV reoperation was 57% [95% CI = 46.7–69.7%] and 63.6% [95% CI = 54.5–74.3%], respectively. Younger age and TV repair at the time of Norwood operation increased the risk of TV regurgitation recurrence and the need for TV reoperation. Our meta-analysis supports the efficacy of TV repair in favorably modifying the prognosis of patients with HLHS and TV regurgitation, reestablishing a medium-term transplant-free survival which is comparable to HLHS peers. However, durability of surgery and long-term fate of TV and RV performance are still unclear.

Graphical Abstract
EANM procedural recommendations for managing the paediatric patient in diagnostic nuclear medicine
Authors: Camoni Luca , Santos Andrea , Luporsi Marie , Grilo Ana , Pietrzak Agata , Gear Jonathan , Zucchetta Pietro , Bar-Sever Zvi
Published: August 2023

Purpose

The manuscript aims to characterize the principles of best practice in performing nuclear medicine procedures in paediatric patients. The paper describes all necessary technical skills that should be developed by the healthcare professionals to ensure the best possible care in paediatric patients, as it is particularly challenging due to psychological and physical conditions of children.

Methods

We performed a comprehensive literature review to establish the most relevant elements of nuclear medicine studies in paediatric patients. We focused the attention to the technical aspects of the study, such as patient preparation, imaging protocols, and immobilization techniques, that adhere to best practice principles. Furthermore, we considered the psychological elements of working with children, including comforting and distraction strategies.

Results

The extensive literature review combined with practical conclusions and recommendations presented and explained by the authors summarizes the most important principles of the care for paediatric patient in the nuclear medicine field.

Conclusion

Nuclear medicine applied to the paediatric patient is a very special and challenging area, requiring proper education and experience in order to be performed at the highest level and with the maximum safety for the child.
A Neural Integrity Monitor Electromyography Endotracheal Tube Causes More Severe Postoperative Sore Throat Than a Standard Endotracheal Tube in Adults: A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Liu Xi , Cheng Zhongliang , Chen Xiaoxiao , Rao Zhenghuan , Wang Aizhong
Published: August 2023

Background

This study aimed at figuring out the different effects of a neural integrity monitor electromyography endotracheal tube (NIM‐EMG‐ETT) and a standard endotracheal tube (ETT) on postoperative sore throat (POST).

Methods

This prospective cohort study enrolled 143 patients scheduled to undergo general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation. Patients were allocated into three groups: Group A, non‐thyroid surgery with a standard ETT; Group B, thyroid surgery with a standard ETT; Group C, thyroid surgery with a NIM‐EMG‐ETT. The incidence, the severity and visual analog scale (VAS) of POST were recorded. The incidence and the severity of POST were tested byχ2test or Fisher’s exact test. And VAS of POST was tested by Kruskal–Wallis test.

Results

The incidences of POST in Group B and Group C were significantly higher than that of Group A at all the time points after extubation (P < 0.001). The incidences of POST in Group C was significantly higher than that in Group B at 8 h, 24 h and 48 h after extubation (89.4% vs. 68.8%,P = 0.014, relative risk (RR) 1.30, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.05–1.61; 89.4% vs. 58.3%,P = 0.001, RR 1.53, 95% CI 1.18–1.98; 76.6% vs. 45.8%,P = 0.002, RR 1.67, 95% CI 1.18–2.36). Moreover, there was a significant higher VAS of POST and more serious POST with Group C than with Group B.

Conclusions

A NIM‐EMG‐ETT may induce higher incidence of POST and more serious POST than a standard ETT.

Trail Registration

Chinese Clinical Trail Registry (http://www.chictr.org.cn/index.aspx, ChiCTR2200058896, 2022‐4‐18).
The Retinoblastoma-related gene RBL901 can trigger drought response actions in potato
Authors: Sołtys-Kalina Dorota , Macko-Podgórni Alicja , Plich Jarosław , Boguszewska-Mańkowska Dominika , Szajko Katarzyna , Smyda-Dajmund Paulina , Grzebelus Dariusz , Marczewski Waldemar
Published: August 2023

Key Message

This study provided new insights into response of potato to drought stress.
Oral antibiotics and mechanical bowel preparation for colorectal surgery: A prospective observational study of surgical site infection and microbial analysis
Authors: Rutegård Martin , Tang Alethea , Gregoire Darren James , Stewart Christopher , Hurt Libor , Chandler Susan , Hitchings Matthew David , Healy Brendan , Harris Dean
Published: August 2023

Purpose

Surgical site infections (SSIs) are common in colorectal surgery. Mechanical bowel preparation (MBP) in conjunction with oral antibiotics (OABs) have been shown to reduce SSI rates. It however is still unclear which OABs to use, and how this can be implemented in practice.

Methods

This is a prospective observational study carried out in Swansea Bay University Health Board during 2019–2021, evaluating the introduction of OABs in a stepwise manner on the incidence of SSI in major colorectal surgery. A control group having MBP only was compared to two OAB groups: one group had MBP plus metronidazole only and the second MBP plus metronidazole and neomycin. A 30-day follow-up after surgery was ascertained via chart review and telephone contact. Logistic regression was performed to estimate the relation between OAB use and SSI, with adjustment for confounding. In a subset of patients, faecal samples were analysed through 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing before and after OAB treatment, depicting the impact of the gut microbiome.

Results

In total 160 patients were analysed: 46 patients had MBP only, whilst 76 patients had MBP plus metronidazole only and 38 patients had MBP with metronidazole/neomycin. The SSI rate in the entire cohort was 33.8%, whilst the adjusted ORs for the single- and dual-OAB groups were 0.76 (95% CI: 0.17–1.81) and 0.50 (95% CI: 0.17–1.52). The microbial analysis demonstrated that the relative abundance for many bacterial genera was changed before and after OAB treatment, but no link with SSI development could be shown.

Conclusions

Introduction of OABs in conjunction with MBP in colorectal surgery is feasible, and may potentially lead to lower rates of SSI, as well as altering the community structure of the faecal microbiome. More research is needed, especially considering different OABs and mechanistic studies of the gut microbiome in the context of colorectal surgery.
Association between three-year mortality after transcatheter aortic valve implantation and paravalvular regurgitation graded by videodensitometry in comparison with visual grading
Authors: Elzomor Hesham , Neumann Timotheus J. , Boas Linus , Ruile Philipp , Abdelshafy Mahmoud , Elkoumy Ahmed , Revaiah Pruthvi C. , Tsai Tsung-Ying , Kaier Klaus , Soliman Osama , Ferenc Miroslaw , Westermann Dirk , Neumann Franz-Josef , Serruys Patrick , Schoechlin Simon
Published: August 2023

Background

Estimation of regurgitant fraction by videodensitometry (VD-AR) of aortic root angiograms is a new tool for objective grading of paravalvular regurgitation (PVR) after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Stratification with boundaries at 6% and 17% has been proposed to reflect “none/trace”, “mild” and “moderate or higher” PVR.

Objective

We sought to investigate the association of strata of VD-AR with 3-year mortality and to compare VD-AR with visual grading of angiograms.

Methods

We interrogated our database for patients undergoing transfemoral TAVI from 2008 to 2018. Vital status of the patients was obtained from population registers. To test differences in survival and estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) we fitted Cox models.

Results

Our retrospective study included 699 patients with evaluable angiograms at completion of the TAVI procedure. Cumulative 3-year mortality was 35.0% in 261 (37.3%) patients with VD-AR < 6%, 33.9% in 325 (46.5%) patients with VD-AR between 6 and 17% (HR [95% confidence interval] 1.06 [0.80–1.42]; P = 0.684) and 47.2% in 113 (16.2%) patients with VD-AR > 17% (HR 1.57 [1.11–2.22]; P = 0.011). Visually, PVR was graded as “none/trace” in 470 (67.2%) patients, as “mild” in 219 (31.3%) and as “moderate” in 10 (1.4%). Both mild PVR and moderate PVR on visual grading were significantly associated with mortality (HRs 1.31 [1.12–1.54]; P = 0.001 and 1.92 [1.13–3.24]; P = 0.015; respectively).

Conclusions

VD-AR > 17%, but not VD-AR 6–17%, was independently associated with mortality. Compared with subjective visual evaluation, VD-AR resulted in a smaller proportion of patients with PVR classified as prognostically relevant.

Graphical Abstract