bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A qualitative exploration of the contribution of blue space to well‐being in the lives of people with severe mental illness
Authors: Wright Kim , Eden Samantha , Hancox Anna , Windget Danielle , Elliott Lewis , Glossop Zoe , Johnston Gordon , Johnston Rose I. , Lobban Fiona , Lodge Christopher , Palmier‐Claus Jasper , Parkin Sally , White Piran C. L. , Bell Sarah L.
Published: March 2024

The majority of research into the mental health benefits of blue space (outdoor places where water is a central feature) has focussed on the associations between neighbourhood exposure to these spaces and population‐level incidence of unipolar depression or anxiety disorder. There has been little exploration of the therapeutic use of blue space by those navigating bipolar, schizophrenia or other psychotic conditions. Knowledge arising from such an exploration could assist in the design and optimisation of nature‐based care for people with these conditions, as well as with self‐management.

We conducted semi‐structured online and telephone interviews with 19 adults who self‐reported experience of these conditions. Interviews were conducted in the United Kingdom from August to December 2021.

We describe four of the key interpretive themes identified via an in‐depth inductive thematic analysis of the interview transcripts to highlight how participants sought out moments of affective sanctuary through their blue encounters. Blue spaces were described as having the potential to reset the mind, emotions and body. This was in part due to their socially undemanding nature, and ability to provide respite from a socially stressful world.

Participants described developing a blue identity, whereby a sense of attachment to and shared history with these places was articulated as well as incorporating blue spaces into self‐ and emotion‐regulation practices. Finally, participants described experiences of and recommendations for a therapeutic blue intervention. The role of biodiversity in contributing to the benefits of blue spaces was implied primarily in terms of perceived soundscapes, but also through visual observations.

Synthesis and applications. Blue care for people with bipolar, schizophrenia or other psychotic conditions should consider the need that some individuals have for solitude and proximity to their home when they visit blue spaces, as well as individual differences in the features of blue space interactions that provide the greatest benefit.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Post‐hip‐fracture knee pain in older adults prolongs their hospital stays: A retrospective analysis using propensity score matching
Authors: Kaizu Yoichi , Miyata Kazuhiro , Arii Hironori
Published: March 2024

Background and Purpose

Post‐hip‐fracture knee pain (PHFKP) occurs in ∼28%–37% of patients and contributes to a prolonged length of hospital stay (LOS). Analyses of LOS prolongation due to PHFKP have been limited to univariate analyses that do not consider important confounding factors. After adjusting for important confounding factors, we investigated whether the presence or absence of PHFKP makes a difference in LOS in patients with hip fractures.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective review of the medical records of patients who had undergone postoperative rehabilitation after surgery for a hip fracture. Demographic and clinical information, discharge parameters, and PHFKP development information were collected from the medical records. Using propensity score matching, we performed a two‐group comparison of LOS, the functional independence measure (FIM) motor score (FIMm), FIMm gain, and FIMm effectiveness in patients with and without PHFKP. Six variables were included in the calculation of propensity scores: age, sex, body mass index, fracture type, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status, and independence in activities of daily living at discharge. One‐way analysis of variance was used to examine the details of the relationships between LOS and (i) the time of PHFKP development and (ii) pain intensity.

Results

We analyzed the cases of 261 patients, of whom 87 (33.3%) developed PHFKP. In propensity score matching, 80 patients were each matched to a patient in the PHFKP or non‐PHFKP group. After propensity score matching, a between‐group comparison revealed that the PHFKP group had a longer LOS (+11 days) than the non‐PHFKP group, and there were no differences in FIMm gain or FIMm effectiveness. The timing of PHFKP development and pain intensity were not related to the LOS.

Discussion

Even after adjusting for confounders, the development of PHFKP was found to prolong LOS. Clinicians should be aware of possible LOS prolongation in hip fracture patients with PHFKP.
Proteomics techniques in protein biomarker discovery
Authors: Babaei Mahsa , Kashanian Soheila , Lee Huang‐Teck , Harding Frances
Published: March 2024

Protein biomarkers represent specific biological activities and processes, so they have had a critical role in cancer diagnosis and medical care for more than 50 years. With the recent improvement in proteomics technologies, thousands of protein biomarker candidates have been developed for diverse disease states. Studies have used different types of samples for proteomics diagnosis. Samples were pretreated with appropriate techniques to increase the selectivity and sensitivity of the downstream analysis and purified to remove the contaminants. The purified samples were analyzed by several principal proteomics techniques to identify the specific protein. In this study, recent improvements in protein biomarker discovery, verification, and validation are investigated. Furthermore, the advantages, and disadvantages of conventional techniques, are discussed. Studies have used mass spectroscopy (MS) as a critical technique in the identification and quantification of candidate biomarkers. Nevertheless, after protein biomarker discovery, verification and validation have been required to reduce the false‐positive rate where there have been higher number of samples. Multiple reaction monitoring (MRM), parallel reaction monitoring (PRM), and selected reaction monitoring (SRM), in combination with stable isotope‐labeled internal standards, have been examined as options for biomarker verification, and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for validation.
Contraceptive choice and decision‐making among college students in a Southeastern US state
Authors: Kimiecik Clare , Maness Sarah B. , Sundstrom Beth
Published: March 2024

Introduction

Choosing the right contraception can be a daunting process and it is important that people feel in control of their bodies during this decision‐making process.

Materials and Methods

This study investigates who college‐aged students talk to about their hormonal contraceptive choice and how that impacts their feeling of control during their decision‐making process.

Results

The study found participants spoke to a variety of sources about this decision, like their healthcare providers when they wanted a clinical point of view, their mothers when they wanted a more personal and caring point a view, their overall social networks when they wanted multiple point of views, and some participants ultimately felt the most control when just referring to themselves and their own feelings.

Conclusions

More research can be done on how specific beliefs among figures in college‐aged students' lives impact these contraceptive discussions, the choices they feel they can make, and how in control of themselves they feel.
Comprehensive Characterization of Starch from Diverse Sources: Physicochemical, and Functional Properties
Authors: Sinhmar Archana , Sharma Somesh , Pathera Ashok Kumar , Nehra Manju , Thory Rahul , Nain Vikash , Godara Sachin Kumar
Published: March 2024

The present study is based on the comprehensive characterization of starches from pearl millet, sorghum, mango kernel, and water chestnut. The starches are analyzed to observe the difference in physicochemical, pasting, rheological, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X‐ray diffraction (XRD) properties. The amylose content from diverse sources ranges from 17.3 to 26.3%. The swelling power and solubility of the starches are influenced by the increase in temperature. It is observed that an increase in temperature results in increased swelling power and solubility. At 90 °C, mango kernel starch shows the highest swelling power while pearl millet starch shows the lowest. The botanical sources influence the pasting and rheological properties, and a significant difference (p < 0.05) is observed in all the parameters recorded. The peak viscosity (PV) of starches ranges from 1256 to 2101 cP. All the starches possess almost similar and typical starch FTIR spectra. The starches from all sources show prominent peaks at 15.2, 17, 18.3, and 23 (2θ), corresponding to a typical A‐type starch crystallinity organization.
Improving the potential of BDF@SPS to search for new physics with liquid argon time projection chambers
Authors: Ferrillo Martina , Ovchynnikov Maksym , Resnati Filippo , De Roeck Albert
Published: March 2024

Abstract

Beam dump experiments proposed at the SPS are perfectly suited to explore the parameter space of models with long-lived particles, thanks to the combination of a large intensity with a high proton beam energy. In this paper, we study how the exploration power may be augmented further by installing a detector based on liquid argon time projection chamber technology. In particular, we consider several signatures of new physics particles that may be uniquely searched for with such a detector, including double bang events with heavy neutral leptons, inelastic light dark matter, and millicharged particles.
Intermediate charge-breaking phases and symmetry non-restoration in the 2-Higgs-Doublet Model
Authors: Aoki Mayumi , Biermann Lisa , Borschensky Christoph , Ivanov Igor P. , Mühlleitner Margarete , Shibuya Hiroto
Published: March 2024

Abstract

The Higgs potentials of extended Higgs sectors exhibit a complex and interesting vacuum structure. When travelling back in time, i.e. going to higher temperatures, the structure may change and exhibit interesting phase patterns and sequences of phases related to the respective minima of the potential. The investigation of the vacuum structure can give us indirect insights in beyond-Standard-Model physics and the evolution of the Universe. In this paper, we investigate the possibility of an intermediate charge-breaking (CB) phase in the 2-Higgs-Doublet Model (2HDM) type I. The existence has been reported previously by using a simple potential setup. We here confirm that the intermediate CB phase can still exist when using the one-loop corrected effective potential including thermal masses. We discuss its features and the relation with SU(2) symmetry (non-)restoration as well as its consistency with the current experimental data. Lastly, we show for some selected benchmark points the rich and interesting phase patterns and sequences that the 2HDM can undergo during its evolution from the early Universe to today’s electroweak vacuum.
Evaluation of hemorrhagic shock and fluid resuscitation in pigs using handless Doppler carotid artery ultrasound
Authors: Zhao Xiaoli , Yuan Wei , Wang Shuo , Wu Junyuan , Li Chunsheng
Published: March 2024

Objective

This study aimed to utilize a hemorrhagic shock pig model to compare two hemodynamic monitoring methods, pulse index continuous cardiac output (PiCCO) and spectral carotid artery Doppler ultrasound (CDU). Additionally, we sought to explore the feasibility of employing CDU as a non-invasive hemodynamic monitoring tool in the context of hemorrhagic shock and fluid resuscitation.

Design

Animal experiments.

Setting and subjects

Female pigs were selected, and hemorrhagic shock was induced by rapid bleeding through an arterial sheath.

Interventions

Hemodynamic monitoring was conducted using both PiCCO and CDU during episodes of hemorrhagic shock and fluid resuscitation.

Measurements and main results

Among the 10 female pigs studied, CDU measurements revealed a significant decrease in carotid velocity time integral (cVTI) compared to baseline values under shock conditions. During the resuscitation phase, after the mean arterial pressure (MAP) returned to its baseline level, there was no significant difference between cVTI and baseline values. A similar trend was observed for carotid peak velocity (cPV). The corrected flow time (FTc) exhibited a significant difference only at the time of shock compared to baseline values. In comparison to PiCCO, there was a significant correlation between cVTI and MAP (r = 0.616, P < 0.001), stroke volume (SV) (r = 0.821, P < 0.001), and cardiac index (CI) (r = 0.698, P < 0.001). The carotid Doppler shock index (cDSI) displayed negative correlations with MAP (r =  − 0.593, P < 0.001), SV (r =  − 0.761, P < 0.001), and CI (r =  − 0.548, P < 0.001), while showing a positive correlation with the shock index (SI) (r = 0.647, P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Compared to PiCCO, CDU monitoring can reliably reflect the volume status of hemorrhagic shock and fluid resuscitation. CDU offers the advantages of being non-invasive, providing real-time data, and being operationally straightforward. These characteristics make it a valuable tool for assessing and managing hemorrhagic shock, especially in resource-limited settings.
Steigende Inzidenzen bei Mastoidektomien im Kindesalter
Authors: Gehrke Thomas , Scherzad Agmal
Published: March 2024

Hintergrund

In den Jahren 2022 und 2023 wurde eine steigende Anzahl an Mastoiditiden bei Kindern und damit auch ein Anstieg der Mastoidektomien bei Kindern beobachtet.

Ziel der Arbeit

Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit war es, den Anstieg der Anzahl an Patienten mit Mastoiditis und folgender Mastoidektomie zu analysieren, Korrelationen mit vorheriger Antibiotikatherapie und COVID-Infektionen zu untersuchen und einen Überblick über Keimspektrum, Krankheitsverlauf und Therapie zu geben.

Material und Methoden

Dazu wurde eine retrospektive Analyse aller seit 2012 behandelten Patienten mit Mastoiditis durchgeführt, bei denen eine Mastoidektomie durchgeführt werden musste. Evaluiert wurden Art und Dauer vorangegangener Symptome und einer vorherigen Antibiotikatherapie, Diagnostik und Krankheitsverlauf sowie Keimspektrum, Dauer des Krankenhausaufenthalts und Komplikationen.

Ergebnisse

Es wurde ein hoch signifikanter Anstieg an Mastoiditiden und somit auch an Mastoidektomien ab 2022 gezeigt. Weder Keimspektrum noch Krankheitsverlauf oder Komplikationsrate unterschieden sich von den vorherigen Jahren mit niedrigerer Inzidenz. Eher konnte eine Zunahme bereits ambulant antibiotisch vortherapierter Patienten gezeigt werden. Etwa die Hälfte der seit Herbst 2022 erkrankten Patienten hatte eine positive COVID-Anamnese. Adenoidhyperplasie spielte ursächlich eine deutlich geringere Rolle als in den Jahren zuvor.

Schlussfolgerung

Eine Korrelation zu reduzierter ambulanter Antibiotikagabe erscheint bei in diesem Kollektiv eher steigender Anzahl somit kausal als unwahrscheinlich. Ob ein Zusammenhang mit einer durchgemachten COVID-Infektion besteht, kann aufgrund der hohen Dunkelziffer bei asymptomatischen und nicht nachgewiesenen Fällen nicht abschließend beurteilt werden.
Circular usage of waste cooking oil towards green electrical discharge machining process with lower carbon emissions
Authors: Ishfaq Kashif , Sana Muhammad , Waseem Muhammad Umair , Anwar Saqib , Zia Abdul Wasy
Published: March 2024

A global manufacturing community is dedicatedly striving to implement the concept of NetZero in precision cutting of difficult-to-machine materials, specifically, Inconel 617 (IN617) with due consideration to environmental protocols. The fast strain hardening issue of the said alloy during conventional processing rationalizes the application of electric discharge machining (EDM). However, EDM has been criticized for its high energy consumption and limited cutting efficiency. Moreover, conventional dielectric (kerosene) employed in EDM has drastic environmental and operator health concerns. To address the abovementioned issues, waste cooking oil (WCO) has been employed in this study which enhances the reusability of resources and minimizes the cost of the dielectric. Making the process sustainable is imperative along with continuously escalating scarcity of engineering resources. Therefore, the potential of shallow and deep cryogenically treated electrodes (SCT and DCT) has been comprehensively examined against nanofilled WCO to achieve the aforementioned objective. Three different concentrations of powder (Cp) and surfactant (Cs) to uplift the machining responses are investigated through a detailed parametric experimental design. Core machining factors such as material removal rate (MRR), surface roughness (SR), and specific energy consumption (SEC) are examined through optical and electron microscopy studies and 3D surface profilometry. Hereafter, machining factors are modelled using the artificial neural network (ANN) technique. An exceptional improvement of 80%, 25.3%, and 75.16% has been achieved in MRR, SR, and SEC respectively using nanopowder-mixed WCO against SCT brass compared to the responses’ values obtained against conventionally used kerosene. Furthermore, compared to kerosene, the maximum CO2 reduction of 79.97 ± 11.2% is achieved with WCO.
Entwicklung und Fortschritte des Nationalen Obduktionsnetzwerks (NATON)
Authors: Windeck Svenja , Allgoewer Kristina , von Stillfried Saskia , Triefenbach Lucas , Nienaber Ulrike , Bülow Roman David , Röhrig Rainer , Ondruschka Benjamin , Boor Peter ,   NATON
Published: March 2024

Hintergrund

Obduktionen gelten seit langem als der Goldstandard für die Qualitätssicherung in der Medizin. Die COVID-19-Pandemie hat ihr Potenzial für das Verständnis der Pathophysiologie, Therapie und Krankheitsbewältigung wieder in den Fokus gerückt. Im April 2020 wurde das Deutsche Register für COVID-19-Obduktionen (DeRegCOVID) eingerichtet, gefolgt vom Konsortium DEFEAT PANDEMIcs (2020–2021), das sich zum Nationalen Obduktionsnetzwerk (NATON) entwickelte.

DeRegCOVID

DeRegCOVID sammelte und analysierte über 3 Jahre hinweg Obduktionsdaten von COVID-19-Verstorbenen in Deutschland und ist damit die größte nationale multizentrische Obduktionsstudie. Die Ergebnisse identifizierten entscheidende Faktoren für schwere/tödliche Fälle, wie z. B. pulmonale vaskuläre Thromboembolien, und das komplizierte Zusammenspiel von Virus und Immunsystem. DeRegCOVID diente als zentraler Hub für die Datenanalyse, Forschungsanfragen und öffentliche Kommunikation und spielte eine wichtige Rolle im Austausch mit Politik und öffentlichem Gesundheitswesen.

NATON

NATON wurde vom Netzwerk Universitätsmedizin (NUM) initiiert und entwickelte sich zu einer nachhaltigen Infrastruktur für autopsiebasierte Forschung. Ziel ist die Bereitstellung einer Daten- und Methodenplattform, die die Zusammenarbeit zwischen Pathologie, Neuropathologie und Rechtsmedizin fördert. Die Struktur unterstützt eine rasche Rückkopplung zwischen Forschung, Patientenversorgung und Pandemiemanagement.

Schlussfolgerung

DeRegCOVID hat wesentlich zum Verständnis der COVID-19-Pathophysiologie beigetragen. Durch seinen modularen Aufbau will das Nationale Obduktionsregister (NAREG) nun die Zusammenarbeit auf nationaler sowie internationaler Ebene weiter verbessern.
Even short-term training improves the skills of novice exoscope users: a prospective laboratory experiment
Authors: Vasankari Ville , Hafez Ahmad , Pohjola Anni , Auricchio Anna Maria , Calvanese Francesco , Rossmann Tobias , Veldeman Michael , Badic Ines , Netti Eliisa , Rautalin Ilari , Nurminen Ville , Raj Rahul , Niemelä Mika , Lehecka Martin
Published: March 2024

Background

The surgical 3D exoscopes have recently been introduced as an alternative to the surgical microscopes in microneurosurgery. Since the exoscope availability is still limited, it is relevant to know whether even a short-term exoscope training develops the skills needed for performing exoscope-assisted surgeries.

Methods

Ten participants (six consultants, four residents) performed two laboratory bypass test tasks with a 3D exoscope (Aesculap Aeos®). Six training sessions (6 h) were performed in between (interval of 2–5 weeks) on artificial models. The participants were divided into two groups: test group (n = 6) trained with the exoscope and control group (n = 4) with a surgical microscope. The test task was an artificial end-to-side microsurgical anastomosis model, using 12 interrupted 9–0 sutures and recorded on video. We compared the individual as well as group performance among the test subjects based on suturing time, anastomosis quality, and manual dexterity.

Results

Altogether, 20 bypass tasks were performed (baseline n = 10, follow-up n = 10). The median duration decreased by 28 min and 44% in the exoscope training group. The decrease was steeper (29 min, 45%) among the participants with less than 6 years of microneurosurgery experience compared to the more experienced participants (13 min, 24%). After training, the participants with at least 1-year experience of using the exoscope did not improve their task duration. The training with the exoscope led to a greater time reduction than the training with the microscope (44% vs 17%).

Conclusions

Even short-term training with the exoscope led to marked improvements in exoscope-assisted bypass suturing among novice microneurosurgeons. For the more experienced participants, a plateau in the initial learning curve was reached quickly. A much longer-term effort might be needed to witness further improvement in this user group.
Losses from horizontal merger and collusion
Authors: Beladi Hamid , Mukherjee Arijit
Published: March 2024

We show that the implications of a merger on collusion sustainability change significantly from the extant literature if merger is not profitable in the punishment subgame where firms play non-cooperative Cournot–Nash game. Merger either does not affect collusion sustainability or it may decrease or increase collusion sustainability, depending on the output allocation for the merged firm. Our paper has the following implication for antitrust policies. If merger is observed, the authority will expect an industry-wide collusion, since merger will occur in our analysis provided it increases collusion sustainability.
Examination of fire scene reconstructions using virtual reality to enhance forensic decision-making. A case study in Scotland.
Authors: Rinaldi Vincenzo , Robertson Karen Ann , Strong Graham George , Nic Daeid Niamh
Published: March 2024

When attending a crime scene, first responders are responsible for identifying areas of potential interest for subsequent forensic examination. This information is shared with the police, forensic practitioners, and legal authorities during an initial meeting of all interested parties, which in Scotland is known as a forensic strategy meeting. Swift documentation is fundamental to allow practitioners to learn about the scene(s) and to plan investigative strategies, traditionally relying on word-of-mouth briefings using digital photographs, videos, diagrams, and verbal reports. We suggest that these early and critical briefings can be augmented positively by implementing an end-to-end methodology for indoor 3D reconstruction and successive visualisation through immersive Virtual Reality (VR). The main objective of this paper is to provide an integrative documentation tool to enhance the decision-making processes in the early stages of the investigation. Taking a fire scene as an example, we illustrate a framework for rapid spatial data acquisition of the scene that leverages structure-from-motion photogrammetry. We developed a VR framework that enables the exploration of virtual environments on a standalone, low-cost immersive head-mounted display. The system was tested in a two-phased inter-agency fire investigation exercise, where practitioners were asked to produce hypotheses suitable for forensic strategy meetings by (1) examining traditional documentation and then (2) using a VR walkthrough of the same premises. The integration of VR increased the practitioners’ scene comprehension, improved hypotheses formulation with fewer caveats, and enabled participants to sketch the scene, in contrast to the orientation challenges encountered using conventional documentation.
RAMA: a risk assessment solution for healthcare organizations
Authors: Smyrlis Michail , Floros Evangelos , Basdekis Ioannis , Prelipcean Dumitru-Bogdan , Sotiropoulos Aristeidis , Debar Herve , Zarras Apostolis , Spanoudakis George
Published: March 2024

Recent cyber-attacks targeting healthcare organizations underscore the growing prevalence of the sector as a prime target for malicious activities. As healthcare systems manage and store sensitive personal health information, the imperative for robust cyber security and privacy protocols becomes increasingly evident. Consequently, healthcare institutions are compelled to actively address the intricate cyber security risks inherent in their digital ecosystems. In response, we present RAMA, a risk assessment solution designed to evaluate the security status of cyber systems within critical domain, such as the healthcare one. By leveraging RAMA, both local stakeholders, such as the hospital’s IT personnel, and global actors, including external parties, can assess their organization’s cyber risk profile. Notably, RAMA goes beyond risk quantification; it facilitates a comparative analysis by enabling organizations to measure their performance against average aggregated mean scores, fostering a culture of continuous improvement in cyber security practices. The practical efficacy of RAMA is demonstrated through its deployment across four real-world healthcare IT infrastructures. This study not only underscores the significance of addressing cyber security risks within healthcare but also highlights the value of innovative solutions like RAMA in safeguarding sensitive health information and enhancing the sector’s overall cyber resilience.
Therapeutic potential of mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes for regenerative medicine applications
Authors: Roszkowski Szymon
Published: March 2024

Mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes have emerged as a promising cell-free therapy for tissue engineering. Compared to intact stem cells, exosomes have advantages like low immunogenicity and ability to carry regenerative cargo. This review examined the potential of exosomes to treat defects in skin, bone and cartilage. In preclinical models, exosomes improved wound healing, stimulated bone regeneration, and enabled cartilage repair by transferring proteins, mRNAs and microRNAs. Their effects were elicited by modulating inflammation, angiogenesis, cell proliferation and matrix synthesis. Exosomes represent a promising cell-free therapy for tissue engineering. However, challenges remain regarding scalable isolation, elucidating mechanisms, and translating this approach to human trials. Understanding these challenges will enable the successful clinical translation of exosomes for regenerative medicine applications.
Lymphoma relapse 1 year or later after immunochemotherapy in DLBCL patients: clinical features and outcome
Authors: Chen Hongyun , Zhao Jinrong , Zhao Danqing , Wang Wei , Wei Chong , Wang Zi , Zhou Daobin , Zhang Wei
Published: March 2024

Despite great advances in treatment, 30–40% of patients with DLBCL undergo relapses. Patients with a relapse within 1 year or beyond have a distinct outcome. Few clinical characteristics and survival data in the Chinese population have been published. We aimed to define the incidence and clinical features of DLBCL patients with very early relapse after front-line immunochemotherapy who may benefit greatly from the emerging chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy. Data of 564 DLBCL patients were analyzed. Among the 413 patients achieving a first complete remission, 59 underwent relapses: 32 patients (54.2%) relapsed within 1 year, and 27 patients (46.8%) relapsed 1 year or more. Patients relapsing within 1 year, in comparison with the other group, showed an inferior risk profile at diagnosis: elevated lactate dehydrogenase level (P = 0.002), high Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance score (P = 0.02), and high international prognosis index (P = 0.004). As expected, a worse overall survival was observed in the early relapse group. Multivariate analysis for OS showed that relapse within 1 year was an independent parameter for reduced overall survival (HR 0.241, P = 0.002).
Spline magnitude disparity cross correlated deep network for gait recognition
Authors: Jain Deepak Kumar , Kumar Manoj , Abualigah Laith
Published: March 2024

Gait recognition stands as a pivotal biometric technology in individual identification, yet its real-world implementation faces challenges stemming from intra-subject disparities. The task of extracting consistent features to distinguish among various subjects becomes onerous due to factors such as image noise and magnitude divergence, significantly impacting recognition accuracy. In addressing this hurdle, we introduce a groundbreaking approach known as the Spline Magnitude Disparity Cross-Correlated Deep Network, designed to optimize gait recognition efficiency. Our method, the Spline Magnitude Disparity Cross-Correlated Deep Network, operates through two key steps: B-Spline magnitude disparity deformation (BS-MDD) registration and cross-correlated long-short gait recognition modeling. The BS-MDD algorithm employs free-form deformation to approximate the magnitude divergence in gait input, enhancing viewpoint optimization and contributing to the development of the cross-correlated model. By focusing on preserving high-output recognition gates while eliminating forget gates, our approach achieves a heightened recognition rate. Evaluation on the widely utilized CASIA B dataset showcases the superiority of our proposed method over state-of-the-art alternatives in terms of the true positive rate, false-positive rate, recognition time, and overall recognition rate. Notably, our approach elevates the true positive rate by 5% and reduces the false-positive rate by 4%. These results underscore the high effectiveness of our method, demonstrating its capacity to substantially improve the accuracy of gait recognition in practical applications.”
Alcohol dehydrogenase system acts as the sole pathway for methanol oxidation in Desulfofundulus kuznetsovii strain TPOSR
Authors: Friedeheim Lukas , Boeren Sjef , Sánchez-Andrea Irene , Stams Alfons J. M. , Sousa Diana Z.
Published: March 2024

Desulfofundulus kuznetsovii is a thermophilic, spore-forming sulphate-reducing bacterium in the family Peptococcaceae. In this study, we describe a newly isolated strain of D. kuznetsovii, strain TPOSR, and compare its metabolism to the type strain D. kuznetsovii 17T. Both strains grow on a large variety of alcohols, such as methanol, ethanol and propane-diols, coupled to the reduction of sulphate. Strain 17T metabolizes methanol via two routes, one involving a cobalt-dependent methyl transferase and the other using a cobalt-independent alcohol dehydrogenase. However, strain TPOSR, which shares 97% average nucleotide identity with D. kuznetsovii strain 17T, lacks several genes from the methyl transferase operon found in strain 17T. The gene encoding the catalytically active methyl transferase subunit B is missing, indicating that strain TPOSR utilizes the alcohol dehydrogenase pathway exclusively. Both strains grew with methanol during cobalt starvation, but growth was impaired. Strain 17T was more sensitive to cobalt deficiency, due to the repression of its methyl transferase system. Our findings shed light on the metabolic diversity of D. kuznetsovii and their metabolic differences of encoding one or two routes for the conversion of methanol.
Health Service Utilization in Adolescents Following a First Arrest: The Role of Antisocial Behavior, Callous-Unemotional Traits, and Juvenile Justice System Processing
Authors: Speck Julianne S. , Frick Paul J. , Vaughan Erin P. , Walker Toni M. , Robertson Emily L. , Ray James V. , Myers Tina D. Wall , Thornton Laura C. , Steinberg Laurence , Cauffman Elizabeth
Published: March 2024

Previous research indicates that youth exhibiting antisocial behavior are at risk for utilizing a disproportionate amount of health services compared to youth without these problems. The present study investigates whether being processed by the juvenile justice system and showing callous-unemotional (CU) traits independently predict health service utilization (medical and mental health service use and out-of-home placement) over and above the severity of antisocial behavior across adolescence. A total of 766 participants who had been arrested for the first time in adolescence provided data at ten appointments over a period of seven years. Results showed that self-reported antisocial behavior at the time of arrest predicted increased use of most health service use types over the next seven years (i.e. medicine prescriptions, tests for sexually transmitted infections, mental health service appointments, and out-of-home placements). All except prescription medication use remained significant when controlling for justice system processing and CU traits. Further, justice system processing added significantly to the prediction of medical service appointments. Whereas CU traits were associated with mental health service appointments and out-of-home placements, these did not remain significant when controlling for severity of antisocial behavior. These findings are consistent with prior research documenting the health care costs of antisocial behavior.
Crossflow polymeric hollow fiber heat exchanger: fiber tension effects on heat transfer and airside pressure drop
Authors: Kroulikova Tereza , Mraz Krystof , Hvozda Jiri , Bohacek Jan
Published: March 2024

In various applications, a polymeric hollow fiber heat exchanger (PHFHE) is a competitive alternative to a conventional heat exchanger (HE). Standard empirical models for predicting the crossflow tube HE characteristics are defined for devices with rigid tubes with relatively large diameters compared to the polymeric hollow fibers with an outer diameter of around 1 mm. This study examines the impact of tension force on airside heat transfer rate and pressure drop in a crossflow PHFHE. The tension force influences the stiffness of the flexible polymeric fibers and their response to applied airflow. Two liquid–gas PHFHEs were designed and manufactured to ensure uniformity of the fibers' arrangement (inline and staggered). An experimental stand enabling the application of defined tension force in the range of 0–9000 N was designed, manufactured and placed into the calorimetric tunnel, where heat transfer rate and pressure drop measurement were performed with varying air velocity between 2 and 8 ms−1 (corresponding to Reynolds number of 240–970). Among our key findings was that the elongation of the fibers due to thermal expansion or stress relaxation has a considerable impact on the fibers' arrangement and resulting fluid flow. Moreover, the application of tension force yielded no substantial change in air pressure drop; however, it led to a notable enhancement in heat transfer rate. Specifically, under a maximal tension force of 9000 N, the heat transfer rate increased by around 11% compared to the unloaded state.
Complement C3 From Astrocytes Plays Significant Roles in Sustained Activation of Microglia and Cognitive Dysfunctions Triggered by Systemic Inflammation After Laparotomy in Adult Male Mice
Authors: Chen Ying , Chu John Man-Tak , Wong Gordon Tin-Chun , Chang Raymond Chuen-Chung
Published: March 2024

Aberrant activation of complement cascades plays an important role in the progress of neurological disorders. Complement C3, the central complement component, has been implicated in synaptic loss and cognitive impairment. Recent study has shown that wound injury-induced systemic inflammation can trigger the increase of C3 in the brain. Our previous studies have demonstrated that laparotomy-triggered systemic inflammation could induce neuroinflammation and cognitive dysfunctions. Furthermore, sustained activation of microglia was observed even 14 days after laparotomy, while most of cytokines had returned to basal levels rapidly at the earlier time point. Although we have demonstrated that anti-inflammatory intervention successfully attenuated cognitive dysfunction by preventing increase of cytokines and activation of microglia, how sustained activation of microglia and cognitive dysfunction occur is still a mystery. In this study, we investigated the role of C3 in mediating activation of microglia and cognitive dysfunction by using laparotomy in adult male mouse only as the experimental model of systemic inflammation and AAV9-C3shRNA. Our data observed that laparotomy induced neurotoxic reactive astrocytes with an increase of C3 in the hippocampus. Furthermore, inhibition of C3 by AAV9-C3shRNA prevented synaptic engulfment by microglia and attenuated cognitive dysfunctions after laparotomy. Inhibition of C3 did not modulate activation of astrocytes and expression of various cytokines. Current findings demonstrated that C3 plays significant roles in sustained activation of microglia and cognitive dysfunctions, which suggests that C3 is the valuable molecule target to attenuate in neurological conditions characterised by neuroinflammation and cognitive dysfunction.

Graphical Abstract
Perceived Social Exclusion Partially Accounts for Social Status Effects on Subjective Well-Being: A Comparative Study of Japan, Germany, and the United States
Authors: Sagioglou Christina , Hommerich Carola
Published: March 2024

People who are socioeconomically better off tend to report higher levels of well-being, with inconsistent roles ascribed to objective socioeconomic status (SES), subjective SES (SSES), and personal relative deprivation (PRD)—depending on the predictors, facets of well-being, and countries under study. We tested a comprehensive model of social status indicators as determinants of subjective well-being by a) including PRD, SSES, income, and education as predictors, b) assessing subjective well-being as well as interdependent happiness (happiness in relation to significant others), c) testing the model in Japan, Germany, and the US—countries with comparable societal structure (e.g., educated, industrialized, rich, democratic) but diverging cultural dimensions, and d) testing an explanatory variable: feeling excluded from society. Cross-culturally (N = 2,155), PRD and SSES independently and strongly predicted well-being, while income and education exhibited negligible direct effects. SSES emerged as the predominant predictor in Japan compared to the US and Germany, whereas PRD was the predominant predictor in the US compared to Germany and, to a lesser extent, Japan. This was largely accounted for by culture-specific links of social status with perceived social exclusion—the extent to which people feel unable to keep up with society as a whole. Perceived social exclusion was more strongly linked to SSES in Japan compared to Germany and the US, and more strongly linked to PRD in the US than in Germany. The role of perceived social exclusion as an explanatory variable in the relationship between social status and subjective well-being merits further investigation within and between countries.
Klarifizieren und Konfrontieren – oder besser doch nicht?
Authors: Möller Heidi
Published: March 2024

Wenn wir über das Verschieben des Sagbaren sprechen, dann geht es auch um Selbstreflexion: Wo zensieren wir uns selbst und haben unseren Anteil daran, dass zentrale Inhalte aus dem Beratungskontext exkommuniziert werden? In arbeitsweltlichen Kontexten stellt sich immer wieder die Frage, wie ich meine Gegenübertragungs-Phänomene nutze, wenn ich ihrer überhaupt gewahr werde. Der Beitrag stellt an vier Beispielen gelungene und weniger geglückte Konfrontationen dar und stellt Überlegungen an, wie konstruktive Klarifikation und Konfrontation in Beratungsprozessen gelingen können. Die psychischen Voraussetzungen der Spannungstoleranz, der Ambiguitätstoleranz und des professionellen Selbstwerts werden in Hinblick auf ihre Bedeutung für den beraterischen Diskurs besprochen.
Geschlechterdarstellungen in Geographie-Schulbüchern: Von mangelnder Repräsentation weiblicher Figuren und Reproduktion von Geschlechterstereotypen
Authors: Cruz Neri Nadine , Schwenzer Felicitas , Sprenger Sandra , Retelsdorf Jan
Published: March 2024

Geschlechterstereotype Darstellungen und eine Unterrepräsentanz von weiblichen Figuren sind in verschiedenen Medien nach wie vor die Realität. Diese medial vermittelte Geschlechterungerechtigkeit kann Auswirkungen auf die Identitäts- und Persönlichkeitsentwicklung junger Rezipierender haben, die ihre Annahmen von Geschlechterrollen und eigene Zukunftsvorstellungen an die der medialen Sozialisationsinstanzen angleichen. Schulbücher als politisch und gesellschaftlich legitimiertes Medium mit einem pädagogischen und normativen Auftrag müssen deshalb insbesondere auf die Reproduktion geschlechterstereotyper Abbildungen geprüft werden. Verschiedene nationale und internationale Studien konnten bereits eine quantitative Unterrepräsentation weiblicher Figuren sowie die Vermittlung tradierter Geschlechterrollen in Schulbuchabbildungen unterschiedlicher Fächer nachweisen. Untersuchungen von Geographie-Schulbüchern sind bislang rar, weshalb wir eine quantitative und qualitative Inhaltsanalyse von sieben Geographie-Schulbüchern vornehmen. Die Ergebnisse zeigten in Übereinstimmung mit vorherigen Forschungsbefunden eine deutlich verminderte Sichtbarkeit von weiblichen Figuren sowie die Verhaftung in Geschlechterstereotypen in allen untersuchten Schulbüchern, besonders in der Kategorie Beruf und Tätigkeit. Die Ergebnisse werden im Hinblick auf frühere Forschungsarbeiten eingeordnet und Implikationen für die Forschung und Praxis werden diskutiert.
Identification of geographical and botanical origin of Mediterranean honeys using UV-vis spectroscopy and multivariate statistical analysis
Authors: Dimakopoulou-Papazoglou Dafni , Ploskas Nikolaos , Koutsoumanis Konstantinos , Katsanidis Eugenios
Published: March 2024

The present study aimed to differentiate Mediterranean honey samples with regards to their botanical and geographical origin, using UV-vis spectroscopy, combined with multivariate statistical analysis and chemometrics. A total of 151 commercial honey samples were collected from different countries (Greece, Malta, Spain, Tunisia, and Turkey), which were characterized as thyme, pine, or polyfloral. Discrimination of geographical and botanical origin was achieved successfully with Principal Component Analysis (PCA) together with Random Forest (RF), Partial Least Squares – Discriminant Analysis (PLS – DA), and Data Driven – Soft Independent Modelling of Class Analogies (DD-SIMCA) using the spectral range of 220–550 nm. DD-SIMCA achieved very high accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity on the discrimination of both the geographical and botanical origin of honey samples. The results support the good predictive capability of UV-vis spectroscopy combined with chemometrics for the determination of honey origin. This methodology could be utilized for the rapid and non-destructive assessment of Mediterranean honey origin.
Clinical applications of artificial intelligence in robotic surgery
Authors: Knudsen J. Everett , Ghaffar Umar , Ma Runzhuo , Hung Andrew J.
Published: March 2024

Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing nearly every aspect of modern life. In the medical field, robotic surgery is the sector with some of the most innovative and impactful advancements. In this narrative review, we outline recent contributions of AI to the field of robotic surgery with a particular focus on intraoperative enhancement. AI modeling is allowing surgeons to have advanced intraoperative metrics such as force and tactile measurements, enhanced detection of positive surgical margins, and even allowing for the complete automation of certain steps in surgical procedures. AI is also Query revolutionizing the field of surgical education. AI modeling applied to intraoperative surgical video feeds and instrument kinematics data is allowing for the generation of automated skills assessments. AI also shows promise for the generation and delivery of highly specialized intraoperative surgical feedback for training surgeons. Although the adoption and integration of AI show promise in robotic surgery, it raises important, complex ethical questions. Frameworks for thinking through ethical dilemmas raised by AI are outlined in this review. AI enhancements in robotic surgery is some of the most groundbreaking research happening today, and the studies outlined in this review represent some of the most exciting innovations in recent years.
Variational Principles in Quaternionic Analysis with Applications to the Stationary MHD Equations
Authors: Cerejeiras P. , Kähler U. , Kraußhar R. S.
Published: March 2024

In this paper we aim to combine tools from variational calculus with modern techniques from quaternionic analysis that involve Dirac type operators and related hypercomplex integral operators. The aim is to develop new methods for showing geometry independent explicit global existence and uniqueness criteria as well as new computational methods with special focus to the stationary incompressible viscous magnetohydrodynamic equations. We first show how to specifically apply variational calculus in the quaternionic setting. To this end we explain how the mountain pass theorem can be successfully applied to guarantee the existence of (weak) solutions. To achieve this, the quaternionic integral operator calculus serves as a key ingredient allowing us to apply Schauder’s fixed point theorem. The advantage of the approach using Schauder’s fixed point theorem is that it is also applicable to large data since it does not require any kind of contraction property. These considerations will allow us to provide explicit iterative algorithms for its numerical solution. Finally to obtain more precise a-priori estimates one can use in the situations dealing with small data the Banach fixed point theorem which then also grants the uniqueness.
Assessment of airborne bacteria in the indoor of public-use facilities concentrated on influencing factors and opportunistic pathogenic bacteria
Authors: Lee Hyesoo , Lee Bong Gu , Kim Yea Joon , Shim Joo Eun , Yeo Min-Kyeong
Published: March 2024

For public-use facilities in urban centers with high occupancy, it is imperative to effectively manage opportunistic pathogenic bacteria due to the diverse range of users, including the immunocompromised population, such as the elderly, children. Therefore, we investigated the concentration of airborne bacteria at several public-use facilities in urban centers in South Korea. The level of total airborne bacteria in the facilities was positively correlated with user density and CO2 levels. Notably, subway compartments demonstrated particularly high levels of airborne bacteria. Subway compartments and daycare centers contained opportunistic pathogenic bacteria associated with antibiotic resistance. The relative abundance of genera associated with these species showed minor differences by season and facility; the genera Klebsiella and Staphylococcus showed high relative abundance in subway compartments and daycare centers, respectively. Based on our findings, we recommend enhancing management strategies targeting opportunistic pathogenic bacteria related to antibiotic resistance in the air of subway compartments and daycare centers.