bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Performance-Efficiency Comparisons of Channel Attention Modules for ResNets
Authors: Klomp Sander R. , Wijnhoven Rob G. J. , de With Peter H. N.
Published: February 2023

Attention modules can be added to neural network architectures to improve performance. This work presents an extensive comparison between several efficient attention modules for image classification and object detection, in addition to proposing a novel Attention Bias module with lower computational overhead. All measured attention modules have been efficiently re-implemented, which allows an objective comparison and evaluation of the relationship between accuracy and inference time. Our measurements show that single-image inference time increases far more (5–50%) than the increase in FLOPs suggests (0.2–3%) for a limited gain in accuracy, making computation cost an important selection criterion. Despite this increase in inference time, adding an attention module can outperform a deeper baseline ResNet in both speed and accuracy. Finally, we investigate the potential of adding attention modules to pretrained networks and show that fine-tuning is possible and superior to training from scratch. The choice of the best attention module strongly depends on the specific ResNet architecture, input resolution, batch size and inference framework.
Stories Matter: A Novel Approach to Exploring Perceptions, Discourses, and the Symbolic Social Order in Pastoral Psychology
Authors: Lloyd Christopher E. M.
Published: February 2023

This article locates story completion (SC), a novel and underutilised qualitative data collection tool, as a valuable adjunct to traditional qualitative methods for pastoral psychology. In contrast to traditional self-reporting qualitative interviews or surveys, SC necessitates a researcher writing a story “stem” or “cue” – or, more specifically, an opening sentence – which participants are asked to continue in their own words. Uniquely, for SC, it is the stories themselves (which may be either first- or third-person perceptions, or constructions, of a phenomenon) which are subject to data analysis. Story completion has the benefit of being able to target implicit perceptions, or social constructions, depending on the epistemological framework chosen. However, this method has seldom been used in pastoral psychology, despite its potential significance. In this article, I demarcate SC as a prospective qualitative research tool for use in pastoral psychology, distinguishing it from other qualitative methodologies. I trace its emergence from psychoanalytic thought to its current usage in qualitative psychology research. I argue that SC has profound potential, especially for those looking to examine stigmatised topics or populations with sensitivity. Nevertheless, studies which utilise SC need to be theoretically cognizant and align fully with the ontological or epistemological assumptions of the researcher. I introduce and expound on varied epistemological frameworks that can be used in conjunction with story completion, further discussing their relative merits and potential drawbacks for pastoral psychology. I propose that, methodologically, SC is beneficial for accessing sociocultural discourses and broader representations surrounding religiously and culturally complex topics. I offer a case study of one recent research study, which used SC within the context of mental health and religion, to demonstrate its merit and applicability to the field. In doing so, I provide three contrasting epistemological readings of the data to show how these might be applied in practice.
Gender imbalance in doctoral education: an analysis of the Spanish university system (1977–2021)
Authors: Sánchez-Jiménez Rodrigo , Botezan Iuliana , Barrasa-Rodríguez Jesús , Suárez-Figueroa Mari Carmen , Blázquez-Ochando Manuel
Published: February 2023

Doctoral education is a key feature of university systems, as well as a basic foundation of scientific practice. That period culminates in a dissertation and examination of the candidate that has been studied from several points of view. This paper reports the results of an analysis on the evolution and characteristics of gender imbalance of a complete doctoral system for a wide period of time. Data from the database Teseo was used in order to identify the individuals involved in the process, the scientific fields in which the dissertations where classified, and the institutions in which the examination took place. Results: the Spanish system shows a clear evolution towards gender balance, but also some concerning trends that are worth tracking. Seemingly, STEM disciplines look to be evolving more slowly than other branches of science in several aspects. A leaky pipeline is characterized in this system around the roles of supervisors, candidates, members and chairs of the dissertation committees. Gender assortativity is also studied and described, and its possible effects discussed around the academic relations that surround doctoral examination.
A prefetch control strategy based on improved hill-climbing method in asymmetric multi-core architecture
Authors: Fang Juan , Xu Yixiang , Kong Han , Cai Min
Published: February 2023

Cache prefetching is a traditional way to reduce memory access latency. In multi-core systems, aggressive prefetching may harm the system. In the past, prefetching throttling strategies usually set thresholds through certain factors. When the threshold is exceeded, prefetch throttling strategies will control the aggressive prefetcher. However, these strategies usually work well in homogeneous multi-core systems and do not work well in heterogeneous multi-core systems. This paper considers the performance difference between cores under the asymmetric multi-core architecture. Through the improved hill-climbing method, the aggressiveness of prefetching for different cores is controlled, and the IPC of the core is improved. Through experiments, it is found that compared with the previous strategy, the average performance of big core is improved by more than 3%, and the average performance of little cores is improved by more than 24%.
The metaphysical neutrality of cognitive science
Authors: Chen Kuei-Chen , Yoshimi Jeff
Published: February 2023

Progress in psychology and the cognitive sciences is often taken to vindicate physicalism and cast doubt on such extravagant metaphysical theses as dualism and idealism. The goal of this paper is to argue that cognitive science has no such implications—rather, evidence from cognitive science is largely (but not wholly) irrelevant to the mind-body problem. Our argument begins with the observation that data from cognitive science can be modeled by supervenience relations. We then show that supervenience relations are neutral, by showing how they can be coherently interpreted in physicalist, idealist, and dualist terms. We distinguish several types of supervenience relation, and show that each coheres better with some positions on the mind-body problem than the other. Since these variants of supervenience are not empirically equivalent, there is a possibility that data from cognitive science will end up supporting some positions on the mind-body problem more than others. It is in this sense that cognitive science is mostly, but not wholly, neutral.
Generative adversarial network for unsupervised multi-lingual knowledge graph entity alignment
Authors: Li Yunfei , Chen Lu , Liu Chengfei , Zhou Rui , Li Jianxin
Published: February 2023

Entity alignment is an essential process in knowledge graph (KG) fusion, which aims to link entities representing the same real-world object in different KGs, to achieve entity expansion and graph fusion. Recently, embedding-based entity pair similarity evaluation has become mainstream in entity alignment research. However, these methods heavily rely on labelled entity pairs, which are often unavailable. Some self-supervised methods exploit features of KGs regardless of noise when generating aligned entity pairs. To resolve this issue, we propose a generative adversarial entity alignment method, which is more robust to noise data. The proposed method then exploits both attribute and structure information in the KGs and applies a BERT-based contrastive loss function to embed entities in KGs. Experimental results on several benchmark datasets demonstrate the superiority of our framework compared with most existing state-of-the-art entity alignment methods.
Adsorption of nitrophenol onto a novel Fe3O4-κ-carrageenan/MIL-125(Ti) composite: process optimization, isotherms, kinetics, and mechanism
Authors: Abd El-Monaem Eman M. , Eltaweil Abdelazeem S. , El-Subruiti Gehan M. , Mohy-Eldin Mohamed S. , Omer Ahmed M.
Published: February 2023

Water pollution is a dreadful affair that has incessantly aggravated, exposing our planet to danger. In particular, the persistent nitro aromatic compound like nitrophenols causes anxiety to the researchers due to their hazardous impacts, excessive usage, and removal difficulty. For this purpose, a novel multi-featured composite was constructed based on κ-Carrageenan (κ-Carr), MOF (MIL-125(Ti)), and magnetic Fe3O4 for efficient adsorptive removal of o-nitrophenol (o-NP). Interestingly, BET measurements revealed the high surface area of Fe3O4-κ-Carr/MIL-125(Ti) of about 163.27 m2/g, while VSM showed its excellent magnetic property (20.34 emu/g). The comparison study pointed out the synergistic effect between Fe3O4, κ-Carr, and MIL-125(Ti), forming a composite with an excellent adsorption performance toward o-NP. The adsorption data obeyed pseudo-second-order kinetic model, and Freundlich isotherm model was better fitted than Langmuir and Temkin. Furthermore, Langmuir verified the supreme adsorption capacity of o-NP onto Fe3O4-κ-Carr/MIL-125(Ti) since the computed qmax reached 320.26 mg/g at pH 6 and 25 °C. Furthermore, the XPS results postulated that the adsorption mechanism pf o-NP proceeded via H-bonding, π-π interaction, and electron donor–acceptor interactions. Interestingly, Fe3O4-κ-Carr/MIL-125(Ti) composite retained good adsorption characteristics after reusing for five cycles, suggesting its viable applicability as an efficient, renewable, and easy-separable adsorbent for removing nitro aromatic pollutants.
Translocation of elements and fractionation of Mg, Cu, Zn, and Cd stable isotopes in a penny bun mushroom (Boletus edulis) from western Czech Republic
Authors: Andronikov Alexandre V. , Andronikova Irina E. , Martinkova Eva , Sebek Ondrej , Stepanova Marketa
Published: February 2023

Boletus edulis mushroom behaved as an accumulating biosystem with respect to Ag, Rb, Zn, and K. The mushroom was not an efficient accumulator of toxic As, Pb, and Cr, but Se and Cd displayed much higher concentrations in the mushroom than in the substrate samples. Other elements were bioexclusive. Different elements had different within-mushroom mobilities. The highest mobilities were displayed by Zn and Ag, and the lowest by Ti. The mushroom’s fruiting body preferentially took up lighter Mg, Cu, and Cd isotopes (Δ26MgFB-soil =  −0.75‰; Δ65CuFB-soil =  −0.96‰; Δ114CdFB-soil =  −0.63‰), and the heavier 66Zn isotope (Δ66ZnFB-soil = 0.92‰). Positive within-mushroom Zn isotope fractionation resulted in accumulation of the heavier 66Zn (Δ66Zncap-stipe = 0.12‰) in the mushroom’s upper parts. Cadmium displayed virtually no within-mushroom isotope fractionation. Different parts of the fruiting body fractionated Mg and Cu isotopes differently. The middle part of the stipe (3–6 cm) was strongly depleted in the heavier 26 Mg with respect to the 0–3 cm (Δ26Mgstipe(3–6)-stipe(0–3) =  −0.73‰) and 6–9 cm (Δ26Mgstipe(6–9)-stipe(3–6) = 0.28‰) sections. The same stipe part was strongly enriched in the heavier 65Cu with respect to the 0–3 cm (Δ65Custipe(3–6)-stipe(0–3) = 0.63‰) and 6–9 cm (Δ65Custipe(6–9)-stipe(3–6) =  −0.42‰) sections. An overall tendency for the upper mushroom’s parts to accumulate heavier isotopes was noted for Mg (Δ26Mgcap-stipe = 0.20‰), Zn (Δ66Zncap-stipe = 0.12‰), and Cd (Δ114Cdcap-stipe = 0.04‰), whereas Cu showed the opposite trend (Δ65Cucap-stipe =  −0.08‰).
Development and validation of combined Ki67 status prediction model for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma based on clinicoradiological features and MRI radiomics
Authors: Qian Xianling , Zhou Changwu , Wang Fang , Lu Xin , Zhang Yunfei , Chen Lei , Zeng Mengsu
Published: February 2023

Purpose

Incidence and mortality of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) have been increasing over the past few decades, and Ki67 is an adverse prognostic predictor and an attractive therapeutic target for ICC patients. Thus, we aim to develop and validate a combined Ki67 prediction model for ICC patients.

Materials and methods

Preoperative contrast-enhanced MR images were collected from 178 patients with postoperative pathologically confirmed ICC, and randomly divided into training and validation cohorts in a ratio of 7:3 (124:54). A time-independent test cohort of 49 ICC patients was used for validation. Independent clinicoradiological features of Ki67 status were determined by multivariate analysis. Optimal radiomics features were selected by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator logistic regression and linear discriminant analysis was used to construct combined models. The prediction efficacy of combined model was assessed by receiver operating characteristics curve, and verified by its calibration, decision and clinical impact curves.

Results

HBV (p = 0.022), arterial rim enhancement (p = 0.006) and enhancement pattern (p = 0.012) are independent clinicoradiological features. The radiomics model achieves good prediction efficacy in the training cohort (AUC = 0.860) and validation cohort (AUC = 0.843). The combined Ki67 prediction model incorporates clinicoradiological and radiomics features, and it yields desirable predictive efficiency in test cohort (AUC = 0.815). Decision curves and clinical impact curves further validate that the combined Ki67 prediction model can achieve net benefits in clinical work.

Conclusion

The combined Ki67 model incorporating HBV, arterial rim enhancement, enhancement pattern and radiomics features is a potential biomarker in Ki67 prediction and stratification.
Measuring tree stem diameters and straightness with depth-image computer vision
Authors: Tran Hoang , Woeste Keith , Li Bowen , Verma Akshat , Shao Guofan
Published: February 2023

Current techniques of forest inventory rely on manual measurements and are slow and labor intensive. Recent developments in computer vision and depth sensing can produce accurate measurement data at significantly reduced time and labor costs. We developed the ForSense system to measure the diameters of trees at various points along the stem as well as stem straightness. Time use, mean absolute error (MAE), and root mean squared error (RMSE) metrics were used to compare the system against manual methods, and to compare the system against itself (reproducibility). Depth-derived diameter measurements of the stems at the heights of 0.3, 1.4, and 2.7 m achieved RMSE of 1.7, 1.5, and 2.7 cm, respectively. The ForSense system produced straightness measurement data that was highly correlated with straightness ratings by trained foresters. The ForSense system was also consistent, achieving sub-centimeter diameter difference with subsequent measures and less than 4% difference in straightness value between runs. This method of forest inventory, which is based on depth-image computer vision, is time efficient compared to manual methods and less computationally and technologically intensive compared to Structure-from-Motion (SFM) photogrammetry and ground-based LiDAR or terrestrial laser scanning (TLS).
Quality of Care Transition During Hospital Discharge, Patient Safety, and Weight Regain After Bariatric Surgery: a Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Marsall Matthias , Bäuerle Alexander , Hasenberg Till , Schräpler Laura , Robitzsch Anita , Niedergethmann Marco , Teufel Martin , Weigl Matthias
Published: February 2023

Purpose

Bariatric surgery is established as the gold standard in the treatment of severe obesity. However, a significant proportion of patients experience a substantial weight regain afterwards. Previous research focused predominantly on patients’ personal factors. Yet, critical discharge process factors that contribute to patient’s adherence after surgical interventions are rarely examined. This study investigated whether high quality of care transitions in discharge management influences weight regain and the likelihood of experiencing adverse patient safety incidents.

Materials and Methods

A cross-sectional study with 578 patients after bariatric surgery was conducted. Participants answered a standardized assessment on the quality of care transition from hospital to home-, surgery-, and nutrition-related characteristics as well as patient safety incidents.

Results

Significant weight regain was observed 24 months after surgery. The association between time since surgery and weight regain was weaker in patients with high quality of care transitions (B = 2.27, p < .001). Higher quality of care transition was also significantly related to a lower likelihood of unplanned hospital readmissions (OR = 0.67) and fewer medication complications (OR = 0.48) after surgery.

Conclusion

This study sheds first light on the key influence of high quality of care transitions after bariatric surgery. Improvement efforts into effective discharge processes may establish smoother care transitions and help patients to assume responsibility and compliance with behavioral recommendations after surgery. Moreover, adverse patient safety incidents are less frequent after high quality care transitions indicating both high quality of health services for patients and reducing costs for the health care system.

Graphical Abstract
Emerging Therapeutic Targets for Portal Hypertension
Authors: Felli Eric , Nulan Yelidousi , Selicean Sonia , Wang Cong , Gracia-Sancho Jordi , Bosch Jaume
Published: February 2023

Purpose of Review

Portal hypertension is responsible of the main complications of cirrhosis, which carries a high mortality. Recent treatments have improved prognosis, but this is still far from ideal. This paper reviews new potential therapeutic targets unveiled by advances of key pathophysiologic processes.

Recent Findings

Recent research highlighted the importance of suppressing etiologic factors and a safe lifestyle and outlined new mechanisms modulating portal pressure. These include intrahepatic abnormalities linked to inflammation, fibrogenesis, vascular occlusion, parenchymal extinction, and angiogenesis; impaired regeneration; increased hepatic vascular tone due to sinusoidal endothelial dysfunction with insufficient NO availability; and paracrine liver cell crosstalk. Moreover, pathways such as the gut-liver axis modulate splanchnic vasodilatation and systemic inflammation, exacerbate liver fibrosis, and are being targeted by therapy. We have summarized studies of new agents addressing these targets.

New agents, alone or in combination, allow acting in complementary mechanisms offering a more profound effect on portal hypertension while simultaneously limiting disease progression and favoring regression of fibrosis and of cirrhosis. Major changes in treatment paradigms are anticipated.
Deep learning in sex estimation from a peripheral quantitative computed tomography scan of the fourth lumbar vertebra—a proof-of-concept study
Authors: Oura Petteri , Korpinen Niina , Machnicki Allison L. , Junno Juho-Antti
Published: February 2023

Sex estimation is a key element in the analysis of unknown skeletal remains. The vertebrae display clear sex discrepancy and have proven accurate in conventional morphometric sex estimation. This proof-of-concept study aimed to investigate the possibility to develop a deep learning algorithm for sex estimation even from a single peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) slice of the fourth lumbar vertebra (L4). The study utilized a total of 117 vertebrae from the Terry Anatomical Collection. There were 58 male and 59 female cadavers, all of the white ethnicity, with the average age at death 49 years and a range of 24 to 77 years. A coronal pQCT scan was taken from the midway of the L4 corpus. Sex estimation was performed in a total of 19 neural network architectures implemented in the AIDeveloper software. Of the explored architectures, a LeNet5-based algorithm reached the highest accuracy of 86.4% in the test set. Sex-specific classification rates were 90.9% among males and 81.8% among females. This preliminary finding advances the field by encouraging and directing future research on artificial intelligence-based methods in sex estimation from individual skeletal traits such as the vertebrae. Combining quickly obtained imaging data with automated deep learning algorithms may establish a valuable pipeline for forensic anthropology and provide aid when combined with traditional methods.
An Eco-Friendly and Hopeful Promise Platform for Delivering Hydrophilic Wound Healing Agents in Topical Administration for Wound Disorder: Diltiazem-Loaded Niosomes
Authors: Akbari Jafar , Saeedi Majid , Morteza-Semnani Katayoun , Ghasemi Maryam , Eshaghi Malihe , Eghbali Mohammad , Jafarkhani Behrouz , Rahimnia Seyyed Mobin , Negarandeh Reza , Babaei Amirhossein , Hashemi Seyyed Mohammad Hassan , Asare-Addo Kofi , Nokhodchi Ali
Published: February 2023

Purposes

Calcium channel blockers, such as diltiazem (DLZ), are important drugs for wound repair treatment. This current study used an ultrasonic method to increase the cutaneous delivery of (DLZ) niosomes.

Methods

The impact of the cholesterol:surfactant ratio on the DLZ-loaded niosome formulations was investigated. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, drug release, skin sensitivity, animal wound repair model, and histopathological assessment were applied to investigate the characteristics, morphology, and therapeutic effectiveness of the DLZ noisome.

Results

The results showed that changes in the cholesterol:surfactant ratio can influence the zeta potential and the size of the niosome. The maximum entrapment efficiency was observed to be about 94% when the cholesterol content in the formulation was high. The DLZ release studies revealed that the niosomal formulation was released slowly over the course of 24 h. Macroscopic observations of the wound demonstrated that wound closure in the DLZ-niosome-treated group and the commercial brand was equal and higher than in the other groups (gel base, placebo gel, and negative control). Pathological studies described that the wound repair in the DLZ-niosomal gel group was greater than in the other treatment. All the preparations tested for cutaneous irritation on Wistar rats showed the DLZ niosomal gels to be non-irritating.

Conclusion

The findings of this study revealed that the prepared DLZ-niosome could be used as a possible nano-vesicle for DLZ cutaneous delivery thus potentially opening up new prospects for the treatment of wound disorders.
Activation of Cannabinoid Receptor 1 in GABAergic Neurons in the Rostral Anterior Insular Cortex Contributes to the Analgesia Following Common Peroneal Nerve Ligation
Authors: Zhang Ming , Li Cong , Xue Qian , Lu Chang-Bo , Zhao Huan , Meng Fan-Cheng , Zhang Ying , Wu Sheng-Xi , Zhang Yan , Xu Hui
Published: February 2023

The rostral agranular insular cortex (RAIC) has been associated with pain modulation. Although the endogenous cannabinoid system (eCB) has been shown to regulate chronic pain, the roles of eCBs in the RAIC remain elusive under the neuropathic pain state. Neuropathic pain was induced in C57BL/6 mice by common peroneal nerve (CPN) ligation. The roles of the eCB were tested in the RAIC of ligated CPN C57BL/6J mice, glutamatergic, or GABAergic neuron cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1R) knockdown mice with the whole-cell patch-clamp and pain behavioral methods. The E/I ratio (amplitude ratio between mEPSCs and mIPSCs) was significantly increased in layer V pyramidal neurons of the RAIC in CPN-ligated mice. Depolarization-induced suppression of inhibition but not depolarization-induced suppression of excitation in RAIC layer V pyramidal neurons were significantly increased in CPN-ligated mice. The analgesic effect of ACEA (a CB1R agonist) was alleviated along with bilateral dorsolateral funiculus lesions, with the administration of AM251 (a CB1R antagonist), and in CB1R knockdown mice in GABAergic neurons, but not glutamatergic neurons of the RAIC. Our results suggest that CB1R activation reinforces the function of the descending pain inhibitory pathway via reducing the inhibition of glutamatergic layer V neurons by GABAergic neurons in the RAIC to induce an analgesic effect in neuropathic pain.
Neutron activation analysis in Mediterranean Archaeology: current applications and future perspectives
Authors: Riehle Kai , Kistler Erich , Öhlinger Birgit , Heitz Christian , Ben-Shlomo David , Jung Reinhard , Mommsen Hans , Sterba Johannes H. , Gimatzidis Stefanos , Fantalkin Alexander , Prillwitz Susanne , Hein Anno , Geissler Leonhard , Lehmann Gunnar , Kindberg Jacobsen Jan , Posamentir Richard , Schlotzhauer Udo
Published: February 2023

This paper, jointly written by participants of a workshop held in 2021, argues for an increased recognition and application of neutron activation analysis (NAA) in the archaeology of the ancient Mediterranean. Discussing the methodological strengths and challenges, it highlights the great potential NAA has for collecting proxy data from ceramics in order to develop progressive concepts of archaeological research within and beyond the Mediterranean Bronze and Iron Age, pointing out opportunities to revisit long-held assumptions of scholarship and to refine visual/macroscopic provenance determinations of pottery. To take full advantage of NAA’s strengths toward a better understanding of the socioeconomic background of ceramics production, distribution, and consumption, the paper emphasises the need for both interdisciplinary collaboration and basic data publication requirements.
Study on the Influence of Nickel Additions on AA7020 Formability Under Superplastic Forming Like Conditions
Authors: Taylor S. , Janik V. , Grimes R. , Dashwood R.
Published: February 2023

This study set out to look at the influence of nickel additions on a commercially available AA7020 to understand the impact of the resultant intermetallics on recrystallization, formability and material strength. Elevated temperature tensile testing across a range of strain rates (5 × 10−4 s−1 × 10−1 s−1) and three temperatures (450− 500 °C) to compare material ductility followed by gas bulge testing at 475 °C and two gas pressures to investigate formability in a test closer to industrial forming conditions. Material strength was established using standard tensile testing, and EBSD used to understand the microstructural evolution of the materials. It was seen that the nickel additions increased ductility of the material across all test conditions, coupled with increasing the material strength. This was achieved due to the formation of nickel rich intermetallics which refine the microstructure during pre-heating through particle stimulated nucleation and subsequently improve strength through precipitation hardening in aging treatments.

Graphic Abstract
Three-dimensional mouse cochlea imaging based on the modified Sca/eS using confocal microscopy
Authors: Urata Shinji , Okabe Shigeo
Published: February 2023

The three-dimensional stria vascularis (SV) and cochlear blood vessel structure is essential for inner ear function. Here, modified Sca/eS, a sorbitol-based optical-clearing method, was reported to visualize SV and vascular structure in the intact mouse cochlea. Cochlear macrophages as well as perivascular-resident macrophage-like melanocytes were detected as GFP-positive cells of the CX3CR1+/GFP mice. This study’s method was effective in elucidating inner ear function under both physiological and pathological conditions.
The politics of national SDG indicator systems: A comparison of four European countries
Authors: Lepenies Robert , Büttner Leonie , Bärlund Ilona , Jax Kurt , Lyytimäki Jari , Pedersen Anders Branth , Nielsen Helle Ørsted , Mosoni Claire , Mille Raoul , Payen Gerard , Richard Didier
Published: February 2023

The sustainable development goals (SDGs) constitute an ambitious comprehensive global framework including monitoring mechanisms and indicators to evaluate progress towards precise targets of sustainable development. Most European countries have adapted their national sustainability indicator systems to conform to the UN Agenda 2030 for sustainable development, introducing new indicators and monitoring frameworks and governance processes in which these are embedded. What do we know about the political processes and struggles of implementing this important global framework? How does the politics of indicators differ in national contexts? We propose a classification of national indicator systems along dimensions of indicator selection, appraisal landscape, participatory nature, and political communication. We empirically explore these dimensions for four European national sustainability indicator systems through a comparative analysis based on national policy documents, indicator databases, and web portals as well as inputs from workshops and expert interviews. Given the considerable variation with respect to the trajectory of national sustainability indicator systems, we posit that these differences correspond to different national interpretations of sustainability.
Reforming a pre-existing biodiversity conservation scheme: Promoting climate co-benefits by a carbon payment
Authors: Kangas Johanna , Ollikainen Markku
Published: February 2023

Protecting forests provides potential synergies for both biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation. Payments for ecosystem services (PES) schemes are commonly used to promote biodiversity conservation in private forests, and including carbon as another target may be a cost-efficient way to promote both goals. We analyse a hypothetical reform on a forest biodiversity PES scheme by supplementing it with a carbon payment paid to landowners for also providing carbon benefits. With a site selection model, we examine how the proposed scheme could promote biodiversity and carbon values, and what level of the carbon payment would provide the highest synergy gains. We found that introducing the payment promotes both targets, but there is a temporal trade-off between selecting sites with high carbon storage or sites with good sequestration potential. The highest synergy gains are obtained in most cases by a second-best payment level of 10–20 € tCO2−1.
The difficulty grade of laparoscopic hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma correlates with long-term outcomes
Authors: Lv Xiaocui , Zhang Lina , Yu Xin , Yu Hong
Published: February 2023

The tremendous development of laparoscopic hepatectomy helps to relieve the difficulties encountered during open hepatectomy. Therefore, a difficulty scoring system was produced to assess the difficulty grade of laparoscopic hepatectomy. The aim of this study was to explore whether the IWATE-DSS is comparable to the long-term outcomes of LH for hepatocellular carcinoma. Clinical data from all consecutive patients who underwent laparoscopic hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma at the Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Hangzhou, were prospectively collected and reviewed. The difficulty level of the operations was graded using the IWATE-DSS. The perioperative and postoperative outcomes of laparoscopic hepatectomy were compared at each difficulty level. A total of 300 patients underwent laparoscopic hepatectomy for HCC during the study period. The perioperative and postoperative outcomes were significantly different between the groups according to the IWATE-DSS. There were significant differences in both the intraoperative (bleeding control p = 0.000; surgical time p = 0.000; estimated blood loss p = 0.033) and postoperative variables (postoperative hospital stay p = 0.005) among these four groups. The 5-year disease-free survival decreased significantly along with the LH difficulty score (p = 0.000). The 5-year overall survival also decreased significantly along with the LH difficulty score (p = 0.000). IWATE-DSS was significantly correlated with short- and long-term outcomes in patients who underwent laparoscopic hepatectomy for HCC.
Rapid-progressing progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in two patients newly diagnosed with HIV: case series and review of literature
Authors: Badura Barbara , Barczak Szymon , Mikuła Tomasz , Wiercińska-Drapało Alicja
Published: February 2023

The JC Polyomavirus (JCPyV) is a virus of global distribution and is usually kept under control by the immune system. In patients with AIDS, a latent JCPyV infection can reactivate and develop into progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). Around half of the patients with PML die within 2 years since the diagnosis, yet in rare cases, the disease advances significantly quicker and seems to be insusceptible to any medical actions. In our clinic, we observed two cases of such course in HIV-positive patients in the AIDS stage. On admission, both patients had mild neurological symptoms such as dizziness, vision disturbances, and muscle weakness. Both had extremely low CD4 lymphocyte count (7 cells/μL, 40 cells/μL) and high HIV-1 viral load (VL) (50,324 copies/ml, 78,334 copies/ml). PML was confirmed by PCR for JCPyV DNA in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) coupled with clinical and radiological features. Despite receiving though antiretroviral (ARV) treatment paired with intra-venous (IV) steroids, the disease progressed rapidly with neurological manifestations exacerbating throughout the few weeks following the admission. Eventually, both patients developed respiratory failure and died within less than 3 months after the onset of the neurological symptoms. Even though such curse of the disease is not common, it should be a warning to all how deadly both PML and AIDS can be and remind doctors to offer testing even to asymptomatic patients.
The correlates of post-surgical haematoma in older adults with proximal femoral fractures
Authors: Ruggiero Carmelinda , Pioli Giulio , Petruccelli Rosario , Baroni Marta , Prampolini Raffaella , Pignedoli Paolo , Antinolfi Pierluigi , Rinonapoli Giuseppe , Cappa Michele , Boccardi Virginia , Bendini Chiara , Mecocci Patrizia , Caraffa Auro , Sabetta Ettore
Published: February 2023

Background

Little is known about the incidence of haematoma, and clinical correlates among orthogeriatric patients.

Aims

This study aims to describe the incidence of haematoma after surgical repair of hip fracture and to identify the clinical correlates of haematoma among orthogeriatric patients.

Methods

Two orthopaedic surgeons and a dedicated operator using ultrasound technique, each other in blindness, evaluated 154 orthogeriatric patients during their hospital stay. All patients received a comprehensive geriatric assessment. We investigated the concordance between clinical diagnosis and ultrasound detection of haematoma, and then we explored the clinical correlates of the onset of post-surgical haematoma.

Results

Blood effusion at the surgical site was detected in 77 (50%) patients using ultrasound technique; orthopaedic surgeons reached a clinical agreement about post-surgical haematoma in 18 (23%) patients. The sensitivity of clinical evaluation was 0.66, and the specificity was 0.70. Independent of age, clinical, pharmacological, and surgical confounders, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) were associated with post-surgical haematoma (OR 2.28; 95% CI 1.15–4.49). A tendency towards association was observed between selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and post-surgical haematoma (OR 2.10; 95% CI 0.97–4.54),

Conclusions

Half of older patients undergoing surgical repair of proximal femoral fracture develop a post-surgical haematoma. Clinical assessment, even if made by senior orthopaedic surgeons, underestimates the actual occurrence of post-surgical haematoma compared to ultrasound detection. Ultrasound technique may help to detect haematoma larger than 15 mm better than clinical assessment. PPIs’s use is a risk factor for post-surgical haematoma independent of several medical and surgical confounders.
Starved lubrication analysis of angular contact ball bearing based on a multi-degree-of-freedom tribo-dynamic model
Authors: Wen Chengwei , Meng Xianghui , Gu Jiaming , Xiao Lin , Jiang Shuang , Bi Hanbing
Published: February 2023

When the oil supply is not adequate to maintain the ideal lubrication, angular contact ball bearing will enter into the starved lubrication regime resulting in the potential performance degradation and consequently the severe failures. To study the effects of starved lubrication on the performance of angular contact ball bearing, this paper first proposes a multi-degree-of-freedom (DOF) tribo-dynamic model by introducing five-DOF inner ring, six-DOF balls, and six-DOF cage. The model considers the starved lubrication in the ball-raceway contact and the full multi-body interactions between the bearing components. With different ball-raceway starvation degrees being analyzed, the effects of starved lubrication on the bearing tribo-dynamic performance are first revealed. By comparison, it is found that the oil film thickness, the skidding performance, and the traction forces in the ball-raceway contact are significantly influenced by the starvation degrees. It is also found that the starvation-induced change of the ball-pocket contact force is dramatical under combined loads, and the maximum contact force under this load condition increases with the increasing starvation degrees.
Surface-functionalized design of blood-contacting biomaterials for preventing coagulation and promoting hemostasis
Authors: Wang Yi , Zhai Weijie , Cheng Shujie , Li Jinghua , Zhang Hongyu
Published: February 2023

The anticoagulation and hemostatic properties of blood-contacting materials are opposite lines of research, but their realization mechanisms are inspired by each other. Contact between blood and implantable biomaterials is a classic problem in tribological research, as both antithrombotic and hemostatic materials are closely associated with this problem. Thrombus formation on the surfaces of blood-contacting biomedical devices can detrimentally affect their performance and patient life, so specific surface functionalization is required. Currently, intensive research has focused on the development of super-lubricated or super-hydrophobic coatings, as well as coatings that deliver antithrombotic drugs. In addition, hemostatic biomaterials with porous structures, biochemical substances, and strongly adhesive hydrogels can be used to achieve rapid and effective hemostasis via physical or biochemical mechanisms. This article reviews methods of preparing anticoagulant coatings on material surfaces and the current status of rapid hemostatic materials. It also summarizes fundamental concepts for the design and synthesis of anticoagulant and hemostatic materials by discussing thrombosis and hemostasis mechanisms in biomedical devices and normal organisms. Because there are relatively few reports reviewing the progress in surface-functionalized design for anticoagulation and hemostasis, it is anticipated that this review can provide a useful summary of the applications of both bio-adhesion and bio-lubrication techniques in the field of biomedical engineering.
Parathyroid diseases and metabolic syndrome
Authors: Modica R. , Liccardi A. , Minotta R. , Benevento E. , Cannavale G. , Colao A.
Published: February 2023

Purpose

Parathyroid diseases are related to parathyroid hormone (PTH) dysregulation by parathyroid cells or alteration of PTH function. They include hyperparathyroidism (PTH excess), hypoparathyroidism (PTH deficiency) and pseudohypoparathyroidism (PTH resistance). Little is known about correlation between parathyroid diseases and metabolic syndrome (MetS).

Methods

An electronic-based search using PubMed was performed until October 2022 and articles were selected based on relevance of title, abstract, English language and publication in peer-reviewed journals.

Results

Possible association between PTH alterations and the diverse manifestation of MetS have been proposed and it could be supposed that MetS may negatively influence parathyroid diseases. Available data show significant association for hyperparathyroidism and pseudohypoparathyroidism.

Conclusions

This review highlights the possible implications between MetS and parathyroid diseases. Given the increasing MetS global prevalence and the higher parathyroid diseases awareness and diagnosis, it may be interesting to further explore the possible role of alterations in parathyroid homeostasis in the development of MetS components with dedicated prospective studies.
Assessment of uncertainties in a complex modeling chain for predicting reservoir sedimentation under changing climate
Authors: Pesci María Herminia , Mouris Kilian , Haun Stefan , Förster Kristian
Published: February 2023

Long-term predictions of reservoir sedimentation require an objective consideration of the preceding catchment processes. In this study, we apply a complex modeling chain to predict sedimentation processes in the Banja reservoir (Albania). The modeling chain consists of the water balance model WaSiM, the soil erosion and sediment transport model combination RUSLE-SEDD, and the 3d hydro-morphodynamic reservoir model SSIIM2 to accurately represent all relevant physical processes. Furthermore, an ensemble of climate models is used to analyze future scenarios. Although the capabilities of each model enable us to obtain satisfying results, the propagation of uncertainties in the modeling chain cannot be neglected. Hence, approximate model parameter uncertainties are quantified with the First-Order Second-Moment (FOSM) method. Another source of uncertainty for long-term predictions is the spread of climate projections. Thus, we compared both sources of uncertainties and found that the uncertainties generated by climate projections are 408% (for runoff), 539% (for sediment yield), and 272% (for bed elevation in the reservoir) larger than the model parameter uncertainties. We conclude that (i) FOSM is a suitable method for quantifying approximate parameter uncertainties in a complex modeling chain, (ii) the model parameter uncertainties are smaller than the spread of climate projections, and (iii) these uncertainties are of the same order of magnitude as the change signal for the investigated low-emission scenario. Thus, the proposed method might support modelers to communicate different sources of uncertainty in complex modeling chains, including climate impact models.
On the estimation of the jump activity index in the case of random observation times
Authors: Theopold Adrian , Vetter Mathias
Published: February 2023

We propose a nonparametric estimator of the jump activity index $$\beta $$
β
of a pure-jump semimartingale X driven by a $$\beta $$
β
-stable process when the underlying observations are coming from a high-frequency setting at irregular times. The proposed estimator is based on an empirical characteristic function using rescaled increments of X, with a limit that depends in a complicated way on $$\beta $$
β
and the distribution of the sampling scheme. Utilising an asymptotic expansion we derive a consistent estimator for $$\beta $$
β
and prove an associated central limit theorem.
Stress distribution in an infinite plate with discontinuities like elliptical or circular hole by boundary force method
Authors: Badiger Shrikrishna , D. S. Ramakrishna
Published: February 2023

This paper deals with the boundary force method to determine the stress distribution in an infinite plate subjected to uni-axial tension having elliptical or circular hole. The elasticity solution for a point force in an infinite plate is used as the fundamental solution. The boundary conditions are satisfied in terms of the resultant forces. Stress distribution obtained by boundary force method is validated against the results from analytical equations. Traction free boundary condition is weakly satisfied. Hoop stress closely follow the results from analytical equations (AE). Accurate values of stress concentration factor are computed using boundary force method for different values of ratio of semimajor axis to semiminor axis.
Chromatin accessibility landscapes revealed the subgenome-divergent regulation networks during wheat grain development
Authors: Pei Hongcui , Li Yushan , Liu Yanhong , Liu Pan , Zhang Jialin , Ren Xueni , Lu Zefu
Published: February 2023

Development of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain mainly depends on the processes of starch synthesis and storage protein accumulation, which are critical for grain yield and quality. However, the regulatory network underlying the transcriptional and physiological changes of grain development is still not clear. Here, we combined ATAC-seq and RNA-seq to discover the chromatin accessibility and gene expression dynamics during these processes. We found that the chromatin accessibility changes are tightly associated with differential transcriptomic expressions, and the proportion of distal ACRs was increased gradually during grain development. Specific transcription factor (TF) binding sites were enriched at different stages and were diversified among the 3 subgenomes. We further predicted the potential interactions between key TFs and genes related with starch and storage protein biosynthesis and found different copies of some key TFs played diversified roles. Overall, our findings have provided numerous resources and illustrated the regulatory network during wheat grain development, which would shed light on the improvement of wheat yields and qualities.
The use of antifoam agents to eliminate bubbles during biotechnological sample analysis
Authors: Bernau C. R. , Buyel J. F.
Published: February 2023

Colorimetric protein quantitation assays such as the Bradford method are susceptible to foaming when using manual or automated equipment, especially during mixing operations. The resulting bubbles cause unintended light scattering and, because they often persist for longer than the duration of the assay, can interfere with spectrometric sample analysis, for example in a 96-well plate reader at 585 nm. Here, we tested the ability of antifoam agents commonly used in biotechnology to reduce bubble formation when mixing Bradford reagent with protein samples from bioprocess development and production. We also assessed the impact of these agents on optical density at the assay-relevant wavelength to verify the fidelity of the readouts. We used a design of experiments approach to identify synergies between different antifoam agents, aiming to reduce the concentration needed to avoid foam formation and thus minimize any distortion of the assay results. Finally, we confirmed that antifoam-containing Bradford reagent retained its performance even after prolonged storage. We found that 0.15 g L−1 of Struktol J673A was sufficient to prevent foaming even when air was deliberately introduced into the samples. Furthermore, the modified Bradford reagent was stable for 4 weeks and did not distort the readout at 585 nm but only shifted it by ~ 0.1 dimensionless absorbance units. Therefore, our modified Bradford reagent will benefit biologists, biotechnologists and bioprocess engineers, especially those using automated workstations, because it improves the robustness of the assay.