bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of diagnostic performance of SARS-CoV-2 detection kits: a comparative study
Authors: Sherif Basma , Hafez Hala M. , Abdelhalim Marwa Ramadan , Elwafa Menna Allah Zakaria Abou , Wahba Nancy Samir , Hamdy Perihan
Published: February 2023

Background

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has hit many countries worldwide. Rapid and accurate diagnosis is crucial to reduce disease burden. Many commercial kits have become available, but their performance needs to be assessed. This study aimed at evaluation of the diagnostic performance of real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Rapid Antigen detection (RAD) kits for detecting Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Five hundred sixty-four Nasopharyngeal swab specimens sent to Molecular Laboratory at Ain Shams University Specialized Hospital for SARS-CoV-2 PCR testing collected from 564 subjects who attended the outpatient clinic for sample collection were randomly selected. All samples were tested for SARS-CoV-2 PCR using Viasure. Each time a recent kit was introduced, 94 samples, previously tested using Viasure, were used to determine the performance characteristics of the recent kit in comparison with Viasure, including Fast Track Diagnostics (FTD), DNA Technology, QiaPrep, Xpress SARS-CoV-2, ID NOW COVID-19 assay and Artron COVID-19 Antigen test kit.

Results

Upon comparison, FTD, DNA Technology, QiaPrep, Xpress SARS-CoV-2 and ID Now showed positive percent agreement, 100%, 100%, 97.7%, 100%, 100% negative percent agreement, 86%, 100%, 98.8%, 90%, 100%, respectively. The RAD kit results, when compared with RT-PCR, showed high sensitivity at cycle threshold (Ct) < 30, low sensitivity at Ct ≥ 30, while specificity was 100%.

Conclusion

Fast track, DNA Technology, QiaPrep, Xpress SARS-CoV-2 and ID Now showed good diagnostic performance. Positive RAD rule in SARS-CoV-2 infection, however negative results should be correlated with clinical condition and molecular testing.
Bayesian inverse scattering theory for multiparameter full-waveform inversion in transversely isotropic media
Authors: Ye Wenrui , Huang Xingguo , Han Li , Vatankhah Saeed , Zhang Pan
Published: February 2023

Full-waveform inversion (FWI) is an effective method that uses kinematic and dynamic information to provide an accurate image of the subsurface target. By applying the Bayesian approaches to FWI workflow, the traditional deterministic solution is replaced with a maximum a posteriori solution. This provides not only a reliable subsurface model for the nonlinear inverse scattering problem but also an uncertainty quantification. The high computational cost of the Bayesian FWI and the complexity of a large-scale anisotropy inversion, however, restrict its application in industrial settings. We have developed an FWI approach for tilted transversely isotropic (TTI) media. The strain field and the particle displacement of the anisotropic media are expressed by an integral method based on the scattering theory and an explicit multiscattering modified Green’s function. To reduce the computational cost, the wavefield is calculated by using the preconditioned generalized minimal residual iterative solver, which approximates the solution in the Krylov subspace. The Fréchet derivatives are expressed by using the distorted Born iterative method. An iterated extended Kalman filter is applied to solve the inverse problem and the posterior covariance matrix frequency-by-frequency. Numerical experiments indicate that the presented methodology can reasonably reconstruct the elastic moduli of the TTI medium. Furthermore, the numerical experiments demonstrate the accuracy and feasibility of our methodology.
US Food and Drug Administration Approval Summary: Fam-Trastuzumab Deruxtecan-nxki for Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2-Low Unresectable or Metastatic Breast Cancer
Authors: Narayan Preeti , Dilawari Asma , Osgood Christy , Feng Zhou , Bloomquist Erik , Pierce William F. , Jafri Samina , Kalavar Shyam , Kondratovich Marina , Jha Prakash , Ghosh Soma , Tang Shenghui , Pazdur Richard , Beaver Julia A. , Amiri-Kordestani Laleh
Published: February 2023

PURPOSE

The US Food and Drug Administration approved fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki (DS-8201a, T-DXd) for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable or metastatic human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-low (immunohistochemistry 1 + or immunohistochemistry 2+/in situ hybridization–) breast cancer who have received a prior chemotherapy in the metastatic setting or developed disease recurrence during or within 6 months of completing adjuvant chemotherapy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Approval was based on DESTINY-Breast04, a phase III, randomized, open-label, multicenter trial in patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2-low breast cancer, determined at a central laboratory. A total of 557 patients were randomly assigned (2:1) to receive either T-DXd 5.4 mg/kg intravenously once every 3 weeks (n = 373) or physicians' choice of chemotherapy (n = 184).

RESULTS

The study met its primary efficacy end point of progression-free survival (PFS) by blinded independent central review assessment in the hormone receptor–positive (HR+) cohort (N = 494) with an estimated hazard ratio (HR) of 0.51(95% CI, 0.40 to 0.64; P < .0001). Key secondary end points were also met, including PFS in the intent-to-treat population with an HR of 0.50 (95% CI, 0.40 to 0.63; P < .0001), overall survival (OS) in the HR+ cohort with an HR of 0.64 (95% CI, 0.48 to 0.86; P = .0028) and OS in the intent-to-treat with an HR of 0.64 (95% CI, 0.49 to 0.84; P = .0010). The safety profile of T-DXd was consistent with previously approved indications, and no new safety signals were observed in this study population.

CONCLUSION

The approval of T-DXd in HER2-low metastatic breast cancer was based on statistically significant and clinically meaningful PFS and OS improvements observed in the DESTINY-Breast04 trial and represents the first approved therapy specifically for the treatment of HER2-low metastatic breast cancer.
The Eucalcemic Patient With Elevated Parathyroid Hormone Levels
Authors: Shaker Joseph L , Wermers Robert A
Published: February 2023

Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is classically characterized by hypercalcemia with elevated or inappropriately normal parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels. Elevated PTH levels in the presence of normal calcium levels are not infrequently found during the evaluation of metabolic bone disorders or kidney stone disease. This can be caused by secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) or normocalcemic primary hyperparathyroidism (NPHPT). NPHPT is due to autonomous parathyroid function whereas SHPT is caused by a physiologic stimulation to PTH secretion. Many medical conditions and medications can contribute to SHPT, and differentiation between SHPT and NPHPT may be difficult. Cases are presented to illustrate examples. In this paper, we review the distinction between SHPT and NPHPT as well as end organ effects of NPHPT and outcomes of surgery in NPHPT. We suggest that the diagnosis of NPHPT be made only after careful exclusion of causes of SHPT and consideration of medications that can increase PTH secretion. Further, we advise a conservative approach to surgery in NPHPT.
Pediatric Anesthesiology Milestones 2.0: An Update, Rationale, and Plan Forward
Authors: Snell Jamey J. , Lockman Justin L. , Suresh Santhanam , Chatterjee Debnath , Ellinas Herodotos , Walker K. Karisa , Gonzalez Adolfo , Edgar Laura , Ambardekar Aditee P.
Published: February 2023

Formal training in the subspecialty of pediatric anesthesiology began >60 years ago. Over the years, the duration and clinical work has varied, but what has stayed constant is a mission to develop clinically competent and professionally responsible pediatric anesthesiologists. Since accreditation in 1997, there has been additional guidance by the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and greater accountability to the public that we, indeed, are producing competent and professional pediatric anesthesiologists. This has been influenced by the slow evolution from time-based educational curriculum to a competency-based paradigm. As with all ACGME-accredited specialties, education leaders in pediatric anesthesiology first convened in 2014 to design specialty-specific developmental trajectories within the framework of the 6 core competencies, known as milestones, on which fellows were to be tracked during the 1-year fellowship. With 5 years of implementation, and substantial data and feedback, it has become clear that an iterative improvement was necessary to mirror the evolution of the profession. It was evident that the community required brevity and clarity in the next version of the milestones and required additional resources for assessment and faculty development. We describe here the methodology and considerations of our working group, guided by ACGME, in the rewriting of the milestones. We also provide suggestions for implementation and collaboration to support the education and assessment of pediatric anesthesiology fellows across the country.
Period, Break, Form
Authors: Sergeant David
Published: February 2023

This essay examines the relationship between novelistic form and a historical moment shaped by new technologies in Dave Eggers's The Circle (2013) and Kim Stanley Robinson's Red Moon (2018). In both, the novel form is itself positioned as a major counterforce against the malignant powers that are attempting to form the age. Also in both, new technologies are understood not as primary or independent shaping forces but as enabling components of a larger political and economic form, a variant of capitalism. However, the crucial difference between the two novels is in how they periodize this capitalism, an act that is inseparably bound up with their generic identity. The Circle implicitly sees the growing power of the tech giants as a historical break, a departure or step-change from previous modes of capitalism, a periodizing that anticipates Shoshana Zuboff's recent, influential definition of “surveillance capitalism.” In Red Moon the new technology is less central to the plot and is capable of working for both the good guys and the bad. This relegation of technology as period marker reflects the novel's positioning of the contemporary moment—as it blurs into the near future setting—as a continuation of a longer historical arc rather than a break from it. Periodization and genre emerge as central to how these novels relate to social forms: genres are provisional and heuristic constructions that provide a way of talking about how novels negotiate, and negotiate with, history.
“Lusting after Relevance”: The Allegorical Import of the African American Novel
Authors: Harper Phillip Brian
Published: February 2023

Observing that Ishmael Reed's 1972 novel Mumbo Jumbo both oscillates between present- and past-tense narration and traffics in historical anachronism, this article argues that these dual modes of temporal disjunction establish the novel as a work of historical allegory whose 1920s-era story registers as actually being about the post–civil rights period in which the novel was published. The essay goes on to suggest that such an allegorical function is served by the African American novel in general, insofar as African American novels are understood to thematize struggles for freedom that are always relevant for their present-day Black readership, irrespective of the historical contexts in which the novels themselves are set. Finally, the essay notes that the 1988 trade paperback edition of Mumbo Jumbo substitutes different images for some of the ones that were featured in the original 1972 edition and contends that, in so doing, it at once achieves and emblematizes the perennial allegorical relevance that characterizes the African American novel as such, thereby securing its status as a signal work within the canon.
The Power of Nostalgia: Memory, Identity, and Authority in the Shishuo xinyu
Authors: Hu Qiulei
Published: February 2023

The Shishuo xinyu 世說新語 (A New Account of Tales of the World) is a collection of anecdotes concerning extraordinary historical figures active in the second through fourth centuries. This article highlights and explores the importance of the Shishuo xinyu as cultural memory. In the collection, the public display and use of personal memory of the cultural past are taken as means to preserve cultural legacy, construct cultural identity, and establish cultural authority in the elite literati community. Cultural memory gained much significance after the migration of the Western Jin 西晉 (265–316) royal house and aristocratic families to the south after its fall. On one hand, shared memory and the sharing of memory of the past created an unbroken chain of cultural legacy and secured the elite literati's cultural identities in a “continuous” tradition; on the other hand, personal memory and the monopoly of memory were crucial tools to claim cultural privilege in the highly competitive community of elite literati. The peculiar nature of the anecdote as a cross between private and public matters, as well as between local and universal knowledge, lends itself perfectly to carrying out the various social functions of cultural memory. The attention to cultural memory in the Shishuo xinyu was not an accidental or isolated phenomenon. Its sentimental and personal approach to the past reflects the prevailing cultural nostalgia in writings by elite literati of the fourth and fifth centuries.
A distinct transcriptome characterizes neural crest-derived cells at the migratory wavefront during enteric nervous system development
Authors: Stavely Rhian , Hotta Ryo , Guyer Richard A. , Picard Nicole , Rahman Ahmed A. , Omer Meredith , Soos Adam , Szocs Emoke , Mueller Jessica , Goldstein Allan M. , Nagy Nandor
Published: February 2023

Enteric nervous system development relies on intestinal colonization by enteric neural crest-derived cells (ENCDCs). This is driven by a population of highly migratory and proliferative ENCDCs at the wavefront, but the molecular characteristics of these cells are unknown. ENCDCs from the wavefront and the trailing region were isolated and subjected to RNA-seq. Wavefront-ENCDCs were transcriptionally distinct from trailing ENCDCs, and temporal modelling confirmed their relative immaturity. This population of ENCDCs exhibited altered expression of ECM and cytoskeletal genes, consistent with a migratory phenotype. Unlike trailing ENCDCs, the wavefront lacked expression of genes related to neuronal or glial maturation. As wavefront ENCDC genes were associated with migration and developmental immaturity, the genes that remain expressed in later progenitor populations may be particularly pertinent to understanding the maintenance of ENCDC progenitor characteristics. Dusp6 expression was specifically upregulated at the wavefront. Inhibiting DUSP6 activity prevented wavefront colonization of the hindgut, and inhibited the migratory ability of post-colonized ENCDCs from midgut and postnatal neurospheres. These effects were reversed by simultaneous inhibition of ERK signaling, indicating that DUSP6-mediated ERK inhibition is required for ENCDC migration in mouse and chick.
The ecl family gene ecl3+ is induced by phosphate starvation and contributes to sexual differentiation in fission yeast
Authors: Ohtsuka Hokuto , Sakata Hiroki , Kitazaki Yuto , Tada Masanobu , Shimasaki Takafumi , Otsubo Yoko , Maekawa Yasukichi , Kobayashi Mikuto , Imada Kazuki , Yamashita Akira , Aiba Hirofumi
Published: February 2023

In Schizosaccharomyces pombe, ecl family genes are induced by several signals, such as starvation of various nutrients, including sulfur, amino acids and Mg2+, and environmental stress, including heat or oxidative stress. These genes mediate appropriate cellular responses and contribute to the maintenance of cell viability and induction of sexual differentiation. Although this yeast has three ecl family genes with overlapping functions, any environmental conditions that induce ecl3+ remain unidentified. We demonstrate that ecl3+ is induced by phosphate starvation, similar to its chromosomally neighboring genes, pho1+ and pho84+, which respectively encode an extracellular acid phosphatase and an inorganic phosphate transporter. ecl3+ expression was induced by the transcription factor Pho7 and affected by the cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)-activating kinase Csk1. Phosphate starvation induced G1 arrest and sexual differentiation via ecl family genes. Biochemical analyses suggested that this G1 arrest was mediated by the stabilization of the CDK inhibitor Rum1, which was dependent on ecl family genes. This study shows that ecl family genes are required for appropriate responses to phosphate starvation and provides novel insights into the diversity and similarity of starvation responses.
Fish swimming mode and body morphology affect the energetics of swimming in a wave-surge water flow
Authors: Schakmann Mathias , Korsmeyer Keith E.
Published: February 2023

Fish swimming modes and the shape of both the fins and body are expected to affect their swimming ability under different flow conditions. These swimming strategies and body morphologies often correspond to distributional patterns of distinct functional groups exposed to natural and variable water flows. In this study, we used a swimming-respirometer to measure energetic costs during prolonged, steady swimming and while station holding in a range of simulated oscillatory wave-surge water flows, within the natural range of flow speeds and wave frequencies on coral reefs. We quantified the net cost of swimming (NCOS, metabolic costs above resting) for four reef fish species with differences in swimming mode and morphologies of the fin and body: a body and caudal fin (BCF) swimmer, the Hawaiian flagtail, Kuhlia xenura, and three pectoral fin swimmers, the kole tang, Ctenochaetus strigosus, the saddle wrasse, Thalassoma duperrey, and the Indo-Pacific sergeant major, Abudefduf vaigiensis. We found that the BCF swimmer had the highest rates of increase in NCOS with increasing wave frequency (i.e. increased turning frequency) compared with the pectoral fin swimmers. The wrasse, with a more streamlined, higher body fineness, had lower rates of increase in NCOS with increasing swimming speeds than the low body fineness species, but overall had the highest swimming NCOS, which may be a result of a higher aerobic swimming capacity. The deep-bodied (low fineness) pectoral fin swimmers (A. vaigiensis and C. strigosus) were the most efficient at station holding in oscillating, wave-surge water flows.
Can animals tune tissue mechanics in response to changing environments caused by anthropogenic impacts?
Authors: James Rob S. , Seebacher Frank , Tallis Jason
Published: February 2023

Anthropogenic climate change and pollution are impacting environments across the globe. This Review summarises the potential impact of such anthropogenic effects on animal tissue mechanics, given the consequences for animal locomotor performance and behaviour. More specifically, in light of current literature, this Review focuses on evaluating the acute and chronic effects of temperature on the mechanical function of muscle tissues. For ectotherms, maximal muscle performance typically occurs at temperatures approximating the natural environment of the species. However, species vary in their ability to acclimate to chronic changes in temperature, which is likely to have longer-term effects on species range. Some species undergo periods of dormancy to avoid extreme temperature or drought. Whilst the skeletal muscle of such species generally appears to be adapted to minimise muscle atrophy and maintain performance for emergence from dormancy, the increased occurrence of extreme climatic conditions may reduce the survival of individuals in such environments. This Review also considers the likely impact of anthropogenic pollutants, such as hormones and heavy metals, on animal tissue mechanics, noting the relative paucity of literature directly investigating this key area. Future work needs to determine the direct effects of anthropogenic environmental changes on animal tissues and related changes in locomotor performance and behaviour, including accounting for currently unknown interactions between environmental factors, e.g. temperature and pollutants.
Transfer RNA halves are found as nicked tRNAs in cells: evidence that nicked tRNAs regulate expression of an RNA repair operon
Authors: Chen Xinguo , Wolin Sandra L.
Published: February 2023

Transfer RNA fragments are proposed to regulate numerous processes in eukaryotes, including translation inhibition, epigenetic inheritance, and cancer. In the bacteriumSalmonella entericaserovar Typhimurium, 5′ tRNA halves ending in 2′,3′ cyclic phosphate are proposed to bind the RtcR transcriptional activator, resulting in transcription of an RNA repair operon. However, since 5′ and 3′ tRNA halves can remain base paired after cleavage, the 5′ tRNA halves could potentially bind RtcR as nicked tRNAs. Here we report that nicked tRNAs are ligands for RtcR. By isolating RNA from bacteria under conditions that preserve base pairing, we show that many tRNA halves are in the form of nicked tRNAs. Using a circularly permuted tRNA that mimics a nicked tRNA, we show that nicked tRNA ending in 2′,3′ cyclic phosphate is a better ligand for RtcR than the corresponding 5′ tRNA half. In human cells, we show that some tRNA halves similarly remain base paired as nicked tRNAs following cleavage by anticodon nucleases. Our work supports a role for the RNA repair operon in repairing nicked tRNAs and has implications for the functions proposed for tRNA fragments in eukaryotes.
Οι πολιτιστικές ειδήσεις και τα ρεπορτάζ των τηλεοπτικών δελτίων
Authors: Χατζηεμμανουήλ Μαρία
Published: February 2023

Στο διδακτορικό καταγράφονται οι πολιτιστικές ειδήσεις και τα ρεπορτάζ που περιλαμβάνουν τα κεντρικά τηλεοπτικά δελτία των εννέα πανελλαδικής εμβέλειας τηλεοπτικών σταθμών, των ετών 2007, 2008 και 2009. Στόχος είναι μέσα από συγκριτική μελέτη των πολιτιστικών θεμάτων που επικρατούν τη συγκεκριμένη χρονική περίοδο που μελετάμε, αλλά και όσων παρουσιάζονται κατ’ ελάχιστο αριθμό ή και αποσιωπώνται, να αναδειχθεί η κυρίαρχη πολιτιστική τηλεοπτική ιδεολογία και να κατανοηθεί η ισχύουσα αντίληψη. Συγκεντρώσαμε 424 πολιτιστικά θέματα, τα οποία κατανέμονται διαφορετικά ως προς τον αριθμό και το περιεχόμενό τους στα κεντρικά δελτία ειδήσεων. Όσον αφορά τη θεματολογία που περιλαμβάνεται στην πλειοψηφία τους περιλαμβάνουν ρεπορτάζ για Μουσική, Κινηματογράφο, Αρχαιολογία, Έθιμα. Το Θέατρο, το Βιβλίο, η Μόδα αναφέρονται ελάχιστα.Στη χρονική περίοδο που μελετάμε, καταγράφουμε δύο σημαντικά γεγονότα που καλύπτουν πάνω από το 1/3 του συνόλου των πολιτιστικών θεμάτων. Αυτά είναι: (α) ο θάνατος του Michael Jackson στο χώρο της Μουσικής και (β) τα εγκαίνια του Μουσείου της Ακρόπολης στον τομέα της Αρχαιολογίας.
Συσχέτιση ανάλυσης επιβίωσης και λειτουργικών αποτελεσμάτων ολικής αρθροπλαστικής γόνατος
Authors: Μπούρας Θεόδωρος
Published: February 2023

ΕΙΣΑΓΩΓΗ - ΣΚΟΠΟΣ: Η Οστεοαρθρίτιδα του Γόνατος είναι μια από τις πιο συχνές αιτίες πόνου και ανικανότητας. Η κύρια θεραπεία της είναι η Ολική Αρθροπλαστική Γόνατος (ΟΑΓ). Η ανάγκη για πιο λεπτομερή παρακολούθηση των ασθενών που υποβάλλονται σε ΟΑΓ και η κατεύθυνση προς την καταγραφή της ποιότητας της ζωής και την λειτουργικότητα οδήγησε στην συστηματική εργαλειοποίηση της μετεγχειρητικής παρακολούθησης των ασθενών με ολική αρθροπλαστική γόνατος και τη συσχέτισή της με την ποιότητα της ζωής. Αυτό το νεότερο πεδίο συνεχίζει να εξελίσσεται με τη χρήση σταθερών ή φορητών συσκευών καταγραφής της κίνησης και της δραστηριότητας των ασθενών. Σκοπός αυτής της μελέτης ήταν η εξέταση της σημασίας της χρήσης εργαλείων όπως η πελματογραφία και η επιταχυνσιομετρία για την πληρέστερη μετεγχειρητική παρακολούθηση και αποκατάσταση αυτών των ασθενών και η συσχέτισή τους με ερωτηματολόγια και κλινική εξέταση για την καταγραφή της ποιότητας της ζωής στη μακροπρόθεσμη μετεγχειρητική παρακολούθηση.ΥΛΙΚΟ-ΜΕΘΟΔΟΣ: Τριάντα έξι ασθενείς με ολική αρθροπλαστική γόνατος με τσιμέντο αξιολογήθηκαν 11.3 ± 2.3 χρόνια μετεγχειρητικά. Η ποιότητας ζωής και η φυσική δραστηριότητα καταγράφηκαν με τη χρήση των Ελληνικών εκδόσεων του ερωτηματολογίου του Παγκόσμιου Οργανισμού Υγείας για την ποιότητα ζωής (WHOQOL-BREF) και του Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS). Για την πληρέστερη καταγραφή του πόνου, χρησιμοποιήθηκε η κλίμακα VAS. Η πελματογραφία και η επιταχυνσιομετρία πραγματοποιήθηκαν με τη χρήση του λογισμικού BIOMEC STUDIO. H προσθοπίσθια σταθερότητα του γόνατος εκτιμήθηκε με τη χρήση του Rolimeter και το εύρος κίνησης με γωνιόμετρο. ΑΠΟΤΕΛΕΣΜΑΤΑ: Όλοι οι ασθενείς είχαν υψηλές μετρήσεις στην ποιότητα ζωής και στις λειτουργικές δοκιμασίες, εκτός από τη διάσταση “Αθλητισμός/Δραστηριότητες Ψυχαγωγίας” του KOOS. Αντίθετα η διάσταση “Λειτουργία/Καθημερινότητα” δεν επηρεάστηκε από καμία παράμετρο, ενώ η διάσταση “Συμπτώματα” συσχετίσθηκε με το εύρος κίνησης (p = 0.004) και τη μέση τιμή της μέγιστης πίεσης (p = 0.033). Η συχνότητα (p = 0.008) και η ταχύτητα (p = 0.026) βάδισης επηρέασαν το ψυχολογικό πεδίο του WHOQOL-BREF ανεξάρτητα από ηλικία, φύλο και χρόνο από χειρουργείο, αλλά δεν υπήρξε συσχέτιση αυτού του πεδίου με τις μετρήσεις της VAS και του Rolimeter. Το κοινωνικό πεδίο του WHOQOL-BREF επηρεάστηκε από το χρόνο φάσης στήριξης (p = 0.025), τη VAS (p = 0.005) και το εύρος κίνησης (p = 0.028). ΣΥΜΠΕΡΑΣΜΑΤΑ: Η εργαλειοποιημένη παρακολούθηση, με τη χρήση πελματογραφίας και επιταχυνσιομετρίας, μπορεί να συμβάλει με αξιοπιστία στη μακροπρόθεσμη μετεγχειρητική αξιολόγηση της ποιότητας ζωής των ασθενών με ολική αρθροπλαστική γόνατος.
Διακειµενικές ερµηνευτικές προσεγγίσεις στην αρχαία οµηρική υποµνηµατιστική και σχολιαστική γραµµατεία
Authors: Περπερίδου Αδαμαντία
Published: February 2023

Σκοπός της παρούσας έρευνας είναι η μελέτη της αρχαίας ερμηνείας του ομηρικού έπους με όρους δράματος, όπως αυτή αποτυπώνεται στα αρχαία ομηρικά σχόλια, και η διερεύνηση της σχέσης της με την αρχαία λογοτεχνική και ρητορική θεωρία. Στο πλαίσιο αυτό εξετάζονται οι αντιλήψεις των ομηρικών σχολίων που αναγνωρίζουν δραματική ποιότητα στο ομηρικό έπος και οι όροι που τις αποτυπώνουν. Ερευνώνται τα ομηρικά σχόλια που συνδέουν το ιλιαδικό προοίμιο με τους τραγικούς προλόγους και εξετάζεται το ρητορικό και λογοτεχνικό υπόβαθρο που ανιχνεύεται στη βάση μιας τέτοιας σύνδεσης. Διαπιστώνεται πως οι αρχαίοι υπομνηματιστές του Ομήρου εντοπίζουν στη χρήση ευθέος λόγου την κατεξοχήν δραματική διάσταση των ομηρικών επών, ακολουθώντας στο σημείο αυτό τον Πλάτωνα και τον Αριστοτέλη. Διερευνάται ο όρος «εναγώνιος» και ο τρόπος που σχετίζεται με την έννοια της δραματικότητας. Μελετώνται ζητήματα που σχετίζονται με τις επιλογές του ομηρικού αφηγητή ως προς την έκταση και την περιεκτικότητα επιμέρους πληροφοριακών διηγήσεων καθώς και τα δραματικά αποτελέσματα που αυτές συνεπάγονται. Διερευνάται η αντίληψη των αρχαίων ερμηνευτών περί του ομηρικού έπους ως θεάματος που στα ομηρικά σχόλια εκφράζει -ίσως με τον πιο άμεσο τρόπο- τη δραματική διάσταση των ομηρικών επών. Εξετάζονται, τέλος, οι απόψεις των ομηρικών σχολίων που προσδίδουν σκηνικές προεκτάσεις στην ομηρική αφήγηση. Προκύπτει πως μέσω της σχετικής ορολογίας οι αρχαίοι υπομνηματιστές αναγνωρίζουν στο ομηρικό έπος τη μέριμνα της σκηνικής διαρρύθμισης και την ικανότητα επίτευξης σκηνικών αποτελεσμάτων και δραματικών στόχων.
Temperature mapping model of cables considering the coupling of electromagnetic and thermal field
Authors: Hua Xu , Wang Li , Yang Shanshui , Zhang Shaojie
Published: February 2023

Background: During cable operation, its internal temperature reflects the actual working condition of the cable. Once overload occurs, its conductor temperature will rise rapidly. Under high temperature conditions, the insulation material is very prone to breakdown accidents, which seriously threatens the safety of the power system.

Methods: To reflect the actual operating condition of cables with high fidelity, a cable temperature mapping model is proposed with the coupling of electromagnetic and thermal field taken into consideration. Firstly, a finite element model is formulated based on the cable structure and material parameters. Secondly, the coupling between electromagnetic and thermal field is analyzed, and multiple coupling calculations are performed iteratively according to the operating conditions. Finally, the mapping between temperature and current flowing through the cable is established to accurately reflect the variation of cable’s internal temperature under different operating conditions. The cable surface temperatures under five operating conditions are measured online and compared with the calculated results of the temperature mapping model.

Results: The absolute error between the calculated value of the model and the actual measured value is 0.88°C and the relative error is 1.46%.

Conclusions: The temperature mapping model developed in this paper can accurately calculate the internal temperature of the cable and forms an important part of the digital twin model of the cable.
‘The brighter the worse’: Lead content of commercially available solvent-based paints intended for residential use in Pakistan
Authors: Siddiqui Durr-e-Amna , Coulter Lucia , Loudon Charlie , Fatmi Zafar
Published: February 2023

Background: Environmental pollution and exposure to lead (Pb) through household paint continue to be a great concern, especially for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Methods: We measured the Pb levels of solvent-based paints commercially available in Karachi, Pakistan. We visited major markets and collected commonly available brands of paint, sampling the yellow, red, and white colors of each. The paint samples’ Pb content was measured using inductively coupled argon plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES).

Results: Of the 60 analyzed paint samples, 24 (40%) contained Pb levels of >100 ppm (beyond the legal limit in Pakistan), with a maximum of 97,000 ppm (dry weight). Sixteen (76.2%) of the 21 yellow paints (range: 5,100–97,000 ppm, IQR: 36,900 ppm), seven (37.0%) of the 19 red paints (range: 220–1,800 ppm, IQR: 255 ppm), and one (5%) of the 20 white paints (870 ppm) contained Pb levels of >100 ppm. Of the 60 paints, 45 were produced by domestic Pakistani companies (51% exceeding the limit) and 15 by multinational companies (7% exceeding the limit).

Conclusions: Although Pakistani regulations have restricted Pb content in paints to <100 ppm since 2017, these regulations are poorly implemented, as highlighted by this study. We therefore recommend that paint manufacturers comply with national standards and internationally recommended Pb limits to ensure the health and safety of children and other populations in Pakistan.
The identification of high-performing antibodies for Moesin for use in Western Blot, immunoprecipitation, and immunofluorescence
Authors: Alshafie Walaa , Ayoubi Riham , Fotouhi Maryam , Southern Kathleen , Laflamme Carl ,   NeuroSGC/YCharOS collaborative group
Published: February 2023

Moesin is a cytoskeletal adaptor protein, involved in the modification of the actin cytoskeleton, with relevance to Alzheimer’s Disease. Well characterized anti-Moesin antibodies would benefit the scientific community. In this study, we characterized ten commercial antibodies for Moesin in Western Blot, immunoprecipitation, and immunofluorescence using a standardized experimental protocol based on comparing read-outs in knockout cell lines and isogenic parental controls. We identified well-performing antibodies and encourage readers to use this report as a guide to select the most appropriate antibody for their specific needs.
Biosensors for therapeutic drug monitoring: a review
Authors: Shalannanda Wervyan , Satriawan Ardianto , Nurrajab Muhammad Fairuziko , Ayulestari Anchelmia Chyntia Hanna , Safitri Diah Ayu , Nabila Finna Alivia , Setianingsih Casi , Anshori Isa
Published: February 2023

Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is a crucial and essential step for patient care when an accurate medication dosage is necessary. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and immunoassays are commonly used methods for TDM, but they are expensive and incapable of real-time monitoring. Biosensor technology is believed to have the potential to perform TDM effectively. Biosensors are flexible and can be tailored to individual patient needs. This article reviews the development of biosensors for TDM, including the types of biosensors that have been fabricated and the drugs they have successfully monitored. Biosensor technology is expected to have a bright future, particularly for real-time monitoring and integration with internet of things (IoT) systems.
Uncovering culinary medicine research themes: Current status and future direction
Authors: Mallya Jyothi , K Thirugnanasambantham , Shettigar Pallavi
Published: February 2023

Background:

Culinary medicine (CM), an emerging discipline, is a novel approach that focuses on the art of food and cooking to prevent or improve health outcomes among chronic patients suffering from lifestyle diseases. The concept originated in the USA, gaining interest from scholars in medicine, nutrition, nursing, and the gastronomic discipline. Notably, in the last five years, there has been exponential growth in CM literature. In this regard, this study sought to examine the growth, performance and distinct research themes of CM literature over time.

Methods: To achieve the study’s objectives, this study employs descriptive, performance and bibliometric analysis. The descriptive analysis was applied to examine the growth of the CM literature since its emergence. The performance analysis was used to identify the most influential journals, articles, and authors in the CM domain. The bibliographic coupling analysis was adopted to discover the various research themes of the CM knowledge base.

Results:  This study identifies three stages of literature development: Early stage, modest growth stage, and emerging stage. Further, the results indicate that most of the studies on CM had been conducted in developed countries. Our findings reveal a clear interest in integrating the CM curriculum into medical/nutrition education programs in recent years. Additionally, the study discovers four distinct main research themes: knowledge assessment, impact measurement, acceptance and efficacy, and implementation of CM.

Conclusions: These findings are helpful for scholars in medicine, nutrition, nursing, and gastronomy as they provide an overview of CM's development and research focus. Future studies could focus on expanding the geographical distribution of research on CM and further exploring the identified research themes to gain a deeper understanding of the potential of this approach for improving health outcomes among chronic disease patients.
Self-managed abortion via the internet: Analysis of one year of service delivery data from Women Help Women
Authors: Shochet Tara , Berro Pizzarossa Lucía , Larrea Sara , Blum Jennifer , Jelinska Kinga , Comendant Rodica , Sagaidac Irina
Published: February 2023

Background: To better comprehend the demand for online medication abortion and to inform service delivery practice, we conducted an analysis of Women Help Women (WHW) service delivery statistics. The primary goals were to understand their user profile, evaluate self-reported outcomes and use of other medical services, and assess the overall experience both with the abortion itself and with the counseling and care provided by WHW.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated user characteristics, abortion outcomes, and acceptability of both the medication abortion and WHW’s services, using consultation data and corresponding evaluation data from a one-year period. For users who did not complete the evaluation form, WHW staff reviewed email correspondences to identify key outcomes.

Results: From August 2016-July 2017, 3,307 individuals received abortion pills from WHW. Users were geographically located in thirty countries and correspondence was conducted in seven languages. Most reported their gestational age to be less than eight weeks. Of the 2,295 who took the pills and provided outcome information, almost all (99.1%, n=2275) reported that they were no longer pregnant. The majority (84.1%, n=1576/1875) used symptoms to confirm outcome; one fourth (22.8%, n=428) sought an ultrasound and one sixth (18.0%, n=338) used urine and/or serum testing. One in eight users (12.6%, n=292/2317) reported seeking additional medical care after taking the abortion pills. Most (87.5%, n=1551/1773) reported being satisfied or very satisfied with the abortion.

Conclusions: Our study confirms that self-managed abortion is a process that people can do safely and effectively with community support and without medical supervision. In the context of a global backlash against abortion rights, self-managed abortion is an integral part of a spectrum of options for abortion care that must be made available to all.
Nonlinear field-control of terahertz waves in random media for spatiotemporal focusing
Authors: Cecconi Vittorio , Kumar Vivek , Pasquazi Alessia , Totero Gongora Juan Sebastian , Peccianti Marco
Published: February 2023

Controlling the transmission of broadband optical pulses in scattering media is a critical open challenge in photonics. To date, wavefront shaping techniques at optical frequencies have been successfully applied to control the spatial properties of multiple-scattered light. However, a fundamental restriction in achieving an equivalent degree of control over the temporal properties of a broadband pulse is the limited availability of experimental techniques to detect the coherent properties (i.e., the spectral amplitude and absolute phase) of the transmitted field. Terahertz experimental frameworks, on the contrary, enable measuring the field dynamics of broadband pulses at ultrafast (sub-cycle) time scales directly. In this work, we provide a theoretical/numerical demonstration that, within this context, complex scattering can be used to achieve spatio-temporal control of instantaneous fields and manipulate the temporal properties of single-cycle pulses by solely acting on spatial degrees of freedom of the illuminating field. As direct application scenarios, we demonstrate spatio-temporal focusing, chirp compensation, and control of the carrier-envelope-phase (CEP) of a CP-stable, transform-limited THz pulse.
Alignment of the synthesis of qualitative data (SQD) model, technology self-efficacy and TPACK Core measures in preparing pre-service teachers to integrate technology
Authors: Christensen Rhonda , Trevisan Ottavia
Published: February 2023

Preparing pre-service teachers to integrate technology in their future classrooms is a complex endeavor. Several factors known to affect the use of technology in the classroom include technology knowledge and skills, positive attitudes toward integrating technology, pedagogical expertise with technology and content knowledge in one or more disciplines. One strategy that has been used in many educator preparation programs has been to create a course that teaches how to integrate technology. Measuring the impact of these types of courses is important in determining whether they are meeting the needs of the pre-service teachers in their pursuit to integrate technology in a meaningful and effective way. This paper reports on the measurement and alignment of three aspects that impact pre-service technology integration - technology self-efficacy, strategies and experiences provided by the preparation programs, and the intersection of technology, content knowledge and pedagogy. Pre-service participants in a semester-long course focused on integrating technology gained significantly from pre to post on each of the scales, demonstrating an increase in technology self-efficacy, experiences related to technology during their program and confidence in fusing technology, content knowledge and pedagogy. In addition, the three measures focused on different areas of technology integration aligned to show relationships of the attributes important for using technology in their future classrooms.
Ogilvie Syndrome - summary of knowledge, diagnostics and treatment
Authors: Radulski Jakub , Tomkiewicz Julia , Tomkiewicz Michał , Olko Paweł , Rybkowska Agnieszka , Paluch Michał , Szczuraszek Hugo , Bętkowska Paulina , Licak Gabriela , Szczuraszek Paulina
Published: February 2023

Introduction and purpose: Ogilvie's syndrome is an acute pseudo-obstruction of the colon characterized by massive dilatation of the large intestine without mechanical obstruction. The aim of this publication is to review publications and case reports concerning this disease and therapeutic management.

A brief description of the state of knowledge: Ogilvie's syndrome was first described in 1948. The assumed pathogenesis of the disease is increased activity of the sympathetic nervous system and/or decreased activity of the parasympathetic nervous system. Most often it concerns hospitalized patients, in a serious general condition, after major injuries, operations, and pregnant or postpartum women. The importance of viral infections in the pathogenesis, including COVID-19 in recent years, is also indicated. It is important to eliminate possible organic causes of obstruction and to assess the diameter of the dilated bowel. Therapeutic options include conservative treatment, pharmacological treatment with acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, endoscopic bowel decompression and surgical treatment. Lack of medical intervention can lead to ischemia and intestinal perforation.

Conclusion: Ogilvie's syndrome is a rare condition in which complications can be minimized with proper assessment, care and treatment. The progress of pharmacological and endoscopic therapy allows to reduce the need for surgical intervention, and thus - the patient's unnecessary burden.
HPV virus as the main cause of cervical cancer, vaccination - literature review
Authors: Paluch Michał , Tomkiewicz Michał , Olko Paweł , Radulski Jakub , Sałata Piotr , Żuchnik Magda , Szczuraszek Hugo , Szczuraszek Paulina , Rybkowska Agnieszka , Tomkiewicz Julia
Published: February 2023

HPV infection is one of the most common viral infection of the female and male reproductive tract worldwide. Most of the human papillomavirus infections cause no symptoms and go away on their own. Some infections develop into persistent infection, which can lead to the development of cancer of the cervix, anogenital, oral cavity and pharynx.In this paper, we focused on cervical cancer, which is the second most common cancer in the world among women. More than 300,000 women died from this cancer in 2020. The invention and introduction of prophylactic HPV vaccines has played a significant role in reducing the number of viral infections, thus reducing the incidence of benign and malignant diseases caused by them and the mortality resulting from them. There are three vaccines on the pharmaceutical marketfor prevention of specific HPV infection. They are: a bivalent vaccine Cervarix, a tetravalent vaccine Gardasil and a nonavalent vaccine Gardasil 9. These vaccines are safe because they do not contain an attenuated virus particle, but their production is based on a virus-like particle of the main capsid protein L1-VLP. Gardasil 9 targets nine HPV types andcomparing to the other two vaccines it is the most effective at preventing the development of preinvasive cervical cancer. WHO recommends administering them to girls aged 9 to 14 in a two-dose schedule or from 15 years of age in a three-dose schedule. The side effects of the above-mentioned vaccines were mostly associated with a cutaneous reactions around the site of injection (pain, redness, swelling), and some people also experienced systemic symptoms such as a headache, a fever, vomiting, a dizziness, muscle pain and a diarrhea. The following article is an analysis of the current knowledge on the effectiveness and safety of prophylactic HPV vaccines based on publications available in the Pubmed and Google Scholar databases.
Modeling Internet Search Behavior of Cross-Laminated Timber
Authors: Via Brian K. , Kennedy David , Peresin Maria S.
Published: February 2023

The Internet is a powerful tool that can be leveraged to explore user search behavior. Google Trends is a compelling database that tracks the frequency with which all users search any given word. There is thus an opportunity to see if the search histories obtained from Google Trends can be merged with data analytics to tease out underlying relationships with similar searches for cross-laminated timber (CLT). In this study, multiple linear regression was used to predict the search strength of the term cross laminated timber from 60 possible variables that may be directly or indirectly associated with CLT. This study was able to model the search term CLT (R2 = 0.76) using a reduced model of 20 variables. However, while prediction strength was strong, our primary interest was to statistically classify and rank important variables that might be important to CLT. To achieve this, the Mallow's Cp statistic was used to build the most robust model possible. To confirm with the literature, we also compared our study with another Web-based study and found a significant linear relationship between the t statistic in our study and the frequency of the same or similar search term in their study (R2 = 0.76). This agreement between studies helps to support our hypothesis that multiple linear regression coupled with Google Trends is a new tool that may assist marketers to identify emerging trends important to CLT.
The Relative Numbers of L and M cones in Peripheral Retina
Authors: Otake Shiro , Cicerone Carol M.
Published: February 2023

The relative number of long-wavelength-sensitive (L) cones and middle-wavelength-sensitive (M) cones has been estimated recently using psychophysical methods (1, 2). Previous experiments in this laboratory have estimated the relative number to be about 2:1 in central fovea (1) and have shown that the relative number corresponds to color appearance in foveal vision (3).
A Chromaticity Diagram demonstrating both Cone Excitation and Color-Opponency
Authors: Scheibner Horst
Published: February 2023

The original color triangle of Maxwell (1855) is designed to show linear color mixture relations. A well-known extension of the color triangle makes reference to fundamental primaries and thereby serves as a cone excitation diagram. Here, a further extension is presented showing the characteristic features of linear dichromatic and trichromatic opponent–color vision. Its constituent elements are 3 straight lines along which one of the perceptual criteria "no blue-yellow chroma" "no green-red chroma" or "no brightness" holds. These loci are the intersections of two-dimensional subspaces of the color space with the plane of the color triangle. Such an opponent–color triangle may be superimposed on a cone excitation diagram. Together, they show the (projective) core of a linear physiological color theory, of which one important feature is the direct decomposition of a color into chrominance and luminance.
Near-Infrared Imaging at the Starfire Optical Range
Authors: Harvey Paul M. , Koresko Chris D. , Christou Julian C. , Fugate Robert Q.
Published: February 2023

We present preliminary results from one-half night of NSF-supported observing on the 1.5-m SOR telescope via a NICMOS-3 camera at 1.6 μm.
A Laser Guide Star Atmospheric Compensation System for the 3.5m Calar Alto telescope
Authors: Wirth Allan , Landers Frank , Trvalik Bruce , Navetta Joe , Bruno Terry
Published: February 2023

The Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg is constructing a laser guide star atmospheric compensation system for the 3.5m Calar Alto telescope. The system consists of a tilt compensation loop, a high-order adaptive optics loop, and a sodium wavelength dye laser. These subsystems are to be fully integrated into the observatory control software system. The hardware is to be installed at the telescope and testing begun in the spring of 1996. This paper deals with several aspects of the design of this system as well as reporting results from subsystem testing.