bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Händehygiene im OP – (k)ein Thema?
Authors: Menzel Justus , Kühn Annika , Beck Diana , Schock Bettina , Chaberny Iris F.
Published: May 2022

Hintergrund und Zielstellung

Eine hohe Händehygiene-Compliance (HHC) ist eine effektive Maßnahme zur Prävention von nosokomialen Infektionen. Die WHO empfiehlt direkte Beobachtungen als Goldstandard, um die HHC zu stratifizieren. Hohe Compliance-Raten bei der chirurgischen Händedesinfektion legen eine hohe Gesamt-Compliance im OP-Bereich nahe. Zahlen zur hygienischen Händedesinfektion im OP sind allerdings rar. Ziel war es, die HHC systematisch zu beobachten und durch maßgeschneiderte Interventionen zu steigern.

Methode

Um die HHC in den Jahren 2017 und 2018 zu erfassen, wurde ein Beobachtungsbogen genutzt. Chirurgen und Op.-Pflege sowie Anästhesisten und Anästhesiepflege wurden erfasst. Für die Erprobung einer maßgeschneiderten Intervention wurden 2 OP-Bereiche ausgewählt. Zur Überprüfung der Effektivität erfolgten nur in einem OP-Bereich eine maßgeschneiderte Fortbildung und sog. Compliance-Begleitungen mit direktem Feedback durch die Hygienefachkräfte. In dem anderen OP-Bereich erfolgte keine Intervention.

Ergebnis

Über 1500 Indikationen zur Händehygiene wurden in den Jahren 2017 und 2018 im operativen Bereich erfasst. Die Gesamt-Compliance der Interventionsgruppe konnte im Beobachtungszeitraum von 40 auf 75 % gesteigert werden (p < 0,001). Die Gesamt-Compliance der Kontrollgruppe veränderte sich nicht signifikant (48 auf 55 %; p = 0,069).

Diskussion

Durch die hohe Compliance-Rate bei der chirurgischen Händedesinfektion entstand die Annahme, die Compliance bei der hygienischen Händedesinfektion sei ebenfalls auf einem hohen Niveau. Im Rahmen der Feedbackgespräche zeigte sich, dass die Mitarbeiter nicht wussten, dass die Indikationen der „5 Momente der Händehygiene“ auch im OP anzuwenden seien, und zeigten somit ihr Unwissen über die assoziierten Indikationen.
EPAs („entrustable professional activities“) in der Frauenheilkunde – Was sollten PJ-Studierende können?
Authors: Schänzler Verena , Riedel Maximilian , Riedel Fabian , Walter Adeline , Strizek Brigitte , Weber Eva , Gembruch Ulrich , Weiss Martin , Recker Florian
Published: May 2022

Auch im Praktischen Jahr (PJ) müssen zukünftig verbesserte und praxisorientiertere Lehrkonzepte etabliert werden, um sich an die neuesten gesetzlichen Vorgaben der medizinischen Ausbildung anzupassen. Die neue ärztliche Approbationsordnung zielt dabei auf ein Absolventenprofil ab, das verstärkt auf dem Modell der kompetenzbasierten Lehre und der „entrustable professional activities“ (EPAs) basiert. Besonders in im Fachgebiet der Frauenheilkunde ist es von besonderer Bedeutung, früh wichtige Schlüsselfähigkeiten, auch im Sinne der Patientinnensicherheit, zu erlernen. Durch die Integration der EPAs ergeben sich sowohl für Studierende als auch für die Kliniken Vorteile: Studierende erlangen eine praxisnahe Ausbildung, die sie auf den Berufsalltag bestmöglich vorbereitet; Kliniken können wiederum eine bessere Patientenversorgung sicherstellen und ihr ärztliches Team mit gut ausgebildeten Berufseinsteigenden stärken. Um EPAs in das PJ integrieren zu können, müssen diese im ersten Schritt erstellt und inhaltlich definiert werden. International wurden bereits Frauenheilkunde-spezifische EPAs entwickelt; diese lassen sich allerdings nur bedingt in Deutschland anwenden. Hier sind größere Modifikationen notwendig. Um eine erfolgreiche Integration von EPAs in den Klinikalltag zu gewährleisten, müssen innerhalb der Kliniken vermehrt Ressourcen für die Betreuung und Anleitung der Studierenden mobilisiert werden. Dies soll zukünftig die Kompetenz junger Ärzte in den Berufsalltag in der Gynäkologie und Geburtshilfe stärken und sowohl Verantwortungsbewusstsein als auch die klinisch-praktischen Kompetenzen stärken.
The long shadow of child labour on adolescent mental health: a quantile approach
Authors: Jayawardana Danusha , Baryshnikova Nadezhda V. , Cheng Terence C.
Published: May 2022

This study examines the heterogeneous effect of child labour on adolescent mental health using longitudinal household data from the Indonesia Family Life Survey. We use legislative minimum wage as an instrument to address the endogeneity bias of child work. Results from the instrumental variable quantile estimation indicate that the effect of child labour is heterogeneous across the mental health distribution. Specifically, working as a child increases the mental health score (CES-D score) at all quantiles and the magnitude of the effect is large above the median of the distribution. This suggests that child workers are likely to develop depression later in life, especially adolescents with poor mental health. Additionally, we find that the effect of child work on adolescent mental health is greater for boys compared to girls.
Value of MRI-based semi-quantitative structural neuroimaging in predicting the prognosis of patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus after shunt surgery
Authors: Chen Jiakuan , He Wenjie , Zhang Xiejun , Lv Minrui , Zhou Xi , Yang Xiaolin , Wei Haihua , Ma Haiqin , Li Hongbing , Xia Jun
Published: May 2022

Objectives

To explore the value of structural neuroimaging in predicting the prognosis of shunt surgery for idiopathic normal-pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) using two different standard semi-quantitative imaging scales.

Methods

A total of 47 patients with iNPH who underwent shunt surgery at our hospital between 2018 and 2020 were included in this study. The modified Rankin Scale (mRS) and iNPH grading scale (iNPHGS) were used to evaluate and quantify the clinical symptoms before and after shunt surgery. The disproportionately enlarged subarachnoid space hydrocephalus (DESH) and iNPH Radscale scores were used to evaluate the preoperative MR images. The primary endpoint was improvement in the mRS score a year after surgery, and the secondary endpoint was the iNPHGS after 1 year. The preoperative imaging features of the improved and non-improved groups were compared.

Results

The rates of the primary and secondary outcomes were 59.6% and 61.7%, respectively, 1 year after surgery. There were no significant differences in preoperative DESH score, iNPH Radscale, Evans’ index (EI), or callosal angle (CA) between the improved and non-improved groups. Significant correlations were observed between the severity of gait disorder and EI and the CA.

Conclusions

The value of structural neuroimaging in predicting the prognosis of shunt surgery is limited, and screening for shunt surgery candidates should not rely only on preoperative imaging findings.

Key Points

• Early shunt surgery can significantly improve the clinical symptoms and prognosis of patients with idiopathic normal-pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH).

• Structural imaging findings have limited predictiveness for the prognosis of patients with iNPH after shunt surgery.

• Patients should not be selected for shunt surgery based on only structural imaging findings.
Pan-segmental intraprostatic lesions involving mid-gland and apex of prostate (mid-apical lesions): assessing the true value of extreme apical biopsy cores
Authors: Leyh-Bannurah Sami-Ramzi , Boiko Svitlana , Beyersdorff Dirk , Falkenbach Fabian , Ekrutt Jonas , Maurer Tobias , Graefen Markus , Kachanov Mykyta , Budäus Lars
Published: May 2022

Objective

When considering increased morbidity of apical biopsies, the added diagnostic value of separate targeting of mid-gland and apical segment of the pan-segmental mid-apical mpMRI prostate cancer (PCa) suspicious lesions was assessed.

Materials and methods

A total of 420 patients with a single mpMRI PCa-suspicious PI-RADS ≥ 3 intraprostatic lesion extending from the mid-gland to the apical segment of the gland underwent transrectal MRI-targeted (TBx) and systematic prostate biopsy. Clinically significant PCa (CsPCa) was defined as Gleason Score (GS) ≥ 3 + 4. PCa detection rates of TBx cores were assessed according to targeted anatomical segments. Finally, the diagnostic values of two theoretical TBx protocols utilizing 1-core (A) vs. 2-cores (B) per anatomical segment were compared.

Results

TBx within the pan-segmental mid-apical lesions yielded 44% of csPCa. After stratification into mid- vs. apical segment of the lesion, csPCa was detected in 36% (mid-gland) and 32% (apex), respectively. Within the patients who had no csPCa detection by mid-gland sampling (64%, n = 270), extreme apical TBx yielded additional 8.1% of csPCa. Comparison of extreme apical TBx strategy B vs. overall PCa detection in our cohort revealed corresponding similar rates of 49 vs.50% and 31 vs.32%, respectively.

Conclusion

Separate analyses of both segments, mid-gland and apex, clearly revealed the diagnostic contribution of apical TBx. Our findings strongly suggest to perform extreme apical TBx even within pan-segmental lesions. Moreover, our results indicate that a higher number of cores sampled from the mid-gland segment might be avoided if complemented with a two-core extreme apical TBx.
Phototherapeutische Keratektomie bei rezidivierenden Hornhauterosionen verschiedener epithelialer Genese: Einfluss der Ablationstiefe auf Pachymetrie und Refraktion
Authors: Grauvogl Vitus , Luft Nikolaus , Mohr Niklas , Nobl Matthias , Gerhardt Maximilian J. , Siedlecki Jakob , Shajari Mehdi , Mayer Wolfgang J.
Published: May 2022

Einführung

Die phototherapeutische Keratektomie gilt heute als etabliertes Therapieverfahren für Patienten, welche unter therapierefraktären genetisch bedingten Hornhautdystrophien oder rezidivierenden Erosiones ohne zugrunde liegende Basalmembrandystrophie leiden.

Ziel der Arbeit

Ziel der Arbeit war es, Änderungen der Refraktion und der Pachymetrie nach phototherapeutischer Keratektomie bei Patienten, welche eine epitheliale Basalmembrandystrophie oder rezidivierende Erosiones ohne zugrunde liegende Basalmembrandystrophie (traumatisch/nichttraumatisch bedingt) aufweisen, zu analysieren.

Material und Methoden

Die Patientendaten wurden retrospektiv aus dem Smart-Eye-Data-Datenbank-System der Augenklinik der LMU in den Jahren 2014 bis 2020 zusammen mit diagnostischen Daten aus Pentacam HR und Autorefraktometer ausgewertet. Als festes Therapieregime wurde eine Photoablation von 10 μm für epitheliale Basalmembrandystrophie und 6 μm für Patienten ohne Basalmembrandystrophie gewählt.

Ergebnisse

In beiden Kollektiven konnte eine Abnahme der Pachymetrie am Apex nachgewiesen werden (epitheliale Basalmembrandystrophie: Abnahme 25,8 μm, ±19,6 μm SD, Bandbreite −12–97 μm; keine Basalmembrandystrophie: Abnahme 12,3 μm, ±17,6 μm SD, Bandbreite −39–68 μm). Es kam zu keiner signifikanten Zu- oder Abnahme der „total corneal refractive power“ im epitheliale Basalmembrandystrophie-Kollektiv, im Kollektiv der rezidivierenden Erosiones ohne Basalmembrandystrophie zu einer signifikanten Zunahme von 42,3 dpt auf 42,6 dpt (Veränderung ±0,8 dpt SD, p < 0,05). Das sphärische Äquivalent zeigte keine Veränderung im Follow-up-Intervall für das epitheliale Basalmembrandystrophie Kollektiv. Hingegen zeigte das Kollektiv ohne Basalmembrandystrophie eine statistisch signifikante Abnahme des SE um 0,4 dpt (±0,7 dpt SD, p < 0,05). Das mittlere Follow-up-Intervall betrug 126 Tage (CI 95 %: 104 bis 147 Tage).

Schlussfolgerung

Ein signifikanter Einfluss auf die Refraktion konnte in der durchgeführten Studie in Bezug auf die „total corneal refractive power“ für beide Kollektive nur in geringem Maße festgestellt werden. Der finale Abtrag anhand der Pachymetrie am Apex hingegen kann auf das 2,3- bis 2,6-Fache der ursprünglichen Ablationstiefe geschätzt werden. Ursachen hierfür sind einerseits der Laserabtrag selbst sowie der Einfluss der reaktiven Wundheilung des kornealen Epithels.
Predictive inference of dual generalized order statistics from the inverse Weibull distribution
Authors: Aly Amany E.
Published: May 2022

In this paper, some predictive results of dual generalized order statistics (DGOSs) from the inverse Weibull distribution are obtained. For this goal, different predictive and reconstructive pivotal quantities are proposed. Moreover, several predictive and reconstructive intervals concerning DGOSs based on the inverse Weibull distribution are constructed. Furthermore, the maximum likelihood predictor as well as the predictive maximum likelihood estimates based on DGOSs are studied. Finally, simulation studies are carried out to assess the efficiency of the obtained results.
Eye tracking identifies biomarkers in α-synucleinopathies versus progressive supranuclear palsy
Authors: Habibi Mahboubeh , Oertel Wolfgang H. , White Brian J. , Brien Donald C. , Coe Brian C. , Riek Heidi C. , Perkins Julia , Yep Rachel , Itti Laurent , Timmermann Lars , Best Christoph , Sittig Elisabeth , Janzen Annette , Munoz Douglas P.
Published: May 2022

Objectives

This study (1) describes and compares saccade and pupil abnormalities in patients with manifest alpha-synucleinopathies (αSYN: Parkinson’s disease (PD), Multiple System Atrophy (MSA)) and a tauopathy (progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP)); (2) determines whether patients with rapid-eye-movement sleep behaviour disorder (RBD), a prodromal stage of αSYN, already have abnormal responses that may indicate a risk for developing PD or MSA.

Methods

Ninety (46 RBD, 27 PD, 17 MSA) patients with an αSYN, 10 PSP patients, and 132 healthy age-matched controls (CTRL) were examined with a 10-min video-based eye-tracking task (Free Viewing). Participants were free to look anywhere on the screen while saccade and pupil behaviours were measured.

Results

PD, MSA, and PSP spent more time fixating the centre of the screen than CTRL. All patient groups made fewer macro-saccades (> 2◦ amplitude) with smaller amplitude than CTRL. Saccade frequency was greater in RBD than in other patients. Following clip change, saccades were temporarily suppressed, then rebounded at a slower pace than CTRL in all patient groups. RBD had distinct, although discrete saccade abnormalities that were more marked in PD, MSA, and even more in PSP. The vertical saccade rate was reduced in all patients and decreased most in PSP. Clip changes produced large increases or decreases in screen luminance requiring pupil constriction or dilation, respectively. PSP elicited smaller pupil constriction/dilation responses than CTRL, while MSA elicited the opposite.

Conclusion

RBD patients already have discrete but less pronounced saccade abnormalities than PD and MSA patients. Vertical gaze palsy and altered pupil control differentiate PSP from αSYN.
Inter-eye correlation analysis of 24-h IOPs and glaucoma progression
Authors: Dakroub Mohamad , Verma-Fuehring Raoul , Agorastou Vaia , Schön Julian , Hillenkamp Jost , Puppe Frank , Loewen Nils A.
Published: May 2022

Purpose

To determine whether 24-h IOP monitoring can be a predictor for glaucoma progression and to analyze the inter-eye relationship of IOP, perfusion, and progression parameters.

Methods

We extracted data from manually drawn IOP curves with HIOP-Reader, a software suite we developed. The relationship between measured IOPs and mean ocular perfusion pressures (MOPP) to retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness was analyzed. We determined the ROC curves for peak IOP (Tmax), average IOP(Tavg), IOP variation (IOPvar), and historical IOP cut-off levels to detect glaucoma progression (rate of RNFL loss). Bivariate analysis was also conducted to check for various inter-eye relationships.

Results

Two hundred seventeen eyes were included. The average IOP was 14.8 ± 3.5 mmHg, with a 24-h variation of 5.2 ± 2.9 mmHg. A total of 52% of eyes with RNFL progression data showed disease progression. There was no significant difference in Tmax, Tavg, and IOPvar between progressors and non-progressors (all p > 0.05). Except for Tavg and the temporal RNFL, there was no correlation between disease progression in any quadrant and Tmax, Tavg, and IOPvar. Twenty-four-hour and outpatient IOP variables had poor sensitivities and specificities in detecting disease progression. The correlation of inter-eye parameters was moderate; correlation with disease progression was weak.

Conclusion

In line with our previous study, IOP data obtained during a single visit (outpatient or inpatient monitoring) make for a poor diagnostic tool, no matter the method deployed. Glaucoma progression and perfusion pressure in left and right eyes correlated weakly to moderately with each other.
Inflammation suppresses DLG2 expression decreasing inflammasome formation
Authors: Keane Simon , Herring Matthew , Rolny Peter , Wettergren Yvonne , Ejeskär Katarina
Published: May 2022

Purpose

Loss of expression of DLG2 has been identified in a number of cancers to contribute to the disease by resulting in increased tumor cell proliferation and poor survival. In light of the previous evidence that DLG2 alters the cell cycle and affects proliferation, combined with indications that DLG2 is involved in NLRP3 inflammasome axis we speculated that DLG2 has an immune function. So far, there is no data that clearly elucidates this role, and this study was designed to investigate DLG2 in inflammatory colon disease and in colon cancer as well as its impact on inflammasome induction.

Methods

The DLG2 expression levels were established in publicly available inflammation, colon cancer and mouse model datasets. The overexpression and silencing of DLG2 in colon cancer cells were used to determine the effect of DLG2 expression on the activation of the inflammasome and subsequent cytokine release.

Results

The expression of DLG2 is repressed in inflammatory colon diseases IBD and Ulcerative colitis as well as colorectal cancer tissue compared to healthy individuals. We subsequently show that induction with inflammatory agents in cell and animal models results in a biphasic alteration of DLG2 with an initial increase followed by an ensuing decrease. DLG2 overexpression leads to a significant increase in expression of IL1B, IκBζ and BAX, components that result in inflammasome formation. DLG2 silencing in THP1 cells resulted in increased release of IL-6 into the microenvironment which once used to treat bystander COLO205 cells resulted in an increase in STAT3 phosphorylation and an increase proliferating cells and more cells in the G2/M phase. Restoration of DLG2 to the colon resulted in reduced AKT and S6 signaling.

Conclusion

DLG2 expression is altered in response to inflammation in the gut as well as colon cancer, resulting in altered ability to form inflammasomes.

Trial registration

NCT03072641.
A multi-variate heart disease optimization and recognition framework
Authors: Balaha Hossam Magdy , Shaban Ahmed Osama , El-Gendy Eman M. , Saafan Mahmoud M.
Published: May 2022

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the most widely spread diseases all over the world among the common chronic diseases. CVD represents one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality. Therefore, it is vital to accurately detect the existence of heart diseases to help to save the patient life and prescribe a suitable treatment. The current evolution in artificial intelligence plays an important role in helping physicians diagnose different diseases. In the present work, a hybrid framework for the detection of heart diseases using medical voice records is suggested. A framework that consists of four layers, namely “Segmentation” Layer, “Features Extraction” Layer, “Learning and Optimization” Layer, and “Export and Statistics” Layer is proposed. In the first layer, a novel segmentation technique based on the segmentation of variable durations and directions (i.e., forward and backward) is suggested. Using the proposed technique, 11 datasets with 14,416 numerical features are generated. The second layer is responsible for feature extraction. Numerical and graphical features are extracted from the resulting datasets. In the third layer, numerical features are passed to 5 different Machine Learning (ML) algorithms, while graphical features are passed to 8 different Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) with transfer learning to select the most suitable configurations. Grid Search and Aquila Optimizer (AO) are used to optimize the hyperparameters of ML and CNN configurations, respectively. In the last layer, the output of the proposed hybrid framework is validated using different performance metrics. The best-reported metrics are (1) 100% accuracy using ML algorithms including Extra Tree Classifier (ETC) and Random Forest Classifier (RFC) and (2) 99.17% accuracy using CNN.
Predicting number of threads using balanced datasets for openMP regions
Authors: Alcaraz Jordi , TehraniJamsaz Ali , Dutta Akash , Sikora Anna , Jannesari Ali , Sorribes Joan , Cesar Eduardo
Published: May 2022

Incorporating machine learning into automatic performance analysis and tuning tools is a promising path to tackle the increasing heterogeneity of current HPC applications. However, this introduces the need for generating balanced datasets of parallel applications’ executions and for dealing with natural imbalances for optimizing performance parameters. This work proposes a holistic approach that integrates a methodology for building balanced datasets of OpenMP code-region patterns and a way to use such datasets for tuning performance parameters. The methodology uses hardware performance counters to characterize the execution of a given region and correlation analysis to determine whether it covers an unique part of the pattern input space. Nevertheless, a balanced dataset of region patterns may become naturally imbalanced when used for training a model for tuning any specific performance parameter. For this reason, we have explored several methods for dealing with naturally imbalanced datasets for finding the appropriated way of using them for tuning purposes. Experimentation shows that the proposed methodology can be used to build balanced datasets and that such datasets, plus a combination of Random Forest and binary classification, can be used to train a model able to accurately tune the number of threads of OpenMP parallel regions.
Endoscope-assisted resection of brainstem cavernous malformations
Authors: Oertel Joachim , Fischer Gerrit , Linsler Stefan , Huelser Matthias , Sippl Christoph , Teping Fritz
Published: May 2022

Targeted surgical precision and minimally invasive techniques are of utmost importance for resectioning cavernous malformations involving the brainstem region. Minimisation of the surgical corridor is desirable but should not compromise the extent of resection. This study provides detailed information on the role of endoscopy in this challenging surgical task. A retrospective analysis of medical documentation, radiologic studies and detailed intraoperative video documentation was performed for all consecutive patients who underwent surgical resection of brainstem cavernous malformations between 2010 and 2020 at the authors’ institution. A case-based volumetry of the corticotomy was performed and compared to cavernoma dimensions. A total of 20 procedures have been performed in 19 patients. Neuroendoscopy was implemented in all cases. The mean size of the lesion was 5.4 (± 5) mm3. The average size of the brainstem corticotomy was 4.5 × 3.7 (± 1.0 × 1.1) mm, with a median relation to the cavernoma’s dimension of 9.99% (1.2–31.39%). Endoscopic 360° inspection of the resection cavity was feasible in all cases. There were no endoscopy-related complications. Mean follow-up was 27.8 (12–89) months. Gross-total resection was achieved in all but one case (95%). Sixteen procedures (80%) resulted in an improved or stable medical condition. Eleven patients (61.1%) showed further improvement 12 months after the initial surgery. With the experience provided, endoscopic techniques can be safely implemented in surgery for BSCM. A combination of neuroendoscopic visualisation and neuronavigation might enable a targeted size of brainstem corticotomy. Endoscopy can currently be considered a valuable additive tool to facilitate the preparation and resection of BSCM.
Evolutionary neighborhood discovery algorithm for agricultural routing planning in multiple fields
Authors: Utamima Amalia , Reiners Torsten , Ansaripoor Amir H.
Published: May 2022

In recent years, operations research in agriculture has improved the harvested yield, reduced the cost and time required for field operations, and maintained economic and environmental sustainability. The heuristics method, named Evolutionary neighborhood discovery algorithm (ENDA), is applied to minimize the inter-field and intra-field distance of the routing planning of machines in multiple agricultural fields. The problem is an extended version of the Agricultural Routing Planning (ARP) that takes into consideration the different capacity of the machines and multiple agricultural fields. This research also describes the mathematical model to represent the proposed problem formulated as an integer program. The experimental results show that ENDA successfully solves ARP instances, giving the best results and the fastest running time compared to those obtained by Genetic Algorithms and Tabu Search. The results also show that ENDA can save an average of 11.72% of the distance traveled by the machines outside the working path (when making maneuvers, going to or from the entrances and going from and returning to the Depot).
The Career Decision-Making Adaptability Score: Exploration and validation of its predictive power for subjective and objective career success
Authors: Ebner Katharina , Paul Karsten Ingmar
Published: May 2022

The study aims at validating the Career Decision-Making Adaptability Score (CDA Score) by investigating its predictive influence on objective and subjective career success, career adaptability, and psychological well-being over a 1-year period. Furthermore, the predictive influence of additional career decision-making strategies was scrutinized. Regression analyses of data from 78 employed individuals from two measurement time points demonstrated that the CDA Score predicts yet unexplored variables (e.g., psychological well-being) and consulting with others contributes to career adaptability and satisfaction. The findings extend research on career decision-making, validate the CDA Score longitudinally, and offer directions for the design of career counseling services.
Interplay between PI3K/AKT pathway and heart disorders
Authors: Ghafouri-Fard Soudeh , Khanbabapour Sasi Ali , Hussen Bashdar Mahmud , Shoorei Hamed , Siddiq Afshan , Taheri Mohammad , Ayatollahi Seyed Abdulmajid
Published: May 2022

The PI3K/AKT signaling has crucial role in the regulation of numerous physiological functions through activation of downstream effectors and modulation of cell cycle transition, growth and proliferation. This pathway participates in the pathogenesis of several human disorders such as heart diseases through regulation of size and survival of cardiomyocytes, angiogenic processes as well as inflammatory responses. Moreover, PI3K/AKT pathway participates in the process of myocardial injury induced by a number of substances such as H2O2, Mercury, lipopolysaccharides, adriamycin, doxorubicin and epirubicin. In this review, we describe the contribution of this pathway in the pathoetiology of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury and myocardial infarction, heart failure, cardiac hypertrophy, cardiomyopathy and toxins-induced cardiac injury.
Subsurface and Bulk Residual Stress Analysis of S235JRC + C Steel TIG Weld by Diffraction and Magnetic Stray Field Measurements
Authors: Mishurova T. , Stegemann R. , Lyamkin V. , Cabeza S. , Evsevleev S. , Pelkner M. , Bruno G.
Published: May 2022

Background

Due to physical coupling between mechanical stress and magnetization in ferromagnetic materials, it is assumed in the literature that the distribution of the magnetic stray field corresponds to the internal (residual) stress of the specimen. The correlation is, however, not trivial, since the magnetic stray field is also influenced by the microstructure and the geometry of component. The understanding of the correlation between residual stress and magnetic stray field could help to evaluate the integrity of welded components.

Objective

This study aims at understanding the possible correlation of subsurface and bulk residual stress with magnetic stray field in a low carbon steel weld.

Methods

The residual stress was determined by synchrotron X-ray diffraction (SXRD, subsurface region) and by neutron diffraction (ND, bulk region). SXRD possesses a higher spatial resolution than ND. Magnetic stray fields were mapped by utilizing high-spatial-resolution giant magneto resistance (GMR) sensors.

Results

The subsurface residual stress overall correlates better with the magnetic stray field distribution than the bulk stress. This correlation is especially visible in the regions outside the heat affected zone, where the influence of the microstructural features is less pronounced but steep residual stress gradients are present.

Conclusions

It was demonstrated that the localized stray field sources without any obvious microstructural variations are associated with steep stress gradients. The good correlation between subsurface residual stress and magnetic signal indicates that the source of the magnetic stray fields is to be found in the range of the penetration depth of the SXRD measurements.
3E enhancement of freshwater productivity of solar still with heater, vibration, and cover cooling
Authors: Dawood Mohamed M. Khairat , Omar Abubakr Helmy , Shehata Ali Ismail , Samir Shehata Ahmed , Taha Ahmed Abd-Elsalam , El-Shaib Mohamed Nabil , Mohamed Madeha Kamel
Published: May 2022

This study focused on experimentally increasing the productivity of freshwater from solar stills. The performance of a single solar still system could be augmented with the combination of an electric heater, vibration motion, and thermoelectric cooling. The study investigated the effects of combining two of these components and finally combining all of them on freshwater productivity. The electric heater and vibration motion are used to enrich the evaporation rate, while thermoelectric coolers are used to enhance the condensation rate, leading to high freshwater productivity. The proposal, construction, and testing of two identical solar stills were performed under the local climate conditions of the city of Alexandria in northwestern Egypt during the summer and winter times. The two solar stills had a 1-m2 base area. An electric heater of 450 W was placed inside the modified solar still. The modified solar still was fixed on four coiled springs. A 1-hp power DC motor, an inverter, a control unit, and two 330-W photovoltaic solar panels were attached to the modified solar still. Eccentric masses were mounted on the rotating disk attached to the DC motor to generate the vibration. Under the same climate conditions, the daily output of freshwater was measured experimentally for the modified case and the conventional solar. The daily rates of freshwater productivity in summer were investigated for four cases and the conventional one. Results showed that the peak daily freshwater productivity achieved with the solar heater, thermoelectric coolers, and vibration motion was 12.82 kg/day, with a maximum estimated cost of 0.01786 $/L/m2.The exergoeconomic of the modified solar still with heater, vibration, and thermoelectric cooler was greater than that of conventional ones. The highest CO2 mitigation of the case (5) and that of the conventional solar desalination were about 160 tons and 28 tons, respectively.
Use of interaction domains for a displacement-based design of caisson foundations
Authors: Rosati A. , Gaudio D. , di Prisco C. , Rampello S.
Published: May 2022

Caisson foundations, typically adopted for both onshore and offshore structures, are usually subject to combined loading acting during working conditions and exceptional events such as earthquakes. Assessment of their performance under general loadings is therefore fundamental, for both serviceability and ultimate limit states. In this study, a simplified displacement-based approach, aimed at preliminary designing caisson foundations subjected to combined loading, is presented. Such an approach requires the definition of both interaction domains (IDs) and generalised pushover curves, together with the assumption of an associative flow rule. The IDs and pushover curves are obtained by interpreting the results of a set of 3D finite element nonlinear static analyses, where the response of massive cylindrical onshore caisson foundations, embedded in a layered soil profile and subjected to both centred vertical (N) and combined loads (N–Q–M), is investigated. Following previous works, the influence of initial loading factor and caisson embedment ratio on both IDs shape and size is investigated. Additionally, the effect of soil drainage conditions on the IDs is discussed. Role of load reference point (LRP) is also assessed, since a suitable choice of LRP may strongly simplify the geometrical representation of the ID. Analytical expressions for dimensionless IDs and pushover curves are presented and used at a preliminary design stage to evaluate the maximum generalised load acting on the caisson for a given threshold generalised displacement, so as not to exceed either serviceability or ultimate limit states.
Securing Housing. Wohnen, Wohnraumverluste und Wohnungslosigkeit in Nürnberg und Wien
Authors: Rösch Benedikt , Sowa Frank
Published: May 2022

In dem an der Technischen Hochschule Nürnberg Georg Simon Ohm angesiedelten Forschungsprojekt „Securing Housing. Wohnen, Wohnraumverluste und Wohnungslosigkeit in Nürnberg und Wien“ wird die Wirkungsweise wohnraumsichernder Instrumente in einem Städtevergleich untersucht. Während sich die Situation auf einigen ohnehin schon angespannten urbanen Wohnungsmärkten zuungunsten ärmerer Bevölkerungsteile zunehmend zuspitzt, und es vermehrt zu Verdrängungen und zur Verknappung leistbaren Wohnraumes kommt, bleiben Unterstützungsangebote, die Wohnraumverluste abwenden oder die Folgen verringern könnten, teilweise ungenutzt oder werden erst sehr spät genutzt. Um die (Nicht‑)Akzeptanz und (Nicht‑)Wirkung besser verstehen zu können, werden die den Interventionsversuchen zu Grunde liegenden Wissensvorräte, Deutungsmuster, Kollektivsymboliken und Normalitätsvorstellungen analysiert. Es wird also untersucht, welchen Einfluss die Wahrnehmung, Interpretation und normative Beurteilung von Wohnungslosigkeit und Wohnraumverlusten durch die Beteiligten auf die Akzeptanz und Reichweite wohnungspolitischer, sozialpolitischer und sozialpädagogischer Regulierungsversuche haben.
Systematic Review of Interventions Addressing Food Insecurity in Pregnant Women and New Mothers
Authors: McKay Fiona H. , Spiteri Sheree , Zinga Julia , Sulemani Kineta , Jacobs Samantha E. , Ranjan Nithi , Ralph Lauren , Raeburn Eliza , Threlfall Sophie , Bergmeier Midina L. , van der Pligt Paige
Published: May 2022

Purpose of the Review

Food insecurity can have a negative health impact for women during pregnancy and the postpartum period; however, there are a range of barriers to meeting nutritional guidelines during pregnancy. Food insecurity is associated with an increased risk of pregnancy complications and mental and physical health outcomes. This review aims to provide insight into programmes and interventions which have targeted food insecurity in pregnant and early postpartum women. The central research question for this review is as follows: What programmes and interventions have sought to address food insecurity among pregnant and postpartum women? A systematic search of five electronic databases including Medline, CINAHL, Global Health, Embase, and Cochrane was undertaken on August 2021. Key thematic areas searched were food insecurity, pregnancy, nutritional outcomes, and interventions or programmes. Only studies that were published since 2000 in English were considered.

Recent Findings

Eleven studies were included in this review. Studies employed a range of methods and outcomes measures. They were conducted in mostly low- and middle-income countries, and in general, focused on nutritional supplementation, with some studies also incorporating nutrition education or counselling.

Summary

The findings of this review suggest that while there are a range of possible interventions that seek to address food insecurity and hunger among pregnant and postpartum women, the limited number of robust evaluations or long-term interventions mean that evidence for any one intervention type is limited. Furthermore, the programmes and interventions that do exist are generally embedded within a single context or structure, and as such, may not be able to be widely implemented. (Prospero Registration CRD42022245787)
Sequence effect of as-welded and HFMI-treated transverse attachments under variable loading with linear spectrum
Authors: Löschner Daniel , Schiller Richard , Diekhoff Paul , Engelhardt Imke , Nitschke-Pagel Thomas , Dilger Klaus
Published: May 2022

It has been shown in several studies that methods to improve the fatigue strength of welded structures, such as high-frequency impact treatment (HFMI), can increase the fatigue life of welded joints [1–6]. The results of these investigations led to current guidelines and recommendations for the fatigue assessment of HFMI-treated welded joints. Nevertheless, in practice, there are reservations regarding the efficiency of HFMI-treated welded steel joints under variable amplitude loading. Recent results [7] from studies on transverse attachments of the material S355 and S700 under variable amplitude loading show that the fatigue strength increasing effect of the HFMI-treatment is maintained compared to the as-welded state. The aim of this study is to analyse the sequence effect on the fatigue strength of HFMI-treated transverse attachments and to validate the applicability of linear damage accumulation hypotheses for the design of as-welded and HFMI-treated welded details. In this paper, fatigue test results with random variable amplitude loading (VAL) and high-low VAL and low–high VAL with linear spectrum for the two states as-welded (AW) and HFMI-treated joints will be presented.
Long-term drought adaptation of unirrigated grapevines (Vitis vinifera L.)
Authors: Pagay Vinay , Furlan Tarita S. , Kidman Catherine M. , Nagahatenna Dilrukshi
Published: May 2022

Resilience to drought stress is an important crop selection and breeding target particularly under an environment of increasing freshwater scarcities resulting from higher evapotranspiration rates and reduced precipitation. Identifying new genetic material and clones with superior drought tolerance would increase available genetic resources and germplasm for both grapevine breeders and propagators, providing genetic material that has greater water use efficiency thereby reducing reliance on supplemental irrigation. Towards this goal, we explored the long-term drought adaptation of field-grown, unirrigated (or dry-grown) and own-rooted grapevines of pre-clonal origin from shallow (SR) and deep (DR) soils representing low and high soil water availability, respectively, in a South Australian vineyard. Despite lower soil moisture available to SR vines, both deep and shallow-rooted vines had similar vine water status, based on measurements of midday stem water potential ($${\Psi }_{s}$$Ψs), and leaf net photosynthesis (An). Due to the lower stomatal conductance (gs), SR had higher intrinsic water use efficiency (WUEi) than DR, however the carbon isotope ratio ($${\delta }^{13}C$$δ13C) of the fruit at harvest was similar between the two groups. Our observations suggest a degree of drought adaptation in the SR vines resulting from multi-decadal cyclical droughts. Overall, we demonstrate that pre-clonal Cabernet Sauvignon grapevines dry-grown in shallow soils have an enhanced resilience to drought compared to dry-grown vines in deep soils. This study has implications for selection of crop genetic material in a changing climate.
A mini-review on the impact of common gorse in its introduced ranges
Authors: Galappaththi Hansani S. S. Daluwatta , de Silva W. A. Priyanka P. , Clavijo Mccormick Andrea
Published: May 2022

It is indisputable that invasive plant species strongly impact the ecosystems they invade. Many of such impacts can be negative and threaten the local species through competition, environmental change, or habitat loss. However, introduced plants may also have positive roles in the ecosystems they invade. This review extracted information from reports on common gorse (Ulex europaeus), one of the top 100 invasive plants on the earth, including its detrimental effects and potential beneficial roles in invaded ecosystems. The reduction of native fauna and flora are the main harmful effects of common gorse identified by the literature review. Soil impoverishment and fire hazards are other negative impacts reported for common gorse that could affect agricultural systems and local economies. Despite the negative impacts, reports of positive ecological services provided by common gorse also exist, e.g., as a nursery plant or habitat for endangered native animals. We also reviewed the known human uses of this plant that could support management strategies through harvest and benefit the local communities, including its use as biofuel, raw matter for xylan extraction, medicine, and food. Finally, our review identified the gaps in the literature regarding the understanding of the beneficial role of common gorse on native ecosystems and potential human uses, especially in the tropics.
Grading Methods for Fruit Freshness Based on Deep Learning
Authors: Fu Yuhang , Nguyen Minh , Yan Wei Qi
Published: May 2022

Fruit freshness grading is an innate ability of humans. However, there was not much work focusing on creating a fruit grading system based on digital images in deep learning. The algorithm proposed in this article has the potentiality to be employed so as to avoid wasting fruits or save fruits from throwing away. In this article, we present a comprehensive analysis of freshness grading scheme using computer vision and deep learning. Our scheme for grading is based on visual analysis of digital images. Numerous deep learning methods are exploited in this project, including ResNet, VGG, and GoogLeNet. AlexNet is selected as the base network, and YOLO is employed for extracting the region of interest (ROI) from digital images. Therefore, we construct a novel neural network model for fruit detection and freshness grading regarding multiclass fruit classification. The fruit images are fed into our model for training, AlexNet took the leading position; meanwhile, VGG scheme performed the best in the validation.
An efficient reduced-order framework for active/passive hybrid flutter suppression
Authors: Li D. F. , Wang Z. Z. , Da Ronch A. , Chen G.
Published: May 2022

Flutter suppression is an important measure to improve fatigue life and enhance the performance of aircraft in modern aircraft design. In order to design more effective controllers for flutter suppression with high efficiency, an efficient reduced-order framework for active/passive hybrid flutter suppression is proposed. The traditional CFD-based ROMs have been successfully applied to active flutter suppression with high accuracy and efficiency. But, when a structure modification is made such as in aeroelastic tailoring and aeroelastic structural optimisation, the structural model should be updated, and the expensive, time-consuming CFD-based ROMs have to be reconstructed; such a process is impractical for passive flutter suppression. To overcome the realistic challenge, an efficient reduced-order framework for active/passive hybrid flutter suppression is proposed by extending an efficient aeroelastic CFD-based POD/ROM which we have developed. The proposed framework is demonstrated and evaluated using an improved AGARD 445.6 wing model. The results show that the proposed framework can accurately predict the aeroelastic response for active/passive hybrid flutter suppression with high efficiency. It provides a powerful tool for active/passive hybrid flutter suppression, and therefore, is ideally suited to design more effective controllers, and may have the potential to reduce the overall cost of aircraft design.
Farmer-herder conflicts and food insecurity: Evidence from rural Nigeria
Authors: Nnaji Amaka , Ma Wanglin , Ratna Nazmun , Renwick Alan
Published: May 2022

Food security in many developing countries has been threatened by several factors such as unequal land distribution, ineffective land reform policies, inefficient agricultural value chains, and an increasing number of climate disasters. In Nigeria, these threats are exacerbated by rapid population growth and extreme weather events, which have resulted in farmer-herder conflicts in most agrarian communities. This paper examines the differential impacts of the incidence and severity of farmer-herder resource use conflicts on food insecurity of rural households in Nigeria. We employ a two-stage predictor substitution model to estimate survey data collected from 401 rural households in Nigeria. The empirical results show that both the incidence and the severity of farmer-herder conflicts significantly increase food insecurity, and the severity of these conflicts has a larger impact than their incidence. The estimates of the conditional mixed process models confirm the robustness of our results. Additional analysis reveals that the incidence and severity of farmer-herder conflicts positively and significantly affect food insecurity, measured by the number of days with limited varieties of food eaten. Our findings highlight the importance of policy interventions that address ongoing farmer-herder conflicts in affected countries like Nigeria to enhance food security from a sustainable development perspective.
Participant and research team perspectives on the conduct of a remote therapeutic COVID-19 clinical trial: A mixed methods approach
Authors: Daudelin Denise H. , Brewer Sarah K. , Cabrera Alyssa B. , Dulko Dorothy , Selker Harry P.
Published: May 2022

Background:

Responding to the need to investigate potential treatments of COVID-19, a research team employed a telehealth platform to determine whether niclosamide, an oral anthelmintic drug that had shown antiviral activity, reduced SARS-CoV-2 shedding and duration of symptoms in patients with mild-to-moderate symptoms of COVID-19. To encourage compliance with patient self-quarantine, this randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted utilizing a remote telehealth design to complete all study visits, monitor symptoms, and coordinate participant self-collected specimens.

Methods:

A mixed methods approach employing surveys and interviews of trial participants and interviews of research team members was used to collect their experiences with and perspectives on the acceptability of the remote clinical trial design and delivery.

Results:

Of the 67 eligible trial participants invited to take part in a study to evaluate the telehealth platform, 46% (n = 31) completed a post-participation survey. While 97% (n = 30) of respondents had not previously participated in a clinical trial, 77% (n = 24) reported they would consider taking part in a future remote research study. The majority of respondents were moderately or very comfortable (93%) with using the technology.

Conclusions:

The COVID-19 crisis was a call to action to expand understanding of the conduct of remote clinical trials, including the experiences of research participants. Our findings showed that this approach can be both effective for the conduct of research and positive for participants. Further research on the use of telehealth research platforms seems warranted in rural, underserved populations, and remote trials of prevention, screening, and treatment.