bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hypothyroidism predicts worsened prognosis in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention
Authors: Cohen Ben , Bental Tamir , Perl Liat , Vaknin Assa Hana , Codner Pablo , Orvin Katia , Barkan Yeela Talmor , Levi Amos , Kornowski Ran , Perl Leor
Published: November 2022

Background

The link between thyroid dysfunction and cardiovascular disease is well established. Hypothyroidism has been significantly associated with increased risk of dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis and heart failure. However, little is known regarding its effect on patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Aim

The aim of study was to examine the impact of concomitant hypothyroidism on mortality and major adverse cardiac event (MACE) in patients undergoing PCI.

Methods

The Rabin Medical Center PCI registry includes all consecutive patients who have undergone PCI between 2004 and 2020. We identified patients with prior diagnosis of hypothyroidism, and compared rates of mortality and MACE (comprising death, myocardial infarction, target vessel revascularization and/or coronary bypass surgery).

Results

Among 28,274 patients, 1,922 (6.8%) were found to have hypothryoidism. These patients were older (70.3 ± 10.4 vs. 66.0 ± 11.8 y.o, P < 0.001) and more likely to be women (34.2% vs. 26.1%, P < 0.001). They had a higher prevalence of atrial fibrillation (10.8% vs. 7.7%, P < 0.001), chronic renal dysfunction (25.1% vs. 18.7%, P = 0.04) and dementia (2.9% vs. 1.8%, P = 0.004). PCI was performed on ACS setting in 52–54% of patients in both groups (p = 0.569). Unadjusted 5-year rates of all-cause mortality (26.9% vs. 20.3%, P < 0.001) and MACE (40.3% vs. 29.4%, P < 0.001) were higher for hypothyroid patients. A propensity match score was able to form 672 matched pairs of HT and control patients, showing similar results. Moreover, following multivariate analysis, TSH as a continuous parameter was associated with a higher risk of mortality and MACE (HR, 1.06 per additional 1 mIU/L; CI, 1.02–1.11; P < 0.001 and HR, 1.07; CI, 1.02–1.12; P < 0.001, respectively) at 5-year follow up.

Conclusion

In our study, hypothyroidism confers worse outcomes in patients undergoing PCI. Further research is needed to establish effective ways to mitigate this augmented risk.
Public earthquake communication in Italy through a multi-source social media platform: The INGVterremoti experience (2010–2022)
Authors: Pignone Maurizio , Amato Alessandro , Nostro Concetta , Casarotti Emanuele , Meletti Carlo , Quintiliani Matteo , Lauciani Valentino
Published: November 2022

Communicating scientific information about earthquakes is an important and delicate issue in countries like Italy, where seismic risk is high. Furthermore, continuous and scientifically sound communication is needed, especially in recent times when social media have amplified the risk of being biased by misinformation, fake news and conspiracy theories. For this reason, we have developed a communication strategy for earthquake science and risk in Italy, mostly based on social media. The INGVterremoti platform was born between 2010 and 2012 with the goal of increasing scientific information released to the public, and also establishing a two-way communication channel between scientists and citizens. In the past 12 years, the INGVterremoti platform has gained trust and popularity, increasing the number of involved people, which amounts today to several hundred thousand. The platform consists of a coordinated suite of social media channels and a blog-magazine, where updates on ongoing earthquake sequences and posts on scientific topics are continuously published. Our end users are mostly citizens, but also authorities and media. Special attention has been given to interactions with the public, especially on our Facebook page, in order to understand their information needs, identify rumors and fake news, particularly in areas affected by seismic sequences, and address the most pressing requests. In this paper we describe the INGVterremoti strategy, the different media that we use, focusing on their strengths and weaknesses. We concentrate on the experience, carried out in the last few years, of the publication of provisional information on ongoing earthquakes, a long-standing issue strongly requested by our followers. The INGVterremoti platform has played a fundamental role in many seismic sequences of the past 12 years in Italy, starting from the Emilia sequence in 2012, to the central Italy one, started with the deadly earthquake of 24 August 2016 and still ongoing. Besides the periods of high attention after strong earthquakes, we used the INGVterremoti social media as a tool for releasing continuous and sound information to the public, and as a way to involve citizens in the communication arena.
A review and analysis of current-mode biosensing front-end ICs for nanopore-based DNA sequencing
Authors: Liu Xu , Fan Qiumeng , Chen Zhijie , Wan Peiyuan , Mao Wei , Yu Hao
Published: November 2022

Bio-sensors connect the biological world with electronic devices, widely used in biomedical applications. The combination of microelectronic and medical technologies makes biomedical diagnosis more rapid, accurate, and efficient. In this article, the current-mode biosensing front-end integrated circuits (ICs) for nanopore-based DNA sequencing are reviewed and analyzed, aiming to present their operation theories, advantages, limitations, and performances including gain, bandwidth, noise, and power consumption. Because biological information and external interference are contained in extremely weak sensing current, usually at the pA or nA level, it is challenging to accurately detect and restore the desired signals. Based on the requirements of DNA sequencing, this paper shows three circuit topologies of biosensing front-end, namely, discrete-time, continuous-time, and current-to-frequency conversion types. This paper also makes an introduction to the current-mode sensor array for DNA sequencing. To better review and evaluate the research of the state-of-the-art, the most relevant published works are summarized and compared. The review and analysis would help the researchers be familiar with the requirements, constraints, and methods for current-mode biosensing front-end IC designs for nanopore-based DNA sequencing.
RMP-Net: A structural reparameterization and subpixel super-resolution-based marine scene segmentation network
Authors: Chen Jiongjiang , Tang Jialin , Lin Shounan , Liang Wanxin , Su Binghua , Yan Jinghui , Zhou Dujuan , Wang Lili , Lai Yunting , Yang Benxi
Published: November 2022

Ocean exploration has always been an important strategic direction for the joint efforts of all mankind. Many countries in the world today are developing their own underwater autonomous explorers to better explore the seabed. Vision, as the core technology of autonomous underwater explorers, has a great impact on the efficiency of exploration. Different from traditional tasks, the lack of ambient light on the seabed makes the visual system more demanding. In addition, the complex terrain on the seabed and various creatures with different shapes and colors also make exploration tasks more difficult. In order to effectively solve the above problems, we combined the traditional models to modify the structure and proposed an algorithm for the super-resolution fusion of enhanced extraction features to perform semantic segmentation of seabed scenes. By using a structurally reparameterized backbone network to better extract target features in complex environments, and using subpixel super-resolution to combine multiscale feature semantic information, we can achieve superior ocean scene segmentation performance. In this study, multiclass segmentation and two-class segmentation tests were performed on the public datasets SUIM and DeepFish, respectively. The test results show that the mIoU and mPA indicators of our proposed method on SUIM reach 84.52% and 92.33%mPA, respectively. The mIoU and mPA on DeepFish reach 95.26% and 97.38%, respectively, and the proposed model achieves SOTA compared with state-of-the-art methods. The proposed model and code are exposed via Github1.
Preparation and characterization of geraniol nanoemulsions and its antibacterial activity
Authors: Feng Xiaolin , Feng Kexin , Zheng Qinhua , Tan Weijian , Zhong Wenting , Liao Caiyu , Liu Yuntong , Li Shangjian , Hu Wenzhong
Published: November 2022

Geraniol nanoemulsions (G-NE) based on Tween 80 and medium chain triglyceride (MCT) as surfactant and co-surfactant, respectively, has been prepared by the spontaneous emulsification method. Its physical and chemical properties such as mean particle size, zeta potential, PDI, pH, viscosity, contact angle, appearance morphology, and stability (storage stability, thermal stability, centrifugal properties, acid-base stability, and freeze-thaw properties) of the droplet were analyzed. The results showed that the mean particle size of G-NE was 90.33 ± 5.23 nm, the PDI was 0.058 ± 0.0007, the zeta potential was −17.95 ± 5.85 mV and the encapsulation efficiency was >90%. The produced G-NE has been demonstrated to be fairly stable in long-term storage at 4°C, pH = 5 and high-speed centrifuges. Moreover, G-NE had a significant inhibition effect on Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium and Listeria monocytogenes (p < 0.05). The bacterial inhibition rates of G-NE at a concentration of 1 MIC were 48, 99, 71.73, and 99% after 12 h of action against these four foodborne pathogenic bacteria, respectively. Therefore, the results obtained indicated that nanoemulsification enhanced the stability and antibacterial activity of geraniol to some extent, which will promote the utilization of geraniol in food preservation.
Transcriptome profiling in response to Kanamycin B reveals its wider non-antibiotic cellular function in Escherichia coli
Authors: Chang Yaowen , Zhang Xuhui , Murchie Alastair I. H. , Chen Dongrong
Published: November 2022

Aminoglycosides are not only antibiotics but also have wider and diverse non-antibiotic cellular functions. To elucidate the understanding of non-antibiotic cellular functions, here we report transcriptome-profiling analysis of Escherichia coli in the absence or presence of 0.5 and 1 μM of Kanamycin B, concentrations that are neither lethal nor inhibit growth, and identified the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) at two given concentrations of Kanamycin B. Functional classification of the DEGs revealed that they were mainly related to microbial metabolism including two-component systems, biofilm formation, oxidative phosphorylation and nitrogen metabolism in diverse environments. We further showed that Kanamycin B and other aminoglycosides can induce reporter gene expression through the 5′ UTR of napF gene or narK gene (both identified as DEG) and Kanamycin B can directly bind to the RNA. The results provide new insights into a better understanding of the wider aminoglycosides cellular function in E. coli rather than its known antibiotics function.
Leptospira infection complicated by demyelinating disease: A case report
Authors: Chen Shu-Xin , Han Deng-Ke , Liu Yin , Ye Zhi-Hua , Lu Kui , Xu Biao , Mai Hui-qiang
Published: November 2022

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease, found worldwide, that is caused by bacteria of the genus Leptospira. People can be infected with Leptospira if they come in direct contact with the urine of an infected animal. Leptospirosis may be associated with demyelinating lesions of the central nervous system. This case report describes a 66-year-old female patient who presented with fever and generalized aches and progressed to unconsciousness within a few hours of admission. Laboratory tests showed Leptospira infection, and brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed acute demyelinating lesions. The patient responded well to penicillin and intravenous methylprednisolone therapy. Leptospirosis presenting with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis is rare. In this patient, an interdisciplinary collaboration involving the neurologist, radiologist, and pathologist was crucial for diagnosis and management. Further studies are warranted to investigate whether there is a correlation between demyelinating lesions and leptospiral infection.
Effect of ultraviolet light-emitting diode processing on fruit and vegetable-based liquid foods: A review
Authors: Salazar Fernando , Pizarro-Oteíza Sebastián , Kasahara Ismael , Labbé Mariela
Published: November 2022

Ultraviolet light-emitting diode (UV-LED) technology has emerged as a non-thermal and non-chemical treatment for preserving liquid fruit and vegetable foods. This technology uses ultraviolet light to interact with the food at different wavelengths, solving problems related to product stability, quality, and safety during storage. UV-LED treatment has been shown to affect microbe and enzyme inactivation, and it increases and improves retention of bioactive compounds. Moreover, computational simulations are a powerful and relevant tool that can be used optimize and improve the UV-LED process. Currently, there are a limited studies of this technology in liquid fruit and vegetable-based foods. This review gathers information on these food type and shows that it is a promising technology for the development of new products, is environmentally friendly, and does not require the addition of chemicals nor heat. This is relevant from an industrial perspective because maintaining the nutritional and organoleptic properties ensures better quality. However, due to the scarce information available on this type of food, further studies are needed.
Conjugated linoleic acid regulates adipocyte fatty acid binding protein expression via peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α signaling pathway and increases intramuscular fat content
Authors: Chen Jing , You Ruiguo , Lv Yao , Liu Huimin , Yang Guoqing
Published: November 2022

Intramuscular fat (IMF) is correlated positively with meat tenderness, juiciness and taste that affected sensory meat quality. Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) has been extensively researched to increase IMF content in animals, however, the regulatory mechanism remains unclear. Adipocyte fatty acid binding protein (A-FABP) gene has been proposed as candidates for IMF accretion. The purpose of this study is to explore the molecular regulatory pathways of CLA on intramuscular fat deposition. Here, our results by cell lines indicated that CLA treatment promoted the expression of A-FABP through activated the transcription factor of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα). Moreover, in an animal model, we discovered that dietary supplemental with CLA significantly enhanced IMF deposition by up-regulating the mRNA and protein expression of PPARα and A-FABP in the muscle tissues of mice. In addition, our current study also demonstrated that dietary CLA increased mRNA expression of genes and enzymes involved in fatty acid synthesis and lipid metabolism the muscle tissues of mice. These findings suggest that CLA mainly increases the expression of A-FABP through PPARα signaling pathway and regulates the expression of genes and enzymes related to IMF deposition, thus increasing IMF content. These results contribute to better understanding the molecular mechanism of IMF accretion in animals for the improvement of meat quality.
Perioperative outcomes of robotic lobectomy for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer in elderly patients
Authors: Gallina Filippo Tommaso , Tajè Riccardo , Forcella Daniele , Gennari Valeria , Visca Paolo , Pierconti Federico , Coccia Cecilia , Cappuzzo Federico , Sperduti Isabella , Facciolo Francesco , Melis Enrico
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Minimally invasive surgery has become the standard for the early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The appropriateness of the kind of lung resection for the elderly patients is still debated.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed patients with older than 75 years who underwent robotic lobectomy between May 2016 to June 2022. We selected 103 patients who met the inclusion criteria of the study. The preoperative cardiorespiratory functional evaluations were collected, and the risk of postoperative complications was calculated according to the Charlson Comorbidity Index, the American College of Surgery surgical risk calculator (ACS-NSQIP), EVAD score, and American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) score. The patients were divided in two groups according to the presence of postoperative complications.

Results

Forty-three patients were female, and 72.8% of the total population were former or active smokers. Thirty-five patients reported postoperative complications. The analysis of the two groups showed that the predicted postoperative forced expiratory volumes in the first second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) were significantly lower in patients presenting postoperative complications (p=0.04). Moreover, the upstaging rate and the unexpected nodal metastases were higher in the postoperative complication groups.

Conclusion

Robotic-assisted lobectomy for early-stage lung cancer is a safe and feasible approach in selected elderly patients. The factors that could predict the complication rate was the predicted postoperative FEV1 and the nodal disease.
Pathological complete remission in ALK-positive lung cancer patient after multiple lines of conversion therapy
Authors: Que Dan , Zou Hongbo , Mao Bijing , Zhang Huan , Liang Wei , Liu Qin , Ke Leiyu , Guo Lijie , Xie Qichao
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Traditional therapeutic approaches for the treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are based on chemotherapy. However, the discovery and understanding of oncogenic driver alterations has led to the development of targeted therapies that have substantially improved patient outcomes. Still, to date, there have been no reports of patients with advanced anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive lung cancer achieving clinical complete response (cCR) in the systemic lesion and pathological complete remission (pCR) in primary lung lesion after multiple lines of conversion therapy.

Methods

In this case, a 55-year-old man was diagnosed with ALK-positive, stage IV lung adenocarcinoma using immunohistochemistry and next generation sequencing (NGS) tests.

Results

Crizotinib and two other ATP-competitive ALK inhibitors, ceritinib and alectinib, were used respectively as first-line, second-line, and third-line therapy. The patient received treatment with crizotinib and achieved partial response (PR), but 5 months later the efficacy was evaluated as progressive disease (PD). Ceritinib was used as the second-line treatment, but the disease progressed 6 months later. Alectinib was used as the third-line treatment, but the efficacy was evaluated as PD. From April 2019 to November 2019, the patient received 4 cycles of induction chemotherapy with pemetrexed/carboplatin/bevacizumab and then switched to pemetrexed/bevacizumab as the fourth-line treatment, and received the fifth line treatment, cetuximab/paclitaxel liposome/nedaplatin, for 1 cycle, but the disease still progressed. Then the patient received the sixth line of treatment, camrelizumab/lorlatinib, for 9 antitumor cycles, resulting in PR. The patient underwent surgery followed by maintenance treatment with lorlatinib and achieved cCR. To our knowledge, this is the first documented case of cCR in a patient with ALK-positive advanced lung adenocarcinoma treated with multiple lines of therapy followed by surgical treatment.

Discussion

This case reveals the possible survival benefit of immunotherapy after multiple line treatment in ALK-positive advanced lung adenocarcinoma, indicating that it is possible find new therapeutic targets based on NGS molecular detection and provide precise therapeutic strategies for clinical practice when drug resistance or progression occurs in cancer therapy.
Manipulating plasma thyroid hormone levels alters development of endothermy and ventilation in nestling red-winged blackbirds
Authors: Sirsat Tushar S. , Sirsat Sarah K. G. , Price Edwan R. , Pineda Megan , Dzialowski Edward M.
Published: November 2022

Thyroid hormones are key regulators of development and metabolism in vertebrates. During the nestling period, young of altricial species transition from an ectothermic phenotype to an endothermic phenotype. Red-winged blackbirds are an altricial species that exhibit an increase in plasma 3,3’, 5-triiodo-L-thyronine (T3) levels during the first 5 days post-hatch (dph), begin to develop endothermic metabolic responses by 7 dph, and fledge within 10 days of hatching. We propose that thyroid hormones play an important role in regulating development of endothermy during the nestling period in altricial birds. To better understand the effects of thyroid hormones on endothermic metabolic development in an altricial species, we treated nestling red-winged blackbirds on 2, 3, and 5 dph with either methimazole (MMI) to induce hypothyroidism or supplemental T3 to induce hyperthyroidism. We then measured on 5, 7, and 9 dph morphology and whole animal O2 consumption (V˙o2) and ventilation in the thermal neutral zone and during gradual cooling. Treatment of nestlings with MMI resulted in lower plasma T3 levels on 5 dph that recovered by 7 dph, while supplementing with T3 did not affect plasma T3 levels on 5, 7 and 9 dph. Treatment with MMI resulted in smaller nestlings with smaller hearts and structural characters such as wing chord and femur length, but larger lungs and kidneys. Treatment with T3 produced smaller nestlings with smaller body masses and shorter femur and tarsus lengths. The development of V˙o2 and ventilation endothermic responses to gradual cooling in MMI treated nestlings were delayed when compared with control nestlings. In 9 dph nestlings, hypothyroidism resulted in alterations in the responses of ventilation frequency and tidal volume to cooling when compared with the control nestlings. Supplemental T3 had no effect on the development of V˙o2 and ventilation in the thermal neutral zone or in response to cooling. Our data suggest plasma thyroid hormone levels play an active role in the systemic development of endothermic capacity and the development of ventilatory control. In the nestling avian, multiple systems develop in concert to produce an endothermic phenotype, but reduced thyroid hormone delays maturation of endothermic capacity.
Feature extraction of 3D Chinese rose model based on color and shape features
Authors: Liu Jin’fei , Mei Shu’li , Song Tao , Liu Hong’hao
Published: November 2022

Flower classification is of great importance to the research fields of plants, food, and medicine. Due to more abundant information on three-dimensional (3D) flower models than two-dimensional 2D images, it makes the 3D models more suitable for flower classification tasks. In this study, a feature extraction and classification method were proposed based on the 3D models of Chinese roses. Firstly, the shape distribution method was used to extract the sharpness and contour features of 3D flower models, and the color features were obtained from the Red-Green-Blue (RGB) color space. Then, the RF-OOB method was employed to rank the extracted flower features. A shape descriptor based on the unique attributes of Chinese roses was constructed, χ2 distance was adopted to measure the similarity between different Chinese roses. Experimental results show that the proposed method was effective for the retrieval and classification tasks of Chinese roses, and the average classification accuracy was approximately 87%, which can meet the basic retrieval requirements of 3D flower models. The proposed method promotes the classification of Chinese roses from 2D space to 3D space, which broadens the research method of flower classification.
Redheaded women are more sexually active than other women, but it is probably due to their suitors
Authors: Sýkorová Kateřina , Fiala Vojtěch , Hlaváčová Jana , Kaňková Šárka , Flegr Jaroslav
Published: November 2022

Women with red hair color, i.e., 1–9% of female Europeans, tend to be the subject of various stereotypes about their sexually liberated behavior. The aim of the present case–control study was to explore whether a connection between red hair color and sexual behavior really exists using data from 110 women (34% redheaded) and 93 men (22% redheaded). Redheadedness in women, correlated with various traits related to sexual life, namely with higher sexual desire as measured by Revised Sociosexual Orientation Inventory, with higher sexual activity and more sexual partners of the preferred gender over the past year, earlier initiation of sexual life, and higher sexual submissiveness. Structural equation modelling, however, showed that sexual desire of redheaded women mediated neither their higher sexual activity nor their higher number of sexual partners. These results indirectly indicate that the apparently more liberated sexual behavior in redheaded women could be the consequence of potential mates’ frequent attempts to have sex with them. Our results contradicted the three other tested models, specifically the models based on the assumption of different physiology, faster life history strategy, and altered self-perception of redheaded women induced by stereotypes about them. Naturally, the present study cannot say anything about the validity of other potential models that were not subjects of testing.
Does digitalization boost companies’ outward foreign direct investment?
Authors: Peng Cheng , Yang Shanshan , Jiang Hui
Published: November 2022

The development of digital economy influences the digital transformation of companies while profoundly affecting the production efficiency, business model and overall strategy of firms, which has an important impact on business decisions, including foreign investment decisions. However, whether and how digitalization affects corporate OFDI has not been sufficiently empirically investigated. Taking Chinese listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen A-shares from 2009 to 2020 as samples, this paper constructs corporate digitalization indicators by using “text analysis method” and empirically tests the impact of digitalization on corporate OFDI and its path. The study finds that digitalization significantly promotes corporate OFDI. In terms of the influential mechanism, digitalization promotes corporate OFDI by improving total factor productivity and reducing financing constraints. In addition, external digital economy policies can provide favorable support for the digital transformation of firms. Meanwhile, the impact of digitalization on corporate OFDI is somewhat heterogeneous due to the different resource utilization efficiency and market environment. This study not only reveals the impact mechanism of digitalization on corporate OFDI, but also provides micro evidence for the deep integration of digital economy and real economy. Meanwhile, the findings have important implications for the formulation and implementation of digital policies.
The impact of students’ mathematical attitudes on intentions, behavioral engagement, and mathematical performance in the China’s context
Authors: Wang Limei , Peng Fuqiang , Song Naiqing
Published: November 2022

Referring to the theory of planned behavior (TPB), this study intends to investigate the impact of students’ mathematical attitude determinants (i.e., attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control) on intentions, behavioral engagement, and mathematical performance. The data collected online in China’s context and the research hypotheses are developed and then tested through structural equation modeling. It is found that attitude and subjective norms have effects, directly or indirectly, on intentions, behavioral engagement, and mathematical performance. In addition, the intentions have a significant effect on behavioral engagement, and behavioral engagement does likewise on mathematical performance. It has also been accepted that perceived behavioral control is not directly related to intentions but largely to behavior and indirectly to mathematical performance through behavior alone. In conclusion, this study’s findings will contribute to the current literature on mathematical performance and will also inform the policymakers of the proposal on students’ mathematics belief and attitude interventions as a means to improving students’ mathematical performance.
Effect of video tutorial delivery method on D/HH students’ content comprehension
Authors: Almalhy Khalid M.
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Using video tutorials to deliver instructional content has become common practices nowadays. However, it is required to investigate how to implement new methods to deliver instructional content to deaf students to ensure success of their learning and reduce their reliance on personnel support or consultation from hearing peers. Therefore, and in light of cognitive theory of multimedia learning, this study experimented three different video tutorial methods to deliver instructional content that are tailored to deaf students’ learning needs. The three methods included: (a) sign language only, (b) captioned text only, and (c) sign language and captioned text combined.

Methods

The study applied a mixed methods research design using pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design (tests scores) and qualitative research design (interviews). Fifty-four undergraduate deaf students from a large university in Saudi Arabia participated in this study, and of those participants, fifteen deaf students participated in semistructured interviews.

Results and discussion

One-way analysis of variance results showed that using video tutorial that presents declarative content with captions only was significantly effective in comparison with the other methods. While the video tutorial that presents procedural content with sign language only was significantly effective in comparison with the other methods. Interview results confirmed the quantitative results. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed.
The dynamics of coordination patterns in multiteam systems response to emergency: Case study from a pharmaceutical enterprise
Authors: Zhang Ya-Wei , Shah Wasi Ul Hassan , Xiao Yu-Chun , Shafait Zahid
Published: November 2022

Effective coordination of multiteam systems (MTSs) can help enterprises respond quickly to complex and uncertain problems under disasters. However, it is unclear how MTS coordination patterns dynamically affect MTS performance in disasters. This study examined how MTSs responded to an emergency production incident at the Zhejiang Huisong Pharmaceutical Company in China during the COVID-19 pandemic through a qualitative and quantitative study. Based on social network theory, we found that a centralized coordination pattern impacts MTS performance by giving play to the leadership team’s network centrality position advantage during the crisis outbreak period. In the post-crisis period, the decentralized coordination pattern impacts MTS performance by giving play to the advantages of horizontal coordination. Our results help managers to consider the dynamics of coordination patterns in crisis management in ways that assist them in adapting an effective coordination pattern to changing and uncertain operational conditions.
The moderating effect of employee growth climate on the relationship between work engagement and job outcomes among plantation workers in North Sumatra, Indonesia
Authors: Rahmadani Vivi Gusrini , Schaufeli Wilmar B. , Fauzia Rahma , Nazriani Dina
Published: November 2022

The current study investigates the moderating effect of employee growth climate on the relationship between work engagement and job outcomes among plantation workers in North Sumatra, Indonesia. Three individual-level job outcomes are investigated, namely, intra-role behavior, employee learning, and innovative work behavior. Six hundred and seven Indonesian plantation workers from one of the biggest palm oil plantations in Indonesia participated. Work engagement and employee growth climate were positively related to the three types of job outcomes, as expected. Furthermore, the relationship between work engagement-intra-role behavior and work engagement-innovative work behavior was moderated by employee growth climate. However, no moderating effect of employee growth climate was observed for the relationship between work engagement-employee learning. Thus, organizations may create programs to foster employee growth climate and aware of their employees’ learning behaviors.
Adverse childhood experiences as risk factors for recurrent admissions in young psychiatric inpatients
Authors: Fellinger Matthäus , Knasmüller Philipp , Kocsis-Bogar Krisztina , Wippel Andreas , Fragner Laura , Mairhofer Dunja , Hochgatterer Paulus , Aigner Martin
Published: November 2022

Background

Patients who require psychiatric inpatient treatment early in life are a particularly at-risk population. Factors such as adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are, however, not well studied in those requiring psychiatric inpatient treatment during both childhood or adolescence and adulthood. Thus, the aim of the current study was to investigate, in young adult inpatients, the risk factors for prior admissions in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, with a focus on ACEs.

Materials and methods

An explorative population-based systematic chart investigation of psychiatric inpatients aged 18–25 was conducted at the University Hospital Tulln, Austria. Data analysis was done with descriptive methods and Pearson’s chi- squared-, Fisher’s exact-, Mann–Whitney-U-tests and predictive logistic regression models.

Results

The sample comprised 390 inpatients (51.8% female), with an average age of 20 years at first psychiatric hospital admission. Those with a former child and adolescent psychiatry inpatient treatment (10.3%) were predominantly female (77.5%). Their number of documented ACEs was increased compared to those without former child and adolescent psychiatry admissions (2 vs 1.1), with up to twice as many experiences of family dysfunction, neglect or abuse. Sexual abuse (OR: 3.0), having been an adopted or fostered child (OR: 4.5), and female sex (OR: 3.0) were identified as main risk factors. Furthermore, former child and adolescent psychiatry inpatients suffered from higher rates of psychosomatic or personality disorders, comorbidities and functional impairment, and were readmitted twice as often in young adulthood.

Conclusion

Young adult inpatients with reoccurring psychiatric inpatient treatments have increased rates of severe ACEs. Thus, special attention should be given to identifying ACEs, evaluating needs for psychosocial support and therapy, and meeting these needs after discharge.
A human-in-the-loop approach for enhancing mobile robot navigation in presence of obstacles not detected by the sensory set
Authors: Ferracuti Francesco , Freddi Alessandro , Iarlori Sabrina , Monteriù Andrea , Omer Karameldeen Ibrahim Mohamed , Porcaro Camillo
Published: November 2022

Human-in-the-loop approaches can greatly enhance the human–robot interaction by making the user an active part of the control loop, who can provide a feedback to the robot in order to augment its capabilities. Such feedback becomes even more important in all those situations where safety is of utmost concern, such as in assistive robotics. This study aims to realize a human-in-the-loop approach, where the human can provide a feedback to a specific robot, namely, a smart wheelchair, to augment its artificial sensory set, extending and improving its capabilities to detect and avoid obstacles. The feedback is provided by both a keyboard and a brain–computer interface: with this scope, the work has also included a protocol design phase to elicit and evoke human brain event–related potentials. The whole architecture has been validated within a simulated robotic environment, with electroencephalography signals acquired from different test subjects.
Carbon footprint of Power-to-X derived dimethyl ether using the sorption enhanced DME synthesis process
Authors: Styring Peter , Sanderson Peter W. , Gell Isaac , Skorikova Galina , Sánchez-Martínez Carlos , Garcia-Garcia Guillermo , Sluijter Soraya Nicole
Published: November 2022

Dimethyl ether (DME) could have a promising future as a sustainable diesel fuel replacement as it requires only relatively minor engine modifications. It can be produced from renewable H2 and captured CO2 using Power-to-X technologies. To gain support through the EU Renewable Energy Directive, the production and use of CO2-derived DME as a fuel needs to produce emission savings of at least 70% over the petrodiesel alternative. This study assesses the carbon footprint of producing DME via the sorption-enhanced DME synthesis (SEDMES) process and using it as a transport fuel, compared to producing and using fossil-based petrodiesel. The cradle-to-grave (well-to-wheel) carbon footprint of using DME as a transport fuel is found to be 77% lower than for petrodiesel, if offshore wind power is used for H2 synthesis and DME production. If renewable energy is also used for CO2 capture and waste heat is used for the DME production and purification steps, the DME carbon footprint has the potential to be over 90% lower than that of the fossil-fuel comparator.
Use of absorbable hemostat bolster for prevention of donor renal artery kinking in kidney transplant
Authors: Hawlina Simon , Orožen Blaž , Arnol Miha , Kšela Juš
Published: November 2022

Transplant renal artery stenosis due to mechanical kinking is a rare but significant complication in kidney transplantation that can lead to graft dysfunction due to graft hypoperfusion, delayed graft function, or even global kidney infarction. When detected during surgery, re-anastomosis is usually performed after re-clamping, which inevitably prolongs the warm ischemia time, and increases the possibility of primary graft non-function. In this report, we describe a novel, noninvasive surgical technique whereby the donor renal artery is padded with absorbable hemostatic material (i.e., Surgicel) bolster, placed below the middle third of the renal artery in recipients who were found to have mechanical kinking during the implantation procedure. The bolster technique was used in 12 kidney transplant recipients who were found to have kinking of the donor artery during the primary surgery. After pillowing the renal artery with absorbable hemostatic bolster, no residual kinking was observed intra-operatively, and good allograft perfusion was confirmed with no Doppler ultrasound evidence of renal artery stenosis confirmed at 1 week, 1 month, and 1 year after transplantation.
Alternative Pharmacological Strategies for the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease: Focus on Neuromodulator Function
Authors: Cunliffe Grace , Lim Yi Tang , Chae Woori , Jung Sangyong
Published: November 2022

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder, comprising 70% of dementia diagnoses worldwide and affecting 1 in 9 people over the age of 65. However, the majority of its treatments, which predominantly target the cholinergic system, remain insufficient at reversing pathology and act simply to slow the inevitable progression of the disease. The most recent neurotransmitter-targeting drug for AD was approved in 2003, strongly suggesting that targeting neurotransmitter systems alone is unlikely to be sufficient, and that research into alternate treatment avenues is urgently required. Neuromodulators are substances released by neurons which influence neurotransmitter release and signal transmission across synapses. Neuromodulators including neuropeptides, hormones, neurotrophins, ATP and metal ions display altered function in AD, which underlies aberrant neuronal activity and pathology. However, research into how the manipulation of neuromodulators may be useful in the treatment of AD is relatively understudied. Combining neuromodulator targeting with more novel methods of drug delivery, such as the use of multi-targeted directed ligands, combinatorial drugs and encapsulated nanoparticle delivery systems, may help to overcome limitations of conventional treatments. These include difficulty crossing the blood-brain-barrier and the exertion of effects on a single target only. This review aims to highlight the ways in which neuromodulator functions are altered in AD and investigate how future therapies targeting such substances, which act upstream to classical neurotransmitter systems, may be of potential therapeutic benefit in the sustained search for more effective treatments.
Towards Precritical Medical Therapy of the Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
Authors: Musumeci Lucia , Eilenberg Wolf , Pincemail Joël , Yoshimura Koichi , Sakalihasan Natzi
Published: November 2022

Pharmacotherapy for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) can be useful for prevention, especially in people at higher risk, for slowing down AAA progression, as well as for post-surgery adjuvant treatment. Our review focuses on novel pharmacotherapy approaches targeted towards slowing down progression of AAA, known also as secondary prevention therapy. Guidelines for AAA are not specific to slow down the expansion rate of an abdominal aortic aneurysm, and therefore no medical therapy is recommended. New ideas are urgently needed to develop a novel medical therapy. We are hopeful that in the future, pharmacologic treatment will play a key role in the prevention and treatment of AAA.
Cost Analysis of a Digital Multimodal Cancer Prehabilitation
Authors: Gkaintatzi Evdoxia , Nikolaou Charoula Konstantia , Rampal Tarannum , Laza-Cagigas Roberto , Zand Nazanin , McCrone Paul
Published: November 2022

Introduction: There is growing evidence that prehabilitation programmes effectively improve the physical and psychological conditions of cancer patients awaiting treatment. During the pandemic, people with cancer were classed as vulnerable. To reduce risk to this population Kent and Medway Prehabilitation service transformed into a TeleHealth format. The aim of this study is to assess the impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and the costs of a digital multimodal prehabilitation programme. Methods: HRQoL was measured with the EQ-5D and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) were calculated. Costs of the prehabilitation service and inpatient care were calculated. Comparisons were made between different levels of prehabilitation received. Results: A sample of 192 individuals was included in the study Mean HRQoL improved from 69.53 at baseline to 85.71 post-rehabilitation, a 23% increase. For each additional week of prehabilitation care in cancer patients, the model predicts that the total QALYS increase by 0.02, when baseline utility is held constant. Conclusions: Prehabilitation is associated with improved HRQoL and QALYs. Our model of a multimodal digital prehabilitation program can be beneficial for patients and reduce costs for healthcare facilities even when the patients attend only a few sessions.
The Impact of Computed Tomography Measurements of Sarcopenia on Postoperative and Oncologic Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Cytoreductive Surgery and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy
Authors: Al Khaldi Maher , Fellouah Massine , Drolet Pierre , Côté Julien , Trilling Bertrand , Brind’Amour Alexandre , Dugas Alexandre , Tremblay Jean-François , Fortin Suzanne , De Guerké Lara , Auclair Marie-Hélène , Dubé Pierre , Soucisse Mikaël , Sideris Lucas
Published: November 2022

Cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS-HIPEC) is a treatment option for peritoneal metastases (PM) but is associated with significant postoperative morbidity. The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic value of computed tomographic (CT)-measured sarcopenia on postoperative outcomes and survival in patients undergoing CRS-HIPEC for PM from various origins. A retrospective cohort study was conducted between 2012 and 2020. Three-hundred and twelve patients (mean age 57.6 ± 10.3, 34.3% male) were included, of which 88 (28.2%) were sarcopenic. PM from a colorectal origin was the most common in both groups. The proportion of major postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo ≥ III) was not higher in the sarcopenic group (15.9% in sarcopenic patients vs. 23.2% in nonsarcopenic patients, p = 0.17). The mean Comprehensive Complication Index scores, HIPEC-related toxicities, length of hospital stay, and duration of parenteral nutrition were comparable regardless of sarcopenia status. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis of severe complications, only peritoneal carcinomatosis index reached statistical significance (OR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.08, p = 0.007). Sarcopenia did not impact origin-specific overall survival on Cox regression analysis. Sarcopenia was not associated with worse rates of postoperative severe complications or worse survival rates. Future prospective studies are required before considering sarcopenia as part of preoperative risk assessment.
A Review of Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring Applications in Industrial and Residential Contexts
Authors: Mari Simone , Bucci Giovanni , Ciancetta Fabrizio , Fiorucci Edoardo , Fioravanti Andrea
Published: November 2022

Load monitoring systems make it possible to obtain information on the status of the various loads powered by an electrical system. The term “electrical load” indicates any device or circuit that absorbs energy from the system to which it is connected, and which therefore influences electrical quantities such as power, voltage, and current. These monitoring systems, designed for applications related to energy efficiency, can also be used in other applications. This article analyzes in detail how the information derived from Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring (NILM) systems can be used in order to create Energy Management Systems (EMS), Demand Response (DR), anomaly detection, maintenance, and Ambient Assisted Living (AAL).
A Review of Thermal Comfort in Residential Buildings: Comfort Threads and Energy Saving Potential
Authors: Aqilah Naja , Rijal Hom Bahadur , Zaki Sheikh Ahmad
Published: November 2022

Residential buildings instigate a vital role in creating a safe and comfortable indoor living environment. The phenomenon of overheating, an impact of climate change, can cause a negative effect on residents’ productiveness and heat-related illnesses and can even force high pressure on electricity generation by increasing the risk of power outages due to excessive peak cooling and heating requirements. Various issues on building thermal comfort are being evolved and discussed in review articles. However, there are few articles that review the current condition of adaptive thermal comfort studies and the potential for energy savings in residential buildings. Therefore, the aims for this paper are to: identify comfort temperature ranges in residential buildings, investigate the correlation of comfort temperature with indoor and outdoor temperatures with the aid of ‘comfort threads’, and clarify the effect of adaptive measures on residential energy saving potential. This study obtained a large variation of residential comfort temperatures, which mostly depend on the climate and operation modes of the building. ‘Comfort threads’ explains that people are adapting to a large variation of indoor and outdoor temperatures and the wide range of comfort temperature could provide significant energy savings in residential buildings. This review provides insight on and an overview of thermal comfort field studies in residential buildings.