bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prediction Model for Urinary Tract Infection in Pediatric Urological Surgery Patients
Authors: Chen Yi , Ge Xiao-Hua , Yu Qun , Wang Ying , Zhu Sheng-Mei , Yuan Jia-Ni , Zong Wen
Published: June 2022

Background

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common complication in pediatric urological surgery patients and is associated with long-term sequelae, including subsequent recurrent infections and renal scarring. In this study, we aimed to explore the risk factors for UTI in pediatric urological surgery patients and construct a predictive model for UTI.

Materials and Methods

A total of 2,235 pediatric patients who underwent urological surgery at a tertiary hospital between February 2019 and January 2020 were included. A multivariate logistic regression model was applied to identify the predictive factors, and a predictive model was constructed using a receiver operating characteristic curve. A multifactorial predictive model was used to categorize the risk of UTI based on the weight of the evidence.

Results

A total of 341 patients with UTI were identified, which corresponded to a prevalence of 15.26% in pediatric urological surgery patients. Multivariate analysis identified six significant risk factors for UTI, including age <12.0 months, upper urinary tract disease, not using an indwelling drainage tube, hospital stay ≥10 days, administration of two or more types of antibiotics, and stent implantation. A combination of the aforementioned factors produced an area under the curve value of 88.37% for preventing UTI in pediatric urological surgery patients. A multifactorial predictive model was created based on the combination of these factors.

Conclusions

The constructed multifactorial model could predict UTI risk in pediatric urological surgery patients with a relatively high predictive value.
Doing the Work—or Not: The Promise and Limitations of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in US Medical Schools and Academic Medical Centers
Authors: Esparza Caitlin Jade , Simon Mark , Bath Eraka , Ko Michelle
Published: June 2022

While the number of positions, committees, and projects described as “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)” work has grown rapidly in recent years, there has been little attention to the theory, praxis, or lived experience of this work. In this perspective, we briefly summarize the research and concepts put forth by DEI leaders in higher education more broadly, followed by an analysis of the literature's application to academic medicine. We then discuss the ways in which language obscures the nature of DEI and the necessity of scholarship to evaluate the extensive range of practices, policies, statements, and programs the label is given to.
Prevalence of Myopia and Its Associated Factors Among Japanese Preschool Children
Authors: Matsumura Saiko , Dannoue Kazuhiko , Kawakami Momoko , Uemura Keiko , Kameyama Asuka , Takei Anna , Hori Yuichi
Published: June 2022

Purpose

To investigate the prevalence of myopia and factors associated with spherical equivalent (SE), axial length (AL), and axial length to corneal radius of curvature (AL/CR) ratio among Japanese preschool children.

Study Design

Prospective observational study.

Methods

This cross-sectional study evaluated subjects aged 4–6 years from a preschool. Non-cycloplegic autorefraction was measured using the Spot Vision Screener, while AL and corneal radius (CR) were measured using the Myopia Master. Parental myopia and environmental factors were investigated using the myopia-related factor questionnaire. The worse eye with higher myopic SE was chosen for analysis, and multiple linear regression models was performed using AL, SE, and AL/CR ratio as dependent variables.

Results

A total of 457 out of 514 participants (239 males, 52.3%) aged 4–6 years (mean 4.77 ± 0.65 years) were included. The mean SE was 0.13 ± 0.63 D, AL was 22.35 ± 0.67 mm, CR was 7.76 ± 0.25 mm, and AL/CR ratio was 2.88 ± 0.72. The overall prevalence of myopia and high myopia were 2.9 and 0.2%, respectively. Multiple regression analysis showed that myopic SE was significantly associated with male sex (β = −0.14, p = 0.02) and parental myopia (β = −0.15, p = 0.04). Meanwhile, longer AL was significantly associated with older age (β = 0.13, p = 0.02), male sex (β = 0.44, p < 0.001), parental myopia (β = 0.24, p = 0.01), and screen time (including smartphones, tablets, and computers) (>1 h, β = 0.14, p = 0.04). A higher AL/CR was significantly associated with older age (β = 0.02, p < 0.001), male sex (β = 0.03, p < 0.001), ratio and parental myopia (β = 0.03, p = 0.02).

Conclusion

The prevalence of myopia and high myopia were 2.9 and 0.2%, respectively, among Japanese preschool children in 2021. Longer AL was associated with older age, male sex, parental myopia, and screen time in children aged 4–6 years. Children with a high risk of myopia can be identified early based on parental myopia information for early prevention.
Eye Movements During Comprehension in Virtual Reality: The Influence of a Change in Point of View Between Auditory and Visual Information in the Activation of a Mental Model
Authors: Drai-Zerbib Véronique , Bernigaud Léa , Gaston-Bellegarde Alexandre , Boucheix Jean-Michel , Baccino Thierry
Published: June 2022

This paper provides new research perspectives in the field of multimodal comprehension (auditory crossing visual information) by using immersion and incorporating eye tracking in a virtual reality environment. The objective is to investigate the influence of a change in narrative perspective (point of view) during the activation of a mental model underlying comprehension between visual and auditory modalities. Twenty-eight participants, equipped with a headset SMI HMD HTC eye-tracking 250 Hz watched 16 visual scenes in virtual reality accompanied by their corresponding auditory narration. The change in perspective may occur either in the visual scenes or in listening. Mean fixations durations on typical objects of the visual scenes (Area of Interest) that were related to the perspective shift were analyzed as well as the free recall of narratives. We split each scene into three periods according to different parts of the narration (Before, Target, After), the target was where a shift in perspective could occur. Results shown that when a visual change of perspective occurred, mean fixation duration was shorter (compared to no change) for both Target and After. However, when auditory change of perspective occurred, no difference was found on Target, although during After, mean fixation duration was longer (compared to no change). In the context of 3D video visualization, it seems that auditory processing prevails over visual processing of verbal information: The visual change of perspective induces less visual processing of the Area of Interest (AOIs) included in the visual scene, but the auditory change in perspective leads to increased visual processing of the visual scene. Moreover, the analysis showed higher recall of information (verbatim and paraphrase) when an auditory change in perspective was coupled with no visual change of perspective. Thus, our results indicate a more effective integration of information when there is an inconsistency between the narration heard and viewed. A change in perspective, instead of creating comprehension and integration difficulties, seems to effectively raise the attention and induce a shorter visual inspection. These results are discussed in the context of cross-modal comprehension.
Exoplanet Two-Square Degree Survey With SAO RAS Robotic Facilities
Authors: Yakovlev Oleg Ya. , Valeev Azamat F. , Valyavin Gennady G. , Tavrov Alexander V. , Aitov Vitaly N. , Mitiani Guram Sh. , Korablev Oleg I. , Galazutdinov Gazinur A. , Beskin Grigory M. , Emelianov Eduard V. , Fatkhullin Timur A. , Vlasyuk Valery V. , Sasyuk Vyacheslav V. , Perkov Alexei V. , Bondar Sergei , Burlakova Tatyana E. , Fabrika Sergei N. , Romanyuk Iosif I.
Published: June 2022

We used the 0.5-m robotic telescope located at the Special Astrophysical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences for monitoring two square degrees of the sky with the aim of detecting new exoplanets. A dimming of the visible brightness is expected due to the exoplanets transiting their host stars. We analyzed about 25,000 raw images of stars taken in the period between August 2020 and January 2021 and plotted the light curves for about 30,000 stars on a half-year timescale. Five newly discovered exoplanet candidates are being investigated to determine their transit event parameters. We also present the light curves for dozens of binary stars.
Case Report: Diffuse Lumbar Hyperostosis Causing Vertebral Canal Stenosis in a Dog With Concurrent Multicentric T-Cell Lymphoma
Authors: Foreman Max , Belmudes Audrey , Villiers Elizabeth , Scarpante Elena
Published: June 2022

A 4-year-old female spayed Bullmastiff-cross presented with a 24-h history of progressive paraparesis. Neurological examination was consistent with L4–S3 myelopathy. On magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), all vertebrae showed homogenously increased short tau inversion recovery (STIR) signal with strong contrast enhancement. The vertebral canal was concentrically narrowed along the length of the L5 vertebra secondary to bony proliferation of the vertebral pedicles, dorsal lamina, and vertebral body. Cytological analysis of the peripheral lymph nodes and subsequent flow cytometry was consistent with T-cell lymphoma. The dog was euthanised due to poor prognosis. Necropsy confirmed the presence of stage V multicentric T-cell lymphoma, as well as diffuse hyperostosis of the vertebral bodies. This is the first report of presumed paraneoplastic lumbar skeletal hyperostosis.
The Role of Intestinal Microbial Metabolites in the Immunity of Equine Animals Infected With Horse Botflies
Authors: Hu Dini , Tang Yujun , Wang Chen , Qi Yingjie , Ente Make , Li Xuefeng , Zhang Dong , Li Kai , Chu Hongjun
Published: June 2022

The microbiota and its metabolites play an important role in regulating the host metabolism and immunity. However, the underlying mechanism is still not well studied. Thus, we conducted the LC-MS/MS analysis and RNA-seq analysis on Equus przewalskii with and without horse botfly infestation to determine the metabolites produced by intestinal microbiota in feces and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to the immune response in blood and attempted to link them together. The results showed that parasite infection could change the composition of microbial metabolites. These identified metabolites could be divided into six categories, including compounds with biological roles, bioactive peptides, endocrine-disrupting compounds, pesticides, phytochemical compounds, and lipids. The three pathways involving most metabolites were lipid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and biosynthesis of other secondary metabolites. The significant differences between the host with and without parasites were shown in 31 metabolites with known functions, which were related to physiological activities of the host. For the gene analysis, we found that parasite infection could alarm the host immune response. The gene of “cathepsin W” involved in innate and adaptive immune responses was upregulated. The two genes of the following functions were downregulated: “protein S100-A8” and “protein S100-A9-like isoform X2” involved in chemokine and cytokine production, the toll-like receptor signaling pathway, and immune and inflammatory responses. GO and KEGG analyses showed that immune-related functions of defense response and Th17 cell differentiation had significant differences between the host with and without parasites, respectively. Last, the relationship between metabolites and genes was determined in this study. The purine metabolism and pyrimidine metabolism contained the most altered metabolites and DEGs, which mainly influenced the conversion of ATP, ADP, AMP, GTP, GMP, GDP, UTP, UDP, UMP, dTTP, dTDP, dTMP, and RNA. Thus, it could be concluded that parasitic infection can change the intestinal microbial metabolic activity and enhance immune response of the host through the pathway of purine and pyrimidine metabolism. This results will be a valuable contribution to understanding the bidirectional association of the parasite, intestinal microbiota, and host.
Weighted Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis Identifies Key Modules and Central Genes Associated With Bovine Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue
Authors: Sheng Hui , Pan Cuili , Wang Shuzhe , Yang Chaoyun , Zhang Junxing , Hu Chunli , Hu Honghong , Feng Xue , Yang Mengli , Lei Zhaoxiong , Gao Yuhong , Wang Zhong , Ma Yun
Published: June 2022

Background

Fat deposition is an important economic trait in livestock and poultry production. However, the relationship between various genes and signal pathways of fat deposition is still unclear to a large extent. The purpose of this study is to analyze the potential molecular targets and related molecular pathways in bovine subcutaneous adipose tissue.

Results

We downloaded the GSE116775 microarray dataset from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). The weighted gene co-expression network (WGCNA) was used to analyze the gene expression profile, and the key gene modules with the highest correlation with subcutaneous adipose tissue were identified, and the functional enrichment of the key modules was analyzed. Then, the “real” Hub gene was screened by in-module analysis and protein–protein interaction network (PPI), and its expression level in tissue samples and adipocytes was verified. The study showed that a total of nine co-expression modules were identified, and the number of genes in these modules ranged from 101 to 1,509. Among them, the blue module is most closely related to subcutaneous adipose tissue, containing 1,387 genes. These genes were significantly enriched in 10 gene ontologies including extracellular matrix organization, biological adhesion, and collagen metabolic process, and were mainly involved in pathways including ECM-receptor interaction, focal adhesion, cAMP signaling pathway, PI3K-AKT signaling pathway, and regulation of lipolysis in adipocytes. In the PPI network and coexpression network, five genes (CAV1, ITGA5, COL5A1, ABL1, and HSPG2) were identified as “real” Hub genes. Analysis of Hub gene expression by dataset revealed that the expression of these Hub genes was significantly higher in subcutaneous adipose tissue than in other tissues. In addition, real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis based on tissue samples and adipocytes also confirmed the above results.

Conclusion

In this study, five key genes related to subcutaneous adipose tissue were discovered, which laid a foundation for further study of the molecular regulation mechanism of subcutaneous adipose tissue development and adipose deposition.
Life Satisfaction of Rural-To-Urban Migrants: Exploring the Influence of Socio-Demographic and Urbanisation Features in China
Authors: Zhang Xiangjing , Zhou Wusi
Published: June 2022

Objectives: China has experienced an ongoing urbanisation that associated with spatial transformation and personal changes, which are expected to have direct or indirect impacts on migrants’ health and well-being. This study aims to investigate their life satisfaction and the significant influences.

Method: A quantitative research strategy was adopted, with the questionnaire survey towards 877 migrants across Hangzhou and Ningbo cities. Descriptive statistics showed migrants’ life satisfaction, socio-demographic characteristics and urbanisation features. Three logistic regression models examined key factors that influenced life satisfaction.

Results: Over one third of migrants were unsatisfied with their life. They mainly received education lower than high school and had an annual household income less than 60k. Comparatively, migrants, who worked in formal sectors, moved into resettlement communities and adapted to city life, tended to have higher levels of life satisfaction.

Conclusion: There should be an improvement in migrants’ life satisfaction. This could be achieved by building up their educational level and financial capability. Meanwhile, positive actions such as professional training are required to maximise their participation in formal sectors as well as community life.
Factors Influencing Pedestrian Smartphone Use and Effect of Combined Visual and Auditory Intervention on “Smombies”: A Chinese Observational Study
Authors: Hao Qing-hong , Wang Yang , Zhou Ming-Ze , Yi Ting , Cui Jia-Rui , Gao Ping , Qiu Mi-Mi , Peng Wei , Wang Jun , Tu Yang , Chen Ya-Lin , Li Hui , Zhu Tian-Min
Published: June 2022

Objective: This was a large-scale multicenter study with two objectives. One was to study the factors influencing pedestrian smartphone use while crossing roads, and the other was to study the effect of combined visual and auditory intervention on smartphone zombies (smombies) at crossroads.

Methods: This study was conducted in four different Chinese cities. By observing pedestrians crossing intersections, the weather, time, and characteristics of the pedestrians were recorded by four researchers. Then, its influencing factors and the effects of the intervention were studied in two consecutive periods.

Results: A total of 25,860 pedestrians (13,086 without intervention and 12,774 with visual and auditory intervention) were observed in this study. Logistic regressions showed that gender, age of the pedestrians, weather, and time were the factors influencing smombies crossing roads. The number of smartphone users decreased from 4,289 to 3,579 (28.1%) (χ2 = 69.120, p < 0.001) when the intervention was conducted.

Conclusion: Based on large-sample, multicenter research, this study revealed the factors influencing pedestrian smartphone use while crossing roads, contributing to our understanding of the current situation of smombies in China. Furthermore, the effect of visual and auditory intervention was demonstrated, providing a new paradigm for global prevention of smombie behavior.
Optimal Algorithms for Sorting Permutations with Brooms
Authors: Sadanandan Indulekha , Chitturi Bhadrachalam
Published: June 2022

Sorting permutations with various operations has applications in genetics and computer interconnection networks where an operation is specified by its generator set. A transposition tree T=(V,E) is a spanning tree over n vertices v1,v2,…vn. T denotes an operation in which each edge is a generator. A value assigned to a vertex is called a token or a marker. The markers on vertices u and v can be swapped only if the pair (u,v)∈E. The initial configuration consists of a bijection from the set of vertices v1,v2,…,vn to the set of markers (1,2,⋯,n−1,n). The goal is to sort the initial configuration of T, i.e., an input permutation, by applying the minimum number of swaps or moves in T. Computationally tractable optimal algorithms to sort permutations are known only for a few classes of transposition trees. We study a class of transposition trees called a broom and its variation a double broom. A single broom is a tree obtained by joining the centre vertex of a star with one of the two leaf vertices of a path graph. A double broom is an extension of a single broom where the centre vertex of a second star is connected to the terminal vertex of the path in a single broom. We propose a simple and efficient algorithm to obtain an optimal swap sequence to sort permutations with the transposition tree broom and a novel optimal algorithm to sort permutations with a double broom. We also introduce a new class of trees named millipede tree and prove that D* yields a tighter upper bound for sorting permutations with a balanced millipede tree compared to D′. Algorithms D* and D′ are designed previously.
Prognostic MicroRNA Panel for HCV-Associated HCC: Integrating Computational Biology and Clinical Validation
Authors: Dabbish Areeg M. , Abdelzaher Hana M. , Abohawya Moustafa , Shamma Samir , Mahmoud Yosra H. , Maged Amr , Manaa Mohamed , Hassany Mohamed , Kobeissy Firas , Bazgir Omid , El-Fawal Hassan , Azzazy Hassan M. E. , Abdelnaser Anwar
Published: June 2022

Early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) will reduce morbidity and mortality rates of this widely spread disease. Dysregulation in microRNA (miRNA) expression is associated with HCC progression. The objective is to identify a panel of differentially expressed miRNAs (DE-miRNAs) to enhance HCC early prediction in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infected patients. Candidate miRNAs were selected using a bioinformatic analysis of microarray and RNA-sequencing datasets, resulting in nine DE-miRNAs (miR-142, miR-150, miR-183, miR-199a, miR-215, miR-217, miR-224, miR-424, and miR-3607). Their expressions were validated in the serum of 44 healthy individuals, 62 non-cirrhotic HCV patients, 67 cirrhotic-HCV, and 72 HCV-associated-HCC patients using real-time PCR (qPCR). There was a significant increase in serum concentrations of the nine-candidate miRNAs in HCC and HCV patients relative to healthy individuals. MiR-424, miR-199a, miR-142, and miR-224 expressions were significantly altered in HCC compared to non-cirrhotic patients. A panel of five miRNAs improved sensitivity and specificity of HCC detection to 100% and 95.12% relative to healthy controls. Distinguishing HCC from HCV-treated patients was achieved by 70.8% sensitivity and 61.9% specificity using the combined panel, compared to alpha-fetoprotein (51.4% sensitivity and 60.67% specificity). These preliminary data show that the novel miRNAs panel (miR-150, miR-199a, miR-224, miR-424, and miR-3607) could serve as a potential non-invasive biomarker for HCC early prediction in chronic HCV patients. Further prospective studies on a larger cohort of patients should be conducted to assess the potential prognostic ability of the miRNAs panel.
Cribriform Patterned Lesions in the Prostate Gland with Emphasis on Differential Diagnosis and Clinical Significance
Authors: Destouni Maria , Lazaris Andreas C. , Tzelepi Vasiliki
Published: June 2022

Cribriform glandular formations are characterized by a continuous proliferation of cells with intermingled lumina and can constitute a major or minor part of physiologic (normal central zone glands), benign (clear cell cribriform hyperplasia and basal cell hyperplasia), premalignant (high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia), borderline (atypical intraductal cribriform proliferation) or clearly malignant (intraductal, acinar, ductal and basal cell carcinoma) lesions. Each displays a different clinical course and variability in clinical management and prognosis. The aim of this review is to summarize the current knowledge regarding the morphological features, differential diagnosis, molecular profile and clinical significance of the cribriform-patterned entities of the prostate gland. Areas of controversy regarding their management, i.e., the grading of Intaductal Carcinoma, will also be discussed. Understanding the distinct nature of each cribriform lesion leads to the correct diagnosis and ensures accuracy in clinical decision-making, prognosis prediction and personalized risk stratification of patients.
SP142 PD-L1 Assays in Multiple Samples from the Same Patients with Early or Advanced Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Authors: Baek Seung Ho , Kim Jee Hung , Bae Soong June , Ji Jung Hwan , Lee Yangkyu , Jeong Joon , Cha Yoon Jin , Ahn Sung Gwe
Published: June 2022

Purpose: The discernible PD-L1 staining of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes occupying ≥ 1% of the tumor area is considered SP142 PD-L1 positive for atezolizumab, and the PD-L1 status of multiple samples within a single patient could be discrepant. In this study, we evaluated the PD-L1 status by using the SP142 clone in serially collected matched samples from the same individuals with early or metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Method: the SP142 PD-L1 assay was performed using biopsies and surgical specimens from 77 patients with early TNBC. Among these patients, 47 underwent upfront surgery, and 30 underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) between biopsy and surgery. PD-L1 assays were performed at least twice in 8/12 (66.7%) patients with metastatic TNBC treated with atezolizumab and nab-paclitaxel. Results: Of the 47 patients who underwent upfront surgery, 15/47 (31.9%) had PD-L1+ on biopsied samples. PD-L1+ rates in the biopsy and surgical specimens increased to 66.0% (33 of 47) after subsequent surgery. Similarly, in the 30 patients with residual invasive cancer who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy, the PD-L1+ rate increased from 46.6% at baseline to 74.2% after surgery. In the 77 patients with early TNBC, multiple PD-L1 testing in the biopsies and surgical specimens significantly increased the number of patients with PD-L1+ compared with the number of patients with PD-L1+ assessed with initial biopsy samples alone (68.8% vs. 37.6%; p = 0.00002). Among the metastatic TNBC patients, those with constant PD-L1+ over 1% positivity in multiple samples showed a response which was longer than 12 months. Conclusions: Our findings reveal the heterogeneous SP142 PD-L1 expression in TNBC and suggest that PD-L1 evaluation in baseline biopsy might be insufficient to represent the PD-L1 status of whole tumors. In TNBC, vigorous PD-L1 examination using multiple available tumor samples could identify more patients eligible for immune checkpoint blockade.
Mortality and Major Cardiovascular Events among Patients with Multiple Myeloma: Analysis from a Nationwide French Medical Information Database
Authors: Cottin Yves , Boulin Mathieu , Doisy Clara , Mounier Morgane , Caillot Denis , Chretien Marie Lorraine , Bodin Alexandre , Herbert Julien , Bonnotte Bernard , Zeller Marianne , Maynadié Marc , Fauchier Laurent
Published: June 2022

Background: No robust data assesses the risk of all-cause death and cardiovascular (CV) events in multiple myeloma (MM) patients. Patients and Methods: From 1 January to 31 December 2013, 3,381,472 adults were hospitalised (for any reason) in French hospitals. We identified 15,774 patients diagnosed with known MM at baseline. The outcome analysis (all-cause death, CV death, myocardial infarction (MI), ischaemic stroke, or hospitalization for bleedings) was performed with follow-ups starting at the time of the last event. For each MM patient, a propensity score-matched patient without MM was selected. Results: The mean follow-up in the propensity-score-matched population was 3.7 ± 2.3 years. Matched patients with MM had a higher risk of all-death (yearly rate 20.02 vs. 11.39%) than patients without MM. No difference was observed between the MM group and no-MM group for CV death (yearly rate 2.00 vs. 2.02%). The incidence rate of MI and stroke was lower in the MM group: 0.86 vs. 0.97%/y and 0.85 vs. 1.10%/y, respectively. In contrast, MM patients had a higher incidence rate of rehospitalization for major bleeding (3.61 vs. 2.24%/y) and intracranial bleeding (1.03 vs. 0.84%/y). Conclusions: From a large nationwide database, we demonstrated that MM patients do not have a higher risk of CV death or even a lower risk of both MI and ischaemic stroke. Conversely, MM patients had a higher risk of both major and intracranial bleedings, highlighting the key issue of thromboprophylaxis in these patients.
Impact of Pelvic Anatomical Changes Caused by Radical Prostatectomy
Authors: Kadono Yoshifumi , Nohara Takahiro , Kawaguchi Shohei , Iwamoto Hiroaki , Yaegashi Hiroshi , Shigehara Kazuyoshi , Izumi Kouji , Mizokami Atsushi
Published: June 2022

During radical prostatectomy, the prostate is removed along with the seminal vesicles, and the urinary tract is reconstructed by dropping the bladder onto the pelvic floor and suturing the bladder and urethra together. This process causes damage to the pelvic floor and postoperative complications due to the anatomical changes in the pelvic floor caused by the vesicourethral anastomosis. Urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction are major complications that impair patients’ quality of life after radical prostatectomy. In addition, the shortening of the penis and the increased prevalence of inguinal hernia have been reported. Since these postoperative complications subsequently affect patients’ quality of life, their reduction is a matter of great interest, and procedural innovations such as nerve-sparing techniques, Retzius space preservation, and inguinal hernia prophylaxis have been developed. It is clear that nerve sparing is useful for preserving the erectile function, and nerve sparing, urethral length preservation, and Retzius sparing are useful for urinary continence. The evaluation of pre- and postoperative imaging to observe changes in pelvic anatomy is also beginning to clarify why these techniques are useful. Changes in pelvic anatomy after radical prostatectomy are inevitable and, therefore, postoperative complications cannot be completely eliminated; however, preserving as much of the tissue and structure around the prostate as possible, to the extent that prostate cancer control is not compromised, may help reduce the prevalence of postoperative complications.
Proton Pump Inhibitor Use and Risk of Gastric Cancer: Current Evidence from Epidemiological Studies and Critical Appraisal
Authors: Poly Tahmina Nasrin , Lin Ming-Chin , Syed-Abdul Shabbir , Huang Chih-Wei , Yang Hsuan-Chia , Li Yu-Chuan (Jack)
Published: June 2022

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are used for maintaining or improving gastric problems. Evidence from observational studies indicates that PPI therapy is associated with an increased risk of gastric cancer. However, the evidence for PPIs increasing the risk of gastric cancer is still being debated. Therefore, we aimed to investigate whether long-term PPI use is associated with an increased risk of gastric cancer. We systematically searched the relevant literature in electronic databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and Web of Science. The search and collection of eligible studies was between 1 January 2000 and 1 July 2021. Two independent authors were responsible for the study selection process, and they considered only observational studies that compared the risk of gastric cancer with PPI treatment. We extracted relevant information from selected studies, and assessed the quality using the Newcastle−Ottawa scale (NOS). Finally, we calculated overall risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of gastric cancer in the group receiving PPI therapy and the control group. Thirteen observational studies, comprising 10,557 gastric cancer participants, were included. Compared with patients who did not take PPIs, the pooled RR for developing gastric cancer in patients receiving PPIs was 1.80 (95% CI, 1.46–2.22, p < 0.001). The overall risk of gastric cancer also increased in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), H. pylori treatment, and various adjusted factors. The findings were also consistent across several sensitivity analyses. PPI use is associated with an increased risk of gastric cancer in patients compared with those with no PPI treatment. The findings of this updated study could be used in making clinical decisions between physicians and patients about the initiation and continuation of PPI therapy, especially in patients at high risk of gastric cancer. Additionally, large randomized controlled trials are needed to determine whether PPIs are associated with a higher risk of gastric cancer.
Clinical Utility of Liquid Biopsy to Detect BRAF and NRAS Mutations in Stage III/IV Melanoma Patients by Using Real-Time PCR
Authors: Giunta Emilio Francesco , De Falco Vincenzo , Vitiello Pietro Paolo , Guerrera Luigi Pio , Suarato Gabriella , Napolitano Rossella , Perrone Alessandra , Argenziano Giuseppe , Franco Renato , Caraglia Michele , Martinelli Erika , Ciardiello Davide , Ciardiello Fortunato , Napolitano Stefania , Troiani Teresa
Published: June 2022

Background: Liquid biopsy is a potentially useful tool for melanoma patients, also for detecting BRAS/NRAS mutations, even if the tissue analysis remains the current standard. Methods: In this work, we tested ctDNA on plasma samples from 56 BRAF-V600/NRAS mutant stage III/IV melanoma patients using a real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR)-based platform. The study population was divided into two cohorts: the first including 26 patients who had undergone radical resection (resected cohort) and the second including 30 patients who had unresected measurable disease (advanced cohort). Moreover, for 10 patients in the advanced cohort, ctDNA assessment was repeated at specified timepoints after baseline testing. Data were analyzed and correlated to the clinicopathologic characteristics and outcomes. Results: In the baseline cohort, a higher tissue–plasma concordance was seen in patients with high burden of disease (sum of diameters ≥30 mm, ≥2 metastatic sites, elevated LDH levels); furthermore, monitoring of these patients through ctDNA analysis was informative for therapeutic responses. On the other hand, the low sensitivity of this technique did not allow for clinically valuable prediction of relapses in radically resected stage III/IV patients. Conclusions: Overall, our data suggest that qPCR-based ctDNA analysis could be informative in a subset of locally advanced and metastatic melanoma patients with specific clinical–radiological characteristics, supporting further investigations in this setting.
Upregulated GATA3/miR205-5p Axis Inhibits MFNG Transcription and Reduces the Malignancy of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Authors: Mugisha Samson , Di Xiaotang , Wen Doudou , Zhao Yuetao , Wu Xusheng , Zhang Shubing , Jiang Hao
Published: June 2022

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) accounts for approximately 20% of all breast carcinomas and has the worst prognosis of all breast cancer subtypes due to the lack of an effective target. Therefore, understanding the molecular mechanism underpinning TNBC progression could explore a new target for therapy. While the Notch pathway is critical in the development process, its dysregulation leads to TNBC initiation. Previously, we found that manic fringe (MFNG) activates the Notch signaling and induces breast cancer progression. However, the underlying molecular mechanism of MFNG upstream remains unknown. In this study, we explore the regulatory mechanisms of MFNG in TNBC. We show that the increased expression of MFNG in TNBC is associated with poor clinical prognosis and significantly promotes cell growth and migration, as well as Notch signaling activation. The mechanistic studies reveal that MFNG is a direct target of GATA3 and miR205-5p and demonstrate that GATA3 and miR205-5p overexpression attenuate MFNG oncogenic effects, while GATA3 knockdown mimics MFNG phenotype to promote TNBC progression. Moreover, we illustrate that GATA3 is required for miR205-5p activation to inhibit MFNG transcription by binding to the 3′ UTR region of its mRNA, which forms the GATA3/miR205-5p/MFNG feed-forward loop. Additionally, our in vivo data show that the miR205-5p mimic combined with polyetherimide-black phosphorus (PEI-BP) nanoparticle remarkably inhibits the growth of TNBC-derived tumors which lack GATA3 expression. Collectively, our study uncovers a novel GATA3/miR205-5p/MFNG feed-forward loop as a pathway that could be a potential therapeutic target for TNBC.
Prostate Cancer Survivors Present Long-Term, Residual Systemic Immune Alterations
Authors: Balázs Katalin , Kocsis Zsuzsa S. , Ágoston Péter , Jorgo Kliton , Gesztesi László , Farkas Gyöngyi , Székely Gábor , Takácsi-Nagy Zoltán , Polgár Csaba , Sáfrány Géza , Jurányi Zsolt , Lumniczky Katalin
Published: June 2022

Background: The development of cancer and anti-tumor therapies can lead to systemic immune alterations but little is known about how long immune dysfunction persists in cancer survivors. Methods: We followed changes in the cellular immune parameters of prostate cancer patients with good prognostic criteria treated with low dose rate brachytherapy before and up to 3 years after the initiation of therapy. Results: Patients before therapy had a reduced CD4+ T cell pool and increased regulatory T cell fraction and these alterations persisted or got amplified during the 36-month follow-up. A significant decrease in the total NK cell number and a redistribution of the circulating NK cells in favor of a less functional anergic subpopulation was seen in patients before therapy but tumor regression led to the regeneration of the NK cell pool and functional integrity. The fraction of lymphoid DCs was increased in patients both before therapy and throughout the whole follow-up. Increased PDGF-AA, BB, CCL5 and CXCL5 levels were measured in patients before treatment but protein levels rapidly normalized. Conclusions: while NK cell dysfunction recovered, long-term, residual alterations persisted in the adaptive and partly in the innate immune system.
Exploring Trends in Neuromonitoring Use in a General Pediatric ICU: The Need for Standardized Guidance
Authors: Chang Nathan , Rasmussen Lindsey
Published: June 2022

Neuromonitoring has become more standardized in adult neurocritical care, but the utility of different neuromonitoring modalities in children remains debated. We aimed to describe the use of neuromonitoring in critically ill children with and without primary neurological diseases. We conducted a retrospective review of patients admitted to a 32-bed, non-cardiac PICU during a 12-month period. Neuro-imaging, electroencephalogram (EEG), cerebral oximetry (NIRS), automated pupillometry, transcranial doppler (TCD), intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring, brain tissue oxygenation (PbtO2), primary diagnosis, and outcome were extracted. Neuromonitoring use by primary diagnosis and associations with outcome were observed. Of 1946 patients, 420 received neuro-imaging or neuromonitoring. Primary non-neurological diagnoses most frequently receiving neuromonitoring were respiratory, hematologic/oncologic, gastrointestinal/liver, and infectious/inflammatory. The most frequently used technologies among non-neurological diagnoses were neuro-imaging, EEG, pupillometry, and NIRS. In the multivariate analysis, pupillometry use was associated with mortality, and EEG, NIRS, and neuro-imaging use were associated with disability. Frequencies of TCD and PbtO2 use were too small for analysis. Neuromonitoring is prevalent among various diagnoses in the PICU, without clear benefit on outcomes when used in an ad hoc fashion. We need standard guidance around who, when, and how neuromonitoring should be applied to improve the care of critically ill children.
Improving Early Warning of Drought in Australia
Authors: Lellyett Stephen C. , Truelove Robert N. , Huda Abul K. S.
Published: June 2022

This invited review outlines a selection of recent technical and communication advances, in certain areas of climate and weather science that could improve the capability and utility of drought early warning systems in Australia. First, a selection of current operational outputs and their significance for drought early warning is reviewed, then a selection of advancements in the Research and Development (R&D) pipeline are considered, which have potential to help enable better decision-making by stakeholders subject to drought risk. The next generation of drought early warning systems should have a focus on index- and impact-based prediction models that go beyond basic weather and climate parameters, at seasonal through to multi-year timescales. Convergence and integration of emerging research, science and technology is called for across the fields of climate, agronomy, environment, economics and social science, to improve early warning information. The enablement of more predictively based drought policy, should facilitate more proactive responses by stakeholders throughout the agricultural value chain, and should make stakeholders more drought resilient.
Foundation of the Manipulation Technology for Tiny Objects Based on the Control of the Heterogeneity of Electric Fields
Authors: Shirota Isao , Yoshida Keiichiro
Published: June 2022

Effective sorting and extraction of tiny plastic objects is becoming increasingly important for manufacturing high-quality recycled plastics. Herein, we designed a manipulation device for tiny objects that can drive multiple target objects individually. This type of device has a potential to sort tiny pieces of a wide variety of materials, not strongly depending on their physical properties, by combining different detection meanings. In this study, two types of devices were tested as the basic components of the proposed device. One of them had a single object-holding point and the other had two of them. These holding points consisted of strip-shaped electrodes facing each other. The high voltage applied to the facing electrodes created forces heading toward the object-holding points caused by the heterogeneity of the electric field in the devices. The forces created in these devices were determined from the motion analysis of a glass sphere, which is a model for target objects, and a numerical simulation. The results indicate that dielectrophoretic forces are dominant at locations that are sufficiently remote from the holding point, and the Coulombic force caused by dielectric barrier discharge is dominant near the high-voltage electrodes with the holding point. Moreover, the transfer of a glass sphere from one holding point to an adjacent point was successfully demonstrated.
Differential Capacity as a Tool for SOC and SOH Estimation of Lithium Ion Batteries Using Charge/Discharge Curves, Cyclic Voltammetry, Impedance Spectroscopy, and Heat Events: A Tutorial
Authors: Kurzweil Peter , Scheuerpflug Wolfgang , Frenzel Bernhard , Schell Christian , Schottenbauer Josef
Published: June 2022

State-of-charge (SOC) and state-of-health (SOH) of different cell chemistries were investigated using long-time cycle tests. This practical guide illustrates how differential capacity dQ/dU (capacitance) obtained from discharge curves, impedance spectra, and cyclic voltammograms can be used for the instant diagnosis of lithium-ion batteries without fully charging and discharging the cell. The increase of dU/dQ is an early indicator of upcoming heat events and deep discharge. The criterion dQ/dU = dU/dQ = 1 could serve as an indicator for “full charge”. The frequency response of capacitance correlates with the available charge of the battery and reflects overcharge events and deep discharges long before the battery fails. It is not necessary to measure down to extremely low frequencies because the charge transfer pseudocapacitance of around 10 Hz reflects well the SOC. Computer-aided calculation methods for the evaluation of measurements in industrial environments and for the training of students are presented.
Kinetics Analysis of the NH3-SCR Denitration Reaction over Sintered Ore Catalysts
Authors: Chen Wangsheng , Huang Dongping , Zhao Bo , Hu Fali , Qin Linbo , Wang Shijie
Published: June 2022

Utilizing sintered ore catalysts (SOC), which are used in the sintering industry for NH3-SCR denitration, is a feasible and economical way to reduce NOx emission in sintering flue gas. Therefore, in order to enhance the denitration efficiency of SOC, sintered ore modified by sulfuric acid and sulfated sintered ore catalysts (SSOC-5) were prepared. Kinetic analyses of these two catalysts for denitration were carried out in this study. On the basis of eliminating the influence of internal and external diffusion, the relationship between reactants and reaction rate was studied by a power function kinetic model. This clarified that the adsorption ability of the acid-modified catalyst for reaction gas adsorption was stronger than that of sintered ore catalysts, and the reaction rate was also accelerated. The NO, NH3 and O2 reaction orders of SOC were 1, 0.3 and 0.16 at 250~300 °C, while these values of SSOC-5 were 0.8, 0.06 and 0.09, respectively. The apparent activation energy of SOC was 83.66 kJ/mol, while the value of SSOC-5 decreased to 59.93 kJ/mol.
Transition to Renewable Energy Production in the United States: The Role of Monetary, Fiscal, and Trade Policy Uncertainty
Authors: Jamil Muhammad , Ahmed Farhan , Debnath Gouranga Chandra , Bojnec Štefan
Published: June 2022

Renewable energy has emerged as a key to attain higher economic growth without any detrimental impact on the environment. Therefore, the entire world is in the transition phase from non-renewables to renewables. To improve the levels of production of renewable energy, it is inevitable to discern its determinants. Hence, this study aims to probe the impact of monetary, fiscal, and trade policy uncertainty on renewable energy production in the United States. To this end, the novel smooth and sharp structural breaks unit root test is used to scrutinize the order of integration. Next, we also apply the novel augmented autoregressive distributed lag methodology for discerning cointegration. The findings note that, in the long- and short-run, monetary policy uncertainty plunges the production of renewable energy, whereas fiscal policy uncertainty upsurges it. Further, trade policy uncertainty does not affect renewable energy production. Based on these results, we propose policy suggestions that could expedite the transition to renewables.
Improvement in Low-Temperature Properties of Fatty Acid Methyl Esters
Authors: Ptak Stefan , Krasodomski Wojciech , Żółty Magdalena
Published: June 2022

The European Union requirements related to the quality parameters for fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) are gathered in the standard EN 14214:2012 + A2:2019 that also includes reference to low-temperature properties. This paper presents studies on the obtaining of modified FAMEs, featuring improved low-temperature properties. Investigated fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) were subjected to a solvent dewaxing process with a methyl ethyl ketone and the mixture of methyl ethyl ketone—Toluene. It was found that the application of a process carried out under conditions similar to solvent dewaxing, used as a standard procedure for oils dewaxing and slack waxes of petroleum origin deoiling usually used in refinery industrial installations, allows us to achieve the intended goal. The modification of three different types of FAME by the dewaxing process with MEK-TOL and MEK solvents allows for the improvement of low-temperature properties of the obtained modified FAME, consistent in obtaining reduced cloud points, flow points and CFPP. The tests of fatty acid profiles show a clear increase in the content of glycerides of saturated acids in the separated sludge, as compared to the charges from the dewaxing process, which confirms that the selectivity of the dewaxing process is maintained for the atypical raw material, which are fatty acid methyl esters.
Edge Computing Parallel Approach for Efficient Energy Sharing in a Prosumer Community
Authors: Scarcello Luigi , Giordano Andrea , Mastroianni Carlo
Published: June 2022

The transition towards more sustainable energy management can be supported by the diffusion of energy communities, i.e., coalitions of prosumers that are willing to exchange the energy produced locally. The optimization of energy management requires the solution of a prosumer problem that can become impractical when the number of users increases. This paper presents a parallel approach, based on an edge computing architecture, which is suitable for large communities. The users are partitioned into groups whose proportions, in terms of producers and consumers, mirror the composition of the whole community. The prosumer problems for the different groups are first solved separately and in parallel by local edge nodes. Then, the solutions are combined by a central entity to redistribute the energy among the groups and minimize the exchange of energy with the external grid. A set of experiments show that the parallel approach, when compared with an approach that solves the optimization problem in a single stage, leads to a notable reduction of computing resources, and becomes feasible in large communities for which the single-stage approach is impossible. Moreover, the achieved solution is close to the optimal solution in terms of energy costs.