bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A New Reversible Thermosensitive Liquid–Solid TENG Based on a P(NIPAM‐MMA) Copolymer for Triboelectricity Regulation and Temperature Monitoring
Authors: Feng Min , Kong Xiang , Feng Yange , Li Xiaojuan , Luo Ning , Zhang Liqiang , Du Changhe , Wang Daoai
Published: April 2022

Intelligent and highly precise control of liquid–solid triboelectricity is of great significance for energy collection and electrostatic prevention. However, most of the traditional methods are irreversible and complex, greatly limiting their applicability. Here, a reversible thermosensitive liquid–solid triboelectric nanogenerator (L–S TENG) is assembled based on P(NIPAM‐MMA) (PNM) copolymer for tunable triboelectrification. Through temperature regulation, the conformation between acylamino and isopropyl groups changes with the interfacial wettability and triboelectricity of PNM. When the temperature rises from 20 to 60 °C, the contact angle of PNM rises from 22.49° to 82.08°, and the output of the PNM‐based L–S TENG shows a 27‐fold increase. In addition, this transformation is reversible and repeatable with excellent durability for up to 60 days. Other organic liquids, such as glycol, exhibit positive response to temperature for this PNM‐based L–S TENG. Polymers including polymethylmethacrylic, polytetrafluoroethylene, and polyimide are verified to not have such thermo‐sensitivity properties. In addition, a droplet‐based wireless warning system based on PNM is designed and actuated for monitoring specific temperature. The introduction of thermal PNM not only provides new material for reversible manipulation of L–S TENG, but also provides a new method for designing highly sensitive temperature warning sensors.
An experimental analysis of risk effects in attacker‐defender games
Authors: Holt Charles A. , Sahu Ricky , Smith Angela M.
Published: April 2022

This paper reports results of two‐person games in which a defender chooses between high and low alert states, and an attacker chooses whether to attack or wait. Low alerts and attacks are risky because successful attacks are costly for the defender and failed attacks are costly for the attacker. The Nash equilibrium, even allowing for risk aversion, has the stark property that a reduction in the attacker's cost has no effect on the attack probability. In contrast, high attack costs are associated with lower attack rates in a laboratory experiment conducted with monetary payoffs. The empirical analysis is focused on explaining strategic behavior as it is affected by risk aversion and behavioral “noise” in strategic best responses. A model incorporating both of these features outperforms others. Generalized comparative static results for changes in attack costs and risk aversion are proved in the context of a nonparametric quantal response equilibrium.
Effect of Eco‐Friendly Minimum Quantity Lubrication in Hard Machining of Vanadis 10: A High Strength Steel
Authors: Altan Özbek Nursel , Özbek Onur , Kara Fuat , Saruhan Hamit
Published: April 2022

Vanadis 10 SuperClean is a high vanadium alloyed powder metallurgy tool steel offering a unique combination of an excellent abrasive wear resistance in combination with a good chipping resistance. In this study, the effects of the eco‐friendly (100% biodegradable plant‐based) Minimum Quantity Lubrication (MQL) system on the cutting temperature, cutting tool vibration amplitude, tool wear, average surface roughness, and tool life in the turning of Vanadis 10 steel (50 HRC) used in the automotive industry are investigated. In the experiments, TiCN/Al2O3/TiN‐coated cemented carbide tools are used. Experimental results showed that, compared to Dry machining, MQL produced remarkable improvements in terms of cutting temperature, cutting tool vibration amplitude, tool wear, and surface roughness. In addition, the Taguchi experimental design, ANOVA, and linear and quadratic regression analyses are applied to the experimental data. The statistical analysis found the most effective parameter on average surface roughness to be the cutting environment (86.31%). It is determined that the cutting speed was the most effective on vibration amplitude and tool wear (46.22% and 32.41%). The correlation coefficients for the linear and quadratic regression analysis were 0.9 and 0.95, respectively.
Deep Insight into the Pinch Effect in a Tundish with Channel‐Type Induction Heater
Authors: Zhang Han , Lei Hong , Ding Changyou , Chen Shifu , Niu Hong , Yang Bin
Published: April 2022

Tundish with channel‐type induction heater plays an important role in the continuous casting of high‐quality steel. Electromagnetic pinch is a unique phenomenon in the tundish with channel type induction heater. To have a deep insight into the electromagnetic pinch effect, numerical simulation is applied to investigate the magnetohydrodynamic flow in the tundish. Research results show that the magnetic field, flow field, and temperature field predicted by the mathematical model agree well with the experimental data. Induced current density, magnetic flux density, electromagnetic force, and Joule heat in two channels are symmetrically distributed and are greater than that in the receiving and distributing chambers. The eccentric electromagnetic force leads to the single‐/double‐recirculation zones in the channel. There are larger separation areas in the channel enclosed with the iron core than in the other channel, and it is easy for molten steel to separate from the channel wall surface at the top of the channel. Different forces play different roles in the pinch condition, and the order of importance is as follows: electromagnetic force, stress, gravity, supporting force, centrifugal force, and thermal buoyancy.
Forecasting lake‐/sea‐effect snowstorms, advancement, and challenges
Authors: Fujisaki‐Manome Ayumi , Wright David M. , Mann Greg E. , Anderson Eric J. , Chu Philip , Jablonowski Christiane , Benjamin Stanley G.
Published: April 2022

Lake‐/sea‐effect snow forms typically from late fall to winter when a cold air mass moves over the warmer, large water surface. The resulting intense snowfall has many societal impacts on communities living in downwind areas; hence, accurate forecasts of lake‐/sea‐effect snow are essential for safety and preparedness. Forecasting lake‐/sea‐effect snow is extremely challenging, but over the past decades the advancement of numerical forecast models and the expansion of observational networks have incrementally improved the forecasting capability. The recent advancement includes numerical forecast models with high spatiotemporal resolutions that allow simulating vigorous snowstorms at the kilometer‐scale and the frequent inclusion of radar observations in the model. This combination of more accurate weather prediction models as well as ground‐based and remotely sensed observations has aided operational forecasters to make better lake‐/sea‐effect snow forecasts. A remaining challenge is that many observations of precipitation, surface meteorology, evaporation, and heat supply from the water surface are still limited to being land‐based and the information over the water, particularly offshore, remains a gap. This primer overviews the basic mechanisms for lake‐/sea‐effect snow formation, evolution of forecast techniques, and challenges to be addressed in the future.

This article is categorized under:

Science of Water > Water Extremes

Science of Water > Water and Environmental Change

Science of Water > Methods
Interplay between magnetism and transport in the CuCr1‐xTi1+xS4 thiospinel: evidence for a strong asymmetry between p‐ and n‐type transport
Authors: Hébert Sylvie , Lebedev Oleg , Maignan Antoine
Published: April 2022

A series of SPS densified ceramics with five compositions of the CuCr1‐xTi1+xS4 thiospinel has been synthesized, with x close to 0. Their structural characterization by transmission electron microscopy confirms the spinel cubic structure and coupled EDX analysis reveals a homogeneous cation distribution which content follows x. Interestingly, the transport properties as attested by Seebeck and Hall coefficient measurements demonstrate the existence of a sign change of the majority charge carriers near x=0. Moreover, values of electrical resistivity are found to be much lower and metallic for x<0 than for x>0, the latter showing a variable range hopping mechanism. When combined to the thermal conductivity values, this leads to asymmetric thermoelectric figure of merit ZT values at 700 K, near 0.2 and 0.01 for p and n type sides, respectively. These p and n type regimes are also characterized by different magnitudes of negative magnetoresistance, and moreover, by a change of sign of the magnetothermopower at low T, from positive for p type to negative for electron doped compositions. This study shows the existence of a correlation between charges and spins for both n and p types of the CuCr1‐xTi1+xS4 thiospinel, leading to an unusual positive sign of magnetothermopower in the p type case.
Next-Generation Personalized Investment Recommendations
Authors: McCreadie Richard , Perakis Konstantinos , Srikrishna Maanasa , Droukas Nikolaos , Pitsios Stamatis , Prokopaki Georgia , Perdikouri Eleni , Macdonald Craig , Ounis Iadh
Published: April 2022

Recent advances in Big Data and Artificial Intelligence have created new opportunities for AI-based agents, referred to as Robo-Advisors, to provide financial advice and recommendations to investors. In this chapter, we will introduce the concept of investment recommendation and describe how automated services for this task can be developed and tested. In particular, this chapter covers the following core topics: (1) the legal landscape for investment recommendation systems, (2) what financial asset recommendation is and what data it needs to function, (3) how to clean and curate that data, (4) approaches to build/train asset recommendation models and (5) how to evaluate such systems prior to putting them into production.
Personalized Portfolio Optimization Using Genetic (AI) Algorithms
Authors: Meier Roland , Danzinger René
Published: April 2022

This chapter presents a fintech-as-a-service (FaaS) solution, which enables financial advisors and wealth and asset managers to provide a “private banking-like service” to the general public. The chapter illustrates all the steps needed to structure this process as an online journey. The solution contains a full end-to-end process which advisors can use to support client advisory meetings and which can potentially also be used directly by the B2C user. To support the advisor accordingly and provide online advisory to the end customer, it is required that highly individual needs are taken into account and that truly individual and personalized portfolio proposals are generated. Traditional portfolio construction methods do not have the actual ability to take a wide range of individual preferences into account. Therefore, a new portfolio construction and optimization methodology based on “genetic algorithms” is being developed and presented in this chapter. The optimization process is built using artificial intelligence approaches. This allows optimization results to be explained based on the selected customer’s preferences. The solution is designed as an open framework, which enables additional fitness factors that represent user preferences in various dimensions to be added on a customized basis.
Personalized Finance Management for SMEs
Authors: Kotios Dimitrios , Makridis Georgios , Walser Silvio , Kyriazis Dimosthenis , Monferrino Vittorio
Published: April 2022

This chapter presents Business Financial Management (BFM) tools for Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs). The presented tools represent a game changer as they shift away from a one-size-fits-all approach to banking services and put emphasis on delivering a personalized SME experience and an improved bank client’s digital experience. An SME customer-centric approach, which ensures that the particularities of the SME are taken care of as much as possible, is presented. Through a comprehensive view of SMEs’ finances and operations, paired with state-of-the-art ML/DL models, the presented BFM tools act as a 24/7 concierge. They also operate as a virtual smart advisor that delivers in a simple, efficient, and engaging way business insights to the SME at the right time, i.e., when needed most. Deeper and better insights that empower SMEs contribute toward SMEs’ financial health and business growth, ultimately resulting in high-performance SMEs.
Cybersecurity and Fraud Detection in Financial Transactions
Authors: Aschi Massimiliano , Bonura Susanna , Masi Nicola , Messina Domenico , Profeta Davide
Published: April 2022

Frauds in financial services are an ever-increasing phenomenon, and cybercrime generates multimillion revenues, therefore even a small improvement in fraud detection rates would generate significant savings. This chapter arises from the need to overcome the limitations of the rule-based systems to block potentially fraudulent transactions. After mentioning the limitations of rule-based approach, this chapter explains how machine learning is able to address many of these limitations and, more effectively, identify risky transactions. A novel AI-based fraud detection system – built over a Data Science and Machine Learning – is presented for the pre-processing of transaction data and model training in a batch layer (to periodically retrain the predictive model with new data) while in a stream layer, the real-time fraud detection is handled based on new input transaction data. The architecture presented makes this solution a valuable tool for supporting fraud analysts and for automating the fraud detection processes.
Risk Assessment for Personalized Health Insurance Products
Authors: Pnevmatikakis Aristodemos , Kanavos Stathis , Perikleous Alexandros , Kyriazakos Sofoklis
Published: April 2022

The way people lead their lives is considered an important factor in health. In this chapter, we describe a system to provide risk assessment based on behavior for the health insurance sector. The system processes real-world data (RWD) of individuals from their daily life that enumerate different aspects of behavior collection. The data have been captured using the Healthentia platform and a simulator that augments the actual dataset with synthetic data. Classifiers are built to predict variations of peoples’ well-being short-term outlook. Risk assessment services are provided to health insurance professionals by processing the classifier predictions in the long term while explaining the classifiers themselves provide insights on the coaching of the users of the service.
Leveraging Management of Customers’ Consent Exploiting the Benefits of Blockchain Technology Towards Secure Data Sharing
Authors: Miltiadou Dimitris , Pitsios Stamatis , Kasdaglis Spyros , Spyropoulos Dimitrios , Misiakoulis Georgios , Kossiaras Fotis , Skarbovsky Inna , Fournier Fabiana , Kapsoulis Nikolaos , Soldatos John , Perakis Konstantinos
Published: April 2022

Open banking holds the potential of expanding traditional banking data flows, placing the customer at its core and in control of their banking data, including their personal information. Consent management enables the tracking, monitoring and managing the personal data lifecycle in a GDPR compliant manner, and improves customers’ control over their data, empowering them to manage their consent throughout its lifecycle. However, traditional technologies have failed to become a key enabler of trust, due to multiple security/data tampering incidents. This chapter introduces a blockchain-empowered Consent Management System (CMS). It aims at presenting the design and implementation of a robust CMS, enabling the sharing of customers’ consent, thus facilitating the exchange and the utilization of customer data, across different banking institutions. The proposed CMS implementation will enable the financial institutions to effectively manage and share their customers’ consents in a transparent and unambiguous manner, ensuring compliance to PSD2 and GDRP, while lowering the barriers of secure data sharing.
Laparoscopic sacrohysteropexy versus vaginal sacrospinous hysteropexy as treatment for uterine descent: comparison of long-term outcomes
Authors: van Oudheusden Anique M.J. , Coolen Anne-Lotte W.M. , Hoskam Hilde , Veen Joggem , Bongers Marlies Y.
Published: April 2022

Introduction and hypothesis

Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a frequent occurring health issue, especially concerning elderly women. The objective of this study is to examine the long-term outcomes of laparoscopic sacrohysteropexy (LSH) and vaginal sacrospinous hysteropexy (SSHP) for treatment of uterine prolapse.

Methods

A retrospective study of patients who underwent a LSH or SSHP. Validated questionnaires and an outpatient examination visit were used to investigate the effects of both surgical treatments. The primary outcome was the composite outcome of success for the apical compartment, defined as no recurrence of uterine prolapse (POP-Q measurement C ≤ 0), no subjective recurrence of POP, and/or not requiring therapy for recurrent prolapse. Secondary outcomes were peri- and postoperative data, anatomical failure, prolapse beyond hymen, subjective outcomes, and disease-specific quality of life.

Results

We included 105 patients, 53 in the LSH group and 52 in the SSHP group. The overall response rate of the questionnaires was 83% (n = 87) after a mean follow-up time of 4.5 years (54.2 months; 95% CI 44.8–64.2 months) in the LSH group and 2.5 years (30.1 months; 95% CI 29.3–31.5 months) in the SSHP group. There were no clinically relevant differences between the study groups in composite outcome of success (p = 0.073), anatomical failure of the apical compartment (p = 0.711), vaginal bulge symptoms for which patients consulted professionals (p = 0.126), and patient satisfaction (p = 0.741). The operative time was longer in the LSH group (117 min; interquartile range (IQR) 110–123) compared to the SSHP group (67 minutes; IQR 60–73) (p < 0.001). The duration of hospital stay was also longer in the LSH group (4 days) than in the SSHP group (3 days) (p = 0.006).

Conclusions

LSH and SSHP seem to be equally effective after long-term follow-up in treating uterine prolapse in terms of objective and subjective recurrence.
Recommendations on dose level selection for repeat dose toxicity studies
Authors: Sewell Fiona , Corvaro Marco , Andrus Amanda , Burke Jonathan , Daston George , Delaney Bryan , Domoradzki Jeanne , Forlini Carole , Green Maia Louise , Hofmann Thomas , Jäckel Sven , Lee Moung Sook , Temerowski Michael , Whalley Paul , Lewis Richard
Published: April 2022

Prior to registering and marketing any new pharmaceutical, (agro)chemical or food ingredient product manufacturers must, by law, generate data to ensure human safety. Safety testing requirements vary depending on sector, but generally repeat-dose testing in animals form the basis for human health risk assessments. Dose level selection is an important consideration when designing such studies, to ensure that exposure levels that lead to relevant hazards are identified. Advice on dose level selection is provided in test guidelines and allied guidance documents, but it is not well harmonised, particularly for selection of the highest dose tested. This paper further builds on concepts developed in a technical report by the European Centre for Ecotoxicology and Toxicology of Chemicals (ECETOC) which recommends pragmatic approaches to dose selection considering regulatory requirements, animal welfare and state of the art scientific approaches. Industry sectors have differing degrees of freedom to operate regarding dose level selection, depending on the purpose of the studies and the regulatory requirements/legislation, and this is reflected in the overall recommended approaches. An understanding of systemic exposure should be utilised where possible (e.g., through toxicokinetic approaches) and used together with apical endpoints from existing toxicity studies to guide more appropriate dose level selection. The highest dose should be limited to a reasonable level, causing minimal but evident toxicity to the test animals without significantly compromising their well-being. As the science of predictive human exposure further develops and matures, this will provide exciting and novel opportunities for more human-relevant approaches to dose level selection.
Tissue-resident immunity in the female and male reproductive tract
Authors: Yüzen Dennis , Arck Petra Clara , Thiele Kristin
Published: April 2022

The conception of how the immune system is organized has been significantly challenged over the last years. It became evident that not all lymphocytes are mobile and recirculate through secondary lymphoid organs. Instead, subsets of immune cells continuously reside in tissues until being reactivated, e.g., by a recurring pathogen or other stimuli. Consequently, the concept of tissue-resident immunity has emerged, and substantial evidence is now available to support its pivotal function in maintaining tissue homeostasis, sensing challenges and providing antimicrobial protection. Surprisingly, insights on tissue-resident immunity in the barrier tissues of the female reproductive tract are sparse and only slowly emerging. The need for protection from vaginal and amniotic infections, the uniqueness of periodic tissue shedding and renewal of the endometrial barrier tissue, and the demand for a tailored decidual immune adaptation during pregnancy highlight that tissue-resident immunity may play a crucial role in distinct compartments of the female reproductive tract. This review accentuates the characteristics of tissue-resident immune cells in the vagina, endometrium, and the decidua during pregnancy and discusses their functional role in modulating the risk for infertility, pregnancy complications, infections, or cancer. We here also review data published to date on tissue-resident immunity in the male reproductive organs, which is still a largely uncharted territory.
Intensity standardization of MRI prior to radiomic feature extraction for artificial intelligence research in glioma—a systematic review
Authors: Fatania Kavi , Mohamud Farah , Clark Anna , Nix Michael , Short Susan C. , O’Connor James , Scarsbrook Andrew F. , Currie Stuart
Published: April 2022

Objectives

Radiomics is a promising avenue in non-invasive characterisation of diffuse glioma. Clinical translation is hampered by lack of reproducibility across centres and difficulty in standardising image intensity in MRI datasets. The study aim was to perform a systematic review of different methods of MRI intensity standardisation prior to radiomic feature extraction.

Methods

MEDLINE, EMBASE, and SCOPUS were searched for articles meeting the following eligibility criteria: MRI radiomic studies where one method of intensity normalisation was compared with another or no normalisation, and original research concerning patients diagnosed with diffuse gliomas. Using PRISMA criteria, data were extracted from short-listed studies including number of patients, MRI sequences, validation status, radiomics software, method of segmentation, and intensity standardisation. QUADAS-2 was used for quality appraisal.

Results

After duplicate removal, 741 results were returned from database and reference searches and, from these, 12 papers were eligible. Due to a lack of common pre-processing and different analyses, a narrative synthesis was sought. Three different intensity standardisation techniques have been studied: histogram matching (5/12), limiting or rescaling signal intensity (8/12), and deep learning (1/12)—only two papers compared different methods. From these studies, histogram matching produced the more reliable features compared to other methods of altering MRI signal intensity.

Conclusion

Multiple methods of intensity standardisation have been described in the literature without clear consensus. Further research that directly compares different methods of intensity standardisation on glioma MRI datasets is required.

Key Points

• Intensity standardisation is a key pre-processing step in the development of robust radiomic signatures to evaluate diffuse glioma.

• A minority of studies compared the impact of two or more methods.

• Further research is required to directly compare multiple methods of MRI intensity standardisation on glioma datasets.
Application of PREVENA (Surgical Incision Protection System) in reducing surgical site infections following reversal of ileostomy or colostomy: the PRIC study protocol
Authors: Low Ernest Z. , Nugent Timothy S. , O’Sullivan Niall J. , Kavanagh Dara , Larkin John O. , McCormick Paul H. , Mehigan Brian J. , Kelly Michael E.
Published: April 2022

Aim

There is a current lack of evidence in the literature to support the routine use of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) to reduce the risk of surgical site infections (SSI) in the setting of ileostomy or colostomy reversal. The aim of this study is to examine whether routine NPWT confers a lower rate of SSI than conventional dressings following reversal of ileostomy or colostomy.

Methods

The PRIC study is a randomized, controlled, open-label, multi-centre superiority trial to assess whether routine NPWT following wound closure confers a lower rate of SSI following reversal of ileostomy or colostomy when compared to conventional dressings. Participants will be consecutively identified and recruited. Eligible participants will be randomized in a 1:1 allocation ratio, to receive either the NPWT (PREVENA) dressings or conventional dressings which will be applied immediately upon completion of surgery. PREVENA dressings will remain applied for a duration of 7 days. Surgical wounds will then be examined on post-operative day seven as well as during follow-up appointments in OPD for any evidence of SSI. In the interim, public health nurses (PHN) will provide out-patient support services incorporating wound assessment and care as part of a routine basis. Study investigators will liaise with PHN to gather the relevant data in relation to the time to wound healing. Our primary endpoint is the incidence of SSI within 30 days of stoma reversal. Secondary endpoints include measuring time to wound healing, evaluating wound healing and aesthetics and assessing patient satisfaction.

Conclusion

The PRIC study will assess whether routine NPWT following wound closure is superior to conventional dressings in the reduction of SSI following reversal of ileostomy or colostomy and ascertain whether routine NPWT should be considered the new standard of care.
Impact of early ablation of atrial fibrillation on long-term outcomes: results from phase II/III of the GLORIA-AF registry
Authors: Ding Wern Yew , Calvert Peter , Gupta Dhiraj , Huisman Menno V. , Lip Gregory Y. H. ,   the GLORIA-AF Investigators
Published: April 2022

Background

First-line ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) reduces the risk of recurrent atrial arrhythmias compared to medical therapy. However, the prognostic benefit of early AF ablation remains undetermined. Herein, we aimed to evaluate the effects of early AF ablation compared to medical therapy.

Methods

Using data from phase II/III of the GLORIA-AF registry, we studied patients who were consecutively enrolled with newly diagnosed AF (< 3 months before baseline visit) and an increased risk of stroke (CHA2DS2–VASc ≥ 1). At baseline visit, 445 (1.7%) patients were treated with early AF ablation and 25,518 (98.3%) with medical therapy. Outcomes of interest were the composite outcome of all-cause death, stroke and major bleeding, and pre-specified outcomes of all-cause death, cardiovascular (CV) death, non-CV death, stroke and major bleeding.

Results

A total of 25,963 patients (11733 [45.2%] females; median age 71 [IQR 64–78] years; 17424 [67.1%] taking non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants [NOACs]) were included. Over a follow-up period of 3.0 (IQR 2.3–3.1) years, after adjustment for confounders, early AF ablation was associated with a significant reduction in the composite outcome of all-cause death, stroke and major bleeding (HR 0.50 [95% CI 0.30–0.85]) and all-cause death (HR 0.45 [95% CI 0.23–0.91]). There were no statistical differences between the groups in terms of CV death, non-CV death, stroke and major bleeding. Similar results were obtained in a propensity-score matched analysis of patients with comparable baseline variables.

Conclusions

Early AF ablation in a contemporary prospective cohort of AF patients who were predominantly treated with NOACs was associated with a survival advantage compared to medical therapy alone.

Trial registration

Clinical trial registration: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifiers: NCT01468701, NCT01671007 and NCT01937377.

Graphical abstract

Created with BioRender.com.
Optogenetic manipulation of cardiac electrical dynamics using sub-threshold illumination: dissecting the role of cardiac alternans in terminating rapid rhythms
Authors: Biasci V. , Santini L. , Marchal G. A. , Hussaini S. , Ferrantini C. , Coppini R. , Loew L. M. , Luther S. , Campione M. , Poggesi C. , Pavone F. S. , Cerbai E. , Bub G. , Sacconi L.
Published: April 2022

Cardiac action potential (AP) shape and propagation are regulated by several key dynamic factors such as ion channel recovery and intracellular Ca2+ cycling. Experimental methods for manipulating AP electrical dynamics commonly use ion channel inhibitors that lack spatial and temporal specificity. In this work, we propose an approach based on optogenetics to manipulate cardiac electrical activity employing a light-modulated depolarizing current with intensities that are too low to elicit APs (sub-threshold illumination), but are sufficient to fine-tune AP electrical dynamics. We investigated the effects of sub-threshold illumination in isolated cardiomyocytes and whole hearts by using transgenic mice constitutively expressing a light-gated ion channel (channelrhodopsin-2, ChR2). We find that ChR2-mediated depolarizing current prolongs APs and reduces conduction velocity (CV) in a space-selective and reversible manner. Sub-threshold manipulation also affects the dynamics of cardiac electrical activity, increasing the magnitude of cardiac alternans. We used an optical system that uses real-time feedback control to generate re-entrant circuits with user-defined cycle lengths to explore the role of cardiac alternans in spontaneous termination of ventricular tachycardias (VTs). We demonstrate that VT stability significantly decreases during sub-threshold illumination primarily due to an increase in the amplitude of electrical oscillations, which implies that cardiac alternans may be beneficial in the context of self-termination of VT.
Opinion paper: gynecological surgery in local anesthesia?
Authors: Neis Felix , Wallwiener Diethelm , Henes Melanie , Krämer Bernhard , Brucker Sara
Published: April 2022

Purpuse

The paracervical block (PCB) is a local anesthesia procedure that can be used to perform gynecological surgeries without the need for further anesthesia. With the PCB, surgeries can be moved from the central operating room to outpatient operating rooms, where they can be performed without the presence of an anesthesia team.

Methods

In this paper, the indications, implementation and limitations of the procedure are discussed.

Conclusion

Especially in times of scarce staff and OR resources during the Corona pandemic, OR capacity can be expanded in this way.
Organelle-specific localization of glutathione in plants grown under different light intensities and spectra
Authors: Gasperl Anna , Zellnig Günther , Kocsy Gábor , Müller Maria
Published: April 2022

Plant ascorbate and glutathione metabolism counteracts oxidative stress mediated, for example, by excess light. In this review, we discuss the properties of immunocytochemistry and transmission electron microscopy, redox-sensitive dyes or probes and bright-field microscopy, confocal microscopy or fluorescence microscopy for the visualization and quantification of glutathione at the cellular or subcellular level in plants and the quantification of glutathione from isolated organelles. In previous studies, we showed that subcellular ascorbate and glutathione levels in Arabidopsis are affected by high light stress. The use of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) is gaining increasing importance in growing indoor crops and ornamental plants. A combination of different LED types allows custom-made combinations of wavelengths and prevents damage related to high photon flux rates. In this review we provide an overview on how different light spectra and light intensities affect glutathione metabolism at the cellular and subcellular levels in plants. Findings obtained in our most recent study demonstrate that both light intensity and spectrum significantly affected glutathione metabolism in wheat at the transcriptional level and caused genotype-specific reactions in the investigated Arabidopsis lines.
T-shaped micromixers aligned in a row: characterization of the engulfment regime
Authors: Camarri Simone
Published: April 2022

Accurate control of mixing between two fluids is a fundamental aspect in many applications and generally implies the use of small devices operating at low velocities. This is often achieved using micromixers which, due to the combination of small dimensions and low velocities, work in the laminar regime and generally process very limited flow rates. The flow rates can be increased using more mixers at the same time. In this respect it is appealing to use several micromixers connected in a unique device. In this paper we propose and characterize a simple strategy to connect several T-mixers together by aligning them in a row and feeding them by shared inlet channels. Since engulfment is the preferred flow regime for mixing, we investigate the proposed devices specifically focusing on the onset and on the properties of the engulfment regime. This investigation is carried out by a combined use of numerical simulation and linear stability analysis. The results reported here show that the proposed strategy can lead to compact devices in which the single mixers manifest engulfment, although some important differences in comparison with isolated T-mixers may exist depending on the spacing between the inlet/outlet channels in the device.
Das unerwartet kritisch kranke Kind in der Kindernotfallaufnahme: Sind wir vorbereitet?
Authors: Mohrmann Chris , Lange Matthias , Rosner Bastian , Heep Axel , Warnecke Tobias
Published: April 2022

Hintergrund

Das unerwartete Eintreffen eines kritisch kranken Kindes, ohne vorherige rettungsdienstliche Versorgung oder Anmeldung, stellt in der Kindernotaufnahme eine seltene Fallkonstellation dar, wodurch entsprechende Routine bei der Versorgung fehlen kann. Eine Erhöhung der Handlungssicherheit kann durch Anwendung einer Prozessrisikoanalyse gelingen, welche als etablierte Methode des klinischen Risikomanagements Abläufe präventiv nach möglichen Risiken der bestehenden (Behandlungs‑)Prozesse untersucht und abwehrende Maßnahmen ableitbar macht.

Methode

Die Prozessrisikoanalyse soll exemplarisch anhand des Beispiels „Unerwartete Versorgung eines kritisch kranken Kindes“ durchgeführt und vorgestellt werden. Eine kleinteilige Aufgliederung in Haupt- und Teilabschnitte erlaubt die Erstellung eines prozessbezogenen Risikoprofils, auf Grundlage dessen eine Priorisierung von Risiken nach Kriterien wie Eintrittswahrscheinlichkeit und potenziellem Schadensausmaß vorgenommen wird. Dadurch werden abwehrende Maßnahmen nach Dringlichkeit ableitbar, welche den hier untersuchten Patientenpfad optimieren können.

Schlussfolgerung

Durch Prozessrisikoanalysen von klinischen Abläufen können bestehende Risiken detektiert und potenzielle Maßnahmen zur Reduktion dargestellt werden. Für den exemplarisch beschriebenen Fall konnten vier prozessbezogene Hauptrisiken (Untertriagierung, Fehl‑/Nichtdiagnostik, Fehler in Medikation und Auswahl von Devices, unzureichende Infrastruktur und interdisziplinäre Abstimmung) aufgezeigt werden. Daraus folgend wurden potenziell abwehrende Maßnahmen beschrieben und die notwendigen Ressourcen abgeschätzt.
Plasma arylsulfatase A levels are associated with cognitive function in Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Li Mingjian , Shi Xiaoxue , Ma Jianjun , Sun Wenhua , Wang Zhidong , Li Dongsheng , Zheng Jinhua , Zhao Zhenxiang , Gu Qi , Chen Siyuan
Published: April 2022

Background

Arylsulfatase A (ARSA), a lysosomal enzyme, has been shown to inhibit the aggregation and propagation of α-synuclein (α-syn) through its molecular chaperone function. The relationship between ARSA levels and Parkinson’s disease (PD) in the Chinese Han population remains controversial, and few quantitative research studies have investigated the relationship between plasma ARSA levels and PD.

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between ARSA levels and cognitive function in PD patients and to evaluate the association of ARSA and α-syn levels with nonmotor symptoms.

Methods

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure the plasma ARSA and α-syn levels in 50 healthy controls, 120 PD patients (61 PD patients with no cognitive impairment (PD-NCI) and 59 PD patients with cognitive impairment (PD-CI)). Motor symptoms and nonmotor symptoms (cognitive function, Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) score, depression, anxiety, constipation, olfactory dysfunction, sleep disruption, and other symptoms) were assessed with the relevant scales. The Kruskal–Wallis H test was used for comparison between groups, and Pearson/Spearman analysis was used for correlation analysis.

Results

The plasma ARSA concentrations were lower in the PD-CI group than in the PD-NCI group. The plasma α-syn levels in the PD-CI group were higher than those in the healthy control group, and the plasma ARSA levels were correlated with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE scores) and Hoehn and Yahr (H-Y) stage.

Conclusion

We used a quantitative assessment method to show that low plasma ARSA levels and high α-syn levels are related to cognitive impairment in PD patients. Plasma ARSA levels gradually decrease with PD progression.
Redox-active ligands in artificial photosynthesis: a review
Authors: Benkó Tímea , Lukács Dávid , Li Mingtao , Pap József S.
Published: April 2022

Given the rising socioeconomic issues of fossil fuels, efficient artificial photosynthesis would be an important milestone toward a sustainable world. A key step of photosynthesis is the catalytic photooxidation of water by photosystem II, which has a mean lifetime of 30 min under full sunlight. Since the efficiency of photosystem II is controlled by redox-active tyrosine–histidine pairs that regulate the light-induced flow of charges, research has recently focused on the utilization of redox-active ligands in artificial systems. Here we review the molecular catalysis of water oxidation with emphasis on redox cooperation modes between ligands and metal centers. Molecular systems involving redox-active ligands could achieve up to 100% efficiency with respect to oxygen production, overpotential of 200–300 mV and turnover frequency above 100 s−1, which is comparable to the natural process. Nonetheless, molecular catalysts are often prone to degradation of the organic ligand. The oxidative activation of ligands can contribute to the water oxidation reactivity of a metal–ligand complex, or lead to controlled catalyst film formation. We discuss the design of functional analogs to the tyrosine–histidine pair that for the most part rely on abundant elements and exploit redox-active molecular moieties to assist the catalytic centers. We highlight analogies with the cooperation between the natural oxygen-evolving complex and the redox-active tyrosine–histidine pairs found in photosystem II.
A novel robust network data envelopment analysis approach for performance assessment of mutual funds under uncertainty
Authors: Peykani Pejman , Emrouznejad Ali , Mohammadi Emran , Gheidar-Kheljani Jafar
Published: April 2022

Mutual fund (MF) is one of the applicable and popular tools in investment market. The aim of this paper is to propose an approach for performance evaluation of mutual fund by considering internal structure and financial data uncertainty. To reach this goal, the robust network data envelopment analysis (RNDEA) is presented for extended two-stage structure. In the RNDEA method, leader–follower (non-cooperative game) and robust optimization approaches are applied in order to modeling network data envelopment analysis (NDEA) and dealing with uncertainty, respectively. The proposed RNDEA approach is implemented for performance assessment of 15 mutual funds. Illustrative results show that presented method is applicable and effective for performance evaluation and ranking of MFs in the presence of uncertain data. Also, the results reveal that the discriminatory power of robust NDEA approach is more than the discriminatory power of deterministic NDEA models.
Exploring Carceral Food Systems as Sites of Contestation and Possibility in Canadian Federal Prisons: The Food Services Modernization Initiative
Authors: Wilson Amanda
Published: April 2022

Centering the perspectives and lived experiences of incarcerated persons, this article considers the ways food is used as a tool and site of contestation and possibility within federal prisons in Canada. Focusing specifically on the implementation of and resistance to the Food Services Modernization Initiative, I explore food as “contested terrain” within carceral systems, making visible a range of tactics of resistance employed by incarcerated persons, from testimonials and official complaints to direct collective action. In analyzing these actions and narratives, I reflect on the importance of both food justice and prisoner justice to transforming carceral food systems and call for greater acknowledgment of carceral food systems within food movement discourses and campaigns.
Origins, motives, and challenges in Western–Chinese research collaborations amid recent geopolitical tensions: findings from Swedish–Chinese research collaborations
Authors: Shih Tommy , Forsberg Erik
Published: April 2022

Until recently, modern science had been dominated by a handful of Western countries. However, since the turn of the millennium, the global science landscape has undergone dramatic changes. The number of nations where a significant proportion of research done is of high international standard has now increased considerably. China particularly stands out and is today one of the leading science nations in the world. Overall, Chinese research collaborations with countries in the Western world exemplify the general trend towards increasing complexity in the global research landscape. It has gradually become obvious that differences between institutional settings need to be managed more systematically to promote cross-border research cooperation for shared benefits, from individual to institutional levels. An informed discussion of managing complex conditions necessitates an understanding of the relationship-level dynamics of research collaborations. In order to identify what aspects of international research collaborations are the most pertinent to systematically manage at individual and institutional levels, this paper investigates projects in a bilateral Swedish–Chinese funding program. The paper finds that the majority of collaborations funded had yielded positive impact in terms of publications, strengthened research capacity in research groups, and resource accumulation. The challenges found in the collaborations are related to needs such as improving transparency, ethical concerns, and imbalances in reciprocity.
Impact of JAK Inhibitors in Pediatric Patients with STAT1 Gain of Function (GOF) Mutations—10 Children and Review of the Literature
Authors: Deyà-Martínez Angela , Rivière Jaques G. , Roxo-Junior Pérsio , Ramakers Jan , Bloomfield Markéta , Guisado Hernandez Paloma , Blanco Lobo Pilar , Abu Jamra Soraya Regina , Esteve-Sole Ana , Kanderova Veronika , García-García Ana , Lopez-Corbeto Mireia , Martinez Pomar Natalia , Martín-Nalda Andrea , Alsina Laia , Neth Olaf , Olbrich Peter
Published: April 2022

Introduction

Since the first description of gain of function (GOF) mutations in signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 1, more than 300 patients have been described with a broad clinical phenotype including infections and severe immune dysregulation. Whilst Jak inhibitors (JAKinibs) have demonstrated benefits in several reported cases, their indications, dosing, and monitoring remain to be established.

Methods

A retrospective, multicenter study recruiting pediatric patients with STAT1 GOF under JAKinib treatment was performed and, when applicable, compared with the available reports from the literature.

Results

Ten children (median age 8.5 years (3–18), receiving JAKinibs (ruxolitinib (n = 9) and baricitinib (n = 1)) with a median follow-up of 18 months (2–42) from 6 inborn errors of immunity (IEI) reference centers were included. Clinical profile and JAKinib indications in our series were similar to the previously published 14 pediatric patients. 9/10 (our cohort) and 14/14 patients (previous reports) showed partial or complete responses. The median immune deficiency and dysregulation activity scores were 15.99 (5.2–40) pre and 7.55 (3–14.1) under therapy (p = 0.0078). Infection, considered a likely adverse event of JAKinib therapy, was observed in 1/10 patients; JAKinibs were stopped in 3/10 children, due to hepatotoxicity, pre-HSCT, and absence of response.

Conclusions

Our study supports the potentially beneficial use of JAKinibs in patients with STAT1 GOF, in line with previously published data. However, consensus regarding their indications and timing, dosing, treatment duration, and monitoring, as well as defining biomarkers to monitor clinical and immunological responses, remains to be determined, in form of international prospective multicenter studies using established IEI registries.
Genetic Testing in Egyptian Patients with Inborn Errors of Immunity: a Single-Center Experience
Authors: EL Hawary Rabab E. , Meshaal Safa S. , Abd Elaziz Dalia S. , Alkady Radwa , Lotfy Sohilla , Eldash Alia , Erfan Aya , Chohayeb Engy A. , Saad Mai M. , Darwish Rania K. , Boutros Jeannette A. , Galal Nermeen M. , Elmarsafy Aisha M.
Published: April 2022

Background

Inborn errors of immunity (IEI) are a group of heterogeneous disorders with geographic and ethnic diversities. Although IEI are common in Egypt, genetic diagnosis is limited due to financial restrictions. This study aims to characterize the genetic spectrum of IEI patients in Egypt and highlights the adaptation of the molecular diagnostic methods to a resource-limited setting.

Methods

Genetic material from 504 patients was studied, and proper diagnosis was achieved in 282 patients from 246 families. Mutational analysis was done by Sanger sequencing, next-generation sequencing (NGS) targeting customized genes panels, and whole-exome sequencing (WES) according to the patients’ phenotypes and availability of genetic testing.

Results

A total of 194 variants involving 72 different genes were detected with RAG1/2 genes being the most encountered followed by DOCK8, CYBA, LRBA, NCF1, and JAK3. Autosomal recessive (AR) inheritance was detected in 233/282 patients (82.6%), X-linked (XL) recessive inheritance in 32/282 patients (11.3%), and autosomal dominant (AD) inheritance in 18/282 patients (6.4%), reflecting the impact of consanguineous marriages on the prevalence of different modes of inheritance and the distribution of the various IEI disorders.

Conclusion

The study showed that a combination of Sanger sequencing in selected patients associated with targeted NGS or WES in other patients is an effective diagnostic strategy for IEI diagnosis in countries with limited diagnostic resources. Molecular testing can be used to validate other nonexpensive laboratory techniques that help to reach definitive diagnosis and help in genetic counseling and taking proper therapeutic decisions including stem cell transplantation or gene therapy.