bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Metabolic syndrome criteria and severity and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in an adult population
Authors: García Silvia , Pastor Rosario , Monserrat-Mesquida Margalida , Álvarez-Álvarez Laura , Rubín-García María , Martínez-González Miguel Ángel , Salas-Salvadó Jordi , Corella Dolores , Goday Albert , Martínez J. Alfredo , Alonso-Gómez Ángel M. , Wärnberg Julia , Vioque Jesús , Romaguera Dora , Lopez-Miranda José , Estruch Ramon , Tinahones Francisco J. , Lapetra José , Serra-Majem Lluís , Riquelme-Gallego Blanca , Pintó Xavier , Gaforio José J. , Matía Pilar , Vidal Josep , Vázquez Clotilde , Daimiel Lidia , Ros Emilio , Sayón-Orea Carmen , Guillem-Saiz Patricia , Valle-Hita Cristina , Cabanes Robert , Abete Itziar , Goicolea-Güemez Leire , Gómez-Gracia Enrique , Tercero-Maciá Cristina , Colom Antoni , García-Ríos Antonio , Castro-Barquero Sara , Fernández-García José C. , Santos-Lozano José Manuel , Cenoz Juan Carlos , Barragán Rocío , Khoury Nadine , Castañer Olga , Zulet María Ángeles , Vaquero-Luna Jessica , Bes-Rastrollo Maira , de las Heras-Delgado Sara , Ciurana Ramon , Martín-Sánchez Vicente , Tur Josep A. , Bouzas Cristina
Published: July 2023

Background

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) has become a growing risk factor of some non-communicable diseases. Increase of greenhouse gas emissions affects the planet.

Aims

To assess the association between MetS severity and amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted in an adult population.

Design

Cross-sectional study (n = 6646; 55-76-year-old-men; 60-75-year-old-women with MetS).

Methods

Dietary habits were assessed using a pre-validated semi quantitative 143-item food frequency questionnaire. The amount of CO2 emitted due to the production of food consumed by person and day was calculated using a European database, and the severity of the MetS was calculated with the MetS Severity Score.

Results

Higher glycaemia levels were found in people with higher CO2 emissions. The risk of having high severe MetS was related to high CO2 emissions.

Conclusions

Low CO2 emissions diet would help to reduce MetS severity. Advantages for both health and the environment were found following a more sustainable diet.

Trial registration

ISRCTN, ISRCTN89898870. Registered 05 September 2013.
Diaphragm and abdominal organ motion during radiotherapy: a comprehensive multicenter study in 189 children
Authors: Meijer Karin M. , van Dijk Irma W. E. M. , Frank Marije , van den Hoek Arnout D. , Balgobind Brian V. , Janssens Geert O. , Wendling Markus , Maduro John H. , Bryce-Atkinson Abigail , Loginova Anna , Bel Arjan
Published: July 2023

Background

For accurate thoracic and abdominal radiotherapy, inter- and intrafractional geometrical uncertainties need to be considered to enable accurate margin sizes. We aim to quantify interfractional diaphragm and abdominal organ position variations, and intrafractional diaphragm motion in a large multicenter cohort of pediatric cancer patients (< 18 years). We investigated the correlation of interfractional position variations and intrafractional motion with age, and with general anesthesia (GA).

Methods

In 189 children (mean age 8.1; range 0.4–17.9 years) from six institutes, interfractional position variation of both hemidiaphragms, spleen, liver, left and right kidneys was quantified using a two-step registration. CBCTs were registered to the reference CT relative to the bony anatomy, followed by organ registration. We calculated the group mean, systematic and random errors (standard deviations Σ and σ, respectively) in cranial-caudal (CC), left-right and anterior-posterior directions. Intrafractional right hemidiaphragm motion was quantified using CBCTs on which the breathing amplitude, defined as the difference between end-inspiration and end-expiration peaks, was assessed (N = 79). We investigated correlations with age (Spearman’s ρ), and differences in motion between patients treated with and without GA (N = 75; all < 5.5 years).

Results

Interfractional group means were largest in CC direction and varied widely between patients, with largest variations in the right hemidiaphragm (range -13.0–17.5 mm). Interfractional group mean of the left kidney showed a borderline significant correlation with age (p = 0.047; ρ = 0.17). Intrafractional right hemidiaphragm motion in patients ≥ 5.5 years (mean 10.3 mm) was significantly larger compared to patients < 5.5 years treated without GA (mean 8.3 mm) (p = 0.02), with smaller Σ and σ values. We found a significant correlation between breathing amplitude and age (p < 0.001; ρ = 0.43). Interfractional right hemidiaphragm position variations were significantly smaller in patients < 5.5 years treated with GA than without GA (p = 0.004), but intrafractional motion showed no significant difference.

Conclusion

In this large multicenter cohort of children undergoing thoracic and abdominal radiotherapy, we found that interfractional position variation does not depend on age, but the use of GA in patients < 5.5 years showed smaller systematic and random errors. Furthermore, our results showed that breathing amplitude increases with age. Moreover, variations between patients advocate the need for a patient-specific margin approach.
Deriving emission factors for mangrove blue carbon ecosystem in Indonesia
Authors: Murdiyarso Daniel , Krisnawati Haruni , Adinugroho Wahyu C. , Sasmito Sigit D.
Published: July 2023

Background

Using ‘higher-tier’ emission factors in National Greenhouse Gas Inventories is essential to improve quality and accuracy when reporting carbon emissions and removals. Here we systematically reviewed 736 data across 249 sites (published 2003–2020) to derive emission factors associated with land-use change in Indonesian mangroves blue carbon ecosystems.

Results

Four management regimes—aquaculture, degraded mangrove, regenerated mangrove and undisturbed mangrove—gave mean total ecosystem carbon stocks of 579, 717, 890, and 1061 Mg C ha−1 respectively. The largest biomass carbon stocks were found in undisturbed mangrove; followed by regenerated mangrove, degraded mangrove, and aquaculture. Top 100-cm soil carbon stocks were similar across regimes, ranging between 216 and 296 Mg C ha−1. Carbon stocks between 0 and 300 cm varied significantly; the highest values were found in undisturbed mangrove (916 Mg C ha−1), followed by regenerated mangrove (803 Mg C ha−1), degraded mangrove 666 Mg C ha−1), and aquaculture (562 Mg C ha−1).

Conclusions

Using deep layer (e.g., 300 cm) soil carbon stocks would compensate for the underestimation of surface soil carbon removed from areas where aquaculture is widely practised. From a project perspective, deep layer data could secure permanence or buffer potential leakages. From a national GHG accounting perspective, it also provides a safeguard in the MRV system.
Hypomyelination caused by a novel homozygous pathogenic variant in FOLR1: complete clinical and radiological recovery with oral folinic acid therapy and review of the literature
Authors: Potic Ana , Perrier Stefanie , Radovic Tijana , Gavrilovic Svetlana , Ostojic Jelena , Tran Luan T. , Thiffault Isabelle , Pastinen Tomi , Schiffmann Raphael , Bernard Geneviève
Published: July 2023

Background

Neurodegeneration due to cerebral folate transport deficiency is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by biallelic pathogenic variants in FOLR1. Onset typically occurs in late infancy and is characterized by psychomotor regression, epilepsy, and a hypomyelinating leukodystrophy on magnetic resonance imaging. If left untreated, progressive neurodegeneration occurs. However, early treatment with folinic acid has been shown to stabilize or reverse neurological features. Approximately thirty patients have been described worldwide. Here, we report the first two cases with genetically proven cerebral folate transport deficiency from South-Eastern Europe, describe the effect of oral folinic acid therapy on clinical and neuroradiological features and review the literature.

Results

Two siblings presented in childhood with clinical and radiological findings consistent with a hypomyelinating leukodystrophy. Exome sequencing revealed a novel homozygous pathogenic variant in FOLR1 (c.465_466delinsTG; p.W156G), confirming the diagnosis of neurodegeneration due to cerebral folate transport deficiency. Folinic acid treatment was promptly initiated in both patients. The younger sibling was treated early in disease course at 2 years of age, and demonstrated complete recovery in clinical and MRI features. The older sibling, who was 8 years of age at the time of diagnosis and treatment, demonstrated partial but substantial improvements.

Conclusion

We present the first account in the literature that early treatment initiation with oral folinic acid alone can result in complete neurological recovery of both clinical and radiological abnormalities in neurodegeneration due to cerebral folate deficiency. Moreover, through the report of these patients along with review of the literature, we provide information about the natural history of the disease with comparison of treatment effects at different stages of disease progression. This report also reinforces the importance of universal access to genetic testing to ensure prompt diagnoses for treatable disorders.
Stability selection enhances feature selection and enables accurate prediction of gestational age using only five DNA methylation sites
Authors: Haftorn Kristine L. , Romanowska Julia , Lee Yunsung , Page Christian M. , Magnus Per M. , Håberg Siri E. , Bohlin Jon , Jugessur Astanand , Denault William R. P.
Published: July 2023

Background

DNA methylation (DNAm) is robustly associated with chronological age in children and adults, and gestational age (GA) in newborns. This property has enabled the development of several epigenetic clocks that can accurately predict chronological age and GA. However, the lack of overlap in predictive CpGs across different epigenetic clocks remains elusive. Our main aim was therefore to identify and characterize CpGs that are stably predictive of GA.

Results

We applied a statistical approach called ‘stability selection’ to DNAm data from 2138 newborns in the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort study. Stability selection combines subsampling with variable selection to restrict the number of false discoveries in the set of selected variables. Twenty-four CpGs were identified as being stably predictive of GA. Intriguingly, only up to 10% of the CpGs in previous GA clocks were found to be stably selected. Based on these results, we used generalized additive model regression to develop a new GA clock consisting of only five CpGs, which showed a similar predictive performance as previous GA clocks (R2 = 0.674, median absolute deviation = 4.4 days). These CpGs were in or near genes and regulatory regions involved in immune responses, metabolism, and developmental processes. Furthermore, accounting for nonlinear associations improved prediction performance in preterm newborns.

Conclusion

We present a methodological framework for feature selection that is broadly applicable to any trait that can be predicted from DNAm data. We demonstrate its utility by identifying CpGs that are highly predictive of GA and present a new and highly performant GA clock based on only five CpGs that is more amenable to a clinical setting.
Neoadjuvant therapy for sarcomatoid carcinoma of the pancreas: a case report and review of the literature
Authors: Qiu Hui , Hao Chun-Yi
Published: July 2023

Background

Sarcomatoid carcinoma of the pancreas (SCP) is a rare type of malignant pancreatic neoplasm, and its prognosis is even worse than that of conventional pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Currently, there is no standard regimen for treating SCP, and the impact of systemic therapy on the survival of patients with SCP has not been well defined.

Case presentation

Herein, we report a 38-year-old Asian man diagnosed of local unresectable SCP with supraclavicular lymph node metastasis, radical excision after camrelizumab and anlotinib therapy, which resulted in a remarkable reduction in the size of primary tumor and complete remission of the metastatic lymph node.

Conclusions

This is the first report of the use of immunotherapy and anti-angiogenesis therapy in a patient with SCP, which provides optimistic data to support the synergistic effect.
Single-base station hybrid positioning algorithm based on LOS identification
Authors: Gao Yang , Jiao Zihan , Wu Qiang , Dou Xiaoyuan , Fan Jiancun
Published: July 2023

In the complex multipath propagation environment, whether there is a line of sight (LOS) path will directly affect the positioning accuracy. Therefore, this paper proposes a single base station hybrid positioning algorithm based on LOS identification. In the algorithm, we first construct multiple features based on channel state information with LOS and without LOS in statistical distribution and use these features and gradient boosting decision tree to determine whether there is a LOS path in the environment. Then for the environment with a LOS path, we proposed a positioning method based on the estimation of signal parameters via rotation invariant technology algorithm which can be used to jointly estimate the angle of arrival and time delay of the LOS path for positioning, while for the environment without LOS path, we propose a positioning method based on adaptive genetic algorithm. Finally, a single base station hybrid positioning algorithm based on LOS identification and the corresponding positioning methods. Simulation results show that the proposed hybrid positioning algorithm can achieve high-precision positioning in the complex multipath propagation environment.
What makes people grow? Love and hope
Authors: Bogin Barry
Published: July 2023

Background

Hope and love are popular themes of literature and art in many human societies. The human physiology of love and hope is less well understood. This review presents evidence that the lack of love and/or hope delays growth disturbs development and maturation and even kills.

Main body

Love and hope intersect in promoting healthy human development. Love provides a sense of security and attachment, which are necessary for healthy physical, cognitive, and emotional development. Hope provides a sense of optimism and resilience in the face of adversity. Loving relationships can foster a sense of hope in individuals and in society by providing support systems during difficult times. Similarly, having a sense of hope can make it easier to form loving relationships by providing individuals with the confidence to connect with others. Hope and love are the fundamental basis of human biocultural reproduction, which is the human style of cooperation in the production, feeding, and care of offspring. Examples are given of the association between human growth in height with love and hope, including (1) the global “Long Depression” of 1873–1896, (2) “hospitalism” and the abuse/neglect of infants and children, (3) adoption, (4) international migration, (5) colonial conquest, and (6) social, economic, and political change in Japan between 1970 and 1990.

Conclusion

Overall, this review suggests that love and hope are both critical factors in promoting healthy human development and that they intersect in complex ways to support emotional well-being.
Hyperbaric oxygen treatment increases intestinal stem cell proliferation through the mTORC1/S6K1 signaling pathway in Mus musculus
Authors: Casanova-Maldonado Ignacio , Arancibia David , Lois Pablo , Peña-Villalobos Isaac , Palma Verónica
Published: July 2023

Background

Hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT) has been reported to modulate the proliferation of neural and mesenchymal stem cell populations, but the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects are not completely understood. In this study, we aimed to assess HBOT somatic stem cell modulation by evaluating the role of the mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1), a key regulator of cell metabolism whose activity is modified depending on oxygen levels, as a potential mediator of HBOT in murine intestinal stem cells (ISCs).

Results

We discovered that acute HBOT synchronously increases the proliferation of ISCs without affecting the animal’s oxidative metabolism through activation of the mTORC1/S6K1 axis. mTORC1 inhibition by rapamycin administration for 20 days also increases ISCs proliferation, generating a paradoxical response in mice intestines, and has been proposed to mimic a partial starvation state. Interestingly, the combination of HBOT and rapamycin does not have a synergic effect, possibly due to their differential impact on the mTORC1/S6K1 axis.

Conclusions

HBOT can induce an increase in ISCs proliferation along with other cell populations within the crypt through mTORC1/S6K1 modulation without altering the oxidative metabolism of the animal’s small intestine. These results shed light on the molecular mechanisms underlying HBOT therapeutic action, laying the groundwork for future studies.
Perceptions of dietary intake amongst Black, Asian and other minority ethnic groups in high-income countries: a systematic review of qualitative literature
Authors: Ojo Abimbola S. , Nnyanzi Lawrence A. , Giles Emma L. , Ells Louisa J. , Awolaran Olusegun , Okeke Sylvester R. , Afaya Agani , Bolarinwa Obasanjo Afolabi
Published: July 2023

Background

Minority ethnic groups are a fast-growing population in many high-income countries, partly due to the increasing population of immigrants and second-generation migrants. The dietary practices of some of these minority ethnic groups might make them to be disproportionately affected by obesity and increase their risks of developing non-communicable diseases. Population-specific interventions and strategies are vital to addressing poor nutritional practices among this population. Thus, this study systematically reviewed the perceptions of dietary intake amongst Black, Asian and other minority ethnic groups in high-income countries.

Methods

This systematic review was conducted in line with the guidelines of the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for systematic reviews, using a meta-aggregative design. This systematic review identified and synthesised qualitative literature on the perceptions of dietary intake amongst BlackAsian and other minority  ethnic groups in high-income countries. An extensive and comprehensive database search was conducted between January 2000 – May 2022 and included twenty (20) studies that met the eligibility criteria from six countries. The included studies were assessed for quality using the JBI qualitative assessment and review instrument. The JBI data extraction tools were used to retrieve relevant data from included articles, and the data were thematically analysed.

Results

We identified eight major themes across this database: (1) “Social and Cultural Factors,” (2) “Availability and Accessibility,” (3) “Family and Community Influences,” (4) “Food Preferences”, (5) “Home Country Food Versus Host Country Food” (6) “Dietary Acculturation” (7) “Health and Healthy Eating” (8) “Perception of Nutritional Information.”

Conclusion

Overall, Black, Asian, and other minority ethnic groups individuals were found to be aware of the effects of unhealthy eating on their health, and some of them have nutritional knowledge, but social and cultural factors, including structural factors, were deterrents to their healthy eating behaviours. An important finding from this review is that some participants believed that nutritional information, based on bio-medical science, was intended for only White population groups and that it was antagonistic to their cultural and community well-being.
Effect of aging on the formation and growth of colonic epithelial organoids by changes in cell cycle arrest through TGF-β-Smad3 signaling
Authors: Jo Min Kyoung , Moon Chang Mo , Jeon Hyeon-Jeong , Han Yerim , Lee Eun Sook , Kwon Ji-Hee , Yang Kyung-Min , Ahn Young-Ho , Kim Seong-Eun , Jung Sung-Ae , Kim Tae Il
Published: July 2023

Background

This study aimed to investigate how aging alters the homeostasis of the colonic intestinal epithelium and regeneration after tissue injury using organoid models and to identify its underlying molecular mechanism.

Methods

To investigate aging-related changes in the colonic intestinal epithelium, we conducted organoid cultures from old (older than 80 weeks) and young (6–10 weeks) mice and compared the number and size of organoids at day 5 of passage 0 and the growth rate of organoids between the two groups.

Results

The number and size of organoids from old mice was significantly lower than that from young mice (p < 0.0001) at day 5 of passage 0. The growth rate of old-mouse organoids from day 4 to 5 of passage 0 was significantly slower than that of young-mouse organoids (2.21 times vs. 1.16 times, p < 0.001). RNA sequencing showed that TGF-β- and cell cycle-associated genes were associated with the aging effect. With regard to mRNA and protein levels, Smad3 and p-Smad3 in the old-mouse organoids were markedly increased compared with those in the young-mouse organoids. Decreased expression of ID1, increased expression of p16INK4a, and increased cell cycle arrest were observed in the old mouse-organoids. Treatment with SB431542, a type I TGF-β receptor inhibitor, significantly increased the formation and growth of old-mouse organoids, and TGF-β1 treatment markedly suppressed the formation of young-mouse organoids. In the acute dextran sulfate sodium-colitis model and its organoid experiments, the colonic epithelial regeneration after tissue injury in old mice was significantly decreased compared with young mice.

Conclusions

Aging reduced the formation ability and growth rate of colonic epithelial organoids by increasing cell cycle arrest through TGF-β-Smad3-p16INK4a signaling.
Limited Joint Mobility in Type 1 Diabetes: Diabetic Cheiroarthropathy, a Neglected Entity
Authors: Swain Jayshree , Teli Brij , Sahoo Abhay , Kasukurti Lavanya
Published: July 2023

Musculoskeletal disorders are common in type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Among them, diabetic cheiroarthropathy (DCA), more commonly seen in type 1 diabetes, is a late complication that often causes physical and emotional disturbance. DCA, characterized by movement restrictions in the small joints of hands, is usually a clinical diagnosis and bears significance owing to the functional hand disabilities that it causes and its association with various microvascular complications, most importantly retinopathy. A 24-year-old male patient, with type 1 diabetes of 20 years duration, presented to us with difficulties in performing fine motor tasks such as buttoning his shirt and with positive “Namaste” sign and “Table Top” sign. He had reduced sensation on monofilament testing, decreased vibration perception threshold, and a nerve conduction study suggested distal sensory demyelinating and axonal polyneuropathy. He had a restrictive pattern on pulmonary function tests, normal lung parenchyma on high-resolution computed tomography of his thorax, proliferative diabetic retinopathy, proteinuria, vitamin D deficiency, and subclinical hypothyroidism. He was followed closely with tight glycemic control and physiotherapy. In rural setups, DCA can act as a mirror to screen for macrovascular and microvascular complications if not already done routinely or previously. Management includes physiotherapy, glycemic control, patient education, and regular follow-up, with surgical procedures being only the last option.
Revisiting the lineage contribution of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells
Authors: Gao Suwei , Zhang Yifan , Liu Feng
Published: July 2023

For a long time, self-renewing and multipotent hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) have been thought to make a major contribution to both embryonic and adult hematopoiesis. The canonical hematopoietic hierarchy illustrating HSC self-renewal and multipotency has been established mainly based on invasive functional assays (e.g. transplantation or colony-forming units in the spleen and in culture), which evaluate the cellular potentials of HSCs. With the extensive applications of non-invasive cell fate-mapping strategies, recent lineage tracing-based studies have suggested that not all native hematopoiesis is established via the hierarchical differentiation of HSCs. By contrast, hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) are a dominant contributor to both embryonic and young adult hematopoiesis. These new findings help redefine the cellular origins of embryonic and adult hematopoiesis under native conditions, and emphasize the differences in revealing HSC potential versus HSC fate using distinct approaches during stress and native hematopoiesis. Here, we review recent advances in HPC and HSC development, and provide an updated perspective to incorporate these new findings with our traditional understanding of developmental and adult hematopoiesis.
UMAD1 contributes to ESCRT-III dynamic subunit turnover during cytokinetic abscission
Authors: Glover James , Scourfield Edward J. , Ventimiglia Leandro N. , Yang Xiaoping , Lynham Steven , Agromayor Monica , Martin-Serrano Juan
Published: July 2023

Abscission is the final stage of cytokinesis whereby the midbody, a thin intercellular bridge, is resolved to separate the daughter cells. Cytokinetic abscission is mediated by the endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT), a conserved membrane remodelling machinery. The midbody organiser CEP55 recruits early acting ESCRT factors such as ESCRT-I and ALIX (also known as PDCD6IP), which subsequently initiate the formation of ESCRT-III polymers that sever the midbody. We now identify UMAD1 as an ESCRT-I subunit that facilitates abscission. UMAD1 selectively associates with VPS37C and VPS37B, supporting the formation of cytokinesis-specific ESCRT-I assemblies. TSG101 recruits UMAD1 to the site of midbody abscission, to stabilise the CEP55–ESCRT-I interaction. We further demonstrate that the UMAD1–ESCRT-I interaction facilitates the final step of cytokinesis. Paradoxically, UMAD1 and ALIX co-depletion has synergistic effects on abscission, whereas ESCRT-III recruitment to the midbody is not inhibited. Importantly, we find that both UMAD1 and ALIX are required for the dynamic exchange of ESCRT-III subunits at the midbody. Therefore, UMAD1 reveals a key functional connection between ESCRT-I and ESCRT-III that is required for cytokinesis.
Comparison of clinical effects between microscopic surgery and conventional surgery in children with penile hypospadias and difference analysis of postoperative urodynamics
Authors: Guo Shi-lei , Zheng Wei , Shi Xiao-qing , Zhang Bo-song , Wang Jie
Published: July 2023

Objective: To compare and analyze the clinical effects of microscopic surgery and conventional surgery in children with penile hypospadias and the differences in postoperative urodynamic indexes.

Methods: It was a clinical comparative study. A total of 80 children with penile hypospadias admitted to Beijing Children’s Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University Baoding Hospital from July 2018 to September 2022 were selected and randomly divided into two group. The experimental group were treated with microscopic urethroplasty, while the control group were treated with traditional urethroplasty. The operative effect, operation time, total intraoperative blood loss, postoperative hospital stay and incidence of surgical complications were compared and analyzed between the two groups. All the children were followed up for two years, and the changes in urodynamic parameters including maximum urine flow rate (Qmax), average urine flow rate (Qavc), urine flow time (FT), peak time (TQmax) and residual urine (PVR) were compared before, two weeks after, six months after and two years after surgery.

Results: The efficacy of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group (p=0.013). The intraoperative blood loss and postoperative hospital stay in the experimental group were significantly better than those in the control group (p=0.000). The incidences of urinary leakage and urethral stricture in the experimental group were lower than those in the control group (p<0.05). The Qmax level in the experimental group was higher than that in the control group at six months and two years after surgery, while the FT level was lower than that of the control group (p<0.05).

Conclusion: Microscopic surgery is a method with significant clinical value in the treatment of penile hypospadias.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.39.5.6986

How to cite this: Guo S, Zheng W, Shi X, Zhang B, Wang J. Comparison of clinical effects between microscopic surgery and conventional surgery in children with penile hypospadias and difference analysis of postoperative urodynamics. Pak J Med Sci. 2023;39(5):---------.  doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.39.5.6986

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Diagnostic utility of mast cell analysis in hypoplastic bone marrows for differentiation of aplastic anaemia from hypoplastic myelodysplastic neoplasm: A retrospective study
Authors: G V Chaithra , Gupta Soumya , Rao Ranjitha , Rai Sharada , Murali Nirupama , Hegde Sunita
Published: July 2023

Background: Haematological disorders characterized by hypocellular marrow like aplastic anaemia (AA) and hypocellular myelodysplastic neoplasm (MDS-h) are diagnostic challenges as the clinical and morphological features overlap, while the treatment and prognosis differ. Bone marrow mast cell quantification is proposed as a supplementary diagnostic and prognostic tool to differentiate AA from MDS-h. We aim to study the distribution of mast cells in hypoplastic marrow and determine its role in differential diagnosis of AA and MDS-h.

Methods: We analysed bone marrow biopsies of 65 cases of hypoplastic/aplastic marrow received during the year 2015-2021 for the distribution of mast cells using Toluidine Blue special staining. Hematopoietic stem cells were assessed with the help of CD34 immunohistochemistry.

Results: Increased mast cells were noted in 55.4% of all the cases, of which 48% were cases of AA and 21% were cases of MDS-h (P: 0.04). Overall, 76% of AA and 33% of MDS-h cases showed increased numbers of mast cells. Reduced hematopoietic stem cells were noted in 69.4% of the cases with elevated mast cells (P: 0.1).

Conclusions: Mast cell quantification in trephine biopsy of AA and MDS-h can act as a supplementary diagnostic tool and guide the management of the respective entities. Understanding its role in the bone marrow niche can enhance stem cell transplant treatment.
A comparative evaluation of different scores in predicting severity and outcome in acute pancreatitis
Authors: Mahajan Ojas , Mahajan Satish , Acharya Sourya , Wanjari Anil , Kumar Sunil , Bawankule Shilpa , Giri Anamika , Khurana Kashish
Published: July 2023

Background: Acute pancreatitis (AP) is an inflammatory condition usually caused by alcohol or gallstones. Our goal was to prospectively compare the diagnostic efficacy of the Acute Physiology & Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II, the Bedside Index of Severity in Acute Pancreatitis (BISAP), the Ranson's score & the Modified Glasgow Score (MGS) in determining the severity & outcome of Acute pancreatitis in a tertiary care facility in central India.

Methods: Between December 2020 & December 2022, this prospective observational study was done in rural area of Wardha district. 110 subjects were included, and the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis was done using Atlanta criteria. APACHE II, MGS, Ranson score on admission, Ranson score 48 hours after admission & BISAP were used to evaluate each subject. The reciever operating curve was used to measure the specificity, sensitivity, NPV, PPV, diagnostic accuracy, area under the curve (AUC) & these scoring methods were then prospectively compared.

Results: When a cut-off based on the literature was used, the APACHE II score could accurately diagnose severe cases of AP (n=110) in 69 patients, BISAP in 68 patients, MGS in 49, Ranson score on admission in 48 patients & after 48 hours in 48 patients. This study showed that Ranson score 48 hours after admission had a AUC (0.991), Ranson score at admission (AUC 0.989) & Modified Glasgow Scale (AUC 0.6486) had fair accuracy as compared to APACHE II (AUC 0.974) & BISAP (AUC 0.896) for determining the level of severity among AP patients based on ROC curves.

Conclusion: To predict the severity of AP, the Ranson score after 48 hours showed the highest NPV, PPV, sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy of all the scoring methods tested. The BISAP score had the highest specificity, sensitivity, PPV& NPV for determining the outcome of AP.
Pharmacological management of irritable bowel syndrome
Authors: Kasmani Ilkin
Published: July 2023

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common longstanding condition with a variety of symptoms including constipation, diarrhoea and abdominal cramps or bloating. There are no specific causes of IBS; therefore, symptoms and management are individualised to each patient. Management strategies involve lifestyle advice on diet and exercise, medications and psychological therapies. IBS can be extremely debilitating to patients' quality of life and is usually diagnosed as a process of elimination of other gastrointestinal conditions that can have similar symptoms, such as inflammatory bowel disease. Medications to manage IBS include laxatives, antispasmodics, antimotility agents and neuromodulators, as IBS is believed to be a disorder of the gut–brain axis.
Multi-objective Collaborative Planning Method for Micro-energy Systems Considering Thermoelectric Coupling Clusters
Authors: Jinglin Han , Ping Hu , Hui Zhao , Chunguang He , Ruosong Hou , Bo Li
Published: July 2023

As the continuous development of integrated energy system and distributed power supply, operation economy and regional energy Internet reliability, especially micro-energy system, are increasing. Therefore, it is necessary to build multi-energy complementary micro-energy system, innovate energy supply mode, realize collaborative and efficient utilization among multi-energy systems, improve energy utilization efficiency and absorb renewable energy. In this paper, the decision model of distribution network planning scheme including distributed generator supply is established from four aspects: investment and operation cost, extra reserve capacity, energy conservation, reliability cost. The decision model involves a lot of parameter calculation and selection judgment, so after the decision goal is determined, an decision framework based on DS-MAS is established, that is, parameters are automatically calculated and selected based on different scenarios. Model validity is proved via a practical decision project.
Design and implementation of a real-time compensation algorithm for nonlinear error based on ellipse fitting
Authors: Xiong Xianming , Zhou Fangjun , Du Hao , Zhang Wentao , Zhao Zhengyi , Chen Wenwei , Guo Xin , Xu Le
Published: July 2023

To improve the measurement accuracy of interferometer displacement measurement systems, this study analyzes the characteristics of the interference signal to identify sources of nonlinear errors and develops compensation strategies. Specifically, a model is established for the nonlinear errors of the interferometer, which can be attributed to a laser and polarizing beam splitter (PBS). Following that, the dual orthogonal lock-in amplification algorithm is used to separate and compensate for the frequency uncertainty and amplitude errors. Additionally, a real-time compensation algorithm based on ellipse fitting is proposed to compensate for errors caused by the PBS and the uncertainty of amplitude caused by the light source. Experimental results demonstrate that the peak-to-peak value of the compensated nonlinear error is reduced from 11.62 nm to 5.37 nm.
Evolution between bright and dark pulses in a MoxW1-xTe2 based fiber laser
Authors: Wang Guomei , Sheng Qiuyan , Tang Shouqian , li Qi , Xiong Siyuan , Lu Cheng , Bai Caixun , Zhang Wenfei , Zhang Huanian , Fu Shenggui
Published: July 2023

We proposed an erbium-doped fiber laser mode-locked with a Mo
x
W1-xTe2-based nonlinear optical modulator for the first time to our best knowledge. This fiber laser can deliver bright pulses, bright-dark pulse pairs, dark pulses, bright-dark-bright pulses, and dark-dark-bright pulses. The modulation depth and saturation intensity of the Mo
x
W1-xTe2-based saturable absorber were about 7.8% and 8.6 MW/cm2, respectively. When 10% of the laser in the cavity was output, conventional soliton pulses with central wavelength of 1560.1 nm can be obtained in the cavity. When 70% of the laser was output, dual-wavelength domain-wall dark pulses appeared in the laser cavity. This experiment revealed that an appropriate increase in the ratio of output energy can improve the chance of dark pulses in fiber lasers. The mode-locking states in this fiber laser can evolve with each other between bright pulses, bright-dark pulse pairs and dark pulses by adjusting the polarization controller. The results indicated that the Mo
x
W1-xTe2 can be used to make modulators for generating dark pulses. Furthermore, our work will be of great help to improve the chance of the generation of dark pulse in fiber lasers.
Enhanced blue-green response of nanoarray AlGaAs photocathodes for underwater low-light detection
Authors: Li Shiman , Zhang Yijun , Wang Ziheng , Wang Dongzhi , Tang Song , Zhang Junju , Shi Feng , Jiao Gangcheng , Cheng Hongchang , Hao Guanghui
Published: July 2023

Underwater optical communication and low-light detection are usually realized via blue-green laser sources and blue-green light-sensitive detectors. Negative-electron-affinity AlGaAs photocathode is an ideal photosensitive material for ocean exploration due to its adjustable spectrum range, long working lifetime, and easy epitaxy of materials. However, compared with other photocathodes, the main problem of AlGaAs photocathode is its low quantum efficiency. Based on Spicer’s three-step photoemission model, nanoarray structures are designed on the surface of AlGaAs photocathode to improve its quantum efficiency from two aspects of optical absorption and photoelectron transport. Through simulation, it is concluded that the cylinder with diameter of 120 nm and height of 600 nm is the best nanoarray structure, and its absorptance is always greater than 90% in the 445∼532 nm range. Moreover, the absorptance and quantum efficiency of the cylinder nanoarray AlGaAs photocathode are less affected by the incident angle. When the angle of incident light reaches 70°, the minimum absorptance and quantum efficiency are still 64.6% and 24.9%. In addition, the square or hexagonal arrangement pattern of the nanoarray has little effect on the absorptance, however, a reduction in the overall emission layer thickness will decrease the absorptance near 532 nm.
Beam wander prediction with recurrent neural networks
Authors: Briantcev Dmitrii , Cox Mitchell A. , Trichili Abderrahmen , Ooi Boon S. , Alouini Mohamed-Slim
Published: July 2023

Among the problems that prevent free-space optical communication systems from becoming a truly mainstream technology is beam wander, which is especially important for structured light beams since beam misalignment introduces additional crosstalk at the receiver. The paper suggests a recurrent neural network-based (RNN) solution to predict beam wander in free space optics (FSO). The approach uses past beam center of mass positions to predict future movement, significantly outperforming various prediction types. The proposed approach is demonstrated using under-sampled experimental data over a 260 m link as a worst-case and over-sampled simulated data as a best-case scenario. In addition to conventional Gaussian beams, Hermite- and Laguerre-Gaussian beam wander is also investigated. With a 20 to 40% improvement in error over naive and linear predictions, while predicting multiple samples ahead in typical situations and overall matching or outperforming considered predictions across all studied scenarios, this method could help mitigate turbulence-induced fading and has potential applications in intelligent re-transmits, quality of service, optimized error correction, maximum likelihood-type algorithms, and predictive adaptive optics.
Optical performance evaluation of an infrared system of a hypersonic vehicle in an aero-thermal environment
Authors: Zhang Wenzhi , Ju Lin , Fan Zhigang , Fan Wenwen , Chen Shouqian
Published: July 2023

At hypersonic velocities, the turbulent flow field generated by an aircraft, along with its temperature distribution, leads to significant aerodynamic optical effects that severely impede the performance of internal optical systems. This study proposes a method for analyzing the temporal characteristics of imaging degradation in a detector window infrared imaging system under different field angles of hypersonic velocity. Based on heat transfer theory, a method for solving the transient temperature field in the optical window of a high-speed aircraft is derived and established, considering unsteady thermal conduction-radiation coupling. Additionally, an optical window radiation tracing method is introduced, which directly determines the initial direction vector of light reaching the detector. This method reduces the workload of radiation transmission, significantly enhancing the efficiency of radiation calculations. The time characteristics of image degradation caused by aero-optical effects in high-speed aircraft are analyzed using metrics such as peak signal-to-noise ratio, wave aberration, and point diffusion function. The results demonstrate that as working time increases and the viewing angle widens, the impact of aero-optics on the aircraft imaging system becomes more severe. Moreover, compared to the aerodynamic light transmission effect, the aerodynamic thermal radiation effect has a more detrimental influence on imaging quality.
Polished hollow core Bragg fiber sensor for simultaneous measurement of cortisol concentration and temperature
Authors: Tan Qin , Wu Shengnan , Liu Zhenchao , Chen Xiaolu , He Sailing
Published: July 2023

Disturbance of surrounding temperature inevitably affects the accuracy of fiber biosensors. To that end, we propose a compact label-free optofluidic sensor based on a polished hollow core Bragg fiber (HCBF) that can simultaneously measure the cortisol concentration and surrounding temperature in real-time. The sensor is comprised of fusion splicing single mode fiber (SMF), multimode fiber (MMF) and HCBF. HCBF is side polished to remove part of the cladding that the suspended inner surface of the fiber can contact the external environment. After the incident light passes through the MMF from the SMF, it enters the hollow area, high refractive index (RI) layers, respectively, where the anti-resonant reflecting optical waveguide (ARROW) guiding mechanism and Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) are simultaneously excited. Taking advantage of the high RI layers of HCBF, compared to the fiber with uniform cladding, the light can be more confined in the cladding and more sensitive to inner surface medium. The inner surface of sensor is immobilized with cortisol aptamer for the sake of achieving high sensitivity and specific sensing of cortisol with the limit of detection (LOD) to be 4.303 pM. The proposed sensor has a compact structure, enables temperature compensation, and can be fabricated at low cost making it highly suitable for in-situ monitoring and high-precision sensing of cortisol and other biological analytes.
Diode-pumped efficient high-power cascade Tm:GdVO4 laser simultaneously operating at ∼2 μm and ∼2.3 μm
Authors: Yu Xiaoxu , Pan Zhongben , Chu Hongwei , Pan Han , Zhao Shengzhi , Li Dechun
Published: July 2023

The laser diode (LD)-pumped efficient high-power cascade Tm:GdVO4 laser simultaneously operating on the 3F4 → 3H6 (at ∼2 μm) and 3H4 → 3H5 (at ∼2.3 μm) Tm3+ transition was first reported in this paper. The cascade Tm:GdVO4 laser generated a maximum total continuous-wave (CW) laser output power of 8.42 W with a slope efficiency of 40%, out of which the maximum ∼2.3 μm CW laser output power was 2.88 W with a slope efficiency of 14%. To our knowledge, 2.88 W is the highest CW laser output power amongst the LD-CW-pumped ∼2.3 μm Tm3+-doped lasers reported so far.
High-precision calculation and experiments on the thermal blooming of high-energy lasers
Authors: Zhang Qi , Hu Qili , Wang Hongyan , Hu Ming , Xu Xingyu , Wu Jingjing , Hu Lifa
Published: July 2023

Thermal blooming (TB) is one of the important factors affecting the quality of high-energy laser beams. Reasonable simulation of thermal blooming is important to the application of a high-energy laser. However, reported investigations on TB simulation are mainly based on one method, such as the perturbation method or the phase screen method, which often leads to obvious errors in some conditions. In the paper, the reasonable ranges of optical generalized distortion parameters for both methods are determined based on the reported experimental data, which solves the problem of accurate TB simulations for the first time. In addition, the dynamic effect of thermal blooming is also calculated. Finally, the formula method is presented to extract the phase of thermal blooming distortion. We then use LC-SLM (Liquid crystal spatial light modulator) to emulate thermal blooming effect in the lab. The experimental results are more consistent with the numerical simulation results than conventional phase extraction methods. Our work provides a quantitatively and programmable way to accurately simulate TB with LC-SLM in the lab.
Dynamic curvature sensing using time expanded ΦOTDR
Authors: Escobar-Vera Camilo , Soriano-Amat Miguel , Martins Hugo F. , Barrera David , Martin-Lopez Sonia , Gonzalez-Herraez Miguel , Fernández-Ruiz María R.
Published: July 2023

Shape sensing can be accomplished using optical fiber sensors through different interrogation principles such as fiber Bragg gratings, optical frequency-domain reflectometry (OFDR), or optical time-domain reflectometry (OTDR). These techniques are either not entirely distributed, have poor performance in dynamic sensing, or are only valid for few-meter-long fibers. Here, we present a system able to perform distributed curvature sensing with a range of 125 m, 10-cm resolution, and a sampling rate of 50 Hz. This is done by interrogating three cores of a multi-core fiber (MCF) with the novel, to the best of our knowledge, time-expanded phase-sensitive (TE-Φ)OTDR technique. This system fills a performance gap in fiber shape sensors, opening the door to applications in civil engineering, medicine, or seismology.
Bi co-doping for improving the ionizing radiation resistance of Er-doped fibers
Authors: Li Lingyue , Wen Jianxiang , Chen Zirui , Luo Yanhua , Zhang Xiaobei , Pang Fufei , Peng Gangding , Wang Tingyun
Published: July 2023

Three Er-doped fibers (EDFs) with different concentrations of Bi ions doping were fabricated by atomic layer deposition combined with modified chemical vapor deposition. The radiation-induced absorption (RIA) could be dramatically weakened by co-doping Bi. Especially, the RIA of Bi/Er co-doped fiber (BEDF) at 1300 nm was 56.0% lower than that of EDF after a 1500 Gy irradiation treatment. With the increase of the irradiation dose, the fluorescence intensity and lifetime of EDF decreased continuously, while BEDF showed a trend, increasing first and then decreasing, and changed little before and after irradiation. The gain characteristics and laser threshold power of BEDF are less varied than those of EDF before and after irradiation. In addition, an irradiation simulation model of EDF and BEDF fiber was established through GEANT4 simulation toolkit and found that Bi ions are more likely to absorb gamma rays, thereby reducing the impact of irradiation on Er ions in BEDF. These results indicate that Bi co-doped EDF has significant performance improvements in radiation resistance, making it ideal for applications in harsh radiation environments.