bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sentiment Analysis-Based Method to Prevent Cyber Bullying
Authors: Ciaburro Giuseppe , Iannace Gino , Puyana-Romero Virginia
Published: July 2022

Cyberbullying is spreading in social networks frequented by young people. Its rapid spread is due to a series of specific preconditions due to the nature of the context within which the cyberbully finds himself operating. Anonymity, the absence of space-time limits, and the lack of responsibility of the individual are the strengths on which the actions of bullies are based. Automatically identifying acts of cyberbullying and social networks can help in setting up support policies for victims. In this study a method based on sentiment analysis is proposed with the use of recurrent neural networks for the prevention of cyberbullying acts in social networks.
Analysis and FP-Growth Algorithm Design on Discount Data of Department Store Members
Authors: Xu Jianghong , Jiang Cherry , Qu Yezun , Zhong Wenting , Gan Zhiwang
Published: July 2022

This paper mainly studies the discount data of department store members. The researsh shows that the total supply of discounted goods and the number of reward points issued have the most significant relationship with customer activation rate, the increase of discount rate and coverage scale would increase the activation rate of inactive members and invalid members. The increase of the score rate may have a stronger incentive effect on active members, but it has no obvious incentive effect on inactive and ineffective members. In addition, by integrating the commodity records of each purchase, and analyzing association rules, commodity combinations with associated consumption relationships are obtained, and the analysis model of commodity portfolio association rules is established. This paper is mainly based on the data of the member information, the sale water meter, the member consumption detailed list, the merchandise information table, through the data processing and analysis, rejects the abnormal data, prepares for the following processing. By analyzing the characteristics of member consumption and the difference between member and non-member consumption, we can provide marketing suggestions for the store manager FP-growth Algorithm is designed to evaluate the purchasing power of members based on their gender, length of membership, age and consumption frequency, and each parameter of the model is explained, so as to improve the management level of the shopping mall. On this basis, Suggestions for promotional activities in shopping malls are given.
New Principle of Fault Data Synchronization for Intelligent Protection Based on Wavelet Analysis
Authors: Wang Zuowei , Zhang Hong , Liu Dongchao , E. Shiping , Zhang Kanjun , Li Haitao , Li Hengxuan , Chen Zhigang
Published: July 2022

In order to eliminate the influence of the delay error of the sampled value in the data link on the longitudinal differential protection device, this paper proposes a protection data self-healing synchronization algorithm based on wavelet transform to calculate the moment of sudden change. First, calculate the mutation amount of the sampled data at each end in real time. When the mutation amount threshold is exceeded, it is determined that the multi-terminal system has a short-circuit fault. Then, according to the sudden change characteristics of the collected current waveform, the wavelet modulus maximum value is used to extract the fault sudden change time of each end data, based on the fault time at one terminal, the automatic compensation for the time differences between this terminal and others are realized, thus a new sampling sequence is formed. The resynchronized sampling sequences are used to calculate the differential current and braking current after fault to ensure the correct action of the protective device. Through theoretical analysis and simulations, the correctness and effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is verified; in addition, it is shown that this algorithm can improve the reliability of actions by the intelligent protection device, thus realizing protections such as multi-terminal differential, wide-area differential, etc.
Nakagami Parametric Imaging Based on the Multi-pyramid Coarse-to-Fine Bowman Iteration (MCB) Method
Authors: Li Sinan , Zhou Zhuhuang , Wu Shuicai
Published: July 2022

Nakagami-m parametric imaging has been used for imaging and detection of coagulation zone in microwave ablation. In order to improve the image smoothness and accuracy of coagulation zone detection, the multi-pyramid coarse-to-fine bowman iteration (MCB) method was proposed and compared with traditional moment-based estimator (MBE) method. Phantom simulations showed that the MCB method could obtain better image smoothness and higher accuracy in lateral target size detection than the MBE method. Experimental results of porcine liver ex vivo (n = 18) indicated that the m parameter obtained by the MCB method was more accurate than that obtained by the MBE method in detecting the coagulation zone. Nakagami-m parametric imaging based on MCB method can be used as a potential tool for microwave ablation monitoring.
The LVS parametric tadpole constraint
Authors: Gao Xin , Hebecker Arthur , Schreyer Simon , Venken Gerben
Published: July 2022

Abstract

The large volume scenario (LVS) for de Sitter compactifications of the type IIB string is, at least in principle, well protected from various unknown corrections. The reason is that, by construction, the Calabi-Yau volume is exponentially large. However, as has recently been emphasised, in practice the most explicit models are rather on the border of parametric control. We identify and quantify parametrically what we believe to be the main issue behind this difficulty. Namely, a large volume implies a shallow AdS minimum and hence a small uplift. The latter, if it relies on an anti-D3 in a throat, requires a large negative tadpole. As our main result, we provide a simple and explicit formula for what this tadpole has to be in order to control the most dangerous corrections. The fundamental ingredients are parameters specifying the desired quality of control. We comment on the interplay between our constraint and the tadpole conjecture. We also discuss directions for future work which could lead to LVS constructions satisfying the tadpole constraint with better control, as well as further challenges that may exist for the LVS. Our formula then represents a very concrete challenge for future searches for and the understanding of relevant geometries.
How to search for mirror stars with Gaia
Authors: Howe Aaron , Setford Jack , Curtin David , Matzner Christopher D.
Published: July 2022

Abstract

We show for the first time how to conduct a direct search for dark matter using Gaia observations. Its public astrometric data may contain the signals of mirror stars, exotic compact objects made of atomic dark matter with a tiny kinetic mixing between the dark and SM photon. Mirror stars capture small amounts of interstellar material in their cores, leading to characteristic optical/IR and X-ray emissions. We develop the detailed pipeline for conducting a mirror star search using data from Gaia and other stellar catalogues, and demonstrate our methodology by conducting a search for toy mirror stars with a simplified calculation of their optical/IR emissions over a wide range of mirror star and hidden sector parameters. We also obtain projected exclusion bounds on the abundance and properties of mirror stars if no candidates are found, demonstrating that Gaia is a new and uniquely powerful probe of atomic dark matter. Our study provides the blueprint for a realistic mirror star search that includes a more complete treatment of the captured interstellar gas in the future.
Charge-swapping Q-balls in a logarithmic potential and Affleck-Dine condensate fragmentation
Authors: Hou Si-Yuan , Saffin Paul M. , Xie Qi-Xin , Zhou Shuang-Yong
Published: July 2022

Abstract

We study charge-swapping Q-balls, a kind of composite Q-ball where positive and negative charges co-exist and swap with time, in models with a logarithmic potential that arises naturally in supersymmetric extensions of the Standard Model. We show that charge-swapping Q-balls can be copiously generated in the Affleck-Dine fragmentation process in the early universe. We find that the charge-swapping Q-balls with the logarithmic potential are extremely stable. By performing long time, parallelized lattice simulations with absorbing boundary conditions, we find that the lifetimes of such objects with low multipoles are at least 4.6 × 105/m in 3+1D and 2.5 × 107/m in 2+1D, where m is the mass scale of the scalar field. We also chart the attractor basin of the initial conditions to form these charge-swapping Q-balls.
Structural and functional comparison of magnesium transporters throughout evolution
Authors: Franken G. A. C. , Huynen M. A. , Martínez-Cruz L. A. , Bindels R. J. M. , de Baaij J. H. F.
Published: July 2022

Magnesium (Mg2+) is the most prevalent divalent intracellular cation. As co-factor in many enzymatic reactions, Mg2+ is essential for protein synthesis, energy production, and DNA stability. Disturbances in intracellular Mg2+ concentrations, therefore, unequivocally result in delayed cell growth and metabolic defects. To maintain physiological Mg2+ levels, all organisms rely on balanced Mg2+ influx and efflux via Mg2+ channels and transporters. This review compares the structure and the function of prokaryotic Mg2+ transporters and their eukaryotic counterparts. In prokaryotes, cellular Mg2+ homeostasis is orchestrated via the CorA, MgtA/B, MgtE, and CorB/C Mg2+ transporters. For CorA, MgtE, and CorB/C, the motifs that form the selectivity pore are conserved during evolution. These findings suggest that CNNM proteins, the vertebrate orthologues of CorB/C, also have Mg2+ transport capacity. Whereas CorA and CorB/C proteins share the gross quaternary structure and functional properties with their respective orthologues, the MgtE channel only shares the selectivity pore with SLC41 Na+/Mg2+ transporters. In eukaryotes, TRPM6 and TRPM7 Mg2+ channels provide an additional Mg2+ transport mechanism, consisting of a fusion of channel with a kinase. The unique features these TRP channels allow the integration of hormonal, cellular, and transcriptional regulatory pathways that determine their Mg2+ transport capacity. Our review demonstrates that understanding the structure and function of prokaryotic magnesiotropic proteins aids in our basic understanding of Mg2+ transport.
Measure Theoretic Entropy of Random Substitution Subshifts
Authors: Gohlke P. , Mitchell A. , Rust D. , Samuel T.
Published: July 2022

Subshifts of deterministic substitutions are ubiquitous objects in dynamical systems and aperiodic order (the mathematical theory of quasicrystals). Two of their most striking features are that they have low complexity (zero topological entropy) and are uniquely ergodic. Random substitutions are a generalisation of deterministic substitutions where the substituted image of a letter is determined by a Markov process. In stark contrast to their deterministic counterparts, subshifts of random substitutions often have positive topological entropy, and support uncountably many ergodic measures. The underlying Markov process singles out one of the ergodic measures, called the frequency measure. Here, we develop new techniques for computing and studying the entropy of these frequency measures. As an application of our results, we obtain closed form formulas for the entropy of frequency measures for a wide range of random substitution subshifts and show that in many cases there exists a frequency measure of maximal entropy. Further, for a class of random substitution subshifts, we prove that this measure is the unique measure of maximal entropy. These subshifts do not satisfy Bowen’s specification property or the weaker specification property of Climenhaga and Thompson and hence provide an interesting new class of intrinsically ergodic subshifts.
FEM–BEM coupling for the thermoelastic wave equation with transparent boundary conditions in 3D
Authors: Eberle Sarah
Published: July 2022

We consider the thermoelastic wave equation in three dimensions with transparent boundary conditions on a bounded, not necessarily convex domain. In order to solve this problem numerically, we introduce a coupling of the thermoelastic wave equation in the interior domain with time-dependent boundary integral equations. Here, we want to highlight that this type of problem differs from other wave-type problems that dealt with FEM–BEM coupling so far, e.g., the acoustic as well as the elastic wave equation, since our problem consists of coupled partial differential equations involving a vector-valued displacement field and a scalar-valued temperature field. This constitutes a nontrivial challenge which is solved in this paper. Our main focus is on a coercivity property of a Calderón operator for the thermoelastic wave equation in the Laplace domain, which is valid for all complex frequencies in a half-plane. Combining Laplace transform and energy techniques, this coercivity in the frequency domain is used to prove the stability of a fully discrete numerical method in the time domain. The considered numerical method couples finite elements and the leapfrog time-stepping in the interior with boundary elements and convolution quadrature on the boundary. Finally, we present error estimates for the semi- and full discretization.
Therapeutische Besonderheiten bei Erkrankungen der Mamillenhaut
Authors: Luu Thi Thanh Huong , Eichner Adina , Wohlrab Johannes
Published: July 2022

Die Mamillenregion ist durch besondere anatomische Verhältnisse charakterisiert und lässt sich aus dermatologischer Perspektive in Brusthaut, Haut des Brustwarzenhofes (Areola) und Haut der Brustwarze (Papilla mammae) unterteilen. Im klinischen Zusammenhang sind die Brustwarzen häufig während der Stillzeit durch mechanische Beanspruchung, Milieuänderung mit Mazeration durch den Milchfluss sowie durch mikrobielle Erreger alteriert. Zudem besteht hier die Gefahr der Entwicklung einer Mastitis puerperalis. Außerhalb der Schwangerschaft und Stillzeit finden sich gelegentlich an der Mamillenhaut Ekzemerkrankungen, häufig bei atopischer Disposition (atopisches Mamillenekzem) oder als irritatives Kontaktekzem („joggers nipple“). Seltener werden allergische Kontaktekzeme auf Konservierungsstoffe von Topika oder Metallen (Piercings) beobachtet. Auch im Rahmen einer Skabiesinfestation wird eine Beteiligung der Mamillen, insbesondere bei Frauen, regelmäßig beobachtet. Von großer klinischer Bedeutung sind seltene, präinvasive Läsionen eines Mammakarzinoms oder der Morbus Paget der Mamille vom extramammären Typ. Durch die besonderen anatomischen Gegebenheiten ist es naheliegend, dass bei der Anwendung von Topika sich auch spezifische Penetrationsbedingungen ableiten. Experimentelle Untersuchungen an Humanhaut ex vivo legen nahe, dass in Abhängigkeit von der Molmasse und der Löslichkeit des Arzneistoffs sowie des eingesetzten Vehikelsystems eine deutliche Zunahme der kutanen Bioverfügbarkeit, insbesondere an der Brustwarze selbst durch den transpapillären Diffusionsweg, auftreten kann. Dies sollte insbesondere bei der topischen Anwendung von Arzneistoffen mit bekanntem dosisabhängigem Nebenwirkungspotenzial (z. B. Glukokortikoiden) beachtet werden. Allerdings fehlt dafür bisher eine klinische Evidenz.
Arithmetic hip-knee-ankle angle and stressed hip-knee-ankle angle: equivalent methods for estimating constitutional lower limb alignment in kinematically aligned total knee arthroplasty
Authors: Tarassoli Payam , Wood Jil A. , Chen Darren B. , Griffiths-Jones Will , Bellemans Johan , MacDessi Samuel J.
Published: July 2022

Purpose

Kinematically aligned total knee arthroplasty (KA TKA) relies on precise determination of constitutional alignment to set resection targets. The arithmetic hip-knee-ankle angle (aHKA) is a radiographic method to estimate constitutional alignment following onset of arthritis. Intraoperatively, constitutional alignment may also be approximated using navigation-based angular measurements of deformity correction, termed the stressed HKA (sHKA). This study aimed to investigate the relationship between these methods of estimating constitutional alignment to better understand their utility in KA TKA.

Methods

A radiological and intraoperative computer-assisted navigation study was undertaken comparing measurements of the aHKA using radiographs and computed tomography (CT-aHKA) to the sHKA in 88 TKAs meeting the inclusion criteria. The primary outcome was the difference in the paired means between the three methods to determine constitutional alignment (aHKA, CT-aHKA, sHKA). Secondary outcomes included testing agreement across measurements using Bland-Altman plots and analysis of subgroup differences based on different patterns of compartmental arthritis.

Results

There were no statistically significant differences between any paired comparison or across groups (aHKA vs. sHKA: 0.1°, p = 0.817; aHKA vs. CT-aHKA: 0.3°, p = 0.643; CT-aHKA vs. sHKA: 0.2°, p = 0.722; ANOVA, p = 0.845). Bland-Altman plots were consistent with good agreement for all comparisons, with approximately 95% of values within limits of agreement. There was no difference in the three paired comparisons (aHKA, CT-aHKA, and sHKA) for knees with medial compartment arthritis. However, these findings were not replicated in knees with lateral compartment arthritis.

Conclusions

There was no significant difference between the arithmetic HKA (whether obtained using CT or radiographs) and the stressed HKA in this analysis. These findings further validate the preoperative arithmetic method and support use of the intraoperative stressed HKA as techniques to restore constitutional lower limb alignment in KA TKA.

Level of evidence

III.
Gastrocnemius release is an effective management option for Achilles tendinopathy: a systematic review
Authors: Arshad Zaki , Al Shdefat Sofyan , Iqbal Adil M. , Bhatia Maneesh
Published: July 2022

Purpose

This systematic review aims to summarise the outcomes of gastrocnemius release in the management of Achilles Tendinopathy.

Methods

A systematic review was performed according to PRISMA guidelines. A computer-based search was performed in PubMed, Embase, Cinahl, Scopus and ISI Web of Science. Two independent reviewers performed both title/abstract and full-text screening according to a-priori selection criteria. English-language original research studies reporting outcomes for gastrocnemius recession in patients with Achilles tendinopathy were included. Study quality and risk of bias were assessed using the MINORS criteria.

Results

Of the 229 articles identified following database searching, nine studies describing 145 cases of gastrocnemius recession were included in the review. Clinically important differences were reported across a range of validated patient reported outcome scores including VISA-A, FFI, FAAM and VAS pain score. Outcomes appear to be superior in patients with noninsertional Achilles tendinopathy, however further research is required to confirm this. Studies also reported an increase in ankle dorsiflexion range of motion and a good rate of return to sport/work. The overall complication rate was 10/123 (8.1%), with sural nerve injury being the most common complication, occurring in 5/123 (4.1%) of cases.

Conclusion

The results of this review suggest gastrocnemius release to be an effective treatment option in the management of patients with Achilles tendinopathy, who have gastrocnemius contracture and have previously failed to respond adequately to non-operative treatment.

Level of evidence

Level IV.
Alterations in the Microbiota of Caged Honeybees in the Presence of Nosema ceranae Infection and Related Changes in Functionality
Authors: Alberoni Daniele , Di Gioia Diana , Baffoni Loredana
Published: July 2022

Several studies have outlined that changes in the honeybee gut microbial composition may impair important metabolic functions supporting the honeybees’ life. Gut dysbiosis may be caused by diseases like Nosema ceranae or by other anthropic, environmental or experimental stressors. The present work contributes to increasing knowledge on the dynamics of the gut microbiome acquisition in caged honeybees, an experimental condition frequently adopted by researchers, with or without infection with N. ceranae, and fed with a bacterial mixture to control N. ceranae development. Changes of the gut microbiota were elucidated comparing microbial profile of caged and open-field reared honeybees. The absolute abundance of the major gut microbial taxa was studied with both NGS and qPCR approaches, whereas changes in the functionality were based on RAST annotations and manually curated. In general, all caged honeybees showed important changes in the gut microbiota, with $$\gamma$$
γ
-proteobacteria (Frischella, Gilliamella and Snodgrassella) lacking in all caged experimental groups. Caged honeybees infected with N. ceranae showed also a strong colonization of environmental taxa like Citrobacter, Cosenzaea and Morganella, as well as possibly pathogenic bacteria such as Serratia. The colonization of Serratia did not occur in presence of the bacterial mixture. The functionality prediction revealed that environmental bacteria or the supplemented bacterial mixture increased the metabolic potential of the honeybee gut microbiome compared to field and caged controls.
Functional, not Taxonomic, Composition of Soil Fungi Reestablishes to Pre-mining Initial State After 52 Years of Recultivation
Authors: Roy Julien , Reichel Rüdiger , Brüggemann Nicolas , Rillig Matthias C.
Published: July 2022

Open-cast mining leads to the loss of naturally developed soils and their ecosystem functions and services. Soil restoration after mining aims to restore the agricultural productivity in which the functions of the fungal community play a crucial role. Whether fungi reach a comparable functional state as in the soil before mining within half a century of recultivation is still unanswered. Here, we characterised the soil fungal community using ITS amplicon Illumina sequencing across a 52-year chronosequence of agricultural recultivation after open-cast mining in northern Europe. Both taxonomic and functional community composition showed profound shifts over time, which could be attributed to the changes in nutrient status, especially phosphorus availability. However, taxonomic composition did not reach the pre-mining state, whereas functional composition did. Importantly, we identified a positive development of arbuscular mycorrhizal root fungal symbionts after the initial three years of alfalfa cultivation, followed by a decline after conversion to conventional farming, with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi being replaced by soil saprobes. We conclude that appropriate agricultural management can steer the fungal community to its functional pre-mining state despite stochasticity in the reestablishment of soil fungal communities. Nonetheless, conventional agricultural management results in the loss of plant symbionts, favouring non-symbiotic fungi.
Endovascular Stenting in Superior Vena Cava Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Aung Eri Yin-Soe , Khan Maha , Williams Norman , Raja Usman , Hamady Mohamad
Published: July 2022

Purpose

Endovascular stenting has been used to manage superior vena cava syndrome for several decades and has become standard firstline practice. This study aims to investigate the outcomes of endovascular stenting in the management of superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS).

Methods

MEDLINE, EMBASE and PUBMED online databases were searched, with studies involving more than ten adult patients included. Studies identified spanned 27 years, from 1993 to 2020. Meta-analyses were performed based on Clopper–Pearson estimation.

Results

Fifty-four studies were identified, for a total of 2249 patients, of which 2015 had malignant SVCS and 222 benign SVCS. Pooled technical success and clinical success rates were 96.8% (95% CI 96.0–97.5%) and 92.8% (95% CI 91.7–93.8%). Technical success and clinical success rates for studies investigating benign SVCS alone were identical at 88.8% (95% CI 83.0–93.1%). Pooled patency remained above 90% for the first year. Average complication and re-intervention rates were 5.78% (SD = 9.3182) and 9.11% (SD = 11.190).

Conclusions

This review confirms the effectiveness of endovascular stenting in managing SVCS. Further directions of research may include specific outcomes of endovascular stenting in benign SVCS, and the impact of procedural characteristics, such as the use of anticoagulation and type of stent used, on outcomes.

Level of Evidence

Level III, systematic review of retrospective cohort studies.
Pediatric pineal region tumors: institutional experience of surgical managements with posterior interhemispheric transtentorial approach
Authors: Tomita Tadanori , Alden Tord D. , Dipatri Arthur J.
Published: July 2022

Purpose

Resecting pineal region tumors in children is often challenging. Several approaches have been proposed and practiced. A personal series of pediatric pineal region tumors resected through craniotomy with posterior interhemispheric occipital transtentorial (OT) approach are reviewed. We present the surgical techniques, pitfalls, and their results.

Material and methods

Eighty patients ranging in age from 3 months to 21 years old, and treated over 3 decades were reviewed. Hydrocephalus caused the main presenting symptoms and was noted in 74 patients. It was treated prior to the craniotomy for tumor resection with endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) in 33, external ventricular drainage in 26, and precraniotomy shunt in 15. Nine patients had ETV together with endoscopic biopsy. All patients had a parieto-occipital craniotomy in a prone position. Through a tentorial section, a gross total resection of the tumor was attempted except for germinomas.

Results

The tumor pathology showed 32 germ cell tumors (GCT), 22 benign astrocytomas, 13 pineal parenchymal tumors, 5 ATRTs, 3 papillary tumors, and 5 others. Of GCTs, 18 were teratomas. The extent of resection consisted of 55 gross total resections, 13 subtotal resections, 10 partial, and 2 biopsies with one postoperative death. Hemiparesis in 2, cerebellar ataxia in another 2, and hemiballismus in 1 were transient and improved over time. One had permanent hemisensory loss and another patient had bilateral oculomotor palsy. Postoperative homonymous hemianopia occurred in 2 patients but subsided over a short period of time. Parinaud’s sign was noted in 24 patients, of which 16 were transient.

Conclusion

The posterior interhemispheric OT approach provides a safe route and comfortable access to the pineal region in children. A great majority of postoperative neurological complications are the results of direct manipulations of the midbrain at tumor resection. Identification and preservation of the tumor-brain interface are of paramount importance. GCTs other than teratomas are treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and may eliminate the need for craniotomy. Exophytic midbrain JPAs are amenable to resection.
Cryo-EM structures of prion protein filaments from Gerstmann–Sträussler–Scheinker disease
Authors: Hallinan Grace I. , Ozcan Kadir A. , Hoq Md Rejaul , Cracco Laura , Vago Frank S. , Bharath Sakshibeedu R. , Li Daoyi , Jacobsen Max , Doud Emma H. , Mosley Amber L. , Fernandez Anllely , Garringer Holly J. , Jiang Wen , Ghetti Bernardino , Vidal Ruben
Published: July 2022

Prion protein (PrP) aggregation and formation of PrP amyloid (APrP) are central events in the pathogenesis of prion diseases. In the dominantly inherited prion protein amyloidosis known as Gerstmann–Sträussler–Scheinker (GSS) disease, plaques made of PrP amyloid are present throughout the brain. The c.593t > c mutation in the prion protein gene (PRNP) results in a phenylalanine to serine amino acid substitution at PrP residue 198 (F198S) and causes the most severe amyloidosis among GSS variants. It has been shown that neurodegeneration in this disease is associated with the presence of extracellular APrP plaques and neuronal intracytoplasmic Tau inclusions, that have been shown to contain paired helical filaments identical to those found in Alzheimer disease. Using cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM), we determined for the first time the structures of filaments of human APrP, isolated post-mortem from the brain of two symptomatic PRNP F198S mutation carriers. We report that in GSS (F198S) APrP filaments are composed of dimeric, trimeric and tetrameric left-handed protofilaments with their protomers sharing a common protein fold. The protomers in the cross-β spines consist of 62 amino acids and span from glycine 80 to phenylalanine 141, adopting a previously unseen spiral fold with a thicker outer layer and a thinner inner layer. Each protomer comprises nine short β-strands, with the β1 and β8 strands, as well as the β4 and β9 strands, forming a steric zipper. The data obtained by cryo-EM provide insights into the structural complexity of the PrP filament in a dominantly inherited human PrP amyloidosis. The novel findings highlight the urgency of extending our knowledge of the filaments' structures that may underlie distinct clinical and pathologic phenotypes of human neurodegenerative diseases.
Informed consent for suspension microlaryngoscopy: what should we tell the patient? A consensus statement of the European Laryngological Society
Authors: Dikkers Frederik G. , San Giorgi Michel R. M. , Rinkel Rico N. P. M. , Remacle Marc , Giovanni Antoine , Wierzbicka Małgorzata , Seedat Riaz , Campos Guillermo , Sandhu Guri S.
Published: July 2022

Introduction

Informed consent for any surgical intervention is necessary, as only well-informed patients can actively participate in the decision-making process about their care, and better understand the likely or potential outcomes of their treatment. No consensus exists on informed consent for suspension microlaryngoscopy (SML).

Materials and methods

Informed consent procedures in nine countries on five continents were studied.

Results

Several risks can be discerned: risks of SML as procedure, anesthesiologic risks of SML, specific risks of phonosurgery, risks of inadequate glottic exposure or unexpected findings, risks of not treating. SML has recognized potential complications, that can be divided in temporary (minor) complications, and lasting (major) complications.

Conclusion

SML is a safe procedure with low morbidity, and virtually no mortality. Eleven recommendations are provided.
Density of TMEM119-positive microglial cells in postmortem cerebrospinal fluid as a surrogate marker for assessing complex neuropathological processes in the CNS
Authors: Bohnert Simone , Trella Stefanie , Preiß Ulrich , Heinsen Helmut , Bohnert Michael , Zwirner Johann , Tremblay Marie-Ève , Monoranu Camelia-Maria , Ondruschka Benjamin
Published: July 2022

Routine coronal paraffin-sections through the dorsal frontal and parieto-occipital cortex of a total of sixty cases with divergent causes of death were immunohistochemically (IHC) stained with an antibody against TMEM119. Samples of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of the same cases were collected by suboccipital needle-puncture, subjected to centrifugation and processed as cytospin preparations stained with TMEM119. Both, cytospin preparations and sections were subjected to computer-assisted density measurements. The density of microglial TMEM119-positive cortical profiles correlated with that of cytospin results and with the density of TMEM119-positive microglial profiles in the medullary layer. There was no statistically significant correlation between the density of medullary TMEM119-positive profiles and the cytospin data. Cortical microglial cells were primarily encountered in supragranular layers I, II, and IIIa and in infragranular layers V and VI, the region of U-fibers and in circumscribed foci or spread in a diffuse manner and high density over the white matter. We have evidence that cortical microglia directly migrate into CSF without using the glympathic pathway. Microglia in the medullary layer shows a strong affinity to the adventitia of deep vessels in the myelin layer. Selected rapidly fatal cases including myocardial infarcts and drowning let us conclude that microglia in cortex and myelin layer can react rapidly and its reaction and migration is subject to pre-existing external and internal factors. Cytospin preparations proved to be a simple tool to analyze and assess complex changes in the CNS after rapid fatal damage. There is no statistically significant correlation between cytospin and postmortem interval. Therefore, the quantitative analyses of postmortem cytospins obviously reflect the neuropathology of the complete central nervous system. Cytospins provide forensic pathologists a rather simple and easy to perform method for the global assessment of CNS affliction.
Occupational exposure to particles and biomarkers of cardiovascular disease—during work and after vacation
Authors: Grahn Karin , Broberg Karin , Gustavsson Per , Ljungman Petter , Lindfors Petra , Sjöström Mattias , Wiebert Pernilla , Selander Jenny
Published: July 2022

Objective

Ambient particle matter is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, little is known about associations between particles in occupational settings and risk of CVD. We investigated associations between occupational dust exposure and biomarkers of CVD, and potential recovery effects after vacation.

Methods

Personal dust exposure measurements (respirable silica, respirable dust < 4 µm, and particles of 0.1–10 µm (PM 0.1–10) were conducted once, and biological sampling were performed twice on non-smoking, male construction workers in Stockholm county, Sweden; during work and immediately after summer vacation. Linear regressions with adjustments for confounders and covariates were performed evaluating associations between occupational dust exposure and biomarkers. Paired t tests were performed evaluating changes before and after vacation.

Results

Sixty-five workers participated. Homocysteine concentrations were significantly higher with increasing concentrations (mg/m3) of respirable silica, respirable dust, and PM 0.1–10, and pulse rate with higher levels of respirable dust and dust of PM 0.1–10. Homocysteine levels were also positively correlated to number of years of dust exposure, as were low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels. A clear recovery effect was present for LDL after vacation, but not for homocysteine.

Conclusions

Occupational dust exposure was associated with some CVD risk markers, even at mean exposure concentrations below the Swedish occupational exposure limits for respirable silica and respirable dust, respectively. Vacation resulted in recovery for some risk markers. However, the change of the homocysteine and LDL levels suggest a long-term effect. Reduction of occupational exposure to dust may decrease the risk of CVD among exposed workers.
Nurses’ knowledge of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia and its management: a cross-sectional survey
Authors: Al Qadire Mohammad , Ballad Cherry Ann C. , Aljezawi Ma’en , Al Omari Omar , Alaloul Fawwaz , Musa Ahmad , Al Sabei Sulaiman , Khalaf Atika
Published: July 2022

Background

Chemotherapy-induced neutropenia (CIN) is a serious and potentially life-threatening condition that is associated with high morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs.

Objective

This study aims to assess nurses’ level of knowledge of CIN and its association with socio-demographic factors.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey design was used. Results: Participants had a mean age of 34.1 years (SD = 7.1 years) and were predominantly female (78%) and with a bachelor’s degree in nursing (95.6%). The nurses had a moderate level of knowledge about neutropenia and its management (mean total score 16.3 out of 30, SD = 3.7). Those who had a post-graduate degree (P = .048), had received an oncology educational course (P = .011), had attended a course on neutropenia (P = .007), who were working in an oncology unit (P = .002), and had more oncology experience (P = 001) were more likely to have a higher level of knowledge of CIN and its management compared to their other counterparts.

Conclusion

Based on the findings of a moderate level of knowledge of CIN among nurses, the findings call for the need for further education and training. As a long-term plan, this might be accomplished by encouraging nurses to pursue post-graduate education or oncology-specialized certification and supporting them with scholarship grants. However, deliberate plans for short courses, training and workshops on oncology or CIN are other choices with a more immediate impact on nurses’ knowledge and clinical practice. Finally, integrating oncology nursing education within nursing curricula is urgently needed.
The sum of its parts: Analysis of federated byzantine agreement systems
Authors: Florian Martin , Henningsen Sebastian , Ndolo Charmaine , Scheuermann Björn
Published: July 2022

Federated Byzantine Agreement Systems (FBASs) are a fascinating new paradigm in the context of consensus protocols. Originally proposed for powering the Stellar payment network, FBASs can instantiate Byzantine quorum systems without requiring out-of-band agreement on a common set of validators; every node is free to decide for itself with whom it requires agreement. Sybil-resistant and yet energy-efficient consensus protocols can therefore be built upon FBASs, and the “decentrality” possible with the FBAS paradigm might be sufficient to reduce the use of environmentally unsustainable proof-of-work protocols. In this paper, we first demonstrate how the robustness of individual FBASs can be determined, by precisely determining their safety and liveness buffers and therefore enabling a comparison with threshold-based quorum systems. Using simulations and example node configuration strategies, we then empirically investigate the hypothesis that while FBASs can be bootstrapped in a bottom-up fashion from individual preferences, strategic considerations should additionally be applied by node operators in order to arrive at FBASs that are robust and amenable to monitoring. Finally, we investigate the reported “open-membership” property of FBASs. We observe that an often small group of nodes is exclusively relevant for determining liveness buffers and prove that membership in this top tier is conditional on the approval by current top tier nodes if maintaining safety is a core requirement.
Spezifische Aspekte der therapeutischen Haltung bei Patient*innen mit Krebserkrankungen
Authors: Karger André
Published: July 2022

Anhand zweier Fallberichte (Yalom, Norton) über Erfahrungen im Umgang mit Patient*innen, die an Krebs in fortgeschrittenem Stadium erkrankt sind, wird der Unterschied zweier Prozessmomente der psychoonkologischen Arbeit herausgestellt: das supportive Behandeln, welches die Patient*innen in der ressourcenorientierten Bewältigung unterstützt, und das beziehungsorientierte Begleiten, welches eine mutuelle regressive Beziehung ermöglicht und mit dieser arbeitet. Diese Art der Beziehung soll vor allem Angst vor Objektverlust mindern und geht mit besonderen therapeutischen Herausforderungen (und Anforderungen) einher. Diese Herausforderungen benötigen unbedingt mehr Aufmerksamkeit in der psychotherapeutischen Aus- und Weiterbildung und Supervision.
Thirty-second sit-to-stand test as an alternative for estimating peak oxygen uptake and 6-min walking distance in women with breast cancer: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Díaz-Balboa Estíbaliz , González-Salvado Violeta , Rodríguez-Romero Beatriz , Martínez-Monzonís Amparo , Pedreira-Pérez Milagros , Cuesta-Vargas Antonio I. , López-López Rafael , González-Juanatey José R. , Pena-Gil Carlos
Published: July 2022

Purpose

To determine whether the 30-s sit-to-stand (30STS) test can be a valid tool for estimating and stratifying peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) and 6-min walking distance (6MWD) in women with breast cancer.

Methods

This cross-sectional study uses data from the ONCORE randomized controlled trial, including 120 women aged 18–70 years with early-stage breast cancer under treatment with anthracycline and/or anti-HER2 antibodies. Participant characteristics were collected at baseline and pooled data from functional assessment (30STS test, relative and absolute VO2peak, and 6MWD) were collected at baseline and post-intervention (comprehensive cardio-oncology rehabilitation program vs. usual care). Bivariate correlations and multivariate linear regression analyses were performed to study the relationship between functional test variables.

Results

The number of repetitions in the 30STS test showed (i) a moderate correlation with relative VO2peak (ml/kg/min) (r = 0.419; p < 0.001; n = 126), (ii) a weak correlation with absolute VO2peak (ml/min) (r = 0.241; p = 0.008; n = 120), and (iii) a moderate correlation with the 6MWD (r = 0.440; p < 0.001; n = 85). The ONCORE equations obtained from the multivariate regression models allowed the estimation of VO2peak and 6MWD (r2 = 0.390; r2 = 0.261, respectively) based on the 30STS test, and its stratification into tertiles (low, moderate, and high).

Conclusion

The 30STS test was found to be a useful tool to estimate VO2peak and/or 6MWD in women with early-stage breast cancer. Its use may facilitate the assessment and stratification of functional capacity in this population for the implementation of therapeutic exercise programs if cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) or 6MWT are not available.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03964142. Registered on 28 May 2019. Retrospectively registered. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03964142
Rigidity and almost rigidity of Sobolev inequalities on compact spaces with lower Ricci curvature bounds
Authors: Nobili Francesco , Violo Ivan Yuri
Published: July 2022

We prove that ifMis a closedn-dimensional Riemannian manifold,$$n \ge 3$$n≥3, with$$\mathrm{Ric}\ge n-1$$Ric≥n-1and for which the optimal constant in the critical Sobolev inequality equals the one of then-dimensional sphere$$\mathbb {S}^n$$Sn, thenMis isometric to$$\mathbb {S}^n$$Sn. An almost-rigidity result is also established, saying that if equality is almost achieved, thenMis close in the measure Gromov–Hausdorff sense to a spherical suspension. These statements are obtained in the$$\mathrm {RCD}$$RCD-setting of (possibly non-smooth) metric measure spaces satisfying synthetic lower Ricci curvature bounds. An independent result of our analysis is the characterization of the best constant in the Sobolev inequality on any compact$$\mathrm {CD}$$CDspace, extending to the non-smooth setting a classical result by Aubin. Our arguments are based on a new concentration compactness result for mGH-converging sequences of$$\mathrm {RCD}$$RCDspaces and on a Pólya–Szegő inequality of Euclidean-type in$$\mathrm {CD}$$CDspaces. As an application of the technical tools developed we prove both an existence result for the Yamabe equation and the continuity of the generalized Yamabe constant under measure Gromov–Hausdorff convergence, in the$$\mathrm {RCD}$$RCD-setting.
Stress transmission in entangled granular structures
Authors: Karapiperis K. , Monfared S. , Macedo R. Buarque de , Richardson S. , Andrade J. E.
Published: July 2022

We study the transmission of compressive and tensile stresses, and the development of stress - induced anisotropy in entangled granular structures composed of nonconvex S-shaped hooks and staples. Utilizing discrete element simulations, we find that these systems exhibit fundamentally different behavior compared to standard convex particle systems, including the ability to entangle which contributes to a lower jamming packing fraction and facilitates the transmission of tensile stresses. We present direct evidence of tensile stress chains, and show that these chains are generally sparser, shorter and shorter-lived than the compressive chains found in convex particle packings. We finally study the probability distribution, angular density and anisotropic spatial correlation of the minor (compressive) and major (tensile) particle stresses. The insight gained for these systems can help the design of reconfigurable and recyclable granular structures capable of bearing considerable loads, without any need for reinforcement.

Graphical abstract
Micro-Raman spectroscopy study of blood samples from myocardial infarction patients
Authors: John Reena V. , Devasia Tom , N. Mithun , Lukose Jijo , Chidangil Santhosh
Published: July 2022

Acute myocardial infarction (MI) is found to be a major causative factor for global mortality and morbidity. This situation demands necessity of developing efficient and rapid diagnostic tools to detect acute MI. Raman spectroscopy is a non-destructive optical diagnostic technique, which has high potential in probing biochemical changes in clinical samples during initiation and progress of diseases. In this work, blood was taken as the sample to examine inflammation in acute MI patients using Raman spectroscopy. Ratio of Raman peak intensities that corresponds to phenylalanine (1000 cm−1) and tyrosine (825 cm−1) can facilitate indirect information about tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) availability, which can indicate inflammatory status in patients. This ratio obtained was higher for MI patients in comparison with control subjects. The decrease in phenylalanine and tyrosine ratio (Phe-Tyr ratio) is attributed to the prognosis of standard of care (medications like antiplatelets including aspirin, statin and revascularisation) leading to inflammation reduction. Phe-Tyr ratio estimated from the Raman spectra of blood can be exploited as a reliable method to probe inflammation due to MI. The method is highly objective, require only microliters of sample and minimal sample preparation, signifying its clinical utility.
Two dimensional neighborhoods of elliptic curves: analytic classification in the torsion case
Authors: Loray Frank , Touzet Frédéric , Voronin Sergei M.
Published: July 2022

We investigate the analytic classification of two dimensional neighborhoods of an elliptic curve with torsion normal bundle. We provide the complete analytic classification for those neighborhoods in the simplest formal class and we indicate how to generalize this construction to general torsion case.
A state-of-the-art review on low-frequency nonlinear vibration isolation with electromagnetic mechanisms
Authors: Yan Bo , Yu Ning , Wu Chuanyu
Published: July 2022

Vibration isolation is one of the most efficient approaches to protecting host structures from harmful vibrations, especially in aerospace, mechanical, and architectural engineering, etc. Traditional linear vibration isolation is hard to meet the requirements of the loading capacity and isolation band simultaneously, which limits further engineering application, especially in the low-frequency range. In recent twenty years, the nonlinear vibration isolation technology has been widely investigated to broaden the vibration isolation band by exploiting beneficial nonlinearities. One of the most widely studied objects is the “three-spring” configured quasi-zero-stiffness (QZS) vibration isolator, which can realize the negative stiffness and high-static-low-dynamic stiffness (HSLDS) characteristics. The nonlinear vibration isolation with QZS can overcome the drawbacks of the linear one to achieve a better broadband vibration isolation performance. Due to the characteristics of fast response, strong stroke, nonlinearities, easy control, and low-cost, the nonlinear vibration with electromagnetic mechanisms has attracted attention. In this review, we focus on the basic theory, design methodology, nonlinear damping mechanism, and active control of electromagnetic QZS vibration isolators. Furthermore, we provide perspectives for further studies with electromagnetic devices to realize high-efficiency vibration isolation.