bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Novel genotypes of Coxiella burnetii circulating in rats in Yunnan Province, China
Authors: Fu Mengjiao , He Peisheng , OuYang Xuan , Yu Yonghui , Wen Bohai , Zhou Dongsheng , Xiong Xiaolu , Yuan Qinghong , Jiao Jun
Published: May 2022

Background

Coxiella burnetii(Cb) is the causative agent of the zoonotic disease Q fever which is distributed worldwide. Molecular typing of Cb strains is essential to find out the infectious source and prevent Q fever outbreaks, but there has been a lack of typing data for Cb strains in China. The aim of this study was to investigate the genotypes of Cb strains in wild rats in Yunnan Province, China.

Results

Eighty-six wild rats (Rattus flavipectus) were collected in Yunnan Province and 8 of the 86 liver samples from the wild rats were positive in Cb-specific quantitative PCR (qPCR). The Cb strains from the 8 rats were then typed into 3 genotypes using 10-spacer multispacer sequence typing (MST), and 2 of the 3 genotypes were recognized as novel ones. Moreover, the Cb strains in the wild rats were all identified as genotype 1 using 6-loci multilocus variable number of tandem repeat analysis (MLVA).

Conclusions

This is the first report of genotypic diversity of Cb strains from wild rats in China. Further studies are needed to explore the presence of more genotypes and to associate the genotypes circulating in the wildlife-livestock interaction with those causing human disease to further expand on the epidemiological aspects of the pathogen.
Reflections on the 2021 World Malaria Report and the future of malaria control
Authors: Monroe April , Williams Nana Aba , Ogoma Sheila , Karema Corine , Okumu Fredros
Published: May 2022

The World Malaria Report, released in December 2021, reflects the unique challenges currently facing the global malaria community. The report showed the devastating toll of malaria, with an estimated 627,000 people losing their lives to the disease in 2020. The improved methodological approach used for calculating cause of death for young children revealed a systematic underestimation of disease burden over the past two decades; and that Africa has an even greater malaria crisis than previously known. While countries were able to prevent the worst-case scenarios, the disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic revealed how weak health systems and inadequate financing can limit the capacity of the continent to address the malaria challenge. African countries also face a convergence of biological threats that could redefine malaria control, notably widespread pyrethroid resistance and emerging resistance to artemisinin. Despite these challenges, there is cause for optimism in lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, recent acceleration of cutting edge research and development, and new partnerships that encourage leadership from and ownership by affected countries. This article presents key insights from the 2021 World Malaria Report and reflections on the future trajectories: it was informed by an in-depth discussion with leading malaria experts from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI). The discussion took place during the 34th edition of the Ifakara Master Classes, held virtually on December 15th, 2021.
Possible role of negative human papillomavirus E6/E7 mRNA as a predictor of regression of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2 lesions in hr-HPV positive women
Authors: Bruno Maria Teresa , Cassaro Nazario , Vitale Salvatore Giovanni , Guaita Arianna , Boemi Sara
Published: May 2022

Background

The aim of this study was to evaluate the regression rate of CIN2 p16 positive lesions in women over 25 years of age and identify possible predictors of regression.

Methods

A total of 128 CIN2 p16 positive patients over 25 years old were considered. The women met the following inclusion criteria: HPV genotype 16, 18, 31, 33, 45 positive, HPV E6 / E7 mRNA test positive, without immune system pathologies, not pregnant and had completed at least two years of follow-up. At each follow-up examination patients were examined by colposcopy, HPV test, E6/E7mRNA, targeted biopsy and p16 protein detection. The final state after the two years of follow-up was classified as progression if the histology showed a CIN3, persistence if the lesion was a CIN2, regression if negative or LSIL. The predicted regression factors evaluated were: HPV E6/E7mRNA, protein p16.

Results

Overall, we had 35.1% (45 cases) of progression to CIN3, 41.4% (53 cases) of persistence and 23.4% (30 cases) of regression. The regression rate was higher in women with negative mRNA 92.8% (26/28), OR 312 (34.12–1798.76) p = 0.0001, while women with p16 negative had a regression of 22.6% (7/31), OR 0.94 (95% CI 0.36–2.46), p was not significant. We found no significant difference in regression between p16 positive (23.7%) and p16 negative (22.6%) CIN2 p16 lesions. p16 had a VPN of 22.6 (CI 95% 0.159–0.310), indicating that a p16 negative lesion does not exclude a CIN2 + .

Conclusions

We had a regression rate of 23.4%, which was low if we consider that in the literature the regression rates vary from 55 to 63%. The discrepancy in the results may indeed be explained by the fact that all lesions in our study were hr-HPV positive and belonged to “older women” reflecting a more "high-risk" population. As regression factors we studied p16 and HPV E6/E7 mRNA. The results of our study show that HPV mRNA, if negative, appears to be able to identify CIN2 lesions with a higher probability of regression and underlines how a p16 negative is not an indicator of regression.
Synthesis of new 2-(5-(5-nitrofuran-2-yl)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-ylimino)thiazolidin-4-one derivatives as anti-MRSA and anti-H. pylori agents
Authors: Tabei Arash , Ejtemaei Ramona , Mahboubi Arash , Saniee Parastoo , Foroumadi Alireza , Dehdari Alireza , Almasirad Ali
Published: May 2022

In this work, we have synthesized twenty five new 2-(5-(5-nitrofuran-2-yl)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-ylimino)thiazolidin-4-one derivatives bearing an aryl or heteroaryl methylene group on position 5 of thiazolidinone and evaluated their antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and -negative bacteria as well as three metronidazole resistant Helicobacter pylori strains. Most of the compounds were very potent towards tested Gram-positive bacteria and showed an antibacterial efficacy substantially greater than ampicillin as the reference drug. However, no effectiveness was observed for the Gram-negative microorganisms. The compounds 9, 20 and 29 exhibited strong antimicrobial activity against Helicobacter pylori strains (inhibition zone > 30 mm) in 100 μg/disc and (inhibition zone > 20 mm) in 50 μg/disc. Taking these findings together, it seems that these potent antibacterial derivatives could be considered as promising agents for developing new anti-infectious drugs against microorganisms resistant to currently available antibiotics.

Graphical Abstract
Estimating risk factor attributable burden – challenges and potential solutions when using the comparative risk assessment methodology
Authors: Plass Dietrich , Hilderink Henk , Lehtomäki Heli , Øverland Simon , Eikemo Terje A. , Lai Taavi , Gorasso Vanessa , Devleesschauwer Brecht
Published: May 2022

Background

Burden of disease analyses quantify population health and provide comprehensive overviews of the health status of countries or specific population groups. The comparative risk assessment (CRA) methodology is commonly used to estimate the share of the burden attributable to risk factors. The aim of this paper is to identify and address some selected important challenges associated with CRA, illustrated by examples, and to discuss ways to handle them. Further, the main challenges are addressed and finally, similarities and differences between CRA and health impact assessments (HIA) are discussed, as these concepts are sometimes referred to synonymously but have distinctly different applications.

Results

CRAs are very data demanding. One key element is the exposure-response relationship described e.g. by a mathematical function. Combining estimates to arrive at coherent functions is challenging due to the large variability in risk exposure definitions and data quality. Also, the uncertainty attached to this data is difficult to account for. Another key issue along the CRA-steps is to define a theoretical minimal risk exposure level for each risk factor. In some cases, this level is evident and self-explanatory (e.g., zero smoking), but often more difficult to define and justify (e.g., ideal consumption of whole grains). CRA combine all relevant information and allow to estimate population attributable fractions (PAFs) quantifying the proportion of disease burden attributable to exposure. Among many available formulae for PAFs, it is important to use the one that allows consistency between definitions, units of the exposure data, and the exposure response functions. When combined effects of different risk factors are of interest, the non-additive nature of PAFs and possible mediation effects need to be reflected. Further, as attributable burden is typically calculated based on current exposure and current health outcomes, the time dimensions of risk and outcomes may become inconsistent. Finally, the evidence of the association between exposure and outcome can be heterogeneous which needs to be considered when interpreting CRA results.

Conclusions

The methodological challenges make transparent reporting of input and process data in CRA a necessary prerequisite. The evidence for causality between included risk-outcome pairs has to be well established to inform public health practice.
Optimal design for a hybrid microgrid-hydrogen storage facility in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alturki Abdulaziz A.
Published: May 2022

Background

Sustainable development requires access to affordable, reliable, and efficient energy to lift billions of people out of poverty and improve their standard of living. The development of new and renewable forms of energy that emit less CO2 may not materialize quickly enough or at a price point that allows people to attain the standard of living they desire and deserve. As a result, a parallel path to sustainability must be developed that uses both renewable and clean carbon-based methods. Hybrid microgrids are promoted to solve various electrical and energy-related issues that incorporate renewable energy sources such as photovoltaics, wind, diesel generation, or a combination of these sources. Utilizing microgrids in electric power generation has several benefits including clean energy, increased grid stability, and reduced congestion. Despite these advantages, microgrids are not frequently deployed because of economic concerns. To address these financial concerns, it is necessary to explore the ideal configuration of microgrids based on the quantity, quality, and availability of sustainable energy sources used to install the microgrid and the optimal design of microgrid components. These considerations are reflected in net present value and levelized energy cost.

Methods

HOMER was used to simulate numerous system configurations and select the most feasible solution according to the net present value, levelizied cost of energy and hydrogen, operating cost, and renewable fraction. HOMER performed a repeated algorithm process to determine the most feasible system configuration and parameters with the least economic costs and highest benefits to achieve a practically feasible system configuration.

Results

This article aimed to construct a cost-effective microgrid system for Saudi Arabia's Yanbu city using five configurations using excess energy to generate hydrogen. The obtained results indicate that the optimal configuration for the specified area is a hybrid photovoltaic/wind/battery/generator/fuel cell/hydrogen electrolyzer microgrid with a net present value and levelized energy cost of $10.6 billion and $0.15/kWh.

Conclusion

With solar photovoltaic and wind generation costs declining, building electrolyzers in locations with excellent renewable resource conditions, such as Saudi Arabia, could become a low-cost hydrogen supply option, even when accounting for the transmission and distribution costs of transporting hydrogen from renewable resource locations to end-users. The optimum configuration can generate up to 32,132 tons of hydrogen per year (tH2/year), and 380,824 tons per year of CO2 emissions can be avoided.
Effects of magma-generation and migration on the expansion and contraction history of the Moon
Authors: U Kenyo , Hasumi Hiroki , Ogawa Masaki
Published: May 2022

Geological and geodetic observations of the Moon from spacecraft revealed that it expanded by a few km for the first several hundred million years and then contracted later. The period when the planet expanded most coincides with that when the mare volcanism of the Moon was active. Given the high initial temperature of the deep mantle inferred from the giant impact and mantle overturn hypotheses of the Moon, the observed early expansion is difficult to account for by thermal expansion only. To understand the observed radial change of the Moon, we numerically calculated the thermal evolution of a one-dimensional spherically symmetric mantle caused by transport of heat, mass, and incompatible heat-producing elements (HPEs) by migration of magma that is generated by internal heating. The mantle is assumed to be enriched in HPEs at its base in the initial condition. The calculated mantle expands for the first several hundred million years by melting of the deep mantle and upward migration of the generated magma to the uppermost mantle; the top of the partially molten region rises to the depth level of around 300 km, which is shallow enough to generate mare basalts of the Moon. The migrating magma, however, extracts HPEs from the deep interior, and the planet then contracts gradually by cooling and solidification of the partially molten mantle. We obtained a thermal history model that is consistent with the observed history of radial change of the Moon when the initial mid-mantle temperature $$T_{{\text{M}}} \approx 1600 \,{\text{K}}$$

T
M

≈
1600

K

and the initial ratio of the concentration of HPEs in the crust to that of the mantle $$F_{{{\text{crst}}}}^{*} \le 12$$

F

crst

∗

≤
12

. This model suggests that melting of the deep mantle and upward migration of the generated magma strongly affect the thermal history of the Moon. The model we developed here is a good starting point for constructing more realistic models of the thermal history of the Moon where the effects of heat and mass transport by mantle convection are also considered.

Graphical Abstract
Identification of marine magnetic anomalies based on the sliding window curve similarity method
Authors: Wang Mingming , Cao Jing , Li Jianlou , Liu Xianghong
Published: May 2022

Marine magnetic anomalies play an essential role in plate tectonics and geodynamics. The conventional method to identify marine magnetic anomalies is to visually compare synthetic and observed magnetic anomaly profiles, and there is usually no quantitative evaluation for the identification results. Therefore, we developed the sliding window curve similarity (SWCS) method to objectively identify marine magnetic anomalies and quantitatively evaluate the identification results. The synthetic model tests and practical applications show that the SWCS method is feasible and effective in identifying fast-spreading marine magnetic anomalies. The applications of the SWCS method show that the theoretical windows using combined polarity chrons can improve the accuracy of identification.

Graphical Abstract
Seizure classification with selected frequency bands and EEG montages: a Natural Language Processing approach
Authors: Wang Ziwei , Mengoni Paolo
Published: May 2022

Individualized treatment is crucial for epileptic patients with different types of seizures. The differences among patients impact the drug choice as well as the surgery procedure. With the advance in machine learning, automatic seizure detection can ease the manual time-consuming and labor-intensive procedure for diagnose seizure in the clinical setting. In this paper, we present an electroencephalography (EEG) frequency bands (sub-bands) and montages selection (sub-zones) method for classifier training that exploits Natural Language Processing from individual patients’ clinical report. The proposed approach is targeting for individualized treatment. We integrated the prior knowledge from patient’s reports into the classifier-building process, mimicking the authentic thinking process of experienced neurologist’s when diagnosing seizure using EEG. The keywords from clinical documents are mapped to the EEG data in terms of frequency bands and scalp EEG electrodes. The data of experiments are from the Temple University Hospital EEG seizure corpus, and the dataset is divided based on each group of patients with same seizure type and same recording electrode references. The classifier includes Random Forest, Support Vector Machine and Multi-Layer Perceptron. The classification performance indicates that competitive results can be achieve with a small portion of EEG the data. Using the sub-zones selection for Generalized Seizures (GNSZ) on all three electrodes, data are reduced by nearly 50% while the performance metrics remain at the same level with the whole frequency and zones. Moreover, when selecting by sub-zones and sub-bands together for GNSZ with Linked Ears reference, the data range reduced to 0.3% of whole range, and the performance deviates less than 3% from the results with whole range of data. Results show that using proposed approach may lead to more efficient implementations of the seizure classifier to be executed on power-efficient devices for long lasting real-time seizures detection.
Machine Learning Approach to Facilitate Knowledge Synthesis at the Intersection of Liver Cancer, Epidemiology, and Health Disparities Research
Authors: Hyams Travis C. , Luo Ling , Hair Brionna , Lee Kyubum , Lu Zhiyong , Seminara Daniela
Published: May 2022

PURPOSE

Liver cancer is a global challenge, and disparities exist across multiple domains and throughout the disease continuum. However, liver cancer's global epidemiology and etiology are shifting, and the literature is rapidly evolving, presenting a challenge to the synthesis of knowledge needed to identify areas of research needs and to develop research agendas focusing on disparities. Machine learning (ML) techniques can be used to semiautomate the literature review process and improve efficiency. In this study, we detail our approach and provide practical benchmarks for the development of a ML approach to classify literature and extract data at the intersection of three fields: liver cancer, health disparities, and epidemiology.

METHODS

We performed a six-phase process including: training (I), validating (II), confirming (III), and performing error analysis (IV) for a ML classifier. We then developed an extraction model (V) and applied it (VI) to the liver cancer literature identified through PubMed. We present precision, recall, F1, and accuracy metrics for the classifier and extraction models as appropriate for each phase of the process. We also provide the results for the application of our extraction model.

RESULTS

With limited training data, we achieved a high degree of accuracy for both our classifier and for the extraction model for liver cancer disparities research literature performed using epidemiologic methods. The disparities concept was the most challenging to accurately classify, and concepts that appeared infrequently in our data set were the most difficult to extract.

CONCLUSION

We provide a roadmap for using ML to classify and extract comprehensive information on multidisciplinary literature. Our technique can be adapted and modified for other cancers or diseases where disparities persist.
Where Are We Dying? Ethnic Differences in Place of Death Among New Zealanders Dying of Cancer
Authors: Gurney Jason Kevin , Stanley James , Koea Jonathan , Adler Jonathan , Atkinson June , Sarfati Diana
Published: May 2022

PURPOSE

Around a third of people with cancer will die outside of their preferred place of death, with substantial variation occurring between and within countries in terms of place of death. Here, we examine place of death within the New Zealand cancer context, with specific focus on differences between Indigenous Māori and other ethnic groups.

METHODS

Using national-level data, we identified all those who died in New Zealand between 2007 and 2018 of cancer (N = 107,373), stratified by ethnicity and cancer type, and linked these patients to national health and mortality records. We then described the crude and age-standardized proportions of cancer deaths by location separately by ethnic group, and conducted logistic regression to compare odds of death within a given location between ethnic groups.

RESULTS

After adjusting for age, sex, and deprivation, we found that Māori people with cancer are more likely to die in a private residence than Europeans (46% v 26%; odds ratio [OR] 2.45; 95% CI, 2.36 to 2.55), and also somewhat more likely to die in hospital (27% v 23%; OR 1.26; 95% CI, 1.21 to 1.32). Commensurately, Māori are less likely to die in either hospice inpatient unit (14% v 27%; OR 0.48; 95% CI, 0.45 to 0.51) or residential care (12% v 30%; OR 0.56; 95% CI, 0.52 to 0.59). Pacific patients generally follow the same pattern as Māori patients. These findings were largely repeated across cancer types, with some variation in the magnitude not overall pattern.

CONCLUSION

It remains unclear whether these differences reflect differences in preferences for place of death between ethnic groups, or whether they reflect differences in access to appropriate supportive care. Further research is required to examine these differences in greater detail.
Ταυτότητες και πρακτικές λόγου στη Φλώρινα στην περίοδο του Μεσοπολέμου (1922-1940)
Authors: Πουγαρίδης Στέφανος
Published: May 2022

Η παρούσα διατριβή ερευνά το ζήτημα της κατασκευής της εθνικής κοινότητας στην Επαρχία Φλώρινας, στην περίοδο του Μεσοπολέμου. Σκοπός μας είναι να μελετήσουμε πώς μέσα από τις σελίδες του τοπικού Τύπου οι τοπικές ελίτ αποπειρώνται να διαμορφώσουν την εθνική ταυτότητα των κοινωνικών υποκειμένων της Επαρχίας. Συγκεκριμένα, εστιαζόμαστε σε δύο έννοιες τις οποίες ενδιαφέρεται ζωηρά να διαμορφώσει η εθνική ιδεολογία, νοηματοδοτώντας τες με το επιθυμητό περιεχόμενο. Εξετάζουμε λοιπόν πώς κατασκευάζεται ο εθνικός χρόνος ο οποίος διακρίνεται σε παρελθόν και παρόν. Επίσης, το ερευνητικό μας ενδιαφέρον στρέφεται και στην κατασκευή της Επαρχίας ως εθνικού χώρου καθώς και στην παρουσίαση και διαμόρφωση των κοινωνικών υποκειμένων που κατοικούν σε αυτήν ως πολιτών του ελληνικού κράτους. Ο χρονικός ορίζοντας της έρευνας είναι ο Μεσοπόλεμος. Η περίοδος αυτή επιλέχθηκε με γνώμονα τις ιδεολογικές και κοινωνικές αλλαγές που συντελέστηκαν στην ελληνική επικράτεια και ειδικότερα στην Επαρχία λόγω των γενικότερων εξελίξεων στη Βαλκανική στις αρχές του 20ου αιώνα. Η διατριβή χωρίζεται σε τρία μέρη. Στο πρώτο μέρος παρουσιάζονται θεμελιώδη ζητήματα της διατριβής. Συγκεκριμένα, οριοθετείται το εννοιολογικό και μεθοδολογικό πλαίσιο μέσα στο οποίο διεξάγεται η έρευνα, καθορίζεται το περιεχόμενο με το οποίο νοηματοδοτείται στη διατριβή η έννοια του εθνικισμού, αποσαφηνίζεται η έννοια της εθνικής ταυτότητας ως σημαίνοντος που βρίσκεται σε μια διαδικασία συνεχούς αναδιαπραγμάτευσης και τεκμηριώνεται η συμβολή του Τύπου στην κατασκευή της εθνικής ταυτότητας. Ακόμα, διευκρινίζεται η ιστορική διαδρομή της ελληνικής εθνικής ιδεολογίας από τον 19ο αιώνα μέχρι και τον Μεσοπόλεμο, σε συνάρτηση με τα πολιτικά και κοινωνικά γεγονότα που καθόρισαν το περιεχόμενό της. Αντικείμενο πραγμάτευσης, επίσης, αποτελούν οι ιστορικές συνθήκες που διαμορφώθηκαν στη Μακεδονία μετά το 1922, σε συνδυασμό με τις προσπάθειες του εθνικού κράτους να ομογενοποιήσει παλιούς και νέους κατοίκους. Το πρώτο μέρος ολοκληρώνεται με την εστίαση στην ιστορική διαδρομή της Επαρχίας Φλώρινας, με έμφαση στην ανάδειξη των συνθηκών που επικρατούσαν σε αυτή κατά την ερευνώμενη περίοδο. Στο δεύτερο μέρος γίνεται η επεξεργασία του υλικού με βάση τις αρχές της Κριτικής Ανάλυσης Λόγου. Το μέρος αυτό της διατριβής απαρτίζεται από τρία κεφάλαια στα οποία αντιστοιχούν στους ισάριθμους στόχους της διατριβής. Στο έβδομο κεφάλαιο, ερευνάται η γλωσσική κατασκευή του παρελθόντος μέσα από τον Λόγο που παράχθηκε γύρω από τρία σημαντικά συμβάντα της ελληνικής ιστοριογραφίας∙ στο όγδοο κεφάλαιο αντικείμενο έρευνας αποτελεί η γλωσσική κατασκευή του παρόντος με εστίαση στον Λόγο που παράχθηκε με αφορμή κοινωνικά και πολιτικά γεγονότα τα οποία αξιολογήθηκαν ως σπουδαία για τη διαμόρφωση της ταυτότητας, στη συντυχία του Μεσοπολέμου. Τέλος, στο ένατο κεφάλαιο, αναλύονται οι γλωσσικές στρατηγικές παρουσίασης και κατασκευής της Επαρχίας και των κατοίκων της ως μελών της ελληνικής εθνικής συσσωμάτωσης. Στο τρίτο μέρος διεξάγεται η συζήτηση των πορισμάτων που αναδείχθηκαν από το ερευνητικό μέρος.
Technology solutions and online training in the care of Parkinson's disease and related movement disorders
Authors: Γάτσιος Δημήτριος
Published: May 2022

Η νόσος του Πάρκινσον (PD) είναι μια νευροεκφυλιστική νόσος που επηρεάζει περισσότερους από 10 εκατομμύρια ανθρώπους παγκοσμίως. Η νόσος του Πάρκινσον είναι προοδευτική, πράγμα που σημαίνει ότι τα συμπτώματα εμφανίζονται σταδιακά και σιγά-σιγά χειροτερεύουν. Η νόσος του Πάρκινσον αλλάζει τη ζωή των ασθενών, αλλά τις περισσότερες φορές δεν την απειλεί.Η επικοινωνία και η ανταλλαγή πληροφοριών μεταξύ ασθενούς-φροντιστή-ομάδας υγείας, καθώς και η κατανόηση της νόσου από τους εμπλεκόμενους είναι υψίστης σημασίας, καθώς μπορούν να επηρεάσουν θετικά την πορεία της και να βελτιώσουν την ποιότητα ζωής. Η ιατρική πληροφορική μπορεί να βοηθήσει πολύ σε αυτές τις πτυχές. Συγκεκριμένα, η ηλεκτρονική υγεία μπορεί να παρέχει μια αξιόπιστη και έγκυρη παρακολούθηση της κατάστασης και της προόδου της νόσου και να ενημερώνει τις αποφάσεις θεραπείας, ενώ η διαδικτυακή εκπαίδευση μπορεί να συμβάλει στην κατανόηση της νόσου και στην ικανότητα λήψης αποφάσεων των ασθενών και των φροντιστών σε όλα τα στάδια. Τα μαζικά ανοιχτά διαδικτυακά μαθήματα μπορούν επίσης να βελτιώσουν τη στάση, τις γνώσεις και τις δεξιότητες των επαγγελματιών που ασχολούνται με την ανακουφιστική φροντίδα.Αυτή η διατριβή συμβάλλει ουσιαστικά στην πρόοδο των συστημάτων ηλεκτρονικής υγείας για τη νόσο του Πάρκινσον διερευνώντας συστηματικά τους παράγοντες που επηρεάζουν τη συμμόρφωση στη χρήση τέτοιων συστημάτων στο κεφάλαιο 1. Προτείνουμε επίσης ένα νέο σύστημα υποστήριξης κλινικών αποφάσεων που βασίζεται σε ιατροτεχνολογικές συσκευές, εφαρμογές για κινητά και κλινικές οδηγίες για τη διάγνωση και τη διαχείριση της ασθένειας στο κεφάλαιο 2. Η διατριβή συμβάλλει επίσης στη βελτιωμένη παροχή περίθαλψης και φροντίδας στο τελευταίο στάδιο της νόσου του Πάρκινσον εισάγοντας στο κεφάλαιο 4 μια εργαλειοθήκη προγράμματος σπουδών που απευθύνεται σε όλους τους ενδιαφερόμενους λαμβάνοντας υπόψιν και τις απόψεις των Ελλήνων γιατρών (στο κεφάλαιο 3).
Study of the fission cross-section of 230Th at the CERN n_TOF facility
Authors: Μιχαλοπούλου-Πετροπούλου Βεατρίκη
Published: May 2022

Τα δεδομένα ενεργών διατομών για τις ακτινίδες παίζουν σημαντικό ρόλο στη μελέτη και το σχεδιασμό προηγμένων πυρηνικών συστημάτων παραγωγής ενέργειας και εναλλακτικών πυρηνικών κύκλων καυσίμων. Συγκεκριμένα, το 230Th συναντάται στον κύκλο του θορίου, όπου παράγεται από την αποδιέγερση του 234U. Για το λόγο αυτό απαιτείται η γνώση της ενεργού διατομή της αντίδρασης σχάσης 230Th(n,f). Μέχρι σήμερα, λίγα πειραματικά δεδομένα για την αντίδραση αυτή συναντώνται στη βιβλιογραφία, τα οποία καλύπτουν το ενεργειακό εύρος από 0.2 έως 25 MeV και παρουσιάζουν μεγάλες αποκλίσεις μεταξύ τους. Επίσης, η μελέτη των ενεργών διατομών αντιδράσεων σχάσης αποτελεί ένα μέσο για τη μελέτη της διαδικασίας της σχάσης και της δομής του δυναμικού της σχάσης. Όσο αναφορά τα ισότοπα του θορίου, παρουσιάζονται λεπτοί συντονισμοί στην περιοχή του κατωφλίου της σχάσης. Συγκεκριμένα, προηγούμενες μετρήσεις στην ενεργό διατομή σχάσης του 230Th έχουν αναδείξει ένα βασικό συντονισμό με ενέργεια Εn =715 keV με επιπλέον δομές, αλλά μεγάλες αποκλίσεις μεταξύ των υπάρχοντων πειραματικών ενεργών διατομών. Στόχος της παρούσας διδακτορικής διατριβής είναι η παροχή πειραματικών δεδομένων για την αντίδραση σχάσης του 230Th, καλύπτοντας το ενεργειακό εύρος από το κατώφλι της σχάσης μέχρι τα 400 MeV. Για το σκοπό αυτό πραγματοποιήθηκαν μετρήσεις στις πειραματικές περιοχές EAR-1 και EAR-2 της εγκατάστασης n_TOF στο CERN, με τη χρήση επτά στόχων υψηλής καθαρότητας του φυσικού και πολύ σπάνιου ισοτόπου 230Th, οι οποίοι κατασκευάστηκαν στο JRC-Geel στο Βέλγιο. Η πειραματική διάταξη βασίστηκε στους ανιχνευτές αερίου Micromegas, ενώ η αντίδραση 235U(n,f) χρησιμοποιήθηκε σαν αντίδραση αναφοράς. Η αναλυτική περιγραφή της πειραματικής διάταξης, της διαδικασίαςτης ανάλυσης των δεδομένων και των προσομοιώσεων Monte-Carlo που πραγματοποιήθηκαν ώστε να υπολογιστεί η ενεργός διατομή της αντίδρασης 230Th(n,f), καθώς και η θεωρητική μελέτη της αντίδρασης που υλοποιήθηκε με τον κώδικα EMPIRE, παρουσιάζονται στην παρούσα διδακτορική διατριβή.
Συμπεριφορά καταναλωτή στους δικτυακούς τόπους των επώνυμων ειδησεογραφικών μέσων (news media brands)
Authors: Ρίσκος Κυριάκος
Published: May 2022

Η ραγδαία ανάπτυξη του διαδικτύου έχει οδηγήσει την αγορά των ειδησεογραφικών μέσων να έρθει αντιμέτωπη με μια πρωτοφανή κατάσταση η οποία χαρακτηρίζεται από έντονο ανταγωνισμό καθιστώντας επιτακτική την ανάγκη των ειδησεογραφικών οργανισμών να διαφοροποιηθούν από τον ανταγωνισμό. Όπως συμβαίνει σε κάθε άλλη κατηγορία προϊόντων, ένα από τα βασικά εργαλεία διαφοροποίησης των ειδησεογραφικών μέσων ως προϊόντα, αποτελεί η ανάπτυξη και διαχείριση της επωνυμίας τους (news media branding). Η παρούσα διδακτορική διατριβή συνεισφέρει νέα γνώση σε αυτό το πεδίο, μελετώντας τους δικτυακούς τόπους των επώνυμων ειδησεογραφικών μέσων και αναπτύσσοντας ένα Δομικό Σχεσιακό Μοντέλο που περιγράφει τη διαδικασία κατανάλωσης για τρεις διαφορετικές κουλτούρες, την Ελλάδα τις ΗΠΑ και την Ινδία. Το Δομικό Σχεσιακό Μοντέλο πραγματεύεται την επίδραση των κινήτρων της κυρίαρχης τάσης στην πληροφορία, της παρέλευσης του χρόνου, της κοινωνικοποίησης και της ψυχαγωγίας στις έννοιες της ικανοποίησης του καταναλωτή και της καταναλωτικής εμπλοκής με το δικτυακό τόπο του επώνυμου ειδησεογραφικού μέσου. Παράλληλα, εξετάζεται η επίδραση της ικανοποίησης του καταναλωτή και της καταναλωτικής εμπλοκής στην πρόθεση αγοράς ειδησεογραφικού περιεχομένου επί πληρωμή. Τέλος, αναλύεται η επίδραση της έννοιας της διαπροσωπικής διαδραστικότητας στην ικανοποίηση του καταναλωτή, την καταναλωτική εμπλοκή και την πρόθεση αγοράς ειδησεογραφικού περιεχομένου επί πληρωμή. Μέσα από το Μοντέλο, αναδεικνύεται ο σημαίνων ρόλος της ψυχαγωγίας στην κατανάλωση των δικτυακών τόπων των επώνυμων ειδησεογραφικών μέσων. Το κίνητρο της ψυχαγωγίας επιδρά διαμεσολαβητικά στη σχέση μεταξύ των κινήτρων της κυρίαρχης τάσης στην πληροφορία, της παρέλευσης του χρόνου και της κοινωνικοποίησης και των εννοιών της ικανοποίησης του καταναλωτή και της καταναλωτικής εμπλοκής και για τις τρεις κουλτούρες ανάλυσης. Επιπλέον, τα αποτελέσματα της διδακτορικής διατριβής φανερώνουν πως η διαπροσωπική διαδραστικότητα i) επιδρά ρυθμιστικά κι ενισχυτικά στη σχέση μεταξύ του κινήτρου της ψυχαγωγίας και της ικανοποίησης που απολαμβάνει ο καταναλωτής από το δικτυακό τόπο του επώνυμου ειδησεογραφικού μέσου ii) επηρεάζει θετικά την πρόθεση αγοράς ειδησεογραφικού περιεχομένου επί πληρωμή και για τις τρεις χώρες. Αναγνωρίζοντας τη σημασία της καταναλωτικής εμπλοκής στο σύγχρονο επιχειρηματικό περιβάλλον, τα αποτελέσματα φανερώνουν πως η συγκεκριμένη έννοια επηρεάζει θετικά την πρόθεση αγοράς, ενώ παράλληλα λειτουργεί ως διαμεσολαβητικός παράγοντας μεταξύ της σχέσης της ικανοποίησης του καταναλωτή και της πρόθεσης αγοράς ειδησεογραφικού περιεχομένου επί πληρωμή. Τέλος, όσον αφορά τις διαφορές στη διαδικασία της κατανάλωσης μεταξύ διαφορετικών κουλτουρών, τα αποτελέσματα φανερώνουν πως υπάρχουν μικρές διαφορές οι οποίες οφείλονται κυρίως στη διάσταση της ατομικότητας-συλλογικότητας, στη διάσταση της αποφυγής της αβεβαιότητας και στην έλλειψη αξιοπιστίας που συναντάται στο ειδησεογραφικό περιβάλλον για την περίπτωση της Ελλάδας.
Plasma cell myeloma – therapeutic opportunities
Authors: Orzechowska Aleksandra , Widłak Karolina , Pawłowski Piotr , Ziętara Karolina , Orzechowska Julia
Published: May 2022

Introduction: Plasmocytic myeloma (PCM) is a neoplastic disease with a multistage course. Monoclonal plasmocytes undergo uncontrolled, multifocal growth in the bone marrow, which results in the production of monoclonal immunoglobulin or its fragments that damage the bone marrow.

Aim: The aim of this study is to present selected therapeutic possibilities of multiple myeloma.

Materials and methods: The work uses the method of non-systematic review and analysis of the available scientific literature. Databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, Arianta, Scopus, Web of Science were searched. The years 2005-2022 were assumed as the review period.

Discussion: Multiple myeloma accounts for 1-2% of all cancer cases, and 10-15% of all hematological cancers. It is the third most common lymphoid neoplasm after chronic lymphocytic leukemia and large B-cell lymphoma. The diagnosis of PCM requires the presence of a minimum of 10% clonal plasmocytes in the bone marrow or biopsy confirmed plasmocytoma. Moreover, the CRAB and SLiM CRAB criteria are also important. Treatment should be initiated in all symptomatic patients meeting the SLiM CRAB criteria. The first stage of treatment is to induce remission of the disease.  

Conclusions: Thanks to the progress of medicine, an increasing percentage of patients achieve permanent remissions. The success of the therapy is a component of the earliest possible detection of the disease and the use of appropriate, individually selected drugs.
Hypertension and the kidneys
Authors: De Bhailis Áine M , Kalra Philip A
Published: May 2022

Hypertension is a leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality globally. Hypertension and chronic kidney disease are closely intertwined conditions as hypertension can lead to deteriorating renal function and progressive chronic kidney disease can contribute to worsening hypertension.

In the setting of chronic kidney disease, the pathophysiology of hypertension is complex and involves the interplay of many factors including a reduced number of functioning nephrons, sodium retention and volume expansion, upregulation of the sympathetic nervous system, hormonal factors such as upregulation of the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system, and endothelial dysfunction. Poorly controlled hypertension can accelerate the progression to end-stage kidney disease.

This review discusses the pathophysiological mechanisms that contribute to hypertension, including sympathetic nervous system activity, the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system and the role of sodium. In the setting of chronic kidney disease, the relationship with hypertension and renovascular disease as a potential cause and target for therapeutic intervention is briefly reviewed. Finally, treatment options, targets and the long-term cardiovascular benefits of optimal blood pressure control are discussed.
Pancreatic adenocarcinoma: imaging techniques for diagnosis and management
Authors: Farrukh Jawaad , Balasubramaniam Ravivarma , James Anitha , Wadhwani Sharan S , Albazaz Raneem
Published: May 2022

Pancreatic cancer is a leading cause of death from cancer but only a minority of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas are eligible for curative resection. The increasing role of neoadjuvant therapy provides hope of improving outcomes. However, progress is also reliant on advances in imaging that can identify disease earlier and accurately assess treatment response. Computed tomography remains the cornerstone in evaluation of resectability, offering excellent spatial resolution. However, in high-risk patients, additional magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography-computed tomography may further guide treatment decisions. Conventional computed tomography can be limited in its ability to determine disease response after neoadjuvant therapy. Dual-energy computed tomography and computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging perfusion studies emerging as potentially better alternatives. Combined with pioneering advances in radiomic analysis, these modalities also show promise in analysing tumour heterogeneity and thereby more accurately predicting outcomes. This article reviews these imaging techniques.
Dairy cattle lameness: a roundtable discussion
Authors: Bell Nick , Bacon David , Craven Emily , Crowe Steve , Newsome Reuben , Oikonomou Georgios , Pedersen Sara , Reader Jon , Wilson James
Published: May 2022

Foreword

Lameness in dairy cattle is a high prevalence condition with significant negative impact on the welfare and economics of the dairy herd. Most lameness is attributable to four main conditions: sole bruising (also referred to as sole haemorrhage), sole ulcer, white line disease and digital dermatitis. Understanding of the pathogenesis of major claw horn diseases has undergone a transformation in the last 20 years, with a shift from a primary nutritional aetiology to a biomechanical one. This has led to significant research into factors relating to claw biomechanics and interventions targeting the inflammatory process. Even for infectious conditions, the benefit of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to cow welfare and recovery cannot be underrated. In this roundtable discussion, the panel explore the clinical relevance of the findings of research exploring biomechanics and managing inflammation.
Recentring Fair Trade in the movement for a just, inclusive and regenerative economy
Authors: Kiessel Amanda
Published: May 2022

From the 1970s to the 1990s, Fair Trade was at the front edge of an emerging new paradigm about the purpose of business and the meaning of economic success. The movement for a just, inclusive, and regenerative economy has continued to expand, but today’s young entrepreneurs and activists are more likely to enter through other communities like Buy Local campaigns, racial justice, worker ownership, platform co-operatives, B Corps, social enterprise, regenerative agriculture, zero waste or climate action. Social movements often happen in waves across multiple generations. As Fair Trade commodity certification has become increasingly mainstream, it can be seen as a first wave of the movement. It is a success that deserves to be celebrated, but on its own, it is difficult to sustain. The Fair Trade enterprise community has the potential to engage the next generation of mission-driven entrepreneurs and activists, speed up the next wave of the movement and lock in the success of the first.
Improving the influence of evidence in policy creation: an ethnographic study of the research-to-policy collaborative
Authors: Guillot-Wright Shannon , Oliver Kathryn
Published: May 2022

Background:

Despite the known need for empirical research-to-policy studies, little is known about the factors and conditions needed to support meaningful evidence use or how to intervene to promote quality evidence use.

Aims and objectives:

To study research-policy processes empirically and descriptively, we conducted an ethnography that focused on the impact of the Research-to-Policy Collaboration (RPC) on legislator and researcher evidence use or policy engagement, including whether and how researchers and policymakers created and sustained meaningful relationships.

Methods:

The ethnography included participant observation as well as pre- and post- semi-structured interviews from policymakers (n=17), researchers (n=23), and RPC staff (n=5). The team attended relevant events as well as observed the formal and informal ways research is used in policymaking.

Findings:

In the paper, we describe how 1) legislative priorities were identified; 2) networks were established and maintained; 3) trainings evolved over time; 4) relationships between RPC staff, congressional staff, and researchers were facilitated; and 5) RPC followed up with policymakers and researchers.

Discussion and conclusions:

We 1) describe the experiences of participants and whether involvement in the intervention changed attitudes or behaviours about evidence use in policy; 2) describe the RPC process in practice, and how it was implemented and evolved over time; and 3) better understand the conditions supporting evidence use in policymaking. We conclude with the value of the RPC as a resource to fill a niche within the evidence and policy space, as well as suggestions for future research-to-policy programmes and practices.
Quantifying the effects of anesthesia on intracellular oxygen via low-cost portable microscopy using dual-emissive nanoparticles
Authors: Rickard Ashlyn G. , Zhuang Meng , DeRosa Christopher A. , Dewhirst Mark W. , Fraser Cassandra L. , Palmer Gregory M.
Published: May 2022

Intracellular oxygenation is an important parameter for numerous biological studies. While there are a variety of methods available for acquiring in vivo measurements of oxygenation in animal models, most are dependent on indirect oxygen measurements, restraints, or anesthetization. A portable microscope system using a Raspberry Pi computer and Pi Camera was developed for attaching to murine dorsal window chambers. Dual-emissive boron nanoparticles were used as an oxygen-sensing probe while mice were imaged in awake and anesthetized states. The portable microscope system avoids altered in vivo measurements due to anesthesia or restraints while enabling increased continual acquisition durations.
Generation of Stokes singularities using polarization lateral shear interferometer
Authors: Arora Gauri , Senthilkumaran P.
Published: May 2022

Lateral shear interferometer, being a self-referenced interferometer, has proven to be an important tool in scalar optics. Here we employ a vectorial counterpart - polarization lateral shear interferometer, in which the two interfering beams apart from being derived from the test wavefront, are in orthogonal states of polarization. Therefore when the test wavefront has spatially varying phase gradient across the beam cross-section, the resulting shearogram produces polarization fringes instead of intensity fringes. Further, the shearogram becomes inhomogeneously polarized. This polarization lateral shear interferometer may have potential uses in metrology, but in this article we demonstrate the ability of the interferometer in the generation of all Stokes singularities in the single beam by launching a phase singular beam into it. It is found that a vortex dipole is formed along with other generic Stokes singularities. Experimental observations support the results and they are discussed in the article.
Polarization-dependent wideband metamaterial absorber for ultraviolet to near-infrared spectral range applications
Authors: Li Fangfang , Issah Ibrahim , Baah Marian , Amedalor Reuben , Quarshie Miriam , Bawuah Prince , Asamoah Benjamin O.
Published: May 2022

The need for wideband metamaterial absorbers (WBMA) for applications other than sensing and filtering has demanded modifications to the conventional three-layer metal-insulator-metal (MIM) absorber configuration. This modification often results in complex geometries and an increased number of layers requiring complex lithographic processes for fabrication. Here, we show that a metamaterial absorber with rectangular geometry in the simple MIM configuration can provide wideband absorption covering the ultraviolet and near-infrared spectral range. Due to its asymmetric nature, the WBMA is sensitive to the polarization of the incident light and independent of the angle of incidence up to about 45° depending on the polarization of the incident light. The characteristics of the WBMA presented here may be useful for applications such as detectors for wide spectral band applications.
Ion implantation of tunnel junction as a method for defining the aperture of III-nitride-based micro-light-emitting diodes
Authors: Slawinska J. , Muziol G. , Siekacz M. , Turski H. , Hajdel M. , Zak M. , Feduniewicz-Zmuda A. , Staszczak G. , Skierbiszewski C.
Published: May 2022

We report on III-nitride-based micro-light-emitting diodes (µLEDs) operating at 450 nm wavelength with diameters down to 2 µm. Devices with a standard LED structure followed by a tunnel junction were grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. The emission size of µLEDs was defined by shallow He+ implantation of the tunnel junction region. The ion implantation process allows to create flat devices, applicable to further epitaxial regrowth. The shift of current density for the maximum external quantum efficiency as a function of µLEDs diameter was observed. This effect may be a fingerprint of the change in the external efficiency related to the lateral carrier diffusion (limited by holes) in InGaN quantum wells.
Data transmission with up to 100 orbital angular momentum modes via commercial multi-mode fiber and parallel neural networks
Authors: Feng Fu , Gan Jia-An , Nong Jingpeng , Chen Peng-Fei , Chen Guangyong , Min Changjun , Yuan Xiaocong , Somekh Michael
Published: May 2022

This work presents an artificial intelligence enhanced orbital angular momentum (OAM) data transmission system. This system enables encoded data retrieval from speckle patterns generated by an incident beam carrying different topological charges (TCs) at the distal end of a multi-mode fiber. An appropriately trained network is shown to support up to 100 different fractional TCs in parallel with TC intervals as small as 0.01, thus overcoming the problems with previous methods that only supported a few modes and could not use small TC intervals. Additionally, an approach using multiple parallel neural networks is proposed that can increase the system’s channel capacity without increasing individual network complexity. When compared with a single network, multiple parallel networks can achieve the better performance with reduced training data requirements, which is beneficial in saving computational capacity while also expanding the network bandwidth. Finally, we demonstrate high-fidelity image transmission using a 16-bit system and four parallel 14-bit systems via OAM mode multiplexing through a 1-km-long commercial multi-mode fiber (MMF).
Time-overlapping structured-light projection: high performance on 3D shape measurement for complex dynamic scenes
Authors: Wu Zhoujie , Guo Wenbo , Zhang Qican , Wang Haoran , Li Xunren , Chen Zhengdong
Published: May 2022

High-speed three-dimensional (3D) shape measurement has been continuously researched due to the demand for analyzing dynamic behavior in transient scenes. In this work, a time-overlapping structured-light 3D shape measuring technique is proposed to realize high-speed and high-performance measurement on complex dynamic scenes. Time-overlapping structured-light projection is presented to maximumly reduce the information redundancy in temporal sequences and improve the measuring efficiency; generalized tripartite phase unwrapping (Tri-PU) is used to ensure the measuring robustness; fringe period extension is achieved by improving overlapping rate to further double the encoding fringe periods for higher measuring accuracy. Based on the proposed measuring technique, one new pixel-to-pixel and unambiguous 3D reconstruction result can be updated with three newly required patterns at a reconstruction rate of 3174 fps. Three transient scenes including collapsing wood blocks struck by a flying arrow, free-falling foam snowflakes and flying water balloon towards metal grids were measured to verify the high performance of the proposed method in various complex dynamic scenes.