bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Recommender-based bone tumour classification with radiographs—a link to the past
Authors: Hinterwimmer Florian , Serena Ricardo Smits , Wilhelm Nikolas , Breden Sebastian , Consalvo Sarah , Seidl Fritz , Juestel Dominik , Burgkart Rainer H. H. , Woertler Klaus , von Eisenhart-Rothe Ruediger , Neumann Jan , Rueckert Daniel
Published: March 2024

Objectives

To develop an algorithm to link undiagnosed patients to previous patient histories based on radiographs, and simultaneous classification of multiple bone tumours to enable early and specific diagnosis.

Materials and methods

For this retrospective study, data from 2000 to 2021 were curated from our database by two orthopaedic surgeons, a radiologist and a data scientist. Patients with complete clinical and pre-therapy radiographic data were eligible. To ensure feasibility, the ten most frequent primary tumour entities, confirmed histologically or by tumour board decision, were included. We implemented a ResNet and transformer model to establish baseline results. Our method extracts image features using deep learning and then clusters the k most similar images to the target image using a hash-based nearest-neighbour recommender approach that performs simultaneous classification by majority voting. The results were evaluated with precision-at-k, accuracy, precision and recall. Discrete parameters were described by incidence and percentage ratios. For continuous parameters, based on a normality test, respective statistical measures were calculated.

Results

Included were data from 809 patients (1792 radiographs; mean age 33.73 ± 18.65, range 3–89 years; 443 men), with Osteochondroma (28.31%) and Ewing sarcoma (1.11%) as the most and least common entities, respectively. The dataset was split into training (80%) and test subsets (20%). For k = 3, our model achieved the highest mean accuracy, precision and recall (92.86%, 92.86% and 34.08%), significantly outperforming state-of-the-art models (54.10%, 55.57%, 19.85% and 62.80%, 61.33%, 23.05%).

Conclusion

Our novel approach surpasses current models in tumour classification and links to past patient data, leveraging expert insights.

Clinical relevance statement

The proposed algorithm could serve as a vital support tool for clinicians and general practitioners with limited experience in bone tumour classification by identifying similar cases and classifying bone tumour entities.

Key Points

• Addressed accurate bone tumour classification using radiographic features.

• Model achieved 92.86%, 92.86% and 34.08% mean accuracy, precision and recall, respectively, significantly surpassing state-of-the-art models.

• Enhanced diagnosis by integrating prior expert patient assessments.

Graphical abstract
Computational modeling of cracking in cortical bone microstructure using the mesh fragmentation technique
Authors: Barros Marcos A. M. de , Manzoli Osvaldo L. , Bitencourt Luís A. G.
Published: March 2024

The cortical bone is a hierarchical composite material that, at the microscale, is segmented in an interstitial matrix, cement line, osteons, and Haversian canals. The cracking of the structure at this scale directly influences the macro behavior, and, in this context, the cement line has a protagonist role. In this sense, this work aims to simulate the crack initiation and propagation processes via cortical bone microstructure modeling with a two-dimensional mesh fragmentation technique that captures the mechanical relevance of its constituents. In this approach, high aspect ratio elements are inserted between the regular constant strain triangle finite elements to define potential crack paths a priori. The crack behavior is described using a composed damage model with two scalar damage variables, which is integrated by an implicit-explicit (Impl-Ex) scheme to avoid convergence problems usually found in numerical simulations involving multiple cracks. The approach’s capability of modeling the failure process in cortical bone microstructure is investigated by simulating four conceptual problems and one example based on a digital image of an experimental test. The results obtained in terms of crack pattern and failure mechanisms agree with those described in the literature, demonstrating that the numerical tool is promising to simulate the complex failure mechanisms in cortical bone, considering the properties of its distinct phases.
Thoracic fluid content (TFC) using electrical cardiometry versus lung ultrasound in the diagnosis of transient tachypnea of newborn
Authors: EL-Fattah Nagwa Mohamed Abd , EL-Mahdy Heba Saied , Hamisa Manal Fathy , Ibrahim Ashraf Mohamed
Published: March 2024

This study aimed to evaluate TFC by EC versus lung ultrasound (LUS) findings for diagnosing and follow-up of TTN in late preterm and term neonates. This prospective observational study was conducted on 80 neonates with gestational age ≥ 34 weeks. TTN group included 40 neonates diagnosed with TTN, and no lung disease (NLD) group included 40 neonates without respiratory distress. LUS and EC were performed within the first 24 h of life and repeated after 72 h. There was a statistically significant increase in TFC in TTN group on D1 [48.48 ± 4.86 (1 KOhm−1)] compared to NLD group [32.95 ± 4.59 (1 KOhm−1)], and then significant decrease in TFC in D3 [34.90 ± 4.42 (1 KOhm−1)] compared to D1 in the TTN group. There was a significant positive correlation between both TFC and LUS with Downes’ score, TTN score, and duration of oxygen therapy in the TTN group.

   Conclusion: Both LUS and TFC by EC provide good bedside tools that could help to diagnose and monitor TTN. TFC showed a good correlation with LUS score and degree of respiratory distress.

What is Known:• Transient tachypnea of the newborn (TTN) is the most common cause of respiratory distress in newborns.• TTN is a diagnosis of exclusion, there are no specific clinical parameters or biomarker has been identified for TTN.

What is New:• Thoracic fluid content (TFC) by electrical cardiometry is a new parameter to evaluate lung fluid volume and could help to diagnose and monitor TTN and correlates with lung ultrasound score.
The antagonistic effect of FTO on METTL14 promotes AKT3 m6A demethylation and the progression of esophageal cancer
Authors: Wei Ran , Zhao Fangfang , Kong Lingsuo , Pu Youguang , Li Yuanhai , Zang Chunbao
Published: March 2024

Background

As the most abundant modification in eukaryotic messenger RNAs (mRNAs), N6-methyladenosine (m6A) plays vital roles in many biological processes.

Methods

Methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (MeRIP-seq) and transcriptomic RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) were used to screen for m6A targets in esophageal cancer cells and patients. The role of m6A RNA methylase in esophageal cancer was also analyzed using bioinformatics. In vitro and in vivo experiments were used to analyze gene expression and function. CCK-8, colony formation, cell apoptosis and immunofluorescence staining assays were performed to evaluate the proliferation, migration and invasion of esophageal cancer cells, respectively. Western blot analysis, RNA stability, RIP and luciferase reporter assays were performed to elucidate the underlying mechanism involved.

Results

We found that the m6A demethylase FTO was significantly upregulated in esophageal cancer cell lines and patient tissues. In vivo and in vitro assays demonstrated that FTO was involved in the proliferation and apoptosis of esophageal cancer cells. Moreover, we found that the m6A methyltransferase METTL14 negatively regulates FTO function in esophageal cancer progression. FTO alone is not related to the prognosis of esophageal cancer, and its function is antagonized by METTL14. By using transcriptome-wide m6A-seq and RNA-seq assays, we revealed that AKT3 is a downstream target of FTO and acts in concert to regulate the tumorigenesis and metastasis of esophageal cancer. Taken together, these findings provide insight into m6A-mediated tumorigenesis in esophageal cancer and could lead to the design of new therapeutic strategies.
Preparedness of German emergency departments for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) incidents
Authors: Bollinger Matthias , Bushuven Stefan , Bentele Michael , Bentele Stefanie , Wenske Slatomir , Goertz David , Shapeton Alexander Daniel , Kohl Matthias , Tralls Patrick , Kumle Bernhard
Published: March 2024

Background

Post-pandemic considerations, as well as lessons learned from terrorist attacks, wars, and disasters worldwide demonstrate that emergency departments must be prepared for mass casualty events related to chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) hazardous materials. Our aim was to evaluate whether German emergency departments are sufficiently prepared for such events.

Methods

We developed a survey and distributed it to all chairpersons of emergency departments in Germany via the German Emergency Department Directory. Results of the survey were described using total numbers and percentages. Capacity for decontamination at different sites was graphically displayed using box-and-whisker plots. The primary endpoint of this study was whether German emergency departments are sufficiently prepared for CBRN incidents.

Results

Of 963 emergency departments, 262 (27.21%) answered the survey: 80.43% (189/235) of the hospitals had a plan for biological incidents, 49.36% (116/235) for chemical incidents, and 34.47% (81/235) for radionuclear incidents. Furthermore, 50% (116/232) reported some kind of decontamination site, but only 31.42% (71/226) reported having a water supply to their decontamination area. Sufficient protective equipment was only available in 27.51% (63/229) of emergency departments. Only 12.02% (25/208) of hospitals were able to decontaminate supine patients properly, following a decontamination scheme.

Conclusion

Most German hospitals are not adequately prepared to handle casualties resulting from chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear hazardous materials. Given these results, there is a need for systemic intervention at the national level in order to improve preparedness.
Design, Manufacture, and Cryogenic Testing of a Linerless Composite Tank for Liquid Hydrogen
Authors: Olsson Robin , Cameron Christopher , Moreau Florence , Marklund Erik , Merzkirch Matthias , Pettersson Jocke
Published: March 2024

This paper describes design, manufacture, and testing of a linerless composite vessel for liquid hydrogen, having 0.3 m diameter and 0.9 m length. The vessel consists of a composite cylinder manufactured by wet filament winding of thin-ply composite bands, bonded to titanium end caps produced by additive manufacturing. The aim was to demonstrate the linerless design concept with a thin-ply composite for the cylinder. The investigation is limited to the internal pressure vessel, while real cryogenic tanks also involve an outer vessel containing vacuum for thermal insulation. Thermal stresses dominate during normal operation (4 bar) and the layup was selected for equal hoop strains in the composite cylinder and end caps during filling with liquid hydrogen. Two vessels were tested in 20 cycles, by filling and emptying with liquid nitrogen to 4 bar, without signs of damage or leakage. Subsequently, one vessel was tested until burst at almost 30 bar.
Artificial intelligence and multimodal data fusion for smart healthcare: topic modeling and bibliometrics
Authors: Chen Xieling , Xie Haoran , Tao Xiaohui , Wang Fu Lee , Leng Mingming , Lei Baiying
Published: March 2024

Advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) have driven extensive research into developing diverse multimodal data analysis approaches for smart healthcare. There is a scarcity of large-scale analysis of literature in this field based on quantitative approaches. This study performed a bibliometric and topic modeling examination on 683 articles from 2002 to 2022, focusing on research topics and trends, journals, countries/regions, institutions, authors, and scientific collaborations. Results showed that, firstly, the number of articles has grown from 1 in 2002 to 220 in 2022, with a majority being published in interdisciplinary journals that link healthcare and medical research and information technology and AI. Secondly, the significant rise in the quantity of research articles can be attributed to the increasing contribution of scholars from non-English speaking countries/regions and the noteworthy contributions made by authors in the USA and India. Thirdly, researchers show a high interest in diverse research issues, especially, cross-modality magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for brain tumor analysis, cancer prognosis through multi-dimensional data analysis, and AI-assisted diagnostics and personalization in healthcare, with each topic experiencing a significant increase in research interest. There is an emerging trend towards issues such as applying generative adversarial networks and contrastive learning for multimodal medical image fusion and synthesis and utilizing the combined spatiotemporal resolution of functional MRI and electroencephalogram in a data-centric manner. This study is valuable in enhancing researchers’ and practitioners’ understanding of the present focal points and upcoming trajectories in AI-powered smart healthcare based on multimodal data analysis.
The movement of mitochondria in breast cancer: internal motility and intercellular transfer of mitochondria
Authors: Libring Sarah , Berestesky Emily D. , Reinhart-King Cynthia A.
Published: March 2024

As a major energy source for cells, mitochondria are involved in cell growth and proliferation, as well as migration, cell fate decisions, and many other aspects of cellular function. Once thought to be irreparably defective, mitochondrial function in cancer cells has found renewed interest, from suggested potential clinical biomarkers to mitochondria-targeting therapies. Here, we will focus on the effect of mitochondria movement on breast cancer progression. Mitochondria move both within the cell, such as to localize to areas of high energetic need, and between cells, where cells within the stroma have been shown to donate their mitochondria to breast cancer cells via multiple methods including tunneling nanotubes. The donation of mitochondria has been seen to increase the aggressiveness and chemoresistance of breast cancer cells, which has increased recent efforts to uncover the mechanisms of mitochondrial transfer. As metabolism and energetics are gaining attention as clinical targets, a better understanding of mitochondrial function and implications in cancer are required for developing effective, targeted therapeutics for cancer patients.
Screening tropical and sub-tropical maize germplasm for resistance to Striga hermonthica and S. asiatica and yield-related traits
Authors: Dossa Emeline N. , Shimelis Hussein , Shayanowako Admire I. T. , Laing Mark D.
Published: March 2024

Identification of maize germplasm with dual resistance to Striga hermonthica (Sh) and S. asiatica (Sa), could lead to the development of cultivars with stable resistance. 130 tropical and sub-tropical maize germplasms, including checks, were evaluated in a controlled environment for their reaction to Sh and Sa infestations using a 13 × 10 alpha lattice design with two replications over two seasons. Significant differences (P < 0.05) were detected among the assessed genotypes for all the recorded traits in Sh and Sa-infested treatments. Under Sa-infested conditions, mean Striga emergence counts 8 weeks after planting (SEC8) and 10 weeks after planting (SEC10) were 5.00 and 45.50, respectively, while the mean Striga damage rate 8 weeks after planting (SDR8) and 10 weeks after planting (SDR10) were 3.35 and 3.07, respectively. Under Sh-infested conditions, SEC8 and SEC10 mean values were 3.66 and 3.77, respectively, while the SDR8 and SDR10 values were 5.25 and 2.75 respectively. Positive and significant (P < 0.05) correlations were found between anthesis-silking interval (ASI) and SDR8 (r = 0.18) and SDR10 (0.32) under Sa-infested conditions. Negative and significant correlations were recorded between ear per plant (EPP) and SEC8, SDR8, and SDR10, with r = − 0.18, r = − 0.27, and r = − 0.24, respectively. Under Sh-infested conditions, significant and negative correlations were recorded between SDR8 and EPP (r = − 0. 20), EHT and SEC8 (r = − 0.22), EHT and SDR8 (r = − 0.36), PLHT and SDR8 (− 0.48), and PLHT and SDR10 (− 0.22). The results suggest that dual resistance to the two Striga species exists in some tropical and sub-tropical maize lines. The following genotypes have dual resistance to Sa and Sh: CML440, CML566, CML540, CML539, CLHP0343, CLHP0326, TZISTR1248, TZSTRI115, TZISTR25, TZISTR1205, TZSTRI113, TZISTR1119, TZISTR1174 and the OPVs B.King/1421, Shesha/1421, ZM1421, DTSTR-W SYN13, DTSTR-Y SYN14, and 2*TZECOMP3DT/WhiteDTSTRSYN) C2. The identified genotypes are suitable for use as parents in developing high-performing maize varieties with Striga resistance and improved grain yield.
On approximating dependence function and its derivatives
Authors: Tajvidi Nader
Published: March 2024

Bivariate extreme value distributions can be used to model dependence of observations from random variables in extreme levels. There is no finite dimensional parametric family for these distributions, but they can be characterized by a certain one-dimensional function which is known as Pickands dependence function. In many applications the general approach is to estimate the dependence function with a non-parametric method and then conduct further analysis based on the estimate. Although this approach is flexible in the sense that it does not impose any special structure on the dependence function, its main drawback is that the estimate is not available in a closed form. This paper provides some theoretical results which can be used to find a closed form approximation for an exact or an estimate of a twice differentiable dependence function and its derivatives. We demonstrate the methodology by calculating approximations for symmetric and asymmetric logistic dependence functions and their second derivatives. We show that the theory can be even applied to approximating a non-parametric estimate of dependence function using a convex optimization algorithm. Other discussed applications include a procedure for testing whether an estimate of dependence function can be assumed to be symmetric and estimation of the concordance measures of a bivariate extreme value distribution. Finally, an Australian annual maximum temperature dataset is used to illustrate how the theory can be used to build semi-infinite and compact predictions regions.
SAT Meets Tableaux for Linear Temporal Logic Satisfiability
Authors: Geatti Luca , Gigante Nicola , Montanari Angelo , Venturato Gabriele
Published: March 2024

Linear temporal logic($$\textsf{LTL}\,$$LTL) and its variant interpreted onfinite traces($$\textsf{LTL}_{\textsf{f}\,}$$LTLf) are among the most popular specification languages in the fields of formal verification, artificial intelligence, and others. In this paper, we focus on the satisfiability problem for$$\textsf{LTL}\,$$LTLand$$\textsf{LTL}_{\textsf{f}\,}$$LTLfformulas, for which many techniques have been devised during the last decades. Among these aretableau systems, of which the most recent is Reynolds’ tree-shaped tableau. We provide a SAT-based algorithm for$$\textsf{LTL}\,$$LTLand$$\textsf{LTL}_{\textsf{f}\,}$$LTLfsatisfiability checking based on Reynolds’ tableau, proving its correctness and discussing experimental results obtained through its implementation in the BLACK satisfiability checker.
Regulating Autonomy in Civilian Drones: Towards a Spectral Approach
Authors: Nawaz Samar Abbas
Published: March 2024

Civilian drones are becoming more functionally independent from human involvement which sets them on a path towards “autonomous” status. When defining “autonomy,” the European Union (EU) regulations, among other jurisdictions, employ an all-or-nothing approach, according to which a drone is either able to operate fully autonomously or not at all. This dichotomous approach disregards the various levels of drone autonomy and fails to capture the complexity of civilian drone operation. Within the EU, this has regulatory implications, such as regulatory lag, hindrance in better safety regulation, and incoherence with the Union’s regulatory approach towards Artificial Intelligence (AI). This article argues that understanding autonomy as a spectrum, rather than in a dichotomous way, would be more coherent with the technical functioning of drone and would avoid potential regulatory problems caused by the current dichotomous approach. In delineating this spectral approach, this article (1) analyses manifestations of autonomy in drone operations, (2) delineates efforts in the technical literatures and drone standardization to conceptualize “autonomy”, and (3) explores definitional attempts for autonomy made in three other technologies: self-driving cars, autonomous weapon systems, and autonomous maritime ships.
Nonsingular Hierarchical Approach for Trajectory Tracking Control of Miniature Helicopter with Model Uncertainties
Authors: Liu Ce
Published: March 2024

Based on hierarchical inner-outer loop strategy, the tracking control for the helicopter system could be designed individually for the position loop and for the attitude loop, thus simplifying the underactuated control problem. However, due to the nonlinear coupling between the position dynamics and rotation dynamics, the performance of the position control is affected by attitude errors, especially when the attitude control can not tracks the reference attitude instantaneously. This work provides a hierarchical trajectory tracking control design for the helicopter with model uncertainties, ensuring the stability of the overall system considering the perturbation caused by attitude tracking errors and the nonlinear coupling. The attitude of the helicopter is descried by unit-quaternion, for which anti-unwinding control design is presented. Besides, the criteria for avoidance of singularity in generation of the reference attitude is derived. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the design.
Current-Dependent Resistance in TES Wiring Superimposed Nb Striplines
Authors: Ferrari Barusso Lorenzo , Celasco Edvige , Gallucci Giovanni , Grosso Daniele , Repetto Luca , Rigano Manuela , D’Andrea Matteo , Macculi Claudio , Torrioli Guido , Gatti Flavio
Published: March 2024

During the characterization of the demonstration model of the Cryogenic AntiCoincidence (CryoAC) Detector (ACS-10), a current-dependent parasitic resistance was found in series with the TES network on board the detector. Analysis was possible because the resistance rises for currents above 11 $$\mu$$
μ
A, and is therefore not observed at low bias excitation. A comparison of measurements of the TES across its Nb wiring at different temperatures suggested that the source of resistance was in the wiring and not in the TES network. After several analysis of the wiring fabrication steps, FIB-FE-SEM studies of film sections and tests of niobium film quality, we understood that the parasitic resistance was due to point contact in the Nb step coverage caused by film cracks. The fracture was due to the wall steepness and thickness of the films, since rapid step coverage is less mechanically stable and the stress on the films is proportional to the fourth power of the thickness. Therefore, all thicknesses in the wiring were reduced to the minimum optimum step coverage values and the first negative lithography parameters were optimized to reduce the wall film angle. The samples after this optimization showed no current-dependent series resistance to TES.
Sex, Gender, and Devotional Desire: Refiguring Bodily Identities in Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava Discourse
Authors: Holdrege Barbara A.
Published: March 2024

Many of the debates among theorists of the body in feminist and gender studies center on the gendered body and its relation to the sexed body, with the validity of the sex/gender distinction itself a topic of contention. On the one hand, feminist advocates of social constructionism tend to distinguish between sex and gender, in which sex (male or female) is identified with the biological body as a “natural” datum and gender (masculine or feminine) is a second-order sociocultural construction that is superimposed as an ideological superstructure on this “natural” base. On the other hand, feminist advocates of sexual difference such as Judith Butler call into question the sex/gender distinction and insist that the sexed body, like gender, is socially constructed. This article brings these contemporary feminist interlocutors into conversation with sixteenth-century Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava authorities who developed a distinctive discourse of embodiment in which they frame the categories of sex and gender in relation to devotional desire in their ontological theories of bodily identities. The Gauḍīya discourse of embodiment explodes notions of the relationship between embodiment, personhood, materiality, and gender on both the human and divine planes and challenges prevailing body theories by positing bodies beyond matter, personhood beyond matter, and gender beyond sex.
Anatomical attention can help to segment the dilated pancreatic duct in abdominal CT
Authors: Shen Chen , Roth Holger R. , Hayashi Yuichiro , Oda Masahiro , Sato Gen , Miyamoto Tadaaki , Rueckert Daniel , Mori Kensaku
Published: March 2024

Purpose

Pancreatic duct dilation is associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer, the most lethal malignancy with the lowest 5-year relative survival rate. Automatic segmentation of the dilated pancreatic duct from contrast-enhanced CT scans would facilitate early diagnosis. However, pancreatic duct segmentation poses challenges due to its small anatomical structure and poor contrast in abdominal CT. In this work, we investigate an anatomical attention strategy to address this issue.

Methods

Our proposed anatomical attention strategy consists of two steps: pancreas localization and pancreatic duct segmentation. The coarse pancreatic mask segmentation is used to guide the fully convolutional networks (FCNs) to concentrate on the pancreas’ anatomy and disregard unnecessary features. We further apply a multi-scale aggregation scheme to leverage the information from different scales. Moreover, we integrate the tubular structure enhancement as an additional input channel of FCN.

Results

We performed extensive experiments on 30 cases of contrast-enhanced abdominal CT volumes. To evaluate the pancreatic duct segmentation performance, we employed four measurements, including the Dice similarity coefficient (DSC), sensitivity, normalized surface distance, and 95 percentile Hausdorff distance. The average DSC achieves 55.7%, surpassing other pancreatic duct segmentation methods on single-phase CT scans only.

Conclusions

We proposed an anatomical attention-based strategy for the dilated pancreatic duct segmentation. Our proposed strategy significantly outperforms earlier approaches. The attention mechanism helps to focus on the pancreas region, while the enhancement of the tubular structure enables FCNs to capture the vessel-like structure. The proposed technique might be applied to other tube-like structure segmentation tasks within targeted anatomies.
Lehrpersonen- und Elternurteile über sozial-emotionale Kompetenzen von Kindern mit Verhaltensauffälligkeiten
Authors: Neuenschwander Markus P. , Rösti Ilona , Prieth Vanessa , Zavery Alafia
Published: March 2024

Die Urteile über die sozial-emotionalen Kompetenzen von Kindern mit Verhaltensauffälligkeiten unterscheiden sich zwischen Eltern und Lehrpersonen. Die Ursachen für die Urteilsunterschiede wurden bisher wenig untersucht. Verschiedene Studien zeigen, dass die Urteile mit den Ergebnissen von standardisierten Entwicklungstests schwach korrelieren. Zusätzlich besteht ein Zusammenhang zwischen den sozial-emotionalen Kompetenzen der Kinder und der Lehrperson-Schüler:in-Beziehung bzw. der Empathie der Eltern. Es wird der Frage nachgegangen, wie übereinstimmend Eltern und Lehrpersonen die sozial-emotionalen Kompetenzen beurteilen und wie die Lehrperson-Schüler:in-Beziehung bzw. die Empathie der Eltern diese Urteilsunterschiede erklären. Ausgewertet wurden querschnittliche Fragebogendaten, welche die Einschätzungen von Eltern und Lehrpersonen zu N = 158 Kindern mit Verhaltensauffälligkeiten aus dem Kindergarten sowie der Grundschule enthielten. Alle Urteile der Lehrpersonen korrelierten mit den Ergebnissen des Entwicklungstests, während nur ein Teil der Urteile der Eltern damit zusammenhing. Moderierte Regressionsanalysen zeigen, dass Eltern die sozial-emotionalen Kompetenzen der Kinder mit Verhaltensauffälligkeiten höher einschätzten als Lehrpersonen. Mit einer besseren Lehrperson-Schüler:in-Beziehung näherten sich die Urteile von Eltern und Lehrpersonen an, mit einer höheren Empathie der Eltern wurden die Urteilsunterschiede grösser. Die Ergebnisse widerspiegeln die Wichtigkeit, die Beurteilung von sozial-emotionalen Kompetenzen in der Aus- und Weiterbildung von Lehrpersonen zu thematisieren.
Factors triggering familial mediterranean fever attacks, do they really exist?
Authors: Parlar Kerem , Ates Muhammed Bahaddin , Onal Mehmet Erinc , Bostancı Ece , Azman Feyza Nur , Uğurlu Serdal
Published: March 2024

Several possible factors are hypothesized to trigger familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) attacks; however, there is no consensus on this matter. We aimed to identify these triggering factors and analyze their relationship with the Mediterranean fever gene mutation status. We prepared a questionnaire that included the most commonly mentioned possible trigger factors of familial Mediterranean fever. We administered a questionnaire to 882 patients. We used a questionnaire assessing the following: psychological stress, consumption of tea and coffee, relationship with menses, menopause and post-menopausal alleviation, seasonal changes, traveling for long durations, relocation, starvation, sleeplessness, cold exposure, fatigue, wind exposure, and humidity. The most frequent triggering factor for familial Mediterranean fever attacks was psychological stress (75.2%). Cold exposure was a statistically significant trigger in patients with exon 10 mutations. Humidity was a statistically significant trigger in patients with exon 2 mutations. Seasonal changes, traveling for long durations, relocation, and cold exposure were statistically significant triggers of familial Mediterranean fever attacks in patients with homozygous M694V mutations. Identifying trigger factors can lead to better preventive measures and personalized therapies to decrease familial Mediterranean fever attacks. Patients can significantly decrease the number of familial Mediterranean fever attacks they experience by managing psychological stress and avoiding physical factors such as cold exposure and fatigue. Determining the relationship between trigger factors and patients' Mediterranean fever gene mutation status can lead to personalized therapy for the prevention of familial Mediterranean fever attacks.
Adaptation to sea level rise in France
Authors: Le Cozannet Gonéri , Cazenave Anny
Published: March 2024

Sea level rise due to climate change is an ongoing process that will continue for centuries and millennia. In response to this, France is increasingly considering sea level rise in its coastal risks and land use policies. Here, we show that despite real progress in coastal adaptation policies made so far, major challenges remain. We report progress regarding the consideration of ongoing erosion and flooding during storms, in particular owing to an evolving national regulation increasingly supporting the implementation of a nationally defined integrated coastal zones management strategy. Yet, chronic flooding at high-tides in ports and cities expected to emerge in the 2030s, as well as permanent flooding and shoreline retreat projected to take place within centuries without major protection works remain largely unaddressed to date. Major questions remain in terms of adaptation finance and other measures supporting coastal adaptation such as climate services. Finally, the topic of coastal adaptation lacks connections with the broader context of transformations needed to address climate change, biodiversity losses, and meet the sustainable development goals. The case of France exemplifies how an evolving adaptation planning, which takes decades to implement, can ultimately fall short of effectively addressing major transformational challenges and achieving climate resilient development. We argue that a clear and transparent public debate on climate change and the nature of solutions could help bridge the gap between ongoing adaptation and transformative measures in line with the challenges.
Case-Based Review of Breast Lymphomas
Authors: Tran Michelle G. , Cortes Gillean , Choi Hyung Won , Young J. J. , Tsai I. S.
Published: March 2024

Purpose of Review

This article will review several cases of histologically-proven primary and secondary breast lymphomas to demonstrate the multimodal radiologic features, as well as to discuss the approach to diagnostic work up of lymphomas encountered during imaging of the breast and axilla.

Recent Findings

Imaging findings of breast lymphoma can overlap with those of primary breast cancer. When there is any clinical suspicion for lymphoma in indeterminate or suspicious breast or axillary findings, definitive tissue diagnosis should be pursued with flow cytometry in addition to routine histologic analysis.

Breast lymphomas can have varied clinical presentations and nonspecific mammographic and sonographic findings. It can be challenging to radiologically differentiate lymphomas seen in the breast and axilla from primary breast cancers or benign lesions. Without pathognomonic imaging features, tissue sampling via imaging guided biopsy is frequently required. Knowledge of the spectrum of imaging findings and clinical presentations are fundamental to ensure appropriate clinical management.
Activity of Bambusa vulgaris extract in reducing silver nanoparticles: evaluation against methylene blue organic pollutant and microbial agents
Authors: Prabula S. S. , Hentry C. , Al-Farraj Saleh , Ram Kumar P. , Sillanpää Mika , Aravind M.
Published: March 2024

This article presents an investigation focusing on successfully synthesising silver nanoparticles with zero valences. The synthesis involves utilising an extract from bamboo leaves, specifically those obtained from the Bambusa vulgaris species. X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared, and ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy characterised the synthesised Ag nanomaterials. The X-ray diffraction pattern obtained from the collected samples confirms the presence of a face-centred cubic structure and a significant level of crystallinity. The studied materials had a spherical morphology, as determined by transmission electron microscopy analysis. The particle size was measured to be 22 nm. FT-IR analysis validates the presence of biomolecules in the leaf extract, which is accountable for the reduction of Ag+ ions and subsequent stabilisation of Ag nanoparticles. Without chemical agents, the reduction of Ag ions to Ag was confirmed using UV–Vis spectroscopy. This analytical technique revealed a peak at 450 nm, indicating surface plasmon resonance. Photogenerated electron carriers can be inferred from a distinct and diverse set of photoluminescence spectra. The study also includes an analysis of the photocatalytic effectiveness of the synthesised silver nanoparticles, specifically in the breakdown of methylene blue (MB) dye. The efficacy of the silver nanoparticle (Ag NP) photocatalyst was assessed by examining the degradation process of a methylene blue dye solution in an aqueous medium under direct sunlight exposure. The experiment also evaluated the impact of catalyst dosage and dye concentration on the efficient degradation of MB dye. The investigation findings indicate that the optimal catalyst dosage and dye concentration were determined to be 0.015 mg/mL and 10 µM, respectively. Notably, the photocatalytic degradation process exhibited remarkable efficacy, with a peak efficiency of 94% after 120 min under direct solar irradiation. The experimental results suggest that the synthesised particles demonstrate a disintegration rate of 96% over 120 min when exposed to visible light. The utilisation of bio-processed silver nanoparticles has exhibited the achievement of phase purity during the manufacturing process, as well as an enhancement in catalytic efficacy. It implies that the synthesised technique offers a more advantageous option for producing nanoparticles on a large scale, potentially applicable in wastewater treatment at a broad level.
A multi-criteria decision analysis framework that prioritizes economic policy to enhance value based health care during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Antioch Kathryn Margaret , Kuek Angeline , Pilla John , Marshall Rick
Published: March 2024

Objective

To investigate pandemic impacts on Value-Based Health Care (VBHC) globally, using multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) to address challenges through prioritizing economic policies.

Methods

Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta Analyses extension for Scoping-Reviews (PRISMA-ScR), PUBMED, Medline, and google-scholar were used to analyze pandemic impacts on VBHC domains. MCDA prioritized economic policies, utilizing the value-measurement model with additive-weighted scores. The criteria weighting-method used direct-rating, ranking and robust deliberation by four experts to priority rank economic policies for each VBHC domain.

Results

COVID-19 impacted on all VBHC domains: Integrated Practice Units, outcome and cost measurement, Value-Based Reimbursement, Information Technology (IT), regional systems integration, geography of care and VBHC policy and institutions. There were changes in patient complexity, service delivery, activity, models of care, pricing, costs, IT, quality, and health status. COVID-19 pricing impacts included increased capacity costs, Personal Protective Equipment costs, cost per patient, service delivery changes, and telehealth costs. A median of 37% of patients globally avoided care, negatively impacting on diabetes, venous thromboembolism, Parkinson’s disease, kidney disease, myocardial infarction, stroke, and cancer patients. A consequence is inaccurate assessments of health status, underestimated projected health needs, and costs for risk-adjustment, impacting health services. Innovations include telehealth and changing service redesign. New care models include state-wide ICU-COVID Models of Care, Telehealth-Inpatient Physician Services, COVID-linked pathology testing, and increased Hospital in the Home. Artificial Intelligence innovations involved patient-screening, triage, risk-evaluation, care assessment, pathways, and laboratories. Risk-adjustment challenges impacted on Value-Based Reimbursement and patient risk-stratification. MCDA prioritized economic policies, including healthcare system performance, healthcare demand and supply, risk-adjustment, planning and market mechanisms, economic evaluation of healthcare, economic sustainability initiatives, and health determinants.

Conclusion

COVID-19 demonstrated the limits of health systems globally, with increasing costs and limited budgets. The economic strategies identified can enhance VBHC globally.
Thatcherism
Authors: Dorey Peter
Published: March 2024

Margaret Thatcher, prime minister between 1979 and 1990, was and continues to be a hugely divisive figure in Britain. Her influence on British politics has long outlived her, with the Conservative Party becoming steadily more Thatcherite than it was under her leadership, especially on economic issues. Policies that support privatization, curbs on trade unions and employment rights (to promote further labour market flexibility), reduction in welfare provision, the replacement of collectivism with individualism, and the marketization of public services, including the NHS and education, are all Thatcherism in practice, and still continue today.

Peter Dorey offers a lively analysis of how Thatcherism became an ideology for politics to conjure with, its relationship with its eponymous leader and with the Conservative Party, as well as the long-term implications for the British people. He argues that the radical modernization of Britain that started under Thatcher's leadership in the 1980s has created the conditions that have led to the polarization of British society today; a process that was profoundly unconservative in its values and approach, destabilizing institutions which Conservatives once deemed sacrosanct, and replacing continuity and solidity with constant change and competition.
Grand Strategy and the Rise of China
Authors: Leoni Zeno
Published: March 2024

During four decades of fast-paced economic growth, China's ascent has reverberated across the full social spectrum, from international relations to technology, from trade to global health, from academia to climate change. Despite disrupting the long-established cultural and political constructs of the postwar liberal international order, Beijing's power remains uneven and limited internationally, whereas the rise of China has been the object of much frenzied reaction within Western civil society. The hostility and new cold war with the United States is a major factor in fuelling debate and speculation.

This book explores the uncertainties and dilemmas China's rise has fuelled for both the US-sponsored liberal order and the Chinese communist elites that are responsible. It provides the tools to understand the contemporary political and media turmoil about China, its causes and its trajectories. It interprets the rise of China through the lenses of global politics and the uneven and combined development of capitalism and its encounter with the authoritarian, one-party system of the Chinese polity.
Central Bank Digital Currencies
Authors: Lloyd Michael
Published: March 2024

The advent of digital stablecoins and the continuing decline of cash are prompting central banks across the world to explore developing their own digital currencies. Although few have launched so far, the potential for central bank digital currency (CBDC) promises a revolution in banking.

Michael Lloyd considers the opportunities and threats that the arrival of CBDCs will have for commercial banking and the world's monetary system. The choices facing central banks regarding the use, design and technology of digital currencies are examined as well as the potential impacts on consumer security and privacy.
Why is there no investor-state dispute settlement in RCEP? bargaining and contestation in the investment regime
Authors: Lugg Andrew , Ganeson Kirthana , Elsig Manfred , Chaisse Julien , Jusoh Sufian
Published: March 2024

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is one of the most important mega-regional trade agreements signed to date. Yet, it failed to include an Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanism in its investment chapter. What explains this omission? To unpack this, we examine international negotiations as a two-step process. In the first stage, we theorize that initial preferences towards ISDS are based on countries’ orientation toward foreign direct investment (FDI), experience with ISDS, and past treaty practice. Second, we theorize that during protracted negotiations, adverse regime developments and domestic politics can have a profound impact on treaty design. To test our framework, we examine the RCEP negotiations. Our analysis shows that mounting cases as well as the eroding norm of ISDS in other treaties lowered support for ISDS as the negotiations progressed. Then, a change of government in Malaysia shifted that country’s position dramatically, which tipped the balance against ISDS in the final round of negotiations. Our findings have important implications for the international investment regime. They highlight the factors that determine countries’ initial preferences while also demonstrating the importance of developments during the negotiations, which can lead to the abandonment of the institutional status quo.
Naturalized, Fundamental, and Feminist Metaphysics All at Once: The Case of Barad's Agential Realism
Authors: Jaksland Rasmus
Published: March 2024

An apparent antagonism exists between fundamentality-focused mainstream metaphysics such as naturalized metaphysics—a metaphysics inspired and constrained by the findings of our best science—and feminist metaphysics whose subject matter is typically non-fundamental social reality. Taking Karen Barad's agential realism as a case study, this paper argues that these may not be in conflict after all. Agential realism is a metaphysical framework founded on quantum mechanics which shares the characteristic features of naturalized metaphysics. But Barad finds warrant to extend the scope of agential realism all the way to theorizing about our lifeworld as exemplified by her profound influence on feminist new materialism. Thus, this case study indicates that there does not have to be a division between fundamental and feminist metaphysics. The broad intended scope of agential realism is challenged by the success of Newtonian mechanics as an approximation of quantum mechanics, but certain aspects of agential realism promise to be robust under such approximation. If this is so, then Barad provides us with a metaphysics that is naturalized, fundamental, and feminist all at once.
Mortality associated with carbapenem resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae bloodstream infection: A propensity score–matched study
Authors: Wang Ling , Zeng Chaoying , Li Xue , Li Yuqing , Liu Zhihua , Hu Jing
Published: March 2024

Objective:

Klebsiella pneumoniae are common pathogens causing bloodstream infection (BSI) that increasingly express carbapenem resistance worldwide. To date, no study has precisely investigated the impact of carbapenem resistance in K. pneumoniae (CRKP) BSI on mortality.

Methods:

This retrospective study included 87 patients with CRKP BSI and 321 patients with carbapenem-susceptible K. pneumoniae (CSKP) BSI from 2015 to 2020. Propensity score analyses with stabilized inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW-S) was applied to balance covariates. The hazard ratio for 30-day mortality associated with carbapenem resistance was estimated using Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier curves.

Results:

The 30-day crude mortality rates were 43.7% in patients with CRKP BSI and 17.8% in patients with CSKP BSI (P < .001). Age ≥55 years, underlying hematological malignancies and hemodialysis were independently associated with mortality in CRKP BSI. A skin or soft-tissue infection source, urinary catheter, and underlying chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were predictors of mortality in CSKP BSI. The group characteristics were well balanced after IPTW-S. The adjusted hazard ratio for 30-day mortality for CRKP BSI was 1.607 (interquartile range, 0.814–3.171).

Conclusions:

Carbapenem resistance was not associated with a significant increase in 30-day mortality in KP BSI; patient and disease factors were primary determinants of outcomes.